The good and bad in Tech’s loss
Reviewing Tech’s 42-34 loss to Georgia:
The game that was
Georgia Tech looked sharper for 80-plus plays on offense than it has all season, but losing three fumbles and an interception were too much to overcome. The Bulldogs converted those miscues into 28 points. As focused as the offense was, the defense is still learning on the job, a kind way of saying it’s just not working yet. With the exception of half against Wake Forest and and a game against Virginia, it hasn’t worked consistently all season.
What we learned
1. The team can get up for big games, why not the rest? The Yellow Jackets’ three best performances this season occurred against three of its biggest rivals: Georgia, Virginia Tech and North Carolina. Where was that emotion against N.C. State, Duke or Kansas?
2. The defense is a pick your poison. When Tech loads up to stop the run, which it did frequently against Georgia, it gives up the pass. Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray completed 15 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. The Bulldogs averaged 8.9 yards per play. And then the Bulldogs were able to run, accumulating 154 yards. Like Tech, Georgia averaged 5.3 yards per rushing attempt.
3. Tech’s offensive line can come off the ball. The front five have been much-maligned this season, but they looked sharp against the Bulldogs. Not only were they not called for a penalty all night (with the exception of two point-after attempts), they pushed around Georgia’s front seven. Johnson complimented his line after the game, something he hasn’t done this season. It was their best performance this season.
Injury report
There were no significant injuries to report.
Numbers game
92
Plays run by Tech against Georgia. It was the most plays the Yellow Jackets have run since 2000, when they ran 94 against Virginia.
Sound bite
“I think you make your own breaks. You have to give them credit, they made plays. I’m just more disappointed for the kids because they played so hard. I just wish I could have found a way to help them win the game.”
– Tech coach Paul Johnson
Loose ends
Tech finished with a .500 record in the regular season for the first time since 2000. … Tech is 39-61-5 in its series against Georgia. … Its 512 yards of offense were its most since the game 1999 game against Georgia. … Its 77 rushing attempts were its most in the last 30 years. … Tech trailed in nine of 12 games this season. … Anthony Allen surpassed 1,800 yards rushing in two seasons. … Freshman outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu had his second sack in as many games. He has three this season. He’s one off the team’s leader, Brad Jefferson.
What’s next
Tech must wait to find out which bowl wants it. Seven teams in the ACC are up for seven bowls, starting with the Champs Sports Bowl, which picks third. The conference championship winner will play in the Orange Bowl and the loser will play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Tech is being slotted by bowl forecasters into the Independence Bowl. Its performance against Georgia, coupled with the poor performances of other conference teams this weekend, may give it a bump to a more prestigious bowl.
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165 comments Add your comment
Same ole, Same Ole
November 29th, 2010
1:15 pm
Veteran Fan, Tarrant wasn’t acquitted, she droped the charges rather than go through the embarrassment. As for Lemay, you don’t know what he did cause its never been made public so you are assuming. You know what happens when you assume. As for all those Ga arrests they are for driving violations or drinking underage. Not for Rape, selling Marijunia, or for overdosing of a baseball player, or beating up their girlfriends. If you live in a glass house quit throwing those stones.
dawgfan
November 29th, 2010
1:21 pm
Techies, your team is one dimensional. You can run that option crap all over anybody but its obviously not going to win you many games. #1 rushing team in the land=6-6. So who cares if you can run the ball? Its year 3 of CPJ and the defense is still a disaster. And the passing game? You simply don’t have one. If its late in a close game you need a downfield passing game. I’ve just never seen what all the hub bub is about with Johnson. He’s good at what he does, but I don’t think its ever going to take you to the levels that you aspire to. I’m sorry Techies. I come in peace.
Truth
November 29th, 2010
1:22 pm
VarsityJacket—
#1. GT is fortunate to have Paul Johnson, and better try to hang onto him as long as they can.
#2. You are an idiot!
End of message
Neverknew
November 29th, 2010
1:29 pm
Same ole, Same ole, beautiful post
Jesse Stone
November 29th, 2010
1:43 pm
No one knows EXACTLY what “Christian” Lemay did, but we know it wasn’t for holding a girl’s hand at school. He got suspended for school for a fairly long period of time. Stick your head in the sand all you want, but those who don’t wear red and black tinted glasses have a pretty good idea what happened.
