Thumbs-up for Georgia Tech special teams
Greetings-
Funny the difference a week makes and some kudos to BigTimeTechFan, who last Monday predicted “Yellow Jackets in a blowout.” He was a little more on the ball than Dawgfan, who prophesied that “CLAMPSUN WILL DESTROY THAT STUPID YOUTH FOOTBALL OFFENSE.”
A couple thoughts and I’ve got to get moving.
1. After taking a lot of heat, special teams gets a pretty big assist for its role in Saturday’s win. Clemson’s starting field position on its seven kickoff returns – the 28, 26, 50, 28, 30 and 11. Considering Sammy Watkins had been averaging 28.9 yards per return (24.6 if you factor out his 89-yard return) and Tech’s kickoffs were landing around the 10, that’s pretty good work. Jemea Thomas had one good stop and I think wasn’t credited for another. Watkins also ran into one of his own players and was downed on another. When that happened, it made me kind of think it was going to be Tech’s night.
Sean Poole and the punt team netted 44.0 yards on three punts. Tech had to, at least, play Clemson’s special teams to a draw, and the Jackets did at least that. (Clemson’s initial kickoff went out of bounds and Chandler Catanzaro missed a field goal from 40 yards in the second quarter.)
If Poole can develop consistency, he can be a valuable weapon.
2. I’m not a fan of repeating cliches – I am, however, a fan of Sushi Yoko, a Japanese restaurant in Doraville – but I’m going to go with “You’re never as good as you think after a win and you’re never as bad as you think after a loss,” if that’s the proper phrasing. Please don’t read this as “Georgia Tech got lucky,” because the Yellow Jackets were clearly the better team Saturday.
I think running back Andre Ellington being out was a pretty big break for Tech. I’m not saying it made the difference, but he would have given Clemson more of a chance. I’m sure if you go to a Clemson message board, you can find more “if only’s,” but that was a pretty big one.
It’s the same line of thinking, mind you, that the Tech-Miami game could have turned out differently had Roddy Jones not gotten the facemask call and Zach Laskey had avoided the punt inside the 10-yard line. Tech played pretty poorly, but the Jackets weren’t as bad as they showed that day. The result made it easy to think that Tech couldn’t beat Clemson (unless you’re BigTimeTechFan). Likewise, beating Clemson doesn’t mean the Jackets will beat Virginia Tech. Or Duke, for that matter (which could have easily beaten the Hokies Saturday).
I can think of plenty of reasons why both may happen, but I also had a lot of reasons why they would beat Virginia and Miami. I’m not saying it won’t happen – I’d say chances are more favorable it will – but banking on it is probably not wise.
Saturday was just a reminder of how much this game rests on the emotion and intensity of post-adolescents. A week after beating Oklahoma, Texas Tech lost at home to Iowa State 41-7. The Cyclones had lost their first four Big 12 games by an average of 24.3 points. I’m going to guess that the Texas Tech players’ (and maybe coaches’) heads were in the clouds all week. Same with Michigan State, which got drummed by Nebraska a week after upsetting Wisconsin in about the most euphoric manner imaginable.
“It’s hard to explain why we weren’t on top of our game, knowing we’re going to get their best shot,” Tommy Tuberville told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. “But we weren’t. We just had no emotion — coaching or playing.
“It was kind of like, ‘Hey, it’s going to happen. We beat somebody last week. It’s going to happen.’ But no matter who you’re playing, they also have a football team. They also play hard, and they’ve got good players, and they’ve got good coaches.”
Paul Johnson, last week: “I expect to win every game, I want to win every game. But the reality is the other teams have 85 other scholarship players and they pay their coaches and they try to win, too. That’s why you play the games.”
Links
Game story, notes and Monday follow story from the Charleston Post and Courier.
Stories putting Clemson loss in perspective Anderson Independent Mail. The first has a funny detail. Writer Greg Wallace tweeted awhile ago that an Orange Bowl berth would be a great accomplishment for Clemson, and some fans responded that that statement was insulting. A whole bunch of more posts from the game.
