Johnson on Lee, Days, freshmen
More from Paul Johnson at ACC Media Days in Greensboro, N.C., starting with everyone’s favorite topic. (No, not uniforms)
1. Quarterback Vad Lee has been pushing Tevin Washington. Johnson said he’s become more comfortable, trying to turn weaknesses into strengths.
“On this level, you don’t get to just do what you like to do and what’s fun,” he said. “You have to embrace the whole thing. He’s done that and worked hard.”
Lee has been in the football offices watching video and continuing his education.
Said Johnson, “I could see Vad playing some this year, definitely.”
2. Johnson said the starting A-back opposite Orwin Smith could be “one of two or three guys.” I’m not sure if he literally meant two or three, but Deon Hill and Robbie Godhigh would be two. Tony Zenon and B.J. Bostic are the other most likely candidates.
“It’ll be a group, anyway, a committee,” he said. “That’s the way we’ve always played. Orwin will probably be highlighted a little more than we have in the past and the other guy will be more of a role guy.”
Johnson said the rotation could conceivably be as many as six players deep, though, with this group, it’d be hard to imagine the snaps being split equally.
“It just depends who you’ve got and what they bring to the table,” he said.
On Bostic: “He’s learning where to go and what to do. He can get in the mix, as well. He could have a role himself.”
Of note: Should Hill win the job, Tech’s starting A-backs would both be from Central High in Phenix City. Props to the Red Devils.
3. Speaking of A-backs, Johnson spoke at length about quarterback Synjyn Days and his possible move to A-back.
“I’d like to get him on the field if he can handle it,” Johnson said. “He’s still going to play some quarterback. We’ll go into fall camp, see where he is there. If he doesn’t beat Tevin out in the first two weeks of fall camp, I don’t want him standing over there in a baseball camp. He and Vad are very close, too, to each other. He’s a good athlete. We want to get him on the field if he can take care of the ball, learn where to go and do all those things. There’s still an ‘if’ there.”
4. Chances are against a true freshman lineman playing, but Johnson said of defensive end Francis Kallon, “It would be great if he could help us rushing the passer or doing some things or Pat Gamble or (Roderick) Chungong or Adam Gotsis or one of those guys. Adam’s the one guy who physically is going to be a little more developed than the other guys because he’s older (he turns 20 in September), but now the speed of the game is going to be far different than his Australian club team.”
On if he could foresee a non-quarterbacking role for freshman Justin Thomas: “Probably not.”
Johnson said he’ll play a true freshman on special teams if he’s heavily involved. If he’s on both kickoff and punt units, for example, “you probably play him because he’s probably going to play 20 snaps a game. If they’re just on one of those teams, you’re probably not going to play him unless they figure in the depth (chart) on offense or defense.”
He said he could see a wide receiver or two or defensive back playing and possibly a linebacker. It would be more difficult for a lineman.
Last year, 10 of the 22 freshmen played – three defensive backs (Corey Dennis, Jamal Golden and Zach Laskey, although Laskey has returned to B-back), three linebackers (Nick Menocal, Tremayne McNair and Kyle Travis), two wide receivers (Jeff Greene and Darren Waller), guard Shaquille Mason and long snapper Sean Tobin.
Two years ago, six of the 17-member class played as true freshmen – defensive backs Fred Holton, Isaiah Johnson and Louis Young, linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu, kicker Justin Moore and A-back B.J. Bostic.
5. Interesting answers about Miami coach Al Golden and the school’s NCAA investigation.
“It’s hard enough for me to do what I’m doing,” he said. “I hadn’t thought about it. I’m sure Al will handle it, do a good job with it.”
There was a follow-up about giving advice.
“I don’t offer advice to Al,” he said. “I don’t offer advice to any of these guys.”
The quotable Paul Johnson
On Washington: It’s “pretty clear to me he’s the leader on the team. I can see that.”
On if rules changes about blocking will impact Tech’s offense: “No. They keep trying, but they haven’t got it yet.”
