Johnson’s most frustrating issue this season
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said the most frustrating thing about this 6-5 season is his inability “to find the hot button on this team.”
He said finding ways to motivate his players has been consistently difficult.
“People can cry about schemes and play-calling, but the chemistry and just being able to do that [motivate] are just as important,” Johnson said.
This week shouldn’t be an issue.
“It’s for the state championship and bragging rights,” he said. “Pick one game off our schedule for alumni, fans and everyone involved, this is the game they would pick.”
He said that he and his staff have tried many different things this season, from the obvious and popular what’s at stake for Tech to what’s at stake for the other team.
“Try everything until you find something that works,” he said.
When asked what motivated last year’s ACC championship team, he said, “If I knew I would use it this year. I don’t know. It just happens.
“I’m more frustrated about that than anything else.”
Motivating teams hasn’t been difficult for Johnson at previous stops at Navy at Georgia Southern.
Discussing this topic last week, Johnson said at Navy the players knew that they weren’t highly recruited. Therefore, “if they didn’t play like their hair was on fire,” they could be embarrassed.
At Georgia Southern, the players didn’t want to be the class that didn’t get a chance to make it to the national championship game. They won two consecutive while Johnson was the head coach.
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206 comments Add your comment
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:15 am
I must apologize to those that have already seen all of this, but I have to post once again because it keeps coming up how great Gailey’s recruits were…
Get ready for some fun!
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:16 am
GDBurdell,
Did you see the Colorado game? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Hey guys...
November 24th, 2010
9:16 am
Enter your comments here
RexN-eFx
November 24th, 2010
9:16 am
re: wesleywhatwhat
I have given plenty of evidence and have asked plenty of legit questions; despite your name-calling you still haven’t answered any of my questions nor have you PROVEN any of my claims to be unfair to CPJ.
For example please list all the T-Sophs. & RS-Frs. that CPJ has Recruited that are “equals” to the Tr-Sophs. that Chan left behind when he came here, those Tr-Sophs.(or 2nd yr. players) were Nesbitt, Dwyer, Burnett, and Morgan, not to mention others like Tarrant that were RSs.
The harsh fact is that CPJ inherited 2nd-year players that were game ready & game-changers to boot, but he has RECRUITED VERY FEW guys that have been able to make the same sort of impact and become “game-changers” by their 2nd year in the Program.
That Talent-Drain is the problem with GT FB and it all falls on CPJ and his poor Recruiting, blaming “team chemistry” and motivation is just a cop-out by CPJ to deflect blame away from himself.
What say you?
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:17 am
According to scout.com:
Just as a recap, that 2006 class had 14 total players: one 4-star (though he gave up football after one season), 6 3-stars (one of which was sleeper Demaryius Thomas), and seven 2-stars.
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:17 am
The Recruiting Wizard Gailey’s 2005 Class:
20 total players
Two 4-star players (Michael Johnson and Anthony Barnes)
Six 3-star players
Eleven 2-star players
One 0-star player (I didn’t even know that was possible, but apparently it is)
Daniel
November 24th, 2010
9:17 am
Wrex – you have no clue what you’re talking about. A TE on a LB is not a matchup advantage. A TE on a safety is.
And stop capitalizing the “r” in recruiting.
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:18 am
The Recruiting Wizard Gailey’s 2004 Class:
24 total players
One 5-star player (Calvin Johnson)
One 4-star player (Darryl Richard)
Five 3-star players
Seventeen 2-star players
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:18 am
The Recruiting Wizard Gailey’s 2003 Class:
21 total players
Two 4-star players (Kenny Scott and Rashaun Grant, both pretty good players)
Ten 3-star players (including the incomparable Reggie Ball)
Eight 2-star players (though a couple sleepers in Mansfield Wrotto and Phillip Wheeler)
One 0-star player
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:18 am
The Recruiting Wizard Gailey’s 2002 Class:
(this is a real doozy)
12 total players
Two 4-star players (K David Jordan and TE George Cooper)
Four 3-star players
One 2-star player
Five 0-star players (though Chris Reis was a HUGE sleeper here)
Daniel
November 24th, 2010
9:20 am
You’re confusing everyone with facts, Ramble!
GDBurdell
November 24th, 2010
9:21 am
InsectInside:
“PJ holds his players accountable, his coaches accountable and himself accountable.”
Are you smoking crack? Ok, just read PJ’s post-loss interviews (there are several to choose from HAA).
