Paul Johnson quotes

Initial comments:

It’s a great win. I know that lot of guys are disappointed that wrote us off, but we got a chance to play again next week. Like I said, earlier, just let us finish the season before you do our tombstone. I’m really proud of our guys. I couldn’t be prouder.

On Clemson:

I tell you they’ve got a really, really good football team. Brandon Thompson is a heck of a football player, the defensive tackle. We had a hard time blocking him so we just kind of started reading him.

On why the team played so differently than it had the past two weeks:

We played with some emotion and some intensity and we played better. They’re 18 to 21 year olds. Like I said, we’ve got a young football team. I keep telling people who don’t want to listen. Coach (Dabo) Swinney and I were talking about it before the game. We’ve got a bunch of sophomores and redshirt freshmen playing on the line of scrimmage most of the time and sometimes they’ve played better than the others. We just executed better.

We started out the first two drives kind of like we played the two weeks on offense, but we settled down. We made some plays.

On Tevin Washington’s interception:

They were rolling the secondary down really hard there because they knew we were going to run the ball, so we thought we might could get a cheap one on the play action. We didn’t execute very well and they picked it off but Jemea (Thomas) saved us with a great play on the very next play.

On play of the defense:

We kept them off the scoreboard. I thought we played really good in the first half and then the second half, we got just enough. They went down and scored really fast (to open the second half), it looked like they were coming back down again to score and they got the fumble (forced by Thomas in the third quarter).

We knocked the ball loose, we took a little bit of time. And we played the way we needed to play. I was looking at the time of possession and it was 39 to 21. When you do that, you’ve got a chance to win. We did a nice job of not giving up big plays defensively. like I said, kept ‘em out of the end zone for the most part.

On the execution of the game plan:

I thought the game went pretty much the way we wanted, except for the fumble on the goal line. I like said, if we get that in there, it’s 38-10 and they’ve got a real uphill battle to come back. But 31’s more than 17.

On impact of Tevin Washington’s play:

I think he’ll get his confidence back. I said all along, it wasn’t all Tevin he’ got to have some help. Tonight we got help from different guys. We made plays. The first long run he had on the option, he made a nice cut inside, but the second one on the quarterback draw, they put some guys on the ground. That was some pretty good blocking.

On Thomas:

He made some great plays. Jemea Thomas loves to play football. he’s a really good player. we’ve got to get him on the field because he makes plays. I think tonight was a great example of that. He had some huge plays.

On T.J. Barnes‘ having a good game:

He sure did. It was good to see T.J. He made a couple nice plays on run plays. We played with like I said, with the kind of effort and intensity you’ve got to play with.

On if he knew the team would play like this:

I knew we weren’t going to quit. Unlike some people, I knew we wouldn’t quit.

On how Tech can play so well when it’s counted out:

I don’t know. Give the players the credit. They’re the guys who did it. It wasn’t me. they bowed their neck and they played.

170 comments Add your comment

[...] the game, Johnson took it to some haters while praising his players and Clemson [hater segments [...]

Hello? Anybody home?

October 30th, 2011
2:54 pm

Though there are a few exceptions, what I notice most about the post-Tech blogs is what is missing: the puppy trolls with their high-school offense comments. Perhaps thumping an unbeaten #5-ranked team put a muzzle on that.

I don’t know how Tech will finish the season but it is exciting to see them pull out of the nose-dive funk they’ve been in for the past four games. The youth of the lines have always been my concern and kudos to them last night; they deserve it. Next year should be even more exciting with the arrival of Vad and a more mature and stronger line to protect him. Also, as someone else noted, how nice for such a big win to be played out in front of so many high-school prospects. Go Nerds! And THWG!

Ramblin Man

October 30th, 2011
2:54 pm

What a great game. I will admit I was down on Washington and said I hope he can find a way to get some confidence back and wow did he. That team effort was amazing and I love the fact that Groh had confidence in a young secondary to send the house and rattle Boyd while leaving them to play one on one with some crazy talented Clemson WRs. Could not be prouder to be a Jacket Fan right now and hope the guys enjoy the bye week with some time to heal and rest while preparing for VT. Hope the twenty something recruits in attendence were as impressed as I was. Hating the fact that I could not travel to Bobby Dodd but glad I have tickets for VT.
Oh and for the people that like to slam CPJ for taking credit for the good and blaming everyone but himself for the bad please read the above quotes slowly as you have had problems getting it in the past.

