Paul Johnson touts Tech’s depth
Busy day. More on Monday.
When Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson spoke at a media day news conference Saturday, the topic of depth came up repeatedly. Specifically, the Yellow Jackets have it.
“I think this is the most depth we’ve had since we’ve been here, if you can just go position by position,” Johnson said.
The offensive line is probably the deepest position group on the team, with seven players bringing back a total of 82 career starts. The group has four full-time starters from 2011 – guards Omoregie Uzzi and Will Jackson, tackle Ray Beno and center Jay Finch – back, plus part-time starter Tyler Kidney.
“We’ve got four or five guards that we could play and same thing at tackle,” Johnson said.
Defensive line and A-back are two other spots where the Jackets are the deepest, particularly with ends Chris Crenshaw, Izaan Cross, Euclid Cummings and Emmanuel Dieke returning with considerable experience.
“There’s going to be plays when we literally can’t give our all because we’re going to be exhausted, so we have somebody who’s fresh who can come in and who can play just as productive,” Cross said.
2. Tech’s seniors plan to take turns wearing former teammate Julian Burnett’s No. 40 in games this season. The team’s six senior starters – quarterback Tevin Washington, A-back Orwin Smith, Uzzi, Cross, nose tackle T.J. Barnes and cornerback Rod Sweeting – will likely get first crack. Washington said he hoped to have a chance to wear it.
“To be able to try to emulate him, that’s a challenge,” Washington said. “That just means you’ve got to be able to play with unbelievable effort.”
Said Smith, “I would definitely wear it in a game.”
Washington said team members asked Burnett, whose career is likely over after a neck injury suffered in the Sun Bowl, if they could wear his jersey number.
“He just said he would love to let us wear his number,” Washington said. “He said he would be honored.”
3. Defensive lineman Adam Gotsis, an incoming freshman from Australia, is adjusting well. Johnson said that coaches have been encouraged by the speed and athletic ability that Gotsis has demonstrated in the first two practices. While he has been fitting in with the team socially, Gotsis did have questions about the Philly cheesesteaks provided at a team meal.
“He’d never seen one before,” Johnson said. “He wanted to know what it was.”
Cross, who lockers next to Gotsis, said Gotsis told him the biggest difference thus far between the college game and his football in Australia, where he played for a club team, was the speed.
Said Cross, “He’s solid, he’s a big kid, shows flashes that he can be pretty good.”
4. The team took the field for its second practice of fall camp Saturday morning, again in helmets, jerseys and shorts. The Jackets will practice again Sunday afternoon, this time in shoulder pads. Their first fully padded practice will be Tuesday.
“Everybody’s excited, people are focused in meetings, more focused than I’ve ever seen,” outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu said.
B-back David Sims and guard Trey Braun, who wore gold jerseys Friday signifying injured status, returned Saturday. Offensive lineman Thomas O’Reilly continued in gold. Johnson said that linebacker Jabari Hunt-Days “sat out partly” with what a “tweak.” He should return Sunday, Johnson said.
5. Tech held its fan day Saturday afternoon. The event yielded a considerable turnout, particularly considering the threatening weather. As usual, the lines for the quarterbacks and Johnson were the longest. Washington the strangest autograph request he received last year was from a young girl who wanted players to sign her back.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
81 comments Add your comment
Ol'JacketFan
August 5th, 2012
4:06 pm
@ Wish I, no matter how talented a freshman is it’s difficult for them to take a starting position from an incumbent. It’s a matter of physical maturity and learning the offensive/defensive schemes. I’ve seen players come in 6′5″ 255 and leave at 6′5″ 310 and all conference. You want to tell me that freshman was ready to start when he arrived on campus? But that doesn’t fit neatly into some folks’ mindset so he was a worthless recruit because he wasn’t starting as a freshman.
