Georgia Tech: Justin Thomas turns on the jets

Practice report from Tuesday afternoon:

1. Georgia Tech put on the pads for the first time Tuesday. Among the standouts was freshman quarterback Justin Thomas.

“There were some kids that did some good things,” coach Paul Johnson said. “Justin Thomas had a couple long runs for touchdowns, so that was good.”

In his next breath, Johnson played down the possibility of him playing this year. With Tevin Washington, Vad Lee and Synjyn Days ahead of him, a redshirt seems likely.

“He’s lost right now,” Johnson said. “But he’s very quick and fast. He’s got ability like we thought.”

Tuesday was also the first opportunity for coaches to see how Days, who has also been taking snaps at A-back, could block. Johnson said Days took more reps Tuesday at quarterback than A-back and didn’t watch him that much.

“It wasn’t glaringly bad or it wasn’t anything that caught my eye,” he said.

There wasn’t a great deal of full-contact work, defensive end Izaan Cross said, mostly formation recognition work. The most contact was in an option drill.

“We’ve got a ways to go,” Cross said, “but a good start.”

After four practices with no pads or just shoulder pads, “everybody was ready to hit,” said nose tackle T.J. Barnes, who hailed the play of cornerback Louis Young. “I was impressed by what I saw [Tuesday], but we’ve still got to get better.”

Defensive coordinator Al Groh’s assessment of the freshmen: “A lot of them are like a ball in high grass. You know what that is? Lost.”

2. Groh’s breakdown of defensive end Anthony Williams, who is pushing for playing time behind ends Cross, Emmanuel Dieke and Euclid Cummings. “This is Anthony’s third year. He’s certainly got some muscles on him that he didn’t have two years ago, (and) a better sense of the techniques that he plays. That’s the key thing, the development of the techniques, because they’re all fairly similar from defensive scheme to defensive scheme. … In the early going, added on to the 15 practices of the spring, you can see some progress in that area.”

3. It’s been a good camp so far for kicker David Scully. The junior, who came to Tech as a walk-on, was placed on scholarship on Monday. He has taken an early lead in the competition with kicker Justin Moore. And he likes new special-teams coordinator David Walkosky. While he is spending more time with the specialists, Scully and his fellow kickers are actually kicking less.

“He makes it a point not to over-kick us,” Scully said. “I know this time last year, we were all (spending time in the) cold tub, sore, stretching, just dying. And he makes a really good point to make sure, when we start getting fatigued, he shuts us down. Just really kind of taking care of us in general.”

4. Cross’ roommate at the team hotel is walk-on freshman A-back Isiah Willis. It’s seemingly the ideal situation for a senior like Cross to pull rank. He said he has yet to do so.

“I just want to go to bed when I get back to the room,” he said. “I’m exhausted after Coach Groh’s meetings.”

5. The team will have its first double practice session on Wednesday, going at 9:30 a.m. and again at 5:15 p.m. The Jackets have a scrimmage scheduled for Saturday morning. It has not been determined if it will be open to the public.

Thanks for reading.

Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog

207 comments Add your comment

Paddy

August 8th, 2012
1:23 pm

gt4ever…….I really do enjoy watching Tech play under CPJ. Can’t say that about any other coach you have had. From a pure football perspective, it is entertaining.
Go Dawgs!!

Supersize that order, mutt

August 8th, 2012
1:23 pm

@ GT fan……you also need to do some research on Kelley Rhino, whom you slammed yestahday

JM

August 8th, 2012
1:24 pm

Good to hear the players are upbeat and working hard.

