Quotes from Tech’s loss
SHREVEPORT, La. — Quotes from Georgia Tech’s 14-7 loss to Air Force in the Independence Bowl, courtesy of bowl organizers:
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson
“Air Force played a very good game. I said before the game started that the team that won the turnover battle is going to win the game and that is what happened. The way the game was going I knew both teams were not going to have the ball many times and I knew that.”
“We started the second half and we put together a great drive and then we fumbled the ball on the 3-yard line. It was kind of a microcosm of our season. Then we come in and have a defensive series and hold them, fumble again, go out and hold them. Then fumble again. It is hard to overcome all of those mistakes.”
“It is very disappointing. At the start of the third quarter I thought we had the game right where we wanted it. They got a touchdown and go up 14-7, but to their credit we didn’t get it in. We fumbled the ball.”
“We had to go to our back up returner, and he didn’t have it. He misjudged the first one and then he probably lost confidence after that. He has been the back-up returner all year and it is just one of those things. We had our chances, so don’t lay the loss on him.”
Defensive End Jason Peters
“Sometimes things don’t go your way and at this point we should know how to grow and mature as a team and learn how to handle those things better. The situations that don’t turn out in our favor we need to learn how to turn it in our favor and have a better outcome next time.
“That is one thing we expected to do and we expected from the young guys and you see how they work in practice. We push each other and we push ourselves and we know that we expect that from the rest of them.”
Running back Anthony Allen
On fumble before halftime
“We are kinda used to having long drives and taking some time off the clock and driving down and grinding it in. It is kinda heartbreaking and frustrating when you drive all the way into the red zone and have a fumble. The momentum kind of turned around from there when they went and scored.”
On if reality has set in that he has played his final college game
“Oh yeah most definitely. This was my last game. I wanted to go out with a win and get Georgia Tech its first bowl win in a few years but that is the way the season went, it was very frustrating. We had opportunities to make plays and win games and we did not do it.”
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun
On first half:
“We were fair on our execution in the first half, and when we’re fair we don’t move the ball nearly as proficiently. Our guys were excited, had a great week of practice, but we just weren’t quite as crisp as we have to be.”
“I thought the drive that we engineered prior to the half time was huge. It just gave us a real good boost coming in. To be able to move down the field . . . we took some shots and we able to make good throws, and in the end were able to convert the field goal. That was a key drive.”
On the upcoming off season:
“We’ll start from scratch. There’s a good bit of building that will have to occur, but we aren’t starting from the beginning. When you think of all the guys you have to replace . . . I mean we’ve got guys that have started nearly 40 games . . . and so we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”
On the passing game:
“Coming in we thought we were going to have to hit some play action passes. Coming into the game it was going to be the turnover margin that would be a key part of it and special teams, and, just, how efficiently you could throw would be a part of it too.”
“We’ve got a guy who’s a heck of a passer and we do a tremendous job with protection. We have some capable guys on the outside who are able to run routes too.”
On 4th down conversion attempts:
“Our guys are good enough to execute. That’s who you trust.”
On the field goal kicker getting “iced” at the end of the first half:
“These guys aren’t going to get too riled up. They love to play. You’re not going to be around guys who are any more passionate, any more disciplined, guys that have any more care or pride in them than these guys. Ask these guys what’s it’s like to go through a basic training at the Air Force Academy. . . There’s some poise these guys have—that’s why they’re going to be great leaders.”
Running back Jared Tew
“That first half our offense struggled a little bit, we only got six points on the board, and we came into the locker room at half time and, just, realized we have to put some plays together, we’ve got to execute better than we did in that first half, and basically, if we took care of our responsibilities and every person did their job we knew we could drive the ball, and that’s pretty much what we did.”
On his last TD:
“My number got called on the three yard line and coach SingIeton [] says you get the ball in the red zone you don’t get stopped. I got lucky enough to get my number called, and in my last name I was lucky enough to get a touchdown. It’s pretty cool to end like that.”