yeller bug
August 5th, 2012
4:08 pm
@Wne: Never claimed we were weak at the drop back pass—said we do not practice it as much because that is not our offensive schema. It is certain that it is practiced though. Mathematically, it is impossible to practice everything a lot. We run the ball better than 99% of all the other teams in CFB. So I guess we can expect to throw the ball better than 70% too! Sniff another line of coke—ain’t gonna happen—sounds like another “shovel-ready” project from Obama. CPJ has the ability to pass more if he wants—it could be stated that he has not had a good passer nor good receivers—-even SH had brick hands at times. If our O line is really good this year, then all our offensive plays–running and passing will be better and our ball control methods will keep our D off the field. This isn’t blind hope—it is a legitmate forecast if our O-line does that well. We have a pistol formation to pass from—we have a “we’re behind and need to throw the ball” offense. The goal is not to get into that situation.
We have a legitimate shot to win every game on our schedule. Let’s play the games and see how GT does. I think it will be a very good year and if you are a legitimate GT fan, then you should support your team.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 5th, 2012
4:15 pm
@ yeller bug…..I would assume from that post that you are not a fan of Obama either. Be careful saying that; WnE probably IS an Obama fan and will start slamming you and all others who agree with you on that.
Beat UGA
August 5th, 2012
4:45 pm
Lets ripe that ugly hedge out by the roots this year!
yeller bug
August 5th, 2012
4:51 pm
Super: I assume he is an Obama lover….which would explain a lot of his thought/emotional processes.
WnE
August 5th, 2012
5:05 pm
re:
Wish I was as smart as WnE …
August 5th, 2012
2:57 pm
From WnE:
Hoping that the offense dominates and that we won’t NEED “drop back passing” is a flawed strategy that has gotten us a 3-13 record vs. the big-4 on our schedule (VT, Miami, UGA, Bowl Games).
—————-
See what I mean Ol’JacketFan ……. the ole “WnE Spin”. GT’s big 4 now include Miami and who-the-he*l-ever GT is playing in a bowl game. Instead of Clemson, a team that GT has played more than VT, Miami, and Bowl opponents COMBINED!
Then there is FSU … a stronger ACC team, and UNC (another opponent GT has played more than VT & Miami COMBINED).
Those 3 programs don’t fit the “WnE Spin” b/c PJ is 4-1 vs. CU, 2-0 vs. FSU, and 3-1 vs. UNC, or 9-2 vs those teams.
WnE, the “Spin Doctor”
_____________
No spin AT ALL!
I’m trying to fairly measure the strength of GT’s FB program.
UNC has had NCAA suspensions and a “late” coaching change in 2 of the games that we have played vs. them, beating teams that are missing 10-12 starters doesn’t really measure where you are as a FB program, having a HC step down and be replaced with a interim HC less than a week before Fall Practice starts can have a negative impact on a team also, in summary UNC has not been a good barometer for where GT FB really is.
FSU was a shell of the teams that GOL & Chan had to play, in the last 2 Bowden years, that team was anything but strong, using that 2-0 vs. FSU to try and judge what kind of FB program we have is flawed also, FSU with a lame duck Bowden as a HC was a joke, and we still had to beat them in shootout fashion and on a GL mistake by FSU, Bowden forgot which RB had fumbling problems and put the wrong RB in the game on the GL, stuff like that happens when you’re past your prime still trying to coach in your mid to late 70s.
FSU is stronger now under Jimbo Fisher and have won 9 & 10 games in the last 2 seasons and has recruited well, we’ll see if you feel the same way starting in 2013 when we see them again.
Clemson has been an underachieving Program for a very long time, also Clemson had a Coaching Change 1 or 2 weeks before we played them in recent years when Tommy Bowden got canned.
Is it really a good barometer of where GT FB is by comparing how we perform vs. a team that gets bashed annually vs. USCe and gave up 70 POINTS TO A BIG EAST TEAM after having 5 weeks to prepare for a Bowl Game?
