Tech wide receivers planning to surprise
It was everything to put a Georgia Tech fan at ease and perhaps even raise hope. Quarterback Tevin Washington unleashed a pass from about the 40-yard line to the corner of the end zone.
Wide receiver Jeremy Moore outmaneuvered a cornerback and dove headlong. With one outstretched hand, Moore captured the ball and brought it back to his body while touching down inbounds with both feet.
“‘Tev’ put it right there for me to get it,” Moore said. “It was a perfect play — perfect pass, perfect catch.”
The only niggling detail would be that Washington and Moore connected in Monday’s practice at the Brock indoor facility, not at Lane Stadium against Virginia Tech in the season opener Labor Day night. Only the season ahead will reveal how much the Yellow Jackets wide receivers — perhaps the least experienced wide receiver group in FBS — will contribute to the mix.
“This group will develop at its time,” wide receivers coach Buzz Preston said. “I can’t tell you when that’s going to be, but I’m seeing things start to come [together].”
Tech has four returners — Jeff Greene, Chris Jackson, Darren Waller and Moore. As has been noted, none has a single career reception. It’s the result of Tech attempting and completing the third fewest number of passes in FBS last season (82-for-167) and having two departed receivers (Stephen Hill and Tyler Melton) dominate playing time last season. The returnees’ contributions have largely come on special teams.
“You’re always a question mark when you haven’t really proven yourself,” Preston said.
Preston has seen encouraging signs. In the preseason, his group has made plays, both in the passing and running game, which it hadn’t previously. Players have paid more attention to detail. With starting jobs open following Melton’s graduation and Hill’s early departure to the NFL, Preston sees players who are more locked in and hungry because a starting position is within grasp.
“We’re all just competing and pushing each other,” Jackson said.
Coach Paul Johnson said that he doesn’t worry too much about his receivers not having any catches, pointing out that Hill didn’t have many catches in 2010 (15) before breaking through last season. Hill, though, did gain the experience of nine starts in 2010.
“I don’t worry too much about that,” he said.
There is potential. Greene and Waller, both sophomores, have size and can run. At ACC media days in July, Johnson said that Waller had “unlimited ability.” Jackson, a senior, stood out in spring practice and may have the deepest knowledge of the offense in the group. Moore, a junior, has fought injuries but has demonstrated the sort of flash on the practice field that he did Monday. Melton’s scouting report: Smooth stride, natural pass catcher, quickness, speed.
“If he’s healthy, he’ll be the surprise of the year,” Melton said Wednesday from Houston, where he’s training and hoping for a call to join an NFL training camp.
They’re being pushed by freshmen Anthony Autry, Travin Henry and Micheal Summers. It appears that Autry has taken the lead in the race to avoid a redshirt.
“Right now, I’d say he’s on the probably-going-to-play bubble,” Johnson said.
The players are well aware of the perception.
“We’re going to keep a smile on our face and go out there and compete, and people are going to be surprised by what we as a receiver group can do,” Jackson said.
Less than three weeks remain before they line up against the Hokies and possibly the best defense in the ACC. Greene and Moore are at the top of the depth chart, though Greene has been out this week with an injury.
Said Waller, “I feel like we’re going to be perfectly fine when the season comes.”
Thanks for reading.
Interview with Paul Johnson from Wednesday practice will go up around 11 a.m.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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149 comments Add your comment
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
2:13 pm
@ Mock 1…..TW had an outstanding game against Clemson, I don’t care how overrated Clemson might have been. He has had several other more-than-adequate games that the defense lost. Do I think we could have a better QB? No; I am not a BIG fan of TW. But I disagree with laying all the blame on his shoulders, which is definitely what you appear to be doing.
As far as the “bs” comment about the PF, I think you and I read it differently. I don’t think he was saying that that one was, although the other one he mentioned definitely was.
gt4ever
August 16th, 2012
2:15 pm
LOL, The penalty heard around the world…. Funny. Even funnier are the number of people who blame that loss on that ONE play…. Absolutely crazy…. But hey, that’s just my opinion…
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
2:27 pm
Again where did I lay all the blame on him? I said good qb’s rise up and beat equal or better opponents. He hasn’t! You point to ONE, yes 1 game in 17 where he won a game that gt was expected to lose. That is my point. What I said in my first post is I can’t get excited for this season when TW is back because I know how this season will unfold.
Losses to Vt miami clemson or some other acc fluke team probably byu and uga. So another 7-5 season. He will lose again to the same teams he lost to in 2010 and 2011. And I say that’s NOT improvement. I am NOT laying he blame all on him but he’s the qb. I did not see much progress in him over the end of the 2010 season and the final record indicates that fact as well.
