Johnson: ‘Sky’s the limit’ for Tech
Greetings-
Just returned from the kickoff luncheon at the Cobb Galleria. Coach Paul Johnson spoke last, after athletic director Dan Radakovich, former center Sean Bedford and A-back Roddy Jones. Johnson had a few noteworthy things to say:
1. He said he was “embarrassed” by the way the team finished the 2010 season, “and I hope our football team felt that way.” That the team wasn’t thrilled with the season isn’t news, but I don’t think I’ve heard him use that strong a word to describe it.
2. Johnson quote: “I really believe you’re going to come out and see a football team that’s going to be hungry, that’s going to fly around, that’s going to play extremely hard and just be kind of generally [hacked] off. We have a lot of reasons to be in that mode, and if we’re not, I’m going to be really disappointed and I’m going to make sure they get in that mode fairly quickly.”
3. He kicked coaches and players off the field with about five minutes left in Thursday’s scrimmage against the scout team because he didn’t think players were playing with necessary intensity. Johnson: “That’s the message we’re trying to send. It’s a message of urgency. Nobody respects you, nobody thinks you can do anything, so it’s up to you to prove them wrong.”
4. Johnson said he believes the “sky’s the limit for our football team” and that the team “might be as talented or more talented athletically and physically than we’ve been since I’ve been here.” Not a small claim, considering the 2009 team had six first-team All-ACC players, including the 2008 ACC player of the year and two NFL first-rounders, as well as a third-rounder and also a 2011 seventh-round pick.
He said he’ll probably play eight or nine true freshmen and seven or eight redshirt freshmen. The true freshmen I am sure will play: guard Trey Braun, defensive back Zach Laskey and wide receiver Jeff Greene. True freshmen I think could play: Guards Errin Joe and Shaq Mason, wide receiver Darren Waller, quarterback Vad Lee and long snapper Sean Tobin. I imagine a linebacker or two will play, but I confess I have no read on that.
Redshirt freshmen I’m confident will play: A-back Tony Zenon, quarterback Synjyn Days, A-back Deon Hill, B-back Charles Perkins, inside linebacker Quayshawn Nealy.
5. Johnson said he thought the defense will have two senior starters on defense, maybe three, and for certain one on offense and possibly two. I would think that would be defensive tackle Logan Walls and defensive end Jason Peters, with outside linebacker Steven Sylvester the “maybe.” Linebacker Brandon Watts has challenged Sylvester.
The sure thing on offense is A-back Roddy Jones and the maybe is wide receiver Tyler Melton, who is competing with Greene for the starting job. Melton missed time in camp with a calf strain.
6. He said he likes the schedule and is how he would draw it up if he could, with three non-conference games to start.
The Western Carolina season opener is a chance “to lay the foundation for something special.”
He said he thinks Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 10 “will be a Super Bowl-type game for them,” in that a BCS conference team is coming to its place.
The Blue Raiders lost to Minnesota at home by a touchdown last year, beat Maryland on the road in 2009 and Memphis at home and three years ago, beat Maryland at home and lost to Kentucky on the road 20-14.
“It’ll be wild,” he said.
(An aside: The school’s nickname is the Blue Raiders, but the school’s athletic logo includes a white winged horse on it. Perhaps the Raiders ride atop such magnificent steeds.)
As for the Kansas game Sept. 17, he said, “I’ve got a long memory of standing on that sideline a year ago in Lawrence, Kans. It was not a happy moment or a happy place. Hopefully our guys have the same kind of desire (to avenge the loss).”
North Carolina, Sept. 24: “I hear a lot of people writing off those teams (like Miami or North Carolina). Sometimes that can be a real rallying cry.”
That was about as far as he got on the schedule, though he noted the next game is North Carolina State, “who beat us at our place a year ago.”
He said the team shows consistent improvement as opposed to the 2010 season, which he termed a roller-coaster ride where “we were never really quite sure what we were going to get.”
7. The team will vote for captains after a few games after all of the seniors have a chance to be game captains. The game captains for the opener will be Jones, Walls and Sylvester, who were chosen by the coaching staff.
8. Bedford delivered an impressive speech. He spoke about his appreciation and indebtedness to the school, how he felt blessed that his playing career traveled the course it did and that how the story of his career – hard work, dedication, academic success – isn’t so different from that of his former teammates’. I imagine many of you on the blog would have had heart palpitations hearing it.
