3 thoughts about Georgia Tech
Greetings-
This will be brief, as I’ve got a full day ahead and am already, not at all surprisingly, behind.
1. In the loss to Virginia Tech, no passes were completed to the Georgia Tech wide receivers. By my cursory count, I had four “targets” to wide receivers that were incomplete. If memory serves, I think only one of them had much of a chance, a deep ball from Tevin Washington to Jeremy Moore in the second quarter.
It’s just the second time in Paul Johnson’s tenure that that’s happened. (vs. Iowa in the Orange Bowl) There’s a pretty simple explanation for it, that being three wide receivers (Darren Waller, Jeff Greene and Moore) playing against experienced corners (Kyle Fuller and Antone Exum) and the protection wasn’t always the best. Stephen Hill would have come in handy.
That said, Tech will need to get the wide receivers involved, even on a very limited basis, to give the running game some more room and take pressure off the offense. While there is a certain aesthetic to a 20-play, 75-yard drive, it requires the offense to be precise for a longer duration. Monday, there was a Washington run for 22 yards and a pass to Orwin Smith for 20 and another to B.J. Bostic for 19. After that, the next longest play was 13 yards.
2. I saw this a lot on comments, so I won’t delve too deeply, but the defense’s performance was improved, excepting the last two possessions. The Tech media guide has a useful stat in it for which sports information director Dean Buchan deserves my thanks – point per possession. In some ways, it is as telling a statistic as there is. Last year, the defense averaged 2.17 points per possession, not including overtime. Monday, it was 1.42, which was better than all but two games (Maryland and Western Carolina) and tied with the Clemson game.
3. This is not exactly a daring opinion, but I think only time will tell what the Virginia Tech loss ultimately means. The Hokies may end up winning the ACC and the defense, as Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster believes, may prove to be one of the best ever in school history. In that light, a three-point loss in which the Jackets had offensive malfunctions, were without three defensive starters and yet were one play from winning in a night game at Lane Stadium doesn’t look so bad.
Perhaps Tech’s defense turns out to be solid, the offense gains some traction and the Jackets roll through Virginia, Maryland and the rest of the schedule.
Or it may well be that the flaws from Monday’s game – subpar performance by the offensive line and a nosedive by the defense in the fourth quarter – were but omens for a season in which losses are many.
Personally, I think it’s way too early to tell.
More later from Johnson’s news conference.
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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371 comments Add your comment
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
1:29 pm
Wow… can’t believe there are so many TW apologists… this guy is a game manager, NOT a play maker. Yeah, he ONLY made one mistake all night… problem is, it COST us the game. He is a nice guy, hard worker, etc., but not good enough. Time for Vad.
chas_jacket
September 5th, 2012
1:29 pm
5150 , agree with you on starting Tevin at Lane, noted such in an earlier post. But now think we will see more options at QB – and also getting the WR’s more involved.
Old Gold Britches
September 5th, 2012
1:31 pm
Man it hurts so bad. So close to a W. The offensive B Backs and TW need a good bit of work, but we were playing a very good team.As mentioned the WR’s have to be able to contribute to help this running game. Thanks Ken for a great job reporting!
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
1:32 pm
Why did the B backs get nothing all night? Cause the box was stuffed because our QB is a non-threat. Any defense will gladly make TW beat them as opposed to A or B backs.
Kid is slow. Kid can’t throw with ANY kind of zip. His completions last night were wobbly ducks. The most important completion (that 4th down) was a busted play where the receiver improvised and got open.
Time for Vad.
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
1:33 pm
How many times last year did we feel the same way we do now? How many times last year did TW get blame for losses/ineffectiveness? Nothing has changed or improved here. Time for the nice guy to take a seat.
GT Lee
September 5th, 2012
1:36 pm
Welcome Back 5150!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Harvey from Docs
September 5th, 2012
1:38 pm
The immaturity of UGA fans never ceases to amaze me.
We played ok on offense and well on defense. Hopefully we improve over the next few games on both sides of the ball. It’s not the end of the world and we have the entire season in front of us.
GT Lee
September 5th, 2012
1:39 pm
The trolls and keyboard coaches are out in force this week……..
George Stein
September 5th, 2012
1:39 pm
Tevin Washington is also an unpaid player who showed a ton of guts on Monday night. He made a mistake in OT, but those things happen. He can play on my team anytime.
Quit living vicariously through 20 year olds and your life might take a turn for the better.
