Johnson plays ‘What if?’ with Nesbitt’s injury
I don’t know if you’re in the habit of reading the Dalton Daily Citizen, but if not, you probably missed a comment from Paul Johnson about the 2010 season. Johnson was up in Rocky Face near Chattanooga Tuesday night with AD Dan Radakovich, softball coach Sharon Perkins and play-by-play man Wes Durham for the north Georgia segment of the Tech spring caravan. This is part of Chris Whitfield’s report.
“If you want to be realistic, we were very disappointed,” Johnson said. “Truth be told, though, we were 5-3 on the road on a Thursday night in Blacksburg and what happens?”
Starting quarterback Joshua Nesbitt breaks his arm is what happens, and the Yellow Jackets won just one of their last five games, including losses to Georgia in the regular-season finale and a 14-7 loss to Air Force in the Independence Bowl.
“You never know,” Johnson said. “Do you win eight or nine games if your veteran quarterback is in there? We were in every ballgame and had 600 yards of offense against Georgia.”
While I somehow see the discussion headed for comments like, “Tech would have crushed Georgia if Nesbitt were healthy” and “Paul Johnson is an excuse-making crybaby,” I hope we can veer the discussion in a different direction.
Let’s go with Johnson’s implying that Tech could have gone 8-5 or 9-4. My question is, how much does Tech going 6-7 color your feelings about 2011? I get the sense that a lot of you all are a little leery about the season. Would you be more optimistic if Tech had done better with Nesbitt healthy, or would you feel the same way?
If you would feel more optimistic, the sort of ironic thing is that Tech in a way is better off for 2011 because of Nesbitt’s injury because of the experience Tevin Washington got.
Anyway, what do you think?
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145 comments Add your comment
Jacket Backer
April 20th, 2011
2:32 pm
Dawglasville,
I think you make a valid point. I do think GT would benefit from a playoff system for the obvious reason that teams do not have 4-5 weeks to prepare for the TO. However, Gailey was not winning many bowl games either.
Bowl games to me are a crap shoot because of all the off time before the game. It’s almost like starting the season over again. Any momentum built up from the regular season is gone. I HATE the bowl system and wish a playoff system would start today ( i’ll get off my soap box ) ) ….For me, any loss hurts but I don’t put as much stock in bowl games. I think most players would just as soon pass on these lower tier bowl games. In reality, if you’re not playing in the big game then the rest of them are pretty much irrelevant.
Ken Sugiura
April 20th, 2011
2:33 pm
Mountain Jim – I wouldn’t say Johnson isn’t trying to bring in a quarterback who can pass. remember, he inherited nesbitt. tevin washington threw for more than 5,000 yards in high school. i’m sure if he can get a quarterback who can pass effectively, he will. remember, too, nesbitt got hurt after an interception, not while running the offense.
i have to say i’m a little surprised by the optimism calling for nine or 10 wins. i’m not saying you’re off-base, but it seems like i’ve mostly read and heard from fans more pessimistic than you.
BigTimeTECHFan
April 20th, 2011
2:46 pm
Yes, GT had 600 yard off offense in the UGA game, but key difference with having Nesbitt verses Washington would have been those last two drives Tech had, Washington panic’d, Nebitt would have been better. But also the year before UGA was trying to take Nesbitt out of the game by going for his legs after the play stopped so he may not have played the full game anyway.
DawginLex
April 20th, 2011
2:46 pm
T3,
You are in dreamland if you think UGA’s defense is going to even closely resemble last year’s train wreck. The last time UGA had a D-line like the one that will play in 2011 was 2009 and Tech got 55 yards rushing on 39 carries WITH NESBITT.
Tech will win at least 8, maybe 9 this year but you are in dreamland if you think Tech is going to get 500 yards vs UGA this year.
You will continue to have problems with athletic fronts like UGA,Miami,clemson,NC and NCSU.
Your defense will be improved as well.
not spewing just telling you the truth. This UGA defense will be the best Richt has had since Van Gorder left.