As Johnson’s interview session wound down, North Carolina coach Larry Fedora had a large crowd at his table: “I’m going to go over there and listen to Larry. He’s having a revival.”
On linebacker Brandon Watts: “Brandon can fly. … When you put on the football pads, he’s one of the fastest kids on the team. He runs guys down like they’re backing up.”
Other Media Days stories
- Story from Tuesday’s paper on Johnson’s comments.
- Jeremiah Attaohcu and Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas have put last year’s game in the past.
- Washington’s comments in Greensboro.
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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243 comments Add your comment
WnE
July 27th, 2012
9:48 am
re:
William Casey
July 27th, 2012
9:22 am
@WnE: Where did you coach football? My problem with you is not that you might be a thinly disguised dawg fan but rather that you seem to believe that you, as an outsider not attending practice, know better than the vastly experienced CPJ who does. Don’t think so.
______________
You don’t have to be a $2.5 million HC to see that some thing is wrong here:
1-3 vs. Muttville
1-3 vs. Miami
1-3 vs. Va. Tech
0-4 vs. Bowl Games
The 2-6 vs. Muttville & Miami is the most disturbing because the last 4 years has been one of the most down Eras for those Programs and we are 2-6 vs. them combined and 0-6 after that first year when we still had you-know-who’s Recruits.
0-6 vs. Miami & UGA over the last 3 years and you are questioning if I have ever coached, maybe you should be questioning whether or not someone is earning their $2.5 million per year.
GTBob
July 27th, 2012
10:04 am
The four years before CPJ got here:
0-4 vs Muttville
3-1 vs Miami
1-3 vs Va Tech
1-3 vs Bowl Games
Man, such a huge drop off. Sure I would like for this to improve but it isn’t like this is out of the blue since CPJ got here. I wonder why you don’t include Florida St or Clemson in your numbers.
WnE
July 27th, 2012
10:23 am
re:
GTBob
July 27th, 2012
10:04 am
The four years before CPJ got here:
0-4 vs Muttville
3-1 vs Miami
1-3 vs Va Tech
1-3 vs Bowl Games
Man, such a huge drop off. Sure I would like for this to improve but it isn’t like this is out of the blue since CPJ got here. I wonder why you don’t include Florida St or Clemson in your numbers.
__________________
The four years before CPJ got here:
$800k
$800K
$1.0 MM
$1.0 MM
The 4 years after CPJ got here:
$1.6 MM
$2.3 MM
$2.5 MM
$2.5 MM
This years he projects to earn $2.6 MM
If the results are so eerily similar then WHY is the GTAA paying CPJ so much more money?
Do you think we’re getting our money’s worth?
14-12 over the last 2 seasons as Chan’s recruits have left the Program while playing very easy schedules (the 69th & 71st toughest schedules)?
Clemson has been a 7-win program for the last Decade and are some of the biggest under-achievers in all of CFB.
FSU at the END of the Bowden Era is nothing like the F$U that Chan or GOL had to face, we’ll see how CPJ does vs. F$U starting in 2013 now that Jimbo has the Program back on solid ground with better Recruiting. Thay might have had the “name” F$U but they were a shell of what they used to be when CPJ beat them.
dry dirt road
July 27th, 2012
10:24 am
CPJ says Days fumbles alot, why he doesn’t start. I think sometimes players fumble because they subconsciously feel guilt about the need for a shotgun to be used like all the other teams use primarily. Maybe players try to communicate such need to CPJ by fumbling, or in other words protesting. Now it appears Tech will finally admit it’s not possible to win games by running primarily by using the shotgun. Tech should also practice using shovel passes more often, and using qb draws where the interior field gets cleared by wrs running to the sidelines and way downfield. Speaking of fumbling alot, nobody ever fumbled more at Tech than this black fullback Tech had in 71-2 seasons named Greg Horne. That guy just couldn’t find the handle. He was a veritable fumblebee. He would fumble it in mid-run, just lose the handle. Now the black qb we had, Eddie McAshan, never fumbled to my recollection. He was a tall guy who was from Tallahassee Leon HS, and he played basketball there also, but did not play that sport at Tech. I believe our defense will handle Logan Thomas this year, even at Blacksburg.