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
455 comments Add your comment
CloudmanJacket
December 28th, 2010
11:25 am
@ GTBob…Here you go
http://mgt.gatech.edu/programs/under/index.html
BoneJacket
December 28th, 2010
11:26 am
Can someone pleaze explain Why in the name of God Tarrant wasn’t returning punts?? I saw him on the field – made 2 tackles – he certainly wasn’t on IR… Sure he’s over-rated but at least he coulda caught the D@mn ball!!!!
michael
December 28th, 2010
11:35 am
cpj has got to get a qb of the likes that airforce has. that boy can ALSO pass. gt kinda is now looking like ga. southern only bigger.
michael
December 28th, 2010
11:36 am
tarrant got a strain of some sort according to the announcers.
CloudmanJacket
December 28th, 2010
11:36 am
@ GTBob
AND would you have ever guessed that Nesbitt is majoring in business management? and Calvin Johnson, and so on and so on
WasATechFan
December 28th, 2010
11:36 am
Tech should fire Coach Paul Johnson and perhaps even get rid of their football program all together. If you want to root for a winning football team I would pick another team outside of Georgia. Expect the same comments all over again this time next year with CPJ in command.
Tech Man
December 28th, 2010
11:37 am
This team is an embarrassment. We can’t pass, punt or kick. We can’t catch punts or even come close. If we don’t find a quarterback that can pass we are in real trouble. Washington has a lot of heart but no talent. How many years does Johnson have on his contract? Please DR, don’t give him an extension again. Many of you writers are right. We are now in the same class with Duke and the service academies. Maybe we can have our own conference. Army, Navy, Air Force, Duke, Vanderbilt, and Tech. Sounds good to me.
CloudmanJacket
December 28th, 2010
11:37 am
@ michael
Why have a Qb who can pas if you are not going to pass until you are down in the 4th?
GTBob
December 28th, 2010
11:51 am
@CloudmanJacket, its not Business Management, it’s a Bachelor of Science in Management. You probably don’t know the difference so I won’t bother. Either way the name is changing soon to something more precise. Yes, plenty of athletes pursue that major as well as other students. Including the former CEO’s of AT&T and Delta. It’s rated one of the top 25 programs in the country. The college itself has been around since 1934. You are right though, it was probably created just for athletes.
CloudmanJacket
December 28th, 2010
11:53 am
@ GT Bob
I am right and athletes get 1st opportunity for this degree. There is a reason that most of the “star” athletes at tech enroll in the “new” BSBA degree
BoneJacket
December 28th, 2010
11:53 am
thx michael.
CloudmanJacket
December 28th, 2010
11:56 am
@ GTBob
FWIW, I do know the difference and it still an easier degree than engineering. My point is quit using academics as Tech’s problem. It’s not like its Yale or Harvard
TechChicGeek
December 28th, 2010
11:58 am
This loss should show CPJ that he has to modify his offense to allow the QB to throw the ball more. It’s like the announcers were saying about the Air Force version, the triple option doesn’t sound so bad to a high school QB if you tell him he’s still going to get to make 15 or so throws a game.
Stay at home when you are 6-6
December 28th, 2010
11:59 am
That was a very painful and boring football game to watch.
kingster
December 28th, 2010
12:03 pm
What can I say, I am a huge Georgia Tech fan, I have been with them a very long time, but I can only say I totally agree with the statements of “JacketFan12″, “Reality”, “Go Gold” and “BamaJacket” and the Tech’s AD needs to read this info also, I’m sorry, we are just bad. The really bad part is the few good recruits we do have (not signed yet) are really not want to play for a coach and system like that, how can Coach Johnson get angry at anyone for taking visits, he’s not holding up on his part of deal, it is what it is!!!!! (That offense was ok at first because it was a new look to everyone, but now, everyone has the player to stop it, Coach Paul Johnson its time to make a CHANGE, either your offense or your JOB!!!)
LuvMyJackets
December 28th, 2010
12:20 pm
I hope CPJ learned one thing this year. YOU NEED TO EXPAND THE PASSING GAME AND RECRUIT QBS THAT CAN RUN AND THROW. IT WILL NOT HURT GETTING A FEW PLAYERS THAT CAN CATCH THE FOOTBALL TOO…Other teams are catching on to defending the ” triple option ” and your very limited passing attach.If you can’t throw and complete something other than a 20 + yard seam or out route we will never loosen up the line of scrimmage and make the run successful. ( Look what Coach K at Navy has done passing the ball while still running your triple option ) There are other sections of the field that can be attached by the passing game. ACC champs in year two was great but stepping backwards in year three is not what the Tech fan ordered..