Teck’s season was over in the first quarter of the Clemson game!!
john
November 24th, 2010
9:22 am
Agree with the observations on recruiting. CPJ just can’t make the ’sell’ sitting in a top recruits living room. As bad as Chan was in other aspects, he could still sell his network, i.e., NFL owners, GMs, talent scouts, etc. to a talented, highly rated recruit… this is something that only a X-NFL head coach can do. As a program we come up short in many other sellable points (i.e., highly visible program, pro-style offense, etc). This is where Chan had success (and quite a bit of it considering that we got Calvin, etc). That is why I applauded CPJ’s hiring of Groh – it should pay dividends in recruiting defense and all around. Kudos to CPJ for recognizing a weakness and {hopefully} addressing it. To others… Grohs hiring had nothing to do with his defensive knowledge (coaches that ‘know’ a particular defense are a dime a dozen). Lets see what impact Groh has on recruiting over the next two season before we knock both Groh and CPJ too much… Go Jackets!
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:23 am
UGA’s season was over when Richt cancelled two-a-days when they conflicted with his already-scheduled tanning appointments.
Gold Helmets
November 24th, 2010
9:24 am
Agree with you 404.
Tech’s recruiting is going fine and much of last year’s class was red-shirted.
Defense wins championships and CPJ knows he’s got a problem. Maybe the 3-4 will work, or maybe it won’t. It’s going to take time and with the current players, we may not see improvement until 2012. Maybe move a couple of guys around. Daniel Drummond looks like he would be a heck of a linebacker. I’m sure our players will work hard during the off season on their S&C and get ready for a better season in 2011.
Rex--N--eFx
November 24th, 2010
9:24 am
re Daniel
Sorry Danny boy, but for the Offense the TE has a much better chance to get open vs. a LB than he does vs. a Safety.
No wonder so many of you GT Fans think CPJ is a genius and are in love with his gimmicky Trip-O Offense.
GT73
November 24th, 2010
9:28 am
To our seniors who have “only one goal left”, check this out:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/uga/uga-sees-bowl-as-752293.html
GTfanthatwillnotsupportBewitt
November 24th, 2010
9:28 am
Where did my blog go @9:24
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:30 am
Actually, the players make the mismatches, not the positions they play.
A guy like Vernon Davis is a mismatch vs. almost anyone, cuz he has size and speed.
Defensively, neither a LB like James Harrison nor a S like Troy Polamalu would have problems covering almost any TE (except possibly the aforementioned Davis).
You aren’t half the football genius you THINK you are, rectumaffection.
Paul in RDU
November 24th, 2010
9:32 am
Interesting – we have a guy who has changed his screen name a few times while saying the same thing. Wrex-N-Fx RexN-eFx and Rex–N-eFx
Since after your first post on a page your SN doesn’t change unless you retype it we obviously have a troll in our midst. Wonder what other names he’s used in between those 3 above.
ThatStingHurts
November 24th, 2010
9:36 am
I’m impressed today. Good comments, with facts. Most of the guys with facts that go beyond obvious ESPN remarks know what’s going on. The “Kool Aid” quippers need a job on a 24-hour news network. CPJ knows what he’s doing. I DO wish he’d install a few SHORT PASSES TO A-BACKS instead of the desperate, third-and-long 40-yard flings. And I DO wish Al would blitz more; even Tom Brady is very average when he’s blitzed (the Giants proved that). The O is getting 320 yards per game on the ground. It’s OK. The D needs to be better than ‘09 and ‘10.
DawginLex
November 24th, 2010
9:36 am
I have officially gone on record and predicted a Tech win.
I have been right on the Florida and Auburn games regarding UGA. I predicted losses in both.
I say 43-41 Tech in triple OT.
Enjoy your bowl while I puke up my fried turkey………….
Daniel
November 24th, 2010
9:36 am
Agreed, Ramble except that for the average players, a TE has a significant size advantage vs a safety. Of course, Wrex knows that.
And since when is an old-school offense gimmicky?
Paul in RDU
November 24th, 2010
9:37 am
Other screen names used by the troll
Wrex-NFx Wrex.N.Fx – that makes 7.
I’d guess that there are a couple of more as well apart from these ones that are variations on a theme.
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
9:39 am
Paul,
rectumaffection spends a lot of time at clubs where anonymity is encouraged, so don’t give him a hard time.
DawginLex
November 24th, 2010
9:41 am
wrex nFX,
I guess those Oklahoma and Nebraska teams that used to run for 400 yards a game and won all those titles were one dimensional too?
Yeah, they were horrible.