Supersize that order, mutt

August 8th, 2012
1:25 pm

@ GT fan……contrary to what you posted yestahday, Kelley played at Tech from 1999 – 2002 and is the most prolific punt returner in Tech history

Supersize that order, mutt

August 8th, 2012
1:26 pm

OK, finally got it through the filters. Makes no sense why I couldn’t get it all through in one post. But anyway, GT fan, those are the facts about Kelley Rhino. He was long gone from Tech when we lost to LSU in the Peach Bowl

Supersize that order, mutt

August 8th, 2012
1:27 pm

Plus, Kelley made quite a few TD-saving tackles on kickoff coverage

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:41 pm

These filters sure are screwy!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:44 pm

I had the same problems yestirday & today!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:45 pm

Why the HELL is y e s t e r d a y rejected!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:48 pm

That is so focking STUPID!!!!! To reject y e s t e r d a y!!!!!!!!!! Someone needs to be examined if they find y e s t e r d a y objectionable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:54 pm

I have not tried to post anything that a sane person would find objectionable either day, but comments were rejected both days–Tuesday & Wednesday, Totally innocuous wording in my rejected comments. Surely the AJC can do better!!!! WE ALL understand not putting vulgarity and such in our comments, but there is no reason for I had rejected to have happened.

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:54 pm

Y E S T E R D A Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:54 pm

Y E S T E R D A Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:55 pm

Y E S T E R D A Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:57 pm

Y E S T E R D A Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:57 pm

THESE FILTERS ARE F’ED UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:58 pm

Y E S T E R D A Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:59 pm

Y E S T E R D A Y !!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:59 pm

Y E S T E R D A Y !!!

GT fan

August 8th, 2012
1:59 pm

Super …… IMO, Kelly Rhino stunk. I think of him as that employee, and we all have experience one, who gets hired through nepotism, that really should be working somewhere else….

I want game breaker types returning punts for me. Do you really think Frank Beamer, or ST-minded coaches would’ve had KR returning punts for him/them? That’s big heck no.

Again, like I said regarding BS & JT returning KOs … having a PR threat gets into the head of the opposing punter. These are college kids, and it willl effect their punting even more than it will the KOs.

I’ve read KRs career stats. It doesn’t change my opinion of him as GT football player. Or the fact that he was not a PR with game-changing ability, just a tough kid that could field punts.

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
1:59 pm

Y E S T E R D A Y !

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
2:01 pm

FIX YOUR STUPID FILTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
2:03 pm

I’m done until later. Too PO’ed at the AJC filters to try and work around them. A word like y e s t e r d a y gets a comment rejected. REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GT fan

August 8th, 2012
2:15 pm

Supersize that order, mutt

August 8th, 2012
1:26 pm
OK, finally got it through the filters. Makes no sense why I couldn’t get it all through in one post. But anyway, GT fan, those are the facts about Kelley Rhino. He was long gone from Tech when we lost to LSU in the Peach Bowl
——————————————–
Super … do your research too, yeah Rhino was long gone from GT when the Jackets lost to LSU in the 2008 Peach Bowl, but not when GT lost to LSU in the 2000 Peach Bowl …………. I was on the transportation committee for LSU, and was coach Saban’s driver for the week. And the only time I drove him was when I drove him & his wife to the game. NO, Saban didn’t ride the team bus to the game, but he did ride back with the team.

And after spilling to him that I was a GT fan, I was naive enough to ask coach Saban, if he thought his Tigers stood a decent chance of beating O’Leary and the Jackets.

Go research what part Mr. Rhino played in helping LSU’s efforts…..

Ken Sugiura

August 8th, 2012
2:32 pm

sorry for the troubles, 1 4 GT. you shouldn’t have a problem anymore.

juvenal

August 8th, 2012
2:47 pm

same kind of help we had against Air Force…wow, headly & wne back to back…

HighTech

August 8th, 2012
2:59 pm

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
3:02 pm

How about that gang, Thanks Ken!!!!

5150 UOAD

August 8th, 2012
3:03 pm

F…………………..headley
F…………………..WnE

STOP TALKING to those A…HOLES.

5150 UOAD

August 8th, 2012
3:05 pm

me thinks 1 4 GT is PODF!!!!
P..ss
On
Da
Filters
:)

HighTech

August 8th, 2012
3:12 pm

14GT PODF…I like it. :-)

HighTech

August 8th, 2012
3:14 pm

juvenal…I think headley and wne are more front to back if you know what I mean. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

5150 UOAD

August 8th, 2012
3:18 pm

Did EVERYBODY say happy Birthday to Supersize?

