Days to play ’somewhere’ for Georgia Tech against Hokies
1. Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson wasn’t in much of a mood to share details, but allowed this about quarterback/A-back Synjyn Days. He’s in the plans for the opener against Virginia Tech.
“We’ll see where he plays, but I’d be surprised if he didn’t play in the game somewhere,” Johnson said following Wednesday’s practice.
Johnson said he didn’t know if Days, who has spent some of the preseason training at A-back, would play at that position. Coaches want to get Days on the field to make use of his playmaking ability, but he is behind Tevin Washington at quarterback.
Coaches “really haven’t said anything, just that we want the best 11 players on the field and they said I’m one of the best 11,” Days said. “If it’s a special package or something, I’m just trying to do the best for the team any way possible, even if it’s special teams or holding the kick or something.”
Days has worked with the punt return and kickoff return teams in addition to A-back and quarterback. A-backs coach Lamar Owens said that Days is “getting there” as an A-back.
Johnson said he didn’t know how big the A-back rotation will be. Orwin Smith and Robby Godhigh are the expected starters, followed by Deon Hill. Johnson mentioned Tony Zenon, B.J. Bostic and Days as possibilities.
“There could be several guys rolling in there by situation,” he said.
(My guess is Days will play some at A-back. He was something to watch in the spring, though, running the pistol.)
2. Johnson said that Wednesday’s practice dragged. “The defense was a little more up-tempo, probably, than the offense,” he said.
The team was in full pads. Offensive tackle Morgan Bailey, defensive back Lynn Griffin, safety Fred Holton, wide receiver Chris Jackson and B-back Zach Laskey were held out. Bailey was still in a walking boot. Laskey has strep throat. The other injuries were not disclosed, but are not believed to be serious.
B-back David Sims practiced for the third day in a row.
“I think he’s getting back to healthy,” Johnson said.
Tech will practice Thursday, scrimmage Friday and then have the weekend off. Johnson plans six practices next week, Monday through Saturday. The team will fly up to Virginia Tech Sunday.
(Secondary coach Charles Kelly bragged a little on Griffin on Tuesday. “I’m really excited about him,” he said. “He’s big, physical, he can really change directions and run.”)
3. If Bailey is not available for the Hokies game, some adjustments may be made. Johnson said that left tackle Ray Beno has worked at right tackle in Bailey’s place, with Bryan Chamberlain playing left. Backup right tackle Tyler Kidney could play in a rotation.
Nose tackle T.J. Barnes is likely to play no more than 35 or 40 snaps in a game, Johnson said. He is backed up by Shawn Green.
“He’s done well in practice, but we’ll see once we get going game-wise,” Johnson said of Barnes. “I have no reason to doubt him.”
True freshman defensive lineman Adam Gotsis has stayed up with what Johnson calls “the varsity,” meaning he is a candidate to play this season and not redshirt. Gotsis is from Abbotsford, Australia.
(Chamberlain being responsible for Washington’s blindside in his first career game at Lane Stadium is a tall order. With the injuries to Beno and Bailey in camp, he’s gotten a lot of extra practice time. “He’s starting to get a little more comfortable with his own assignments, with his own techniques in a critical situation,” offensive line coach Mike Sewak said. Also, I don’t remember who asked about backup offensive lineman J.C. Lanier, but I asked Johnson about his role. “Right now, he’s a backup offensive lineman. That’s what he is.” I asked if a switch back to defense had been considered. Said Johnson, “I think he’s in the right spot, if he’s going to play.”)
Thanks for reading. There’s no more coach or player access until next Tuesday, so the next couple days I’ll be posting a couple stories that I reported this week on Orwin Smith and Quayshawn Nealy. Also, I need to post the next in the “10 things” series, on inside linebackers coach Joe Speed. Interesting background.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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235 comments Add your comment
GTBob
August 23rd, 2012
1:41 pm
Huh? wake has beaten fsu 3 in a row? they lost 31-0 2 years ago fool. and are 1-2 the past 3 seasons? how clueless can one be?