No practice today, so this should be it for Monday. Thanks for reading. Happy Halloween!
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Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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419 comments Add your comment
Born2Buzz
October 31st, 2011
12:51 pm
I never look at the UGA blogs. I understand folks that are college ball fans that would actually discuss the games of their rivals, like you and DawginLex, but I don’t understand just going on a rival team’s blog to denigrate their team/school/fans. It seems so childish to me.
juvenal
October 31st, 2011
12:51 pm
my apologies, Tampa, getting a little too riled, but first uga commenter was one of y’alls, i call him awful truth……it was a good win for y’all, though i limit my wishes for luck to you not having any one hurt…….speaking of which, how is Jay doing, Ken? only saw our joint markybit, that talker guy is something…..
TampaDawg
October 31st, 2011
12:53 pm
Hey juv, we’re all good. I just hate the stuff that buzz just mentioned and I agree with him whole heartedly. It’s childish crap. I never do it here .. until GT Joe takes a shot at me, but other than that, I never do it here. LOL…I lapse every now and then I guess.
kickslidegold
October 31st, 2011
12:55 pm
saw Will Adams at the game – the kid from Sandy Creek – I am happy Tech is recruiting a big OT – they are looking to the future with Vad Lee and the need for a longer left tackle. Anticipate CPJ throws more with Vad in the coming years. Probably not 35 to 45 per game, but anticipating 15-20 per game.
GT FAN IN PA
October 31st, 2011
12:59 pm
Speaking of recruits- what a good night for those kids on the sidelines- sounds like we had a good turnout on the recruiting side for the night- could benefit the Jackets very well.
juvenal
October 31st, 2011
1:01 pm
hope we get the buzz saw out again for the buzzards…..
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
1:01 pm
TampaDawg, I think the first time I saw one of your posts on here it was during one of your “lapses.” But I learned soon that that’s not the real you, and for the most part, your comments are appreciated. I generally only get into bashing when a troll gets on here and starts something up. But, like you, I guess I have a few lapses too. LOL
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
1:01 pm
FAN IN PA, AMEN to that !!!
kickslidegold
October 31st, 2011
1:07 pm
Adams loved it – said he is tired of SEC teams telling him he made a mistake with his commitment to Tech (’you wont develop as a pass blocker, blah blah blah) – he was jacked from the whole atmosphere and the performance of the O-Line. They just cut Clemson to shreds!
Replay to dan the nerd.
October 31st, 2011
1:10 pm
Dan, they don’t need any reason to make fun of Tech. They are Georgia fans. It’s what they do. Just ignore them. We got bigger fish to fry. Georgia sucks lol
TampaDawg
October 31st, 2011
1:11 pm
Supersize, I even try to keep it football related though .. I think we UGA fans have just grown tired of hearing the list of things like:
in-bred
trailer trash
white trash
redneck
football factory
worthless degree
and so on ..
Fact is, most of the idiots making those comments aren’t bright enough to get in either of the two schools.
…
On a football note, it was mentioned on here about the SEC East being weak. Yes, that division is down, but I would still take most of teams in the East, outside of Kentucky, over MANY of the ACC teams (NC State, Maryland, Duke, Wake Forest, UVA, Boston College, Miami).
The New ACC
October 31st, 2011
1:12 pm
GA Tech needs this week and a half off before VA Tech. I just hope that the kids stay pumped for another victory! It’ll be for a division title!!!
ramblingbuzz
October 31st, 2011
1:17 pm
TDawg…….Beg to differ. Don’t see a lot of difference between the ACC teams you mention and TN, Vandy, and Fla. In particular, I don’t think Wake, UVA, and Miami are much better/worse that those 3 ACC teams.
ramblingbuzz
October 31st, 2011
1:18 pm
Make that those 3 “SEC” teams (TN, Vandy, Fla).
Tech Troll 13
October 31st, 2011
1:20 pm
Young teams don’t play well on the road, but play much better at home.
