Groh on preseason, linebackers
Greetings-
A couple other reporters and I spoke with defensive coordinator Al Groh Monday after practice (the day when defensive coaches and players, along with coach Paul Johnson, are available). You can read my awesome (sarcasm) collection of notes from the interviews here. I am working on a story about Tech’s linebackers and asked him a few questions about that.
Q: How did the preseason go for the defense?
A: There’s been a good sense of purpose. Clearly, there’s something that we want to prove and that’s been pretty consistent throughout. It’ll take a long process to do that. It’s a process to prove yourself. You don’t do it in training camp, you don’t do it the first week you don’t do it the first quarter of the season. it takes 12 weeks to prove yourself. We’re still obviously in the early part of the process.
Two cents: Fair answer. Al Groh doesn’t seem like the type to go waving the pom-poms.
Q: Did anyone surprise you with how much he improved or did it pan out as expected?
A: It pretty much has. I think those players that were kind of going in a positive direction continued with that.
Two cents: When giving an interview subject two ways (Is it A, or is it B?) to answer a question, he/she usually takes the easier/safer option (sometimes, I suppose, because it’s the correct one). I try to avoid phrasing questions that way, but I do it a lot, and it’s almost like I try to grab the words out of the air as soon as I realize I’ve done it.
Q: How did the linebacker group look to you?
A: As I said, the evaluation comes when we start to play and so we’ve gone through a process where we put it in, we practice it, we come in, we look at it, we correct it, we go back out the next day and try to get better at it. It’s a process that we’re involved in.
There’s certainly not results at this time. If you just look at the daily results, then you lose the big picture of what you’re trying to get accomplished. So we’re trying to stay focused on that and realize for us to prove what we want to prove, it’s a long process to do it and it’s going to take 12 weeks to do that.
Two cents: I don’t say this to poke fun, but I think “process” is one of Groh’s favorite words. It says something about who he is. In the same vein, one of my favorite words is “taco.” I had three Monday night. Pretty good.
Q: Is it accurate to say that for your defense to do what you want it to do, you need to have playmakers at the linebacker spots?
A: We need playmakers all over the place. That has to be a position in every defense that produces that. To make an analogy to a baseball lineup, that’s kind of where your 3-4-5 hitters are supposed to be. But there are some defenses where it comes from the front guys.
What you do is you just evaluate where those particular players are and as I say to the baseball analogy, if it just so happens that your second baseman is your best home-run hitter, than you bat him fourth, even thought most second basemen don’t hit there.
It’s the same thing with the linemen. If they look like they can be better playmakers, then we try to create some things for them. If we’ve got a secondary player who’s maybe our best pressure player then we’ll use him with more pressure than somebody else.
Two cents: One of my favorite baseball players of all-time was a power-hitting second baseman, at least in his prime. Ryne Sandberg. I think his answer was a qualified yes.
Q: Have (cornerbacks) Louis Young and Rod Sweeting taken advantage of their athletic ability?
A: They have. Those are two players that showed promise last year. Rod Sweeting played sparingly. Louis played mostly special teams, but when they came back, really throughout the winter, very diligent. I’d be out here on a Saturday in February or whatnot, look out the window and there’d be Louis and Mike Peterson and a couple of others doing drills. So they’ve shown their intent and their purpose from long ago.
Two cents: Interesting detail about Young and Peterson. Groh said a couple weeks ago that Young is a guy who loves everything about football, whether it’s practice or weights or meetings or whatever. It may sound a little obvious, but it isn’t. Not every player is that way.
Q: How has Jemea Thomas looked and what sort of role do you see for him?
A: It’s an evolving circumstance with him there. It’s not what I see his role to be, it’s what he carves out to make his role. All I do is go on what I see. When I see certain things from a player that enables us to create a role for him, then that’s what we try to do. But in all cases, the player kind of has to show us something in the first place.
This is a talented player who really didn’t have to have it screwed down real hard last year. If he made a mistake running the defense off a card (with the defensive scout team), it was quickly forgotten. Now, particularly in the back end, those mistakes aren’t forgotten. That’s been a transformation for him here.
Two cents: Groh was talking about Thomas being redshirted last year, if that was unclear to you. It sounds like Thomas has yet to find his role in the secondary. I’d think he’s the No. 3 safety but beyond that, I don’t know. I can tell you that he switched jersey numbers from 38 to 14.
Q: You’ve said in the past that Jeremiah Attaochu is the prototype for his position. How close are the other three linebackers — Julian Burnett, Daniel Drummond and Steven Sylvester — to what you want for their respective positions?
A: What we’d really like is Casey Matthews, DeMarcus Ware and Jerod Mayo, if you want to know what the prototype looks like. Anything less than that is somewhat short of the prototype, but that’s the trick of it. That’s the fun of it, is to take what we have and try to get the results that we’re looking for in whatever way that we need, to take the skills of this particular group and try to mix and match ‘em and come up with what we need.
Two cents: Read: Not as close as Attaochu is. It’s not too surprising. Drummond is a converted B-back and Burnett and Sylvester were recruited to play in a different scheme. It’s a good group, though, and one that has two of the best players on the team (Attaochu and Burnett). In 2012 and beyond, you’ll see more “fits” into the scheme than this year.
Thanks for reading. Please follow on Facebook and Twitter!
By Ken Sugiura, AJC
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147 comments Add your comment
destin dawg
August 23rd, 2011
6:21 am
grampa Groh
gtfanfrom1951
August 23rd, 2011
6:32 am
The defense will be better? How is B.J. Bostic doing? We have a lot of question!
Tokyo jacket
August 23rd, 2011
6:59 am
Funny that he’s talking about a second baseman batting clean up in Atlanta…I’m just sayin.
