Georgia Tech’s Roddy Jones on 2008 run
Greetings-
A few notes, leading with the top of a fairly lengthy interview with A-back Roddy Jones about his touchdown run. Particularly for Georgia Tech fans with shorter memories, the run has become iconic. I’d think if you could boil coach Paul Johnson’s four years down to one play, that might be it.
Those who attend Tech games know that the game production crew plays highlights from across the decades before each game. The clip of Jones’ run shrugging off Reshad Jones‘ tackle and tightrope-walking down the sideline invariably draws the biggest cheer. Part of that – perhaps a lot of it – is that it was only three years ago. Some of the other plays, there aren’t many people in the stands that were alive to see them and understand their significance.
But, anyway, it’s part of a longer interview I did with Jones that will run Friday.
Q: What did the run feel like?
A: It was surreal. It all happened so fast. I wasn’t really sure if I’d stayed in bounds, I wasn’t sure if they were going to review it. My celebration was one of kind of figuring out what just happened. I remember getting in the end zone and turning around and waiting for a whistle or something. Then we got to the sideline, we were ready for a review and it never came. It was definitely an exciting game to win. The run, I just say I was at the right place at the right time. (Joshua) Nesbitt pitched me the ball and I just tried to make the best of it.
Q: When did you know it had a chance to break?
A: I guess when they lined up the way we designed it, I knew it was going to have a chance. But they actually played it fairly well. They just missed a couple tackles. Sometimes that happens. I guess when I broke the last tackle and started running, that’s when I knew I was going to have a chance to score.
Q: What’s it like to have made a play that’s so iconic in the rivalry?
A: It’s kind of crazy, especially to still be here and have it mean so much to people. I still have people come up to me and tell me where they were when they saw it. It’s a very cool feeling. It kind of shows what the rivalry means to people. It’s very humbling as well to have people say, ‘That’s my favorite run’ or other things like that. it’s very humbling.
Q: Have you gotten any sort of reaction from Georgia fans?
A: Not that much. Georgia fans tend not to even acknowledge that it happened. Mostly, it’s from Tech fans, which is good.
A couple other notes:
1. Tech will go back to its standard B-back rotation with David Sims and Preston Lyons. Quarterbacks and B-backs coach Brian Bohannon (a Georgia grad) said that coaches wanted to give Lyons a chance to heal up some bumps to get him back to 100 percent (or as close as you can get at this point of the season) last week.
“David and Preston have been our guys,” Bohannon said. “We’ve kind of gotten into a little bit of a rotation with those guys, and I would imagine that would be a little bit of our approach, but we’ll see how the week goes and how things develop.”
2. Tech is cautioning fans attempting to buy tickets through secondary markets. The athletic association can’t guarantee the validity of any ticket not purchased through the ticket office or an authorized Tech ticket representative.
Think twice if someone offers you a Post-It note that says “UGA-Tech 50-yard line ticket.”
Seriously, though, I know the Falcons have dealt with counterfeit tickets in recent years as the quality of counterfeit tickets has evidently improved greatly, so do be mindful if you’re going that route. The top asking price for a club-seat ticket is $439 on Stubhub, so there’s certainly incentive for a counterfeiter.
For whatever it’s worth, I know Stubhub has a ticket protection policy, and I imagine other ticket re-sellers have similar policies, though I’d certainly ask about it before buying. With Stubhub, if you get sold counterfeit tickets, your money will be refunded. Which isn’t exactly a guarantee, but at least offers some protection.
3. I’ll hopefully have more information about A-back Orwin Smith after practice, though I’m not counting on much. As you hopefully read, he is going to try to play on a turf-toe injury but didn’t sound 100 percent confident that he’ll be able to play the whole game. As I noted, I’ve been told, read and heard that turf toe can be terribly painful.
With his speed, Embry Peeples is a more than worthy replacement, but Tech would obviously like Smith’s playmaking ability.
4. I’m not sure I want to extend the discussion about Johnson’s remarks, but I find one thing curious about the superiority that some Tech fans (or at least alumni) proclaim towards Georgia fans that hopefully can generate some thoughtful debate. By publicly proclaiming it, I think they’re helping extend one of their most enduring problems – filling Bobby Dodd Stadium.
It should be made clear that Johnson’s comment was referring specifically to the fan who called in to bark, not to all Georgia fans. He had said earlier in the day that most of his interactions with Bulldogs fans are cordial. He said something regrettable and apologized. I think we can all degree that that caller probably needs a new hobby.
