Pain-free, Tech’s Orwin Smith setting bar high
Notes from interviews this week. Camp opens next Friday.
1. Orwin Smith said he will always feel lingering effects of his toe injury, but it matters little to him as his final season at Georgia Tech nears.
“I feel like I’m good to go, 100 percent,” said Smith, an A-back. “I don’t feel any pain. … [The injury] will always be there, but it’s definitely easier to do some quickness and planting things.”
Smith suffered the turf-toe injury early in last season’s loss to Virginia Tech. He played with diminished effectiveness for the remainder of the season. He had surgery in January and missed spring practice.
On top of a summer internship in the accounting department of a local beverage distributor, Smith has attacked summer workouts. On top of participating in team workouts, he has taken yoga and trained on his own, exercising with a resistance vest and also running and jumping in a pool.
“I’m the type of guy, I feel like I can’t get fast enough,” he said. “I want to be able to hold my speed for a longer period of time.”
Last season, he had 12 offensive plays of 20 yards or longer, including a school-record 95-yard touchdown run against Kansas.
“Starting last year, I put in a good amount of time of just individual workouts, and I feel like it paid off,” Smith said. “This whole summer, I’ve been trying to do that plus more.”
He offered a whopper of an individual goal — to lead the country in all-purpose yardage. A year ago, he finished 85th in the country at 106.1 per game. The leader averaged 198.0. At the least, he likely would need to be more involved on kick returns.
Said Smith, “It’s a nice goal I feel I can reach.”
2. Quarterback Synjyn Days hopes to win the starting job over Tevin Washington, but he also has worked at A-back, B-back and wide receiver in the team’s 7-on-7 passing scrimmages. He said he has been meeting with A-backs coach Lamar Owens to go over that position.
At ACC media days in Greensboro, N.C., this past week, coach Paul Johnson said that if Days “doesn’t beat out Tevin in the first two weeks of fall camp, I don’t want him standing over there in a baseball cap [as the backup].”
Johnson wants to get Days’ powerful running style on the field, at quarterback or elsewhere. Quarterback is Days’ preference, but he’s open to being moved around.
“To be able to switch positions and be able to make plays on the field is kind of the way I was raised,” he said.
3. While he’ll use a rotation at A-back, Johnson said in Greensboro that he hasn’t determined who will start opposite Smith at A-back and that it could be “one of two or three guys” and that “the guy that blocks the best will be the one that plays.”
That could be an opening for Robbie Godhigh, a former walk-on who had a strong spring practice and for whom blocking is a strength. Godhigh said a starting job is a goal.
“I take that as an opportunity for me to make a name for myself and become the starter,” he said. “Blocking will get you chances to run.”
Deon Hill, B.J. Bostic, Broderick Snoddy and Tony Zenon are other possibilities.
4. Cornerback Louis Young and safety Isaiah Johnson fell over themselves in praise of safety Fred Holton, who is in position to start after missing last season with a torn Achilles tendon.
“Fred’s like the backbone that we didn’t have last year,” Young said. “He’s going to bring that extra muscle that we need to really get the job done.”
Said Johnson, “He can cover as good as anybody. I just can’t wait to see what he can do.”
5. At the team’s strength-and-conditioning testing, cornerback Rod Sweeting recorded a 40-inch vertical leap, a five-inch improvement from last summer. Sweeting said he figured to reach 36 or 37 inches, but then jumped 38 inches on his first attempt and hit 40 on the next.
“The new strength-and-conditioning coach, he’s the best,” Sweeting said of John Sisk. “The whole team got better working out-wise.”
6. Tech players will report for preseason practice Thursday and participate in their first practice Friday. The Jackets will hold Fan Day at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday. Festivities will begin at 3 p.m. on Callaway Plaza. Autograph signing and photo opportunities will start at 4 p.m.
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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270 comments Add your comment
Jack G
July 31st, 2012
1:07 pm
Enter your comments here
Jack G
July 31st, 2012
1:14 pm
5l50—sory for the blank post—-hit the wrong key, I appreciate the generous invite, but walking isnt my only disability. Among some of my other problems is a heart condition that keeps me out of exciting situation, and I do get excited a football games.