ToeMeetsLeather
August 23rd, 2011
7:11 am
I guess we wll see in late September/early October if the defense is improved. With a ball control offense, they can come out and play like maniacs, give the ball back to the offense for a eight minute drive, and repeat “process”. If the offense can hold on to the ball and catch a few passes, we can make some noise this year.TML in nine days!
reebok
August 23rd, 2011
7:34 am
it’s a good thing we start with a really soft schedule, because we are a big work in progress on both sides of the ball. maybe by weeks 4 & 5 we will be starting to figure some things out.
Ken Sugiura
August 23rd, 2011
7:54 am
1951 – i think the defense will be better. more athletic, more comfortable in the scheme
bostic is out for about four weeks with an arm injury.
Tokyo Jacket – guess he’s been watching the Braves. maybe next week he’ll draw an analogy to aging third basemen.
Jet
August 23rd, 2011
7:57 am
Ken, where did you eat the 3 tacos?
DScottGT91
August 23rd, 2011
7:57 am
Another good report, Ken. I like the “two cents” additions you make. Groh the interviewee seems pretty bland. Here’s hoping Groh the coach is a bit more energetic…..
Michael Snipperpippens
August 23rd, 2011
8:30 am
It’s fitting that a dying program like tech is in a dying conference like the ACC. Perfection.
Ohio Jacket
August 23rd, 2011
8:33 am
Thanks for giving us your ‘two cents’, Ken!
Jacket Backer
August 23rd, 2011
8:41 am
Great stuff! Thanks Ken and Go Jackets!!
jimmers
August 23rd, 2011
8:45 am
Tech will be lucky to make it back to the Smurf Bowl this year just so they can get humiliated by a WAC team as usual.
Main Street
August 23rd, 2011
8:54 am
“So it really is true? Georgia Tech truly is where good coaches go to to watch their careers die?” — Al Groh
Processing Results
August 23rd, 2011
8:57 am
Enter your comments here
Jacket Man
August 23rd, 2011
8:59 am
Ken; Couple of observations for you. First, thanks for your great work. It’s great to read the interview, but also your “take” on what’s being said between the lines. For those not looking at the players and coaches in person, it really helps having someone being there to read the body language and nuances in the voice to help parse out what’s really what.
Next, I hope you can tell that you’ve begun to generate a rather loyal following of readers who do appreciate your work, and regardless to the fact that there are a large number of adolescents on your blogs who have nothing better to do than act the fool, please keep the updates coming and trying to keep your blogs clear of waste for your guests. I think it will be a great Fall!
Tired of Waiting
August 23rd, 2011
9:03 am
Coach Groh,
Your Process took GT from 11-3 to 6-7.
The second year of the Process needs drastic improvement.
The guy you replaced processed a 9-4 and 11-3 season.
It’s time for results Al.
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2011
9:03 am
Any of you guys read collegefootballnews.com?
What a bunch of butt clowns
In their fearless predictions section, Russ Mitchell says UGA will start 2-3, fire Richt and name Grantham interim coach. He then goes on to predict that we will beat UT ON THE ROAD WITH AN INTERIM COACH AND BEAT FLORIDA.
Then, the ACC folks blog their predictions. One of them has DUKE getting to 6 wins by upsetting GT along the way.
And these guys are getting paid………………
The Bees Nees
August 23rd, 2011
9:11 am
Thanks Ken, I really like the new things that you are doing with the blog. And I am really looking forward to reading your stuff every day.
BigTimeTechFan
August 23rd, 2011
9:40 am
Yea Ken, how about sharing some tacos next time.
My 2 Cents is that Groh is really holding back, he likes this defense and feel they will do a lot better. But like any good coach he know they have to prove it in the games.
DawginLex – sounds like collegefootballnews.com is regurgitation ESPN predictions. Let the games be played, they are the same ones that were saying Auburn had no clue when they hired Chizik and Gus Malzann.
Sport media (National, not Ken) is not that good these day. They just make statements to bring focus on themselves and not the sports.
juvenal
August 23rd, 2011
9:51 am
Lex, again thanks for an intelligent, objective view from your side-i wish you would post more, to decrease the % drivel from y’all’s camp…..so, seeing how boise never recruits in the top 50 & has a stadium that holds a mere 35K, should be a cake-walk, right?
North Ave Killer Beez
August 23rd, 2011
10:00 am
That is why I stopped reading CFN a LOOOOONG time ago. They must be up all night doing meth before making their predictions.
Tool fans are funny
August 23rd, 2011
10:05 am
Juvenal –
You would be the authority on cakewalks. Beginning the season with W. Carolina and Middle TN then following that up with an ever powerful ACC schedule.
Rduck
August 23rd, 2011
10:05 am
looking forward to seeing the improvement of this defense under coach Groh in year 2. i am not expecting the ‘85 Bears or anything, but they should be a very well coached and more physical unit in 2011. let’s hope that we can keep building through recruiting the next few years and put a defense of national caliber out there to be reckoned with.
DawginLex- i really enjoy reading your posts. very classy and on topic. keep up the good work. i think Tech and UGA could both really have good years ahead.
Ken- great updates and thank you for all your hard work. keep on keepin’ on with it…
destin dawg
August 23rd, 2011
10:15 am
GT will have a good year…. we should both have improved defenses… you guys have 2 warmup games.. we don’t.. Dawgs are excited about playing in the Dome… hope to play there twice this season. !!! can’t wait !!
Paul in NH (formerly RDU)
August 23rd, 2011
10:18 am
Judging from Ken’s report, when he worked with Belichick Al Groh picked up some tips on how to answer questions from the media.
Billy D
August 23rd, 2011
10:26 am
A special note to M. Snipperpippens, desta dawg, Jimmers:
It amazes me that there are uga fans so hard up for something to do, that they take time to (try and)read what`s on the Tech Blog and try to denigrate it.
