Johnson says Tech had better be ready for Air Force
It has been a while since Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson has had a chance to watch Air Force, the Yellow Jackets’ opponent in the Independence Bowl.
But he said that if his players don’t come prepared, “Air Force will embarrass us.”
The game will be played at 5 p.m. on Dec. 27 in Shreveport, La. It will be televised by ESPN2.
There are many sub-plot to this game:
- Johnson is familiar with the Falcons (8-4) from his time at Navy. He led the Midshipmen to a 5-1 record against Air Force, with the lone loss coming his first season at Annapolis.
- Like the Jackets (6-6), the Falcons run an option-based offense. They average 317.9 rushing yards per game, compared to Tech’s FBS-leading 327 per-game average. Johnson said unless they’ve changed a lot, there aren’t many differences between the two offenses, other than both of them like to keep the ball. “There might not be any TV breaks,” Johnson said. “It might be a fast game.”
- This will also be a brother vs. brother match-up. Tech A-back Roddy Jones’ younger brother, Darius, is a running back for the Falcons. He has rushed eight times for 73 yards this season. Roddy Jones has rushed 50 times for 336 yards.
Johnson said it was too early to tell if quarterback Joshua Nesbitt, who sustained a broken right arm in the loss to Virginia Tech on Nov. 4, will be able to play in the bowl. Nesbitt said two weeks ago that he hopes to return in time.
The Yellow Jackets have a five-game losing streak in bowls, but are 22-18 overall and will be playing in their 14th consecutive bowl. They have never appeared in the Independence Bowl. The school is offering tickets for $14 to the first 5,000 purchasers. The price lasts until Dec. 12. Tech has an allotment of 10,000 tickets.
“We are excited to have chance to come play in the game,” Johnson said. “I’ve heard nothing but good things about playing in the Independence Bowl. We finished with a tough loss and look forward to having a chance to play another game.”
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162 comments Add your comment
dandydawg
December 5th, 2010
7:58 pm
Its really funny that Tech is going to Shreveport after all the grief it’s so called fans gave the Dawgs last year!!! WOW!!! What goes around comes around, huh!
Rodney Dangerfield
December 5th, 2010
8:02 pm
Yeah but the Dawgs are going to the Liberty Bowl which is a pale comparison to a BCS bowl.
rocket
December 5th, 2010
8:06 pm
mediocrity is there on both sides…. But Paul Johnson needs to tone down the arrogance and play to win and not play to convert TDs on 4th down all the time… his play calling is often quite lame.
The Blair Miss Project
December 5th, 2010
8:08 pm
LOL!!!!!
The Blair Miss Project
December 5th, 2010
8:09 pm
Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma
The Blair Miss Project
December 5th, 2010
8:09 pm
WONDERFUL Fish Fries in Shreveport!!!
Sanford Drive
December 5th, 2010
8:13 pm
Seriously Techies……..
We will make fun of you for this all off season. But in all honesty, I had a pretty good time in Shreveport last year. My advice to the couple hundred of you traveling there, is to only spend the night before the game in Shreveport, then leave immediately after the game and go spend a few days in New Orleans for New Year’s.
Hope you lose!!!!!!
GT GRAD
December 5th, 2010
8:18 pm
The positive spin (for both GT & UGA) is that both teams will benefit from an extra 3-4 weeks of practice!
Additional practice time that teams who do not have a bowl game to prepare for simply do not get……….both teams NEED some additional practice time for the defensive side of the ball. GT also needs additional time for Washington & special teams!!
I sincerely hope GT & UGA both find ways to win in December!
guy
December 5th, 2010
8:20 pm
uga whines about tech fans on their blogs.
more than half of the first posts on this blogs are from uga fans.
oops.
kg
December 5th, 2010
8:21 pm
I’ll take Shreveport over Memphis anyday!
tell me again
December 5th, 2010
8:22 pm
I rarely post here but after last years landslide of comments from Tech fans about the Dawgs going to Shreveport, well – I hope you enjoy going to the bowl all of you told us sucked so bad last year….
O L E A R Y
December 5th, 2010
8:23 pm
UGAG is Central Florida’s Biatch
Oh WOW
December 5th, 2010
8:25 pm
hahahahahahahahahah St. Simons hahahahahahahahahaha
Coach
December 5th, 2010
8:25 pm
Bear down and play with the same intensity that you did in the last game and we’ll win. We’ll be there pulling hard. Go get ‘em!!!
wesleywhatwhat
December 5th, 2010
8:26 pm
2009 – uga to shreveport, gt to orange bowl
2010 – gt to shreveport, uga to … memphis
i think i’ll take gt’s last couple of seasons over uga’s, thanks.
let’s make that three seasons.
gt: 26-13 since CPJ arrived, after going 23-16 in 3 yers before that
uga: 24-14 in that same time span, after going 30-9 in 3 years before that
so you tell me – which direction is going uphill and which is going downhill? think recruits can’t firgure out what football fans see?