GTfan2011
April 20th, 2011
2:57 pm
DawginLex,
I agree your line should be better, but you lost all your LBs and part of your secondary… I don’t think I’d go so far as to say this will be the best defense since Van Gorder left. But yes, your defense should be better as should ours… but then in both cases that could be considered damning with faint praise.
dawgfan
April 20th, 2011
2:57 pm
Johnson must have missed the part where he lost to 3-9 Kansas WITH Nesbitt. He also must have missed the part where he lost to 6-5 Georgia the year before WITH Nesbitt. What an arrogant clown.
You can have your 600 yards big mouth. We’ll take the W’s every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
DawginLex
April 20th, 2011
3:00 pm
Ogletree and Jarvis Jones will be all-SEC. The only concern is the secondary but if the front 7 is doing its job, it can mask a lot of secondary problems. We don’t play Arkansas and they have the best throwing game in the SEC.
Folks won’t run on the Dawgs in 2011 like they did in 2010.
reebok
April 20th, 2011
3:03 pm
I think Washington will be much better this year, but we can’t hold on to the all, we can’t stop anybody, our special teams are bad and we are undersized on both lines. I don’t think we have the athletes to compete the the good teams. I hope I’m wrong.
BYRDDAWG
April 20th, 2011
3:06 pm
It will be very interesting to see how this team does without Nesbitt….He was a great option QB! I remember watching the Tech- Clemson games 2 yrs ago ….with him you won both but without him I think you would’ve lost both! That said the ACC looks wide open this yr & tech’s toughest games are at home which should help….
reebok
April 20th, 2011
3:07 pm
DawginLex, how are you today…I agree that your D will be better than last year’s…I think Tech’s will be also…both could hardly be worse. I also think you have a favorable schedule after your first 2 games, which will be very tough ones.
FootBallJacket
April 20th, 2011
3:10 pm
What if…. the coach did what all coaches MUST do and plan for these “What if” scenarios. Why are there only 3 kids out there even trying to be a QB (at the last scrimmage I saw) and there were 5 bad place kickers? CPJ needs to pay attention to ALL his players even the redshirts and second team guys. Every year on every team someone valuable gets hurt or suspended, you never know when your third string QB is going to have to play but if he does he better be ready to do so. Last year it seemed Washington barely knew the plays.
MC
April 20th, 2011
3:12 pm
PJ is so FOS. Watch what happens this year with HIS recruits. LMAO!
Dawglasville
April 20th, 2011
3:12 pm
GT Bob – very healthy. You’ve probably added years to your life. My dad went to Tech, watches every game he can, and still has a spring in his step win or loss. At 67 he looks great.
Jacket Backer – Oh, there is no doubt you are in better hands. I love the option. I hate that we can’t stop it. I guess that losing bowl games would be a bigger deal at UF, Bama, Ohio State, Texas, were you are expected to win national titles. That expectation level has not been at UGA or GT on a consistent basis in a long time.
juvenal
April 20th, 2011
3:12 pm
last year was bad because of the year before, so this year ahead on expectations…..& you never know if there will be one magic player….
Why Not
April 20th, 2011
3:16 pm
1. The OL play has to improve. The GT lineman are primarily run blockers they will NEVER EVER be good or even adequate pass blockers at least not drop-back style pass blockers.
2. The D has to improve, if not then we’re in for a LONG season.
3. If special teams play is on par with last year we’re in for a LONG season.
4. QB has to get better as the season progresses. I look for Lee or Days to emerge the starting QB. If the QB doesn’t get better as the season goes along then we’re for a BAD, LONG season.
That being said I think the GT football team will be vastly improved, maybe a 9 or 10 win season IF we get good OL play, improved defense and special teams, and a QB who throws a ball the WR will catch.
