Tech offense effective in scrimmage
Notes from Saturday morning scrimmage. It was closed to public and media, so this is all based off of accounts from coaches and players. It’s like Rashomon.
1. Even without its two starting offensive tackles and the starting B-back, the Georgia Tech offense put in an effective morning of work in the team’s Saturday scrimmage.
In the Yellow Jackets’ first full-team scrimmage of fall camp, the first-team offense twice drove 70 yards for touchdowns and reached field-goal position on a third possession.
“They were pretty good at doing what we do,” coach Paul Johnson said. “When we started in the auxiliary stuff, not so good.”
Charles Perkins and Zach Laskey subbed for David Sims at B-back. Sims, who had surgery in the summer to repair a stress fracture in his shin, has been held out. Tackles Ray Beno and Morgan Bailey were replaced by Bryan Chamberlain and Tyler Kidney.
“First drive, we opened up and kind of ran the ball down the field at will, but after that, [the defense] started adjusting and started doing some new stuff and kind of slowed us down,” guard Will Jackson said. “All in all, that was probably the best first scrimmage we’ve had since I’ve been here, in terms of both sides.”
Quarterback Tevin Washington made some plays throwing the ball, hitting receiver Jeff Greene on the opening drive for a 15-yard gain and later setting up A-back Tony Zenon for a 27-yard reception across the middle. While he drove the team to two touchdowns on the first-team defense, Washington conceded he wanted to be more patient in the pocket.
“We executed a couple drives running the ball, running the option,” quarterbacks and B-backs coach Brian Bohannon said. “We still want to improve in the passing game a little more, (be) more efficient when we do throw it.”
2. Defensive coordinator Al Groh deemed the scrimmage “a positive day,” noting three forced turnovers, crisp tackling and further evidence that his players have a deep enough understanding of the schematic concepts to “mix and match some of them to solve the issues that the offense presents you.”
Groh gave a positive report on nose tackle T.J. Barnes, whose fitness level was one of the questions going into the scrimmage.
“He’s trained very hard and his stamina, there’s been no indication in training camp of any real stamina issues, and there did not seem to be [Saturday],” he said.
Outside linebacker Nick Menocal made one of the plays of the morning. He chased down quarterback Justin Thomas about 50 yards to strip him of the ball and force a turnover. Thomas, a freshman, is one of the fastest players on the team.
“It took three to seven points off the board, so that’s pretty significant in terms of what the scoreboard looks like,” Groh said.
Thomas did not have the ball secured close to his body, Bohannon said.
“Hard lessons to learn when you’re the young guy,” he said.
3. The star of the scrimmage was B-back Zach Laskey, the third-stringer behind Sims and Perkins. Johnson praised Laskey for a strong fall camp and a few big runs on Saturday. Laskey and Perkins, both sophomores, contributed to the two touchdown drives. Laskey had runs of 25 and 16 yards to help take the offense to the end zone.
“Zach Laskey made a lot of plays,” Johnson said. “I thought he did some good things.”
Asked if Laskey is pushing Perkins on the depth chart, Johnson responded, “I’d say yes, definitely.”
Johnson also noted the play of center Jay Finch and wide receiver Micheal Summers, who caught a 49-yard pass from quarterback Vad Lee. Washington pointed out defensive end Euclid Cummings for his work causing problems on option plays and safety Isaiah Johnson.
Johnson, Washington said, was “just disguising coverages better, giving me a hard time, not giving you a clear look at what they were going to do.”
4. A number of key players were held out of the scrimmage with injuries. Cornerback Rod Sweeting and quarterback/A-back Synjyn Days did not participate, along with Beno, Bailey and Sims. Johnson disclosed only Bailey’s injury, a concussion. Bailey, who has been in the lead to start at right tackle over Kidney, also suffered a concussion in spring practice.
Johnson said Sims is considered day to day.
5. Kicker David Scully, in competition with Justin Moore for the placekicking job, missed in the team’s only field-goal try of the morning, from 41 yards. Both made extra-point tries.
Said special-teams coordinator David Walkosky, “We have to finish the drive, and we didn’t do that.”
