Tech’s receivers can catch the ball
Despite some of the results this season, Georgia Tech’s wide receivers and A-backs can catch the ball.
The coaches see it in practice, the cornerbacks see it in practice, the players do it in practice.
Now, they say they just have to do it more frequently when it counts: in games.
“There’s no way around it,” wide receiver Tyler Melton said.
The drops started in the season opener, when Melton had a pass bounce off his chest and into the arms of a South Carolina State defender. Like the flu, it spread through Tech’s A-back and wide receivers, most recently affecting Stephen Hill in the loss at Clemson. He tried to make a tough catch on a pass thrown over the wrong shoulder while staring back into the sun. The ball bounced off his hands.
“You still have to make the catch, make that adjustment,” wide receivers coach Al Preston said. “Sometimes that’s just plain experience. This is gut-check time.”
Indeed. The Yellow Jackets (5-3, 3-2) must win their next three conference games, starting with Thursday night’s game at Virginia Tech, if they hope to get a chance to defend their ACC championship.
“They catch everything [in practice],” cornerback Dominique Reese said. “They don’t drop anything. It’s just got to carry over in the game. It just seems like the ones they are dropping are the key ones. I know they will go out there and make plays. I’ve see them do it in practice and games.”
This season, Tech’s wide receivers have caught 22 passes for 259 yards and four touchdowns. The A-backs have 14 receptions for 293 yards and two touchdowns.Roddy Jones said the team needs to help quarterback Joshua Nesbitt by making the tough catches. Jones pointed out that Nesbitt has been throwing the ball accurately and the offensive line’s pass blocking has improved the past few games. Nesbitt is completing 38.2 percent of his passes this season. He completed 46.3 percent last season.
But because Tech doesn’t throw often, and when it does it’s usually a long pass, the errors become magnified.
Coach Paul Johnson said the team does miss the big-play and blocking of Demaryius Thomas, who was Tech’s leading wide receiver with 1,154 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He was the first wide receiver selected in April’s NFL draft. But no Thomas and more drops doesn’t mean that Johnson is going to change his philosophy.
“We’ve been doing this for a long, long, time,” Johnson said. “We’ll continue to do it, we’ve just got to get better at it.”
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81 comments Add your comment
SanDiegoJacket
November 2nd, 2010
5:40 am
I’m still waiting for that break out game and hopefully it’ll be this Thursday night. Key catches will make all the difference and I’m sure Bud Foster is expecting more drops this time. Just concentrate and focus and the catches will come.
THWG Everyday in Everyway
juvenal
November 2nd, 2010
6:26 am
accuracy & velocity & touch are issues, so they have to catch the ones even close-LOOK the ball into your hands, first! i am just hoping not to see struggling futility withteam chemistry dictating personnel instead of results………..
AMG
November 2nd, 2010
6:29 am
Catch the ball and play well this Thursday. You don’t get a second chance at college sports, so make the most of it and win the ACC.
AMG
November 2nd, 2010
6:30 am
Biggest problem I see with catching the ball is MOST of the receivers are not using their hands to catch the ball. It should never bounce off your chest, it should already be in your hands before it gets there.
Ezekiel
November 2nd, 2010
7:54 am
When a receiver catches a ball in practice it is like a tree falling in the woods.
Buzzzed
November 2nd, 2010
8:16 am
Block on the TO plays and you won’t even have to throw the ball.
Jan Kemp's Advisor
November 2nd, 2010
8:16 am
I have advised these men that they have looked like Bacari Rambo catching the ball. I have advised too change that Thursday night.
reebok
November 2nd, 2010
8:18 am
we need some short throws, quick crossing patterns & wheel routes, to spread things out and give the receivers some confidence. I hate thos bombs down the sideline…even if the receiver comes down with the ball, as often as not he’ll be out of bounds.
reebok
November 2nd, 2010
8:19 am
seriously, did you see oregon’s receivers against usc this past weekend…those guys are phenomenol…if they can touch the ball, they catch it.
SRF
November 2nd, 2010
8:32 am
IF they get killed thursday night, which is possible – it may be time to start sitting some senoirs and playing more kids to get ready for next year. I would love to see Washington throw the ball some in live play to evalute what we have. Nesbitt could play B back and accomplish the same as he is now.
