After Miami loss, Tech tries to regroup
With two ACC Coastal Division losses, Georgia Tech is left to take a test it had no interest in taking when the season began three weeks ago Monday. Do the Yellow Jackets have the requisite coaching and leadership to compete over the final eight games of the season with almost no chance of winning the ACC title?
Objectives remain – beating rival Clemson for the sixth time in seven tries, ending losing streaks to Georgia (three games and 10 out of the past 11) and in bowl games (seven) and winning 10 games for only the fourth time since 1956. Tech can show its defensive hemorrhage was an aberration.
The first item, though, will be picking up the pieces from their emotionally costly loss Saturday, a 42-36 overtime defeat to Miami at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Monday, Tech begins preparing for Middle Tennessee State, a game that the ACC announced Sunday will kick off at noon at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
“I feel like we have some good leaders on the team, and they’re going to keep everybody up,” A-back Tony Zenon said. “We just have to have a good week of practice and stay focused on the rest of the games.”
There will be plenty to address as the Jackets prepare for the Blue Raiders and correct errors from Saturday’s loss. The game included a series of lamentable plays for the Jackets, who valiantly returned from a 19-0 first-quarter deficit by scoring 36 consecutive points, but then gave up the game’s final 23 points.
“We made way too many errors in all three facets of the game,” coach Paul Johnson said Saturday.
The Tech offense produced, with 419 yards and 36 points. Saturday was just the sixth time since the start of the 2009 season that the Hurricanes had given up 36 or more points. However, needing to close the door at game’s end, the Jackets couldn’t. After Miami closed the margin to 36-22 with 4:25 to play in the third quarter, Tech produced four first downs over its next three possessions, one by penalty. It gave the Hurricanes more time to come back and returned the Jackets defense to the field more quickly than preferred.
Once back on the field, Miami exploited missed tackles, strong pass protection and advantageous play-calling to force overtime. Hurricanes quarterback Stephen Morris threw 52 times without being sacked once. In the fourth quarter and overtime, Tech allowed 216 yards on 23 plays, a 9.4 yards-per-play average. It called to mind come-from-ahead losses to Virginia Tech in the season opener and Utah in the Sun Bowl.
Prior to the Sun Bowl, Johnson was 31-2 in which Tech led or was tied after three quarters. Tech is 2-3 in those situations since then.
On a day full of mistakes and errors, one of Tech’s last was among the most costly. On their final offensive play of their 42-36 overtime loss to Miami Saturday, the Jackets apparently played into the Hurricanes’ hands.
On Tech’s overtime possession, Miami defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio anticipated a quarterback keeper on the 4th-and-1 play from the 2-yard line and handcuffed the Jackets accordingly. D’Onofrio had linebacker Eddie Johnson re-position himself after quarterback Tevin Washington audibled to a new play at the line of scrimmage, Hurricanes coach Al Golden said Sunday on his teleconference.
In short, Johnson lined up inside of offensive tackle Ray Beno, enticing Washington into changing the play at the line of scrimmage. When he did, Johnson re-aligned himself outside Beno, putting the Hurricanes in favorable alignment to defend Tech’s new play, a toss to A-back Orwin Smith.
“They made a check and we made a check after they made a check,” Golden said. “I guess we got [them] last on that one.”
Recognizing a toss play would likely get blown up against Miami’s new alignment, but following the team protocol permitting one “check” at the line of scrimmage, Washington chose to keep the ball and try for the first down himself. He was stopped short of the first down by Johnson, who was unblocked on the play. Miami won two plays later on a 25-yard run by running back Mike James.
“He didn’t stick with [the toss], but he’s the leader,” Smith said. “I trust his instincts.”
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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340 comments Add your comment
gt4ever
September 24th, 2012
3:25 pm
No GT Joe, it’s not CPJ’s fault that Tevin throws the interception…. It is CPJ’s fault to have placed Tevin in the position of QB in the First place… Some of your comments are completely MIND blowing… Are you this CHALLENGED intellectually …..
Silly Mutts
September 24th, 2012
3:26 pm
@GT Joe – I see your confusion in my statements. Winning and statistics are two different things. The offense works (against crappy teams) and doesn’t work (against good teams). Statistically speaking we have a good rushing team and a terrible passing one. I want to fire Paul Johnson for the following:
He has NEVER accomplished anything as a HC in D1 football (winning the ACC and losing his bowl games doesn’t count)
1) He is an OC and not a HC
2) His play calling is predictable
3) He cannot win bowl games
4) He cannot beat the teams in our division
5) He cannot beat UGA
6) He ignores the defense because he only knows how to run an offense
7) He cannot recruit
9) GT had a losing record last YEAR!
10) HE SUCKS!
