Paul Johnson Q&A, Part 4
Fourth segment of interview with Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson. This portion deals largely with the quarterbacks, including the upcoming competition in spring practice.
Q: Going into spring practice, where do you have to get better?
A: We’ve got to get better at everything. It’s like when you watch the thing, we weren’t as good at running the triple (option) as we need to be by any stretch. Certainly, we need to be more efficient throwing and the same things every year. I don’t know that it’ll ever change. It’s always going to be like that.
Defensively, you (have to) get better at rushing the passer, being consistent tackling, better in special teams. There’s no any area I can say, ‘Oh, wow, we’re really good there.’ We were pretty good offensively on third downs. I think we led the country or were second (in third-down conversion rate). We probably were in the top 3 or 4 in (fewest offensive) three-and-outs. That’s always a positive. You’d like to get more three-and-outs on defense.
Q: The problems in the passing game, would you say it was a system-wide matter?
A: I don’t know if you can say it’s system-wide or not. We were pretty efficient the first four or five games.
Q: I mean, would you say it was system-wide as opposed to just one player or a position group?
A: Talent, too. I think as the competition level got better, we weren’t quite as good. We could do it against some people and other people, we struggled. Sometimes, it’s matchups and different things. You’re always looking for what will help you in that area. Can you tweak things? Can you do some things that will help you?
Q: How close is Tevin Washington to his ceiling?
A: I don’t know. I think he got a lot better. I think he’ll have to continue to get better or he’ll get passed. But he’s had a knack for doing that. I don’t think anybody thought he would be the quarterback last year and he didn’t let the guys beat him out. I’m sure in their mind, they’re coming this spring to beat him out right now. There’s probably two or three that think they can beat him out. (But) they’ve got to do it. And we’d be a better team if they do. And it’ll make him better fighting ‘em off. Competition’s a great thing.
Q: I imagine the quarterback competition is one you’re looking forward to a lot, especially given the hand you have in coaching those players.
A: I have not had the time to work with those guys like I have in the past. It’s something I miss. I’d like to get more time to do that. Brian (Bohannon) is pretty much coaching them. There’s so much going on (as head coach). You can stick your head in now and then, and during the game, I call the pays and I do that, but during the week, I don’t get to spend a lot of time with them, not like you’d like to.
Q: Do you have any plans to change that?
A: You always have the intention of it changing, but part of being the head coach is you’ve got a lot of other duties. You’re not the quarterback coach. You’ve got a lot of things that happen, a lot of things you’re dealing with. That’s why you hire a guy to do it and you’ve got to trust them to do it.
Q: I remember you telling a story about (former Georgia Southern coach) Erk Russell telling you after you’d become head coach to work with the quarterbacks, because that’s what you do best…
A: I watch practice every day and I’m around the drills and I’m always watching. If I need to go get involved, I will, but Brian’s been doing it now for four years and he knows what he’s doing. He knows what we’re trying to accomplish. You have to trust that he’s going to do a good job with them. I think he does.
Q: Where do Synjyn Days and Vad Lee have to get better?
A: Just get more consistent and be better. They’re both athletic and they bring something to the table. Synjyn’s a really strong runner, big. Needs to take better care of the ball, be consistent that way. I think for Vad, it’s just playing, learning the system. I would hope that he’s going to look a lot different this spring than you would expect a true freshman to come in in the fall.
You’ve got Dennis Andrews in here now. He’s going to be a little bit behind, then you’ve got Justin (Thomas), who’ll come in in the fall. Hopefully, this spring, we can sort out the Vad-Synjyn deal and know where that stands. And as compared to Tevin, we’ll see where they stand.
If both of ‘em beat him out, then we’ll see where you go, but you’d hope within 15 days, they’ll start to give you some idea of how that’ going to unfold.
Q: Are you hoping that after spring practice, you’ll have a good feel for who’s going to be the guy?
A: I don’t know if in 15 practices, if you’re going to know that, but certainly, you’ll be a lot closer to it than you would otherwise. What we’ve got to do is find a way in the spring to make sure that we give ‘em enough reps to get ‘em a chance to do it. Tevin’s played a lot; he might be the guy that gets less reps because he knows the system.