HighTech

August 8th, 2012
3:20 pm

CMR is making a trip to Augusta to sing “Happy Birthday” to Supersize and to give him a hug.

5150 UOAD

August 8th, 2012
3:21 pm

Nancy Pelosi called Harry Reid into her office one day and said, “Harry, I have a plan to win back Middle America in 2012!”

“Great Nancy, but how?” asked Harry.

“We’ll get some cheesy clothes and shoes, like most Middle Class Americans wear, then stop at the pound and pick up a Labrador retriever. Then, we’ll go to a nice old country bar in Montana and show them how much admiration and respect we have for the hard working people living there.”

So they did, and found just the place they were looking for in Bozeman , Montana With the dog in tow, they walked inside and stepped up to the bar.

The Bartender took a step back and said, “Hey! Aren’t you Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi?”

“Yes we are!” said Nancy, “and what a lovely town you have here. We were passing through and Harry suggested we stop and take in some local color.”

They ordered a round of bourbon for the whole bar, and started chatting up a storm with anyone who would listen.

A few minutes later, a grizzled old rancher came in, walked up to the Labrador, lifted up its tail, looked underneath, shrugged his shoulders and walked out. A few moments later, in came another old rancher. He walked up to the dog, lifted up its tail, looked underneath, scratched his head and left the bar. For the next hour, another dozen ranchers came in, lifted the dog’s tail, and left shaking their heads.

Finally, Nancy asked, “Why did all those old ranchers come in and look under the dog’s tail? Is it some sort of custom?”

“Lord no,” said the bartender. “Someone’s out there running around town, claiming there’s a Labrador Retriever in here with two a..holes!”

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
3:23 pm

Yeah, I’m sure Supersize would really enjoy that. Hope he’ll forgive me if I just say it. Happy Birthday!! Can’t carry a tune in 3 buckets anyway.

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
3:26 pm

5150 is too much sometimes!!

5150 UOAD

August 8th, 2012
3:28 pm

Only sometimes? Damn I am slipping I guess.

GT Lee

August 8th, 2012
3:36 pm

5150 UOAD

August 8th, 2012
3:43 pm

UGa fans that now have a reality show on TLC……..
Classic Southern White trash Uga fans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11T59SdqguQ

5150 UOAD

August 8th, 2012
4:01 pm

Got to LOVE Women’s Beach Volleyball.

http://www.idontlikeyouinthatway.com/pictures/20120808/Xue%20Chen/xue-chen-07.html

Americans about to Play NOW for Gold & Silver.

1 4 GT

August 8th, 2012
4:39 pm

USA WILL WIN GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO USA THWW

JACKETTE

August 8th, 2012
4:56 pm

RUN JUSTIN RUN, BRING IT BABY PLAY HIM

Supersize that order, mutt

August 8th, 2012
5:19 pm

LOL @ HT……Do you think he will give me a hug too?

Supersize that order, mutt

August 8th, 2012
5:20 pm

@ GT Lee and UOAD and HT and 1 4 GT, and anybody else I might have left out…….THANK YOU ALL!!!!

GT Lee

August 8th, 2012
5:56 pm

keep a fire extinguisher handy if you light ALL the candles on that cake!

Supersize that order, mutt

August 8th, 2012
5:57 pm

F U, Lee. LOL

5150 UOAD

August 8th, 2012
6:30 pm

The FIRE DEPARTMENT has been on ALERT all day already. That lil kitchen fire extinguisher will not cut it.

5150 UOAD

August 8th, 2012
6:33 pm

Super is burning Elephant Dung to keep the DWAGS away from his Birthday Party.

Big Crimson 75

August 8th, 2012
6:37 pm

Supe — Happy Birthday pal.
Many happy returns!!
Roll Tide.