This isn’t about him, but rather what feels like a pervasive attitude among Tech fans, if this blog’s comments are any barometer. And even if they’re not very reflective, they’re still comments from unofficial representatives of the school available to anyone with an Internet connection.
I am fairly confident that Dan Radakovich would only be too happy to accept season-ticket orders from whatever Walmart or McDonald’s employee who wanted to place them. However, what blue-collar worker, even if he likes Tech’s offense or Johnson’s brashness, would want to be in a stadium knowing that there are Tech fans who look down on him because he didn’t go to Tech and doesn’t make six figures?
You can say, No, we’re not talking about every Walmart employee. It’s just a putdown of the quality of a Georgia education and its fans in general. It’s just a joke. And not every Tech fan feels that way.
I get that. Regardless, the line of logic is Georgia fan = Walmart employee = inferior to Tech people. I understand it’s a joke, but it’s probably not very funny to people who work at Walmart and people who for whatever reason didn’t go to college.
Further, the “I bet you didn’t even go to Georgia” insult basically is a message, intended or not, to every fan who roots Tech but didn’t go to school there, “You can come visit our country club and we’ll take your money, but you’ll never be a member.”
I imagine none of this is new, and you can call me an oversensitive baby. I probably am. But if you’re wondering why Tech can’t fill up Bobby Dodd or grow its fan base, I think you have to consider it as one reason, however small.
It goes both ways. Some Georgia fans’ use of “nerd” as a pejorative is equally confounding and material for another blog.
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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219 comments Add your comment
George Stein
November 23rd, 2011
5:48 pm
The only UGA fans that post regularly that I feel superior to are:
- WnE because I think he’s dishonest and has an unhealthy obsession with Vad Lee.
- dawgfan – because he lectures us about our arrogance but is, himself, as arrogant as they come
- atlxman – because he has this odd fixation with our offense
- headley lamar – because he’s a blithering idiot
Other than that, most of the UGA folks are good, decent people and I don’t feel superior to them. In fact, I probably have an inferiority complex. It’s why I work as hard as I do.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
5:50 pm
OK, guys, it is dinner time for me, and I HOPE I can manage to stay away from the blogs tonight. I have spent the better part of last night and today on here, and I am way behind in things I need to get done. I will probably check in late tonight, so if I don’t see you all, I will for you now a Very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving. All my love—–Supersize
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
5:54 pm
George, I think you should add superDawg to that list.
carolinajacket
November 23rd, 2011
5:55 pm
Tampa, it is hard that TruthHurts wrote that seriously. I suspect it is just some foolishness being put out to get things hotter. Twentyone Rhodes Scholars alone shows that everyone who goes to UGA is not a fool, not to mention all the other graduates who have contributed so much to our state and country. I will argue that Tech’s restricted and demanding curriculum puts it at an athlectic disadvantage. But that is a far, far distance from saying that UGA has no quality academic programs or outstanding and bright students. I cannot believe that any educated person can’t see that this is obvious.
George Stein
November 23rd, 2011
5:57 pm
I don’t even read his posts because they are completely incoherent. I suppose the others in the list are, too, but I just don’t care about him.
ToeMeetsLeather
November 23rd, 2011
6:03 pm
Ken, there is some truth to what you say about the elitist attitude but I think the biggest factor is the “NY Yankee/Dallas Cowboy” effect. Most sidewalk fans gravitate to UGA because they win the majority of the time. With the exception of a few special seasons, TECH has had a below average team for the last thirty years. Why would a fan with no special connection to the Institute become a fan under those conditions? If CPJ makes TECH his home for the long haul and takes three or four out of ten from the Dawgs and in contention for the ACC title most years this will change.
19
November 23rd, 2011
6:22 pm
Ken, great article on Daryl Dickey. I wish his photo was attached. Thank you
Old Blind Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
6:29 pm
You guys better be careful denigrating Walmart or McDonald’s employees – where will you buy your clothes or take your honey out for the special Friday night dinner if either close.
superDawg
November 23rd, 2011
6:33 pm
Thanks ss I thought I was slipping there for a moment.
Old Blind Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
6:34 pm
Anyone up to talking football? I have some thoughts on THE game that I would like to throwout but will not engage in drivel from either side.
carolinajacket
November 23rd, 2011
6:43 pm
Fire away — with football talk.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
6:49 pm
Blind, go for it
Old Blind Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
6:51 pm
Long – likely multiple posting – here we go. Hopefully we can discuss each of my points individually.
I think UGA has better talent.
Both teams have a scheme – UGA the more common pro-style offense.
