Tech’s Will Jackson on bowl practice
Greetings-
Sorry for the delay. I have been down for the count with some sort of bug. Just a few notes from an interview with guard Will Jackson.
1. After a week break, Jackson was eager to get back to practice, to start preparing for Utah and ending Tech’s six-game bowl losing streak.
“It’s kind of a known fact that Georgia Tech’s lost ‘X’ number of bowl games in a row,” he said. “The Orange Bowl my first year and last year losing to Air Force, both of those were pretty embarrassing. You work three weeks, put a lot of time and effort into it and you go down and get beat, it’s not a lot of fun.”
2. Jackson said that run and pass blocking technique got a little sloppy towards the end of the season, which is why the line is trying to polish it up early on in bowl practice.
3. Jackson gave a nod to a few younger linemen, specifically Shaq Mason, Trey Braun and Errin Joe. Of Mason, he said that “I think he’s going to be a phenomenal player.”
Jackson also mentioned a member of the scout-team defense that I imagine many of you have never heard of – Xavier Lewis. Lewis transferred from Savannah State and I believe has two years of eligibility remaining. He’s a walk-on.
“He plays hard,” Jackson said of Lewis. “That’s the big thing. Sometimes those guys on the scout team, they get a little discouraged, they’ll go half-speed, not really care, but he’s going full-go every time. Whether it’s trying to give us a look or to prove himself, he definitely makes an impression.”
4. Jackson has a great aunt who lives in El Paso, who he said has lived there her whole life. She married his grandfather’s brother.
“So, kind of a weird connection,” he said. “Still family nonetheless.”
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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287 comments Add your comment
GT-UT
December 7th, 2011
10:37 pm
IL….we’ll take a win anywhere you can find it…buy my hopes exactly. I like to see the different players making the top performers game in and game out. This is the right formula for success early on. Play hard, get rewarded. Play well, get more PT. Everyone welcome. The strongest survive.
1 4 GT
December 7th, 2011
10:46 pm
High Tech. Like Supersize said, I am happy with the deal I got thru Travelocity, but I added a car. I have a room at the Wyndham at the Airport hotel & waterpark. Supersize and I will both arrive El Paso the 30th, but he will be a few hours ahead of me due to flight differences. He is Delta non-stop. I am American stopping @ DFW. GT tix office is going to try to seat us together. Ticket allocation and mail out will occur sometime next week. You might call them if you haven’t got yours after you email Supersize. I gave GT his name & city and they found his order in the computer and would try to oblige us.
1 4 GT
December 7th, 2011
10:50 pm
Re AJC homer rag. Hasn’t it always been thus. The only time they ever gave equal coverage to UGAG & GT was in the Sunday edition during football season. And it might have been tilted to UGAG some then.
Marietta Buzz
December 7th, 2011
11:33 pm
Things have changed. GT whips Bullpups in B’ball. The the Golden Tornado rips the Utes. Days gets player of the game. The mutts get their butts handed to them in FLA.
IL Jacket
December 7th, 2011
11:40 pm
1 4 GT, I agree with your point about the Sunday print edition, at least as I remember it. It also seemed that there were more human interest stories or game within the game stories. I know it is different now, in those days there was much more game reporting, primarily because a lot of people got the sense of the game from the written articles. Today, with 500 channels where virtually every game televised there is much less demand for that type article. It is too bad, because I thought that was some of the great sportswriting by Fisher and Outlar. In essence, setting the scene and telling the story. That is why I sometimes like reading NYT articles on the Ivy League games, they are the few that still have to tell the game story.
1 4 GT
December 7th, 2011
11:41 pm
And all is right in the world Marietta Buzz. I was raised in Marietta & graduated MHS in 1962. I guess you live there. Kinda miss it, but not the traffic. Might as well be renamed Atlanta North,
Capital One Buzz
December 7th, 2011
11:51 pm
2. things 1st We should love Paul Johnson and be thrilled to have him a few years ago an 8 win season was unthinkable and now we can say we want a new coach while being 8 win we need him because hes changed the perception of GT football and 2nd Vote for Buzz at Capitalonebowl.com He is in the finals and probably needs our help
Sun Bowl Bound
December 7th, 2011
11:52 pm
Supersize that order…The west side of town is one of the nicer areas and the Sun Bowl Stadium is on the west side. The only problem with the Hampton Inn is there’s not a lot of entertainment around there. There are restaurants and shopping, but not a lot of clubs etc.
GT1971
December 8th, 2011
12:12 am
Marietta Buzz… You’re on a roll! Don’t stop now.