CAG has the defense getting better each week. I believe this is the most complete game in CPJ’s tenure – not just this year. We won’t compete on the national level without better defense and we may be on our way.
By halftime, I had forgotten how to spell Clemson.
TampaDawg
October 31st, 2011
1:25 pm
FILTERS SUCK!!!!
TampaDawg
October 31st, 2011
1:25 pm
UF could beat any of those teams I mentioned hands down. Vandy, especially the way they played UGA and Arkansas in back to back weeks could too. UT, well in UT they could but not on the road.
Ken Sugiura
October 31st, 2011
1:29 pm
thanks for the comments and the kind words.
Jemea Thomas does look like a natural catching punts, although Zach Laskey was pretty good at it, too. (not saying that Thomas will misplay a punt now, just that I think Laskey was doing fine and picked a bad time for a misplay.)
born2buzz – i confess I never got to ask him about Thomas at punt returner, so I guess we’ll have to give CPJ credit for that one.
Juvenal – I’m sure Logan Walls appreciates your intercession. I don’t know about Jay Finch. Will find out more Tuesday, hopefully.
Junior – never been there. I’ll have to put it on the list.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
1:32 pm
TampaDawg, my original post got filtered, so I will try again —
You post on here enough to have read the garbage that we Tech fans have to put up with from your trolls…..such as
nerds,
geeks,
Trade School references
Dragon Con references (whatever the hell Dragon Con is)
Man Buubs (Misspelled because I think Ken has blocked it, while other ajc blogs haven’t)
Muubs (same deliberate misspelling)
geritol squad (a new one from some jerk who posts late at night)
the list goes on and on.
reality
October 31st, 2011
1:33 pm
The ACC Coastal is much stronger than the SEC East. GT, VA Tech, Miami and UNC are every bit as good (maybe better) as USC, UGA and FL.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
1:35 pm
TampaDawg, now a football question for you from me: Who do you think will be moved from the west to the east with the addition of A&M and Missouri? Who do you wish would be moved? If Bama moves east, the dawgs will have to play them every year, and I don’t think most dawgs want that. If Auburn moves, then UGA will have to find another permanent west opponent; who would that be?
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
1:38 pm
UVA and Miami, though not great this year (actually UVA seldom is great) are better than given credit for, although Tech SHOULD HAVE beat both of them. UNC is no slouch and would stack up pretty well against most of the SEC east. VT and Tech both are better than the majority of the SEC east teams, as well as all but 2 in the west.
DS_CE91
October 31st, 2011
1:44 pm
TampaDawg,
Gotta be honest; you won’t get much compassion from me about UGA bashing on GT blogs. We will have to respectfully disagree about how much (or little, in your opinion) GT bashing goes on in the UGA blogs. I read there, but almost never post (unless it is positive – I congratulated you guys Sunday on your win). I can’t control the idiots who purportedly root for Tech and go on your boards to post moronic messages, and I won’t take responsibility for them either. But I personally think you are stretching just a bit when you say UGA posters don’t do that, and you have to have blinders on to miss all the negative posts that UGA supporters regularly post here. Saturday night, while we were having a great time watching a great victory, we had multiple morons repeated posting about us being cheaters whose linemen purposely try to injure the opposition. I translated that to mean “I am soooooo mad that I can’t come on here and laugh at you guys for getting whipped like I expected you would.”
All that said, respectful and well-thought out posts are always welcome, regardless of the location. Best to you.
Sypersize, who knows...