Both teams employ a form of the 3 4 defense.
The outcome of the game will be determined by defense. Will the more talented UGA defense be able to limit the damage done by the GT TO which CPJ has mastered.
CPJ does more with less than most D1 schools BoBo does less with more.
Both defenses are in their second year. UGA has made more progress than GT primarily because they have better 3 4 personnel.
More to follow.
Old Blind Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
6:53 pm
Let me add I’m coming from a UGA wins point of view – no guarantee just a gut feeling.
carolinajacket
November 23rd, 2011
6:55 pm
I agree that overall UGA has better talent. But this is a bit countered by the offense the Tech runs. I think the biggest problem will be on the defensive side. Tech will have to play as well or better than they did against Clemson.
5150 UOAD
November 23rd, 2011
6:56 pm
19 go to rambling wreck .com and check his picture on the roster.
George Stein
November 23rd, 2011
7:01 pm
I think the matchup is our offense against UGA’s defense, OBD. I think y’all are going to score on us and I don’t think we can score enough. Ultimately, UGA’s defense makes a play or two and wins the game. I expect something like 31-21 UGA.
19
November 23rd, 2011
7:01 pm
Georgia has many talented and big athletes. I remember stuff about “Dream” team etc. Tech has many young talented athletes. We need bigger athletes, it’ll happen. Go Jackets!
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
7:02 pm
Blind, I think that is a very fair assessment of things. I am of the mind though that UGA hasn’t faced a particularly good offense since Boise State, and he certainly hasn’t faced a triple-option-oriented one. The dogs had better talent than Tech on defense last year also and they couldn’t stop Tech (despite the fact that UGA won the game). I don’t think talent per se is the key on defense; I think a disciplined approach is the key, and in the 4 years that Johnson has been at Tech, ONLY Iowa has played consistently disciplined defense.
Realist
November 23rd, 2011
7:04 pm
In the century long battles between Tech and UGA, there is only one game where a team totally quit…51-7 in 2002…Tech folks can never erase that day.
George Stein
November 23rd, 2011
7:06 pm
That game essentially meant that no matter what Gailey did, he could not win over his constituents, Realist. UGA was really, really good that year, and there was no shame in losing to them that year. But giving up was unacceptable.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
7:06 pm
Realist, I was there. I’m not sure that they quit; I don’t think they ever started. LOL
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
7:07 pm
That would NEVER have happened like that under O’Leary, and I am pretty sure it could never happen under Johnson either.
George Stein
November 23rd, 2011
7:08 pm
Eh, it’s more than discipline that slows Tech down. I mean, every defense has to be disciplined. If there’s one out there that doesn’t require it, I sure haven’t seen it.
Our offense requires defenses to get off their blocks, just like any other offense. The challenge our offense presents is that we only have to hold the block for a short period of time before the ball carrier is by the defense.
Adrian Clayborne dominated us because Iowa was able to assign two guys to him and he was able to deliver.
Robert
November 23rd, 2011
7:10 pm
I have more friends, who are season ticket holders, who did not go to Tech than those who did go to Tech. I went and graduated, and don’t feel superior to anyone just because of their level of education.
I do feel that I support the program with the best record of educating athletes in meaningful degree. I honestly feel that many of Ugas players could not get admitted to Tech, and major in worthless degrees just to play football.
19
November 23rd, 2011
7:12 pm
That was Chan’s inauguration. It was not pleasant. We’ve got CPJ now.
Tech’s offensive scheme will need to put up points every chance they can. Plus eat up the clock in the process. That’s for you Old Blind Dog.
Go Jackets!
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
7:13 pm
George, I hear what you’re saying, but when I say “disciplined defense,” I mean a defensive player or players need to stick to his or their assignments and not get “fooled” by the option. Iowa is really the only team we have played under Johnson who at some point didn’t get “fooled” on a consistent basis. The other games that we have lost under Johnson have been more due to our offense not playing disciplined ball themselves, and OBVIOUSLY our lousy defense.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
7:13 pm
I want to see at least 3 CPJ death marches, chewing minutes and minutes off the clock and then scoring TD’s
carolinajacket
November 23rd, 2011
7:18 pm
I want to see US getting some turnovers. If we do, and don’t give up any, we might just pull this one out. I hope our defense doesn’t wear down in the fourth quarter. It has not been very good for us.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
7:19 pm
carolina, that’s another reason we need those death marches. Keep the offense on the field long enough and wear out their defense while ours rests
Old Blind Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
7:20 pm
Super I really think last year is irrelevant. The difference in last years D and this years is night and day. Grantham has more of the type players he needed and the kids are really buying into the system. GT on the other hand has not been able to really fill in the holes. That being said I feel better about being able to slow the GT ground game more than we did last year.