Burdell
August 16th, 2012
2:31 pm
The TERRIBLE 4th down call by CAG was definitely TW’s fault in the Utah game!
1 4 GT
August 16th, 2012
2:32 pm
IMNTBHO—-I personally thought that ONE play was the deciding moment in the VT game last year. Tech was ahead. We had stopped them on a 3rd & long. Beamer could have gone for it, but spot on the field plus down & distance dictated a punt. GT would have had excellent field position. Mo in our favor. We’re up–they’re down. We score and go up 2 scores. 14 point swing. All conjecture, I know. But excellent probability. Selah!!
Burdell
August 16th, 2012
2:32 pm
When did we have a 7-5 season under CPJ?
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
2:32 pm
That play completely changed the momemtum of the game gt4. Football is 100% a game of momentum more than any sport. If you don’t get that, then you don’t get football.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
2:35 pm
@ Mock 1…..Clemson was favored to beat Tech last year, and TW had an outstanding game. Now as to whether Clemson deserved to be favored, that’s not for you or me to say. The fact is they were, and TW led Tech to victory over them. As far as this season, there is NO WAY we lose to Miami. We MIGHT lose to VT, but personally I don’t think we will. I also THINK we will beat UGA, but I will wait and see how the season plays out for both teams to bet the house on it. My worst case scenario for this season is 9 – 3.
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
2:36 pm
My mistake, a 6-6 reg season.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
2:36 pm
@ Burdell……actually I thought CPJ’s play calling at the end lost the Utah game for us. Not coming down on CPJ overall, but he does get a little too tricky for his own good sometimes.
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
2:43 pm
Again, I never said clem wasn’t favored. Of course they were! They were undefeated and ranked in the top 8 I believe. However, we all know clemson. We know how they are. They always lose a game you think they will win. And they were playing way above their talent levl. That was shown in the games following the gt win. I didn’t say TW has never played or managed a good game. That was a good game. But the scoreboard is what matters and he has yet to beat vt miami or uga…the same teams he lost to in 2010. That’s called a trend and imho it shows he did not improve over the previous year. Maybe he can change that this year but my expectations are that he won’t.
You have some mighty high expecatations for this season. I wish I knew you personally because I would take that 9-3 bet in a heartbeat. I am expect a 7-5 record and I do believe they will lose to Miami again.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
2:44 pm
On what basis, other than your distrust of TW, do you think Miami will beat us? They have nothing…..other than problems
Burdell
August 16th, 2012
2:45 pm
Yeah…I agree Super. It’s the angriest I have been at this coaching staff to date. I swore I was cancelling my season tickets, etc. but here I am all over again. The worst part was that I knew the collapse was coming but just when I breathed a sigh of relief and thought we were going to pull off the W…well…the rest is history. 7 in a row. Mr. Stein will argue that bowl games are meaningless but they sure leave a BAD taste in my mouth for about 8 months.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
2:46 pm
@ Burdell…..were you there? I was, and it was sickening !!!!
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
2:48 pm
I agree with you also super. I thought pj made some really bad play calls at the end of the utah game. It seemed it was tw for a drop back sack or one of those dive plays. I don’t blame that loss on him. He was told what to do. But he had subpar games, or maybe that’s his peak, against vt miami and uga. I just don’t think he’s capable of rising and making a big play to win a game. Sure he can keep you in a game but so can most qbs at this level.
GT Lee
August 16th, 2012
2:50 pm
Super, 3 missed fg’s cost us the Utah game…..
GTfan 2012
August 16th, 2012
2:50 pm
gt4ever,
I don’t think anyone is blaming the loss on that one play, BUT I would say that I believe if that penalty does not occur, we have a very high probability to win the game. I can’t prove that we win. I can’t replay game without that penalty. For all I know, without that penalty, we fumble the punt on the next play, fall apart and end up losing by three TDs. But, what I do know is that, if we don’t have that penalty, GT gets the ball back late in the third quarter with a lead. I like GT’s chances everytime when we have the ball and the lead going into the 4th quarter.