Wake Forest is 3-2 against Fla St in the past 5 years. That makes them just as tough as Florida in your logic but not as tough as GT who is 2-0.
FL Jacket
August 23rd, 2012
1:41 pm
“since your beloved m a n b o o b s arrived”
What kind of rational, intelligent person thinks, speaks, or writes this way?
ToeMeetsLeather
August 23rd, 2012
1:41 pm
VD Snyder, if the REAL TECH team is pathetic, what would you call that James Madison team that kicked your a**? Way to make the conference proud with that showing.
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
1:42 pm
wait wne they say i am u. if i am u, then how did we write the same message at the same time?!!!!
GTBob
August 23rd, 2012
1:43 pm
miami 3-0 vs gt the past 3 seasons
fsu 2-1 over wake yet this is a comp? and i thought these
n e r d s were suppose to be good at math! lol
We are 2-3 vs Miami in the past 5 years.
Fla St is 2-3 vs Wake in the past 5 years.
Rick James
August 23rd, 2012
1:43 pm
I’m starting to think that Tech is going to win this game..
FL Jacket
August 23rd, 2012
1:45 pm
“We have beaten your team 6 out of 8 times since being in the ACC. If that’s not an ass kicking, then your confused. Still bitter from last year when your DUMB linebacker swung at LT; O not to mention all the chops blocks you run so illegally. So, until you win, shut it.”
- Only 1 chop block was called against GT all year, but hey who needs facts
- The punch happened. If it didn’t we’d have the ball back in the 4th quarter with a 26-21 lead (hardly a scenario suggesting a butt-kicking right?)
- They’ve all come down to the 4th quarter since 2008, and you know that. Unlike your games against Clemson…
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
1:49 pm
u can’t compare head to head with teams that don’t play each other fool. gt played fsu as did wake when they had their worst two seasons since the 70’s. why don’t you go back to 2000 and compare since then? ahh that’s right. it wouldn’t fit ur scheme.
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
1:50 pm
again bob going back to year 5 when we’ve been discussing recent outcomes. again nice selective picking to fit ur agenda.
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
1:51 pm
” If it didn’t”…ifs and buts and candy and nuts….
Tim VT Snyder
August 23rd, 2012
1:52 pm
Typical GT Fans, cant admit defeat, and always use some outlier as defense. We are talking about VT vs. GT, not VT vs. xyz. Face the truth. We are better, and we beat you last year, and we will do the same at home. As long as you have Al Groh, the better.
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
1:52 pm
fl when you lose 75% of the time against a team, it is getting ur butt kicked. idc how close the games have been.
GTBob
August 23rd, 2012
1:56 pm
again bob going back to year 5 when we’ve been discussing recent outcomes. again nice selective picking to fit ur agenda.
How is 5 years not recent? It would be nice if you would let us all know what counts and what doesn’t. Pretty soon you will be crying about how GT is a bad team because they do poorly on even numbered days when the temperature is in the mid 70s.
HighTech
August 23rd, 2012
2:02 pm
WnE
August 23rd, 2012
1:39 pm
re:
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
1:35 pm
“By your logic Wake Forest is one of Florida St’s toughest games”
Huh? wake has beaten fsu 3 in a row? they lost 31-0 2 years ago fool. and are 1-2 the past 3 seasons? how clueless can one be?
_____________
I’m so sorry!
I apologize, my fellow GT fans know very little about CFB, yet they refuse to keep their mouths shut.
—————————————————-
Yes and no.
Yes, you are sorry. No, you are not a GT fan.
FL Jacket
August 23rd, 2012
2:03 pm
“fl when you lose 75% of the time against a team, it is getting ur butt kicked. idc how close the games have been.”
Losing 42-10 to LSU is getting your butt-kicked. Getting your butt-kicked implies facing a team several levels better than you. Losing a string of games decided in the 4th quarter is tough luck.
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
2:04 pm
well bob the whole point was choosing years where current players played AND when pj was the coach u buffoon
Tim VT Snyder
August 23rd, 2012
2:05 pm
Til the 3rd….keep up the high hopes, only for you to be shattered at 8:04 when we return the kickoff for a TD and don’t let up. I would say good luck but meah.
