Paul Johnson at ACC Media Days
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson’s optimism regarding the 2012 season didn’t cause any jaws to drop, given the hopeful talk that every coach at ACC Media Days offered Monday. Regardless, with fall camp opening Aug. 3, Johnson sounded like a coach who likes the work his team has done over the summer.
“I love the attitude of our team right now,” Johnson said in a 47-minute interview with a gaggle of reporters.
Johnson was pleased with the reports he has received about new strength and conditioning coach John Sisk, hired in May to replace Neal Peduzzi. He also expressed his optimism about new special-teams coordinator David Walkosky, Johnson’s first special-teams only coach.
Regarding special teams, Johnson said he sees a difference in attitude among starters.
In the past, “it’s kind of like they’ve done it because I think they knew I kind of wanted them to and it was expected,” he said. “Now they’re more excited to do it than they have been in the past.”
Johnson said he’s gotten glowing reviews from players about Sisk, who has made the summer workouts more fun for them.
“I think they’ve really bought into what he’s asking them to do,” he said.
Other items of interest from Johnson:
- B-back David Sims had surgery four weeks ago to repair a stress fracture but is “full go.”
- Of quarterback Synjyn Days and a possible move to A-back, Johnson said, “If he doesn’t beat Tevin (Washington) out in the first two weeks of fall camp, I don’t want him standing over there (on the sideline) in a baseball cap.” Johnson affirmed Days’ playmaking ability and his desire to get him on the field but noted also his habit of fumbling.
Johnson said Days needs to not play “like a wild pony.”
- A-back Orwin Smith will “probably be highlighted a little more than we have in the past,” Johnson said, while the other starter will be more of a role player. Deon Hill and Robert Godhigh are among possibilities, though Johnson will continue to use a rotation.
“The guy that blocks the best will be the one that plays,” Johnson said.
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148 comments Add your comment
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:24 am
CE’91……Lee may yet replace TW, but certainly not in the first few games. As far as PHYSICAL ability, I think TW has THAT. What he is lacking is accurate and consistent passing ability. He actually runs the TO pretty damn well, something Days could not do because he fumbled so much. Time will tell whether Lee can run it effectively or not, but he supposedly IS a good passer.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:26 am
Hey, UOAD, you asked for photos. Check my FB account under “VIDEOS”. I have 3 slide-shows posted there so far, one more coming this afternoon, and 3 more to follow in the days to come. I told you I took lots of pictures……LOL
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
11:29 am
The New BEAST and his parents…..KALLON
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=262694740513398&set=a.231420036974202.51273.100003186234286&type=1&theater
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
11:31 am
Super cool I will check them out.
You have a few with the Pretty Lady you spoke of? LOL
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:33 am
UOAD, I think there is one of her, maybe 2. But I’m not with her in the pic
CE'91
July 24th, 2012
11:33 am
I agree with your comments, supersize. I was lumping passing ability along with read/react ability in as “physical” attributes. I’m not even close to being an expert, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that the TO was ….. slower (for lack of a better word) with TW running it last year. I know he’ll have another year of experience running the system, but I am not sure more experience is always the curative some on here feel it is. For example, if I continue to read all season about how the defense just needs more time in CAG’s system for it to be successful, I may have to give up the internet and go back to getting my information via fax and carrier pigeon.
Like I said, hope I am wrong. One thing – unlike recent seasons, we’ll know where we stand as a team pretty early on.
GO JACKETS!!!
Big Crimson 75
July 24th, 2012
11:35 am
51, Super — whats up gentlemen?? This is Tech’s year!! It’s time for Johnson to win the ACC again. I get the feeling it’s all gonna come down to Tevin Washington.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:36 am
CE’91……you got that right, we’ll know about midnight September 3. Win that one, and anything goes. Lose it close, and the season is definitely not a wash. Lose it bad, and we have problems.
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
11:36 am
VPI……9 Starters back on Defense
VPI……7 starters to be REPLACED on the Offense.
Beamer thinks TECH will be a good team and even playing at VPI he knows his team will be have to be really prepared for this game.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:38 am
Howdy, BC75. I look for improved overall play by TW, but will it be enough? Who knows? But at least we have several other options at QB now if he fails
Big Crimson 75
July 24th, 2012
11:38 am
My biggest gripe with Paul Johnson is with all the talented dual-threat QB’s being churned out all over the Country, the best Johnson had recruited/coached @ Tech so far has been Josh Nesbit — ouch!!!
Johnson needs a top-notch multi-purpose QB running his Offense — ya can’t say they aren’t out there to be had.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:39 am
VPI usually starts the season slowly, and the Jackets usually come out like a ball of fire. Let’s hope both those trend continue.
