6 Tech spring practice observations
Greetings-
Hope you were able to make the spring game Friday night. It was a strong turnout and it wouldn’t surprise me if the GTAA stays with Friday, or at least re-visits it, in years to come. Some thoughts from spring practice.
1. No change at quarterback spot
It was a much anticipated competition between Synjyn Days and Vad Lee, but it doesn’t appear that much changed in the pecking order. Both improved over the course of the spring and shrunk their flaws, but neither made an unimpeachable case to be the No. 2 behind Tevin Washington, let alone a challenger to the top spot.
“The other guys are both very talented and good at certain things,” coach Paul Johnson said. “As I said, they’ve got to get better at what their weak spots are.”
In this offense, and probably any other, limiting mistakes and turnovers is crucial, no matter what a quarterback’s big-play potential is. That is where Washington’s advantage is, developed over four years in the system, a season and a half of starts and tireless work to hone his game.
After the spring game, Johnson said that if the season started today, Washington would be the starter and saw Lee and Days as situational-type quarterbacks.
“The goal is to make them not situational players and to be able to do the whole thing,” he said.
2. Defense should be better
As with all projections, it’s hard to know for certain until the fall, but tweaks to the scheme and the development of the defensive line should make this unit better. Ends Izaan Cross, Euclid Cummings and Emmanuel Dieke look capable and nose tackle T.J. Barnes may be ready to realize his potential in his final season. Perhaps the biggest question of the summer, literally and figurative, will be how much conditioning work Barnes and backup Shawn Green put in in order to be ready for the season.
“We’ve still got a lot of work to do,” defensive line coach Andy McCollum said. “We’ve got to have a great offseason. We’ve got to have a great summer. T.J. has done some things that we hadn’t done in the past that I’m excited about.”
(Note: You’ve probably heard all of that before. For whatever it’s worth, and I’ve written this before, Al Groh’s defense made a much bigger statistical jump Year 2 to Year 3 at Virginia than Year 1 to Year 2.)
3. The secondary is a strength
This looks like the best unit on the team. Four of the top five players back, with Fred Holton returning from injury. Further, cornerback Jamal Golden made more than his share of plays in the spring. There is the matter that the secondary spent the spring lined up against one of the least experienced units on the team, so it was easier to stand out, but the talent in this group is hard to deny.
“I think those guys are a lot hungrier this year, more physical with our receivers,” Washington said. “They come out and just compete every day, try to make plays on the ball, put the defense in a position where they feel like nobody can come out and thrown on them.”
4. Special teams still wobbly
I would guess that new special-teams coordinator Dave Walkosky will make a difference on the return teams most quickly. Where he’ll earn his money is his development of punter Sean Poole and kicker Justin Moore into consistent performers. As I think I’ve written before (and will probably write again), both have the capability but the juniors have yet to prove themselves as routinely dependable.
Poole has said the team’s goal is to lead the nation in net punting, which would be quite a leap from 54th last season. That said, he’s got the leg to do it. Doing it each punt is the trick. Walk-on Michael McDonald and signee Ryan Rodwell will give him competition.
5. Wide receivers a waiting game
It didn’t appear that any of the four returners – Jeff Greene, Chris Jackson and Jeremy Moore and Darren Waller – made heads turn this spring. Moore probably made the biggest gain, and I think Johnson likes the group, but wants a little more. I’d say that in the same way that it was tough on Stephen Hill in 2010 to feel a burden to replace Demaryius Thomas, and probably unfair, so the same holds for these four.
That said, the signees – Micheal Summers and Travin Henry and possibly Anthony Autry – will get an opportunity to play this fall.
“You’d like to see some guys make plays on some deep balls,” Johnson said, “but you’ve also got to throw ’em inbounds and give ’em a chance to make a play.”
6. A-backs bear watching
This might be the most intriguing bunch on the team. Orwin Smith is a proven commodity and it appears Robert Godhigh will be dependable and there’s a crop of younger players with playmaking ability but not much experience after that. The A-back rotation usually goes three or four deep, so one or two out of B.J. Bostic, Deon Hill and Tony Zenon will have to prove themselves consistent enough to warrant heavy snaps.
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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948 comments Add your comment
GT Lee
April 23rd, 2012
9:59 pm
nah. he’s too much of a coward to even do that
GT Lee
April 23rd, 2012
10:00 pm
circus clowns maybe
Supersize that order, mutt
April 23rd, 2012
10:03 pm
ok, I’m outta here. Have a good night. GO JACKETS !!!!
FL Jacket
April 23rd, 2012
10:08 pm
I’ve heard that the Institute (so…the OoP) ownscthevcolor scheme…not the GTAA. That’s not so much the problem as is the complete disconnect between our younger forward-thinking fanbase and the upper crust who donate significantly who don’t want a departure from the status quo…and who certainly would rather die before seeing us take on one of Georgie’s colors.