It’s all about the jimmys and joes a lot more than the x’s and o’s.
Especially on defense, where Tech and UGA lack the personnel to play their new schemes.
You put Johnson’s offense in at UGA 10 years ago and I guarantee you he has more SEC titles and and more wins over Florida than richt has.
Sad reality.
Paul in RDU
November 24th, 2010
9:42 am
DawginLex – You obviously have less faith in UGA than I have in GT. I’d love to see GT win, but I just can’t see it. I agree with you on the points and the over though.
Ramblin Man
November 24th, 2010
9:46 am
This may have already been stated. The 08 recruiting class has very little CPJ recruits on it. If you were a real fan you would know that CPJ was hired well after the season and had little time to recruit and even lost a few during the coaching change. I believe he secured five recruits by the time he came in. Now the 09 and 10 recruits equal 38 of the total roster making his total recruits 43. Out of those 43 4 have left, 1 was kicked off the team and 1 was unable to play this year. This is far below the 60-68 I have read on here. I am not making excuses for the the lack of effort for this team or CPJ, just stating you should get your facts straight. Now if this team continues to play like this I agree it’s time for a change, but give the man atleast two more seasons.
Rex--iN--eFx
November 24th, 2010
9:49 am
re: Paul in RDU
What I do with my Screen names is out of necessity.
Roberson has said in the past that posts were dropped because of using words that the filters would not allow, but ever since I started changing my screen mane I haven’t nay problems with “clean posts” being dropped for no reason.
It seems as if Roberson were censoring “certain posters” that might give honest assessments of CPJ and don’t look at the GT FB Program thru “Yellow Jacket Colored Glasses”, henceforth referred to as YJCGs.
GT Jake-99
November 24th, 2010
9:50 am
DawginLex, you’re nuts.
If it weren’t for a lucky 79 TD pass and pick we LOSE AT HOME TO DUKE!!!
I’m going to the game, and expect lots of pain for over 3 hours.
GT 13 UGA 57
Ramblin Man
November 24th, 2010
9:51 am
Rambleon84,
I agree with you on Chris “torpedo” Ries, I loved watching him on the flats and who ever thought when he was recruited he would be making an impact in the NFL. He is the very definition of sleeper.
DawginLex
November 24th, 2010
9:51 am
I have a lot of faith in our offense.
I think Grantham is a good coordinator.
We don’t have the personnel to run the 3-4 or to stop the option.
Our best defensive player is a rush end who specializes in sacking the QB facing an offense that may not have to throw a pass.
We won last year because Weston, Owens and Adkins owned the middle of the line and took the fullback out of the game.
They are in the NFL now.
43-41 Tech triple OT
astute observer
November 24th, 2010
9:54 am
Ramble, or should I address you as paranoid schizo? I have been a fan of pro football for many years and since the the 3-4 defense has primarily been used in the NFL I do have some insight. The most difficult part of switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 is having the guts to go thru a roster overhaul. In short, it take considerable time to get it right. The defense has to be built from the inside out. First, the most important player in the 3-4 is the nose guard because he will have to disrupt and collapse the pocket interfering with the guards ability to get to the inside linebackers. Thats the first key, the linebackers are the playmakers but only because they are allowed to run free and not have to fight thru blocking. Bama won a national championship with this defense but not until they went the JUCO route and brought in the 370 terence cody( remember that guy?). Where is our terrence cody? Secondly, staying on the DL, your defensive ends need to be much bigger and more physical run stoppers than the the typical pass rushing 4-3 defensive ends. The ends must hold the point of attack so the speedy playmaking OLB can get around the edge to make the plays. Just like the NT, the DE cannot get pushed around in order for this defense to work. Now, the outside backers have to be big enough to hold up in the run game but also athletic enough to get around the edge and put pressure on the QB. James harrison of the pittsburg steelers is the perfect prototype at 6-0 240 with edge rushing ability. The rest of the defense is pretty much an easier transition as long as your inside backers can move pretty well form sideline to sideline. But overall, the defense takes a huge committment because it can take several years to get the correct personal. So NOW do you see why I am concerned about the defense next season? I hope you do otherwise I would have to question your intellect.
astute observer
November 24th, 2010
9:56 am
personnel.
juvenal
November 24th, 2010
9:57 am
m, never thought i’d say this, but i miss your greyhound vent-this is a “what-have-you-done-4-me-5′-from-now” society, but it is WAY too early to give a long view on CPJ, especially as we are not fully recovered from the recruiting problems o’leary got us into….99, year you graduated or iq?…
Rex.-iN.-eFx
November 24th, 2010
9:57 am
re: Ramblin Man
That is a very weak excuse Ramblin man, almost all HCs in College are hired in December after the season is over, and in many cases those HCs don’t get a mulligan on that first Recruiting Class.