What really interests me is how they have the cajones to criticize our 6-7 season, our bowl game, and our coaching staff. If I`m not mistaken uga also had a 6-7 season. But they had a world-class level talented team which makes your staff look “world-class?”. If I recall also, you had your butts handed to you by that perennial champion UCF of the titanic Conference USA.
We`ll see your current “dream team” on Grant Field in November.
destin dawg
August 23rd, 2011
10:38 am
dream team = Junkyard dawgs are on the way to Atlanta… 3 times this season !!!
juvenal
August 23rd, 2011
10:38 am
see, Lex, satire goes right over some of your compadre’s heads, you got to feel a little embarrassed some times with your LCDs….
Ken Sugiura
August 23rd, 2011
10:40 am
thanks for all of the kind words. it means a lot to me.
as for the tacos, they were prepared by my loving wife.
as for Al Groh, he has his topics where he’s more illuminating, and others where, for competitive reasons, he’s less so. sometimes it’s a matter of asking good questions.
ToeMeetsLeather
August 23rd, 2011
10:40 am
“destin”, I agree with you on the two warmup games, but don’t forget you guys do have three ” lick your wounds games” while we are in the heart of our schedule( Coastal Carolina, New Mexico St & Vandy). With our youth and Tevin at QB, glad we ramp up to the UNC, NC State, Maryland, Clemson, Miami, Va Tech, UGA stretch.
Ken Sugiura
August 23rd, 2011
10:42 am
as for taco recommendations, tacqueria del sol, which has a few locations, is worth a visit. i usually get the fish taco.
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2011
10:43 am
To overlook Boise is a dangerous thing to do. Comparing them to Hawaii 2007 or Boise 2005 is a joke.
They are very well coached, play hard every play and have improved from an athletic standpoint.
I believe the game will be less of a shootout than everyone believes.
I say 3-6 point spread with a game in the low 20’s to high teens.
My $.02
Tool fans are funny
August 23rd, 2011
10:45 am
Billy D –
We beat you, as always. I know tool fans try and pretend UGA doesnt beat your cheating program nearly every single year so its nice to remind you.
Juvenal –
Funny how it turns to “satire” (I think you really meant sarcasm) when your laughable schedule is mentioned….ehh?
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2011
10:46 am
I actually e-mail Russ Mitchell back and forth. He really is OK but he has a woody for richt getting fired ths year. I pointed out to him that his prediction of us beating UT on the orad, Florida in J’ville and Auburn with an interim coach bordered on insanity.
I reminded him I can count on one hand the number of times we have beaten all 3 of them in the same year yet we are supposed to do it with Grantham running the show??????
zoriah
August 23rd, 2011
10:54 am
Even just a decent team would go 9-3 with yech’s JV schedule, which is why the bugs will only go 5-7.
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
10:55 am
seeing how boise never recruits in the top 50 & has a stadium that holds a mere 35K, should be a cake-walk, right?
Was last time.
UGA 48 Boise St 13
gt4ever
August 23rd, 2011
10:57 am
Could happen DawginLex…. I wont be surprised at anything… Not to probable, but I predict UGA to win the Boise St game and then get beat by SC…. Time will tell…
Gt, on the other hand is hard to gauge… I don’t believe they will do as bad as I think they will, but imho, there is no rational reason to believe we will do any better than last year…. Our only saving grace is that we have a very EAST schedule this year….
GT Fan
August 23rd, 2011
10:59 am
Destin Dawg … Are you thinking UGA in the Chick-fil-A (Peach) Bowl? J/k.
Regarding the Ds …. Anyone tends to get better at something the more they do it. We’ll both see just how much better this Fall.
For the Jackets, I will not be happy if WCU has even one easy scoring drive. Yeah, I expect they’ll score, but I don’t want it being easy whatsoever! Similar feeling in week 2.
zoriah
August 23rd, 2011
11:03 am
“very EASY schedule this year?” As opposed to other years????
Paul in NH (formerly RDU)
August 23rd, 2011
11:19 am
DawginLex
The last time UGA beat UT, AU and UF in the same year they had a sophomore tailback named Walker.
Jeffro Bodeen
August 23rd, 2011
11:22 am
Ken,
Any word on who the kickers will be for GT this year? I hear that CPJ was none too happy with anyone at the start of camp.
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2011
11:23 am
that’s why predicting doing it with an interim coach is insanity
AGTFan53
August 23rd, 2011
11:26 am
Thanks Ken. I also enjoy your two cents worth.
SAGE?
August 23rd, 2011
11:37 am
Very informative, Ken. (sarcasm)
5-7 for the Nerds
Tech '10
August 23rd, 2011
11:42 am
As usual, welcome Lex, I guess med schools starts up soon if it hasn’t already. Best of luck there.
Boise will in no way be a joke game, which is why the two will be battling it out on opening day in the Dome on national tv. Big game right there. I want to say that uga will handle boise st, but by a close margin and a come from behind win at that.
Tech’s defense can’t get too much worse, thankfully we have 2 potentially easier games in the beginning to work out any kinks. I’m pretty ticked I will have to be in Texas for most of the season, I will miss more home games this year than I have in the entire rest of my short life
. Anyway, GO JACKETS!!
GIVE ME A BREAK
August 23rd, 2011
11:44 am
Groh has a lot of knowledge. I hope the players are listening. I think they are. Wish GT had a more exciting opening game, like they used to. UGA is opening with two tuff ones, but it’s exciting for them and I hope they do good. ‘ GO JACKETS ‘
juvenal
August 23rd, 2011
11:46 am
believe satire inherently sarcastic….believe fans have no control of schedules, doubt dodd did a poll b4 leaving the sec, the stupidist thing any ad anywhere ever did……Lex, think both teams will score 30+….
GT Fan
August 23rd, 2011
11:47 am
SAGE? …… I hope you’re wrong, but since you say it with such confindence a guy who calls himself “headley lamar” has a friend named “Vegas” that will pay you money for your confidence.