October 31st, 2011
1:45 pm
…what Slive will do with realignment – last week it was written in the AJC that TAM was going to be in the SEC East since AL did not want AU to get moved – now if MO does ever make it official as a SEC member then it is probable that (based on last weekl) both TAM and MO will be in the East – so stay tuned – it would just make sense that AL and AU both get moved to the EAST since, they, geographically, are the most “eastern” teams…
And, UGA would not have to necessarily have to find a permanent “west” opponent (to replace AU) since they will go more East required games and they could just rotate everyone on and off the schedule from the west…
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
1:48 pm
A&M to the east??? That’s about as stupid as the current ACC divisions.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
1:51 pm
TampaDawg, DS_C91 just reminded me of a couple of others I left off my list — cheaters and any number of references to chop blocking (I think the chop block call against Tech in the Clemson game was the first all year, and I have my doubts about the validity of that one),
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2011
2:02 pm
I *do* post on many of the AJC college football blogs, but I’m not a negative poster. I do get involved with discussions with loyal Georgia posters on UGA-related blogs, but I usually don’t respond to haters on any blog. As I’ve said several times, I am a true fan of SEC football as well as a loyal Georgia Tech supporter. When I first started following college football, they were one and the same.
Yep, supersize...
October 31st, 2011
2:03 pm
…makes about as much since as WVA being in the Big 12, Boise State being in the Big East, Nebraska being in the Big 10 (shouldn’t that also be the Big 12????), and CO being in the PAC 12…but those are what the TV dollars are buying these days…
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:10 pm
@Yep, I guess so, although of the ones you mentioned, I guess Nebraska almost makes sense, since Iowa is already in the Big 10.
You and me both, Delbert D....
October 31st, 2011
2:11 pm
…my dad went to Tech so I was a Tech fan (spent many a night as a kid listening to Tech football games on the radio); then we moved to AL and I became a die hard ‘Bama fan. Then we moved to Tallahassee and I became a FSU fan; then we moved to Gainesville, FL and I became a UF fan. Then we moved back to Atlanta, where I went to HS, and I was a BamaFSUUFTech fan. Then I went to college in NC, and grad school in NC(coached for Pat Dye at ECU) and I was a BAMAFSUUFTechUNCECU fan.
Then, my kids went to UGA and Clemson, and now, since I have season tickets to Tech, Clemson, and UGA games,I am an ECUClemsonTechUGA fan only…
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2011
2:11 pm
Super – There is controversy over the ACC realignment; changing to North-South or keeping the current Atlantic-Coastal, with Pitt and Syracuse each going to one or the other. The “tradition” is one factor, and a North Carolina school having to go North is another. Also, in my opinion the expansion to 16 plan might occur before Pitt and Syracuse are allowed to make the move. Along that line of thinking, if West Virginia moves to the SEC next year (they’ve already sent half of the $5 million buyout), the Big East may not have enough votes to enforce the 27-month wait. Pitt and Syracuse surely would not vote against them.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:11 pm
I just hope when they realign the ACC for Pitt and Syracuse, they make it a north-south division.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:12 pm
Delbert, I believe WVU has already committed to the Big 12 (did it over the weekend)
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:13 pm
I read something from the Boston Globe a few months back that said that BC didn’t like having to travel to Miami every other year—a matter of travel expenses. From a purely financial point of view for the schools, a north-south division would make far more sense.
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2011
2:19 pm
You and me both – That is the most complicated situation I’ve heard of by far
I grew up attending Georgia games back in the late 50s and early ’60s, since it was 1) close and 2) cheap. I ushered at several games as a Boy Scout, attended a couple of games with an who graduated from Georgia, and took advantage of the special $1 high school admission for some of the out of conference games. I alone among a vast extended family and old friends root for Tech; the rest are all Georgia fans and or grads.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:21 pm
Delbert, then you are obviously the cream of the crop. LOL
AlabamaRamblinwreck
October 31st, 2011
2:24 pm
it is spelled:
JEMEA…..come on man!!
IL Jacket
October 31st, 2011
2:25 pm
Thanks for the reminder about the off week VT also has. I know VT does not look like the VT of old, in fact they looked likable only an average team against Duke, but we can’t go to sleep on this game. Bud Foster is as good a defensive coordinator as there is in the country and given the extra time, I am sure he will have some real challenges waiting for us. Hopefully, this is where Al Groh’s experience at UVA will pay some dividends. They have a pretty good running attack and if they get a lead it could be problematic for the Jackets.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:26 pm
IL Jacket, VT has had time off before playing us almost every year, and it hasn’t helped their defense yet. They beat us last year, but it wasn’t because of their defense; it was because Nesbitt got hurt and left the game at halftime.