IL Jacket… 1 4 GT… I used to really enjoy the AJC Sunday sports section – the full story and analysis of the game. Then I was away from Atlanta for many years and bought an AJC Sunday paper and thought they had left out the sports section. I was very surprised what newspaper sports journalism had gone to. In many ways this blog fills in the void left by the newspaper.
See you guys in El Paso!
THWG!
Mountain Dawg
December 8th, 2011
5:02 am
Vad Lee, second coming of Reggie Ball. Losers all!
gtfanfrom1951
December 8th, 2011
6:22 am
Vad lee and Perkins will take Tech back to be ACC Champs………Beat Georgie in B-ball go Jackets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HighTech
December 8th, 2011
6:25 am
Mountain Oyster Dawg…Good to hear from you this morning. I’ll see you in about 15 minutes. Two eggs over easy and hashbrowns scattered, smothered, and covered, please.
bartender
December 8th, 2011
6:47 am
Will Jackson should be embarrassed,so should the other players,the coachs,the AD,the President,the Alumni,former players,future recruits,for the sorry effort they put forth against GA …..CPJ should give back his salary,and Al Groh should be terminated.
andre
December 8th, 2011
7:25 am
uga yawn talk to me after LEE whip them whimpy dawgs
Nom Nom Nom Chuck's Taylor, or Norris if he is avaliable
December 8th, 2011
7:47 am
“There are restaurants and shopping, but not a lot of clubs etc”
hahahahahahahahaha, GT boys hitting the “clubs”, hahahahahahaha, DERP.
Dallas Jacket
December 8th, 2011
8:15 am
Fire Al Groh…… Pay the money to get a Ron Zook or someone who can recruit and coach Defense!
Birmingham Jacket
December 8th, 2011
8:19 am
CPJ to PSU?
I’ll help him pack. Good luck against Michigan, OSU and Wisconsin with the Div-II players he recruits.
Enter A City Here Jacket
December 8th, 2011
8:26 am
I’m up early to go to the mall and shop for fragrance. I hate CPJ so much. He reminds me of my dad.
Buzzed
December 8th, 2011
8:35 am
To Will Jackson: X=6
Albert
December 8th, 2011
8:46 am
When was the last year that Tech won a bowl game?
juvenal
December 8th, 2011
9:16 am
Ken, glad your better-flu is already going around…….have an answer to your country club thought….
Big Dog 98
December 8th, 2011
9:29 am
GT is a joke.
The ACC is a joke.
The Sun Bowl is a joke.
If Vandy were in the ACC, they would win the ACC Championship.
Come only Jacket fans, you have to admit that the ACC is a very, very weak football conference.
Yellow Jacket 89
December 8th, 2011
9:39 am
Next year we need to add Slippery Rock, Georgia State, South Dakota State, Florida A&M, Temple and Agnes Scott College to our schedule … maybe then we can win 8 games.
Bring back Reggie Ball…the greatest quarterback in GT history.
Buzz 94
December 8th, 2011
9:41 am
As soon as Reggie Ball learns to count to 4…maybe he play football again.
Full Metal Jacket
December 8th, 2011
9:49 am
Welcome back, Ken, and hope you’re fully de-bugged soon. Hopefully the football team will follow the hoops team’s lead in breaking the drought by winning in El Paso. Congrats to Coach Gregory and the Hoops Jackets for beating UGA in Athens, and best wishes to Coach Johnson and the football team in ending the bowl losing streak. Remember that Utah was our first loss in this streak, so it’s only appropo that we kick hell out of them and end it……NOW!
Full Metal Jacket
December 8th, 2011
9:53 am
Now, Big Dog 98, it is clear you are also YJ 89 and Buzz 94, and it is also true that your momma will be getting off her shift at the Waffle House pretty soon and you don’t want her to catch you using her computer again. I’m guessing your next faux post name will be MY OWN MOMMA 69, which aptly describes that special little relationship you two have.
Full Metal Jacket
December 8th, 2011
9:56 am
Since you clearly don’t have anything better to do than troll GT blogs and fantasize about Reggie Ball while waiting for your momma to come home, I’m guessing you’re out of meth and waiting for the next government check from Uncle Obama to buy your bowl tickets and next fix.
juvenal
December 8th, 2011
10:02 am
Reggie? wow-such a fresh, insightful opinion-why have i not seen that before? we are blessed to have these witty observers come on with truly innovative contributions!( wait-didn’t Ball leave 5 years ago? kind of like bringing up what a pol did that long ago)
zgoldatl
December 8th, 2011
10:05 am
I want to go to El Paso, but since most of my friends are just Tech fans in passing, nobody wants to commit to an El Paso new years. Anybody know if the alumni association is putting together any trip packages for the game (like they’ve done in the past)? Thanks, and Go Jackets
Jacket Dad
December 8th, 2011
10:15 am
I really hope our guys are mentally ready for the bowl game! I went to Shreveport last year and took much of my family that lived in the area. To say that was a flat, embarrassing experience is an understatement.