5150 UOAD
July 27th, 2012
10:32 am
WnE’s IQ
The CHAN years
160
169
170
185
The JOHNSON years
110
80
75
68
3
GTBob
July 27th, 2012
10:37 am
Do you think we’re getting our money’s worth?
Its a bit pricey but you can’t just compare the two contracts on equal grounds. The market has changed, TV money has changed, and CPJ got a boost because of a fast start and interest from other teams. I am not sure why you are so personally worried about CPJ’s salary. Would it really make a difference in your world if he was getting paid a million less?
yeller bug
July 27th, 2012
10:41 am
The only ACC school that has been consistently at the top in the last decade has been VPI. Everyone else is ebb and flow as a challenger. That is a credit to Frank Beamer. It seems FSU and Clemson are beginning to pull away from the rest of the pack in the Atlantic. VPI and GT are the leaders in the Coastal with maybe Miami improving. UNC may still not be out of the woods with the NCAA. Maybe Miami has more issues too. I think Tech is positioned to be the dominant team in the Coastal. We scare people with our offense despite it being mostly one-dimensional. Wait until we get a passer (Vad Lee–we hope). Maybe we’ve addressed out special teams issues which have been anything but special this last decade. And last is our defense which this should be a much better year if CAG is the supposed “genuis” that he is. We need to see it. The DL will be the question mark. In the 4th QTR of the UVA game, they just ran student body right, student body left sweeps and we’ve got 240 lb LBs trying to stop a 300+ lb pulling guard and they ran all over us. If they hadn’t tried to pass they would have scored another two touchdowns. UGA has been successful running against us. That cannot happen this year.
1 4 GT
July 27th, 2012
11:10 am
I am giving gollum a new name. Carnack the Magnificent! I reckon you old timers probably remember this character from Johnny Carson. He was a character in an oversized, bejeweled turban with a long flowing robe. Ed McMahon would hand him an envelope and Carnack would hold it up & touch it to his forehead, thus divining the question to the answer inside the envelope. This seems to be very similar to what our Carnack does in giving us all the benefits of his all knowing, all seeing CFB knowledge. I will capitalize gollum’s new name as an homage to the late Johnny Carson, one of the all time great comics. Selah.
Paul in NH
July 27th, 2012
11:31 am
“Clemson has been a 7-win program for the last Decade”
Apart from their 10-3 record and ACC championship in 2011
Their 9-5 record and Atlantic Division title in 2009
That would be 2 out of the last 3 years that CPJ has been at GT
HighTech
July 27th, 2012
11:53 am
If A. Williams ( I wonder do his teammates call him A.L. Williams or multi-level marketing?) had this great spring as you claim, then WHY is he still 3rd string behind guys that weren’t good enough to beat out the MEDIOCRE guys we had playing last year
—————————
I’m sure that’s what his teammates call him. You are SO clever.
Georgia Tech is in Atlanta
July 27th, 2012
12:04 pm
PJ should be sh*t-canned if the Jackets lose to Georgia again this year. No more excuses! I’m sure Tech could hire the Fridge to come back to Atlanta.
5150 UOAD
July 27th, 2012
12:14 pm
Georgia Tech is in Atlanta
Ralph Harry Friedgen (born April 4, 1947)
Paul Johnson (born August 20, 1957)
How long you going to have FRIDGE? he is 65.
Come back when you use your BRAIN on selecting a coach.
Give it a few years and see what GOOSE Godsey learns in New England.
GTVegas
July 27th, 2012
12:26 pm
I find it truly amusing to see how many are still sucked in by Weenie. I try to skip any post by him or in response to him. I just wish I could filter them out or that they all be in pink, color seems most fitting for him. I guess that would include this post as well.
What a waste of time.
