Ball security still challenges Synjyn Days
Greetings-
Have a couple notes from a few interviews Tuesday.
1. Both Paul Johnson and assistant coach Brian Bohannon took questions about backup quarterback Synjyn Days and their answers provided enough evidence to conclude that his ball security problems still require considerable improvement.
“Synjyn has to take care of the football,” Bohannon said. “It has to be of the utmost urgency when he is in the game, to take care of the football.”
I think I included some of this answer in the post Tuesday following Johnson’s news conference, but Johnson said he put Days in late in the loss to Miami to see if he could provide a spark. He got a first down on a pass to wide receiver Tyler Melton and had a quarterback draw that could have been a gainer had it been blocked better and then fumbled.
“That’s been his thing,” Johnson said. “If he takes care of the ball, he’s going to play more. Synjyn, he’s a talented kid. He can do some things, but you’ve got to take care of the ball.”
2. Quote from Johnson about the offense: “You could say execution, you can say whatever you want. It doesn’t matter what you do on offense, if you’re not moving the ball and scoring, it usually comes back to (the fact that) you’ve got to do that better. We need to help ‘em, maybe, with a better plan. Maybe some of the stuff that we’re trying to ask them to do, they can’t do.”
Roddy Jones thinks the offense isn’t too far from re-gaining its form.
“When we go back and watch the film, it’s not like everything’s going wrong and we’re all falling apart,” he said. “You see a stop in the backfield or a play by [an opponent], what you don’t see is everyone else did their job. If we get that one guy, we’re out of the gate. It’s just the little things we need to correct, and I think we’ll do that.”
I imagine you get tired of the “we just need to execute better” answer as I do, but I’ve seen the offense work enough times to great effect (and you have done so even more, I suppose) to think that the problem isn’t that opponents have figured out the offense. It’s poor decision making, missed blocks, bad throws, dropped passes and faulty play calls. That leaves room to say that those failures are a result of a talent shortage and that the Jackets wouldn’t have those problems with better coaching. Perhaps the remainder of the season will determine that if you haven’t already drawn your own conclusion. But consider that as poorly as last season went, the offense, with a lot of the same pieces as this year’s team, led the nation in rushing. (Which is a different thing than leading the nation in scoring, or wins, for that matter, but is not an accomplishment to be taken lightly.)
Take Washington as an example. He’s shown the ability make the right reads, both this year and last, and has enough speed to make plays. I don’t know how you’ll receive this, but I’ve included a clip of the second half of last year’s Virginia Tech game. Watch from about the 4:30 point on. Washington has some clunker plays, but he hits downfield passes, makes a first-down run out of nothing, manages the clock and leads Tech nearly the length of the field in two late-game drives. The very last play, you’ll remember, was not one to remember, but everything to that point would indicate that when he’s right, he’s more than capable.
I think right now a lot of it’s between his ears. Perhaps the same might be said of his teammates. How do they escape this predicament? That’s for them and the coaching staff to figure out.
3. A few people asked me about the offsetting penalties that wiped out Jones’ long first-quarter run against Miami, specifically if Tech could have declined Miami’s penalty and taken the facemask penalty against Jones as a spot foul. I asked Doug Rhoads, the ACC officiating coordinator, and he said no, that they were automatically offsetting because both were live- ball fouls. So, there’s your answer.
4. This is sort of random, but I’m wondering if someone out there can do a former Tech player a favor. You might remember I wrote a story prior to the Virginia game about the 1990 team’s comeback win at Virginia. Anyway, Calvin Tiggle was one of the former players I talked to, and I asked him about watching replays, and he said he’d lost his copy of the game. (He was one of Tech’s biggest stars that day.) He asked me if I had any idea how to get a copy of the game and I said I’d look into it. My first step failed. You are the second step. Would any of you have a copy of that game you’d be willing to make a copy of? E-mail me if so. I imagine Calvin would be grateful. ksugiura@ajc.com.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech beat
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407 comments Add your comment
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
2:25 pm
Ken, check your email regarding the 1990 Tech – UVA game
shorter passes (as short as necessary!)
October 26th, 2011
2:26 pm
So, Johnson has a problem. His has to design something his starting QB can make happen or play the 2nd string QB that he considers a poor risk for ball protection….guess he’ll be earning some of those big bucks.
I’m sure he can do something positive…and I’m glad he was never my boss!
Kb
October 26th, 2011
2:27 pm
Joe, 2008 Dawgs gives game to tech 2009, Georgia beats highly overrated tech team, missing a field goal late to make it a 2 possession game Tech drive was 10 yards. 2010 georgia lets up after leading most of the game by 2 tds. Vandy win will be a better win than the tech win.Again Tech plays in ACC , comparing records is like comparing apples and oranges.