6. The team will have Sunday off after practicing nine consecutive days since Aug. 3, a total of 10 practices. The team has 29 total before the season opener Sept. 3 against Virginia Tech. Said Johnson, “You’d always like to be better, but I think we’re making progress.” … Lee “didn’t really have a great day altogether,” Bohannon said, having some challenges with the option and not passing as well as normal. … Behind Sims, Perkins and Laskey, B-back Marcus Allen is a likely redshirt. … As in the spring, the offense did a little work out of the “Pistol” formation. … … A team movie was scheduled for Saturday night. “The Campaign,” starring Will Ferrell, was a candidate.
Thanks for reading. Back Monday morning.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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318 comments Add your comment
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
12:04 pm
@ GTVegas……BTW, I like your comparison of him to MSNBC. You are spot on on that one
WnE
August 13th, 2012
12:04 pm
re:
GTfan 2012
August 13th, 2012
9:48 am
I’m sorry guys, I just can’t help myself when it comes to responding to certain people on this board. I know I shouldn’t, its feeding the trolls, but I also know that people come here and read his drivel and think that he actually has football knowledge (when its been proven time and again that he knows nothing, he’s a liar, and he’s a manipulator). He’s clearly a UGA fan (proven based on his comments) masquerading as a GT fan, but I not sure everyone that reads these blogs knows that. I personally like to have discussions about GT football and what are our expectations, and I think rational fans can disagree about those. But its clear to me that anyone who claims CPJ isn’t a good and successful head coach at GT is a TROLL!!!! That doesn’t necessarily mean that one day he won’t be fired, lots of good coaches are eventually fired, and if he is fired, it will probably be because GT’s expectations have risen, as they should for any successful program over time. BUT, I think its much more likely that GT goes on a tear and has several very successful seasons, with two or three Coastal championships (and possibly an ACC championship or two) in a row. You’d have to be blind not to see the improvements that GT has made on the OL and DL (and realize how young we are), which are the two key areas (always important for any team, but especially for the TO and the 3-4). I believe this will translate into 2-3 more wins per year over the next two or three years. This year will be a great barometer to see where we are and how much we improve throughout the season.
_____________
To PROVE how delusional you are and how guys like you lie to cover for CPJ, we are NOT YOUNG on the D-LIne:
Our projected starters are a:
T-Sr. 4 years out of HS
RS-Sr. 5 years out of HS
Rs-Jr. 4 years out of HS
That sir is not close to being young, you putting out bad fact to give CPJ & CAG a ready made excuse if the DL doesn’t play well, by putting out bad information that we are young on the DL.
Let’s look at the OL:
Based on current depth charts:
Ray Beno RS-Jr. 4 yrs. out of HS
Will Jackson RS- Jr 4 yrs. out of HS
Jay finch RS-Jr. 4 yrs. out of HS
Uzzi RS-Sr. 5 yrs. out of HS
Bailey or Kidney RS-Soph/RS-jr. 3 or 4 yrs. out of HS
Not only are BOTH LoS’s not young, but the reality is that they weren’t “young” last yr. either.
Teams like Bama & LSU played for MNCs with the same amount of yrs. out of HS on their LoS’s but they just happened to have way more TALENT.
Looking at those players projected to start for GT, there’s NO WAY that you can honestly say we’re “young” on the OL & DL.
You’re simply lying to un-knowing GT Fans just in case GT has a bad season and then you can say, “it isn’t CPJ’s fault we were young on both LoS’s”.
There’s NO WAY we can be considered young with that many guys projected as starters that are 4 or 5 yrs. removed from HS.
We have much more “age” on both our LoS’s than the typical BCS level team that is ranked in the top-10.
WnE is telling the HARSH TRUTH, while guys like you are putting out mis-information to try and cover for CPJ.
I don’t do that and that is WHY you guys hate what I post, I refuse to lie to cover for CPJ, something that you guys have no problem doing.
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
12:08 pm
GTVegas is right. And from what I’ve seen the past couple of days, someone would rather be ridiculed than ignored. This blog must be a desperate cry for attention for some trolls. Let’s make a concerted effort to continue to ignore trolls on Ken’s blog! If a troll writes something, read it as a dog barking or as unintelligible graffiti on a passing boxcar.