GT hulk
April 20th, 2011
3:20 pm
GT is hurting at QB, Washington is no ACC qb and the second teamer cant handle the ball, just hope this Vad Lee gets a shot, he was super in high school, hopefully college will pan out as well
You Can't Miss
April 20th, 2011
3:23 pm
Place your putt on the right line, stroke the ball just the right speed and you CAN’T miss.
dawgfan
April 20th, 2011
3:25 pm
GT lineman aren’t even run blockers. They are good at what they do, which involves a lot of cutting and diving at the knees of defenders (most of the time legally, but sometimes not so much). Johnson has said himself that he needs smaller agile lineman for his offense because it requires a lot of mobility. This is an inherent weakness in his offense. Guys that are big and can move well are typically found on defense. Whenever Tech faces a team with guys like that your offense becomes very ordinary. Fortunately for you, you don’t see too many teams like that in the ACC.
But Tech’s biggest problem of all is on defense. Johnson has never had a good defense anywhere he’s been. NEVER.
Thanks.
Stinger 2
April 20th, 2011
3:27 pm
The “what if” quotes from CPJ are what you would expect
to cover up for a dismal finish to the 2010 season. I have been a GT fan since 1952 and always will be no matter
who the coach is. I am a fan of the school not the coach. The fans cannot choose the coach but we can voice our opinions about him. If I cannot say something nice then I don`t have an opinion.
GT45
April 20th, 2011
3:29 pm
You could hear crickets in Blacksburg before the injury! It would have changed the whole season around, I believe, if we had won, and Nez stayes healthy. We didn’t have an identity last year-no leader. This year will be different-maybe even special!
GT45
April 20th, 2011
3:34 pm
Dawgfan, no disrespect, but we put up the numbers with our O last year. The problem is with what your paragraph ended on-the D. Hopefully, that changes some this year. I know you will point out certain games that we didn’t score many, but every O hits a wall some games.
Hayseed Dixie
April 20th, 2011
3:50 pm
O Line, and offensive blocking in general is what I’m curious to see.
Tech needs to consistently bleed the other team for 3 to 4 yards on every play, and that’s a function of the above.
If that happens, we really don’t need to pass (even if fans want it, I certainly do). And the defense doesn’t have to be on the field as much, because our offense is doing its Time of Possession thing.
If there’s anything that I’m disappointed in over CPJs tenure, it’s that the blocking and o-line play took a dive last year.
Keith in W.R.
April 20th, 2011
3:59 pm
I know that one of UGA’s TD wouldn’t have been scored. No way that Nesbitt would’ve made that pitch to Roddy Jones (who was covered rather smothered), that the Dawg LB ran back for a TD. Jaybo Shaw wouldn’t have made that pitch.
dawgfan
April 20th, 2011
4:19 pm
Fine. You don’t have to believe me. I could care less. But hear me now and believe me later. That offense will NEVER get you anything more than a sporadic All Crap Conference title. Never ever ever. This is a far cry from all the hype about Paul Johnson during the 2008-2009. You Techies were talking a big game about becoming a player on the national scene and even national titles. Its never going to happen Techies. A big, fast, and well coached defense will always eat your lunch because your lineman are too small. Always. Like I said though, you play in the ACC so that isn’t so much of a problem.
And did it ever occur to you Techies that Johnson’s offense is prone to turnovers? You act like its just some freak thing. When you’re pitching the ball around in the backfield every single play like a hot potatoe while everything is moving at warp speed it is not a freak thing. You’re going to have turnovers and sometimes lots of them. Try to use a little common sense for once Techies. I know its hard for you but just try.
Thanks.
surfrider
April 20th, 2011
4:32 pm
Tech lost last year the games it won the two years before basically, close and down to the 4th quarter. Record Vs. UGA since Bill Lewis era…O’leary 3-4, Gailey 0-6, Johnson 1-2…….UGA always top 15 in recruiting Tech top 50 it seems. Bobby Ross only one class in top 25 in recruiting and wins NC in year 4. Defense gets betters and passing and special teams Tech will be a contender, if not then it’s the same. Beat the dawgs and 6-7 is a lot more palatable. Better days appear to be ahead on the flats.