Tdawg
December 28th, 2010
12:25 pm
If that’s your qb of the future then you have no future.
Paul Hewitt
December 28th, 2010
12:27 pm
Thanks Paul, I owe you…..
John Doe
December 28th, 2010
12:37 pm
Get this Redneck, Ahole CPJ out of GT now .. alumni, do not give money and start to demand his firing .. it worked with Gailey and I see CPJ done next year. His ignorance is not a good representative of Georgia Tech not to mention he is a joke as a coach!.
UGAFan007
December 28th, 2010
12:39 pm
Georgia had a poor season, very very unacceptable. Real Georgia fans expect so much more from our team. I am amazed that here, I continually read where Tech fans are excited about their offense running up and down the field on Georgia….wow….get some pride guys, moral victories are losses…your expectations need to be higher….your offense is embarrassing and CPJ is not the genius that we keep being told he is….it’s one thing to be a fan but quite another to be an idiot…
gadawgs
December 28th, 2010
12:39 pm
Air Force? Really……………….
Wise Man
December 28th, 2010
12:42 pm
I am tired of hearing Tech make excuses about the sorry teams they have. The classes may be tough to the average Tech student, but you can’t tell me that Tech athletes have it any tougher than at any other school. They take care of their ahtletes with the easy classes.
NO EXCUSE
December 28th, 2010
12:42 pm
how we beat Duke is beyond me, I do remember Mario Butler stepping in to intercept and score otherwise we would have lost that game too..
Reality, I am the biggest GT fan and support CPJ but I am sorry I am sick of moral victories.. one ok, 5 no it is not ok. I blame all the coaching. The team played like they did at Kansas and could have cared less. After Tevin dropped the ball, I would have tried David Sims who could not have done any worse. For that matter, Nesbitt with his one good arm would not have dropped the ball inside the 10. McKayhan’s first fumble shame on him but McKayhan’s 2nd fumble shame on the coaches. And while I am on this subject, if you had someone inthe athletic dept that kept an eye of matters such as Stephen Hill’ s status knowing he could be in trouble. Has anyone thought about getting him in summer school in which he takes only one course that quarter like the calculus or whatever it was that is his worse subject. It is just a p!ss poor excuses all around and once again I love GT football but this was too discouraging..
Just know DRAD, GT fans put up with the basketball program imploding because the football team was successful, but do not expect GT fans to put up with both failures.
Next time anyone sees Jeff Monken or Bill Curry sniffing around for players how bout being a little concerned, we could have used Jaybo Shaw and Joseph Gilbert.
Jackson GT
December 28th, 2010
12:44 pm
A team that plays the option can defend against the option. GT didn’t have its starting QB or kick returner. But, USAFA certainly had more plays from the option than I’ve seen GT run.
Fortunately, athletics is not the most important thing at GIT.
Old Tech & Mountaineer fan in NC
December 28th, 2010
12:54 pm
The game did dispel one myth…the present QB is a better passer than JN and seemed to indicate that 80 is not quiet ready for prime time.
I wish I knew enough about the next year to be really happy/exited, but it seems to be a puzzle right now. Better or worse? Still a fan either way.
fluffernutter
December 28th, 2010
1:01 pm
You have several weeks to prepare and you end up playing like this! Paul Johnson WILL never bring anything to Tech but losses. He got lucky with Gailey’s leftovers but his own players stink. The AD is too stupid to see his coaches are horrible. How else do you explain Paul Hewitt still having a job and hiring Paul Johnson in the first place. Time to go get a new coach.
Topp Dogg
December 28th, 2010
1:02 pm
UGA takes that 5-star talent and beats GT like a drum with it.What is GT BOWEL record anyway?