GIVE ME A BREAK
September 5th, 2012
1:40 pm
Jacket Man, I see the D the same way as you do. I feel like the D was not as bad last year as some people viewed them. The O has to show some life. STs are good if CPJ would stay out of their huddle. The WRs should have a big game Saturday. I’ll be there. ” GO JACKETS “
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
1:43 pm
To the folks that say “If Vad was better than TW, he’d be starting. CPJ would yank anybody quick if there was something better.” Hogwash.
CPJ is not nearly the tough guy he shows in public. Any coach develops connections with players, almost like his own kids. And it is tough for CPJ to bench a guy like TW who has given his all, tried to be a leader, put in the extra work, etc. Yes, even CPJ has a heart. Even if Vad is the best QB, CPJ sticks with TW for loyalty reasons. You don’t coach a kid for 4-5 years and not feel some level of loyalty, esp. knowing Vad has 3 more years whereas TW has 0.
So yeah, we are stuck with TW. And it will be a LONG season of “what ifs”. But still…
Time for Vad.
GIVE ME A BREAK
September 5th, 2012
1:44 pm
Thank you George, I’m a big fan of a guy that shows that much character and poise.
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
1:47 pm
George Stein: “He made a mistake in OT, those things happen”? Seriously?
Okay, nobody plays perfect, but a mistake that costs a team the game is NOT acceptable. Not at any level of football. Period.
5150 UOAD
September 5th, 2012
1:48 pm
OldSchoolTechFanatic
September 5th, 2012
1:22 pm
5150 why do you have to be season ticket holders to express an opinion
————————————————
You don’t but IF you don’t PAY $$$$$ to see the game or pay $$$$$ to the GTAA then running your mouth has no effect. If you are tech GRAD I would think you are SMART enough to know that.
If you are crying to get rid of Johnson and don’t have MONEY to withhold until a change is made then you are just pissing up a drain pipe.
DOC 51
September 5th, 2012
1:49 pm
TW is a great person,and a very average QB.He could not play QB for most DIV.1 teams.
5150 UOAD
September 5th, 2012
1:52 pm
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
1:47 pm
George Stein: “He made a mistake in OT, those things happen”? Seriously?
Okay, nobody plays perfect, but a mistake that costs a team the game is NOT acceptable. Not at any level of football. Period.
==================================
Go be a 35:55minute MURRAY and UGA cause Murray has done the SAME THING in Big games but people think MURRAY is a Heisman candidate and the SEC’s best QB.
LEE TY.
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
1:53 pm
“I’m a big fan of a guy that shows that much character and poise”. Me too.
But I have a new flash folks. Sometimes hard work and dedication AREN’T good enough. At this level, you must have talent too. TW lacks any playmaking ability. He is slow. He can’t break a tackle. He has no open field moves. His passes have no zip.
Time for Vad.
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
1:56 pm
Not sure what the Aaron Murray point is, but when you win 10 games in a season, you get some leeway.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
1:56 pm
I haven’t posted, or for that matter even read, the blogs since the game because I was so pissed at the results and because I knew that the blogs would be full of UGA trolls and “experts” who know no more, nor act any differently than UGA fans after they lose or look bad in a game. Some of you guys calling yourselves Tech fans need to sit back and read what you write and see just how pathetic and dwag-fan-like you are. Having said that, I have several thoughts about the game that I want to express……
chas_jacket
September 5th, 2012
1:57 pm
The crowd was insane at Lane – not a place to start Vad and very likely have him lose confidence.I predict Vad will see significant pt – at least a half – this weekend, and then the qb competion will start.
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
1:59 pm
chas: I agree, throwing Vad to the lions at Lane was not the right thing to do. But starting him this saturday IS the right thing to do. And if he does well, he should get the job.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:01 pm
First, if Tech had held on and won, you guys would be praising everybody on the team and staff to the hilt. But because we lost in such a depressing manner, when we had it won, then all you can find is negatives about everybody. It’s sickening and ubelievably hypocritical
Tevin had a decent game; the one very positive thing that can be said about him is that he is a leader. Vad and maybe Synjyn too probably have more overall talent, but are any of you really stupid enough to think that with zero (Vad) and limited (Synjyn) game experience, either of them could have done any better? Well, yes, apparently several idiots DO think that, but I sure don’t.
You guys forget all too soon that, even though he panicked in OT and threw that horrible interception, he also led us down the field on that awesome drive that should have won the game. I hope Vad or Synjyn (or the freshman Thomas next year) can hone their talents and lead us to great things, but for now, TW is the QB.
