Tevin Washington gets a tune-up
Greetings-
Some notes from post-practice Tuesday. I’ll be back with more Wednesday morning.
1. Georgia Tech coaches are trying to mend what ails quarterback Tevin Washington.
Tech quarterbacks and B-backs coach Brian Bohannon said he has been working with Washington on his throwing technique, particularly his follow-through. Washington has been struggling with falling away rather than finishing throws.
After completing 64.3 percent of his passes in the Yellow Jackets’ first four games, Washington has completed 35.3 percent in the past four. He threw a critical interception on Tech’s first play of the game Saturday in the loss to Miami. The Jackets undoubtedly will need Washington to play more proficiently against undefeated Clemson (No. 5 in the BCS standings) Saturday. Bohannon said Washington’s mindset is good, but that “I’m sure there’s a little bit of him pressing. He knows what to do. Play within the offense and execute.”
Coach Paul Johnson defended Washington’s play at his Tuesday news conference.
“Clearly, he can play better, but the guys around him have to play better, too,” he said.
(Bohannon said Washington probably “juiced” that pass against Miami, that is to say, was a little amped. By the way, I know there’s been some chatter about Synjyn Days replacing Washington in the lineup. For reasons I’ll get into Wednesday, I don’t see it happening. It’s sink or swim with the young man from Wetumpka, Ala.)
2. In an attempt to right his team’s course, team captain Roddy Jones gave the team a pep talk Monday.
“I just told the guys to keep their heads up,” Jones said. “We’ve obviously had a tough stretch, but we still have a lot in front of us.”
The Jackets are on a two-game losing streak after starting out 6-0. Jones, an A-back, reminded teammates that they can still have a great season by winning the remainder of their games to finish 10-2.
“That’s a great year, but it starts with Clemson, so everyone has to be accountable for their jobs and take personal ownership of their job,” he said. “If we do that, we’ll be just fine.”
(I couldn’t fit this in, but he clarified that players weren’t discouraged, but he wanted to be proactive as he realizes the team is taking shots from all sides.)
3. There were 55 Tech athletes among about 340 from five schools who signed a petition urging the NCAA to give athletes a share of the hundreds of millions of dollars in television contract money that goes to schools and conferences, according to an Associated Press report. Denzel McCoy, who is unable to play due to a heart condition, helped lead the drive. Jones was a mildly enthusiastic signee.
“This is my last year playing, so it’s not like I’m getting a whole lot of [the money],” Jones said. “I just kind of shrugged my shoulders and went along with what’s best for the guys here now.”
Johnson said he supported the players. “I’m all for the players getting whatever they can get,” he said.
(I’m not sure what will come of this – perhaps not much – and it’s odd timing that news of a proposal for a $2,000 cost-of-attendance stipend broke on the same day. But it’d be kind of crazy if this came to pass and McCoy was part of the movement’s leadership.)
4. Johnson said that center Jay Finch’s lower-leg injury sustained last Saturday “is not nearly as bad as they thought.” Finch was on crutches Tuesday and did not practice. Backup center Nick McRae and Ray Beno, who rotates at tackle, have been taking snaps at center in practice.
Clemson running back Andre Ellington was listed as questionable Tuesday with a sprained ankle. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he hoped Ellington would be ready to practice fully by Wednesday. Tigers tight end Dwayne Allen is nursing a turf toe injury and reportedly wore a walking boot Tuesday, but said he expects to play Saturday.
(Tech offensive lineman Morgan Bailey, who has been injured much of the year, is getting work at tackle. Clemson losing Ellington would be pretty significant. He zapped Tech for 155 yards last year and has speed on top of speed.)
5. At his news conference, Johnson said that Clemson is probably the most talented team he’ll have faced at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Asked if the game would be a track meet given Clemson’s speed, Johnson replied, “If we play (like we have) the last two weeks, it’ll be a one-sided track meet.”
At his news conference at Clemson, Swinney lobbed bouquets at Tech’s defense and coordinator Al Groh.