He also included a few jabs at the NCAA and Georgia. He appreciated the choice Tech fans make to follow the Jackets and for not falling in line with the trendiness of cheering for Georgia and the ease of being able to “go to a Walmart and buying a red cap with an ugly ‘G’ on it.”
The man knows his audience. I spoke with him briefly aftewards. He started law school at Florida Monday and flew up to give the speech at the luncheon. He said he has 300 pages to read over the weekend. Aiyee.
Thanks for reading. Please follow on Facebook and Twitter.
By Ken Sugiura, AJC
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367 comments Add your comment
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
8:51 pm
should have read, “I don’t EVER go to the mutt blogs…..” and not “I don’t EVEN go to the mutt blogs…..”
George Stein
August 26th, 2011
8:53 pm
How is what Crittenton did any reflection on Tech? He was there for one year like five years ago.
I mean, seriously, has any Tech fan (until now, I guess) mentioned Hines Ward’s DUI as an indictment of UGA?
RamblingReck
August 26th, 2011
8:53 pm
No mention of Stephen Hill. Is that significant>
Cmon man
August 26th, 2011
8:54 pm
@supersize I never blamed tech for anything my comment was aimed at you ARROGANT tech fans. Hopefully you will get off that high horse everything about is not as grand as most tech fans seem to think. Its ok for tech fans to label uga players thugs over traffic violations but you expect us to sit back and keep quiet when tech has negative headlines
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
8:55 pm
George, we probably have, as we have mentioned other incidents concerning UGA students, alums, or professors, but I doubt that any of us have gone on the UGA blogs to do that. These trolls are obsessed.
George Stein
August 26th, 2011
8:56 pm
I’m pretty sure Juice has no idea what karma means.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
8:57 pm
Cmon man, you attack us, you attack our school. And like I said, why do you feel the need to come on here and attack anybody? Post your crap on the UGA blogs. And don’t claim that there are Tech trolls on there. I’m sure there are and they have no more class than you do.
George Stein
August 26th, 2011
8:57 pm
As I’ve said before, if we come across as arrogant, Cmon man, we apologize. It’s only the natural result of comparing ourselves to people like you.
Juice
August 26th, 2011
8:58 pm
Not blaming the school….just want one of you to admit you are no better than any other school….in fact…..your probably middle of the pack….not the worst and most certainly not the best…just admit it……That’s all……
George Stein
August 26th, 2011
8:59 pm
I’m perfectly happy with no mention of Stephen Hill, RamblinReck. I still think he has tremendous talent and potential, but let’s let him be 20. We need to temper our expectations of all these kids, actually.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
9:00 pm
Juice, admit the same about UGA. I have never read one, not ONE, remark by a troll on here, admitting that there are, and have been problems in Athens.
George Stein
August 26th, 2011
9:00 pm
We won’t admit to being middle of the pack, Juice, because we aren’t. And to the extent that we are, UGA is right there with us now.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
9:00 pm
George, let’s hope that the competition will bring out the best in Stephen Hill.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
9:02 pm
I doubt that Tech has more or less trouble with students, alums, professors, or staff than any other college in the country, especially any other college in a major city. But I know for a fact that there are just as many problems in Athens. Unfortunately, it comes with the territory.
mwh6767
August 26th, 2011
9:21 pm
Wasting your time Super. Crit, has been gone for five years. He played one year for a coach that isn’t here anymore and is no reflection on the school. If he had done this 20 years from now the uga fans would claim its lawless, thug, athletes at Tech. What they fail to relize or want to acknowledge is that all of uga player problems and former ad for that matter occured while they where ACTIVE players and in school and on campus.
Juice
August 26th, 2011
9:23 pm
GS….. I think you are one… maybe two…. up on us now….. get my drift….
Worm
August 26th, 2011
9:23 pm
@George Stein-I wouldn’t call 9-1 as both programs in the middle of the pack..You Sir, are the most delusional poster on this site..Why are Dawg fans here-Because the AJC limits comments to stories that are detrimental to the “Total Person Concept”..Every Tech athlete should be issued a gun ,as your campus is in the middle of Hell..Perhaps you guys should institute a “Shooting Range or target practice prerequisite” as opposed to African American Studies.