DS_CE91
October 26th, 2011
2:30 pm
Big challenge for the good guys this weekend. Still, I’m not scratching an “L” on the wall just yet. This game will be a good indicator of our team going forward this year and likely next. If we keep fighting and clawing, maybe we’ll have something here.
Real tired of the “better execution” meme that permeates too many Tech coaching responses. If the team you have has a tough time executing your plays, at some point you need to give them different plays to try. Not saying to ditch the TO (I love watching it when things are clicking), but you work with what you have, not what you want…..
GO JACKETS!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
2:36 pm
Funny how whenever Tech beats the mutts, it’s because they gave it to Tech, or the officials gave it to Tech, or some other lame excuse. And when they beat Tech, Tech was overrated to begin with, or the mutts “let up” late, etc, etc. You jerks always have excuses and never face the facts. Any team that “lets up” is just plain stupid.
HB
October 26th, 2011
2:40 pm
I would rather watch v lee play and have a bad game than the useless tevin
Kb
October 26th, 2011
2:41 pm
Joe , This is Tech driving for winning score in 2009.
1st and 10 at GT 37 Josh Nesbitt rush for 3 yards to the GTech 40. 30 24
2nd and 7 at GT 40 Josh Nesbitt rush for 6 yards to the GTech 46.
3rd and 1 at GT 46 Jonathan Dwyer rush for no gain, fumbled, recovered by GTech Jonathan Dwyer at the GTech 46.
4th and 1 at GT 46 Timeout GEORGIA TECH, clock 01:53.
4th and 1 at GT 46 Roddy Jones rush for 8 yards to the Geo 46 for a 1ST down.
1st and 10 at UGA 46 Josh Nesbitt pass incomplete to Demaryius Thomas.
2nd and 10 at UGA 46 Josh Nesbitt pass incomplete to Stephen Hill.
3rd and 10 at UGA 46 Josh Nesbitt pass incomplete to Anthony Allen, broken up by Reshad Jones.
4th and 10 at UGA 46 Josh Nesbitt pass incomplete to Demaryius Thomas.
DRIVE TOTALS: GTech drive: 8 plays 17 yards, 01:41 GTech DOWNS
Always a Jacket
October 26th, 2011
2:42 pm
At least the kids are still working hard and seem to have right attitude. Got to be tough when you know your opponents are bigger/faster. Clemson will be another team that has out recruited GT. No more Derrick Morgans, Michael Johnsons, etc. None in the pipeline either. Paul Johnson can scheme and coach up all he wants, but the chickens are coming home to roost.
Always a Jacket
October 26th, 2011
2:44 pm
Enter your comments here
Kb
October 26th, 2011
2:47 pm
Jason, When is what I do with my time any of your business? Go screw yourself .
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
2:59 pm
Kb: not sure what your point is. Tech had the ball, plenty of time, in UGA territory, down 6. That’s pretty much as close as a game can be in the last 2 minutes of a game. But by your retarded thinking, you “whipped” us, right?
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
3:06 pm
GT Joe, give up. Kb doesn’t understand logic. He’s just an ignorant troll who is so obsessed with Ga Tech that he spends all his free time posting on our blogs.
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
3:10 pm
Hey Supersize “You jerks always have excuses and never face the facts. Any team that “lets up” is just plain stupid.” .. It’s not like there are a lot of games for us to “make excuses” about.
Anyway, GT Joe, has no right calling anyone an ignorant troll. Just check out is intelligent posts on the UGA blogs. He doesn’t make the tech faithful look good at all.
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
3:14 pm
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
2:14 pm
Kb: don’t kid yourself.
2008: GT wins.
2009: GT HEAVILY favored, gets upset, driving for the winning score on the last drive of the game.
2010: GT plays with a backup QB and still has a chance on the last drive of the game.
The writing is on the wall. GT has been better than UGA since CPJ came to town. Overall records, bowl quality, division titles, conference title games, etc.
————————
His 2010 analysis is a classic example of someone making excuses. 2010’s Backup QB was none other than Tevin Washington who GT Joe practically gave the Heisman to after week 5 this year. Hard to say GT is better when the fact is still there that they are 1-2 under CPJ against UGA. Just facts dude.