Just try to keep Supersize under control and calm him down a little. Just let him know that everyone that disagrees with him is not an Idiot.—-As an after thought, Invite WnE to meet at the BUS in my place ( that should be interesting)
jg
Jack G
July 31st, 2012
1:28 pm
GTfan2012—–I like balanced football. Running, Passing and hardnose defense. I do not like lopsided Running nor do I like lopsided passing. I like the ability to do both.
If you mention Pass around CPJ, he will have your mouth washed out wit lye soap.
The man is a mono maniac.
You also need to go back and investigate the reason Tech left the SEC.
your info is not correct, and i will let you do the research. I dont like to typing well enough to educate you
jg
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
1:32 pm
@ Jack G…….I commend you for your long time support of Ga Tech. I am NOT a johnny-come-lately, as you indicated. I have been a Tech fan since the 50s and graduated from Tech in the 60s. I apologize for coming down so hard on you, but your initial post sounded too much like that made by a troll or a johnny-come-lately Tech fan who doesn’t really know much. I know that CPJ is not perfect, but neither was Dodd. I LIKE his offense (Paul Ball, as you call it), and I think it will pay off big time now that he’s getting the type recruits he wants. Could he get even better ones? Well, it would be nice if he did, but as UOAD pointed out, recruiting at Tech has NEVER been easy. I like what CPJ is able to do with what he has, and I look for more of the same. Personally, I think Paul-Ball is exciting as hell to watch….no more so or less than any other well-executed type of game, but exciting none-the-less. I’m sorry you don’t agree, and I’m sorry to hear that you are not able to attend the games in person. I hopefully have a few more years in me, but the drive up from Augusta DOES get old.
GO JACKETS !!!
5150 UOAD
July 31st, 2012
1:34 pm
Jack G…………WE have invited WnE to meet on many occasion but he NEVER accepts.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
1:38 pm
@ Jack G…..you questioned GTfan2012’s reason for why Tech left the SEC. Dodd did it for several reasons, and recruiting WAS one of them, mainly because of the way the Bear recruited and then kicked players off scholarships, something that was not prevented by the NCAA. He also pulled Tech from the SEC because of other “antics” by the Bear….notably his refusal to even acknowledge the VICIOUS late hit by Darwin Holt on Chick Granning in 1961. Unfortunately, though, I think Dodd’s main reason for pulling Tech from the SEC was greed. He thought Tech could be the Notre Dame of the South and pull in big bucks. Unfortunately, he didn’t (or couldn’t) schedule opponents that would have helped him reach that goal, and then suddenly we were left totally without a home.
5150 UOAD
July 31st, 2012
1:49 pm
Jack G…if you don’t know WHY GT left the SEC then you need to read your history again.
Was it a GOOD Decision? Yes & No.
The SEC chose to sellout Academics to be a minor league for the NFL where EDUCATION is so far down the list of priorities if has to make you laugh.
Class and Higher Education left the SEC so long ago it makes you sad.
DawginLex
July 31st, 2012
1:55 pm
Ken your filters suck
dawgfan
July 31st, 2012
2:03 pm
“The SEC chose to sellout Academics to be a minor league for the NFL where EDUCATION is so far down the list of priorities if has to make you laugh.”
Or maybe the SEC just doesn’t want to be a sore loser bitter crybaby that makes up excuses and lies about how academics and athletics cannot successfully co-exist. Maybe the SEC strives to be good at EVERYTHING and not just the things that come easy to it. For the life of me, I do not understand how Aaron Murray’s ability to throw touchdown passes or Jarvis Jones’ tackling ability affects the quality of a UGA degree. Can one of you geniuses please explain this to me? So maybe there are 50 or so players on the football team that could not get in to UGA if they did not play football. Oh the horror!!!! What on God’s green earth does that have to do with the TENS OF THOUSANDS of other students that attend UGA? How has UGA sold out by letting 50 guys out of 30,000 in to play football?
Good grief Tech fans are the biggest freaking joke in the history of the universe. Whine, cry and make excuses. Its all they know how to do. Unbelievable.
Good day.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
2:10 pm
@ dwagfan…..you talk about being a crybaby, and making up excuses. The dwags are the biggest whiners in ALL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!! EVERYBODY knows it except fools like you.
