Tech on watch for UGA’s Charles
Greetings-
Some post-practice notes. Nothing of great substance, unfortunately, although a number of players were held out. I wouldn’t worry about it unless it continues Tuesday.
1. Monday, Georgia tight end Orson Charles was named a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation’s premier tight end.
No one on the Georgia Tech coaching staff is ready to challenge the honor.
“He’s a tremendous athlete,” secondary coach Charles Kelly said. “He’s got really good size, he runs like a wide receiver, adjusts to the ball well. They can put him in position where he creates mismatches at times.”
Tech has had its share of challenges defending tight ends. Saturday, Duke tight end Cooper Helfet caught six balls for 45 yards, including a pair of touchdowns. Against Virginia Tech, Chris Drager had a 14-yard touchdown catch. Charles, 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds, leads the Bulldogs with 35 catches, with five touchdowns and a 12.4 yards-per-catch average.
“He makes catches that wide receivers would like to make,” defensive coordinator Al Groh said.
Tech faced another finalist, Clemson’s Dwayne Allen, earlier this season. Hobbled by a turf-toe injury, Allen caught four passes for 32 yards.
(Tech has played a number of excellent tight ends this season, starting with Charles and Allen. Helfet, N.C. State’s George Bryan, Kansas’ Tim Biere, Maryland’s Matt Furstenburg and Virginia’s Colter Phillips all were on either the preseason or midseason Mackey Award watch list.)
2. Georgia Tech is a 6-point underdog to Georgia and has lost nine of its last 10 to the Bulldogs. After practice Monday, Tech coach Paul Johnson sarcastically played the woe-is-us card.
“They’ve got a heck of a team,” Johnson said. “Won nine in a row, SEC East champs. Hopefully we can stay with them.”
Johnson interrupted a question about his players not needing much motivation this week by saying they are “probably scared.”
And why would that be?
Said Johnson, “We haven’t beaten them in a long time.”
(Johnson said this all deadpan and was obviously being sarcastic. I don’t know what exactly to read into it, but I’d say he’s not dreading the game’s outcome like some Tech fans seem to be.)
3. Several players were held out of practice Monday, including wide receiver Stephen Hill, A-backs Orwin Smith and Roddy Jones, cornerback Louis Young and center Jay Finch. Johnson said the team is “pretty beat up” but did not seem overly concerned about their availability for Saturday. Young, for one, said he expected to play Saturday.
Johnson said B-back Preston Lyons, who missed Saturday’s game against Duke to rest injuries, should play Saturday. Johnson wasn’t sure if Charles Perkins, who played in Lyons’ place, would also get snaps.
“We’ll see how practice goes,” Johnson said.
(I wouldn’t be worried unless the same players are all held out Tuesday. I think saying players are “beat up” sounds like they just need a breather.)
4. As is always the case, Johnson also reviewed officials calls and non-calls in addition to his team’s performance. Often, he has conceded that officials made the right calls on plays he argued during the game.
Asked about calls made Saturday, Johnson replied, “I’m not getting into that one. I need to keep my cash.”
(I thought the pass-interference penalty against Jemea Thomas was pretty questionable.)
5. Tech will have classes through Wednesday, and Johnson will follow a normal practice schedule through that day. On Thanksgiving, the team will practice in the morning, have lunch together and then players will be released until Friday. … Coaches named wide receiver Tyler Melton, linebackers Brandon Watts and Jemea Thomas the offensive, defensive and special teams players of the game.
(Melton is turning it on in his last few games. He has seven catches in his three games, and I think I read one of his catches against Duke was an ESPN top 10 selection.)
Thanks for reading. Again, let’s keep things clean.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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223 comments Add your comment
George Stein
November 21st, 2011
11:32 pm
Here we go with the loaded terms. Gimmick offense? Sheesh. My work here is done.
gt40pinhd
November 21st, 2011
11:33 pm
truth, “Gilliard or Jenkins right there waiting on him” that’s why counters will work.
Chris
November 21st, 2011
11:33 pm
gt40pinhd he will still be a factor getting pressure on the qb cuz when yall throw it takes a long time to develop and with a small offensive line i dont see yall blocking us for 4 quarteers in pass protection
Chris
November 21st, 2011
11:35 pm
wow impressed gt40pinhd Gilliard was a back up linebacker at the beginnging of the seasons now he starting after proving himself after some injuries but stil impressive knowing him. I can’t name yalls back up linebacker
gt40pinhd
November 21st, 2011
11:35 pm
chris, y’re right. we take a long time. not the way we are supposed to pass. first, fake to fullback, then step back and let it go. looks like a running play.
Delbert D.