When we scrimmage on Saturday mornings, he may get a series or two with the [first string]. We’ll see how it goes. But you’ve got to let the other two guys play if you’re going to find out who’s going to be the better of the two.
Q: There was a school of thought that you might have been better served if Lee had gotten playing time early. I’m wondering what you thought about that.
A: We were one penalty away from probably winning our division and going to the ACC championship. At what point would have put him in? The other kid (Washington) was leading the country in passing efficiency for six weeks. He was 6-0. Are you going to take him out and put a true freshman in?
You’re not going to waste a year of eligibility to put him in in the fourth quarter when you’re ahead 70-20. I mean, I’m not. It’s like, in my mind, we didn’t even get Synjyn in enough. There’s no way you’re going to get three of them enough reps.
Thanks for reading. Part 5, which I think will be the last one, will be posted Wednesday morning.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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264 comments Add your comment
FL Jacket
March 6th, 2012
1:27 pm
5150…
It took me 5 years, but I only took Summer classes once during that span and had summer jobs/internships and such. SAs generally are at school year round and take Summer classes so it wouldn’t surprise me if many of them actually graduate quicker than the student body.
sorry guys but i really dont see where
March 6th, 2012
1:31 pm
cpj is different than other coaches.
oleary = cpj for the most part. chan oleary and cpj have all been called stubborn to a fault. funny though that it was cpj that made changes to his staff on his own. if i remember right chan was forced to remove dave wilson and a few others by the ad. if anyvbody had told oleary he needed to make coaching change i do think that he would have told them to go f themselves.
chan had a bad habit of treating a kid like an nfl player. when it came to academics ask reggie ball how that worked out for him? reggie wasnt the only casualty of chan;s lack of discipline. oleary was better but he had his faults.
i do believe that our academic progress under cpj will be the best of those 3 by far.
none of them were particularly smooth at handling reporters or the fan base that i remember.
i specifically remember chan completely shutting down and circling the wagons in his ‘us against the world’ tantrums..do any of you remember chan having 4 part interviews in the 7 years he was here? i dont.
now looking a bit to the east …. it seems that coach huggie bear has been a bit prickly on more than one occasion this year alone. over 10 years richt exactly like chan has continued to stick with his staff even in the face of abysmal mediocrity…. unlike cpj. cpj has made more major staff changes than either richt or chan in a shorter span of time yet many of you call cpj stubborn and arrogant. breaking news… all coaches are arrogant. they have to be as it comes with the territory.
the difference i see between richt and johnson is that johnson has more of a sarcastic personality.
sorry but i just dont see where cpj is all that different than any other college fb coaches for the most part.
i like him and i am happy that he is our coach.
all of you whiners keep harping on last year but you never mention we had the 2nd youngest team in the entire country yet we were a few plays away from another divisional championship.
go jackets
Ramblin Man
March 6th, 2012
1:35 pm
gtTat,
Jemea Thomas is a great player in my opinion and will be a starter, but there is a reason Sweeting and Young have the starting spots. Sweeting is a lock down corner and if you watch you will see that many a team threw it away from Sweeting because of his cover skills. J. Thomas stands out to people because of the downed punt early in the season and two interceptions in the Clemson game. Both of the interceptions had more to do with bad passes/QB and WR being on the same page than J. Thomas making a great pick. Look for a lot of substitution this year with Thomas, Young, Sweeting, Holton, Golden, Noble, Richardson, and Johnson depending on the defensive schemes being used as the DB depth looks good and deep.
5150 UOAD
March 6th, 2012
1:36 pm
I think the ACC has a better shot of getting PENN STATE and ND than the Big 10 getting Tech. I will not travel to many of those games past October 1st. I am southern and don’t plan on freezing for a whole season. LOL
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
1:38 pm
Jemea Thomas’s best play in the Clemson game was early in the 3rd quarter when he was man to man on Sammy Watkins. I believe the score was 24-10 at the time and Boyd pitched one deep down the middle and Jemea went up and broke up the pass. He forced a fumble a four or five plays later and we scored to go up 31-10. He’s a tremendous player.
hey gtTAT
March 6th, 2012
1:39 pm
are you serious? really? Really?
there is a difference between practice and the games. hill had a major problem with the ‘gotchas’ on game day. that is a physiological issue not a coaching issue.