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
2:52 pm
My gosh super have you watched the past 3 seasons against them? They have kicked our butts. 7 points last year on offense. Need I say more. Two games were blowouts and the most points was 17 in 2009. PJ offensive scheme doesn’t match up well against them just like uga. And Al Golden is a good coach.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
2:54 pm
@ Mock 1…..I think what TW brings to the table right now is his leadership and decision making in the option. I HOPE that Vad or even JT can become leaders and develop that ability to make split-second decisions, since they supposedly bring other skills superior to TW’s. Vad is supposedly a better passer, but in the spring game he didn’t really demonstrate that he could run the option efficiently YET. I would rather him have the chance to develop that skill rather than throwing him into the fray right from the start. From what I have read about JT, he may push Vad out of the way even before Vad gets a chance to prove himself. I don’t mean to sound like I am defending TW; he is what he is. But for now, he is the starter, and FOR NOW, he deserves to be the starter.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
2:55 pm
@ Mock 1……I can come up with legitimate reasons/excuses for 2009 and 2011. 2010, they were obviously the better team. I don’t think they were the better team last year, but we still managed to come up with a way to lose.
GT Lee
August 16th, 2012
2:56 pm
We get Miami at home this year. I do think we will beat them.
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
2:56 pm
Sure Lee that played some part but you can’t rely on a kicker outide of 25 yards unless it’s the nfl. PJ played not to lose and not to win on offense and the defense at the end just wore down. I think gt had the ball 3 times in the 4th qtr and at least 2 possessions were 3 and out. The play calling by pj on offense was horrendous. Never should have lost that game
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
2:58 pm
@ Mock 1……we may disagree on other things, but we are in complete agreement on that. It just made no sense at all
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
2:59 pm
Come on. They were the better team all 3 years. They won! They have whopped gt 3 years in a row. Not even close. GT scored 7 points and ou think they were the better team? Come on.
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
3:03 pm
The problem w TW is he’s basically the same as he was in 2010. He can beat the weaker acc teams, and he can beat the equal ones like unc nc state etc but against tougher competition, he falters. Again, I am basing this on facts. VT MIAMI and UGA losses 2 straight years. Beat one of them this year and I will change my tune. But I don’t see that happening based on the qb play I’ve seen from him against those teams two straight years. What stinks is we don’t play a cupcake to start the season to give a guy like vad some time to show his skills. Lose to VT and the season could go awry in a hurry.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:07 pm
They were NOT better than Tech in 2009 or 2011. Tech was favored both times and managed to lose. I can’t remember now what it was about the 2009 game that SUPPOSEDLY caused things to blow up in our face. I thought it was something about 3 games in 12 days, but I don’t see that reflected in the schedule.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:08 pm
@ Mock 1……again,not wanting to sound like a TW a-kisser, but I don’t see how you can blame either the 2010 loss to UGA or the 2011 loss to VT on him.
GT Lee
August 16th, 2012
3:11 pm
“The problem w TW is he’s basically the same as he was in 2010.”
Not sure how you can make this statement since we haven’t played a single game this year. Do you think he spent all summer sitting on the couch and eating potato chips? From what I’ve read he’s worked his ass off to get better this summer. I think it’s a little early to be passing judgement on anyone, TW included….
GT fan
August 16th, 2012
3:15 pm
You’re an F’n idiot Mock 1. And apparently you have reading comprehension problems. Where did I say both PF penalties were BS calls.
To prove my point on your stupidity (and you can’t fix stupid) you’re claiming that b/c 2 FG kickers missing 3 FG (in regulation) vs UTAH, and a horrible 3rd down D (plus one GIANT PF penalty) vs VT shows that TW hasn’t progressed! I guess PJ’s gonna have to have TW kick FGs and play D for the team to win.
In 2010 TW played fine vs. UGA. Was it his fault that Orwin fumbled on UGA’s 4 yd line or that Roddy fumbled twice deep in GT territory, 1 returned or a TD by UGA? Was it TW’s fault in that game too when, on 3rd & 8, UGA completes a 5 yard crossing route that the WR turned into a 55 yd TD?
Get some sense, cherry picker.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:18 pm
@ GT fan……thanks. You knew the exact plays that made the difference in those games. I knew it wasn’t TW’s fault, but I couldn’t remember the actual plays or players involved. Don’t forget also the missed PAT in the UGA game.
GT fan
August 16th, 2012
3:22 pm
Mock 1 is not a GT fan.
But if he is, then, based on his analysis, he obviously doesn’t watch the games, just reads the box scores.
Because when GT loses, per Mock 1, it’s b/c TW hasn’t progressed.
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
3:22 pm
Of course they were better Super. The scoreboard reflects that. 33-17 is not better???
GT fan
August 16th, 2012
3:23 pm
Super …. you forget ….. PJ actually sent TW in for that extra pt, and TW missed it!
Isn’t that correct, Mock 1? …..
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:23 pm
@ GT fan…….like I said to him earlier, I am not a TW defender, per se. But I don’t see the reasoning behind laying the blame for those losses solely at his feet, when others on the team, and especially the defense, contributed much more to those losses than he did.