The defense was great for most of the game, but WHY WHY WHY go to the damn Prevent Defense on VT’s final drive??? The only thing the Prevent Defense has EVER done for ANYBODY is to prevent the team running from winning the game. And lest some of you forget, Ted Roof, George O’Leary, and Jon Tenuta ALSO ran the Prevent Defense at times, and it never worked for them either.
Some glaring weaknesses Monday night that I DID see though were that nobody blocked very well. When Synjyn came in for that one play, if Simms had blocked, Synjyn would have had lots of yards and possibly a TD. The wide receivers never blocked, making the outside game not nearly as effective as it should have and could have been. The line didn’t block well enough for those (WAY TOO MANY) dive plays to do much good. And, Tevin (or maybe CPJ—who knows?) appeared too many times to decide ahead of time what he was going to do. And when he appeared to be deciding as the play develops, he often took too long to make his decision. Nevertheless, as I said, he DID lead us down the field, eating up the clock, to what should have been the winning TD.
I may have more thoughts later, but that’s my thinking right now
chas_jacket
September 5th, 2012
2:02 pm
And in support of Tevin who made a couple of excellent throws on the final drive, I have seen an NFL qb fail to throw it out of the end zone and get picked.
Tech Troll 13
September 5th, 2012
2:03 pm
GT Joe
I not buying what your selling. CPJ plays TW because he feels that he is the best option for us to win this year. CPJ’s career is based on winning. No matter how much you may like a player, the best player plays. Vad Lee has yet to play a down of college football and CPJ must feel he is not ready.
Stumpknocker
September 5th, 2012
2:03 pm
I do believe the Defense is better and will continue to improve. Say what you want to, but to hold a top-20 team to 17 points in regulation and be unranked yourself is pretty good…………not to mention playing in a hostile stadium to a national audience………After all is said and done the offense will come around and make this a memorable season.
GTBob
September 5th, 2012
2:04 pm
This is pathetic train of thought!!! Hire somwone who can get it done Period!
We hire someone who gives us the best chance to win period. We don’t have more talent then the UNCs, NC States, and UVAs of the world but we usually beat them. Beating them most of the time and sneaking in a few wins against the more talented teams is in my opinion the most we can hope for on a consistent basis and it requires a good coach to do it. There is no magical coach who can come in and turn us into the top 5 program you seem to expect us to be. That would take more than a coach, it would take an entire shift of philosophy by the Institute.
chas_jacket
September 5th, 2012
2:05 pm
Agree Super, hopefully most of the bashing is just last sec loss hangover related.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:05 pm
@ Tech Troll 13…….do you REALLY think that Vad Lee was ready to start his first ever college game against a team like VT AT their place? Please give us the rationale behind such thinking
chas_jacket
September 5th, 2012
2:06 pm
on the positive, really like JH Days – he clocked Logan on one of his runs.
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
2:07 pm
Supersize and chas: Yeah, if the game ended with 44 seconds to go, then TW would have had a mistake free game. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. No game works out that way.
That OT mistake was no less boneheaded than Attaochu’s personal foul last year. NO LESS.
“made a couple of excellent throws on the last drive”? Come on guys. Those throws were NOTHING special. Hitting the receiver wide open in the flat for the TD (ball was a floater a little behind the receiver, but caught nonetheless), and hitting a receiver on the 4th (where the receiver was the star, not the QB, for getting open on a busted play)? Is this what we’ve come to? Praising these kinds of QB plays?
5150 UOAD
September 5th, 2012
2:07 pm
GT JOE…………you are a FOOL…………….If you start VAD and he is not smooth then what have you done to Tevin’s confidence?
You play Tevin and get him in the FLOW to get smooth then you let VAD play a lot of the game. VAD needs some time with the 1st team and the 2nd team.
Thank GOD you are no the Head Coach or a Sports Psychologist because you would still be right back here without a job doing either job
GTBob
September 5th, 2012
2:08 pm
But starting him this saturday IS the right thing to do.
I don’t know if he should start or not but he should certainly play the majority of the game. There is no real reason for Tevin to play extended time this weekend.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:08 pm
The D actually sacked Logan Thomas once, and I have heard twice. Did we ever sack any QB last year?
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
2:08 pm
Supersize: how bout you give your rationale on why Vad WASN’T ready to start at Lane.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:09 pm
@ GT Joe……because he has NEVER EVER even touched the field in a college football game. Are you REALLY willing to place the game in the hands of somebody who has absolutely NO GAME EXPERIENCE? I don’t know any coach in the country who would do that unless he had no other choice whatsoever
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:12 pm
If we had been playing the likes of Presbyterian at home, then MAYBE, but certainly NOT at Lane Stadium, or any other home stadium of a ranked opponent. I went to the Spring game, and frankly, what I saw there was that Vad was not comfortable (YET) running the offense. Did he have some good plays? Yes, a couple. But overall, he really didn’t look that good. Will he in time? HOPEFULLY YES. But he’s not there yet.