The number #1 barometer of where GT FB is, is how we do vs. UGA, next VT has had something like 8-straight 10 win seasons, Miami might have had down years for them, mainly due to poor QBs not developing, but they always have a lot of future NFL guys and they always play tough OOC teams like Oklahoma, Florida etc.
Bowl Games are usually vs. teams from another region or Conference.
Those are the reasons that I use those games as the big-4 vs. UNC, Clemson & FSU.
Anyone that is fair & unbiased will see that the big-4 that I picked out are much better way to measure where GT FB really is, vs. UNC, FSU (2 games), and Clemson.
WnE
August 5th, 2012
5:08 pm
What have I written about GT FB that would indicate that I love or even agree with Obama?
Finding flaws in a gimmicky triple-SLOPtion Offense somehow connects to a person’s political ideology?
Please explain.
5150 UOAD
August 5th, 2012
5:19 pm
Why is Obama’s closet kept boyfriend WnE posting? Are some of you responding to him?
Stop responding to the dWag butt sniffing self loathing child.
yeller bug
August 5th, 2012
5:56 pm
WnE
August 5th, 2012
5:08 pm
What have I written about GT FB that would indicate that I love or even agree with Obama?
Finding flaws in a gimmicky triple-SLOPtion Offense somehow connects to a person’s political ideology?
Please explain.
So you ARE an Obama lover…..makes sense.
The similarities to a liberal, secular (or perhaps generic little “g” god worshipping), socialist like Obama are quite obvious:
1. You twist facts and overemphasize statistics to suit your points as Ole Jacket Fan and Wish I was as smart as WnE have pointed out above–sorta like how the stimulus worked and how Obamacare will be cost neutral
2. You claim to be a fan of Tech yet all you do is criticize. Thus you state allegiance to one side yet constantly attack it–sorta like Obama’s support for Israel or traditional marriage
3. You claim GT has a gimmicky offense and your derogatory SLOPtion reference is like Obama’s “You didn’t build that” speech, and his attacks on Bain capital and capitalism in general. In fact your complete lack of understanding that GT’s Option offense can be run with success with less talented personnel (ref. the military academies) and that it is dreaded by opposing DCs is very similar to Obama’s utter lack of understanding of the benefits of capitalism.
4. You are devisive and antagonistic that instead of encouraging unity and uniting a team (or)nation to tackle difficult challenges, you place blame and criticize which is just like Obama’s create conflict and separation among its citizens.
I could go on, but that should be sufficient.
5150 UOAD
August 5th, 2012
6:04 pm
Orwin Smith
a few seconds ago near Atlanta ·
So many people complain about life and other things but have you prayed about it just as much as you’ve talked about it?! Think about it…
Supersize that order, mutt
August 5th, 2012
6:11 pm
@ yeller bug……I think you nailed it
Supersize that order, mutt
August 5th, 2012
6:12 pm
UOAD, I would doubt that WnE has ever prayed about anything. But he is certainly in need of prayer
5150 UOAD
August 5th, 2012
6:37 pm
Super….I posted the few Fan Day photos on FB that were ok.
Wow
August 5th, 2012
6:51 pm
5150 and Super…. I usually respect and view your comments as well researched arguments but some of the things that I have read from y’all to other people are rude. No matter how upset trolls make you should still “turn the other cheek”. Instead you don’t and you attack them on more than just a football level but on a personal level. That’s fine until you claim that they need prayer and imply that y’all are some holy Christians. One side or the other, stop straddling the fence.
www
August 5th, 2012
6:52 pm
WnE is still sniffing around? sad.
5150 UOAD
August 5th, 2012
7:05 pm
WoW……..I didn’t say anything about WnE needing prayers. I posted a Quote from a player.
I HATE WnE for all the crap and personal attacks he posts. I stopped responding to him. He is a JOKE. I never said I was perfect but I know of no Christian that is Perfect. I don’t straddle the fence. I HATE WnE. I still say prayers for people. I still help people in need.
Paul in NH
August 5th, 2012
7:05 pm
“That slate of A-backs outside of the incumbent starter Orwin Hill, does NOT sound like a very experienced group.