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
3:09 pm

AMEN, Ramblin Man

GT Fan

October 30th, 2011
3:13 pm

Made a couple bets on my Jackets in August……One down, one to go.

1. $250 to win $385 on OVER 6.5 Wins
2. $100 to win $2,000 on GT winning the Coastal

Come on Jackets beat VT & Duke, and I’ll have myself a Merry little Christmas …….

Congrats to the YJs!! Awesome game last night!

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
3:22 pm

GT Fan, according to our president, you should share the wealth. How big a cut of your winnings can I expect? lol

GTFan478

October 30th, 2011
4:03 pm

So where is headley and his pal vegas at now?

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
4:25 pm

19…I must defend Craig James…he and his partner started off really talking up Clemson, but as the game progressed and it became apparent which was the best team last night, they switched over to our side more and more, They must have talked about bad ref calls for about 10 minutes of air time, particularly the blown off sides at the goal line. They were as stunned at that missed call as anyone seeing the replay on TV.

19

October 30th, 2011
4:30 pm

1 4 GT, James kept making statements about Tech blockers “going for the knees”. That’s what ticked me off.

Go Jackets!!!

Golden Tornado

October 30th, 2011
4:41 pm

**ramblingbuzz,** your comment is right on target. Tech plays better when we are the underdog. So I go on record right now: Tech has absolutely no hope of beating VT.

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
4:47 pm

19….yeah, I do remember him saying that a time or three….I don’t generally like most of ESPN’s announcers….I quit watching MNF completely until they got rid of dumbo Kornheiser

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
4:50 pm

Anyway, it was a great game to watch on TV or in person….I plan on getting tix next year if they have some decent seats available

rogeriter

October 30th, 2011
5:01 pm

Congratulations Tech. Great Game! From a Dawgs fan.

GT-UT

October 30th, 2011
5:04 pm

Guys, I was in Vegas and missed the game. They’ve got a great track out there and we got to do some good laps. I can’t wait to get back home next weekend and watch the game. Reading all of your posts, I get a great feel on how the night went.

Contrats Jackets!! We are proud. “One game at a time” montra rings true…along with “that’s why they play the game”. Lovin’ it!

JM

October 30th, 2011
5:11 pm

congrats to the Jackets! Great game. Get ready for Va Tech. They will be ready and fired up.

Spyro

October 30th, 2011
5:27 pm

I think Jemea Thomas is quickly becoming one of my favorite players on the squad. He has made a lot of big energy plays for the team, starting with that diving catch to down a punt at the 2. He still has a couple of years of eligibility remaining, so hopefully we get to see a lot more of those big plays he keeps making.
Also, good job by the coverage teams for keeping Watkins relatively in check. Watkins might be the quickest guy I have ever seen.
And good job to TJ Barnes for playing at this full potential. We are going to need that in the future, TJ.
Go Jackets!!

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
5:29 pm

GT-UT….You must have gone to the Petty Driving Experience….been thinking about that myself….Is it affordable?…. I will look it up on line in the too distant future….I think they have 1 in Atlanta, too….How fast do they let you go?

RedandBlackDawg

October 30th, 2011
5:29 pm

GT70,

The reason we (UGA) don’t comment so much on your blogs is we know you will be on a UGA blog, bragging your fool heads off, and all of the sudden acting like you are world beaters and will beat the heck out of UGA come November. Your fans are so obsessed with UGA, you can’t stand the fact that UGA owns you and will always own you. Clemson was a number 5 team in the country, about as much as S.C is number 13. Enjoy your victory but I don’t think you will see the ACC championship. Virginia and Miami figured out the triple option, so there will be a few more teams in the ACC that will also figure how to stop it.
You haven’t yet played a defense as stout as UGA will show you. You can’t run up the middle against UGA, and we have big and speedy LB’s, that will seal up the ends. I hope that means your QB attempts to throw a few of those wounded duck passes, you all brag about.
Have fun for now, insulting UGA, because once again, it will end after Novembers game and you will have to revert back to your old tired excuses as to why, once again, UGA put you down.