Reality Check
December 28th, 2010
1:06 pm
Real Jacket fans unite. We won over 20 games the first two years and this was a down year. We lost our Senior QB near the end of the season and still should have beat UGA between the cesspool. Once we get Vlad Lee next year things will look up, just look at WV for four years when they got Pat White. They also drubbed UGA in the Sugar Bowl his freshman year. Also, this was the first year switching to the 3-4 defenese. I thought 7-5 or 8-4 was realistic until we lost Josh. GT will be back and CPJ will Rule This State long after the puppies run CMR out of town next year. THWG!
Genius Jacket
December 28th, 2010
1:09 pm
Tech loses because all of our players are studying calculus and physics. Tech is the only school that makes its players take math and science, so we are seriously disadvantaged.
dano
December 28th, 2010
1:10 pm
Too bad for PJ, but let’s face it; high school running offenses get figured out quickly in the big leagues. PJ, maybe if you recruited a HS QB like Timmy Bylerly who can run AND pass the ball, you might have had a chance. Your QB’s have a difficult time hitting a stationery target. Don’t fret PJ, you’ll get a lucrative High School job soon. GO DAWGS!!!
Ramble off
December 28th, 2010
1:26 pm
Knock Knock….
Who’s there ?
Vad
Vad who ?
Vad who’s going to take his recruiting trips… that’s who
Tech Stinks
December 28th, 2010
1:27 pm
No special teams, average defense, no passing threat. I urge a coach dedicated solely to special teams, with dedicated players who earn the right to play on special teams. Better hire a passing coach too. Give Al a couple more years and the right to recruit his own choices for defense, and I think the D will be well above average.
Tech Stinks
December 28th, 2010
1:28 pm
Hey, maybe we could bring Ralph the Fridge in to coach the passing game? He is available since Maryland foolishly let him go.
AMG
December 28th, 2010
1:37 pm
Tech has a great coach who HAS recruited very well. Next year there is a great deal of talent on this team and I think Tech will be very good. 2012 will be a great year for Tech football and the beginning of a great era in Tech football if Tech can be wiser than the rest of the idiots out there and stick by the coach that will take them there. Disappointing season, but do not believe the nay sayers, Tech lead the nation in rushing this year and you can see the defense is improving. Give Coach Groh time and he will build a championship defense. GO JACKETS!
Hugh
December 28th, 2010
1:41 pm
Sick of this BS football caoch and program.As an alum I am demanding PJ be fired.Maryland did it;Miami did it;now Tech please do it.Malzhan is waiting and he can also recruit.No kid wants to play for a stoneage idiot who is an arrogant pampas a##!!!!!!!FIRE PJ NOW!!!!!!!THE GENIE IS OUT OF THE BOTTLE!!!
Bob
December 28th, 2010
1:42 pm
Fire Paul johnson!!!!!It is over!!!!!!!
Paul in RDU
December 28th, 2010
1:43 pm
A lot of smack talking on here for one bad season – it happens.
Phil
December 28th, 2010
1:50 pm
As a supporter of Tech athletics I can assure you I am goingb to do all I can to have Paul Johnson fired.He has set our program back years with his aweful recruiting.We have to do what Maryland and Miami did accept PJ is not the answer and move on.We can get a good coach such as Malzhan.We have to do this and no lets give him one more year.We have seen all we need to see and it is time our AD act and do the right thing for GT football.Fire Paul Johnson!!!!
Alan
December 28th, 2010
1:51 pm
Paul Johnson has to go.You can not spin this mess.Cut our losses and lets bring in a new coach that can recruit and coach.
SRF
December 28th, 2010
1:52 pm
NO its not “one bad season” – it has been 3 years of getting worse and 3 bad bowl losses.
Do not blabber about ACC champs – it was a bad year for the other ACC teams – you say the true team in the UGA and Iowa games. Mediocre.
Glenn
December 28th, 2010
1:59 pm
Rushing yards: Georgia Tech 279 – Air Force 170
Total Offense: Georgia Tech 320 yards – Air Force 287 yards
Georgia Tech’s Julian Burnett led all tacklers with 13, nine solo …
Turnovers: Georgia Tech 4 – Air Force 0 …
What do you think would happen if the 4 turnovers hadn’t happened? Well, Tech would have had the ball longer, and Air Force less, meaning the rushing yards would have been skewed towards the Jackets favor even more, and perhaps (probably) the score would have been a bit different as well. Now take into consideration the 7 suspended players…How about Joshua Nesbitt getting injured and not being able to get back on the field?