DScottGT91
April 20th, 2011
4:36 pm
I see us with 7-8 wins. We will win 1-2 games no one really expects us to, and lose 2 that will drive the fan base crazy.
You guys can give up on Vad Lee for 2011 – no way CPJ starts a true freshman; just won’t happen. I sure hope Tevin Washington is better than I think he is.
No matter what – GO JACKETS!!! (Since 1983, when I first figured out there was another school in this state).
mountain_jim
April 20th, 2011
4:38 pm
Ken Sugiura – If you re-read my post on page 1 – I said he got hurt tackling after his interception – but if he was not so beat up in the arms and shoulders on every play his passing accuracy could be better and that interception might not have happened. And he missed plays and time in other games and seasons and you can’t expect a QB who takes that number of hits to last the season, imho.
And it does not matter how good of high-school passing QB he brings in, if he can’t recruit WRs who can get open and catch and can’t teach pass-blocking to the oline and has no shotgun package to give the QB time to see the defense instead of tripping over his oline while dropping back. His passing scheme appears to be send 2 men out and throw a jump-ball in the air downfield.
mwh6767
April 20th, 2011
4:40 pm
I usually don’t read or post on comments that much anymore because of fans of another school usually over run the comments with crap and not football talk. On the Nesbitt issue , I really don’t think there is a question that Gt wins the Vt game if he doesn’t get injured. The offense hadn’t clicked that well last season except for the UNC game where they just owned the ball and executed. This offense WILL put up points and be effective it has proven that. Stats don’t lie in this respect. So suggust that its turnover prone, I say yes and no. When you are breaking in new guys it can be(See start of 08 and this last year.). People forget that Allen was playing a new position, Smith was tech’s best a-back and then here comes Washington. In 09 when everybody was returning the offense ran smooth, result 10 wins. The key really is this defense and its improvement. Hope it improves, looks like we are finally getting the right type of LB’s to run the defense.
We_Run_This_Country
April 20th, 2011
4:50 pm
the DEF will be much improved….and if we can hold our opponents to sub-20 avg per game, it will be an easy 10 win season…..with CMR on the hot seat again this year, I can’t wait to get the Dogs in ATL….could be the end of his regime!
dawgfan
April 20th, 2011
5:00 pm
Anytime you disagree with a Tech fan you’re just saying “crap” and not talking about football. Oh never mind…
Mwh6767, this is college football. I think you’ll find that you’ll be breaking in new players very frequently, if not all the time. You’re not going to have the luxury of 3 or 4 year starters in the backfield very often. Nobody does. Players graduate, leave early for the NFL, drop out of school, get injured, etc. Every college football team on earth has to deal with attriion. That’s a lame excuse. If new guys can’t hold on to the ball in Johnson’s offense that is very much a Johnson problem. This makes his offense, by definition, turnover prone.
Thanks.
Reality
April 20th, 2011
5:10 pm
Dawgfan says ” A big, fast, and well coached defense will always eat your lunch because your lineman are too small.” With that being said, GT should never have to worry about UGA.
GTBob
April 20th, 2011
5:14 pm
And did it ever occur to you Techies that Johnson’s offense is prone to turnovers?
In 2009 we only turned the ball over 18 times. 10 less then UGA and top 30 in the country. As far as I know CPJ was there that year. This past year Navy and Air Force were both in the top 16 in turnovers lost. It has little to do with the system and alot to do with smart decision making. Our players made terrible decisions this year and paid the price over and over again. You can blame Johnson for not having them well prepared but the offensive system itself is not the real cause.
T3
April 20th, 2011
5:17 pm
Dawginlex:
Not sure where you get your stats:
2009, 55 Yards on 39 carries ?? Do you frequently just make up BS ??
According to the ESPN, GT had 205 Yds Rushing on 51 carries
and 340 Total Yards Offense. Nesbitt missed the entire 2nd Quarter
of the 2009 game.with the injury.
According to ESPN, the rush stats show that GT doesnt
have much trouble rushing against UGA’s so-called “athletic front.”