GO DAWGS and GATA

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:30 pm

I thought the best kickoff return of the night was when Watkins got brought down by his own man

Dacusville Bill

October 30th, 2011
5:33 pm

As the ONLY Tech fan living on the banks of Dotties Creek, in Pickens County, SC–Life is tolerable now that Tech took care of bidness against Mr Tillman’s Pride & Joy–

What We Learned

October 30th, 2011
5:33 pm

1. The A She She is weaker that originally thought…..the supposed best team in the conference gets a beat down by the downtrodden. Even one of those sad sack teams from the SEC East could win that league.
2. Kansas State’s ranking was a result of schedule played
3. Flukes can happen….Texas Tech gets blasted at home by Iowa State (yes Iowa State) one week after going on road and beating one of the best teams in the country.
4. Big 10 is going to lose every bowl game played…..even those against the Big Least and the A She She

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
5:33 pm

Supersize….yeah, that was a terrific play

TD

October 30th, 2011
5:36 pm

Looks like the Jackets took it to the kittens…..I thought you guys were complaining about special teams? Did not see the game but obviously they must have played pretty well along with the defense that has been maligned for some reason. Looks like the issues you guys had with special teams jumped all over the Dawgs. That was as horrible a display of specail teams as one can imagine.

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
5:36 pm

You pups get so boring & tiresome with your nonsensical drivel….the same old worn out chest thumping like the gorilla alpha male….all you do is thump your chest and holler

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:36 pm

Redandblack, just who has the mutts’ mighty defense handled this year? Certainly not Boise State of SC. Have you looked at the records of every other team you have played? I think they have a 4-23 record against SEC competition. Your defense hasn’t proved anything yet. And Miami and UVA didn’t “figure out” our offense; our offense quit executing mid-way through the NC State game and didn’t get their rhythm back till last night. You make it sound like the UVA and Miami defenses were better than Clemson’. If the Tech offense executes like they did last night, as well in the early games, “choke’s” defense won’t stop them either.

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:38 pm

1 4 GT, actually Gorilla was pretty cool during the week. I see that he’s gone back to his old self in his posts today.

TD

October 30th, 2011
5:38 pm

Maybe we should hire a special teams coordinator. What do you think, Super? LOL

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:39 pm

There are 2 (count ‘em TWO) good teams in the SEC this year, and neither one of them is east of the Chattahoochee River. The rest are no better than the average ACC teams.

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
5:41 pm

Supersize….yeah, but I was talking to what we learned @ 5:33

TD

October 30th, 2011
5:41 pm

Super, Super, Super:

UGA’s defense was not that bad against SC (it was bad against Boise). The final score of the SC game had much to do with the special teams play and SC scoring about every different way possible other than offensive. I do think the statistics said you would be able to run on Clumpson (but you know what Ben Franklin said about statistics) and you did.

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:42 pm

TD, I think Johnson proved us all wrong on that one last night. They weren’t perfect, but they sure showed that they knew what they were doing. UGA’s special teams, on the other hand, showed they are among the worst anywhere. How can two kickers (Butler and whatever the other one’s name is) go from the penthouse to the outhouse between seasons? And on those two kickoff returns by Florida in the first half, there wasn’t a Georgia player close enough to feel the breeze as they ran by.

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:44 pm

OK, TD, then explain to me how choke’s defense gave up more yards and points to Vandy that any other team has. I guess maybe Arkansas probably gave up a bunch yesterday too, but according to your logic, Vandy should never have even been in the game with the mutts.

Curious

October 30th, 2011
5:45 pm

How’s the ACC’s record in BCS games? Is it better than the Big East?

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:45 pm

oh, ok, 1 4.

TD

October 30th, 2011
5:46 pm

Agreed! Tried to find a way to lose to Florida, AGAIN!! Luckily defense was good enough and Charlie Weiss and offense was bad enough.

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:47 pm

TD, please explain to me how “choke’s” mighty defense gave up more yards and points to Vandy than any other team had, until Arkansas. According to your faulty logic, Vandy should never have even been in the game with the mutts.