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
11:41 am
Still not happy with the GT schedule going to 9 games. We need to switch UGa or Clemson or VPI to another year as a home game. The Ticket package is still lopsided in Even years compared to ODD years.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:41 am
BC75….not sure how much of that can be laid at CPJ’s feet. I’m sure he’s doing his best to get the best. Recruiting is a crap shoot at best. The freshman who dumped Bama for Tech may end up being the QB we want, but that won’t happen this year, unless the kid is even better than he looks on paper.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:42 am
UOAD…..from what I read, that will happen, but I hope it’s not the UGA game that gets switched, because that would mean two years in a row in one place, and you know UGA will never agree to play us two years in a row in Atlanta
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
11:42 am
Anybody else having a different FORMAT for the blogs show up on your computer?
chas_jacket
July 24th, 2012
11:43 am
Good pic 5150. I have mixed emotions but think kallon will not rs and will be a 3rd down pass rusher. He kinda reminds me of UF’s Jevon Kearse – but a lot better character.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:44 am
@ UOAD…..nothing different format-wise here
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
11:45 am
BiCri I sure hope so. I really like what the TEAM is like. I Facebook with many of the guys and they are working as a TEAM more than I have seen in a few years.
The freshmen are a really good group that are bringing a new excitement to the team.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 24th, 2012
11:45 am
Gotta go, guys. Appt at 1, and I have to shower and eat lunch. Might check in once before I leave, but otherwise, TTYL
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
11:49 am
Gotsis is funny as hell. i think you guys will like him. I have been chatting a bit with him and he has a great attitude. He was born in Sept 92 so we are getting an Older Freshmen. I think his age will help him adjust to the Home Sick Blues better being a little older.
Big Crimson 75
July 24th, 2012
11:56 am
51 — I really hope y’all beat ga this year. I see it happening.
dry dirt road
July 24th, 2012
11:56 am
Ga Tech has the meat to stuff inside of unis and the new shotgun. Players have to earn the right to use the shotgun, and if it sputters, PJ will force them to revert back to the 3 op off with each l o s pass play sputtering at the l o s with a tackle for a loss, then a loss of game b/c no team can win by running only. Recently I thought that with the bevy of qbsTech has now, the one who gets to start might be the one who offers to take PJ’s garbage out for him if the qb’s get invited to a dinner at PJ’s house. Maybe TW takes it out to the garage, and that’s why he gets the starting role over Days. Now there’s Vad Lee, and Justin, and the kid from NJ, and one or two more. There is information overload with qb talent. Even pro teams go only about 3 deep with the qb position. Tech has about 7 qbs, some on the 2013 list. I personally would like to see a return to the unis Tech wore for PJ’s first year. Those were snazzy, and if Tech would have stayed in the all white ones for the Chick-fil-A Bowl, I believe we could have beaten LSU. Nesbitt was passing ok that year.
Crazy Robert
July 24th, 2012
11:58 am
Looking forward to seeing more of Orwin, he has great potential. GO JACKETS!!!
chas_jacket
July 24th, 2012
12:08 pm
5150 , what’s your thought on gotsis, assume he will RS?
dry dirt road
July 24th, 2012
12:08 pm
I would like for my alma mater Ga Tech to beat Va Tech because I am jealous of VT’s location where it’s nice and cool, where the students get to cool off earlier in the Fall, where the guys get to go out to the closest national parks for a cool mountain picnic with their coed dates and the picnic baskets with the checkerboard picnic cloth and homemade food of fried chicken and potato salad, and the scenic leaf change, whereas Atl is much warmer than the Blacksburg area and just not as comfortable outdoors. I believe Va Tech wins games against Ga Tech just because of this reason. I remember when pycho Cho had just gone on his rampage at Va Tech, and seeing one news clip of the VT campus, and it was snowing with flurries. Of course the cool climate didn’t do anything for psycho Cho. I guess that was one of the reasons why he was psycho.
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
12:17 pm
chas_jacket………….not sure. he and his coach say he has really worked hard but it will be a Different Game from Aussie USA Gridiron Football for sure. The one thing he has done in his league is he has been playing against MEN. BIG MEN. The talent he faced might not be there but the RUGBY MEAN of the men he has faced is there.
I do figure RED SHIRT. Gotsis would be a 21 year old RF next year and that age and maturity could be a HUGE benefit.