GOLD PANTS
April 23rd, 2012
10:17 pm
@Lee…. How bout Stein Mart?
GOLD PANTS
April 23rd, 2012
10:25 pm
Well… Looks like the blog has stagnated a little bit, talk to you guys later. Go Jackets, sting em!
1 4GT
April 23rd, 2012
10:33 pm
I think I must agree with FLJ in regards to his last comment. My personal preference for uni colors–Old Gold pants–white or black depending on home or away games (which would result in white most of the games) with gold numbers outlined in black or white for contrast–white helmets with Old Gold GT and stripe outlined in black. But I would accept daarrrkkkk blue in place of black jerseys. I kinda agree with the old guard (if they really do care about not wanting black for the reasons stated here) about not wanting anything to do with Georgie colors except for rubbing them in the dirt real good.
5150 UOAD
April 23rd, 2012
10:38 pm
I like the White helmet Sometimes. I like the Gold helmet with the White or White Black outlined or solid Black GT
5150 UOAD
April 23rd, 2012
10:39 pm
Black jerseys are just HOT for Day games early in the year.
FL Jacket
April 23rd, 2012
10:52 pm
5150…no one is advocating black jerseys all the time, just more liberal use of the tertiary color in the white / gold scheme
FL Jacket
April 23rd, 2012
10:54 pm
I just wonder why nobody had considered the NO BRAINER of incorporating the honeycomb design into the uniform scheme. It’s all over the GTAA…
5150 UOAD
April 23rd, 2012
11:09 pm
The Honeycomb actually has NOTHING to with Yellow Jackets.
5150 UOAD
April 23rd, 2012
11:11 pm
I understand the Honeycomb is an engineering feat unto itself and goes with the Technological background, but it again is mixed marketing just like the color choices.
FL Jacket
April 23rd, 2012
11:17 pm
I understand the origin of the Yellow Jacket is not the insect…but the inside of the GTAA building incorporates that design. It’s an opportunity to differentiate and stay somewhat on-message with the Buzz mascot
FL Jacket
April 23rd, 2012
11:18 pm
My point is that the locker room and GTAA building use that motif…it’s a natural fit.
5150 UOAD
April 23rd, 2012
11:30 pm
FLJ I know i am poking fun too. We are trying to STAY with the proper color theme so I just said that about the honeycomb.
With Paul Johnson as coach maybe we should go back to the Golden Tornado with the 3 yards and the cloud of dust. LOL
FL Jacket
April 23rd, 2012
11:36 pm
What is “proper” though?
North Ave Killer Beez
April 23rd, 2012
11:44 pm
As for QB’S this is just retarted on CPJ’s part. Look at Tevins body of work against any team worth a squat, and thats exactly what you get. A QB taking a squat on himself. Hope this isn’t just another wasted year with a QB that can’t perform against top teams. I can’t watch!!
FL Jacket
April 23rd, 2012
11:49 pm
Except Clemson and VT…but don’t let facts get in the way.
North Ave Killer Beez
April 23rd, 2012
11:59 pm
Keep your blinders on if you wish. Like someone stated earlier, 2nd half of GT vs UGA Days was the only QB that gave us a chance in hell to move the ball. UGA had a gread defense though. Clemson was NOT who we thought they were.
FL Jacket
April 24th, 2012
12:00 am
How is 8-5 a wasted year? Please explain…
5150 UOAD
April 24th, 2012
12:05 am
NAKB is just “retarted” I guess.
5150 UOAD
April 24th, 2012
12:07 am
What is Re-Tarted? Is that where a Bar Tart gets married then gets divorced and she is Re-Tarted by looking for Love in the Bars again?
GT-Jake
April 24th, 2012
8:11 am
My observation is an undersized roster… Not surprising the way Coach Fish-Fry has been recruiting.
FL Jacket
April 24th, 2012
8:22 am
If people are going to troll here…then at least go the full 9 and get the coach’s name right. It’s Coach Kung Fu Panda Moobs McFish Fry…
Wizard
April 24th, 2012
9:08 am
That Friday night high school schedule ought to help out tremendously.
FL Jacket
April 24th, 2012
9:13 am
Lots of lazy trolls stopping by. At least WnE has enough decency to assume a completely different persona (as uninformed and illogical as it may be) and engage us directly…
Supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2012
9:23 am
The trolls sure seem to be obsessed with Tech’s “Friday night high school schedule,” I guess that’s to be expected though from fans of a school that plays a “Pop Warner schedule” — Buffalo, Florida Atlantic, and Ga Southern. WOW, what an overwhelming schedule that is—-they should play those games on Wednesday afternoons.
Freddie Blassie
April 24th, 2012
10:02 am
At the end of the day, September 22, 2012, we will know whether T J Barnes, QB, Wide out and up back are men capable of playing. No, I don’t have the A or B back position sorted out in my long term memory.