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
3:24 pm
Where did i blame him for the loss??? Good grief. I said I HAVE NOT seen any improvement from him over the 2 times he’s played against vt maimi and uga. I said he’s the QB for the team and the qb is the leader. So he must take a larger portion of the loss than ANY other player.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:25 pm
@ Mock 1…….so you are saying that when Tech beat UGA in 2008, Tech was the better team? Again, you could have fooled me. That was a total unexpected upset. Tech had a great team, but were they actually better than UGA? I don’t think so, but we still managed to win in spite of that. The winning team is not always necessarily the better team.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:27 pm
” I said he’s the QB for the team and the qb is the leader. So he must take a larger portion of the loss than ANY other player.”
I TOTALLY disagree with that. Why should HE, or anybody on offense, take a larger portion of the loss than the defense, if the defense sucks?
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
3:28 pm
Nice foul mouth gt fan. You are the one w reading comprehension problems. When you blame a loss on a bad call and mention another call in the same context, one might assume that you feel the other call was a bad one too! You said the call against CT was bs you idiot.
No but the INT’s were his fault and the fumbles. And the errant passes. Gee I could go on but yes TW is great! He’s a polished passer and makes great reads all the time! That’s why he’s 6-0 and not 0-6 against miami vt and uga. I mean, it’s not a fluke or anything to not have one win against them! Stupid retarded imbecile loser.
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
3:30 pm
Well yes barely super. GT certainly outplayed them in the second half. It amazes me how you think a team loses by 2 td’s or more 3 times against a team and they are better than that team. That’s insane
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:30 pm
So every interception is the fault of the QB, huh? I think there are quite a few former All American defensive backs who might be surprised to find out they played no part in the interceptions they got.
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
3:31 pm
What games did the defense suck that you are referring to?
GT fan
August 16th, 2012
3:31 pm
GT4ever ….. “the penalty heard around the world” was the one play that turned the game to VT’s favor.
GT was kicking VT arse in the 3rd, leading 26-21 after trailing 21-13 at the half …. b/c, according to Mock 1, TW gave up that long TD pass play to D.Coale right before the half.
It’s late 3rd qtr, GT up 26-21, VT 3rd & 17 from their own 25′ish yd line. GT got LT stopped for a 2 yd loss, and then …. T P H A T W from JA that gave VT life! VT was done son, done!
Doesn’t help that I bet $100 (for a payoff of $2,000) before last season that GT would win the Coastal. T P H A T W cost me $1,900 smack-a-roos!
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:34 pm
@ Mock 1….there’s no sense arguing; we disagree completely. We shall see what happens against the ‘Canes this year in Atlanta, and I am confidently predicting a Tech win.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:35 pm
@ GT fan…….YIKES !!!!
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
3:36 pm
Wow you are an excuse maker super. TW is NOT a good passer. His arm strength is not much different than in 2010. Yes every int is the fault of the qb. He threw the freaking ball!! Now if it’s a ball that should be caught by the wr and it pops to the defense, obv that is not the qb’s fault. Are you saying a qb doesn’t know if the opponent has good players? Again 0-6 against those 6 teams. Those are facts you can’t deny. yet you continue to do just that.
GT fan
August 16th, 2012
3:37 pm
So now I’m foul mouth, Mock 1, b/c I stated a fact …. you’re a mental midget when it comes to GT football.
Maybe that’s TW’s fault too???
Go play intramurals, bother, go play intramurals.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:40 pm
@ Mock 1……how do you know that his arm strength has not improved? Has he played a game yet that I am not aware of? Are you a prophet who sees the future? And how many of TW’s passes have been dropped by the receiver or popped to the defense? Not all of them, obviously, but a good many. And Nesbitt was just as bad as TW when it came to passes. I saw plenty of his hit the ground at the receivers’ feet. But that is all in the past. You have no more idea what the future will bring than I do, but I am more optimistic.
GT fan
August 16th, 2012
3:40 pm
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
3:36 pm
……………. Yes every int is the fault of the qb. He threw the freaking ball!!
——————————————–
You just proved my point, Mock 1. You’re not a bright person…especially when it comes to football.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 16th, 2012
3:41 pm
@ GT fan……actually, you did throw out the first obscenity. I am not defending Mock 1, but on that particular count, you “lost it” first. Having said that, though, I agree with what you said. LOL
Mock 1
August 16th, 2012
3:42 pm
No idiot gt fan, tw wasn’t capable of mounting any kind of comeback once the momentum changed. You see, that’s what good qb’s do. They come back in games. Something gt cannot do against decent competition for whatever reason