Headley says the Vegas guy has GT to win 6 games. So if you want to cash in on your confidence of 5-7 then get in touch with headley’s friend and make some $$$. Only problem is that you actually have to put YOUR $$$ where your mouth is … I don’t think the Vegas guys deals in “hand-shake” bets ….
Kb
August 23rd, 2011
11:56 am
Never really understood the hiring of Groh, his defenses at Virginia weren’t consistently good,middle to bottom of the ACC most of his time there.
zoriah
August 23rd, 2011
12:15 pm
Yech has no control in scheduling W. Carolina, Middle Tenn or Kansas? Really????
final score > total rushing yards
August 23rd, 2011
12:22 pm
WOW. This disproves all Techies theories that there are no rednecks or racists in the Tech fanbase.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QlyKORe3qg
Referring to your black players as N-words is not going to help recruiting.
And before you nerds accuse ME of making this video, how many people do you know who would be willing to act like this (while showing face) simply as a bogus ploy??? I hope somebody recognizes this guy and beats the living daylights out of him.
Tech fans are absolutely pathetic.
dawgfan
August 23rd, 2011
12:22 pm
Kudos to Ken for taking an insanely boring subject (Georgia Tech’s defense) and trying to make it interesting.
dawgfan
August 23rd, 2011
12:28 pm
final score>yards, don’t forget this crybaby Techie classic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-OTwA66BJg&feature=related
Things haven’t gotten much better for that poor Techie since then either. His middle fingers are probably very tired.
Born2Buzz
August 23rd, 2011
12:34 pm
I can see why UVA finally got sick and tired of Al and canned him. He just won’t give a straight answer.
Which is why we love CPJ. Ken, have you asked Coach Johnson what his expectations of the defense is this year?
I know our linebackers are going to be better. Hope the DL and DB’s are better also. CPJ will not tolerate a lack of results. He canned Womack after going 11-3!
ashley
August 23rd, 2011
12:41 pm
Nothing says class like all the halftime rap concerts and rappers on tech’s sidelines.
final score > total rushing yards
August 23rd, 2011
12:55 pm
Tech fans are the most hypocritical bunch that the world has ever known.
They LOVE to belittle UGA as a redneck and classless fanbase, but by just doing that, they are contradicting everything they want you to believe they stand for.
No fanbase in the world would rather watch their rivals play in hopes of them losing, rather than watching their own games. I guess when most of your games are on ESPN3.com, it makes it easier to do, however.
The vast majority of Tech students have been far from the popular, social types throughout high school. When they arrived at Tech, they got their little freshman RAT hats, wrote “to hell with georgia” all over it, and banded with similarly socially awkward students with the same thing in common…. “let’s hate UGA and belittle them in hopes of finally feeling confidence in our lives for the first time”
The video above goes against anything a Techie will preach to you, that they are pristine people, loaded with class and respect for all things associated with their program.
Go to hell, Techies. I don’t claim to be the classiest apple on the tree…. because I admit to HATING everything about your fanbase and athletic program.
Hayseed Dixie
August 23rd, 2011
12:57 pm
Oh, ashley, I think the trailer park’s out of cigarettes, go jump in your LeSabre and get a carton.
It’s Groh funny he mentions Ware as his prototype. I had occasion to talk to Tony Gonzales, and he said Ware was one guy in the league he really prepped for.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
12:58 pm
And this video shows just how classless not only the mutt fans are but their coaches too—-i.e. “Choke” Grantham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVxv0AZxum4
womb@
August 23rd, 2011
12:59 pm
Tacos
Hayseed Dixie
August 23rd, 2011
1:04 pm
I know why some of you UGA guys are so teed off.
You guys have had some solid, genuinely embarrassing moments in the past few years:
Losing to Tech after being pre-season No. 1
Winning the Fulmer award.
Damon Evans, need I say more?
The black-out against Alabama where they handed you your butts.
The black helmets against Florida, same result
I mean, we at Tech haven’t had anything even *approaching* that level of cut-and-dried humiliation.
A couple tight games against an self-proclaimed “SEC powerhouse”, don’t even come close.
I’m sorry, and I totally understand why you guys feel pretty bad.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
1:07 pm
Talk about humiliating. And you mutts call Tech fans nerds??? Check this out —-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etMlNW5w-50
ashley
August 23rd, 2011
1:11 pm
Oh sweetie, I dont smoke nor do I live in your trailerpark. Embarrassing? Not really. The NCAA hasnt asked us to vacate any wins twice in the past 6 years, our fomer Heisman candidate and coach wasnt involved in a hit and run on campus while high and with an open container. A former druglord that we proudly played in a bowl game wasnt arrested by federal officers for holding his ex gf at gunpoint abd we definitely didnt feel the need to make rings to celebrate a single win.
final score > total rushing yards
August 23rd, 2011
1:14 pm
If you fail to realize the UGA kid in that video is putting on an act for a low-budget css show, you fail to understand college kids.
The one of the Tech fan calling his black players n—–s, that is no act, son.
hahahaha!!!!
August 23rd, 2011
1:15 pm
You are right! Being asked to give back the last championship yech will ever see isnt humiliating at all!! LOL!!
Nevermind the fact that yech students cant go a week without getting mugged on their own campus!! LOL!!!
final score > total rushing yards
August 23rd, 2011
1:19 pm
4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 cokes, 4 years on PROBATION
Not embarrassing at all…. techies??
Shinhoster
August 23rd, 2011
1:20 pm
Enter your connemts here.
Scooter
August 23rd, 2011
1:23 pm
Did Tech just have an official popped for child porn???
final score > total rushing yards
August 23rd, 2011
1:25 pm
And enrolling a terrorist, Scooter….
jbdawg
August 23rd, 2011
1:28 pm
Hello AJC… Since you missed the last NCAA investgation involving the Techies, maybe you should file an FOI asking if Coach Groh’s “observation” of player workouts constitutes an NCAA violation. The circumstances definitely sound incidental, but the last time I checked, even those violations should be reported.