November 21st, 2011
11:53 pm
TheTruth – If Roddy Jones is in the vicinity of John Jenkins it’s a busted play. And, yes Jones was there in 2008; he ran for 214 yards. A lot more A-backs play in the rotation now.
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2011
12:06 am
“I hope Tech doesn’t chop our D-line. Those are illegal. Those cause fights.” Tech has been called for 1 chop block (1st offensive series against VT) in the last 2 games. Tech will most certainly cut block the O-line, LBs and anyone else on the perimeter.Nothing illegal about it. LSU occasionally cut blocks on passing plays. Their guard and tackle went right for the shins against Auburn’s DT and DE at the snap and they went down like trees at the line of scrimmage.
Paul in NH
November 22nd, 2011
12:15 am
There are certainly some interesting posts on this blog. I haven’t read so much confidence from UGA fans heading into a game since right before the Boise State game. And Big John Jenkins (I believe it is mandatory to use the adjective Big before his name) seems to be a cross between Ndamukong Suh and Warren Sapp. Jenkins is so good that he backs up Gathers.
GT should just forfeit the game now. How can they possibly beat such Supermen.
5150 UOAD
November 22nd, 2011
12:32 am
The One play I think can make HUGE gains is the pass to the B-back in the middle of the field. The PROBLEM is Tevin’s tendency to FLOAT that pass. If he puts some ZIp on it just oget the DB or OLB’s head it can be a HUGE gainer or TD. If Tevin Floats it Rambo will Pick 6 it.
Athens, we have a problem...
November 22nd, 2011
12:43 am
Tech has more to play for in this game. This is a sandwich game for UGA. It might be easy to look past Tech at the SEC Championship game. Tech was in similar position in 08 when BeBe dropped that first down pass.
dream on
November 22nd, 2011
12:50 am
Georgia is a top 5 defense. UGA is best at stopping the run and if gt want’s to slip a pass every now and again it’s getting picked by boykin, rambo, or smith. I heard one of you say gt is good at stopping the run……….hahaha! I looked up their stats and they are middle of the pack at stopping the pass and way, way, way down there at stopping the run. Crowell and thomas are playing by the way and they got 300 rushing yards vs. auburn. You think tech has a better defense than auburn? I think not. Our receivers are better, our backs are better, our qb is better, our te’s are better, our lines are bigger and our defense is better. Those are facts and I don’t know how you plan on winning with every position being outmatched?? uga 38 gt 17
dream on
November 22nd, 2011
12:51 am
oh and CHRIS i know that’s you from dawgrant.
gt owl
November 22nd, 2011
1:25 am
dream on you are a fool. why? because you believe size and speed are everything. that and you fail to realize you have not faced a good rushing team let me check.
UT# 117th
well that is horrid
Aub
36th decent to good, not great
New mexico State 63rd dreadful
kentucky 98th
horrid
S Carolina
29th, not bad, but how much of this leans on the earlier part of the year with Latimore?
Florida 65th
dreadful
I doubt ole miss has much of an offense so yes, lets forget them.
and I leave the others for some other time
Uga fan here
November 22nd, 2011
1:34 am
Omg you guys give me a headache about saying Uga this and Uga that…. Truth of the matter is, Uga has not played a team like the yellow jackets this year. Every team y’all beat… We would have destroyed . So your rankings and #’s are overrated. I’ll bet anyone of you Uga fans that tech rushes for over 300 yards
gt owl
November 22nd, 2011
1:37 am
meanwhile let’s look at some of ours,
clemson 60th, dreadful
Maryland 49th, surprisngly decent
virginia 40th
decent
vt 26th
good
Miami 69th
dreadful
UNC 77th
dreadful
ncsu 109th
horrid
Kansas 46th, surprise here
mutsu 68th bad
duke at 113th
gt owl
November 22nd, 2011
1:41 am
now for the rest of uga’s
miss state 55th
bad
ole miss 83rd
vandy 63rd
gt owl
November 22nd, 2011
1:42 am
no uga fan I believe you guys would lose to vt, possibly clemson, and 300 yards, not sure give me a minute
gt owl
November 22nd, 2011
1:47 am
meanwhile you guys are 34th so vt is a better running team thanks mostly to logan thomas, he is as tough as crowell and fast, but he can throw, making him far more dangerous than crowell as you have to respect that factor
GT Boss
November 22nd, 2011
1:48 am
Today, I called the two UGA graduates on my staff of 42 into my office to let them know that if UGA beats Tech on Saturday, that I will be firing one of them. When they asked ,”Why?”. I said, “Because I earned the right to be a boss by graduating from GT!”
gt owl
November 22nd, 2011
1:51 am
finally
bsu at 42nd so no uga has not faced the toughest run teams till us with sc and auburn the exceptions
gt owl
November 22nd, 2011
1:52 am
so in short 300 yards while probable not certain or gauranteed
All Cupcakes Conference
November 22nd, 2011
3:27 am
GT Boss – Lies make baby Jesus cry.
jack
November 22nd, 2011
4:27 am
I have to say, as a Georgia fan, the quality of comments on this blog are so much more intelligent than those on the Georgia blogs. It’s nice to see a rational debate without all of the looney’s coming out to play.
