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
19
October 26th, 2011
7:01 pm
Hmm…Maybe Roddy Jones, Orwin Smith, David Sims and all of the other youngsters…
I liked Roddy’s statement. Tech gets it together against Clemson.
Go #14
Go Jackets!!!
Delbert D.
October 26th, 2011
7:01 pm
If Georgia should slip up and lose the SEC East this year, atl-xmen can use his favorite excuses:
June 18th, 2010
7:46 pm
“you have to remember”
“had truefeshmen blocking for him”
“no doubt he would have had”
“line that couldnt block either”
“if not for injuries on the line”
“would have had SEC title”
“was supposed to be a senior this past year”
5150 UOAD
October 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
If BAMA is so GREAT why don’t they have a Heisman Trophy Winner? Bama has a Heisman Trophy thank you winner. The White Boy from Stanford Toby Gerhart was the BEST College player.
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
7:06 pm
Nicely done, Delbert. Accountability is always a problem for folks like atlxman.
atlxmen
October 26th, 2011
7:08 pm
delbert..uga actually did less than that..they just threw their helmet out on the field as if they were playing Ga Tech…
should have wrote 9 out of 10 times they win that game…: )
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:09 pm
atlxmen, did you ever pass English? Hell, did you ever even go to an English class? It’s “should have written”, dummy, not “should have wrote.”
Jeff
October 26th, 2011
7:10 pm
sorry but i see the same boring inefficient offense in that video that i see this year. penalty after penalty. 1st and 15 2nd and 19 over and over. boring offense. bad passes. and now we get to play the best team on the schedule. what a game to set as homecoming.
clemson 42 tech 20
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
7:10 pm
They treat Tech like it’s their Super Bowl, atlxmen. And that’s fine because we are their biggest rival.
atlxmen
October 26th, 2011
7:10 pm
where is the one where i wrote about the ga tech game the last 2 years? think you said ga tech would win both those games because of the gimmick offense…
you tech guys have the best excuse..:we just suck” haha
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
7:12 pm
Funny. It’s a gimmick that UGA can’t seem to stop.
Delbert D.
October 26th, 2011
7:20 pm
atlxmen – I’ll go along with you on “should have wrote 9 out of 10 times” Hang that one on Richt and lack of preparation.
As for any predictions by me, I don’t make them. No need to, since the games actually get played. I’m not one who hopes for the future. Do the best you absolutely can and then whatever occurs is (or was) the future. I’m an Albert Camus kind of guy.
atlxmen
October 26th, 2011
7:32 pm
uga has stopped that gimmick offense the last two years check out the yards per play and the scoreboard. the players that tech has on offense this year are even worse and would be lucky to get 200 yrds unless orwin smith some how runs the ball every play.. im sure delbert can pull up the post where i said when tech loses dwyer and the rest of chans players that offense will look like div 1aa players playing out there against nfl bound players..it is not looking too good for tech thats for sure but the good news for uga is that coach PJ is at tech for another 5 years or something right?
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:34 pm
UGA stopped our offense last year???? What planet are you living on? Tech had more than 400 yards offense against the mutts last year. How is that stopping us? Yeah, the mutts won, but only by a shoestring.
Tech Fan Since 1950
October 26th, 2011
7:37 pm
The time for excuses is over. Play the game and beat the Tigers!
19
October 26th, 2011
7:37 pm
Delbert, I wonder how many people are googling Camus? LOL
Go Jackets!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:38 pm
LOL @ 19
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
7:39 pm
UGA stopped it? That comes as news to anyone who has watched the games. It’s averaging 34 a game against UGA. Sheesh.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:40 pm
Facts, George, FACTS. They don’t deal with facts, only conjectures and assumptions.
atlxmen
October 26th, 2011
7:41 pm
tech had the ball 25 or so more times than uga because the defense couldnt stop uga all night. what was the yard per play? only way tech has that may yards is having the ball 70 times
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:41 pm
oh, and of course lies. They love to lie, don’t they?
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:43 pm
Who cares how many times we had the ball? We still ran up more than 400 yards on Grantham’s 2-bit defense. Hell, his great defense even gave up more yards and points to Vandy than any other team Vandy has played this year.
5150 UOAD
October 26th, 2011
7:44 pm
I had SEX with a Super-Model once. I am the UGA of the bar scene. UGA will be in the DOME this year but does that really mean?
atlxmen
October 26th, 2011
7:44 pm
tech was nowhere near winning that game last year..they had to let uga score just so they could have a small chance. techs offense is not built to win no win down by 10 points late in the game. and now that chns players are all gone that chance is even smaller
5150 UOAD
October 26th, 2011
7:46 pm
I have a FEELING Tech beats Clemson by 9. Could the Jackets lose by 21? Yes, bit will it happen? I don’t think so.