“They’re hard to move and they don’t give up a lot of big plays,” he said. “Their linebackers are rarely out of place and they tackle well. It’s a typical Al Groh-type of defense.”
(Kind of an interesting qualifier on Johnson’s statement. Perhaps in he was thinking of Iowa or LSU. In one of the times he complimented Maryland defensive tackle Joe Vellano after his 22-tackle game, he said he was probably the best player he’d coached against at Bobby Dodd.)
Thanks for reading. Please follow on Facebook and Twitter.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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282 comments Add your comment
gt40pinhd
October 26th, 2011
2:00 am
oatmeal cookie…
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 26th, 2011
2:01 am
62, retired from Georgia Power, was a lineman/troubleman. Worked with a lot of GT engineers.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
2:02 am
oatmeal cookie sounds good. I have become addicted to oatmeal-cranberry-white-chocolate-chip cookies that they sell at The Fresh Market here in Augusta. MMMMMMMM
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
2:03 am
GIVE ME….., you would fit in great with us then. Only macrotech and UOAD are in their 40s; the rest of us are in our 60s…..or maybe late 50s.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
2:04 am
wait, I guess juvenal is probably younger too, although it was hard to tell just how old (or young) he might be.
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 26th, 2011
2:07 am
I like to get by to meet ya’ll.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
2:08 am
GIVE ME…., I hope you can. Like I said, if you need better directions, either email me at that temporary address or just ask UOAD the next time you see him on here.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
2:10 am
OK, it’s way past time for bed now. I’ve enjoyed it, guys…..any of you who are left besides GIVE ME. Talk to y’all tomorrow. Have a good night, GIVE ME…., and anybody else who is still here
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 26th, 2011
2:10 am
I’ll e-mail you later today. lol
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
2:11 am
good enough, GIVE ME…. Just try to put something in the email that will confirm that it IS you, and not some troll who saw the address.
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 26th, 2011
2:12 am
ok
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
2:13 am
BTW, gt40pinhd, if you’re still there, I think I remember you saying that you are not in Atlanta, but if I am wrong and if you are coming to the VT game, you are invited too.
GT66
October 26th, 2011
2:15 am
Just e-mailed you – Chips Ahoy tonight – I listened to LSU games and/or Texas games on Sat night – that was back in the days of AM and the stations from New Orleans and Austin that carried those games increased to 100,000 watts at night and they came in loud and clear – the LSU/Ole Miss game the night of Cannon’s run was played in driving rain most of the night as I remember -
OB/DB
October 26th, 2011
2:56 am
But Chan knew how to hirs Coaches that could recruit!
Buzz me
October 26th, 2011
4:49 am
Might be seeing the end of the CPJ era. Until he realizes we need a beefy line, a kicking game, a special teams coach, and a QB who can throw (he’s wearing a redshirt this year) we will beat the weak teams and lose to those who are average and above average. Yawn
Stinger 2
October 26th, 2011
4:58 am
Supersize: A few days ago you said you were finished with GT and out …off the blogs. What happened to make you change your mind and come back?
hedgepruner
October 26th, 2011
6:10 am
Tech fan since 1966, all these comparisons with PJ & Gailey are you freakin kidding me ? Paul Johnson will be fine just “keep the faith tech fans” we all knew this was a rebuilding year (tons of freshmen & sophs)and we all got a little ahead of ourselves when we were 6-0 and ranked 12th which shows the vulnerability of the polls. We dropped a BIG EGG in Charlottesville & Miami is always a tough place to pull off a win , so let’s get behind our team and see what happens Saturday night in BD stadium be there & support this team there are brighter times on the horizon …. & UGAY will get there BIG L in Jacksonville like they always do ….THWG !!