Have a nice day!
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
1:48 pm
Scooter, Tech TURNED IN some staff member (maybe a prof, I don’t remember) for kiddie porn. Did THUGA have a professor who murdered his wife in public? There are losers and creeps in every area of society. Obviously there are losers and creeps who are professors also.
By the way, there was nothing in that video, other than the caption, that indicates he was watching a Tech game. And whether the kid in the stands was putting on an act for the cameras or not, if I were his father, I would have been embarrassed. And, all you have to do is look at his face, and you can tell he’s a nerd, regardless of where he goes to school.
final score > total rushing yards
August 23rd, 2011
1:55 pm
Why don’t you open your ears in the redneck/racist georgia tech fan video. Listen to the television and listen to him call out Tech players by name.
Nice try to cover up and spin the embarrassment that video should cause.
final score > total rushing yards
August 23rd, 2011
1:57 pm
redneck/racist tech fan video, 1:06: “aww f— Nesbitt is throwin’”
Kb
August 23rd, 2011
1:59 pm
Hayseed , Losing to tech is always embarrassing, even when you lost 24 players to season ending injury.
BigTimeTechFan
August 23rd, 2011
1:59 pm
I don’t see Tech beating UGA for a while:
1. They just recruited the “Dream Team”
2. They now have a strength and conditioning staff
3. The wear Nike Pro Combat uniforms
4. They have SEC Speed
not right, Tech has no chance
juvenal
August 23rd, 2011
2:04 pm
Super, thought you were weaning off throwing pearls to the swine..er….dauugs……
GT Fan
August 23rd, 2011
2:05 pm
AG seemed to provide much more insight to Heather D. (ESPN ACC blogger) when asked about the D.
HD: How much progress has the defense made, now that it’s entering the second season?
AG: We certainly have seen a good deal of progress here. That proof is only going to come over the course of 12 weeks. We’ve got a lot to prove, but we’re pleased with where we are in the process. The players have been very intent with it, and to this point, they’ve done the right things.
HD: Your secondary is pretty young, but talented. How has that group in particular looked?
AG: We really only have one player in the starting four who saw any amount of significant minutes last year, and that’s Isaiah Johnson, but we have a more athletic, more versatile group, versatile both mentally and physically that has enabled us to move on to some things that we never would have considered attempting to do last year.
There’s more she asks on the ESPN site. Overall AG sounds pretty confident with the Ds progress. Good to hear!
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2011
2:19 pm
Looks like some of you are destined for timeout.
Geez grow the F up
Back to football:
I got my response back from the dude at Collegefootballnews.com
“Sir, Are you referring to my first BOLD prediction? If I had written that UGA’s going to go 8-4 or 9-3 without a signature win for the 4th consecutive year(handing UF its 4th straight loss would hardly be signature worthy) and have yet another disappointing/underperforming season(5 of the last 6), and the great football program that Georgia is will finally look in a different direction, you’d be wiping the sleep from your eyes.”
“Do I think UGA starts 2-3? YES
Will Richt get fired mid-season? Very unlikely-that’s what makes it bold, as opposed to the first paragraph.
After top ranked recruiting classes year after year, if you are fine with this mediocrity, more power to you brother.”
There is a lot I could dispute(how is 2005 and 2007 underperforming?)
but, I took the high road and pointed out that Richt deserves a chance to fix what he created.
Does not change the fact that his BOLD prediction was idiotic and not well thought out.
Re Boise
August 23rd, 2011
2:31 pm
Didn’t Boise lose like 20 starters from last years team?
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2011
2:42 pm
No only 8.
but they lost Pettus and Young at WR. Those 2 won the VT game in the final minute.
Their strength is their DL, QB and RB. Linebackers are smallish. OL is capable but not that big. WR’s are all new. Kicker is a freshman.
Big advantage to UGA in a close game with Walsh
Max
August 23rd, 2011
2:47 pm
Tech sucks at life
juvenal
August 23rd, 2011
3:48 pm
Lex-the entire range of your fan base in 5 minutes…….
tar and feathers party
August 23rd, 2011
3:48 pm
Yo jimmers, I for one am taking the smurfs to pound the living s h it out of uga! Go smurfs, hit that s h it!
tar and feathers party
August 23rd, 2011
3:50 pm
Yo Max, mop that floor, your Tech Grad boss might notice your failures and FIRE your ugly butt.
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2011
3:54 pm
Good one
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
4:03 pm
Headley says the Vegas guy has GT to win 6 games. So if you want to cash in on your confidence of 5-7 then get in touch with headley’s friend and make some $$$.
Not a friend named “Vegas”. I was referring to the Las Vegas Casinos and the over under they have on Tech wins this season.
They will be happy to take your money …. I mean bet.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
4:06 pm
juvenal, regarding your question about me weaning off messing with the mutts, it’s still a weaning process. lol
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
4:07 pm
headley, don’t you ever have anything new to post? You have been posting that same crap for the past 3 weeks. You’ve made your point, whatever it is. NEXT !!!!
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
4:13 pm
After top ranked recruiting classes year after year, if you are fine with this mediocrity, more power to you brother.”
There is a lot I could dispute(how is 2005 and 2007 underperforming?)
but, I took the high road and pointed out that Richt deserves a chance to fix what he created.
The whole mediocrity thing is a myth and Techies love repeating it. It basically started with Spurrier and his famous comments about not knowing what happens when the talent gets to UGA etc.
That was when Goff was coach. Under Richt UGA has had mostly Top Ten recruiting classes.
And what have they done.