Techmate
November 2nd, 2010
8:33 am
I truly believe it is a mind-set. As a receiver you have to own the ball. You have to want it and want it more than the DB. When the ball is in the air, the receivers have go to find a way with their minds and bodies to make the ball theirs. That will also improve their focus.
tech73
November 2nd, 2010
8:56 am
Hill doesn’t catch! Peoples doesn’t catch! Practice doesn’t matter…games count
VT BLANKS SHEEP
November 2nd, 2010
9:00 am
everyone thinks there will never be another Bay Bay but before him there was Calvin Johnson and no one thought he could be replaced…..so….
ku
November 2nd, 2010
9:01 am
at least tech get a mediocre team to play to end the season in athens
GT Sambo
November 2nd, 2010
9:11 am
Steven Hill has all the talent in the world. He also has that swagger about him that you like to see in a WR. I will always remember the play he made in the MTSU game where he ran the post caught the ball and scored a TD. He showed some swagger and was very animated on that play. Too bad that as play happened, I said that he was getting called for pass interference and it wasn’t going to count. I still want to see him play like that, minus the pass interference of course.
GT Jake
November 2nd, 2010
9:24 am
The receivers are the least of our problems, guys.
We’re getting whipped in the trenches, badly. Both sides of the ball.
CPJ has not been able to sign enough quality talent along the lines of scrimmage.
Tech75
November 2nd, 2010
9:26 am
Talk is cheap.
Show me.
East Cobb Hokie
November 2nd, 2010
9:34 am
Maybe there is a fdifference between the defense they practice against vs the games.
Dan
November 2nd, 2010
9:36 am
I’m sick of hearing this team talk. Shut up and do it already.
And in case the defense hasn’t noticed, everyone catches everything against them. That our backs and receivers do too is likely more of a reflection of the defense than it is the capabilities of our offensive players.
Nathan Hale
November 2nd, 2010
9:37 am
Jackets are middle of the pack ACC. That ain’t saying much
bee boys.
Final grade for coach Paul Johnson will be next season.
No heart in this team other than Nesbitt.
Gold Helmets
November 2nd, 2010
9:43 am
Good players make the plays during real games, not practice. I agree this is “gut check time” for the receivers and Coach Preston. We’ve got to recruit some people that can catch a football.
GTMAN099
November 2nd, 2010
9:43 am
I watch alot of football and I can tell you that nesbitt is a big part of the problem with our passing game. In practice, I can see nesbit relaxed and throwing smooth but in games he throws balls that are hard to catch. I have seen him throw a low bullet on a 10 yard pass to a wide open receiver that nobody can catch. Even when he is on target, his passes are hard to catch.Nesbit is the biggest problem in our passing game.
J
November 2nd, 2010
9:51 am
So you’re saying they are a bunch of chokers
Tech82
November 2nd, 2010
9:58 am
The fact that our receivers can catch in practice is meaningless. If they can’t catch in the games then they can’t catch – period. Stephen Hill is a liability. Not only does he drop everything thrown his way, he is not a very strong blocker.
GT76
November 2nd, 2010
10:06 am
With cold, windy weather Thursday night I doubt if there will be much passing. If we are going to win we better stop there running game! If they (VT) do throw we need to catch a couple of them!
smitty
November 2nd, 2010
10:06 am
get the ball in o smith’s hands in space and turn him loose……..go jackets
Burdell
November 2nd, 2010
10:27 am
Weather is going to nasty up in Blacksburg on Thursday night…Hokies are over confident…this has the potential for a nice upset if we can play the whole game.
GO JACKETS!!!
superDawg
November 2nd, 2010
10:59 am
hokie pokie in the endzone to many times and the jakits cry.
secfactcheck.com
November 2nd, 2010
11:11 am
I saw Navy throw some great screens against Notre Dame. How ’bout it CPJ?
MP
November 2nd, 2010
11:14 am
as the infamous allen iverson said, “practice? we’re talking about practice?”
ain’t it great they can catch in practice–how about the friggin’ games? too much “shoulda, woulda, coulda” this year guys. it’s getting old hearing about potential and NOT showing any.
Stumpknocker
November 2nd, 2010
11:19 am
@superdawg/ go back to your vent and defend that classless Grantham , like the rest of your dawg buddies.
WHITE and GOLD
November 2nd, 2010
11:26 am
“No heart in this team other than Nesbitt.”
No Heart in this team including Nesbitt. The kid is tough and a great athelete I do not deny that, but they don’t get excited or pumped up about anything. Its very ho-hum business as usual.
Veteran Fan
November 2nd, 2010
11:38 am
Upset! Come on people if we win it will not be an upset! we are defending conference champions, it will be an upset if they beat us like the Clemson game! We have lost two conference games and both times we made too many mistakes to win against good teams! Cut down on the fumbles and dropped passes and we win this game and all the rest! Coach has been telling it like it is, we need to play better and we will win!