9/3!
WnE
August 13th, 2012
12:12 pm
re:
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
12:04 pm
@ GTVagasil……BTW, I like your comparison of him to MSNBC. You are spot on on that one
_____________
You and pal GTVagasil, can call me MSNBC, but you don’t say not one word about GTFan2012’s outright lies about how young we are on both LoS’s.
So much for your guys’ credibility, you question everything I write no matter how factual it is, yet you overlook an OBVIOUS set of false statements by him.
You guys are losing credibility by the day.
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
12:18 pm
I like the way this offensive line is shaping up this season. Uzzi is a 2nd team preseason all-american and on the Outland Trophy watch list. Finch is on the Rimington watch list. On the defensive line, Barnes (6′-7″ 347) is in his best shape ever and will attract alot of attention this year. I am pleased that our coaches can develop such talent from such a young group of players.
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
12:20 pm
I am encouraged by the pistol and shotgun formations, too. That adds another wrinkle to an already impressive offense.
GTfan 2012
August 13th, 2012
12:21 pm
Supersize,
I know you are right, but it is just difficult to watch his lies and half-truths being spread as “analysis”. Its funny, I noticed that he’s stopped responding to me when I debunk his arguments. Like a few days ago. He tried to claim that GT’s recruiting of DLs was poor because we recruited undersized guys. He used 6′3″ 246 lb Rod Chungong as the example. Unfortunately he failed to mention the DL recruits in the same class: Francis Kallon (290 lbs), Adam Gotsis (300 lbs), and Pat Gamble (270 lbs). Its tough to argue when the facts don’t support your argument, but then I guess that’s WnE likes to make up his own facts or twist the ones that he uses.
You know as much as I hate seeing dwagfan all over the GT blog spewing his nonsense, at least he is honest about who he is (a Dwag Fan) and what he thinks (GT sucks). Its clear from his comments, that WnE is also a Dwag Fan and thinks that GT sucks, I just don’t know why he keeps up this charade.
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
12:24 pm
GTfan 2012…dwagfag will go away, too, if you ignore him.
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
12:25 pm
*dawgfan. Sorry.
Thanks.
GT Lee
August 13th, 2012
12:26 pm
@HighTech,
I did some research for you, since you don’t speak dog, dawg, or dwag. Pretty much all of the bark bark woof woof growl whimper whine (no matter what order it’s in) means basically the same thing:
“Hey guys I just licked my butt! Can I have a Milkbone? I would have licked my nads, but I lost them somewhere in the vet’s office…..how bout that Milkbone now?!!!!”
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
12:30 pm
GT Lee…was that an Altavista Babelfish translator you used for that? I have to believe you because that sounds about right.
By the way, the past couple of days have yielded some nuggets for the coaches bios for unnamed barking dog’s All Star Coaching Staff. I am hesitant to share those on Ken’s blog, but I’ve learned some pretty amazing things.
GT Lee
August 13th, 2012
12:33 pm
Mr HighTech,
You are correct about the translator. Also, Orwin Smith is on 2 watch lists, would love to see one of our guys take home some hardware as well as jewelry this year (ie CS rings). And please feel free to share some of that info you have with me in an email.
Thanks
1 4 GT
August 13th, 2012
12:34 pm
Good one GT Lee. LOL
GTfan 2012
August 13th, 2012
12:44 pm
HT,
Probably don’t want to put those on here, I don’t want to see you get banned by Ken for saying bad things about the Dawg coaches, even if true.
GT Lee
August 13th, 2012
12:45 pm
Thanks 1 4 GT….remember, ignore the trolls!!!! (man, it’s hard to do!!)
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
12:46 pm
@ Lee……yes, it’s hard, but just think what they are feeling when nobody responds to what they say. Do YOU like being ignored? I don’t think so.
1 4 GT
August 13th, 2012
12:49 pm
Being ignored (me) was a big factor in getting divorced back in ‘85.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
12:55 pm
@ 1 4 GT…….I was tempted to LOL that, but I’m sure that’s not funny now, nor was it then. But that is certainly a good analogy
1 4 GT
August 13th, 2012
1:05 pm
Laugh if you like. If one can’t laugh at oneself, you can’t really laugh at anything.