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
3:19 pm
@GT Joe Tech just cannot compete with Georgia. Look at the series record. I guess that is why you prefer dissecting Georgia’s schedule. You have no other argument.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
3:22 pm
Smaul, by the same logic UGA just cannot compete with Florida.
juvenal
October 26th, 2011
3:23 pm
Super, on topic-every school we play every year by the end of next year will have seniors who have seen THIS offense 4 years….either we hit passes, or tweak it………
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
3:29 pm
juvenal, obviously we have to hit passes, regardless of anything. But I don’t think the fact that all the seniors on the other teams really means much. They don’t see this offense week after week, so it’s still going to be hard to prepare for it WHEN WE RUN IT EFFECTIVELY !!!
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
3:31 pm
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
3:19 pm
@GT Joe Tech just cannot compete with Georgia. Look at the series record. I guess that is why you prefer dissecting Georgia’s schedule.
———————-
He could do that if he is blind to GT’s schedule .. Love chatting with GT Joe, but his logic cracks me up.
Fields
October 26th, 2011
3:31 pm
Lol!!! Next GT Joe is going to start reciting how much yardage the cheats put up!! Stats are for losers, and Joe is a HUGE one!!! Lol!!!
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
3:32 pm
Supersize, UGA has had a tough run the last 10 years against UF but they still own the series lead. And I think, like many times before, the tide will turn again. The UGA/UF series has run like that for 90 years.
GT1971
October 26th, 2011
3:33 pm
Greetings! I still say that we may not win another game this year unless we start completing passes.
Fields
October 26th, 2011
3:34 pm
You know the ACC sucks when dumbricks Joe is stuck bragging about wins against horrible Miss. St. and Vandy teams that didnt even make bowl games during those seasons!!! Lol!!
Fields
October 26th, 2011
3:36 pm
The most “brilliant” offensive genius in the history of mankind cant even win the in the worst football confenerence in the history of mankind!!! Lol!!! Classic Yech stupidity!!!
Ben
October 26th, 2011
3:37 pm
Graduation rates are meaningless unless put in to context. If you aren’t comparing athlete graduation rates to overall student graduation rates at each school, then you are comparing apples to oranges. I don’t have the stats, but I’d be willing to bet money that Georgia Tech has a lower overall student graduation rate than any of the other schools mentioned, with the possible exception of Duke. Tech is a tough, tough school, and if regular students have a hard time graduating, then athletes will, too. Add to that that unlike a lot of schools, Tech aims to educate its students, not graduate them. You don’t get coddled, you don’t get professors adding points to your grades because they feel bad for you and want you to graduate. If you can’t cut it, you get cut, as it should be everywhere (but rarely is). And while athletes at Tech get a lot of extra tutoring and assistance, it’s still plenty tough to get through a lot of those classes.
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
3:38 pm
Supersize- Again, please reference Tech’s record vs. UGA when bashing them. Thats right, you cannot. You lose all credibility when you have to resort to using other team’s records.
GT FAN IN PA
October 26th, 2011
3:38 pm
I have to laugh every time I read where bloggers copy and paste what someone else done on another blog- Pathetic does not even begin to describe. Then the other famous is well look what the “douche bag” is doing on our blog so I’m going to do it over here on your blog- Give me a break- talk some football- the most important year is the year we are in- right now UGA is 4-2 Tech is 6-2 both teams can still win the conferences. Boise State keeps winning looks good for UGA- SC not looking so good now- Difference- both Tech’s losses not good- where was Tech picked to finish? Where was UGA picked to finish? At his point who has exceeded expectations? At this point who has underachieved?
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:38 pm
Um fields, CPJ is 32-16 at Tech. Better than Richt over the same period.
Fool.
Fields
October 26th, 2011
3:38 pm
Gt Joe, I want to laugh. Please total up ALL the victories of the “mighty” six teams your cheats defeated and get back with me
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
3:40 pm
Supersize, UGA leads series against UF, so apparently it is your logic that is flawed. We only lead that one by 7, not 22 like in the Tech series.
BuggyTownSting
October 26th, 2011
3:40 pm
Two UGA grads are watching the news when the Libyan rebel who killed Khadafi comes on telling how he shot him twice in the temple. One mutt looks at the other and says, “I didn’t even know the guy was Jewish.”
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:41 pm
Tampa: Tevin was a backup QB last year. That’s a fact, not an excuse. Still had a chance to win. If we would have won, it would have been an upset (just like your 2009 win).
Tevin was a stud for 4 games. Last 4 games, he has become a mental case. Was I smart enough to predict that? No. Were you? No.
Talking big now?
October 26th, 2011
3:41 pm
Wait until Saturday. A bad Florida team is going to put you back in your place. The doghouse.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:42 pm
Fields, better yet, let me total up the conference wins for the teams UGA beat: 1 win, 15 losses.