PalmettoJacket
November 2nd, 2010
11:59 am
Exactly, AMG. I have focused my teaching of my 11 year old son to “catch with his hands” since he was six, and now he is a pass catching phenom. Even he notices the poor techniques in GT games. They need to go up and snatch that ball with authority, they are too timid. To me, when all receivers show these problems, it looks like a coaching problem. Preston needs to be on notice. Go jackets!
JoeFan
November 2nd, 2010
12:26 pm
Don’t know if Johnson is to inflexible to tweak his offense but something needs to be done to surprise opposing defenses, maybe it all comes down to execution but it wouldn’t hurt it seems to mix in more play action and even show the shotgun once in a while. He can call it the “wild” something or other just to prove he is an offensive mastermind.
T-man
November 2nd, 2010
12:27 pm
For sure Tech needs to throw more short to medium route passes, specially to the A-backs with occasional screen passes to the B-back. Until we get the ground game going on a consistant basis the deep stuff isn’t going to be near as effective as it could be. Since our opponents are spending more and more time before and during the season to stop Tech’s running game, CPJ needs to install more new passing wrinkles to keep defenses off-balance so that nothing about our offense is ever predictable. But like anything, no matter what offense play you try, it’s all about execution and it all starts with the O-line. Their lack of “urgency” (as CPJ describes it), especially in the red zone, is the main reason this offense is under performing (along with a key break downs and poor senior leadership). If they’ve got it in ‘em, this Thursday night would be a good starting point to set the tone for the rest of the season. GO JACKETTS!!!
Tech75
November 2nd, 2010
1:08 pm
Look, you can complain all you want about Nesbitt; the fact is, we’ve had at least 5 touchdown passes dropped – that either hit receivers in the hands, in the chest, or in the facemask.
There was another one where Melton got dinosaur arms and didn’t even try for it.
So don’t EVEN try to tell me it’s Nesbitt’s fault.
Tech75
November 2nd, 2010
1:11 pm
These receivers and A-backs need to be told:
“You can’t catch… so if you want playing time you BETTER be able to get your man on the ground on our running plays. Otherwise we’ll put a friggin linebacker out there and you’ll be ridin’ the pine.”
5150 P.O.A.D
November 2nd, 2010
1:50 pm
Does the coaching Staff think about the Deep High Pass and the SUN? I don’t want to be predictable, but some passes are better thrown at different times in the game, facing a certain direction, and time of day.
lance
November 2nd, 2010
2:18 pm
Tech receivers could not catch a cold!
Chuck Allison
November 2nd, 2010
2:48 pm
I am sure that Tech’s receivers can do better than they have shown so far. They couldn’t all be that bad. There has to be some common factor hurting their performance. Wait, maybe it is that none of them have a good passer throwing to them! Maybe Josh Nesbitt just can’t throw the ball. That could be it! Naw! I forgot that he is a Heisman candidate.
6969 POAD
November 2nd, 2010
3:13 pm
Tech receivers can catch? If that is indeed true there is still one small problem. Who is going to throw it to them? BAHAHAHA!!!
GT Sambo
November 2nd, 2010
3:25 pm
Nesbitt is who we thought he was. No one ever thought he was an especially accurate passer. But he has been accurate enough this year, we have just seen far too many drops. And I also agree that the line play (both sides) hasn’t been particularly good. IF (big IF) we can get some of this corrected, I think we can beat VT.
Rockdale Jacket
November 2nd, 2010
3:31 pm
The passing game will never be a problem for the oposing teams defenses as long as CPJ in coaching at GT. He
averages calling passing plays 10 times a game at most.
You can analyze the problems with GT`s passing all you want but the real issue is they don`t want to throw the ball except backwards on pitch outs or laterals.
Let us review CPJ
November 2nd, 2010
3:54 pm
PJ is in his third year. 09 was his high water mark but the ACC has more than caught up. This year will turn very ugly and soon. Next season CPJ will be at the 3.5 year mark and that is teh average tenure for GT coaches dating back since 1967. Every 3.5 years GT has to hire a new coach and CPJ is well on target for that dubious distinction.
The triple option or wishbone was already antiquated in the late 70s and for him to ressurect it, shows a clear lack of understanding football in this not big boy level ……………ACC.
joeygt
November 2nd, 2010
4:15 pm
if gt can put together a complete game which they havent done all year they will win big against va tech
joeygt
November 2nd, 2010
4:25 pm
tech has rushed for the same amount as last years just that havent finished drives with touchdowns ,, way too many field goals
5051 P.O.A.D.
November 2nd, 2010
4:35 pm
Great post 5150 POAD about a high sky and the sun and all. You should get a job as a peterologist, I mean meterologist, with Glenn Burns on channel 2. BAHAHA!!!!