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
2:06 pm
ahh the old excuse…they are just lucky. doesn’t get any more pathetic than that. no fl, losing a significant amount of games to ONE team IS getting ur butt kicked.
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
2:07 pm
only gt fans think a football game is over after the 3rd quarter.
FL Jacket
August 23rd, 2012
2:08 pm
“only for you to be shattered at 8:04 when we return the kickoff for a TD and don’t let up.”
I have high hopes? Haha…
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
2:09 pm
tim
i watched the acc preview on espn yesterday. vt has some studs that will replace what was lost. that’s what gt imbeciles don’t get. vt reloads. gt tried and hopes to replace medicore players. vt is a perrenial power. gt is a school that runs a high school offense.
yet they talk like they’ve accompished something since fish fry arrived.
Tim VT Snyder
August 23rd, 2012
2:10 pm
Hoodoo laying down the smack. Gotta go…but keep up the good work!
FL Jacket
August 23rd, 2012
2:10 pm
“no fl, losing a significant amount of games to ONE team IS getting ur butt kicked.”
If you say so…
FL Jacket
August 23rd, 2012
2:11 pm
“yet they talk like they’ve accompished something since fish fry arrived”
Only an ACC Championship…
HighTech
August 23rd, 2012
2:12 pm
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
2:09 pm
tim
i watched the acc preview on espn yesterday. vt has some studs that will replace what was lost. that’s what gt imbeciles don’t get. vt reloads. gt tried and hopes to replace medicore players. vt is a perrenial power. gt is a school that runs a high school offense.
yet they talk like they’ve accompished something since fish fry arrived.
——————————————
Too bad you didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express.
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
2:15 pm
no u have no acc championship cause u cheated.
and sorry but i certainly wouldn’t brag about winning the atrocious acc. 2-13 in bcs games. when a couple of bcs games then u can talk that up.
hoodoo
August 23rd, 2012
2:16 pm
high tech
i only stay at 4 star or higher hotels.
GTBob
August 23rd, 2012
2:19 pm
hoodoo, just curiously do you think UGA has any chance at all of beating South Carolina this year? I would hope for consistency that your answer is no.
sean jones
August 23rd, 2012
2:19 pm
v tech is always a paper champ
sean jones
August 23rd, 2012
2:21 pm
CPJ shud just ask DABO how to beat the turkeys….he owns em. V Tech reminds me alot of UGA—always over rated and overhyped….yawn
FL Jacket
August 23rd, 2012
2:21 pm
“no u have no acc championship cause u cheated.”
Funny, the ACC Media Days had a poster of us up claiming we were the 1009 Champions. Odd.
FL Jacket
August 23rd, 2012
2:21 pm
2009
sean jones
August 23rd, 2012
2:23 pm
@hoodoo
what thugs/criminals is V TECh gonna throw in the yard this year???
FL Jacket
August 23rd, 2012
2:24 pm
“i certainly wouldn’t brag about winning the atrocious acc.”
This is almost starting to get comical. Everytime I disprove you, you throw in an opinion about how it doesn’t matter. It’s so cute how you continue to do that knowing you have nothing to stand on. I mean, you even thought Clemson is a terrible team because they quit in a bowl game…
Big Crimson 75
August 23rd, 2012
2:24 pm
hoodoo, just curiously do you think UGA has any chance at all of beating South Carolina this year?
————-
I’ll take that one Bobby — NEGATIVE!!
Ya gotta love the dwags. woof – woof – bark – bark – sniff – sniff – woof – woof – roll-over & play dead when a real team lines up across the Field!
sean jones
August 23rd, 2012
2:26 pm
@big Crimson
Yeah DWAGS are bullies until they play someone their own size. The Gameclucks will beat em by 17 and concuss Murrey
Paddy
August 23rd, 2012
2:27 pm
VTSnyder……..no school teaches or enourages a chop block. I believe GT got called for this infraction just one time last year. GT teaches the cut block, as does my beloved Dawgs, and it is legal. I am sure you know that a single player can’t be called for a chop block. The defensive player must be otherwise engaed for this to be called. Learn the rules pal if you come to Georgia and pop off. We know our footall!
sean jones
August 23rd, 2012
2:28 pm
@PADDY
SC 27 DWAGS 13……..LEARN it =D
DJ
August 23rd, 2012
2:29 pm
Go Hokies!