Wizard
April 24th, 2012
10:59 am
SuperSized, you forgot to list the Killer Bees in that weak list.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2012
11:42 am
@ Wizard, I hate to tell you, but the “Killer Bees” was your signature win last year, and if you beat us this year, it would be you signature win then too.
atlxman
April 24th, 2012
11:49 am
super, the killer bees was not a signature win. it was the gimmie win just like playing ga southern is.
every win in the sec last year was a signature win.
your div1aa team is in big trouble. your teams running game is not scary one bit and uga will have no trouble handling it like usual
atlxman
April 24th, 2012
11:51 am
no big time running back, like dwyer or even anthony, no big qb like nesbit ..your best players are on defense and most of them wouldn’t start for handy
atlxman
April 24th, 2012
11:51 am
vanderbilt
atlxman
April 24th, 2012
11:56 am
and there is no if uga beats tech, it when. your team is very weak again this year with each year that passes your team gets weaker will all the div 1aa players PJ is stocking up on. i just hope tech gives PJ an extension this year..i think if he wins 7 or 8..he earned it
dawgfan
April 24th, 2012
12:00 pm
at 0801 hrs CMR had a bowel movement. Today was a type 7 on the Bristol Stool Chart, more commonly known as diarrhea. CMR says he got the munchies while working late last night and stopped off at Taco Bell, since it was on the way home and open late. Not sure why he had the munchies, but he stayed late trying to find the source of a strange aroma emanating from the football players’ locker room. Results reported to Towers and King.
Thanks,
dawgfan = CMR’s Official Poo Inspector
GT Lee
April 24th, 2012
12:01 pm
@ atlxman you should hook up with WnE, you 2 would get along splendidly, I hear his boyfriend dwagfan recently dumped him so he IS available.
GT Lee
April 24th, 2012
12:04 pm
@ wizard would your name happen to be Gandalf? If so please take Gollum back to his cave…..
atlxman
April 24th, 2012
12:07 pm
GT lee, how are things going with you and GT bob? still cuddling each other after tech losses?
GT Lee
April 24th, 2012
12:10 pm
sorry xman I don’t know GT Bob…..troll much, do you?
Supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2012
12:11 pm
@ atlxman……mighty big talk coming from the fan of a 3rd tier SEC team. Tech would have beat every team the mutts beat last year, and you know it. As far as you stopping Tech’s running game, the best you can claim after 4 years of CPJ coaching at Tech is that you stopped the inside running game. You have yet to stop the outside game and only stopped the inside game in 2009 and 2011. Yes, sad to say, the mutts were better than the Jackets last year, but they were in 2008 too, and yet SOMEHOW the Jackets won. And 2 of the remaining 3 times, the games were close enough to go either way. That doesn’t negate the fact that the mutts won those games, but it sure as hell means we have nothing to fear when we play you. VT and Miami are much tougher foes than the Clarke County Chihuahuas.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2012
12:14 pm
@ Lee…..the mutts love to claim that all Tech fans are geeks and go to comic-con, or something like that, and yet did you notice? Here’s a mutt who calls himself XMAN. Isn’t that some kind of comic book character? One thing’s for sure….he makes me laugh whenever I read something that he posts.
GT Lee
April 24th, 2012
12:15 pm
lol @ Super…yeah I was wondering about the Xman reference too!!!!!!!!!
GT Lee
April 24th, 2012
12:17 pm
so the mutts have an Xman, a Wizard, and Gollum…..where’s the comic-con now?
Supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2012
12:19 pm
@ Lee……BTW, I liked the Gandalf reference, and what he should do with Gollum lol
GT Lee
April 24th, 2012
12:20 pm
@ Super, GT Bob must have struck a raw nerve with xman….notice how he brought Bob’s name up for no reason?!!!!! lol
Supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2012
12:22 pm
@ Lee…..GT Bob is all over the mutt blogs ALL the time. I think they hate him more than we hate Gollum
Supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2012
12:24 pm
Lee, while it’s on my mind, let’s try some variations here (assuming even they go through)
yest erday
yeste rday
yes ter day
GT Lee
April 24th, 2012
12:24 pm
yeah I know Super….I just think it’s funny xman brought him up for no reason….GT Bob must have really griped his ass somewhere down the line!
atlxman
April 24th, 2012
12:25 pm
3rd tier? ..way off as uga has been top 10 – 5 just about every year since right has been coach and actually have 2 sec titles with a number of bcd bowl wins. far from 3rd tier. this year should be another. your team hasn’t even sniffed a bcs bowl win and your team is not even close to winning the weak acc div. 2008 tech actually had enough talent to beat uga if uga was not taking care of the ball. now your team has little to no div 1 talent to compete with uga even when uga has a bad game against ya’ll. uga was in no danger to losing to tech last year with your teams defense giving up points like they did.
and tech would have gone 500 against the team uga played or worse. your team best win last year was against a team who gave up 70 points in a bcd bowl game. the acc is a joke.