GT Lee
July 27th, 2012
12:37 pm
GTVegas
sometimes it is just fun to slam Gollum/WeeniE…..or if you like, there is a little wheel on your mouse that will let you scroll past anything he posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GT fan
July 27th, 2012
12:40 pm
gt45
July 27th, 2012
8:44 am
Folks, Just skip over Wne’s comments, as I do, and, maybe eventually, he’ll go away. I love CPJ’s quotes. There is noone better in coaching. “Running bacwards,” now that is hilarious!
————————————–
Please, fellow TRUE GT fans ……… QUIT HUMORING WnE!!
Ignore the idiot … that goes for EVERYONE … and eventually he’ll go away.
Georgia Tech is in Atlanta
July 27th, 2012
12:40 pm
5150 UOAD,
Godsey? Now that’s funny! If you’ll re-read my post I said fire PJ THIS year if he loses to the Dawgs again. Godsey won’t be ready to coach Tech anytime soon.
5150 UOAD
July 27th, 2012
12:50 pm
GT ATL…………and I said give it a few years to SEE what Goose learns.
Al Bundy
July 27th, 2012
1:37 pm
Hey dawgfan, go back to your parents couch and finish watching the WWE with your inbred friends and stay off the GT blogs!
WnE
July 27th, 2012
2:10 pm
OK guys what kind of D-Line do you think we’ll have this year with this slate of DEs coming back:
C. Crenshaw 6-3 256 4 years out of HS RS-Jr.
E. Cummings 6-4 275 4 years oo HS RS -Jr.
A. Williams 6-4 264 3 years oo HS RS-Soph.
J. Kitchen 6-3 270 3 years oo HS RS-FR. dues to academic issues
So far the starters are I. Cross at 6-4 300lbs. Sr.
E. Dieke 6-6 265-270lbs. RS- Jr.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 27th, 2012
2:26 pm
Experience usually means improvement. We will see when they take the field.
WnE
July 27th, 2012
2:38 pm
re:
Supersize that order, mutt
July 27th, 2012
2:26 pm
Experience usually means improvement. We will see when they take the field.
_________
Cross is the only one with significant game experience and he seems to have plateaued, Dieke has played some mop up time. but nothing significant vs. good teams.
Years on the Depth Chart don’t necessarily translate into “experience”.
None of those guys played a lot vs. good teams because they couldn’t beat out the guy from last season that under-performed.
GT Lee
July 27th, 2012
2:50 pm
J Kitchens did not have academic issues, it was an injury situation……
“Redshirted the 2011 season and spent the year rehabilitating an injury… could be a boost to the defensive line if healthy this fall… has the skills and versatility to play on either side of the ball”
at least get it right…..
WnE
July 27th, 2012
2:55 pm
re:
GT Lee
July 27th, 2012
2:50 pm
J Kitchens did not have academic issues, it was an injury situation……
“Redshirted the 2011 season and spent the year rehabilitating an injury… could be a boost to the defensive line if healthy this fall… has the skills and versatility to play on either side of the ball”
at least get it right…..
__________
This is Kitchens THIRD YEAR out of HS despite being only a RS-Fr.
Kitchens was denied admission to Auburn AND Tenn. State as a T-FR and didn’t enroll in any college after HS due to Academic issues, so this is his 3rd year out of HS and not his 2nd like most RS-Fresh.
Follow GT FB and know what the eff you’re talking about before you call out those of us that do actually follow GT FB!
GT Lee
July 27th, 2012
3:00 pm
chastised by Football Guru Gollum, aka Carnac the Unknowing One……sniff sniff my feelings are hurt….
GT Lee
July 27th, 2012
3:05 pm
actually we were both correct, Gollum…..
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=140&F=2938&T=9020500&P=1
I did not know about the clearance issues…..
GT Lee
July 27th, 2012
3:22 pm
“Follow GT FB and know what the eff you’re talking about before you call out those of us that do actually follow GT FB!”
Actually, Gollum, one of us actually follows GT football, the other CRITICIZES GT football……can you guess which is which?
GTfan 2012
July 27th, 2012
3:25 pm
WnE, I am basing my analysis of the DL on my own observations from the spring game plus info from folks who were at every spring practice possible.