5150 UOAD
July 31st, 2012
2:12 pm
OK dwagfan……….You are GOD. UGa is Christ, but neither of you WIN games that matter. UGa sucking the tit of the SEC is getting OLD. Breakout and Stand on your own. Stand for Better and PROVE UGa isn’t what Jan Kemp proved you to be.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
2:14 pm
So you are happy that 50 or so guys play football at UGA, and some of them probably can’t even write their name on a piece of paper. OK, maybe that’s a little bit of an exaggeration, but still, for there to be fans of any college who are proud to be represented in any way by kids who wouldn’t even be in college if they didn’t play football is what’s wrong with college football in this country today.
Jack G
July 31st, 2012
2:20 pm
5150 and Supersize
Go back and read my post. I said that GTfan2012 didnt have it right. Scollys did play a part, but Supersize got it right. Dodd got greedy and thought Tech would be the Notre Dame of the south. He made a big mistake.
I think Dodd was a great coach so I guess he is entitled to one mistake. ha ha
I dont think it was recruiting because Dodd didnt seem to have much trouble getting good recruits. Red W. (former atheletic director of City of Atlanta) once told me that Tech checked grades of all football prospects before they tried to recruit them which of couse cut out some good football players)
I do know that SEC wanted Dodd to withdraw Scolly’s for some of the Tech players already in School, and Dodd refused.
5150 UOAD
July 31st, 2012
2:29 pm
OK JACK G…..better understanding of you point.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
2:33 pm
Thanks, Jack G. As long as we are both Tech fans, we can disagree on some points but remain on civil terms. Sorry again for the curt response I made to your original post. I think Dodd was a fantastic coach but a TERRIBLE AD.
Jack G
July 31st, 2012
2:44 pm
Supersize—-no problem—we are still friends.—–Your analysis of Dodd is spot on.
Jack G
July 31st, 2012
2:52 pm
Note on Dodd. Dodd and Ed Danforth were always poormouthing Tech and puffing up how great Tech’s opponent was each week, and I asked Bobby North about thatand his reply to that was that’s not what Dodd tels us at practice
GTfan 2012
July 31st, 2012
2:52 pm
Jack G,
I was by no means citing that recruiting and the lack of level playing field were the ONLY reasons GT left the SEC, but clearly they played a heavily into the decision. I actually agree with Supersize as well, which doesn’t at all change my previous comments. I was merely pointing out that those factors and that lack of level playing field vis a vis most of the rest of the BCS level schools in the Southeast still stand.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
2:57 pm
@ Jack G……LOL at your 2:52 comment about Dodd.
We’ve just got to convince you that “Paul Ball” ain’t so bad. I actually like it a lot. We just need a sound D to go along with it, and I THINK that’s falling into place now. Of course, we also need more consistent passing, but remember, when he was at Hawaii, he did a LOT of passing, and passing was also a big part of his TO offense when he was at Ga Southern. The problem is not CPJ…..it’s the QB’s he has had at Tech so far.
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
3:12 pm
Jack G. You’ve got 20 years on me and I so much love the fact that you care so much about GT that you have come on here to express your thoughts and put us young whippersnappers straight. I have had back, hip & heart problems and been retired by them. I am much better now and went to my 1st GT game, in Hell Paso, in so long a time, I can’t really recall what year it was. At least 35 years ago. I hope to see you here from time to time. I wish you the best. Stay healthy, my friend.
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
3:15 pm
The champion of poormouthing was the much esteemed dwag coach dooley–and he learned from Dodd.
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
3:17 pm
Damn, water polo has got to be so exhausting!
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
3:28 pm
@ 1 4 GT……Bob Costas said before the match that it had to be the most grueling of sports. One of the USA players (or maybe a coach) agreed.
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
3:31 pm
SS–all that “work” staying afloat–kinda like football in 1 foot thick mud.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
3:32 pm
@ 1 4 GT……exactly. Although really more like rugby than football
GT Lee
July 31st, 2012
3:32 pm
CPJ told his players if you want to pass more, get better at it…..they’ve been practicing it this summer
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
3:35 pm
US Women won Gold in gymnastics
Big Crimson 75
July 31st, 2012
3:35 pm
Super — It would be great for Bama & Tech to play again!!
It’s actually a shame a lot of young college football fans have no idea the history between the 2 Programs. The Rivarly(Bear v. Dodd), the connections(Bill Curry).