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
12:27 pm
many of you guys going to Fan Day on the 4th?
chas_jacket
July 24th, 2012
12:30 pm
5150 – think rs would help Kallon too since he only played a year of HS football. It just seems tempting to have him avail for pass rush situations , an area we have problems with. A third down pass rush sub doesnt need a lot of experience, just keep containment , watch for screens, etc.
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
12:49 pm
chas_jacket I have been trying to get Kellon and Gotsis to contact on the FB before Gotsis gets here. They could be GREAT together. They are both Queen’s English speakers and have some thing in common. Kellon’s family is now all here in Ga so i hope that can be a support for Gotsis. They both have some great natural ability but both need to LEARN the GAME American style so they can Learn together and give us 4 years of fun football.
WnE
July 24th, 2012
12:57 pm
re:
GT fan
July 24th, 2012
11:23 am
Tech/App St fan ….
Logan Thomas had the best game of his career vs. GT last season, and the Hokies needed every bit of it. Had Attouchu not committed the PF penalty, I fully believe the Jackets would’ve won the game, even with the Hokies going 13 of 16 on 3rd downs.
Sept 3rd will be the first college start for 4 OL, 2 WRs, and the Hokies’ replacement for David Wilson.
_____________
GT loses 2 starters on the DL, 2 starters at LB and 1 starter in the 2ndary.
GT loses both starting WRs, Roddy’s blocking at A-back and starting OT.
VT’s weakness on the OL might be offset by out weakness on our DL.
Behind the inexperienced DLs that we will have to start are even more undersized, unproven “tweeners”.
Even with 4 new OLs, VT still might have an advantage vs. our DL.
chas_jacket
July 24th, 2012
1:11 pm
5150 – agree those two could be the dominant pair of bookend DE’s we have been waiting for. Assuming Gotsis doesn’t play NT. Although if Kallon is the player i think he is, he may not be here all 4 years.
GT Lee
July 24th, 2012
1:17 pm
WnE.
Thank you for finally expressing your opinion in a civilized manner. The key word there is MIGHT. The offensive line is much more assignment-oriented, and replacing this many starters usually takes a team several games before the linemen learn each others tendencies and begin to ‘gel’. That is why most coaches schedule cupcakes early. I think all GT fans are wondering how the D-line will perform this year.
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
1:23 pm
DID I smell some S..t on the Blog?
Yes I see the Toilet Bowl Captain(WnE) is here.
GTJake
July 24th, 2012
1:25 pm
Great move by CPJ to get a Special Teams Coach. I can see us returning a kick and punt for td’s against UGA, maybe recovering an onsides kick in the 1st half, and winning by 14.
Richt is too dumb to get a Special Teams Coach, so outsmart the guy like South Carolina, Michigan State, and LSU did by destroying him on Special Teams.
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
1:29 pm
chas_jacket…………..the ONLY way Kellon is not at GT for 4 years is IF he gets his Degree first. If you know anything about him and his AFRICAN roots and his parents He will get his Degree before he considers the NFL if that is his future.
I hope this is understood right.
Africans value EDUCATION a lot. money is important but they KNOW the future is grounded on Education.
African Americans are more about “Show Me The Money”.
Many Americans play the game to get the NFL money and not the Degree.
If we could find Asians that are 6-3 280 we could have players last for 4-5 years. LOL
GT Lee
July 24th, 2012
1:34 pm
5150 you going to fan day? will “the Bus” be up and running that day?
WnE
July 24th, 2012
1:35 pm
re:
GT Lee
July 24th, 2012
1:17 pm
WnE.
Thank you for finally expressing your opinion in a civilized manner. The key word there is MIGHT. The offensive line is much more assignment-oriented, and replacing this many starters usually takes a team several games before the linemen learn each others tendencies and begin to ‘gel’. That is why most coaches schedule cupcakes early. I think all GT fans are wondering how the D-line will perform this year.
__________
I’ve been “more” civilized for many months now, but others (not you) don’t seem to treat me that way in return.
Also, we are very thin at Safety.
I. Johnson is up-and-down, Holton is coming off of a ruptured achilles(sp?) tendon, he was 4.6 guy before the injury and we don’t know how well he’ll be able to run & cover after that injury, and behind those 2 guys are some very green players with not much game-action.
I wish they would move Noble to Safety and maybe cross-train Lou Young at Safety to cover for past recruiting mistakes.
We will get exposed if we try to get through a season with our depth chart at Safety.
Marcus Allen is 6-2 205 was recruited at LB by many schools and is projected to play B-Back for us, maybe he could fill in at Strong Safety for this season since we seem to have 3 B-Backs in front of him.
But then again, CPJ would never move guys to Defense at the expense of his “precious Offense”.