I feel pretty good when looking at our passing attack less good about our running game especially if Crowell and Thomas are no shows. GT will have a match-up problem with our WR’s and TE’s.
This game is huge in our family as we have 7 GT grads and 3 UGA grads which makes our Thanksgiving get together lively to say the least.
ToeMeetsLeather
November 23rd, 2011
7:23 pm
As usual, it will probably come down to turnovers. We win by two touchdowns in Athens last year w/o the turnovers. If we can limit it to one, or better yet none, we can win this game. We also need the special teams to have a solid day, limit the Georgia return yards and no 15 yard punts. Hope Orwin is good to go, we need him and his power on the edge.
Old Blind Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
7:26 pm
Super I feel the same as you – we need to control the clock and keep the TO watching.
As far as wearing out our D with sustained drives I wouldn’t count on it. We have great depth at LB (due to earlier injuries that are no longer a factor) and have played 6 or more on the D line. We have two quality NT’s. LB’s make the 3 4 work and we have more depth at LB than any position except TE.
19
November 23rd, 2011
7:28 pm
Old Blind Dawg, it’s simple for me. Tech has to play their best game to win. Some Dawg fans don’t know it but the UGA football team is completely focused on Tech. They know why it matters. Tech is focused on Georgia. It’s Great!
I hope the refs do not decide the game! That’s not even on your list!
Go Jackets!!!
George Stein
November 23rd, 2011
7:30 pm
The best way to prevent the players from getting fooled is to do the same thing on defense over and over. The problem is that Johnson will change the blocking scheme if the defense is slowing things down.
I suppose I believe that UGA’s defense actually is better than last year. I recognize they haven’t been playing offensive juggernauts and I hope I’m wrong, but I think if they hold us to 24 points or less, they win because we won’t hold them under 24.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
7:30 pm
Well, Blind, that’s why they play the game on the field and not on here. We shall see, and I don’t mean that flippantly. I need to go now. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving, and Blind, I hope the GT member of your family have a better one than you—at least on Saturday….LOL
Old Blind Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
7:31 pm
ToeMeet you are correct – turnovers and penalties will be huge. But I keep going back to the actual match-ups. Our OL has been hit and miss all year but they are talented and freaking huge (largest in all of football – pros included) so I’m hoping they can wear down the GT DL. Our WR’s are good enough to give DC nightmares and your only hope is to get to AM or hope he has one of those inexplicable bad games he seems to have.
HighTech
November 23rd, 2011
7:38 pm
ToeMeetsLeather speaks the truth:
“Ken, there is some truth to what you say about the elitist attitude but I think the biggest factor is the “NY Yankee/Dallas Cowboy” effect. Most sidewalk fans gravitate to UGA because they win the majority of the time. With the exception of a few special seasons, TECH has had a below average team for the last thirty years. Why would a fan with no special connection to the Institute become a fan under those conditions? If CPJ makes TECH his home for the long haul and takes three or four out of ten from the Dawgs and in contention for the ACC title most years this will change.”
Winning fixes everything.
Old Blind Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
7:50 pm
This answers most of the questions………….
“TECH has had a below average team for the last thirty years. Why would a fan with no special connection to the Institute become a fan under those conditions? If CPJ makes TECH his home for the long haul and takes three or four out of ten from the Dawgs and in contention for the ACC title most years this will change.”
19
November 23rd, 2011
8:01 pm
I’m sure Orwin will play. His injury is worse than it sounds though. Hell, I’m sure anyone eligible to play will be available. Tech is playing a physically huge team. I remember watching the UNC game and noticing how huge they were. Somehow we beat them. We can beat those GIANT bulldogs!
Go Yellow Jackets!!!
Kendall
November 23rd, 2011
8:17 pm
Walmart employees. Heck, Drad would gladly take ticket orders from KKK members. All he is interested in is money.
5150 UOAD
November 23rd, 2011
8:20 pm
kendall…………..sorry they already have their tickets to the SEC school for their choice.