UGA’s signature win? Vandy. LOL.
Fields
October 26th, 2011
3:42 pm
Superdouche –
It is well documented that two “victories” for your thugs in the 90’s were gifts from the refs as well you know. Take those two robberies away then how often have your cheats beat your masters from Athens the past 30 years?? Lol!!!
Fields
October 26th, 2011
3:43 pm
Superdouche plays the Florida card again!!!! Yep!! L-O-S-E-R!!!!
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
3:45 pm
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:38 pm
Um fields, CPJ is 32-16 at Tech. Better than Richt over the same period.
Fool.
—————–
Against WHO??!?!?!? Fool!!! Your comebacks hold no water Joe
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
3:45 pm
GT Joe, better yet, let me total up the wins for Tech against UGA over the last ten matchups: 1 win, 9 losses.
GT’s signature win? 2008 baby. LOL.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:46 pm
Um no Smaul, beating #4 Virginia Tech is CPJ’s signature win.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:47 pm
Tampa, please don’t talk about schedules. Your wins are against teams that are 1-15 in the SEC. I can’t make that up.
yeller bug
October 26th, 2011
3:48 pm
Like an avg golfer, some days you hit the T-ball well and then a subtle grip or stance change and you’re spraying them everywhere. Tech’s O is off a bit but a subtle tweak is mostly needed. We got by with this early with poor competition—e.g. wide open fairways where our mis-hits weren’t so glaringly obvious. The only “step change” has been TW. He’s really off and as Ken opined it’s probably between his ears. CPJ needs to open it up a bit on Sat—pass more on 1st down, throw short passes, shuttle pass, heck legal forward laterals will work, just to get TW a little more confident. The D has improved—special teams needs better execution in thought and deed and we should be OK. Let’s be tough at home—I’ll take an L at Duke in trade for a perfect record at home.
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
3:49 pm
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:41 pm
Tampa: Tevin was a backup QB last year. That’s a fact, not an excuse. Still had a chance to win. If we would have won, it would have been an upset (just like your 2009 win).
—————————–
Tevin had 4 great games against 4 garbage teams. But you heralded him against those teams as the next Tim Tebow basically. If was so good, then he should be used as AN EXCUSE last year. UGA lost to UF in 2005 with a backup QB (Joe Tereshinski) and but for a phantom flag at the goal line, still would have won. You hardly ever see that mentioned on a UGA blog though, but you bring up Nesbitt ALL THE TIME. 1-9 is worse than our 2-8, either way both are bad. Difference is, I bet UGA turns the series around on UF before GT does against UGA.
Fields
October 26th, 2011
3:50 pm
Figured you wouldnt take the bait Joe. Thanks for playing!!! Next!!!
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
3:53 pm
GT Joe, GT’s wins are against schools that are about the equivalent of an FCS conference. I’ll take bottom teir SEC schools versus Maryland, MTSU, WCU, KU and NCSU all day long and the rest of the country would too.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:53 pm
Nesbitt? when did i bring up nesbitt?
I wonder if Joe Cox plays in 2008 instead of Stafford due to injury, would UGA use that as an excuse that GT won? Of course.
I wonder if 3/4 of the UGA football team was ruled academically ineligible and GT wins this year, would UGA use that as an excuse? Of course.
Fields
October 26th, 2011
3:54 pm
Gt Joe –
Actually numbnuts, at this exact same point in Richts career at UGA Richt was 39-9 with an SEC title and BCS win, moron.
Btw, Johnson only has 31 wins. Remember? Vacated one for CHEATING! Chike on it, troll
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
3:55 pm
Tech’s victories are over teams with a combined record of 16-26, conference record of ACC opponents is 3-8. That schedule is UNBELIEVABLE. How do you do it? Your conference is absolutely brutal!!!!!!!!!!!1
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
3:55 pm
GT Joe “Tevin was a stud for 4 games. Last 4 games, he has become a mental case. Was I smart enough to predict that? No. Were you? No.”
This is funny just from the standpoint that most of the bloggers you ranted against on the UGA side TOLD YOU, myslef included, that when tougher teams start popping up on the schedule that Tevin wouldn’t be the same, the triple option wouldn’t be the same, the entire offense wouldn’t be the same. WE TOLD YOU THAT! We just didn’t figure it would start with pathetic UVA.
Fields
October 26th, 2011
3:56 pm
GT Joe get ripped apart with facts just like Superdouche normally does. Lol!!! Gee….I wonder…..
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:56 pm
Smaul: UGA has wins over teams that are a combine 1-15 in the SEC. Plus Coastal Carolina.
amazing, how do you do it?