1 4 GT
August 13th, 2012
1:07 pm
Plus too long & boring a story to tell here. Don’t mind telling it, just ask on the way to a game.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
1:16 pm
It’s boring, but you want to tell me on the way to a game, huh? You want to put me to sleep behind the wheel and kill us both? LOL
WnE
August 13th, 2012
1:24 pm
re:
GTfan 2012
August 13th, 2012
12:21 pm
Supersize,
I know you are right, but it is just difficult to watch his lies and half-truths being spread as “analysis”. Its funny, I noticed that he’s stopped responding to me when I debunk his arguments. Like a few days ago. He tried to claim that GT’s recruiting of DLs was poor because we recruited undersized guys. He used 6′3″ 246 lb Rod Chungong as the example. Unfortunately he failed to mention the DL recruits in the same class: Francis Kallon (290 lbs), Adam Gotsis (300 lbs), and Pat Gamble (270 lbs). Its tough to argue when the facts don’t support your argument, but then I guess that’s WnE likes to make up his own facts or twist the ones that he uses.
You know as much as I hate seeing dwagfan all over the GT blog spewing his nonsense, at least he is honest about who he is (a Dwag Fan) and what he thinks (GT sucks). Its clear from his comments, that WnE is also a Dwag Fan and thinks that GT sucks, I just don’t know why he keeps up this charade.
___________
I don’t have to mention every single recruit on the DL in that class, with the numbers of low rated recruits GT brings in, GT has no leeway to take anymore “reaches & tweeners” and then CPJ did just that, Chungong is a 3-4 DE that was Recruited as a DE that is 6-3 246.
Despite all the failures of Tweeners from CPJ’s 1st four Recruiting classes, he still doesn’t learn his lesson and brings in another tweener in 2012.
With the normal attrition that takes place on the BCS level CPJ is simply setting GT up for more failure.
BTW, Kallon only played one yr. of HS FB, and Gotsis played in Australia vs. a level of competition that we know nothing about, in summary both are huge question marks at the BCS level.
Also, Gamble was supposed to be 6-5 280, but reported at 6-5 262lbs.
So even though CPJ is trying to Recruit bigger guys on the DL, they still aren’t the can’t miss 315-pounders out of HS that Bama & UGA is Recruiting, and not all of those guys don’t qualify for GT, they are choosing Bama & UGA because they represent a better FB option with academics that are “close enough” in the eyes of the 18 y/o Recruit.
Lets summarize, 2 question marks, plus a guy needing a RS (Gamble), and a undersized tweener, that’s the reality that you DON’T want to see, but everyone else that follows GT & CFB does see.
GT Lee
August 13th, 2012
1:25 pm
ignore the barking dawg.
1 4 GT
August 13th, 2012
1:54 pm
How can one just blithely ignore the fact that a kid from England getting 13, that’s right troll, 13 offers from big time CFB coaches before setting a foot on a playing field for his first game. This fact was stated in an article on said kid posted in the AJC.
1 4 GT
August 13th, 2012
1:55 pm
Sometimes, I just can’t let it pass!!
WnE
August 13th, 2012
2:01 pm
re:
1 4 GT
August 13th, 2012
1:54 pm
How can one just blithely ignore the fact that a kid from England getting 13, that’s right troll, 13 offers from big time CFB coaches before setting a foot on a playing field for his first game. This fact was stated in an article on said kid posted in the AJC.
_________
Kallon getting 13 offers from other schools doesn’t change the fact that he played only 1 yr. of HS FB.
GT doesn’t over sign or run players off that don pan out.
At many of those other schools, they would take a flyer on guy lie Kallon and if he didn’t pan out after 2 yr.s they’d run him off, in other words at factory type schools there’s no risk in offering a guy like Kallon.
I have gone on record many times saying that I have no problem taking gambles on big guys, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to be naive and ignore the risk going in.
GT Lee
August 13th, 2012
2:02 pm
There’s your 1st mistake, 1 4 GT…you actually READ the bark bark woof woof…….I see a certain name and I just spin the little wheel in the middle of my mouse until I get past the bark bark woof woof ruff ruff whimper whine whimper whine……..