GTBud
November 22nd, 2011
5:00 am
This week has built up all season and it is finally here. Now let’s roll JACKETS!!!!!!!!
UGA I have to admit is playing nice football after the terrible start but as far as there defense, is it really that good or is alot to do with the competition they have played. It is not like they have actually lit it up with offensive competition and my point to this is the best offense they have played is ranked #30.
BSU – 30
USC – 78
MS – 87
OM – 114
NMS – 40
UF – 92
UT – 97
Aub. – 93
UK – 117
Vandy – 100
CC – Div 1AA did not even make the playoffs.
GT – 14
I am saying this just to say that UGAG did not actually play top ranked offenses so the defensive numbers are quite gaudy by the competition. So let’s hear it DAWG fans as far as whom we as GT played and yes the offenses played by the Jackets ranking wise are much better then what you faced. I am not saying TECH will win but the facts do not lie as far as the competition.
GTJeff
November 22nd, 2011
7:25 am
I am in agreement with Old timer. The more CPJ is here the more I worry about the future of this team.
We are 1-3 vs VT, 1-3 vs Miami, 1-(soon to be)3 vs UGA & 0-3 in bowls. In 3 bowl games, this offense has scored a total of 17 points. Unacceptable. If we loose the next two games, are we gonna keep CPJ around forever?
Original Spike
November 22nd, 2011
7:28 am
Keep talking and trying to convince youselves you are going to win this game. You know deep down in your little hearts UGA will win. Nine out of ten and counting.. Richt owns you guys.
BankerDawg
November 22nd, 2011
7:45 am
@ GTJeff, Who in the world do you think will come coach Tech if CPJ is fired??
Wins of 9, 11, 6, with 8 and counting this year….what is your expectation level?
You have been in the hunt for the Coastal three out of four years, played in the Orange Bowl in the ACC championship year, and have a chance at a 10 win season.
Your record against VT is frankly just a bit of bad luck. Miami has owned you since you ran them out of Bobby Dodd in ‘08, but that’s about the only team that has been lights out against CPJ.
We have certainly struggled to win our games against you…even in the “We run this state” game, you were driving at the end for the win.
If I were you, I would hope CPJ were staying for a long, long time.
Luke
November 22nd, 2011
7:55 am
Bankerdawg,
Im glad you got to it before I did. I hate our fanbase sometimes because they have HUGE expectations for no reason. We’ve had our best recruiting classes in a long time, and frankly, we weren’t supposed to win 7 games this season. People had us being lucky to win bowl games. He’s overlooking that we’ve been blown out once by Miami of those three years, were in the games with VT AND UGA until the very end. We are 3-1 against Clemson and really have been doing well in the ACC.
Let him coach and do his thing before people start talking. When he has another losing season (and some coaches have losing seasons – see 100 winner Mark Richt last year). We’d be fools to even talk about firing him.
ramblingbuzz
November 22nd, 2011
8:12 am
Dang, Out of the mouths of babes and Bankerdawg. +1 to Bankerdawg on that comeback.
SRF
November 22nd, 2011
8:16 am
This will be my one and only post – because this is really pointless – UGA will win because their entire existence and fan obsession depends on winning football games. It is just a hobby for GT and GT alumni. That is just the way it is. No need to expend any energy on silly things like the economic ruin of the country, lets just focus on who can insult the other more…
Dawg4life
November 22nd, 2011
8:28 am
If Sean Spence gave your offense fits, Jarvis Jones is going to have another Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday. Jones is 10 times the player Spence is….
CPJ4EVER
November 22nd, 2011
8:47 am
UGA on watch for Tech’s cut blocks.
DAWG
November 22nd, 2011
8:53 am
I can’t believe the threats against one of your players for a penalty. Cmon people you have a whole team who were guilty for losing that game not just one guy.
DawginLex
November 22nd, 2011
8:55 am
GT boss
Get some new material son
TampaDawg
November 22nd, 2011
9:16 am
GT Bud .. interesting analysis. I think the part that takes away some of the umf to it is seeing New Mexico State at #40. It’s obviously done based on total yards. But seeing the numbers that UGA is posting, I don’t care what level the competition is, they are impressive.