I ask you, does this change anyone’s perspective?
Paul Johnson and his coaching staff can’t kick, punt, pass, catch, rush, tackle or heal. At some point, the players on the field have to produce, and they have to available to play to get onto the field. The players have to execute, once they have their chance to step on the field, and if several components of a team aren’t working well, then bad results happen. In this case, special teams fell apart and the passing game was non-existent. Injuries to key personnel, like the QB and new offensive linemen, may have had an impact, but that’s football.
Next year they start all over with a bit more experience and more players available who had taken a red shirt.
Paul in RDU
December 28th, 2010
2:11 pm
SRF – 3 years of getting worse? Using what criteria?
GT under Chan – 7-6 7-6 7-5 7-5 9-5 7-6
GT under Johnson 9-4 11-3 6-7
My middle school kid can read those numbers and see that it is not 3 years of getting worse.
Mr. Objectivity
December 28th, 2010
2:11 pm
Glenn,
The score was 14-7. Does that change your perspective? Throw away that old statistics textbook and start watching the game. A loss is not a moral victory, and certainly not a morale victory. Next year will be the same because nothing will change, including that triple option from the 40s.
Flatulent Dawg
December 28th, 2010
2:11 pm
Lordy, last night Coach Johnson sure did appear rather constipated late in the 4th quarter!
NavyGuy
December 28th, 2010
2:14 pm
What’s wrong with you people? It’s not the offense; it’s the defense. I’ve watched your games and Groh’s 3-4 defense hasn’t stopped anyone consistently. When Paul Johnson was at Navy, Navy’s 3-4 defense didn’t stop anybody consistently either, but the offense was able to outscore the other team most of the time. This year GT would move the ball, but then a fumble, penalty, or something would stop the drive, so that you couldn’t outscore your opponents. Groh Must Go!
Paul in RDU
December 28th, 2010
2:19 pm
NavyGuy – Most of the season the D was the problem for GT. The D was not the problem last night. Air Force was held to 16 points below their average and scored fewer points against GT than against Oklahoma or Utah – 2 highly ranked teams.
Dadgum......
December 28th, 2010
2:27 pm
If you think coaching isn’t to blame you are all idiots. Sure if it was one game I can understand but after watching this team all season they have no respect for the football and that starts with coaching pure and simple. GT is a circus clown act and CPJ is the ringleader. It starts with him. IMO he lost the Georgia game for Tech by eschewing a chip shot field goal and then getting stopped on 4th down. Stupid move. Last night we are driving and on 3rd and 3 with 21 seconds left we go for the endzone pass when 1 or 2 runs fir the 1st down or score was there. I understand we were out of time outs but you can’t leave time on the clock like that going with your weakest option.
Johnson’s offense now looks so inept and mistake prone as a rule. We have scored 17 total points in his 3 bowl games. Putrid. The future doesn’t look bright. Don’t see any Calvins or bebe on the rise. GT athletics as a whole is mired in a huge funk. DRad better get his head out of his arse and right the ship or we are going to be lumped with the Dukes and Virginias of the world and ACC doormats. I hope to God we didn’t give CPJ a Hewitt type contract. Time to get some excitement regenerated in the program. We don’t have the leaders or coaching right now for that to happen.
PJ
December 28th, 2010
2:30 pm
If you see an Air Force cadet punch him in the nose.
joe
December 28th, 2010
2:37 pm
That’s okay…once UGA loses in Memphis, GT’s record won’t seem so bad…
NoFKNdog
December 28th, 2010
2:38 pm
Folks, as you all know it matters not if Georgia Tech loses every game, the dogs win every game, win every championship created by man, recruit and sign the best players, have the best coaches, best stadium, all the population (except one) as fans, promote barking as a communication tool, sell fuga gear in every store, and as I tip my hat to you for this, have the best looking ladies assembled in the world, every year until this world ends, we all know that the best trait dog fans and anything associated with fuga exhibit, is that you all SUCK!! That is the way it is and always will be.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!