Karma
December 5th, 2010
8:26 pm
42-34
9 of 10
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha St. Simons
Dumbo
December 5th, 2010
8:26 pm
Alright TECHIES, no more crap about Shreveport. Oh yeah, POAD5150, I guess Tech sucks more this year, right, I thought so!
This is for you St. Simons
December 5th, 2010
8:27 pm
Enjoy Shreveport hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
No more
December 5th, 2010
8:28 pm
I have no ill will towards any GT fan except St. Simons . . . and all of these posts are for you and for you only. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Coach Grohbo
December 5th, 2010
8:29 pm
Four good things about this game:
1. Our scout team shouldn’t have a difficult time emulating their offense.
2. Our pass defense won’t be a liability.
3. The game should be over in less than 2 1/2 hours, leaving plenty of time for the casinos.
4. Our players already know how much they can get for their bowl jersey.
Go Jackets.
wesleywhatwhat
December 5th, 2010
8:30 pm
lots of uga fans with a hard on for georgia tech today, huh?
Nope wesleywhatwhat
December 5th, 2010
8:33 pm
Only for St. Simons . . . this is ALL for him. Speaking of, hey St. Simons . . .
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
We Own this State!!
December 5th, 2010
8:34 pm
I will take 9 out of 10 and the direction of our program all day long!!!
wreckmaniac
December 5th, 2010
8:37 pm
At first, I thought the ACC should have greater pride than to accept a bowl for any 6-6 team. I mean when will this stupidity stop ?
But later I thought this is just the punishment that Tech deserves . My problem with that is that UGA didn’t seem to learn anything at last years punishment bowl. So Techsters enjoy Motel 6.
wreckmaniac
December 5th, 2010
8:40 pm
PJ should require the defense to play the entire game and leave the offense ( other than Stephen Hill)
at home. The offense should be played by Tech’s special teams. Such punishment may prepare this group of underachievers to be worthy of their uniforms next year.
layinlow
December 5th, 2010
8:46 pm
Wesley you conviently left out 0-2 against UGA the last two years. It’s really hard to trash talk against UGA when your school is 1-9 in the last ten.
Sammy Dawg
December 5th, 2010
8:51 pm
You stink tech, just like Shreveport. Have fun in the Karma Bowl losers! UGA sold its 10,000 tickets last year. I bet you don’t sell 500! No bowl for you next year. 357 days until 10 out of 11.
Buzz29
December 5th, 2010
8:51 pm
I actually think this little bit of karma is funny. It’s well deserved ribbing to all the Tech fans that kept on and on with the uga bowl jokes last year.
Go Jackets!
Honolulu Dawg
December 5th, 2010
8:53 pm
“Tech fans, what was that you were saying about Shreveport?”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha….
CDAWG
December 5th, 2010
8:54 pm
Wesley, I wonder what Tech’s record would be the if they played in the SEC rather than the ACC. I bet there would be a few more losses what do you think?
CDAWG
December 5th, 2010
8:54 pm
BTW, I hope Tech wins their bowl game.
DawginTX
December 5th, 2010
9:03 pm
Coach Grobho, #4 was a good one. I would like to be bragging about Georgia’s New Year’s Day bowl and rubbing your Sheveport comments from last year in your face, but….
So I guess I am just on here because misery loves company. We would both be much better off if we had Van Gorder and Tenuta.
superDawg
December 5th, 2010
9:03 pm
Shreveport!
To: Bowl Committee
December 5th, 2010
9:08 pm
From: Ga Tech Fan Association
To: Independence Bowl Committee
Re: Tech Fans verse Ga Fans
Thank you for our bowl invitation. I know that you had some questions about this year as you hosted fans from UGA last year. To followup our conversation from last night, I submit the following:
1. Yes the local farmers can leave their cows, pigs,goats and sheep out at night. Our fans will not be wandering around at night in a drunken stupor mistaking them for their KISSING COUSINS from back home in Athens.
2. No, we will not be renting space at the local correctional facility for our players so that they will feel at right at home.
3. Yes we will be renting rooms. Our fans do not live in double-wides that they can hook up to their pickup trucks to bring with them for a “home away from home” experience.
4. No, we do not need roosters in every room. We are OK with alarm clocks.
5.No, you do not have to provide spittoons or ” mud jugs”. Our fans do not chew “tabacky” or dip snuff.
6. No, the local K-Mart does not have to order extra stock.
7. No, the local residents do not have to dress in circa 1980 clothes. While we enjoy fantasy, we are intelligent and sane. We know the difference between fantasy and reality; unlike the fans from Ga who still live in a fantasy world where it is still 1980 and they are still relevant in college football.