Ghost
March 6th, 2012
1:41 pm
you fail to consider that Gailey faced Georgia tams that were winning SEC championships and finishing in top 10 on an annual basis 2002 – 2005 had the lead and lost in 2006 by 3 points. In 2007 Georgia finished #2 in the nation , Other than 2008 when Georgia had 18 scholarship players out due to injury Pj has faced and lost to 2 of the worst Georgia teams in the past 11 years.And did that with the benefit of the 1 very good class Gailey recruited. I think PJ will turn out to be the worst hire Techs ever made, I hope he stays at tech forever.The past 3 years tech has never lead , and has trailed in most games by 10 or more points in the majority of each game. Last year wasn’t close and Georgia was playing with 4th team tailback, unplugging the offense in the 4th quarter. Please keep PJ.
something you will never see a gager fan say...
March 6th, 2012
1:41 pm
“It took me 5 years, but I only took Summer classes once during that span and had summer jobs/internships and such. .”
14 GT
March 6th, 2012
1:42 pm
HEY WEENIE (WnE)!!!! GO THE FREAK AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sorry ghost but your wrong
March 6th, 2012
1:47 pm
again. uga has consistently had top 10 recruiting classes. we have still had to deal with a talent disparity even under cpj. matter of fact uga has been talking recruiting dream teams now for the last 3-4 years. i am not going to bother but i would guess that that they have recruited better players while cpj was here as compared to chan.
when uga was reeking havoc lsu and bama and ark and sc were not the programs they are now. so those accomplishments are tainted.
FL Jacket
March 6th, 2012
1:47 pm
Ghost…
The 2006 and 2007 games were the last straw, since CCG had better talent than uGA and still found ways to lose…very ugly. Tech fans will have a hard time ever forgetting that 2-game stretch in 2006 where we lost COFH and then lost to Wake Forest in two of the mst horribly quarterbacked games back-to-back we can ever remember…
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
1:49 pm
Is this the part where we say that UGA was finishing that high because Richt was winning with Donnan’s players at a time when Florida and Tennessee sucked?
speaking of tainted..
March 6th, 2012
1:49 pm
WnE ghost and gt4ever can smell mine.
i have some hash browns for you girls.
speaking of tainted..
March 6th, 2012
1:51 pm
great point george…… touche ghost.
Al Bundy
March 6th, 2012
1:53 pm
I make no claims to be a football expert, but I don’t think you have to be to see some serious issues with CPJ. I think he is way too full of himself for someone who has accomplished very little. And yes I know we won the ACC championship, but with someone else’s recruits and we were rewarded with NCAA violations and being stripped of our title. So it’s not much of an accomplishment at that price. Since CPJ came to town our recruiting hasn’t gotten better, our special teams aren’t better, our defense under Al Groh hasn’t improved, our record against quality teams isn’t better, and our bowl game record hasn’t improved. Would someone give me a reason to get on the CPJ bandwagon. Oh I’m sorry we were one penalty away from the ACC championship game. Another example of CPJ NOT taking responsibility.
i love jamea
March 6th, 2012
1:53 pm
but towards the end of last season he was getting eaten alive by the wide receivers over n over again.
he was a rfr and will only get better and better.
al please take your hand out of your pants
March 6th, 2012
1:54 pm
and read the post on cpj above. all coaches are full of themselves. duh
i bet your chantastic.
5150 UOAD
March 6th, 2012
1:55 pm
Ghost Chan was facing UGa teams that were winning the SEC because the SEC was down more than UGa was great. The UGA recruiting classes were basically like they still are today as compared to the Talent TECH is getting.
Birmingham Jacket
March 6th, 2012
1:56 pm
My predictions:
@Va Tech: Embarassing beat-down loss on national TV
Presb. Blue Horse High School: Big win.
UVA: Win
Miami: Loss. They’re too physical and bigger than our 2-3* signees.
Middle Tenn State: Win.
@ Clemson: Close. But loss.