Gumbo
August 26th, 2011
9:24 pm
Huge Tech Fan! Just dont see this PJ thing working….Triple option not hard to stop if U can’t throw, given size and speed of D1 athletes, . That’s why the spread offense so popular in D1. Allows you to do both! PJ cares more about proving his offense than winning games. This is commonly called “beating a dead horse”.
George Stein
August 26th, 2011
9:28 pm
Your drift smells, Juice. In all honesty, I don’t get your drift.
Against my better judgment, I’ll address your comment. 9-1 means nothing as a whole. It doesn’t tell us anything about UGA in the broader picture. Every Tech athlete should be issues guns? Who’s really delusional. And I’m not aware of Tech offering African American Studies as a major. UGA, on the other hand, does.
George Stein
August 26th, 2011
9:32 pm
Uh, not too many teams stopped Tech last year even with our passing game as poor as it was. The spread is popular because it enables teams to recruit out of a larger pool. Essentially, it’s the same thing Tech does. There is not a shortage of 6′0, 190 guys that can run. Get those guys in space and all of a sudden you can even the matchup with the 250 pound linebacker. Plus, a spread passing attach doesn’t require a huge arm QB.
There are so many myths about our offense because it’s different. But all you have to do is think and you’ll come to the conclusion that it’s pretty damn good.
Juice
August 26th, 2011
9:43 pm
Sorry, GS giving you to much credit….you can’t seem to be able to read between the lines..or know who you are responding too…
Don’t confuses me with the Worm….
You’re to easy….and not the smartest man in the room….that would be CPJ… just ask him…or better yet just listen for 2 minutes and he will tell you…
ole yeller
August 26th, 2011
9:44 pm
George Stein, do you understand anything what Worm was trying to say or what Gumbo is trying to say. All Johnson ever needed was a defense. The offense will work against any team. As a side note how many Tech fans on this blog have ever visited a UGA blog? I did once just to see how many Tech fans were there. Guess what, no one that went to school at Tech cares what goes on with them, nor do they care to waste their time on a UGA blog from the biased AJC. I am constantly amazed with the UGA non school attendees that trash Tech.
Worm
August 26th, 2011
9:45 pm
Some good points George..To stop your offense, Defenses have to control the middle..That’s why Tech has had difficulty with physical D-Lines..All SEC teams have good D-Lines-Acc, Not so much.
I’ll admit those speed guys on the edge cause problems, but not when the dive or QB option isn’t a factor…John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers will reek havoc on your offense, just as Jeff Owens,Geno Atkins did.
ole yeller
August 26th, 2011
9:46 pm
Hey Juice you are not one to be talking about smart people.
sports
August 26th, 2011
9:46 pm
you “techies” really turn out some characters…like that thug that was on the basketball team. Drugs, weapons, probation for the school,the charges just go on and on. You don’t need coaches, you need armed guards and a warden.
George Stein
August 26th, 2011
9:49 pm
I don’t think Johnson thinks that. I just think he doesn’t give a flip what you – or I or anyone else – think, Juice.
Sorry for not addressing my second paragraph to Worm. I should have.
Bridges falling down
August 26th, 2011
9:54 pm
(ANOTHER) tek alum charged with murder!!
SHUT THIS THUG FACTORY DOWN!!!!!!
Stasi
August 26th, 2011
10:00 pm
Worm, your reply “reeks”…did you mean wreak?
SRF
August 26th, 2011
10:01 pm
Maybe you should be nicer to Tech alumni…….
ole yeller
August 26th, 2011
10:01 pm
Hey worm, I guess that’s what you guys did last year right? I guess all SEC schools have defenses to control the middle. All but UGA. It seems as if Tech ran up and down the field on you guys last year almost at will. This year will be no different. Oh I’m sorry but we did loose the game, not because of the offense but because our defense was just a little worse than yours. Don’t claim to be an expert on game study abilities because your points don’t make any sense at all.
final score > total rushing yards
August 26th, 2011
10:03 pm
Give me a f’in break.
OF COURSE the techies flooded every UGA blog they could get their hands on the hour or so after news leaked about Hines Ward. Look it up.
And it was an embarrassment for UGA, as he still represents them.
JUST like this absolute trash thug “Crit”, or whatever you geeks call him. He, just like every other recent embarrassment of a tech athlete or former athlete recently has disgraced your wittle afwetics pwogwam.