Jesse Stone
November 29th, 2010
1:45 pm
As long as some of you UGA fans turn the other way, or make excuses for your players/recruits the embarrassment of their off-field behavior won’t change.
juvenal
November 29th, 2010
1:56 pm
“varsity”-if true, probably baseball….were you at the game?
…my only gripe is not kicking the FG the 1st. series….
BjohnDawg
November 29th, 2010
2:05 pm
Coach P Johnson showed that he is probably one of the top Xs and Os coaches in the game. Between his coaching and Georgia give the game away mentally, Tech was able to stay in the game and make it much closer than it should have been. If Johnson had the players Richt had, he would have coache them up and won 57-7. Because he gets the most out of his players and because he would not take his foot off the gas. He ran it down the Dawgs throats and said ” you cannot stop this…but try”. and then could not.
Boo Boo Bobo on the other had is throwing the ball at will on Tech and decides, ‘ hey, we should run the ball, even if we are having success throwing and even if they have 9 in the box on defense, because the book says we should try to burn some clock. And that is why he is an assistant coach and a poor one at that.
Coach PJohnson coaching UGA = National Champs
Coach Richt at UGA…..probably not so much.
We own you
November 29th, 2010
2:20 pm
For a season’s worth of Dawg bashing and ultra-intelligent comments from all the Tech fans out there, I accept your apologies and congratulations for UGA beating your team on the field last week. Sorry Tech, but we own your arse and as bad as UGA might be, Tech is even worse. And pls, don’t load up with all the stats and graduation rates, blah, blah, blah. When it came down to who is the better team, that was proven on the field Sat.
So put a sock in it, go back to your fugly coeds and Harry Potter film fests b/c for at least another year the Dawgs are better then GA Tech baby!
same ole, same ole
November 29th, 2010
2:21 pm
Jessie stone, no one is turning their heads at UGA. We don’t condone driving violations or drinking violations and it needs to be corrected. But most college young men, yes even Tech, drink and do college things. But if you look at your own school you have had Rapists, pot sellers (convicted), overdosing causing death, and a player recently beating up his girl friend. Who has their head in the sand throwing stones at UGA?
RambleOn84
November 29th, 2010
2:25 pm
“same ole, same ole,”
Those incidents you describe that occurred at Tech…over how many seasons did all of those occur?
Now, about UGA…how many arrests have they had JUST THIS YEAR???
It all adds up…
Blackberry Cobbler
November 29th, 2010
2:27 pm
UGA won the game. It’s the score that counts…………….
But, congrats to GT. UGA was outplayed and outcoached in just about every phase of the game.
Imagine what would have happened if Nesbitt had played.
Todd Grantham had 2 weeks to get the defense prepared for Tech. Couldn’t do it. Terrible, terrible display of playing and coaching.
Jesse Stone
November 29th, 2010
2:30 pm
Ditto RambleOn84. There is a pattern of arrests at UGA. Every fan of a certain team should be embarrassed over legal problems of those players that represent the school. same ole: your 1:15 post is sticking your head in the sand over Christian LeMay, who “LeMay” turn out to be nothing at the college level
same ole, same ole
November 29th, 2010
2:32 pm
Well Ramble on 84. You are saying that you can compare driving and drinking incidents with Rape, pot selling and beating up girlfriends and getting arrested because you spread yours out over 2 or 3 years? Ramble on.
Jesse Stone
November 29th, 2010
2:34 pm
I’ll put it this way, same ole: Is anyone shocked when they click on ajc.com and see that a UGA athlete has been arrested? Your moniker says it all.
same ole, same ole
November 29th, 2010
2:35 pm
Jesse, you are obsessing about a young man who hasn’t even signed with Ga and may never get in school and if he does may never play. I guess you Techies also don’t believe in ever giving a colleg kid a second chance.
Jesse Stone
November 29th, 2010
2:37 pm
Same ole: YOU brought up his name at 1:15 before I did. scroll up and check
BreakingNews
November 29th, 2010
2:40 pm
yeah Jesse, and Calvin Johnson smoked weed the entire time he was at Tech and failed a drug test….pot, meet kettle.
same ole, same ole
November 29th, 2010
2:40 pm
Jesse, I am not responding to you again cause you obviously aren’t playing with a full deck. I only responded to a previous post regarding the young man. You are obsessing. Go play your X box. Bye
Skitty Fritty
November 29th, 2010
2:41 pm
When GT lost to Kennesaw State in basketball, was this a great “Moral” victory also? Thank you CPJ for losing by 8 points instead of 1. It will look better in the records books 10 years from now. Congratulations on a great “Moral” victory and enjoy reading the statistics of the game just don’t read the final score.