1. Finish in the Top Ten 6 out of 10
2. Win 90 games in ten years ( Second in SEC to LSU’s 91 )
3. 90 wins in ten years good for 7th best nationally
4. Two SEC titles.
5. 9-1 vs Tech
Thats far from mediocrity or not doing anything with the great talent
Oh and I cant see UGA going 2-3 to start.
3-2 at worst.
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
4:16 pm
headley, don’t you ever have anything new to post? You have been posting that same crap for the past 3 weeks. You’ve made your point, whatever it is. NEXT !!!!
I know ive made the point that Tech is only supposed to win 6 games this year.
Was just answering the post and clarifying that I don’t have a friend named Vegas but was in fact referring to Vegas Casinos.
GTFan478
August 23rd, 2011
4:17 pm
@final score who in there right mind would ever videotape themselves saying that. It was probably you acting like a Tech fan. I mean weren’t you the one that said on the blog last night that atleast we (meaning uga) know how to use them. Of course we all know you were referring to black athletes on ugas football team. Nice try now get a life.
juvenal
August 23rd, 2011
4:19 pm
Super, mostly they confirm what we already think about them(so we can appreciate Lex all the more)….just try to bring a little levity, so many folks take $port$ way too seriuos…think #2 in recruiting says more about what a rip-off those services are…….
GTFan478
August 23rd, 2011
4:21 pm
@headley if you want to call 6-7 and preseason no.1 and not winning your division let alone conference not being mediocre then I would love to know what your definition of the word would be. And lets not forget losing to UCF in a bowl game.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
4:24 pm
yeah, juvenal, I usually enjoy reading Lex’s posts, headley’s posts usually make me laugh, because they’re always the same, and so obviously biased against Tech. I find it interesting that the mutts slam us when we bring up facts from the past, but it sure seems to me like the live in the past.
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
4:31 pm
@headley if you want to call 6-7 and preseason no.1 and not winning your division let alone conference not being mediocre then I would love to know what your definition of the word would be. And lets not forget losing to UCF in a bowl game.
1 year out of 10 is the exception not the rule.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
4:32 pm
1 out of 10??? more like 3 out of 10……the last 3. I don’t think he was just referring to losing to UCF
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
4:32 pm
1. Finish in the Top Ten 6 out of 10
2. Win 90 games in ten years ( Second in SEC to LSU’s 91 )
3. 90 wins in ten years good for 7th best nationally
4. Two SEC titles.
5. 9-1 vs Tech
Thats far from mediocrity or not doing anything with the great talent
Those numbers dont lie.
You can pick one year here or this stat there and make it look different.
The stats I gave were the big picture. Not just a corner.
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
4:35 pm
1 out of 10??? more like 3 out of 10……the last 3
in 2008 we were 10-3. That isnt mediocre.
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2011
4:36 pm
I had a nice back and forth with the dude.
He believes anything other than an SEC title is underachieving. He is entitled to his opinion.
I personally think Richt’s best coaching jobs were in 2006 and 2007. Started crappy and finished like gangbusters.
Russ Mitchell told me :2006-SEC 4-4
I said 2006- 9-4 and beat 3 ranked teams to finish the year with a freshman QB.
It’s all about perspective
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2011
4:37 pm
Later boys.
til next time
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
4:37 pm
and yet you’ve been irrelevant in the SEC east for at least the past 3 years, and I doubt any of the powers in the SEC west even take you seriously anymore.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
4:41 pm
And in 2008, you were pre-season number 1 and lost to Tech. Based on the opinion you have about Tech, yes, I would say that was mediocre, especially when 2 of those wins were Ga Southern and Central Michigan, and both Bama and UF mopped up the floor with you. Not exactly a stellar season, regardless of the record.
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
4:59 pm
and yet you’ve been irrelevant in the SEC east for at least the past 3 years, and I doubt any of the powers in the SEC west even take you seriously anymore.
They should. We have winning records against all of them under Richt.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
5:00 pm
But 3 of them have NC’s, and you don’t. So what’s your point?
Old Blind Dawg
August 23rd, 2011
5:00 pm
AG sounds more like a spin master politician than a defensive coordinator (just MHO). Like someone else mentioned – his defense was average when he was at Virginia and he had more and deeper talent than he has now. I think GT will be down for a year or two as the young guys develop.
UGA went through it last year and part of the year before. It sucks being a fan when your team just fails to preform but we all experience it. You only need to look at Texas.
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
5:02 pm
And in 2008, you were pre-season number 1 and lost to Tech. Based on the opinion you have about Tech, yes, I would say that was mediocre, especially when 2 of those wins were Ga Southern and Central Michigan, and both Bama and UF mopped up the floor with you. Not exactly a stellar season, regardless of the record.
Not stellar using UGA’s standards. For Tech it would be parade time.
We lost to Tech in 2008 ( Hey even a blind squirrel …. )
Florida ( The National Champion )
Bama ( Next years champion )
We won every other game.
That isn’t too bad.
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
5:04 pm
But 3 of them have NC’s, and you don’t. So what’s your point?
Yes they do. Bully for them.
We had the best team twice. 2002 and 2007.
Just didnt get into the game. With a playoff we probably win.
Either way all we have to do is keep winning a ton and eventually it will come.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
yeah, Ga Southern, Cent Mich, Vandy, UK, Az State…… The only really significant win you had that year was over LSU.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
5:08 pm
See, headley, there you go with the what if’s and dwelling on what might have been….ALL IN THE PAST. And yet you are one of the first to slam Tech posters for bringing up things that might have been and reminding you of our past. So it’s ok for you to do it, but not us, huh? HYPOCRITE !!!! You will NEVER win a NC under Richt.
GTFan478
August 23rd, 2011
5:09 pm
@super he has no point. He knows just like you and I know minus Bama and UF uga had one of the easiest schedules they’ve had in a while in 08 (part of the reason they were voted no.1), but they again they underachieved. They lost to every team that they played that year that was good. Again mediocrity at its best.