Some examples are Chizik(sp?) over at Auburn, Saban at Bama, Meyer at Florida, and Mullen at Miss. St., all of those guys Recruited pretty well for that 2-month time frame and the Results have been evident at those programs.
Even if you give CPJ a break on that first Recruiting Class, he still has no excuse for his Tr-sophs. & RS-Frs., the players that are in their 2nd year in the Program, when CPJ came to GT he had big-timers that were in their 2nd yr. in the Program (Dwyer,Nesbitt, et al) and yet NONE/FEW of his own 2nd year Recruits are as good as the 2nd-yr. Recruits that he inherited when he got to GT.
Now try and make an excuse for those facts?
destin dawg
November 24th, 2010
10:02 am
no defense…. unless the Dawgs fumble.. they should never have to punt…. Johnson can not recruit… but he didn’t have to a Navy and Ga. Southern…. at GT its hard to recruit… tough academics…kids don’t want to go.. stuck in metro Atl.. crime… drugs… muggers…few Asian girls. .. no fun ???? Go Dawgs beat tec !!!!!!
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
10:08 am
“astute observer,”
Thanks for explaining to everyone what we already knew…what a 3-4 already consists of. You still did not address why GEORGIA TECH’s defense will not improve next year.
NO mention of any of OUR players.
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
10:16 am
Regardless of whether we have the correct personnel (and that is certainly debatable, as TJ Barnes and JC Lanier are both upward of 320 pounds for the nose tackle; Cross looks like a natural at DE and he’s only a RS freshman and Peters has one more year of eligibility at the other DE; Attaochu has been impressive as a true freshman at OLB), it is reasonable to believe that the same guys with extra experience will improve when they’ve had a very short time in a particular system.
There is no reasonable explanation for saying the defense will not improve next season.
juvenal
November 24th, 2010
10:18 am
rex, it’s called”growing up”(you might want to try it)-19 y/o’s vs. 21y/o’s is big boys vs. young men………
RambleOn84
November 24th, 2010
10:20 am
And are you actually comparing a coach’s recruiting abilities at Tech versus at Florida, Alabama, or Auburn?
astute observer
November 24th, 2010
10:24 am
Ramble, i very seriously doubt you could have explained a 3-4 defense. Secondly, I think I touched on the reasons why GT defense won’t improve much next year. But if you don’t get it I will try to go over it once again. First, the long transition period (ie, more than one year). Secondly, the most important position is a terrence cody, casey hampton type nose. Where is our Terrence cody? Our DL has been dominated physically this year by bigger stronger lines. Therefore, i don’t see a magical development into a physical 3 man front next season. PJ’s first 2 recruiting classes were based on a 4-3 defense and not a 3-4. Geez, do I need to go on or do you not see that this is going to take considerable time? Please tell me you understand the logic here pal. When Josh McDaniels took over the broncos they switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and this is year two and they are still struggling big time. I don’t have much hope for next season just because we simply don’t have the personnel to run the defense yet. Get it?
astute observer
November 24th, 2010
10:29 am
One more thing, it takes more than just a big body to play the nose in a 3-4. That guy has to have the right mental fortitude to play the nose. A 3-4 NT gets a physical beating and must be one tough S.O.B as well a being a strong pile driver. Even NFL guys reject playing this position because they know it takes a lot of toughness without any glory. Albert Haynesworth I’m talking about you.
Recks-.-nEffect
November 24th, 2010
10:39 am
Still unfairly censoring people’s posts, huh?
