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
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:58 pm
Tampa: when does the “tough part” of UGA’s schedule start? Or is there one?
Also tampa, just out of curiosity, what is your biggest win of the season so far?
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:59 pm
I’d love to see ONE post from you that said that Tevin would fall off like he did. TEVIN specifically.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:00 pm
CPJ. Winningest coach in the state of Georgia since 2008.
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
4:01 pm
Easy. We schedule a gutless GT team at the end of every season that somehow manages to wet their pants at the sight of the UGA uniform and choke big time. Regardless of our schedule, you are owned by UGA and you have no valid response other than 1-15. Plus Western Carolina.
Fields
October 26th, 2011
4:01 pm
Smaul its even worse than that!!!! Nearly a third of those victories come from just one team!! UNC has 5!!! Lol!!! Yech is just beyond embarrassing!!! Lol!!
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
4:02 pm
The toughest part of the schedule is debatable, but the easiest part typically falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:02 pm
Who did the UGA AD have to blow to get the schedule you guys have this year?
If Richt was smart and knew Kellen Moore was coming back for his senior year, you chumps would be 6-1 and maybe top 10. What an idiot coach you have. and AD.
Delbert D.
October 26th, 2011
4:03 pm
It took Derek Dooley less than 2 years to decide he couldn’t stand lawyers, either.
Mike Bobo
October 26th, 2011
4:03 pm
Well the tough games will not include our last game of the regular season. We always chalk that one up as an easy W…..did have a slipup once in the past ten years, however. That being said you can go to the bank with a win over the trade school.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:04 pm
I can’t make this stuff up.
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
4:05 pm
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
3:58 pm
Tampa: when does the “tough part” of UGA’s schedule start? Or is there one?
Also tampa, just out of curiosity, what is your biggest win of the season so far?
——————–
Again, hypocritical at best. Where’s yours? Starts against Clemson I guess? I would take Miss State over every game GT has played thus far so start there for UGA. UT would beat your enitre schedule minus Clemson and VT.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:05 pm
You girls are pathetic
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
4:05 pm
The AD is smart enough to keep scheduling Tech every gear. A “W” is pretty much guaranteed.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:05 pm
And our school is better…..
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:06 pm
We’ll see
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
4:06 pm
Anyway, enough about GT Joe, Supersize, still holding on to the Clemson prediction so if I go 0-3 for the month about GT, then GT wins in an upset.
Mike Bobo
October 26th, 2011
4:06 pm
Yes we will see…..just like we have for the past ten years.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:08 pm
Tampa: FYI, look at the Sagarin Ratings:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt11.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Look at the Elochess numbers, used for BCS rankings. UNC is better than ANY TEAM UGA BEAT.
Any other questions?
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
4:08 pm
Yeah, where is GT on the BCS charts?
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
4:09 pm
Better? I have to admit, GT is great at attracting subpar athletes who cower when the step on the field against UGA and are never up to the challenge.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
Better yet tampa, look here:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/bcs
Best team UGA beat? Sadly, it’s Vandy. Which is below UNC, FYI.
Cane, Macon Ga
October 26th, 2011
4:12 pm
It’s all about the U!!! Our entire D-line were back-ups and fresh men. I was at the came and we were wayyy faster than GT. One play J12 had too many receivers open that he held the ball toooo long. Definetly J12’s worst game of the year.
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
4:13 pm
I have a question: How has UGA managed to absolutely dominate Tech over the past 20 years?
Smaul Johnson
October 26th, 2011
4:15 pm
Thanks Joe, its been stimulating. I am off to a fish-fry. Good luck with Clemson, Tech doesn’t somehow manage to pee their pants when they play them (like they do against UGA) so maybe you’ll have a shot.
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
4:16 pm
ON a link you posted, GT rolls in at a huge number 44. Think we are done here. Have fun with that and your nearly at the “Thomas Brown” (famous on UGA blogs for posting ridiculous stats and irrelevant and opinionated info) level of blogs.
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
4:21 pm
Joe, you’re the “Thomas Brown” of the GT blogs .. full of useless stats and irrelevant, opinionated information.
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:35 pm
okay tampa. you come on here saying that tennessee and missy state would beat any team GT beat. I come on here with BCS ranking facts to the contrary.
who is giving the useless opinionated info?
GT Joe
October 26th, 2011
4:37 pm
Tampa: “I bet UGA turns the series around on UF before GT does against UGA.” Useless opinionated info.
Tampa: “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.” Useless opinionated info.
Tampa: “I would take Miss State over every game GT has played thus far so start there for UGA. UT would beat your enitre schedule minus Clemson and VT.” Useless opinionated info.