GTFan478
August 23rd, 2011
5:11 pm
@super I was just about to call him out for the same thing. He loves to say Tech fans make excuses with the what ifs and buts, but he’s doing it right now. He really one to call the pot black.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
5:13 pm
GTFan478, the mutts almost always have pansy schedules. Google their upcoming schedules and take a look at some of the powerhouses (HA!!!) they play.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
5:15 pm
478, every mutt troll who posts on here dwells on the past and why they didn’t do this or that, and why they lost this game or the other. They are all hypocrites. I even heard a guy say the other day that Crowell is the next Herschel. Now how many times has that been said since 1983, and they still haven’t found one. If that’s not living in the past, what is?
GTFan478
August 23rd, 2011
5:18 pm
Agree completely with you. And wasn’t Caleb King supposed to be the next Herschel?
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
5:19 pm
OMG, 478, EVERY RB they have signed since Herschel was supposed to be his second coming.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
5:23 pm
OK, I’m outta here for awhile. I’m sure headley (or some more disgusting troll) will have some comment to make. I’ll just have to check later. Have a good one, 478…….and you too, headley
GTFan478
August 23rd, 2011
5:24 pm
I wonder where he went?
GTFan478
August 23rd, 2011
5:25 pm
Tried to post this earlier but didn’t go through; thanks for the good read Ken. Nice work keep it up.
duece coupe
August 23rd, 2011
5:46 pm
Good questions asked Ken,
all the players say Attaochu is a protype linebacker, playing good.
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
5:59 pm
Agree completely with you. And wasn’t Caleb King supposed to be the next Herschel?
He was a bust. Most of them aren’t however.
Knowshon, Garrison Hearst, Rodney Hampton, Terrell Davis, Tim Worley, Robert Edwards, Musa Smith, Thomas Brown
Crowell is much more likely to join that group.
Its another win for Headley.
Headley 7 Tech 0
headley lamar
August 23rd, 2011
6:01 pm
See, headley, there you go with the what if’s and dwelling on what might have been….ALL IN THE PAST. And yet you are one of the first to slam Tech posters for bringing up things that might have been and reminding you of our past. So it’s ok for you to do it, but not us, huh? HYPOCRITE !!!! You will NEVER win a NC under Richt.
No just pointing out that winning the NC is part luck. Ask LSU when they shot up the poll the last week with 2 losses. We had 2 losses as well and would have beaten them. Oh well.
We have winning records against all those teams under Richt. In fact we have a winning record against every team in the SEC not named Florida.
Just keep doing that and the NC will come.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
6:55 pm
There you go again, headley, with the would-have’s, could-have’s, should-have’s. The point is you DIDN’T. And that one team CMR doesn’t have a winning record against will keep you from ever getting to the NC game. Florida 7 – headley 0
dwight Smith
August 23rd, 2011
7:17 pm
I’ve been reading the ajc for many years. I can see their reporting is like we had at our high school paper. No wonder the newspapers are dragging ass.
Boss
August 23rd, 2011
7:24 pm
Anyone notice the Tech fans on the Tech blog are a lot nicer than the tech fans on the UGA blogs? Bulldog fans are always polite and well behaved no matter where they are.
Boss
August 23rd, 2011
7:26 pm
Of course supersize is a doosh no matter where he posts. I guess all these years of being unemployed has made him realy bitter.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
7:39 pm
so calling someone a name is being polite, huh? yeah, right
KB
August 23rd, 2011
7:43 pm
Supersize, You should check the records, not been very relevant past two seasons, but every program has a down cycle. Over the past 10 year 3-1 vs bama, won 4 of last 5 vs auburn(6-4) 3-3 with LSU. 2 sec championships over last 10 years ties us with UF and Auburn 1 behind LSU . Georgia holds its own in the best football conference in America.In 2008 UGA had 24 season ending injuries, and still went 10-3.And it 13-1 vs ACC over the past 10 years.Keep thinking this Georgia team will be like 2010.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
7:59 pm
KB, you have some talent now that you didn’t have last year, but most of them are freshmen, and they probably won’t have that much impact. So to start the season, you have a very good QB, no receivers of note, and mostly young and inexperienced RB’s. I don’t keep up with you enough to know how your lines are, but I have very serious doubts that Grantham can actually build a SEC-caliber defense. I know several real (as in not online) Georgia fans who agree with that. Of course, with the light-weight schedule you have this year (no Bama or LSU) and Auburn rebuilding, you should be able to win 7 or 8, but probably no more. Plus, I have read all the gripes from Georgia fans about Bobo’s play-calling, and that won’t change.
pigmons
August 23rd, 2011
8:03 pm
no KB I don’t think you guys will be 6-7, but 7-5 or 8-4 is bout as far as I can see, SC and Boise State, UF, even New Mexico State could be a problem as well as Miss state, (option team), Auburn (option), and we tend to play you close.