Attendence has nothing to do
November 23rd, 2011
8:28 pm
With what is said here. It has everything to do with the size and demographics of the graduating student body
ken sorry but your full of it
November 23rd, 2011
8:38 pm
i moved to atlanta in the early 70’s as an osu alum an fan. the first state team i was attracted to was uga, i liked erk russel and how he coached. for a brief period i was a gawga fan too. that is until i started meeting the some of uga fans.
the most obnoxious bunch of drunks i have ever been around. spit in your face crawl on the ground barking drunk. obnoxious. AND that was the nice ones.
i had tosu stickers on my car and had many antennas snapped. cups or drinks spilled on my car. i went to see uga play fla in jax and at one point a drunk dawg fan grabbed me, a complete stranger, by the shirt collar and proceeded to tell me i better be a dawg fan or he would kick my ass.
he was lucky i was sober that day to say the least.
my whole time in atlanta all i heard was wooff woof woof sec sec sec sec. when i would congregate around uga fans they would often tell me how f’d woody hayes was. say what? woody is an icon. something no coach at uga ever will attain,,,, unless you consider vince the cheat dooley somebody to admire. than i started hearing stories about wallly butts and his antics. when i would mention his name the dawgs were actually proud of the crap he pulled,
so for my your full of it. the dawgs are probably the most disliked program/fan base in the sec and with good reason.
how the hell you can defend a fan base that urinates and defecates in its own buildings and take us to task is beyond me.
as far as coach johnson and the dawgs maybe you need to review a game we had with them a few years back. during the game the uga players trash talked cpj. during the game mind you. i have never ever ever ever ever heard any gt player speak ill of coach richt. during a game or after a game. what kind of program..,, what kind of coach allows his player to act like that to an opposing coach.
uga that is who.
why not visit some of the blogs of uga’s most recent oc opponents and see what they think of uga and its fan base. obviously you would be surprised. obviously!
gt has never ever done things to uga fans like uga has done. ask fans about vince dooley turning on the water hoses on opposing fan bases. ask our basevball team what happened at uga when we were walking off the field at their place after we beat their asses,. they turned the sprinklers on us. this is the same gt team that took up a collection for a severly injured uga player.
ask gt fans what vince dooley had to say about honoring al ciraldo after he died, they certainly did not honor him as we are about to do saturday,
ken your full of it………………………………….
ole yeller
November 23rd, 2011
8:54 pm
To the Ken sorry post, a good one. You witnessed some of the same things as a lot of us have with the UGA nation. As far as Vince Dooley having the same class as CMR. exhibits. He is not even in the ball park.
ole yeller
November 23rd, 2011
9:20 pm
Is this blog still open? Hello out there.
northbeach Scott
November 23rd, 2011
9:25 pm
Ken,
When was a student at Tech in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s we always joked about and looked down on our cousins in Athens and we hated the swine.
However, over the years I have found most of the UGA grads I have interviewed to be such dunderheads that I finally, just stopped interviewing anyone with an undergraduate degree from there (or any other GA public college). Just too ignorant to be effective in big business outsided the state and will accents too hickey to speak with customers.
Consequently, I enjoy when little old GA Tech occasionally defeats these low lives in the fall classic. To hell with Georgia (and I do mean the entire state).
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
9:38 pm
@ken sorry….., everything you say is true, and that feeling is shared by most fans of other schools in the southeast. HOWEVER, don’t take it out on Ken. He didn’t graduate from or even attend UGA. He is doing his job, and part of that, at least in his opinion, is to try to keep things cool on these blogs. I can assure you he is not defending the kinds of action you mentioned. The actions AND words of Tech fans need to rise to a higher level than that of the mutts, and I believe he is trying to encourage that kind of behavior amongst us. He is only allowed to do so much as to “controlling” the talk on here, whether it comes from us or from the mutt trolls. And be assured, there are quite a few DECENT dawg fans who post on here, and they don’t like what some of their fellow fans post either. I have met Ken in person, and he is a VERY VERY nice guy. He is neither a Tech fan nor a UGA fan, but I think I speak for all the regular Tech posters on here in saying that he is doing one HELLUVA GOOD JOB of covering Tech. In short, cut him some slack and enjoy the consistently good things he writes about the Jackets.
northbeach Scott
November 23rd, 2011
9:53 pm
Given that Tech is so much smaller a student population than UGA and that a much larger portion of Tech students are international or out of state than UGA, it stands to reason that a larger % of Tech alumni live outside the Atlanta area and therefore the fan base to fill the stadium is really small.
I have only lived in Atlanta for 4 1/2 out of the 28 1/2 years I have worked, eventhough I am a native Atlantan. Also, going into downtown Atlanta and dealing with the scumbags/thugs around the stadium is not high on my list of fun things to do.
19
November 23rd, 2011
9:53 pm
Super, you did not keep it short…LOL
Go Jackets!