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2011
2:28 pm
Super – Mental lapse; semi-regular these days. I meant the WVU to Big 12, Mizzou to SEC thing. If the Bige East (5 football schools) fail to attract those they are courting for membership, they might disband as a football conference. Schools like Air Force, Boise State and Central Florida might find the Mountain West-C-USA Alliance more appealing, as might Navy, since each Alliance conference champ would meet in a playoff and almost certainly be made a BCS AQ. 22 teams in that alliance seems to be more stable than the Big East for football right now.
tp jones
October 31st, 2011
2:30 pm
In case you were wondering why I have a new found hatred for UGA fans? It’s because of the idiot that started this website: http://www.firepauljohnson.blogspot.com He is a UGA grad and a professional with a graduate degree. He (or rather his buddies) think they are anonymous and being cute but they will find out soon who is being cute.
ANYONE who contacts recruits and college athletes to try and dissuade them from attending a certain college is a sociopath. The fact a UGA fan took the time to build an entire site devoted to this and a hatred of our offense is pathetic and shows what a worthless POS he is in real life.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:31 pm
Delbert, yeah, that makes sense to me. And I think the Big East is probably done as far as football goes. I just hope the ACC doesn’t make a move for Rutgers. I would still LOVE to get Notre Dame, but I don’t see them giving up their rivalries with Mich, Mich State, and Purdue.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:34 pm
tp Jones, that is disgusting, isn’t it?
IL Jacket
October 31st, 2011
2:35 pm
Supersize, I remember last year’s game vividly. The air
just went out of our balloon when Nesbitt went down. Changed the whole rest of the year.
Ramblin Man
October 31st, 2011
2:35 pm
I think if this team can build off the Clemson games success then GT will be set up nicely for the remainder of the schedule. The defense is coming along nicely and played really well the last two games. It showed a lot of confidence by Groh in these young guys to put them alone with the very talented WRs of Clemson while constantly presuring Boyd. TW looked good in making decisions and that fake pitch was great. Hill redemmed himself with the big catch and can hopefully return to a more consistent form. The big difference in this game that has been lacking since Maryland was consistent blocking. The line and backs were putting Clemson on the ground on a consistent basis while Hill and Melton did a lot of great downfield blocking. Hope the team can rest and heal and keep this type of game playing tempo up.
carolinajacket
October 31st, 2011
2:36 pm
I like the North South Divisions. Makes a lot of sense. As far bad mouthing the other team, my reading is that UGA has some very good academic programs, which some Tech “fans” won’t admit, and that Tech does have a disadvantage in recruiting because of the nature of its academic programs, especially having no liberal arts majors.
A couple of years ago I went on the UGA blogs a good bit and had back and forth messages with three UGA fans (one was called Cuz). It was always positive and in good sportsmanship. In fact, that was the year that Murray was seriously hurt in high school. I emailed him and wished him a speedy and complete recovery — from a Tech fan. He responded with a very nice email. I also sent money to the fund for the UGA player who was paralyzed. All this to say, we can live and die with our teams, but we can do it with at least a little bit of class.
carolinajacket
October 31st, 2011
2:37 pm
Baseball player.
IL Jacket
October 31st, 2011
2:38 pm
Does anyone know how long the current BCS deal with the networks runs. With not enough teams to have a championship game, the Big East champion surely is or will be in jeopardy of losing its automatic qualifier spot isn’t it?
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:40 pm
carolinajacket, Cuz is a good guy. He lives here in Augusta. He used to post a lot on the Tech blogs, but I haven’t seen him on here probably in a couple of years
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2011
2:41 pm
Il Jacket, one would certainly assume that. I don’t think the Syracuse and Pitt moves become effective till 2013, though, so that would give them one more year. Not sure when the WVU move becomes effective.