Jesse Stone
October 26th, 2011
6:18 am
Driving up from Palm Beach Gardens for the game Saturday night. Give ‘em hell Jackets!
hoo jacket
October 26th, 2011
6:20 am
As a Wahoo grad but long time Jacket fan, I see similarities between CPJ and George Welch. Both did well at Navy. Both came in and had initial success. But like Johnson, Welch could never beat the big in-state rival (VaTech) or win a bowl game. Like Johnson, Welch could not recruit well and ultimately had to go. Controlling the line of scrimmage is the key to successful football at the major college level. And you cannot do that anymore with sub-300 pound linemen. CPJ doesnt seem to get that.
Giff Smith wanted to get away from CPJ so badly he moved to Buffalo
October 26th, 2011
6:21 am
It’s time to fry some fish….yabba dabba Dabo!!!
Thomas Brown
October 26th, 2011
7:03 am
NCAA federally mandated graduation success rates are out. Georgia tek men’s basketball 27 percent; UGA men’s basketball 43 percent. Georgia tek football 55 percent; UGA football 65 percent. Georgia tek women’s basketball 73 percent; UGA women’s basketball 77 percent. Overall all sports, Georgia tek 77 percent; overall all sports UGA 79 percent.
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/newmedia/public/rates/index.html
Paddy
October 26th, 2011
7:05 am
Russ…..not a very well thought out respones. It did not make any sense.
Freddy Blassie
October 26th, 2011
7:27 am
Federally mandated NCAA graduation rates! Wooooooooo. Those are some cracker jack organizations there. How could anything go wrong if these kids are guided by the government and the NCAA? Bloodsuckers! I’d like to see the NCAA money trail. Feds money trail is hopeless.
Thomas Brown
October 26th, 2011
7:30 am
Freddy Blassie,
I can see why you say that since you are ALSO on NCAA PROBATION in FOOTBALL back-to-back, repeat offenders of the Major Infractions Database of the NCAA
Freddy Blassie
October 26th, 2011
7:41 am
How do you offend a database?
Luke
October 26th, 2011
7:50 am
Thomas Brown.
If you knew how to read you’d see its from students that were enrolled initially from 2001-2004. Its not a really good indicator seeing as how that would put you at students who graduated from anywhere in 2005-2009. Its about 3 years too late and outdated, which speaks volumes about the Chan Gailey and Paul Hewitt era. APR is a much better reading how the universities are doing currently instead a few years ago.
reebok
October 26th, 2011
7:58 am
tevin’s cooked, his confidence is shot and his receivers aren’t good enough to bail him out. the clemson game will be over by halftime. we’re looking at 7-5 and another meaningless bowl game. the only thing that would salvage this season is if we could somehow beat an overconfident georgia team at bobby dodd in november, but right now that looks unlikely.
wreckbone
October 26th, 2011
8:31 am
Al Grh needs to go?? He is doing great. We have held teams to 14 (for 3 quarters with starters in NC State), Uva – 21, Maryland – 17, Miami – defense gave up 17. We haven’t had that sort of defense since Tenuta was here. The problem is special teams and the offense with no production. Al Groh is not doing a bad job. And Miami had a very short field and one big play before the half. Otherwise its 10 points. His defense has held teams scoreless for a half for about 4-5 games. That’s defense. Miami only got a field goal last week in the second half. Same with UVA and Maryland UNC and NC State (till starters left) With not having his protype linebackers in place I would say he is keeping teams out of the endzone better than we have seen. The only reason we had winning seasons with Chan was due to Tenuta. The only reason we have only 2 losses this year from the past 4 games is defense.
If he can fix the offense and keep the special temas from killing us, we can play against the next three ranked opponents coming to Bobby Dodd.
Paul in NH
October 26th, 2011
8:44 am
hoo jacket
You make it sound as if George Welsh had a short and unsuccessful career at UVA. The guy was coach there for 19 years (1982-2000) and won the ACC championship in 1989 and 1995 – the only times in their entire history that UVA has won the conference. Couldn’t beat VT? His record was 8-7. He did have a poor bowl record though.