Someone knows that the GT fanbase is not very CFB savvy”
——
WnE obviously knows more about CFB than any of the not very CFB savvy GT fanbase – the fanbase is wondering who this A back is named “Orwin Hill”
Supersize that order, mutt
August 5th, 2012
7:06 pm
@ Wow…….the only people I make rude comment to on here are a few UGA trolls who obviously only want to pick fights and WnE, who IMHO deserves every rude comment he gets because of, if for no other reason, his slams on Angelo Taylor; those were totally uncalled for. Honestly, I DO believe he needs prayer, because his totally BITTER negative comments about anything related to Ga Tech, and again especially his comments about Angelo, show him to be a deeply disturbed person. I turned the other cheek to WnE for a LONG LONG time, but the Angelo Taylor remarks did me in; I will not take it any longer.
Paul in NH
August 5th, 2012
7:16 pm
“Clemson has been an underachieving Program for a very long time”
—-
Apart from the last 3 years when they played in the ACCCG 2x winning the conference on one of those occasions.
WnE
August 5th, 2012
7:51 pm
Obviously a typo Paul in Raleigh……….
WnE
August 5th, 2012
7:56 pm
Angelo Taylor had sex with 15 y/o girls, and I merely pulled up a Jeff Schultz article stating the facts of the case, I did not slam him.
I merely reported his very public past, a past which you want to defend vigorously.
Why would any person (that would be you Supersize) defend a grown @$$ man that has sex with 15 y/o girls?
Do you really believe he paid his debt to society or that he got a cushy plea deal (no jail time) from the Prosecution?
Supersize that order, mutt
August 5th, 2012
8:05 pm
I see WnE is back again. I refuse to read anything he posts, but I would imagine that he is still trying to defend his slams on Angelo Taylor. In the likely event that he is, I will repeat (even though I know he will ignore it), that if Angelo was deemed ok by the US Olympic Committee, and if the IOC was satisfied with that, and if the UST&FA was satisfied with that, AND if his fellow teammates on the US Olympics T&F team, who VOTED him as their CAPTAIN, were satisfied with that, then WHY THE HELL IS NOT WnE SATISFIED with that. He is a sick SICK SOB.
Big Ol Stinger
August 5th, 2012
8:10 pm
I’d rather be a grown man that had sex with 15 year old girls than a grown man who stalks football recruits of a team I hate on social media.
Die troll.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 5th, 2012
8:16 pm
Stinger, are you watching the Olympics now? They just did a feature on Pistorius from South Africa. HE is one helluva young man. Fascinating story on him.
Big Ol Stinger
August 5th, 2012
8:18 pm
Flipped it over to the Cardinal’s game. Missed that one.
5150 UOAD
August 5th, 2012
8:18 pm
WOW………….Randy Garner still has a JOB?
“Responding to a recent freedom of information request to disclose the exact number of football players currently on scholarship for the 2012 season, Georgia revealed that it had 72 student-athletes on football grants-in-aid so the Bulldogs are 13 below the NCAA’s scholarship limit.”
5150 UOAD
August 5th, 2012
8:44 pm
MAY & WALSH came out FIRING an all CYLINDERS.
South Ga Jacket
August 5th, 2012
10:03 pm
WnE, is playing time your only qualification for “depth?” If so, please stick to with something that know, because it clearly isn’t football.
ACC Football Daily Links — Was Clemson’s Punishment for Sammy Watkins Too Harsh? | Atlantic Coast Convos
August 6th, 2012
9:00 am
[...] Paul Johnson Touts Tech’s Depth (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) [...]
gt4ever
August 6th, 2012
2:34 pm
I’m guilty of having sex with 15 year old girls… I was just 16 of course… But even when it was bad, it’s good…
1 4 GT
August 6th, 2012
10:21 pm
I’ve seen 15 year old girls, that if they asked with grace & dignity, I’d have a really hard time saying no.