4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 cokes, 4 years of probation,
TECH = THUG-U
Worm
August 26th, 2011
10:04 pm
Thank you Stasi..Indeed, that’s what I meant..I have A nagging wife!:)
Bridges falling down
August 26th, 2011
10:04 pm
tek got its ass kicked and tek fans left the stands early for the “long ride home” classless rejects that they are
Worm
August 26th, 2011
10:06 pm
Ole yeller, We HAVE noseguards now that will control your center and require a Double team..We didn’t have that last year..Kwame and jenkins will LIVE in your backfield.
ole yeller
August 26th, 2011
10:09 pm
Hey final score or whatever your name is. Hines Ward is the best athlete that ever came out of the state of Georgia. He really did nothing wrong that millions of citizens of the United States has done. Hines is not one to be included a this blog. I am a diehard Tech fan, but I am proud to claim Hines Ward as a fellow Georgian.
Juice
August 26th, 2011
10:10 pm
Thanks GS,,,
Ole yeller…..much better men…. than you….. have tried and failed…. to get the best of me….better luck next time…yeller feller..
Bridges falling down
August 26th, 2011
10:10 pm
Hard to reach the sky when you’re in jail for murder 1
CHEATERS
Ramblin Man
August 26th, 2011
10:12 pm
Worm,
The only SEC team that can come close to saying they stopped the option is LSU. UGA has failed to do it three years in a row. UGA won two of those, but never actually stopped the option. Miss. St. failed and Vandy failed so your entire statement is stupid. If you clog the middle to stop the dive then it moves to the outside thus the LBs and DBs spread and you go right back to the middle. When the LBs and DBs try to cheat and move up you hit a long pass (of course the receiver actually has to catch the ball, but the point is valid.
As far as a former one year player being wanted for murder and now GT is all thug do we really need to talk about a former UGA player who stole millions from the elderly and others or would you like to discuss a UGA prof in a triple homicide.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
10:13 pm
The difference between the Tech blogs and the mutt blogs, is that the mutts have a nanny who blocks or bans most of the comments critical of THUGa. Ken doesn’t do that, so we have to tolerate all you ignorant creeps who are so obsessed with Tech that you spend every day and every night on here getting away with posting whatever you want to.
ole yeller
August 26th, 2011
10:15 pm
Juice do you even know what your are talking about? I sure don’t. What planet are you on tonight? Get the best of you? Pleeze.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
10:16 pm
Ramblin Man, let’s not forget the former THUGa coach who operated a ponzi scheme, bilking who knows how many people out of their money. According to the mutts’ logic (using the word loosely), all THUGa students, alums, coaches, fans, and athletes are guilty too.
ole yeller
August 26th, 2011
10:16 pm
Hey super glad to see you back, the trolls are here in heavy force and as usual are not making a lot of sense.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
10:17 pm
I’m still waiting for Juice to admit that THUGa has it’s share of problems too, but he’s too obsessed with Tech to face reality.
Ramblin Man
August 26th, 2011
10:17 pm
How are all you big bad UGA fans, that talk constant crap, going to go to the dome? Won’t you be to scared to walk the mean streets of Atlanta? You know where all the GT NERDS, GEEKS, and THUGS roam the streets locked and loaded.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
10:18 pm
thanks, ole yeller. I got sick of it and watched TV for an hour. They never make any sense, because they don’t have any sense.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
10:19 pm
LOL Ramblin Man. If it’s so bad in Atlanta, why would they even agree to play a game there? HYPOCRITES !!!!!
@worm
August 26th, 2011
10:22 pm
The perfect option is in trouble now that worm has “figured it out”.
Flying Tigers
August 26th, 2011
10:23 pm
LMAO at superdawg…really is this a real like person? I could care less about either but my friend who is a tech fan was showing me this…is the guy that really into it to where he really gets mad and lets loose…LMAO Someone give the guy some valum before be bust a nut hahahahahahahaha This guy needs a girl friend…BAD… hahahahahahahahaha
Juice
August 26th, 2011
10:24 pm
yellow jackets = killer bees….
Supersize that order, mutt
August 26th, 2011
10:24 pm
@ @worm … yeah, I’m sure CPJ is shaking in his boots. He’ll probably revamp the entire game plan before the first game……yeah, right.