GDBurdell
August 23rd, 2011
8:05 pm
tek is now on GSU’s level, get used to it nerds
GDBurdell
August 23rd, 2011
8:07 pm
pigmons, tek let UGA have a touchdown last year maybe that has something to do with it
pigmons
August 23rd, 2011
8:43 pm
first of burdell, when you misspell you’re not witty, second on noooooo. we let you have a TD so we could try and score and take things to overtime.
pigmons
August 23rd, 2011
8:44 pm
gsu is not that good sorry
KB
August 23rd, 2011
8:51 pm
Although this years schedule lines up well, there is no light weight schedule in the SEC.If having 5 top 25 teams so far on this years schedule is light weigh what do you call techs that only has 2?
wreckbone
August 23rd, 2011
10:49 pm
UVA had a defense. Anyone who doesn’t remember, that is what kept them in games. And he was so good at defense that Howie long sent his boy there to learn form Groh, because he could get him ready for the NFL. Al Groh is a great coach and well above the level of some smack talking clueless people on a blog. Just meet the man and you will see he commands a respectful response. This guy knows football. been in team meetings with world champions. Coaches who are legends and we are lucky to have him on our coaching staff. Remember, last year, the best talent left early. Hard for a program to recover form that. Hell even UGA had big problems after Stafford and then Moreno left. And they talk smack like they were Auburn. Well auburn last year or Bama would have beat us handily in the past few years. Yet you do win, but only squeak by and talk smack like we don’t belong on the field. So just keep talking….we’ll see what this defensive coach can do to you with our “inferior” players this gobble day. And to all you UGA hate spewing idiots. Keep talking, with your wucky record. You should be embarrassed. Top 5 recruiting in a decade and nothing to show for it. Your blue chip made cash on his “infraction”, much more than ours took in clothing and you act like you have a “clean program”. Please…..that’s the funniest joke I’ve heard. If Clark County weren’t on the payroll, your star running back would have had a DUI to star the season instead of a hit and run. and your AD getting blown by a hooker and trying to get the cops to look the other way….Your fearless leader caught with her pants down. Pretty sad that you mention the state of our program. The only thing is you didn’t get caught by the NCAA. You got caught by real police so you get to throw around this junk like you have a pristine program. The only thing pristine is your trophy cabinet…which hasn’t been touched in years. Va Tech beats us worse than you so tkae your ACC don’t belong crap somewhere else. At least you have your awesome voice in the paper. Yes I am jealous my hometown paper has no blog for my sports but you got your guy blogging is up every day. Its about time the AJC get off its rear and find us a blogger too. I appreciate Ken. He’s doing a great job.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 23rd, 2011
11:07 pm
WOW, wreckbone, you’re on a roll there. I LOVE IT !!!!
Cracker Jack Coach for Sure
August 23rd, 2011
11:55 pm
Yep that Al Groh is probably second only to CPJ. I mean look at Big Al’s – record 85 – 93 as a head coach and that ACC record holy cow 44 – 68. You techies are beyond delusional – really. LMAO keep on lovin it Super.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 24th, 2011
12:09 am
DUHHH. Groh is not the head coach; he is the defensive coach. What does his record as a head coach have to do with coaching the defense? Are you really that dumb?
Supersize that order, mutt
August 24th, 2011
12:14 am
Very few defensive coaches make good head coaches. Bud Carson was a defensive genius, as he showed when he was DC for Tech and later for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Does the name Steel Curtain ring a bell with you? But as head coach at Tech, he pretty much sucked.
White and Gold
August 24th, 2011
12:57 am
Hey Leg humpers… Please spare us your opinion. We really dont care… Go back on your blog and cry about your Heinz 57 unifroms.
jack
August 24th, 2011
2:01 am
not caring about your two cents, anyway to stop that, thanks
ATLER Ramblin Wreck
August 24th, 2011
3:15 am
uga fans love coming on the Tech blog to talk crap. BUT if you go on uga’s blog and read it you’ll see Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and Auburn fan lighting their butts up. Read some of the cry baby responses that the ugag fans leave……….. Priceless!!!! They (uga) know that their (uga) over-rated so they cry and bitch and moan for the other blogger to get of their page and go back to their own page. BUT they love coming to the Tech blogs to talk crap???!!!!! Interesting…………
ATLER Ramblin Wreck
August 24th, 2011
3:18 am
uga = OVER-RATED AND UNDER ACHIEVERS!!!! ALL THE 5 STAR TALENT IN THE NATION, BUT AS USUAL THE DO NOTHING WITH IT YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT!!!!!!! BOY I WISH TECH GOT THAT KIND OF TALENT. WE’D SHOW YOU MUTTS HOW TO USE IT.
Lee Purdy
August 24th, 2011
7:31 am
Ken -
How is the long snapper battle going?
Tyler Morgan, Cory Pritchett? Are there others??
UGA is definitely overrated
August 24th, 2011
9:43 am
The only team they truly own is GT.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 24th, 2011
12:06 pm
Not that he deserves any kind of explanation, but to the ignorant troll, I am comfortably retired and I don’t have to work anymore. When I don’t have anything better to do, I log in here to get info on the Jackets and an occasional laugh from fools like you
CHOP BLOCK U!!!!
August 25th, 2011
7:58 am
When you don’t have anything better to do? Hmmm…..so basically you don’t have anything better to do 24/7?
RamblinWreck93
August 25th, 2011
2:13 pm
For all you UGA fans who think that you have been nothing but dominant in recent history and that GT is not even to be mentioned in the same breath as you, here are the facts.
Preface: You can holler all you want to about how tough the SEC is and that’s why you underachieve, but the talent that ya’ll recruit is as good as anyone in the SEC. The talent that Tech recruits is pretty good for the ACC. So leave that argument at the door.
UGA W-L record the past 5 years:
2010: 6-7
2009: 8-5
2008: 10-3
2007: 11-2
2006: 9-4
Georgia Tech W-L record the past 5 years:
2010: 6-7
2009: 11-3
2008: 9-4
2007: 7-6
2006: 9-5
UGA final record past 5 years:
44-21 or .677 win %
GT final record past 5 years:
42-25 or .627 win %
So UGA does indeed have the better record, but GT played 2 more games than the Dogs because we’ve made it to our conference’s championship twice in the past 5 years as opposed to UGA’s goose egg. So is Georgia a prestigious football program with a winning track record? Yes. But have the Dogs just been rollin’ out the W’s lately, and has Tech been an utter disaster on the football field in recent history, vastly inferior to their greatest rival? Not a chance. So here’s to hoping that both programs have outstanding seasons in 2011 and that they’ll play one heck of a game in Athens come November. Just my $.02 worth…