1 4 GT
August 13th, 2012
2:11 pm
I am a masochist.
Big Crimson 75
August 13th, 2012
2:17 pm
WnE — Why haven’t you gone after Johnson for not offering the honey-badger a full ride @ Tech?
He’s available!!
2011 National Defensive POY!!
You’re slipping Wrexie.
I know you, of all people, remember what he did to your beloved dwags in the SEC CG!!
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
2:27 pm
GTfan 2012…it’s not the Dawg coaches I was talking about. We (GT Lee, BLT, 1 4 GT, Supersize, 5150 (temporarily banned), myself, and some others) put together a troll coaching staff that would be second to none in their football expertise. Out of respect for Ken, I will not resurrect that roster here.
Big Crimson 75
August 13th, 2012
2:31 pm
Supe / 14 / Lee / BLT — what happened to 51?
Damn, I miss the blogs for a couple days & all hell breaks loose!
GT Lee
August 13th, 2012
2:35 pm
BC75.
apparently 5150 is banned for inappropriate language.
HighTech, if you like smash-moth football, that staff is something to behold……
GT Lee
August 13th, 2012
2:36 pm
BC75,
Ken has also asked us to ignore the trolls and we have agreed to do our very best to comply!!!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
2:40 pm
@ 1 4 GT……You have GOT to quit reading the garbage. If you don’t read it, then you won’t feel the need to respond. TOTALLY IGNORE EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM !!!!!
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
2:42 pm
lol @ GT Lee
We may have to repost that on another blog.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
2:47 pm
@ 1 4 GT……whenever you are tempted to make some kind of response, just type “uoad”. It will serve as a tribute to our friend and a slam on the trolls as well.
Big Crimson 75
August 13th, 2012
2:58 pm
Thanks Lee.
Ken S didn’t make the call for the ban, did he??
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
3:07 pm
@ BC 75, yes, Ken did it. It was deserved, and UOAD knows it. It’s all cool
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
3:12 pm
Forgot to mention George Stein earlier. He helped, too.
Big Crimson 75…here’s how it happened…
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-tech-sports/2012/08/10/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-tech-assistant-mike-sewak/?cp=3
Big Crimson 75
August 13th, 2012
3:40 pm
HT — Wow!! Glad 51 said it & not me. I agree with him 100%.
The handle-burglar non-sense is completely outta control.
Supe couldn’t even come on here for about a month w/o his “friend”.
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
3:55 pm
Handle-burglar. I like that. Sounds better than doppelgangertroll.
GT Lee
August 13th, 2012
3:59 pm
“Sounds better than doppelgangertroll.”
We could shorten it to dongertroll……
GTfan 2012
August 13th, 2012
4:29 pm
UOAD, Super, UOAD!
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
4:31 pm
Dongertroll! Supersize had his handle hijacked by dongertroll!
HighTech
August 13th, 2012
4:32 pm
UOAD!
9/3!
THWG!
BLT
August 13th, 2012
5:27 pm
UOAD had too much Jim Daniels and let his anger get the best of him. He is right about CT and BK. Say anything they don’t like and you get banned permanently (those canines have a major problem with trolls on their blog and it will not be tolerated). They’ve been drinking too much Cynthia T. or is it McKinney? Sorry if that’s out of bounds Ken. Anyway, GO JACKETS!!! BEAT THE HOKIES!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
5:33 pm
Dongertroll, huh? I love it !!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
5:35 pm
@ BLT…..the reason Ken doesn’t ban those trolls, is because in spite of the fact that they drive us crazy and shouldn’t even be on the Tech blogs, they don’t resort to profanity. UOAD did, and unfortunately, he is paying the consequences
Supersize that order, mutt
August 13th, 2012
5:36 pm
UOAD, men UOAD !!!
GT Lee
August 13th, 2012
5:44 pm
Supersize, if Ken doesn’t want us responding to trolls and he refuses to ban them, then he should at least delete the TROLL posts (not posts with differing opinions, but TROLL posts). Just my opinion, I’ll not beat this dead horse any further…..