ga tech 92
November 24th, 2010
10:41 am
We need an unconventional offense to work magic with smoke and mirrors. If you don’t agree, then tell me the three times, in the history of the Earth, that GT had a higher ranked recruiting class than UGA. When the reality is that you’ll have lesser talent, then you have to be unconventional. It’s apples and oranges. CPJ is going to tend to attract slightly less ‘regarded’ talent than did Gailey, because he runs an unconventional offense. It is what it is. We can’t have it both ways. Either we are ‘conventional’ with inferior talent, or we are ‘unconventional’ with inferior talent. You cannot beat conventional with lesser talent over time. Someone mentioned service academy’s, as if that is a negative. There are a lot of similarities, in terms of small fan base, less exceptions for jocks, etc. Face it, we are in a lot of ways like a service academy. We are a little underdog, who has to be creative and take chances on guys like CPJ. He won MORE games than anyone EVER at GT his first two years………and you turn on him in year three….really? Can we have some patience and perspective????? The reality is we will NEVER consistently beat a “Football Factory” like UGA, like Miami, like FSU, but that’s OK…we aren’t built to do it…it’s not a ‘failure’ of the coach. I’ll take CPJ’s hard reality…I’ll take his un-politically correct answers and calling out people. I’ll take 3 star recruits, instead of 3 and occational 4 star guys, because CPJ has shown he will win with less talent than the opposition everywhere he as been……..including GT. One down year, does not a failed coach make. Look at Hewitt by comparison, he has had what ONE winning season in over ten years!?!? You wanna rag on someone, then there’s your guy. Don’t rag on CPJ for being the winningest coach in GT history his first two years, then having a down year on year three. Gailey never had an up year even once…and people call for him? I can’t help but guess that people who rag on CPJ either (a) don’t get the big picture of where GT is in the football landscape or (b) is a UGA fan just muddying the waters.
Techmate
November 24th, 2010
10:50 am
Bottom line, you UGA heads, you are supposed to beat Tech every year. You out recruit Tech every year, hell, you out recruit almost everyone every year and every year you have to cry on Tech websites about how great you are – or are suppose to be. You guys have coaching problems of your own. Back to your dog houses. You guys are all bark. As my high school coach used to say “An empty wagon makes a lot of noise.”
dumb dawg fan
November 24th, 2010
10:51 am
Want some fries with that order, sir?
So if my sister and I have kids would they call me Uncle Dad?
ga tech 92
November 24th, 2010
10:51 am
Wrex.N.Fx – I just read one of your posts where you mention TE, jump balls, etc. What your saying is correct, in that ‘jump balls’ aren’t consistent and ‘TE vs LB’ is a good offensive match-up. What your talking about though is what ‘conventional’ offenses do. CPJ doesn’t, hasn’t, and isn’t running a conventional offense. His offense has worked every where he has been, including GT (see the winningest coach the first two years at GT since the creation of the Earth and you’ll see a picture of CPJ). You want him to run something more conventional, but he wasn’t hired to do that, he hasn’t won doing that, and he isn’t going to win doing that. You cannot beat a conventional football team, by also being conventional with inferior talent. GT will always ‘bee’ the underdog in terms of talent. That’s been the case for what, 30-40-forever years? His offense doesn’t use a TE. I do wonder sometimes why we don’t throw more short passes, but I’ve seen him do little quick screens, little short hits over the middle more this year than last. His offense is setup to get short to medium gains on the ground, where the ‘jump ball’ thing is just to keep the defense honest and make the safteys stay back, in my opinion. The point is, you are comparing an conventional team with superior talent’s style of play, against an underdog with inferior talent who is doing something outside the box and unconventional.
BTW – when I play with GT on xbox, etc, I immediately recruit TE’s and change the offense completely………but when you play on xbox…you aren’t dealing with a reality that you cannot truely expect to ever out recruit the factories. They have vastly more resources, more friendly majors, more jock exceptions for admission, more girls, more fans, more TV, it is what it is. NOT being a football factory isn’t a problem, except at football games. GT’s priority clearly has never been trying to be a football factory…thus…here we are….not a football factory.
Reckx-nEffect
November 24th, 2010
10:52 am
re: ga tech 92
Please explain Stanford, Boise St. and Oregon?
Standford’s Academics are clearly better than GT’s and I’m a GT Alum, and Oregon & Boise(Idaho) are outposts with some of the crappiest HS FB in the entire USA.
GT is located in Downtown Atl. in the state with Top-5 HS FB each and every yr., oh and CFB is roughly 2/3 African-American in what is arguably the best City in America for African-Americans and yet you want me to believe that GT cannot find 20-25 good FB players each yr. that can also Major in Mgt. or Econ.
For $2.2+ Million per yr. CPJ should be a better Recruiter.
DawginLex
November 24th, 2010
11:01 am
Here are the recruiting issues in my opinion.
Academics
Perception that the ACC is not as good in football as the SEC
Not tweaking the offense a little bit to allow for the use of more wideouts and a tight end. You can still run a option offense but put in the added options of thrwoing to multiple wideouts and a tight end and this offense would be crazy good.
He needs another class or two to get defensive personnel suited to the 3-4.