How many spring practices were you at WnE? How many times did you talk to the coaches after spring practice WnE? Please enlighen me on what FACTS and OBSERVATIONS you are basing your analysis on? Please, heavy on the analysis, light on the trolling.
HighTech
July 27th, 2012
3:46 pm
There is a difference between following and stalking, too.
BLT
July 27th, 2012
4:34 pm
WnE, what’s your take on the Georgia offensive line? How about cornerback and running back? Do you think they have a shot against Mizzou? What about Buffalo? Should CMR continue his tradition of singing happy birthday to 17 or 18 year old boys?
Supersize that order, mutt
July 27th, 2012
4:51 pm
Good one, BLT. Since Gollum knows so much about CFB, then surely he has analyzed all of Tech’s opponents also and can enlighten us poor ignorant FANS as to what will happen this Fall on all those teams as well. I am just so unworthy even to appear on the same blog as such an incredibly brilliant mind. How will I be able to sleep tonight, knowing just how unworthy I am.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 27th, 2012
4:53 pm
I wonder if WnE is married. If so, I wonder if his poor wife finds him to be as much of a boor and a bore as I think we all do. I feel sorry for the woman, if he does have a wife.
BLT
July 27th, 2012
5:08 pm
“Follow GT FB and know what the eff you’re talking about before you call out those of us that do actually follow GT FB!”
What you do goes way beyond “following” Tech football. There is a diagnosis for your problem but I’m afraid to tell you. Just keep taking the medication, avoid alcohol and get some rest.
BLT
July 27th, 2012
5:13 pm
I do not like to speculate Super but he went on a rant once and referred to “nagging” women. Based on that he’s divorced or single.
BLT
July 27th, 2012
5:19 pm
HighTech kept hammering him about cyber stalking Vad Lee and I think he had a break down. Almost seemed like he was screaming while typing.
Anyway, we will just have to persevere with the mediocrity WnE. I hope you like crow because you are going to have to eat a bunch this year.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 27th, 2012
5:27 pm
@ BLT…..can you imagine having to put up with somebody like that every day? I can’t imagine him even having many friends either. It’s really sort of sad, you know
BLT
July 27th, 2012
5:28 pm
meds help I hope
Supersize that order, mutt
July 27th, 2012
5:36 pm
LOL
5150 UOAD
July 27th, 2012
5:42 pm
what
5150 UOAD
July 27th, 2012
5:44 pm
Mom interviewing At Home Nurses.
5150 UOAD
July 27th, 2012
5:48 pm
GT Lee hit SUPER I don’t think i have your Email.
Maybe you can take 48dawg.
I fear dad & I will have OTHER THINGS to work through.
Mom has stopped CHEMO and we are going to work on managing pain.
I will go to games when I can but DAD or I will have to be with mom.
Not to be a downer but mom had THE TALK with me and my sister.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 27th, 2012
5:51 pm
@ UOAD……VERY VERY SORRY to hear that. I don’t think there are any words which suffice, but please know that you all are in my thoughts and prayers.
5150 UOAD
July 27th, 2012
6:12 pm
SUPER thanks……………I have watched 2 of you videos. Look like you has a blast.
I will still be the smart butt cause I don’t now to be any other way on the blogs but Life is changing FAST.
Mom could be here for YEARS or weeks after she stops the CHEMO and stopping most drugs but Pain control.
But Hey I get a Cadillac and and some damn nice Jewelry. Too bad I don’t have Wife or daughter to give it too.
LOL…………I will keep it and make sure my NIECE or NEPHEW have a person worthy to wear mom’s BLING.
LOL yo want to have to go through that TEST? I think
48 Dawg(now having a baby girl) knows what I mean. LOL
1 4 GT
July 28th, 2012
11:57 am
5150—sorry to hear of your woes. My thoughts & prayers go out to you & your family. From what you have said here, your Mom sounds like a strong woman. Now, you have to be strong for her & your Dad. Stay strong thru the Grace of God!!!