Those are a few reasons for wanting him gone. List me 5 why he should stay.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:26 pm
Blame him for ST? He hired an ST coach for the 1st time ever, when 90% of teams don’t have an ST coach. Stubborn? I think not. Next.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:27 pm
gt4ever: I’ve said it about 10 times on this blog: blame CPJ for not playing Vad. But that’s about all you can blame him for.
gt4ever
September 24th, 2012
3:28 pm
LOL @ Silly Mutts
Good Luck with that… GT Joe must be one of CPJ’s coaches…
WnE
September 24th, 2012
3:28 pm
re:
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:12 pm
experiment: note that the current #12 ranking is against 3 conference opponents, when most teams are just getting done with their 1st or 2nd.
UGA for example has played TWO “presbyterians”, as has most BCS conference teams.
__________
As a GT Alum I like to be FAIR, and you aren’t being fair.
Presby is LIGHT YEARS away from FAU & Buffalo, those teams are D1-A teams, Presby was in D-II up until 2007 or 2008 and have just gotten their footing at the D1-AA level that is still BELOW the D1-A level that FAU & Buffalo compete at.
Presby is about the number 120th ranked D1-AA Team which is a far cry below FAU & Buffalo which are roughly the number 70 to number 85 ranked D1-A teams, estimated.
pj experiment should be over
September 24th, 2012
3:30 pm
Gt Joe, why the obsession with UGA ?They have yet to play any FCS schools and Presbyterian is a bad FCS program. One doesn’t need to look at recruiting rankings to see that PJ hasn’t recruited well nor has he developed the talent he has been able to recruit.
Silly Mutts
September 24th, 2012
3:31 pm
@Gt JOE- I am not comparing PJ to Chan Gailey!!!! I am comparing PJ to successful coaches in D1 football. Gailey got fired…period. I don’t care if Gailey had a #1 class or a #45 class. That was Gailey. Not someone else in D1. Paul Johnson isn’t getting it done as a HC!!!!! He sucks. Vad Lee is not going to change that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even if we beat UM or VT THIS year GT will lose to the good teams in D1. Neither VT (Lost to PITT) and UM are NOT good teams. Next is right. Next HC for GT that is!
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:32 pm
Mutt: let’s take these 1 by 1:
1) He is an OC and not a HC (subjective, but whatever)
2) His play calling is predictable (subjective, I guess D1 DC’s are morons cause his offenses are regularly top 20)
3) He cannot win bowl games (okay)
4) He cannot beat the teams in our division (huh? won the ACC)
5) He cannot beat UGA (huh? did)
6) He ignores the defense because he only knows how to run an offense (you mean, let’s AG do his job?)
7) He cannot recruit (compared to who?)
He has NEVER accomplished anything as a HC in D1 football (winning the ACC and losing his bowl games doesn’t count) (winning the conference doesn’t count. LOL. What else doesn’t count?)
9) GT had a losing record last YEAR! (dude, what? 8-5 would qualify as Gailey’s BEST record).
10) HE SUCKS! (subjective, and therefore lame)
Big Crimson 75
September 24th, 2012
3:34 pm
WnE — don’t leave out Mark Ingram from your Heisman list.
He was a qualifier, although maybe sweeping right or left pre-snap every play isn’t what a true RB wants to do.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:35 pm
Wne and experiment: you miss the point. We are #12 in offense with 3 real games. conference games. Can anybody else say that in the country?
Silly Mutts
September 24th, 2012
3:36 pm
@ GT Joe – Where are your five? These are responses to my posts. List them and you will see how stupid and ignorant you are becoming. Just list them. That is all I ask. If you can list 5 that anyone on here will agree with I will side with you. I promise.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:37 pm
Silly Mutts: you are comparing CPJ to successful HCs in D1? Like who?
And please tell me which of those HCs would even contemplate stepping down to GT’s level?
Please, have some realistic expectations.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:44 pm
Okay muttboy:
1. Offenses regularly rank in top 20. Currently #12.
2. .642 winning percentage at GT.
3. Best winning % since bobby dodd.
4. Won 1st outright ACC title since 1990.
5. 1st 10 win season since 98 (3rd since 1956).
Straight facts, no bloviating. No subjective garbage. You’ve been owned.
Silly Mutts
September 24th, 2012
3:44 pm
Hell, I’ll do it for you! Here it is: According to GT Joe here are the 5 reasons PJ should keep his job:
1) Paul Johnson’s offense is in the top 20 every year
2) Paul Johnson won the ACC (once)
3) Paul Johnson is a better recruiter than Chan Gailey
4) Paul Johnson has had a better record than 8-5.
5) Paul Johnson doesn’t make the decisions on the field and a change to Vad Lee will turn the program around.
Anything better that you have said that I missed and should be added?
WnE
September 24th, 2012
3:48 pm
re:
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
1:56 pm
Silly Mutts: Without Tevin Washington at QB:
1-1 vs. UGA
1-1 vs. VT
_____________
Unless TW has the authority to put himself in the starting line-up, then CPJ still has the ultimate responsibility for the situation, after all he is PAID $2.6MM to Recruit and develop QBs that are better than TW.