BC: Tough call. Again, they’re big along the los, and that gives us trouble. Close Win
BYU: Same as BC. Close win.
@ MD: Toss up
@UNC: Loss
Duke: Win
@ UGA: Same as we started the season… Beat-down loss.. Could be the closest humiliation since 51-7. This outcome of this game will determine if CPJ starts 2013 on the hot-seat; and I’m afraid this one could get ugly.
I don’t take bowl eligibility as a given this season, given our tough road schedule.
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
1:56 pm
You’re right, Al. He has done nothing right since he’s been here. He does not have a 1.000 winning percentage and he’s really, really mean. He must be fired immediately!
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
1:58 pm
We should really just cancel the season, Birmingham. What’s the point of even playing?
FL Jacket
March 6th, 2012
2:02 pm
George…
I welcome anyone, including Birmingham Jacket (debateable), to predict 6 wins this year again. I would also wonder why he considers UVA to be an easy win but not BC? Must not watch ALL the games…
GTBob
March 6th, 2012
2:03 pm
I think PJ will turn out to be the worst hire Techs ever made
So he has the highest winning percentage at Tech since Bobby Dodd and you think he will turn out to be worse then Bill Lewis?
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
2:05 pm
He’s certainly free to think that, but there isn’t any substance to it, FLJ.
gt4ever
March 6th, 2012
2:07 pm
My predictions:
@Va Tech: Win, playing them early makes the difference.
Presb. Blue Horse High School: Big win.
UVA: Loss
Miami: Loss. They are just better.
Middle Tenn State: Win.
@ Clemson: Close. But loss.
BC: Tough call. Win
BYU: I have NO idea
@ MD: Win
@UNC: Win
Duke: Win
@ UGA: Loss, this one could get UGLY… Last year they could have scored 50 points. UGA just gets better this year…
Bowl game will be a toss up.. We played a very average team last year and found a way to lose…
FL Jacket
March 6th, 2012
2:07 pm
George…if Chip Towers mediated this blog we’d still be on the first page!
5150 UOAD
March 6th, 2012
2:09 pm
GTBob you are BANNED for saying the Mutt/Pirates name on this blog. That is the biggest cuss word in tech Football History. You also can’t say the ex-BBall coaches name ever again either.
Al Bundy
March 6th, 2012
2:09 pm
I’m just saying at this point in the CPJ era there should be some improvement. I’m just not seeing it. Someone please tell me what part of the program has improved since CPJ was hired. And don’t give me we were 6-0 to start the season garbage either. We beat 6 very weak teams. And NO I don’t think Chan was the man any more than I though Pepper Rogers was the man!
5150 UOAD
March 6th, 2012
2:10 pm
FL jacket that is for sure and would be a sunshine and butt kissing.
Ghost
March 6th, 2012
2:10 pm
Having top recruiting classes and being good teams are 2 different things all together.And the term Dream team was used for 1 recruiting class 2011 which was an outstanding class, Ask Pj, he tried to sign at least 11 of the players that signed with Georgia. Saban was coaching at LSU from 2001 through 2004and won the national Championship in 2003,In 2005 3 SEC team finished in the top 10. in 2004 Auburn was undefeated finished 3rd in country Georgia finished 7th.Unlike the ACC the SEc has placed 2-3 teams in the final top ten most of the years since Richt arrived in 2001. It could also be said while Alabama and LSU have been reeking havoc Georgia , Florida and Tennessee have been down. I am happy you like PJ as I said I hope he stays at tech forever.the talent disparity is larger under PJ than its been in many years keep him please.
gt4ever
March 6th, 2012
2:11 pm
Al,
Nobody that has ever played the game thinks that GT football is trending upward…
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
2:14 pm
I played football, gt4ever, and I think it’s trending up.
Agreed, FLJ.
Birmingham Jacket
March 6th, 2012
2:16 pm
Don’t get me wrong. Hope I’m incorrect. But I think all the GT Homers on here will find out that most preseason predictions by “the experts”…whatever that means, will look similar to mine and gt4ever’s.