Georgia Tee
November 2nd, 2010
5:12 pm
Same ole excuses……the reason they catch passes in pratice is because tech can’t defend the pass, or run for that matter.
Jason
November 2nd, 2010
5:18 pm
Wow. Anybody seen any Bulldogs? I think I saw one, and his analysis is reasonable. All the others must be off trying to choke Richt, Grantham, and Bobo.
blazer
November 2nd, 2010
5:19 pm
wonder why McKayhan and Q> Sims never get thrown too???
JM
November 2nd, 2010
5:31 pm
I bet the D-line in practice isn’t getting after Nesbitt nearly as hard as the opponents do.
superDawg
November 2nd, 2010
5:48 pm
buzzards
Golden Tornado
November 2nd, 2010
9:17 pm
Techmate, re, the passing: You are right on. If only our receivers will say, “I’m going to CATCH the ball that’s thrown at me, no matter who’s about to hit me, and no matter if I DIE.”
virginiajacket
November 2nd, 2010
9:21 pm
Unreal: The chokies are still crying about last year…
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/11/ga-techs-blocks-09-sticking-hokies-minds
surfrider
November 3rd, 2010
12:02 am
If we can’t throw and catch the ball 60% plus of the time up to 20 passes a game minimum it’s hard to see how we can win on the major level. Maybe it’s a matter of matchups, finding the right matchup during the game between receiver and D-back, maybe it’s distribution. But if we throw the ball 20 times and only complete say 8 then maybe it’s better to run the ball 20 times and get that extra 75 to 100 yards offense and 5 minutes off the clock. Possession type wr use to be popular coupled with the speed merchant it’s a hard combo to stop plus the big wr. Hats off though to the running game #2 in Country or so.
messin with the sasquatch
November 3rd, 2010
8:44 am
bud will shut the corners down so we have to execute the dive. if the dive is shut off i dont think our passing game will get r done.
Jackets can catch
November 3rd, 2010
9:54 am
The 1 time in 10 that the pass is acutally decent and within arms reach they drop it occasionally. We really should be focused on the fact that while Nesbitt can run the option…he can’t throw accurately for anything.
Chicken Farmer
November 3rd, 2010
10:07 am
Do we get any points in the game “IF” we catch the ball in practice? We shouldn’t be identifying our guys as “receivers” as receivers are exactly what it means, they RECEIVE the ball. Our guys should be referred to as “DROPPERS”. Strangely enough, even a blind squirrel will find a nut every so often, but our guys seem to want to dispell that old saying.
Robert Barron
November 3rd, 2010
10:53 am
Doug, I want to thank you for being the voice of reason all year.
I do not think having a fan base ready to “jump” whoever drops the next pass helps matters especially when that may be the only ball they get a chance at.
I also resent that Georgia Tech is one of the few places that cannot find a place in their grad school for two graduating lineman with a year of eligibility left.
Football pays for everything else.
If there is not a spot, make one.
GT Sambo
November 3rd, 2010
11:07 am
Robert Barron, there is something to be said for having academic standards even with the football players. If these guys didn’t get accepted into the GT grad programs of their choice, then perhaps there is a reason. I also disagree that “football pays for everything”. Football now only recently covers all athletic endeavors at GT (we used to run a defecit in our AA). It certainly doesn’t pay for R&D or academic buildings. Now, having said that, I hope that proper consideration was given to the players regarding their participation in football. I believe that being a member of the football team should be treated just like having a coop job at a prestigous employer.
GT Man
November 3rd, 2010
12:22 pm
lazy,lazy,lazy i have never seen anything like it. get off your lazy ass and ply ball.
WhoDat
November 3rd, 2010
12:57 pm
Virginia Tech will destroy GT tomorrow night, The stats say alot but I’ve been to Lane Stadium a few times and that place is just insane on a thursday night. VT has alot of ears pulled back in regards to wanting to pick balls off that hit the air and their Dline is going to really hammer players after last years chop blocks kept coming up. I surely hope the game is called fair this time as well, I watched last years and that little ball move by the Refs which was about 3 inches up to the 1st down marker on a critical 3rd down play cost VT that game and gave GT another shot at the endzone which they made. VT will win this game and prob do it by 30+points.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 3rd, 2010
1:15 pm
Tech screwed the pooch when they played 2 games at Lane and that put Away VPI on the same year as Away UGA, And Clemson. That makes the home game schedule SUCK like this year.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 3rd, 2010
1:20 pm
Tech needs to have Miami and UGA at home on the same years that have VIP and Clemson away. Add UNC to the home with MU and UGA with UVA and Duke on the VPI Clemson schedule.