Thanks for adding value to the blog.
michael
October 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
isn’t tiggle in trouble??
Dwight Schrute
October 26th, 2011
4:42 pm
FACT:Tech 8-22 vs. UGA in last 30 “tries”.
Dr.DAWG
October 26th, 2011
4:47 pm
i am a UGA grad and now have a thriving Animal Hospital. Where did your Vet go to school GT grads
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
4:48 pm
BCS rankings? Really, compare any SEC school to the likes of NC State and Maryland. Vandy would beat both of them. Especially with there superior cut block ability.
Marietta Buzz
October 26th, 2011
4:53 pm
We MUST play 2 QBs ALL the time. Now that the defense locks down every other player, not even the vaunted Joshua Nesbit could handle that pressure. 50 to 60 hits a game! Washington is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Like my Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pull-Vad-Lees-Redshirt-Coach-Paul-Johnson/212675438800719
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 26th, 2011
4:56 pm
Dwight, the mystery is, with all of UGA 5* players, how did UGA lose to GT 8 times?
gt
October 26th, 2011
4:57 pm
If Georgia Tech is what the NCAA is trying to stop, we are all in trouble. I can’t imagine the state of Georgia without Tech. Lord it is running on IQ empty as it is. How many violations did the investigator drive by from Kansas or whereever these chumps come from to catch that 400 dollar violation. Hell the flight over to Atlanta cost more than the crime committed and Tech had a losing football team last year. I think the secret to catching violators is to look at the ones winning, not the one handicapping themselves to bring some similes of a college student into the program.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
October 26th, 2011
4:58 pm
Marietta Buzz…………………….Blow ME………………….Vad Lee is not going to PLAY this YEAR unless TW and SD get hurt.
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
4:59 pm
41 – North Carolina
42 – Tennessee (whoa what a major upset UT over UNC would be .. yeah right!!!)
43 – GT
..
49 – Miss St
But the interesting thing about this link is that two of your in conference wins were against NC State and Maryland.
Schools ranked higher than NC State and Maryland:
56 – Ga Southern
57 – Wofford
..
60 – Arkansas State
JM
October 26th, 2011
4:59 pm
seems like there’s more than one person posting as JM
Dawglasville
October 26th, 2011
4:59 pm
Congrats to my UGA and Tech friends. This is the dumbest blog ever.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
October 26th, 2011
5:01 pm
supersize and a few others. I still have a ticket. if you wish to join me at my seat and get 2 or your friends to occupy your seats for the Clemson game I would love to make that happen. If you can’t get your seats to friends do you want to meat at the BUS and sell a PAIR and sit with me?
Dwight Schrute
October 26th, 2011
5:01 pm
Agreed. Apparently a squirrel finds a nut 8 times in 30 years.
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
5:01 pm
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 26th, 2011
4:56 pm
Dwight, the mystery is, with all of UGA 5* players, how did UGA lose to GT 8 times?
——————–
The years before CMR and Donnan didn’t produce NEARLY as many 5* recruits. That’s where most of the 8 wins came from though.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
October 26th, 2011
5:03 pm
Dawglasville………that would be the 3-point shot on a test question as the DUMBEST Blog. To actually thing a UGA STUDENT took that test is just TOO F……………….ing FUNNY.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
October 26th, 2011
5:03 pm
THINK sorry
Dwight Schrute
October 26th, 2011
5:05 pm
Kool-aid, would you join me for an orange freeze at the Varsity before the game? We can share a straw and talk about how smart we are
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 26th, 2011
5:07 pm
I’d say that Tech’s 39 wins and 5 ties are not that bad against a school that is supposed to win a NC every year.
TampaDawg
October 26th, 2011
5:10 pm
I think the funniest thing on a blog is allegedly grown ups sitting on here talking smack about mostly 18-22 year old college students being smart or dumb (while having more grammatical and spelling errors than in a Mike Tyson essay), basically beating their chest about one school being smarter than the other. Fact is, neither is so much greater than the other that in a down economy the receipt .. err .. degree given at the end of the program is going to guarantee success.
Dwight Schrute
October 26th, 2011
5:12 pm
No, thats really pathetic. You just wish Tech was in any discussion. You cannot even beat a team that managed 6 against UCF. Tech consistently folds like a house of cards when they face UGA. What a bunch of pansies.
GTBob
October 26th, 2011
5:13 pm
I would take Miss State over every game GT has played thus far
Miss St is probably one of the worst teams currently in a BCS conference. They needed a choke from Louisiana Tech to win in overtime.
Ndamukong Suh
October 26th, 2011
5:13 pm
How many Roddy’s play football in the state of Georgia? Are they all whiners?