Brandon
October 26th, 2011
8:46 am
THis team is lost. The coach is in denial. They need to play lee and get him some reps. Still have 5 games left. Tevin is the same qb as last year. He only beat duke and the same thing will happen this year. Johnson can’t get any good recruits to block cause who wants to play in this rinky dink offense. Time to cut your losses and move on. When clemson whips gt by 35, maybe that will wake some deniers up.
JM
October 26th, 2011
8:50 am
I still want to bring in The Fridge as a special QB adviser, or even as far as a co-QB coach. CPJ and the Fridge together on an offense would be downright scary.
HB
October 26th, 2011
8:51 am
Did anyone see NC state smoke Uva AT UVA? 28-14. This is Tevin and coaching. You don’t go from what tech was through the first 2 acc games and then the second half against maryland and just start stinking up the joint. Teams are loading up to stop the run. So to counter that, you have to run up the middle and pass. Our current starters can’t do that. So put someone in who can. Bench Tevin. Tired of watching this train wreck. He doesn’t deserve to play after the past 2 weeks.
JM
October 26th, 2011
8:52 am
Wreckbone, the even more amazing thing about that stat is that since the offense hasn’t been doing crap in most of those games, the defense has been on the field EVEN LONGER than usual. They really are performing under the radar lately.
Thomas Brown
October 26th, 2011
8:53 am
Luke,
Sir, you LOST from 2001 to 2004 too. So, you LOST, you were on PROBATION in FOOTBALL 2001 to 2004 as well. And, you did NOT graduate your football players as well as we did, either sir. Does that make you happy sir ?
Ram
October 26th, 2011
8:54 am
I say you fire cpj because we sure would love to have him here at UNC!!!!!
Technically Correct
October 26th, 2011
9:08 am
We will not see a significant improvement in the program until a year of two AFTER we transition to a quarterback who can pass effectively and show that we are committed to a balanced attack. A QB who can throw and WRs who can catch will work wonders for CPJ’s offense. Remember the first couple of games this year? Put a Calvin Johnson out wide all day long and he will have single coverage until you have a QB who can reliably get the ball to him. Once you have a QB who can deliver the ball to him, he draws double coverage. Then there are fewer defensive players in the box and we have “the numbers” to be successful with the run. It all starts with the QB and, if the preseason hype was correct, that person is wearing a redshirt right now. When he finally becomes the starter at QB, let him throw, throw, throw for a year and the quality WRs will begin coming a year later. CPJ would have been wise to pull that redshirt off him to let him play and gain experience this year before players’ loyalty to Tevin becomes so entrenched. Look for a “QB controversy” next year, when the inevitable change occurs.
Thomas Brown
October 26th, 2011
9:09 am
Luke October 26th, 2011 7:50 am
“Thomas Brown. APR is a much better reading how the universities are doing currently instead a few years ago.”
Click the same URL Link, and you will see your precious better reading for Georgia tek currently by simply pressing your precious APR. Then, set the pull down for Georgia Institute of Technology. Then, set the year to the most current data available. Here is what you find sir : (1) Georgia tek in football APR 966; UGA 976. (2) Georgia tek men’s basketball 915; UGA 946. – PENALTY Georgia tek loses 1 Scholarship. (3) Georgia tek women’s basketball 957; UGA 995. (4) Georgia tek LOST in all 3 sports, again, currently; is on NCAA PROBATION currently and UGA is not; and Georgia tek APR is way less than UGA again in all 3 major sports with additional penalties for Georgia tek under the APR
Good point Luke.
Any other smart ideas for excuses, sir ? Why not just say that it’s sad that Georgia tek LOSES to UGA in all the major sports, graduates fewer than UGA in all the major sports, is on NCAA PROBATION, has additional penalties from way worse than UGA in also APR
Geori
October 26th, 2011
9:21 am
Groh isn’t the problem. Tevin needs to get mentally tough. He has lacked composure in big games.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
9:23 am
Stinger 2, if you saw any post about “Supersize” giving up on Tech, then it was obviously made by the fraud who poses under my name. I will NEVER give up on Tech.