2008: GT rushed for 407 Yds vs.UGA (with Nesbitt)
2009: GT rushed for 205 Yds vs UGA (Missing Nesbitt 2nd Quarter)
2010: GT rushed for 411 Yds vs UGA (No Nesbitt / Back-Up QB)
Born2Buzz
April 20th, 2011
5:23 pm
I’m surprised CPJ didn’t use the old “if if’s and but’s were candy and nuts” quote. We might have won a few more but maybe not.
As for 2011, I think we are primed for a solid season, at least 9 wins. Look at the schedule:
2 warm up games, then Kansas at home for some payback.
3-0 going to the UNC game. It’s at home and they have a new QB and lost of lot of starters from last years squad. Butch still hasn’t figured out the TO.
Say 4-0 going up to Raleigh. If Wilson is still there we are in trouble.
Say 4-1 with Maryland at home. New coach still figuring things out.
5-1 going to Charlottesville. This is the trap game. We never play well at UVA and London is in his 2nd year. We should still have the edge but it’s a toss up. Groh will walk home if we lose.
So I’ll say 6-1 going to Miami. Another new coach but it is in South Fla and they still have a big athletic DL. Another toss up.
We might lose @ UVA and win @ Miami, or vice versa. Or go 2-0 or 0-2 in those games. I’ll be cautious and say we lose one.
6-2 with Clemons at home. Is Kyle Parker still the QB? If so we should win it. He completely imploded last year as the season went on. CPJ wants to kick Dabo’s butt after last year.
7-2 for the VT Thursday night game. No more Tyrod and hopefully a healthy GT should mean another W.
8-2 going to Durham. Another trap game. The Dookies have got to get better eventually, right?
9-2 for the battle with the Doggies. Another toss up but we really need to win this one this year.
10-2 possible, 9-3 likely, 8-4 means we blew one we should have won. No more 7-5’s, 6-6’s.
AMG
April 20th, 2011
5:51 pm
Tech will be very good this year and the reason is the defense. Two years ago defense was not a word anyone wanted to discuss and last year, though not better overall showed spots of improvement and hope for the future. If Tech has a defense , not a world class one, but a decent one they will win alot of games. The offense has never been the big problem. I also think this is the team that will win multiple ACC championships in the years to come.
The offense is full of potential stars, two a backs that could be great and three other abacks that are good. 3 B backs that are good , one that could be a big star. No offense to Tevin, but the other two QBs have a much higher upsides. If Days wins the job it will be great, if not look for a true freahman to be starting by the end of the year. Either way the offense will be solid, plus we start the year with three scrimmages. The O line is full of young talented guys, they will be fine by the end of those three games. I fully expect Tech to win 9 games this year, next year looks like we should be a preseason ranked team. I am very thankful for Tech having coach Johnson and I hope Tech fans will show support to this team instead of nit picking every last thing that doesn’t go well the way other programs have. Don’t ruin a good thing!
TechRedNeck
April 20th, 2011
6:07 pm
If,If,If. Woulda, shoulda, coulda. The 2010 season is over. Now we gotta get over it. I hope I’m wrong but I’m not excited about the 2011 season. Alot of young players. Many questons.As far as the dawg people go, Who the hell cares? They don’t have anything to run their months about. They were beat by some small conference school in their bowl. They have many questons also.
BuzzOff
April 20th, 2011
6:09 pm
I can’t wait to see Boise State deliver spank the DAWGS the first game of the season. It will set the stage for yet another losing season for Mark Richt – probably his last…
Jack G
April 20th, 2011
6:21 pm
What if—-I like that and will play along—What if we had better coaching—–just saying—–its a game everyone can play.