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
2:17 pm
The defense improved last year, Al. It wasn’t where we want it to be, but at least be objective. Plus, we played better offenses last year, which suggests it was not as bleak as some folks think.
The special teams were awful (again). Let’s see if a new coach can fix that. The offense, by almost any measure, was just fine.
FL Jacket
March 6th, 2012
2:18 pm
gt4ever…
I played football, as well. It’s trending up because on offense, our OL is deeper and more talented and the QB talent is getting really good. On defense, while I would like to have better DL talent, our LB’s and DB’s are very deep and talented.
Why do you think the opposite?
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
2:20 pm
Look, Birmingham, I’m fine with you criticizing the team. But I’m more interested in the reasons you think what you think and the things you’d do differently. When I hear people complain but offer no alternatives, I lose interest and dismiss them. Offer some alternatives and we can discuss them. I think you’ll find I’m pretty rational.
5150 UOAD
March 6th, 2012
2:20 pm
Hahah CHIP TOWERS has 18 post for his 10@10. He has Banned everybody, has deleted every post or NOBODY cares what he has to say.
gt4ever
March 6th, 2012
2:20 pm
LOL George…
You have sniffed to many open bottles of bourbon… I just wish I could be as optimistic as you and some of the bloggers…
FL Jacket
March 6th, 2012
2:22 pm
Birmingham…
By “GT Homers” you mean fans right? Which expert was fired, demoted, or humiliated after incorrectly picking Tech to win 6 games last year? Or that’s right…because it doesn’t matter.
Al Bundy
March 6th, 2012
2:22 pm
I hope I eat my words and CPJ turns out to be the best hire since Alabama hired Nick Saban, but I have my doubts.
Ghost
March 6th, 2012
2:22 pm
George, is you leg good now ? I hope it healed properly.
5150 UOAD
March 6th, 2012
2:23 pm
All we need to win the ACC or play for it every year is a better Defense. I wish the recruiting guys could explain that to these high school kids. Tech’s O will win plenty of games. If we could get some kids to understand with a D TECH would be on TV all the time and they would be on Championship caliber teams that the NFL scouts would love to draft.
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
2:26 pm
Thanks, Ghost. It’s pretty much all the way back. There’s a big scar, but it’s otherwise okay. I appreciate your comment.
George Stein
March 6th, 2012
2:27 pm
OK, gt4ever. Let me get one thing straight. I don’t sniff bottles of bourbon. I drink it! In fact, I have a bottle of Maker’s here in my office. Maybe I’ll have some later.
student athlete
March 6th, 2012
2:31 pm
@ George Stein, who were the better offenses?
The OL should dominate this year, all CPJ selected lineman with upper class leaders.
Al Bundy
March 6th, 2012
2:32 pm
5150 UOAD I agree our defense is killing us and it needs to improve. That is one of the reasons I am so critical of CPJ. He hired Al Groh to fix the defense and so far it’s not working. If our defense struggles again this year then CPJ needs to dump Al and hire someone who can fix it. Al has had enough time but I’ll bet CPJ won’t fire Al no matter what happens this year because to fire Al would be to admit he made a mistake. And CPJ would drink a bucket of pig slobber on National TV before he admitted a mistake.
HighTech
March 6th, 2012
2:35 pm
8-5 is not better than 6-7. Nope. No improvement there. None.
5150 UOAD
March 6th, 2012
2:38 pm
I am sure Johnson can admit making mistakes.
I don’t think it is as much Groh as it is getting the players. The Recruiting Guys really have to find some Smart Big Uglies and get some more Speed on Defense. Groh should Finalize closing the recruits but the other D coaches really have to FIND and EVALUATE the kids to get the right players now.
5150 UOAD
March 6th, 2012
2:40 pm
Who would you rather have calling plays Pat NIX or Paul Johnson?
Birmingham Jacket
March 6th, 2012
2:41 pm
Since Chan Gailey’s class left, would someone please name for me CPJ’s “Signature Wins”…
Last year, to a Clemson team that lost to NC State and got pumbled 77-33 by WVa in their bowl game? Really?
The road win @ UNC in 2010? Really?
@ George Stein: I would focus my efforts on getting the best recruiters I could… And getting a new defensive coordinator.