Skitty Fritty
November 29th, 2010
2:42 pm
Is GT competitive in any sport?
Techman
November 29th, 2010
2:48 pm
We are very competitive in Womens softball.
Stinger 2
November 29th, 2010
2:53 pm
Embarasssing season regardless of how GT played in the UGA game.
They stand a good chance of having a losing season because they cannot win a bowl game.
I don`t hope for anything better in 2011 unless a miracle
happens and the defense improves substantially. There is also the problem of having a terrible passing game.
Techgrad
November 29th, 2010
2:56 pm
Here is a question. Why does CPJ get all this gushing love after going 6-6. He had one good year. Did it with 4 players Chan recurited. Now look. Its like Obama. The press loved him. Here is a coach that has put together a team that only won with Chans guys, has no passing game, no 2 minute offense, calls plays that don’t make sense. ( For you naysayers how about passing 3 straight against Ga last year at the end of the game with plenty of time to score, Same thing at the end ot this year) Yet no one questions his calls cause its ‘his’ offense
We own you
November 29th, 2010
3:07 pm
So it seems Tech has the better coach, better scheme, classier fans, fewer off filed blunders, a smarter student body, more successful alumni, more key injuries, a better running game, a better outlook for next year, better basketball and baseball teams….Tech seem to have it all.
And you STILL lost to the Dawgs……but at least you beat us on about a hundred other measurables, just not the score to the actual game.
GTBob
November 29th, 2010
3:09 pm
Skitty Fritty,
Since the beginning of 2009 here are the records for UGA and GT in the three major sports (baseball, basketball, football)
UGA: 37-53
GT: 64-33
Plus GT won a conference championship in football, went to the conference championship game in basketball and the NCAA tournament, plus went to the NCAA baseball tournament. All things that UGA couldn’t pull off, so yeah, I would say we are fairly competitive.
Tech fan plus
November 29th, 2010
3:27 pm
Doug, How well is the uga defense working?
Tech fan plus
November 29th, 2010
3:31 pm
Anyone who watched that game and doesn’t realize Johnson is a superior coach is no evaluator of talent. Johnson is head and shoulders above Richt. Doesn’t quite have the tan though..
superDawg
November 29th, 2010
3:32 pm
Bob tek is not very good at fishing and that is important when you have a fish fry.
superDawg
November 29th, 2010
3:34 pm
Mark Richt 2 SEC championships 3 BCS bowls.tek not so many.
RambleOn84
November 29th, 2010
3:37 pm
The Reuben Houston incident happened in 2005.
Georgia has filled Clarke County Correctional Institute three times over since that incident occurred.
surfrider
November 29th, 2010
3:40 pm
We can’t win turning the ball over 3 plus times while marching for a score and at the same time have a subpar defense. What’s amazing is everytime this happens and look at the box and the fact we still had a chance to win the game in the 4th quarter. I guess that’s this triple option offense. Championships have to be coupled with a strong defense, so that is where the focus needs to be as well as redzone turnovers.
RambleOn84
November 29th, 2010
3:40 pm
Richt has 2 conference championships and 3 BCS bowls in 10 years.
Johnson has 1 conference championship and 1 BCS bowl in 3 years.
A little math here (don’t get scared!):
Richt has won a conference championship every five years. Johnson has done it every three.
Richt has gone to a BCS bowl every 3 1/3 years. Johnson has done it every three.
Let’s wait and see before we proclaim Richt OR Johnson for that matter a smashing success in comparison to the other.
c.q.
November 29th, 2010
3:40 pm
Hey “Big Ol Stinger” – Yea, I can say it – we got beat by a better team when we lost to AU, MSU, Arkansas and USC. Not convinced that either FL or CO were the better team, but we lost. Bad as I hate to admit it, FL owns us the last two decades… kinda like we own Tech. The “excuses” comment obviously wasn’t directed to you so don’t take it so personally. I know losing to a bitter rival sucks but ya’ll should be used to it by now. GO DAWGS!!