Eric
November 3rd, 2010
2:00 pm
Hey there’s little joeygt
Where ya been? I thought clemson was going to lose to tech? You talked so highly of your jackets didn’t ya. I told you what would happen. Moron.
Eric
November 3rd, 2010
2:01 pm
And of course you’re on here joey saying how you can beat VT. Haha. Man you are a complete moron.
Road teams RARELY win on Thursday night games. Even less win when they are 13 point dogs.
Lay off the kool aid doofus.
Whack the Hokies
November 3rd, 2010
2:18 pm
……………….. Rise to the Occasion.
Beano Cook
November 3rd, 2010
2:22 pm
Enter your James Madison comments here:
Ed G
November 3rd, 2010
5:07 pm
I repeat, offense too one-dimensional. I am amzazed they even practice passing. First down- down the middle, second down Nesbitt keeper, third down option to the right( and maybe a fumble), fourth down – punt. And every team learned this after the first few years. Same as with Navy.
joeygt
November 3rd, 2010
5:11 pm
eric,
i have to admit clemson came out and played good, and they beat us they didnt dominate us as you said they were going to, but the problem is tech hasnt put a complete game together if they did that we would have beat your team clemson in a shootout, and if we play like that against va tech we will beat them, but we have to have yet to play our best game all year , but watch out if the real ga tech shows up we will win big . and eric you look more of the moron after clemson beat us you lost to conference bottom feeder in bc hahahahah
joeygt
November 3rd, 2010
5:15 pm
ed the problem is tech hasnt even seen half of coach pj offense yet bc they cant even do the fundamentals such as blocking, ive watched some games when he was at navy they had alot more plays than the dive toss sweep tripple option play, as we see. when we can block right i am sure we will see a more versital plays, but to be honest those 4 plays we run almost nobody can stop if we execute
You Can't Handle The Truth
November 3rd, 2010
6:05 pm
Catching is the least of GT’s problems. The defenses already know when Tech is going to throw because the only time they throw is when they are in an obvious passing situation. CPJs offense isn’t fooling anybody anymore. And how about blocking for your QB first? Nesbitt always has to throw on the run and that’s ineffective. How about actually tackling the guy with the ball when on defense? How about actually getting some kind of pass rush on the opposing QB? GT loses by 14 tomorrow night. VT will have the lead the entire game and will also score a touchdown on Special teams as well.
5051 P.O.A.D.
November 3rd, 2010
7:26 pm
Hey 5150POAD… Why doesn’t GT play Martha Berry along with some of those ACC powerhouses? BAHAHAHA!!! BAHAHAHAHA!!!!! BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
TomDawg
November 3rd, 2010
8:43 pm
If you want your receivers and running backs to catch the ball get a quarterback that can throw the ball. He needs to quit thinking of himself first on every play and share the ball. This isn’t Green Co., Nesbitt you aren’t the best player on the team. Get a real quarterback Paul Johnson.
GT
November 3rd, 2010
8:45 pm
superDawg
Obviously, you have been crying alot this season?
GT
November 3rd, 2010
8:49 pm
TomDawg
He’s alot better than your freshman midget murray! hey murray looked awesome against UF. Dawgs are 4-5 with 4 wins against weak, weak teams, TN = sucks, Vandy = Sucks, KY Jelly = Sucks and Louisianna Monroe = Sucks. You have not beat one decent team and you got beat buy SC = good, Ark = good, Miss St = mediocre, UF = pathetic, but ok and COLO = Joke. Your team is a joke, as is your school, fans and everything else to do with UGA. Hey, don’t overlook Idaho State, or you might lose to that powerhouse as well.
GT
November 3rd, 2010
8:50 pm
WhoDat
Give me some of what yoru smoking! Obviously, you are a bewildered mutt fan crying the season away.
messin with the sasquatch
November 3rd, 2010
9:07 pm
hokies are always overrated……….
Quincy Carter - Bum
November 3rd, 2010
10:46 pm
Who cares about the receivers….it’s important in this offense is how the A-Backs catch those pitches….this is one exciting offense!!!!!
OldGTfan
November 4th, 2010
4:36 pm
Hey old superDawg, I see you’ve slipped away from your keeper again. I believe I advised you to go to the dawg blog where your less than intelligent comments wouldn’t be quite so noticeable. Now get your nose out of your butt and run along.