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
2:13 pm
UOAD: what does “smooth” mean? Is that some new coaching term you picked up from your Xbox games?
The level of TW apologists is shocking. Bordering on Obama apologist-level (not going there).
TW is slow, can’t throw with zip, MISSES READS, and made a mistake that cost us the game. Not to mention, lost what, 6 of the last 8 games?
Time for Vad.
old dog
September 5th, 2012
2:15 pm
Y’all played a good game. We all have our weaknesses..(even you, my old buddy Supersize from Augusta.) In the type offense you run, the quarterback, no matter who he is, takes a “whoopin”"! It is almost like he must be more of an athlete than a skilled, true QB. This is okay in some cases, but if you get to where REAL true QB skills are needed, it can present a problem. However, in any offense there are strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t have something like an RGIII runnin’ the show, the lack of QB skills shows. The average “skilled” (if I may) QB might not survive the beating he would have to take in the triple option. However, I reckon’ I can’t say to much. Against a weak Buffalo team, our QB overthrew wide open receivers several times…………………
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:16 pm
@ GT Joe……what you say about TW is true; there is no doubt about it (your implication about the Obama apologists is true too, BTW—-LOL). But the fact is, Vad Lee has not sniffed the field in ANY college football game yet, and no coach in his right mind would start him in a big game like Monday night’s game AT the opponent’s stadium)
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
2:16 pm
Supersize: interesting factoid. Every QB in the NCAA has a “first play” at some point in his career.
Here’s what I can tell you: TW has no playmaking experience whatsoever, and he has had 14 games to show it. Vad either is equal to or greater than TW in playmaking ability (and we know which it is).
Ask yourself this question: Would Donald Trump have fired TW by now?
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:17 pm
@ old dog…..what weaknesses do I have? LOL
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:19 pm
@ GT Joe…..Were you at the Spring game? Vad Lee didn’t show me then that he had (YET) any more play-making ability than TW. Actually, Synjyn showed me more of that quality in the Spring game, but he fumbled too many times.
chas_jacket
September 5th, 2012
2:20 pm
TW gave us the best chance to win at VT – and we came very close. Could Vad have guided the team to victory? Possibly, but more likely he would have had several turnovers that may have led to a VT rout. Games in hostile stadiums can easily go south and a three touchdown blowout would have had a very negative impact on the team. This weekend is the time for VL.
5150 UOAD
September 5th, 2012
2:20 pm
JOE………….SMOOTH? You don’t know what a Smooth Running Offense should look like?
Take your wife’s butt and use a belt sander on it for an hour or 2 and you will know what Smooth is maybe.
Ottis
September 5th, 2012
2:20 pm
As a long-time VT fan and grad, I thought GT looked more like a complete football team than in years past. You say GT had some offensive malfunctions, as did VT (including a QB who was off almost all night) as well as inexperienced WRs and RBs. And VT’s fumbled punt snap gave GT 7 points. That said, the GT defense was stout, espececially the DL and the movement from the linebackers.Not sure what GT fans expect from the passing game … that offense is not geared for it and the pass works more as a surprise than a strategy. Still, hats off to GT’s effort. The rest of your schedule is pretty easy … good luck the rest of the way.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:20 pm
@ GT Joe……of course, every QB in the NCAA has a “first play” at some point. But how many can you name me whose “first play” came against a ranked opponent (not to mention, major rival) AT their stadium? Name me one, please.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:21 pm
@ Otis……thanks….CLASSY post. More classy, unfortunately, than many of those made by Tech bloggers.
5150 UOAD
September 5th, 2012
2:22 pm
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
2:16 pm
Supersize: interesting factoid. Every QB in the NCAA has a “first play” at some point in his career.
============================================
Please POST SOME FACTS on the FIRST PLAYS by QB’s as they relate to the magnitude of the GT v VPI game where is was not due to injury or graduation.
When was Tevin’s FIRST PLAY?
Supersize that order, mutt
September 5th, 2012
2:23 pm
To be honest concerning Vad Lee, I am not convinced yet that he will ever master CPJ’s offense. I think Justin Thomas may actually end up being the QB of the future at Tech
GT Joe
September 5th, 2012
2:23 pm
Supersize: Tevin Washington had 3 plays vs. an FBS team before being thrown into the fire AT LANE STADIUM. LOL.