RambleOn84
November 29th, 2010
3:46 pm
I wasn’t too upset by the loss this weekend…Tech ran the ball at will. Mistakes killed us. Washington, as many young QBs do, showed his inexperience at the worst times. I’m talking about the pitch that he shouldn’t have made that turned into a UGA TD and the awful passing on the final two possessions.
Outside of those plays, however, he played a heck of a game. The future is bright. If only the defense can improve, Tech will be a force next year.
Let’s win our bowl and go out on a high note, and get ready to roll next year.
GO JACKETS!
macrotech
November 29th, 2010
3:49 pm
I’ve tried to post a similar sentiment to RambleOn84…for whatever reason, they have not posted…I concur with RambleOn84!
RambleOn84
November 29th, 2010
4:00 pm
And for everyone so intent on badmouthing Johnson for not kicking the field goal early on, that was NOT an automatic 3 points.
Yes, the points obviously would have made a big difference, but that would have been a 40-yarder and that is about the max range of our kicker.
If you don’t like the idea of taking chances in those situations then you don’t like Johnson anyway (and many of you don’t). I for one love his attitude.
It would be great to have great kickers and punters (like Georgia seems to have every year), but recently we haven’t been so fortunate to have automatic points from 50 yards in.
bulldogmaniac
November 29th, 2010
4:03 pm
There is NO GOOD in a loss!
UGA runs this state. Always have….always will!!
RambleOn84
November 29th, 2010
4:06 pm
Maybe if UGA cared about more than just beating Tech, they’d have more than just one Championship sitting in that trophy case.
JASON
November 29th, 2010
4:10 pm
hmmmmmmmmmmm…..where are those IDIOT tech fans that had those big pre-season mouths about UGA? Maybe we were’nt that good…..still good enough to beat you though…….god you guys make my day once a year! NERDS! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahhhahahahaha! Look at the bright side though…..you’ll at least sell out 1 game next year losers! GO DAWGS!
RambleOn84
November 29th, 2010
4:14 pm
Congratulations, Jason…your team, with all of its talent, huge fanbase, high-priced coaching staff, and massive budget managed to win 6 games.
They should make a movie about your triumphs.
juvenal
November 29th, 2010
4:23 pm
we will definitely be in trouble if athletics is what runs this state…………instead of merely being a diversion..
Reality Check
November 29th, 2010
4:27 pm
GA tech only has half a championship ever! 1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
dga
November 29th, 2010
4:27 pm
I’m a Georgia fan, but I though Tech had a decent season in 2000? I know they beat the crap out of Georgia that year. I thought they won 8 or 9 games.
dawgfan
November 29th, 2010
4:29 pm
Congratulations RambleOn84. Your team, with its genius coach, genius offense, top 15 preseason ranking, still managed to get that azz tapped by a 6 win Georgia team. You should make rings.
The Techies truly believe that we think we had a good team this year. These idiots are hysterical.
Jeckyll Island
November 29th, 2010
4:30 pm
42-34!
42-34!
42-34!
42-34!
42-34!
42-34!
No amount of whining and crying from the little Tech village is going to change that!
9 out of 10!!!
9 out of 10!!!
9 out of 10!!!
9 out of 10!!!
9 out of 10!!!
Georgia Tech fans just will not support their team. At this rate they’ll soon fall behind Georgia State in popularity and fan support. And don’t forget that Kennesaw State is going to start a team. They’ll outdraw Tech in 2 seasons!
Gee Mark Richt...
November 29th, 2010
4:31 pm
Mark Richt has beat Georgia Tech 9 out of 10!!!!!
9 out of 10!!!!!!
9 out of 10!!!!!!
How long...
November 29th, 2010
4:33 pm
…before Paul Johnson gets fed up with coaching a team with no fan support and trying to recruit players to play in a tiny stadium that never sells out.
PJ will not be in Atlanta much longer!!!!
Nesbitt Really?
November 29th, 2010
4:34 pm
Nesbitt was having a miserable season anyhow. His performance dropped off drastically from last year’s. Nesbitt wouldn’t have made any difference in any game!
old u
November 29th, 2010
5:12 pm
AL GROH HAS BROUGHT HIS REIGN OF DEFENSIVE TERROR TO ATLANTA. SCARIEST THING SINCE SHERMAN.. lMAO at you toolies for taking him