81 ypg rushing
265 ypg total offense
17 points per game
Those are insane numbers to hold over the course of 11 games regardless.
TampaDawg
November 22nd, 2011
9:19 am
GT Boss, somehow, I REALLY doubt you’re all that. Those that are either usally don’t flaunt it like that or they are just horrible leadership (maybe that’s you). You may earn the right to be the boss, but you never earn the right to be a bad leader.
headley lamar
November 22nd, 2011
9:24 am
29th, not bad, but how much of this leans on the earlier part of the year with Latimore?
You do realize they had Latimore when we played them
Its funny to see Tech fans trying to explain away UGA’s defensive improvement to this or that.
Beyond the stats anyone who has watched this team over the last few years and then this year and knows anything about football can see that there has been dramatic improvement.
The UGA defense passes the eye test.
juvenal
November 22nd, 2011
9:30 am
Ken, good job keeping the blog real…..could you ask CPJ sometime how much contact he has with dawg fans the other 364 days?
DAWGMAN
November 22nd, 2011
9:32 am
I dont think he was being sarcastic cause everything he said was the truth lol Go Dawgs!!
TampaDawg
November 22nd, 2011
9:32 am
whats up jevenal??? How are things?
1eyedJack
November 22nd, 2011
9:36 am
And Crowell, with his tweaked ankle stiff, don’t you know,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so?
It hurts during practice! It hurts to my heel!
“It hurt during timeouts, and pregame drills!”
And he puzzled three hours, `til his puzzler was sore.
Then Crowell thought of something he hadn’t before!
“Maybe football,” he thought, “doesn’t come from the TV.
“Maybe football…perhaps…means a little bit more to me!”
And what happened then…?
Well…in Dawg-ville they say
That Crowell’s small heart
Grew three sizes that day!
And the minute his heart didn’t feel quite so tight,
He whizzed with his football through the afternoon light
And he brought back the touchdowns! And the yardage on Tech!
And he…
…HE HIMSELF…!
Crowell, carved up the Ramblin’ Wreck!
carolinajacket
November 22nd, 2011
9:39 am
UGA’s improvement on defense is due to the fact that they have some real athletes. We are going to have to play our very best game or we are in trouble. But it can happen.
JB
November 22nd, 2011
9:41 am
I think Johnson is a good football coach. But, unlike Richt, I think he’s arrogant…Which is fine, that’s probably how Tech likes it, but at .663% at Tech and no bowl bowl wins and one three point win over Georgia and the team on a 4 year probation under his watch, you would think he would be a little more humble? Maybe not.
TampaDawg
November 22nd, 2011
9:43 am
carolinajacket, I think many overlook that. Jarvis Jones, Alec Ogletree, John Jenkins, Herrera, Robinson, Gilliard, Boykin and Smith are all potential Sunday afternoon starters. I think they need to get a little better in the rest of the front 3 but they are improving there from game to game and it has showed. Now, can they string out the plays long enough to fill the gaps to stop the triple option? I think so, but Saturday will be a better determination than what I think.
01HAWK
November 22nd, 2011
9:45 am
GO TECH………………………….Would love for you to shut up the over rated BULL PUPS and all of their drug problems.
PROBATION Nation
November 22nd, 2011
9:46 am
JB, did you say PROBATION?
TampaDawg
November 22nd, 2011
9:47 am
@01HAWK, all their drug problems? This from a fan of a team who RECENTLY had a player transporting hundreds of pounds of pot. But I am sure he was just distributing for the guys OUTSIDE of the sports program only. Give it a rest dude.
juvenal
November 22nd, 2011
9:50 am
Tampa, in the woods a lot, figured the blog would be clogged with the usual drivel, good to see you, Lex, Banker, & JB keeping it grown-up…reality is, we play y’all better in Athens, your team is peaking, i expect them to give LSU fits….
JB
November 22nd, 2011
9:55 am
Murray seems to have good games and bad games. Against Auburn, he looked like Joe Montana throwing pin point passes and 4 TD’s in the first half( would of throw for 7 or 8, but Richt ran the ball the entire second half). Against Kentucky, he looked like a pee wee QB. What is Tech gonna see, who knows, but if he’s on, he’ll light Tech up. If he’s not, and Tech stops the run, it’s anybody’s game
JB
November 22nd, 2011
10:00 am
Gonna be fun to watch the Georgia defense, because the last 3 games, bad teams or not ( AU had actually been rushing the ball well) the Dawgs have held those teams to like 50 yards rushing total combined, and Tech’s bread and butter is running the ball. Should be a good match up.