Don’t forget that Synjyn Days was recruited by most BCS Schools as a safety, he’s 6-2 215 & very physical, and yet if he doesn’t pan out at QB, CPJ wants to get him on the field at A-back, once again showing favoritism towards his precious Offense.
As a QB, ONLY Toledo & GT offered Synjyn Days, all of other his major offers were at Safety.
Will CAG be able to cook up a decent meal on defense when CPJ refuses to give him the necessary groceries?
Shaq Mason was projected to be a pretty good NT/DT in college, and we have plenty of OGs, yet we have ???? at our NT slot.
Big Crimson 75
July 24th, 2012
1:36 pm
WnE — try not to be so positive about the up coming season.
Hayseed Dixie
July 24th, 2012
1:40 pm
@chas_jacket
I think Kallon will be here for all 4 years- or at least until he gets his degree.
From what I’ve read about his parents they’re those kind of immigrants that value an education above all else. (The kind of folks that make this country great, btw.)
Remember he had to skip his visit to UGA to take his SAT….again?
Of course, I wouldn’t be surprised if he finished his degree early, and then headed to the NFL.
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
1:42 pm
Lee I plan to go. I have not hear if Tommy and the bus will be there. Students will be on campus and i don’t think the PARKING will be OPEN like on Game Days so getting a space will not be the same.
5150 UOAD
July 24th, 2012
1:43 pm
LEE….i have been talking to Kellon and Gotsis so much i have to go. i am working Gotsis to see if I can get a game day jersey. LOL Kidding but I have talked with him for the last 4 months off and on.
Hayseed Dixie
July 24th, 2012
1:46 pm
wNe. Are you serious? You don’t lay the p00p storm on this blog that you laid and expect folks to suddenly get on your love train. Good lord.
I’m glad you’re being more positive. However…
I hope your intellect will mature to the point where you see that finding the negative in everything isn’t some sort of intellectual magic trick available only to you.
Listen, the secret to sports fandom is finding a team you identify with and following them through thick and thin. That’s it, the end.
Based on your previous posts, I believe you should just go ahead and root for Alabama. You’ll feel better, and LORD KNOWS the rest of us will love not seeing the negativity you lay on the blogs day after day.
GT Lee
July 24th, 2012
1:52 pm
Big Crimson 75,
one of our last signees for 2012 class was a 3 star linebacker from Alabama, Beau Hanks….do you know anything about him, as far as his on-field skills/abilities are concerned? I don’t know much about him, other than he surprised a lot of recruiting experts by signing with GT rather than staying in-state…..
WnE
July 24th, 2012
1:55 pm
re:
Hayseed Dixie
July 24th, 2012
1:46 pm
wNe. Are you serious? You don’t lay the p00p storm on this blog that you laid and expect folks to suddenly get on your love train. Good lord.
I’m glad you’re being more positive. However…
I hope your intellect will mature to the point where you see that finding the negative in everything isn’t some sort of intellectual magic trick available only to you.
Listen, the secret to sports fandom is finding a team you identify with and following them through thick and thin. That’s it, the end.
Based on your previous posts, I believe you should just go ahead and root for Alabama. You’ll feel better, and LORD KNOWS the rest of us will love not seeing the negativity you lay on the blogs day after day.
___________
You know I hate Bama, they cheat, and have cheated for many years.
Am I being “negative” or am I being honest, honest to a level that might upset some fans?
GT needs to “play to win” and STOP half-@$$ing it and trying to fool their fanbase by watering down the schedule and then acting like 7-8 wins is a monumental accomplishment.
Either you wanna to be a big boy FB program or you wanna be Wake Forest.
Being in ATLANTA, GT should be able to be a big boy FB program without having to cheat or cut corners.
Big Crimson 75
July 24th, 2012
1:55 pm
WrecksNEffect in da house!!!!!!!!!
No thanks hayseed!!
Our fan base is too dangerous for someone like WnE!!
chas_jacket
July 24th, 2012
1:55 pm
Of course its all conjecture on future NFL potential, but kallon certainly seems to have the physical attributes. If he were to be a top pick as a junior, it seems to be a good business decision to take the money, finish your degree later and buy an engineering firm to run. I sure would have if i had the option – of course at 5′7″ and 135 lbs, i wasn’t quite NFL material.
GT Lee
July 24th, 2012
1:57 pm
sorry, should be Beau Hankins…..
Big Crimson 75
July 24th, 2012
2:05 pm
Lee — sorry dude. i know nothing of the guy.
GT Lee
July 24th, 2012
2:06 pm
well thanks for nuthin, BC75….:-)