We fired Chan for that same reason (not developing or Recruiting better QBs), yet you want to let CPJ off the hook and put it all on TW.
While you’re at I guess you can also BLAME Vad Lee & Synjin for not being good enough to beat out Tevin.
You really don’t know very much about CFB, do you?
Long Beach Jacket
September 24th, 2012
3:50 pm
I was at the game. Old Timer is pretty spot on. Similar to my take on other blog before reading here.
I was disappointed that our guys didn’t show more FIRE for the entire game.
You could see that Miami was motivated and it showed in how they rallied around and
played hard.
Al Golden and his staff deserve a lot of credit.
As for us, I can’t understand how our guys can come into our own place in front of 50,000+ against a storied Miami program and not be “jacked up out of their minds!!!” with enthusiasm. I just don’t understand that part. Full disclosure: I never played football beyond Jr High but I know how hard these guys work 365 days a year for the opportunity to be out there on game day. What a privilige and honor to wear the Gold and White and give it your all.
I will still (and always) be 100% behind the program but this unit really has a lot to prove.
They’ve got a lot of games left. I’ll wish them the best and hope for it.
Saturday was – in my view – the most disappointing loss of the Paul Johnson Era at GT.
Gut check time. Cmon’ guys! Get it back! Go JACKETS!
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:50 pm
WnE: I’ve said like 11 times, blame CPJ for not starting Vad.
You really don’t read, do you?
Silly Mutts
September 24th, 2012
3:51 pm
@GT Joe – responses to your posts to the following:
1) I can’t argue with the %
2) Beat UGA, VT, UM and any of your bowl opponents.
3) winning percentage twice. Okay how many National Titles did Dodd win and Johnson win in D1?
4) Ralph Friedgen won one at MD and got fired after being ACCCOY. Again, that was then this is now!
5) Yipppeee GT won ten games and got smoked in its bowl game (as usual).
Regardless, I am not opposed to keeping Johnson. I just think he should be the OC not the HC.
Big Crimson 75
September 24th, 2012
3:54 pm
GTBob
September 24th, 2012
11:34 am
Re Recruiting: As someone said earlier, it can be done at Tech:See Bobby Ross, Pepper Rogers, etc.
Neither of those guys were great recruiters and GT and college football has changed significantly since then. There is no coach in the country that could come into GT right now and recruit well on a consistent basis.
———–
Bob — your last sentence is simply not true. Recruiting is a talent some Coaches have, some don’t.
It’s Johnson’s weakest skill as a Football Coach.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:57 pm
Mutt boy: you really crack me up. You first wanted to fire CPJ because his “TO” can’t win. Then when I show you offensive rankings, you want to fire him for other decisions (ST, DC etc.). Then when I show you straight FACTS about him as HC, you say “I’m not opposed to keeping Johnson”.
Pretty soon I’ll be able to convince you to give me all your money for a ponzi scheme I’m working on.
WnE
September 24th, 2012
3:57 pm
re:
GT84
September 24th, 2012
2:08 pm
I am a fan of Paul Johnsons offense. When we won with Joe, we played a different scheme because that is the athletes we can win with. A little option, some pro set, some spread.
As far as WnE’s comments about the 5 star athletes, we have never gotten them, nor will we get enough of them to win in a traditional offense.
______________
That what LOOSER Stanford Fans & alums thought BEFORE they hired the RIGHT GUY (Harbaugh), and since then they have beaten USCw 4 times in a row and this year they beat USCw without Andrew Luck & Harbaugh and they beat them by physically dominating with a great defensive effort.
You can say that Stanford was a one-trick-pony that disappeared after Luck left.
BTW, we got Lou Young our Starting CB due to the fact that his Academics were BELOW what Stanford was willing to accept and would not let him in, so we can’t act like our Academics are tougher than Stanford’s.
WnE
September 24th, 2012
3:58 pm
you can’t say that Stanford was a one trick……..
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
4:01 pm
WnE: you’re a joke. Harbaugh was the “right guy” for Stanford? Dude came from the Pioneer Football League to Stanford. Had absolutely no coaching cache. Stanford got lucky with Harbaugh. Period.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
4:02 pm
Also, CPJ has a higher win% at GT than Harbaugh at Stanford.
Silly Mutts
September 24th, 2012
4:03 pm
@GT Joe – The TO doesn’t win any games that matter. And that is what I meant. Of course it scores points but it doesn’t win you the frickin’ game. You need defense and special teams. Something GT doesn’t have. Geez what is the use of the winning % if its against crappy teams and you lose the ones that matter most? I can’t help it if you are a moron and can’t understand that one win against UM, VT and UGA and none in a bowl game don’t matter. Keep on praising his great win % against nobody and GT will continue to lose for many, many years to come.