Outside Observer
April 20th, 2011
7:21 pm
dawgfan, I disagree with your original point about Johnson recruiting smaller, more mobile guys for the O-line. If that was the case, there wouldn’t have been any discussion about moving TJ Barnes to the O-line, or moving JC Lanier to the O-line. Both were considered potential NTs, with Barnes being the biggest guy on the team and sticking it out on the defensive side of the ball. I think your point is correct in the edge blockers don’t need to be as big. It’s how we got away with an offensive tackle who was about 265. The middle blockers need to be bigger though to break open some holes in the interior of the d-line. The smaller exterior blockers cause pass rush problems for us as they typically go against the best DEs on the team. It’s the give and take of every offense. As far as if it can win a national championship, that depends the most on having a great defense. Our offense will score and grind it out on the other defense. But if we can stop the other team’s offense and force a few turnovers, we could compete with anyone. Not saying it will happen, but I don’t view our offense as a hindrance as others might.
Phil mcgroin
April 20th, 2011
8:06 pm
I’m a big GT fan but with that being said, i just don’t see TW as what it takes to really make this offense explode. He is not horrible but just not what makes it go. We have got to find a passing threat and some WR’s that can freakin catch! Hill is dropping everything again so far and there is no sign that the offensive line will be worldbeaters either.
I think the defense will be better in 2011 but i really think the offense will be more of the same. Some games we may score near around 30 but others we will struggle. Let’s not forget the special teams fiasco form last dew years which has also cost us games! There are more questions than answers simply put! Any GT fan doesn’t think so is just a homer. I think we can win 7 or 8. That is the ceiling in my opinion.
UGA = YAWN
April 20th, 2011
8:08 pm
No matter what he says – YOU NEED A BACKUP PLAN. We obviously did not have one.
Covers Dixie like the Dew
April 20th, 2011
8:08 pm
WHAT IF ?
Josh Nesbitt was 25-10 as the starting QB.
Tevin Washington is 1-4.
Tokyo jacket
April 20th, 2011
8:08 pm
T time, very well said. I think that Tech’s attitude and D will be much better. It’s amazing how the W’s start to add up when a team plays good defense and plays with passion for the whole game.
M'baliz Icheen
April 20th, 2011
8:16 pm
Phil, I think you’re a little off target about 2011. Last year’s problems were D, redzone scoring, and (very un)special teams. I see significant progress for this year in D and special teams. I’m not sure yet about the red zone. We win the AF and VT games w/ better D. So, that’s at least two wins right there. As far as I’m concerned we’ve only been really BEATEN in about three or four games in CPJ’s tenure. We lost the others, but were in the ball game. That’s pretty impressive. A little bit of motivation and things go a different way.
As far as I’m concerned and from what I’ve seen/heard so far, I think the 2011 squad would have won against KU and AF for sure, and possible VT, UGA, and Clemson. That puts us at 8-11 wins. I’m good with that spread for 2011.
2 field goals and a cloud of Bobo
April 20th, 2011
8:18 pm
No way GT would have ended up 6-7 with Nesbitt at QB all season.
K
April 20th, 2011
8:26 pm
The defense has got to be better!
The Defense has got to come through this year.
GssiT
April 20th, 2011
8:26 pm
There’s no “what if’s” from this season ticket holder. CPJ ,being an avid golfer, should know better,too. Injuries are a big part of any type competition. Somebody has to step up. Nobody did. I’ll play “what if” with you. “What if” Vad Lee is a player??????? Will he play???????
Perhaps
April 20th, 2011
8:42 pm
another injury created a situation for McKayhan that was a “what if”.
@born2buzz…NC State has a new QB this year even if Wilson decides he will play football again-as second string…
Tech 2011
April 20th, 2011
8:43 pm
I dont know how many of you got to see Vad Lee play in person last year, but having a son in the sport in the state of NC I got to see a ton of high school games. Vad Lee was by far the most talented kid I saw play in the past couple of years. The kid is the real deal. I think it will be very hard to keep him off the field even as a true fresh.
wrong guy
April 20th, 2011
8:48 pm
I also have a what if…..what if you had persuaded Jaybo Shaw not to leave and had he taken over chances are we may have won a few more, we would not have struggled against Duke and would have had a win vs. Air Force. Should have sent Tevin to Ga Southern