Big Crimson 75
August 23rd, 2012
2:30 pm
Jones — VT is top-flight Program.
Notorious slow starters every season, however they end up in BCS Games practically every year.
They were robbed in the Sugar Bowl last Yr.
It’ll be one of Johnson’s best wins @ GT if the bees beat VT to open the Season.
If Tech beats VT — Watch Out!!
You heard it here first boys, 2012 BCS Title Game — Bama vs. GT!!!!
BANK IT!
sean jones
August 23rd, 2012
2:33 pm
@big Crimson
gotta disagree with u… Vtech used to be a top flight program but no more. They arent scary anymore and nobody in the ACC fears em. Bud Foster is on the way out and Beamer has lost that team. They werent robbed against Michigan–they lost and Michigan wasnt very good
sean jones
August 23rd, 2012
2:34 pm
@DJ
hokies fight dogs and smoke trees
Techfan
August 23rd, 2012
2:35 pm
Tony Zenon should start at the A back position. Coaching sucks! Godhigh as possible starter? You got to be kidding me! He didn’t even have a scholarship a year ago! And Deon Hill needs to just stick with Special teams. Dude can’t even hold the ball in his hands. Hands down Zenon should start! Fastest, shiftiest, best ball handling, and most logical A Back Tech has. Get it together coaches!
Big Crimson 75
August 23rd, 2012
2:37 pm
Jones — White Boy caught that ball in the end-zone for VT — Game Over!
Hell, That was an NFL TD….control & 2 feet in!!
VT isn’t where they were 10 to 15 years ago(Nationally), but they are the team to beat in the ACC.
GTBob
August 23rd, 2012
2:51 pm
gotta disagree with u… Vtech used to be a top flight program but no more. They arent scary anymore and nobody in the ACC fears em.
They have won at least 10 games for the last 8 years. I wouldn’t say they are scaring people but they are one of the better programs currently in college football.
sean jones
August 23rd, 2012
2:51 pm
@ big crimson
didnt look like a catch to me or the referee. VT isnt the team to beat in the ACC. FSU is this year bro and their defense is better than everybody else
s….yep even BAMA =D
HighTech
August 23rd, 2012
3:11 pm
Paddy
August 23rd, 2012
2:27 pm
VTSnyder……..no school teaches or enourages a chop block. I believe GT got called for this infraction just one time last year. GT teaches the cut block, as does my beloved Dawgs, and it is legal. I am sure you know that a single player can’t be called for a chop block. The defensive player must be otherwise engaed for this to be called. Learn the rules pal if you come to Georgia and pop off. We know our football!
————————————
Paddy…you should know by now that reasonable and factual posts have no place on the AJC blogs.
Big Crimson 75
August 23rd, 2012
3:18 pm
Jones — slow down trigger.
GTVegas
August 23rd, 2012
3:20 pm
UOAD !!!!
That is why they play the games, my friends. Anyone who tells you absolutely who will win is delusional (sp?).
It’s not that hard to take the stand of the favorite and there are usually reasons they are the favorite, but to take a hard line that a team can’t win….There are too many examples where logic does not hold, again, why they play the games.
If the UGA fans want to hold their hat on recent history, I guess they are OK saying that their preseason ranking is a huge pile of crap, as that is what history would prove.
Other than that, the reasoning behind getting on another team’s blog and offering no real, meaningful commentary should point to some serious personal issues and shortcomings.
GTfan2012
August 23rd, 2012
4:01 pm
VT, your offense is suspect until proven otherwise.
GT, your defense is suspect until proven otherwise.
Should be a good game. Go Jackets. Nuff said.