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:48 pm

Curious, what has that got to do with anything? We are talking about this year.

TD

October 30th, 2011
5:48 pm

Is VT this Thursday night for you guys? Going on a golf trip Thursday with three graduated of the Institute of Technology…..might have to needle them a bit. :)

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:49 pm

TD, the VT game is Nov 10.

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
5:50 pm

I think I like pups better than mutts for their nick name. Mutts are full grown, mature dogs with questionable parentage. Pups are immature, young and stupid.

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
5:52 pm

LOL 1 4, but mutts do start off as pups.

TD

October 30th, 2011
5:52 pm

Super as you are aware there is not one answer that fits all games. By the same line of questioning I will ask you how the insects managed to slow down Clumnpson’s offense when no one had been doing a good job of it? Was it the mighty defense or did you just get lucky? By the same logic you used above about the Clumpson defense being pretty good how did they not manage to stop the insects who had just laid a couple of eggs in the two previous games? Give me one answer that fits all situations.

TD

October 30th, 2011
5:55 pm

Gotta eat dinner……and watch the Cowgirls get beat tonight. BTW….cowgirls cut Tashard Choice.

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
5:55 pm

I’ll give you one TD–FOCUS–INTENSITY–HEART–DESIRE–COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE–A BETTER “TEAM”

1 4 GT

October 30th, 2011
5:58 pm

I should have ended the previous comment with–”IN SHORT BETTER PREPARATION”

Supersize that order, mutt

October 30th, 2011
6:02 pm

Add to that clock management and CPJ’s patented death marches. When the other team can’t get the ball, they can’t score. Tech’s defense played better than they have ever played, although it has been getting better each game. Tech’s offense finally re-found their synch, drive, mojo, whatever, and were able to keep the Clemson offense off the field. That same “secret” will work against everybody. In the past, the defense hasn’t done enough to stop the opponent’s offense when they had the chance. Last night they did,and IF they keep that up, Tech will be unstoppable by all but the VERY GOOD teams.

GTPak

October 30th, 2011
6:26 pm

Congrats on a great exciting win. Now, please play every game like the team we are playing is ranked #5. Otherwise, we have this terrible tendency to play to the perceived level of competition. The football team does it, the basketball team does it. We thought we would beat Va because they were so bad, but, you see what happens when the team gets too full of itself.

I challenge those players that kept the other team members accountable, to do that every game. Washington said Uzzi was more vocal in the huddle, well if that is what it takes, keep it up Uzzi!!!!

Same goes for the D, love to see us changing up the D like we did last night. It makes the QB lose his focus wondering what you are up to instead of concentrating on the called play. A Qb under pressure, is usually a QB that will struggle.

This is the best game we have played all season, the D line and the O line played like they wanted to win, as did the whole team. Good blocks, good reads, much better passing, now build on it, and go after the next high ranked team with the same level of enthusiasm and determination!!! Go Jackets.

Nerd Herd

October 30th, 2011
6:29 pm

I see the Geritol Guys are up late tonight. Game probably gave you something only Viagra can give you these days.

GT-UT

October 30th, 2011
6:34 pm

The one size fits all answer is this, “that’s why they play the game”.

1 4; it was the Cadillac V Series event and it was as fast as you could go! Went through a set of tires! At least they were someone elses tires.

Wondering??

October 30th, 2011
6:49 pm

To – Techgrad93 and Yeller Bug:

Sorry for this delayed response. I drive home to Daytona Beach every Sunday AM after the home game and had just written the blog while I was still in Atlanta before I left for home.

Thanks for your insight and thought provoking comments. l guess I’ve always thought that everything being equal – with every team being able to win difficult games and lose the easy ones – what must separate the top teams year after year is the psyhchological edge that some coaches or team members “bring to the table” so to speak – whether that is some newspaper clipping talking about what the opposing team said or the hometown media thinks about the team or anything negative that seems to raise the spirit of competitiveness to fight harder or play with more intensity against a particular opponent or in general prove the statement incorrect. I have always thought a sports psychologist on Tech’s staff would increase the winning percentage of all sports across the board and thereby give us – as you say Yeller Bug – the coach K factor. If he can do it why can’t we is all I’m asking. Thanks for your response.