I’m proud of what the Jackets have accomplished this year. Would definitely liked to beat UGA, but winning a bowl game would give us positive momentum going into next season.
Full Metal Jacket
December 8th, 2011
10:27 am
Amen! Time to get over a disappointing showing against the pups and to end the bowl winning drought. The bowl game SHOULD be a positive first step to next season. And while I am proud of Tevin Washington improving his overall performance this year (vs. last year) like a lot of Tech fans I am really looking forward to seeing what Vad Lee can do for us and to a real competition for the starting QB role. I’d like to see some real progress among the receiving corps and the entire defense also.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 8th, 2011
10:36 am
@zgoldatl, apparently the Tech AA is not putting together any kind of package, but those things usually end up costing more anyway. Make your own arrangements if you want to go. There are several of us from the blogs already booked to go. Come join us. One blogger found a great package deal (flight, room, car) in Travelocity. Check it out. You can get tickets for the game from Tech
wrecked
December 8th, 2011
11:36 am
PJ to Penn State, thats funny, Pj will be back where he belongs in 1aa after next season.
1 4 GT
December 8th, 2011
12:29 pm
zgoldatl—-myself and 4 or 5 others that I know of are going—-I got a pretty good deal thru Travelocity— flying out 30th & returning the 1st—-2 nights @ Wyndham, RT flight & car @ pretty good price
1 4 GT
December 8th, 2011
12:32 pm
You beat me to it Supersize!
Albert
December 8th, 2011
2:16 pm
No one knows what year Tech last won a bowl game?
juvenal
December 8th, 2011
2:40 pm
pretty sure you can google just about any question on line-look at the top of your screen……
IL Jacket
December 8th, 2011
3:44 pm
juvenal, that’s mean. You know Albert(or whatever his real name is) doesn’t have access to a Google Machine at his local library.
Navigator
December 8th, 2011
3:45 pm
PJohnson is discovering that in a conference they learn how to stop a run offense. Second, there is no QB that can get crushed on every play and still be an accurate passer. PJohnson needs to move again where is option is unknown and he can have a couple of good years.
Navigator
December 8th, 2011
3:47 pm
Remember also that PJohnson’s best two years here was with top level recruits signed by Gailey. It’s becoming obvious that he can’t sign blue chippers to play in the option.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 8th, 2011
3:51 pm
Navigator, the option worked pretty good this past season (2nd in rushing in the country). And TW really didn’t take that much abuse on the field—-not nearly as much as Nesbitt did. His passing was generally inaccurate or poorly timed. If he improves, or if Vad takes over and passes as good as advertised, there will be more of a balance in the offensive play, and we will still pile on the yards. What we HAVE to have is a good defense, and with all the redshirts and committed or still interested recruits, that may be improving FINALLY too.
IL Jacket
December 8th, 2011
3:58 pm
Supersize, couldn’t agree more-and the good news is that no one can say it is the scheme that holds anyone who wants to go to NFL from achieving their goal. In the recent years, our defensive players have done really well in making the transition to the NFL. I do worry about two things on defensive recruitment. I like Al Groh, lot of experience, but he does not appear to be a long term DC and recruits may have some issues there. Secondly, I wonder if CPJ personally spends enough time recruiting the defensive side of the ball.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 8th, 2011
4:29 pm
IL Jacket, based on commitments already made and interest still indicated by others, I would say that recruiting for the defense is improving. We just have to sign those who have committed or expressed interest. And there ARE apparently some redshirts who will be able to contribute quite a bit next year, to go along with the experience gained by those already playing and not graduating. That’s the HOPE at any rate.
IL Jacket
December 8th, 2011
4:52 pm
Thanks Super for the insight. I will feel a lot better when I see Kallon’s signature on a Tech loi.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 8th, 2011
5:00 pm
Yeah, I agree with you on that one
Albert
December 8th, 2011
5:31 pm
Since no one can remember when Tech last won a bowl game, can anyone remember how many bowl games CPJ has won at Tech?
19
December 8th, 2011
5:35 pm
How many tons of trash has been dumped on UGA’s campus by their fans? Can anyone answer that?
19
December 8th, 2011
5:37 pm
Can anyone tell me how many points are scored with a three point basket?
Dawg48
December 8th, 2011
5:37 pm
Charlie weis is leaving Florida….
Took kansas job.
19
December 8th, 2011
5:42 pm
Can anyone tell me why Jan Kemp made such a big fuss about preferential treatment for UGA athletes?