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
7:47 pm
Unreal. We came back from 14 points down TWICE last year. We had the ball with a chance to win coming from 14 down in 2009 and DID come back from 16 down in 2008.
Are you familiar with any offenses that are built to come back from sizable deficits?
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:47 pm
yeah, atlxmen, just go on believing that and tell that to all the mutts in the stadium who were biting their nails at the end of the game. A freshman QB with only 3 games of college gameday experience came within a pass of tying the game and sending it into overtime. But if it makes you feel better to think that that couldn’t have happened, then keep smoking whatever you are smoking.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:48 pm
And atlxmen, that ploy of letting you guys score was hailed even by Richt as being an awesome coaching call.
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
7:49 pm
Wouldn’t the fact that we ran more plays actually confirm that they couldn’t stop it, Supersize? This guy is a complete idiot.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:50 pm
George, it sure would confirm it to me.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:51 pm
He’s probably never even attended a game of college football.
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
7:51 pm
That UGA offense just isn’t built to come from behind. I mean, once UCF went up 10-6, UGA just couldn’t overcome it.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:52 pm
LMAO George
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
7:53 pm
I mean, if he has, I’m just glad I’ve never had to sit (read: stand and yell the whole time) next to him.
shorter passes (as short as necessary!)
October 26th, 2011
7:53 pm
I’m not concerned about the dog game yet. Tech has a chance to somewhat redeem the last two eggs by playing like they know they can play.
Clem has a turf toe and sprained ankle problem that might slow them a little. Also, Boyd has started reading the “Hman” clippings and he just might try to set some type of record and force some he normally would not….who knows?
Just want Tech to play better than that last game first play!
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:54 pm
George, he would probably be drunk on his azz and not have a clue as to what was going on. Just like now, he’s got to be either drunk or stoned, because he sure doesn’t have a clue.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:55 pm
shorter, not having Finch at center is not going to help us.
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
7:56 pm
I think he’s just a complete bonehead, Supersize. His reasoning skills are, shall we say, somewhat lacking.
atlxmen
October 26th, 2011
7:56 pm
and tech great defense gave up how many to virgina? one of teh worse teams besides tech in the acc…
uga stopped vandy pretty much the whole games except for some trick plays and a few big runs by rodgers on busted plays…vandy couldnt score when they really needed too. uga stopped them yet again..
Russ
October 26th, 2011
7:56 pm
One Word for you proud Yellow J’s……PROBATION
Nuff said.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
7:58 pm
anybody with a name like atlxmen must be more of a nerd than the trolls accuse Tech fans of being. He is apparently an X-Men fan
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
8:00 pm
We were talking about offense and now you’re talking about defense? When will you move the goal posts move again? The defense gave up a net of 17 points against UVA.
I guess trick plays don’t count in your mind then, do they? UGA got lucky the punter slowed down the guy that stuffed the punt. Otherwise he goes to the house.
Ohhhhhhhhh. You told us, Russ.
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
8:00 pm
Also, UGA players must not be that smart if they keep getting fooled by those darn trick plays.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
8:02 pm
Tech’s defense has probably given up fewer points this year than it’s offense has. Offensive and Special Teams screwups have cost us. But whether they were trick plays of busted plays, the mutt defense couldn’t stop them. Vandy actually should have won the game. If the guy who blocked the punt had been able to keep his balance, he would have scored. He wasn’t brought down by anybody from UGA; he fell down. And like I said, nobody else has had any problem with Vandy except the mutts, which tells me the mutts pretty much suck.
atlxmen
October 26th, 2011
8:03 pm
tech has stunk it up against bad teams clemson might beat them 52-14..
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
8:04 pm
Clemson would probably beat the mutts 222 – 0.
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
8:05 pm
You’re right, they might beat us 52-14. But I wouldn’t bet the mortgage on it, genius.
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
8:05 pm
Of course, my prior comment assumes you are capable of getting approved for a mortgage. Perhaps I assumed too much.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
8:09 pm
Georgia Tech fans knew all along this was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Losing to UVA was more or less a fluke. I expected to lose to Miami. I was stunned that we beat both UNC and NC State. You can never predict 100% how a game will turn out; that’s why they are played on the field and not on the blogs. Everybody outside of Athens knew that the mutts would lose to Boise State and USC, but anything COULD have happened—-it just didn’t. The rest of UGA’s schedule is as bad as Tech’s early schedule, and anything could happen in those games too. While Tech is in a rebuilding year, UGA is in it’s typical annual holding pattern of not really doing anything but thinking they are an elite team.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 26th, 2011
8:09 pm
George, he probably had to look up the definition of mortgage.
George Stein
October 26th, 2011
8:11 pm
UGA has 4 SEC wins with a combined conference record of 1-15, Supersize. The kicker? The one came against another team they played – Vandy over Ole Miss.
I would love to hear how that proves how tough the SEC is.