BTW, my 2 cents on GT leaving the SEC — it was all about segregation. When GT left the SEC, they were still segregated, but much like Tulane, they knew it was impossible to remain segregated being based in a large urban Southern City with a growing black population.
Just don’t tell GTbob, I like razzing him GT left because they were scared of the competition!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
3:36 pm
I sorta wish CPJ would hire a QB coach to work exclusively with the QB’s on their technique….especially passing. I knew it wouldn’t happen, but I was wishing that he would hire Friedgen back as the QB coach. Can you imagine what he would do with those guys???
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
3:38 pm
Crimson……all former “hatred” for the Bear aside, I wish we still played each other too. The rivalry actually goes back much further than Dodd and the Bear. Tech and Bama were the premiere football programs in the south for many many years. You even mention Tech in your fight song.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
3:40 pm
I don’t know if segregation played any part in the decision or not, but unlike the Georgia legislature, Dodd was not averse to Tech playing teams with black players on them, and I’m sure if he had stayed as coach, he would have begun recruiting black athletes; Carson, who succeeded him, did almost immediately.
Big Crimson 75
July 31st, 2012
3:53 pm
Sup — Both were before my time, but as a historian of College Football, I don’t think either is gonna be confused with Branch Rickey.
Big Crimson 75
July 31st, 2012
3:55 pm
Yo Ken S, you gotta relax a little dude.
Your filters are too harsh.
I’m trying to rip wne a new one over here…………
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
3:57 pm
Crimson, I don’t understand your reference to Branch Rickey
GT Lee
July 31st, 2012
4:00 pm
Super,
Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson and others
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
4:02 pm
Rickey put the 1st black player in MLB==Jackie Robinson.
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
4:03 pm
In 1947=I’m pretty sure of the year..
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
4:05 pm
ahh, ok. Thanks
Big Crimson 75
July 31st, 2012
4:07 pm
Lee — very good point, ….and others!!
Those Brooklyn Dodger Teams also featured Don Newcombe & Roy Campanella.
Jack G
July 31st, 2012
4:09 pm
Supersize—-Rickey broke the color line with Jackie Robinson in baseball
GT Lee
July 31st, 2012
4:09 pm
he also drafted Roberto Clemente
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
4:14 pm
Rickey was Dodgers—Robert played for the Pirates
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
4:17 pm
o
Big Crimson 75
July 31st, 2012
4:17 pm
I guess their is no “Branch Rickey” for Southern Football Coaches?
I suppose the Federal Laws passed in ‘64 forced the hand of most Institutions in the South.
I’ve never heard of a Coach in the South that bucked the trend before segregation was “acceptable”, maybe the guy at SMU?? Wasn’t He recruiting black Players before every-one else in Dixie?
5150 UOAD
July 31st, 2012
4:29 pm
GT Lee wants to be my DATE for the GT Fan Day. Should I be sacred? LMAO!!!!!
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
4:35 pm
I believe you can start the integration of college sports in the south with the defeat of Adolph Rupp & the #1 ranked all white UK Wildcats for the national championship of college basketball in the NCAA tournament in March, 1966. The Texas Western Miners (University of Texas @ El Paso) started the game with an all black starting 5 team. Of course, the Ky. Gov. tried to stop the team from playing an integrated team. Rupp began recruiting black athletes for the following season. I can’t say about SMU. But the NCAA BB tourney of 1966 was the defining thing in college coaches minds about needing black players in order to remain competitive.
1 4 GT
July 31st, 2012
4:36 pm
scared or sacred—GT Lee is a good guy but God he ain’t
Supersize that order, mutt
July 31st, 2012
4:43 pm
The first MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION came for the 1956 Sugar Bowl when Governor Ellis Arnall tried to prevent Tech from playing Pittsburgh because Pitt had a black player on the team. Dodd and the student body at Tech prevailed, and Tech played and won the game.
5150 UOAD
July 31st, 2012
4:59 pm
Skeered……LOL
Any of you going to Fan Day?
If you are and are season ticket holder then you should have a Coupon to get you to the Front of the Autograph Line.
5150 UOAD
July 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
Q.) What TEAM had the FIRST Black Starting QB in the south?
A.) you can watch him every time you see the movie “RUDY”