Silly Mutts
September 24th, 2012
4:04 pm
Stanford plays in a better conference than GT does too.
Erik GT
September 24th, 2012
4:05 pm
GT Joe must be Al Groh in disguise… you keep defending CAG but we all saw the product of his system on field… and on the quote board defensive players are quoted saying they felt completely unprepared; that they had practiced all week for the run and were supprised when UM passed all day…what is really unbelievable is the Groh’s lack of adjustment to the Miami O..he looked senile
WnE
September 24th, 2012
4:05 pm
re:
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
3:44 pm
Okay muttboy:
1. Offenses regularly rank in top 20. Currently #12.
2. .642 winning percentage at GT.
3. Best winning % since bobby dodd.
4. Won 1st outright ACC title since 1990.
5. 1st 10 win season since 98 (3rd since 1956).
Straight facts, no bloviating. No subjective garbage. You’ve been owned.
_______________
There are lies, damned lies and then there are statistics…………
CPJ over the last 2+ seasons is below .500 vs. FBS teams, has basically been getting fat off of weak lower level OOC Teams and weak ACC teams like Dook.
He is 3-15 vs. the Big-4 since he got to GT:
1-4 vs. VT
1-4 vs. Miami
1-3 vs. UGA
0-4 vs. Bowl Games
==================
3-15 vs. the meat of the schedule that defines GT FB to rest of the CFB universe, he was 2-2 his first year so that makes CPJ 1-13 vs. the big-4 over the last 4 years including this season.
That is a horribly NEGATIVE trend that you are ignoring.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
4:06 pm
Mutt: .642 is a better coaching win% than we’ve had in 50 years. You need to face reality. We aren’t UGA. We aren’t Bama. This isn’t the 1950s. Wake up.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
4:09 pm
WnE: I’m not ignoring the trend. But you are ignoring the cause. It’s not CPJ. It’s Tevin Washington, the common denominator in all your stats. Prior to Nesbitt getting hurt in 2010, what were these records?
In the end, it’s CPJ’s fault for sticking with Tevin (now for the 12th time).
Silly Mutts
September 24th, 2012
4:11 pm
@GT Joe…you need to face reality. Paying someone 2.5 million a year to do what a middle school coach could do is Pathetic. Paul Johnson is an embarrassment to GT and to college football in general. He should be fired and replaced sooner rather than later. And no Vad Lee isn’t going to change that and GT will continue to lose until that happens. The only chance PJ has is to resign as HC and become OC with a real DC. That is the truth.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
4:11 pm
And WnE: are you saying that every coach at GT since 1966 WASN’T getting fat off wins vs. OOC and weak ACC teams?
The schedule is no weaker now than it has ever been in the past 50 years. So the .642 win % is relevant.
GT Joe
September 24th, 2012
4:12 pm
Mutt: please find us a middle school coach to win us an ACC title. please.
Your bloviating with no facts to back up anything is getting boring.
GT84
September 24th, 2012
4:36 pm
WnE, The point I am making is that we haven’t gotten the recruits no matter who was the coach. We also got lucky with Hamilton, just as Stanford did with Andrew Luck. You are also forgetting the academic fact that most people bring up, it is not the qualifiers or the fact that it is a difficult school. It is the fact that GT offers no Liberal Arts, recruiters use the class load against us, and there are no easy courses the athletes are interested in. Using the comparason of us vs Stanford is not apples to apples.
Silly Mutts
September 24th, 2012
5:01 pm
@GT Joe…the conversation became boring a long time ago when you don’t seem to understand that TW didn’t lose the game for GT. The HC makes the decisions on personnel and coaching. If TW was in the game and didn’t get it done then its NOT his fault. Its the HC’s fault. Get this straight as well. I don’t care about ONE and I mean ONE ACC Title! If you do then I can’t help your stupidity as I said over and over again. GT got crushed in the bowl game that year! The offense did NOTHING in that game. That season doesn’t mean diddly!!!!!!!!!!! This season does mean something! And now it doesn’t mean ANYTHING! Get it through your thick skull!!!! Paul Johnson is a LOSER! And now so is GT!
Jones cane
September 24th, 2012
10:25 pm
LOVE GOING TO BOBBY DODD STADIUM!
GO CANES!
Notes: Johnson calls loss ‘my fault’ | Georgia Tech
September 24th, 2012
11:28 pm
[...] After Miami loss, Tech tries to regroup [...]
Tim
September 25th, 2012
6:30 am
Tech needs a Defense! They score plenty. More than most. The player’s do well. Bad luck. The option is fun to watch. Defense win’s games. No defense, no OT wins. All that can be said since the Black Watch Defense. And that was a long time ago.
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September 27th, 2012
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[...] After Miami loss, Tech tries to regroup [...]