Problem identified
October 26th, 2011
9:28 am
The running back/wings coach is also the quarterback coach? Doesnt seem like an ideal situation to help the boy become a better passing quarterback. Shh, don’t tell the genius though.
Problem identified
October 26th, 2011
9:30 am
and to make it worse- uga seems to be stocking the cupboard with top talent at qb, running back, and line prospects..
fan of shorter passes (as short as necessary!)
October 26th, 2011
9:31 am
BuLLdog (aka TB), you can be a Jackass all year long…how about taking today off!
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
9:32 am
Thomas Brown, the low graduation rate in basketball is because of all Hewitt’s players who left early for the pros. It’s stupid that those athletes should even be used in making those ratings, but they are. If any UGA basketball players ever left early for the pros, yours would be down too. Overall, the course load at Tech is harder than that at UGA, and most other schools. I think the APR for football players is not that far off the APR for the entire student body. You can deny it all you want, but even the easiest major at Tech is harder than the average major at UGA. Regarding losses to UGA in major sports, Tech still OWNS the mutts in basketball, the last 3 years notwithstanding; just check the series records. I believe baseball is considered a major sport, and Tech has owned the mutts in baseball the last 2 years, and held things pretty evenly overall prior to that. Tech’s women’s basketball has held its own against the mutts the past few years, which is pretty good, considering the late arrival of ALL women’s sports at Tech. I’m pretty sure that Tech overall has had better golf teams through the years than the mutts, although golf is not a major sport. Even in tennis, the past few years, Tech has fared pretty damn well in comparison to the mutts. The ONLY major sport which UGA has had our number in is football, and I won’t make excuses for that. However, Tech still has a total of more conference championships than UGA, including the years we were both in the same conference, and more national championships.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
9:36 am
Problem identified, UGA has been “stacking the cupboard with top talent” for years, and you still don’t have anything to show for it. Where has UGA been in the NC race with all that “top talent”? Bama, LSU, Florida, Tenn in the SEC and Tech, FSU, and Miami in the ACC have all won NC’s since the last time the mutts did.
CloudmanJacket
October 26th, 2011
9:38 am
Once again…don’t play the QB although he does suck. The problem is the coach who runs a high school system that NO QB in the world who can throw the ball will want to run. If he mixed up the offense with some passing and show a different formation frequently, he might get a good QB.
Face it; CPJ has his own players now and the results are clear from last year and this year. There is NO excuse for the results…losses to Virginia, Air Force, NC State, and the worst Mutts team in decades.
CPJ needs to go and we need to bring in someone who runs a pro style or spread option attack. Why does anyone on here think CPJ is smarter than all of the other D-1 coaches in the top 50 when he is the only one who runs the triple option exclusively. Do you think he knows something the other 49 coaches don’t or do they know something he doesn’t?
carolinajacket
October 26th, 2011
9:38 am
I agree. It would seem that a player who gets a nice nba (or nfl) contract should not be held against the graduation rate. I imagine many college students would drop out of school for a couple of million dollars. It should just be dropped from the equation.
MakDawg
October 26th, 2011
9:39 am
@ Supersize…what is Tech’s record vs. Georgia over the past 10 years? 20 years?
carolinajacket
October 26th, 2011
9:40 am
My agreement was with super.
MakDawg
October 26th, 2011
9:41 am
@ carolinajacket…How would this help Tech’s football graduation rate??? Tech sent very few players to the NFL during that time compared to every team in the SEC and most of the ACC teams.
fan of shorter passes (as short as necessary!)
October 26th, 2011
9:49 am
re defending the super fresh Clem receiver. Use two on him and they still have other good options. Use one and get burned? I think with Atchoo (a tes souhaits) returning to get some pressure on the superstar (also young) QB will (somewhat) limit the greatness of the great fresh receiver…hopefully.
I too think Tech will play a respectable game…but perhaps not win.