8, No, the local residents do not have to park their cars in their backyards, we do not HIT AND RUN THIS STATE.
Hopefully the above will be helpfull with your planning for the upcoming bowl experience.
Sincerely:
THWG
suntan head
December 5th, 2010
9:24 pm
to bowl committee, that is funny,
To: Bowl Committee
December 5th, 2010
9:28 pm
just trying to be ready for all the grief we are going to get from Ga fans for all they got from us last year.
St. Simons
December 5th, 2010
9:33 pm
Bowl game records, last 10 years. Notice… 3 BCS games- 1 BCS game
Georgia Tech (3-7)
2009 Orange Iowa 24 GT 14
2008 Chick-fil-A LSU 38 GT 3
2007 Humanitarian Fresno St 40 GT 28
2006 Gator WVU 38 GT 35
2005 Emerald Utah 38 GT 10
2004 Champs Sports GT 51 Syracuse 14
2003 Humanitarian GT 52 Tulsa 10
2002 Silicon Val. Fresno St 30 GT 21
2001 Seattle GT 24 Stanford 14
2000 Peach LSU 28 GT 14
Georgia (8-2)
2009 Independence Georgia 44 Texas A&M 20
2008 Capital One Georgia 24 Mich St 12
2007 Sugar Georgia 41 Hawaii 10
2006 Chick-fil-A Georgia 31 Va Tech 24
2005 Sugar WVU 38 Georgia 35
2004 Outback Georgia 24 Wisconsin 21
2003 Capital One Georgia 34 Purdue 27 (OT)
2002 Sugar Georgia 26 FL St 13
2001 Music City BC 20 Georgia 16
2000 Oahu Georgia 37 Virginia 14
Good luck in Shreveport. I guess its better than the blue turf that you kept visiting…..
zgoldatl
December 5th, 2010
9:36 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAH well said, “to bowl committee”. I also don’t blame the UGA fans for some ribbing after the hell they went through from us last year. However, in all reality, Shreveport is a nice place, just bought my tickets, and I’m looking forward to going. Go Jackets, make the drive and support the team. We need a good showing in the stands.
wesleywhatwhat
December 5th, 2010
9:37 pm
no way of telling, cdawg.
all i know is what the actual records are.
wesleywhatwhat
December 5th, 2010
9:38 pm
as a matter of fact, tech has played the sec pretty tough the past 3 yers so i like our chances…
zgoldatl
December 5th, 2010
9:40 pm
St. Simon- That bowl list is incorrect. Only went to the Humanitarian Bowl (blue turf) once. The game in 2007 was the now defunct “Silicon Valley Bowl” (a loss) against Fresno State. Not that its much better, but lets be accurate.
RAID
December 5th, 2010
9:41 pm
They had better be ready for anyone, maybe even Brookwood HS when it comes to bowl games see’ing as how they cant seem to win one……LOL…..
chucke
December 5th, 2010
9:46 pm
Come on……both teams suck. There are WAY TO MANY bowls. It’s nice to have a record of consecutive bowl appearances but does it really matter if the program is losing money to go to a second or third tier bowl? I don’t think so……..
wreckmaniac
December 5th, 2010
9:54 pm
Cdawg: No matter who Tech plays in the Punishment Bowl, it won’t change the fact that UGA is the worst team Tech played this season.
wreckmaniac
December 5th, 2010
10:03 pm
I am offering a well-designed, dignified, head bag for those of you with so little to do that you plan to attend the Shreveport Bowl. I, in my lonesome grief, am considering going but will do so only with a bag over my head from the time I leave my house until I return. I’ve decided that this is better than staying home and watching Paul Hewitts pack of blunderers on TV.
Virginia-Highland Jacket
December 5th, 2010
10:04 pm
Georgia fans giving Tech fans heck about Shreveport is like gaggers making fun of Auburn for cheating……………………………………………………………………………………………
Bean Counter
December 5th, 2010
10:06 pm
SHREVEPORT???
Tech fans told us last year what they think of Shreveport. I guess that means that there will be no Tech fans going to the game this year. Enjoy the trip and don’t forget to take some A-1 Sauce, it will make the CROW you are going to eat taste better.
layinlow
December 5th, 2010
10:07 pm
So Tech lost to the worst team they played this season? I thought Tech fans were supposed to be smart. I would never say anything that stupid.
GTBob
December 5th, 2010
10:12 pm
chucke, I have to agree. Teams like UGA and GT have no business playing in the post season. Bowl games are a joke these days. GT vs. Air Force, UGA vs. UCF, Ohio vs. Troy. Does anybody care about these games at all? 70 out of 120 teams make the post season. Maybe half of them had a decent season.
redhairpimplefacetechnerd
December 5th, 2010
10:16 pm
The Motel 6 is already booked-up.