UPDATED: Tech humbled by MTSU, 49-28
Georgia Tech did not need overtime to falter Saturday.
The Yellow Jackets, uninspired and perhaps still groggy from its second crushing overtime loss of the season a week ago, required only the regulation 60 minutes to capitulate. Tech was force-fed the worst loss of coach Paul Johnson’s five-year tenure, a 49-28 defeat to Middle Tennessee State at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
MTSU, an FBS school out of the Sun Belt Conference that has produced wins this season over Arkansas (by Louisiana-Monroe) and Kentucky (Western Kentucky), pounded the listless Jackets with 510 yards of offense, forced four turnovers and neutralized Tech with force and energy. On this day, at least, little doubt existed over the identity of the superior team.
“I told (MTSU) Coach (Rick) Stockstill after the game (that) they got after us, whipped our butt, and give them some credit, because they played hard,” Johnson said. “After saying that, it was embarrassing. I don’t think there’s any other way to describe it.”
Plenty of conditions for an upset congregated Saturday at Bobby Dodd – a tough loss the previous week, a noon start, key players sidelined with injuries (outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu and cornerback Louis Young), a half-filled stadium and a confident opponent eager for payback and arriving with two weeks’ rest.
Tech did the rest in falling to 2-3.
On the road, with fewer resources and fielding a roster full of players deemed unworthy of a scholarship to Tech, the Blue Raiders (3-1) steamrolled the Jackets. It was the sort of result that Johnson produced regularly at Navy, leading to his hire at Tech following the 2007 season. Johnson said it was probably the worst loss of his career.
“We didn’t throw the ball much,” MTSU guard Josh Walker, who overpowered Tech defensive linemen all afternoon, told the Daily News Journal of Murfreesboro, Tenn. “We didn’t have to. We were so physical, and we ran the football right at them. We were more physical than them, faster than them and in better shape than them.”
The Jackets’ start offered little hint of the waterfall that they were heading towards. Inside linebacker Jabari Hunt-Days intercepted MTSU quarterback Logan Kilgore on the game’s first possession, a turnover that Tech turned into the first of quarterback Tevin Washington’s four rushing touchdowns. Washington’s four ground scores tied a school single-game record and perhaps set a new standard for least cherished record.
Tech’s fabric disintegrated quickly after that. The Blue Raiders countered with a 75-yard touchdown drive, the first of three such drives in the half. None of them measured less than 75 yards and included a 60-yard score by MTSU running back Benny Cunningham in which he shot through a gap in the line and scored untouched.
Tied at 21 at halftime, the Jackets found themselves in a shootout with a team they had defeated by a combined 56 points in the past two seasons and were favored to beat by almost 30 points.
“We went down and scored after the defense gave us the ball,” Washington said. “After that, there wasn’t much life on the sideline or out there on the field. We just came out too flat [Saturday]. When you give another team energy and momentum, it’s hard to stop them once they get going.”
The Tech defense was again flattened, done in by its opponents’ play-calling and offensive line and its own slippery tackling attempts. Prior to the game, Johnson said he thought that last week’s play against Miami – 609 yards, 30 first downs, missed tackles galore – was an aberration. Nothing much looked different Saturday, save the colors of the opponents’ jerseys and the chants from the visiting fans that drowned out the home crowd.
“That’s probably as bad a tackling game as I have seen,” Johnson said.
There was no tackling on the Blue Raiders’ two longest scores of the game. No Jacket laid a hand on Cunningham on his 60-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter or wide receiver Marcus Henry’s 75-yard scoring reception, also down the center of the field, in the third quarter.
MTSU’s ransacking ought to make McNeese State, Florida Atlantic and Memphis feel better. The Cowboys, Owls and Tigers all managed to keep the Blue Raiders under 500 yards in MTSU’s first three games. McNeese State, an FCS team, actually beat MTSU in the opener, 27-21.
The Jackets had a final opportunity in the fourth quarter trailing 35-28. After forcing a punt, Tech started a drive on its 17-yard line with 8:20 left in the game. Despite having been outplayed, a chance for a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback like the one that the Jackets had permitted last Saturday against Miami flickered in the afternoon light.
On a play-action pass on the first play from scrimmage, Washington heaved a pass downfield to wide receiver Jeff Greene around the MTSU 40-yard line. Greene couldn’t hang onto the slightly underthrown pass, which was intercepted by cornerback Kenneth Gilstrap and returned to the Tech 15-yard line. The Blue Raiders got into the end zone in four plays for a 42-28 advantage.
That was the end of the flickering.
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931 comments Add your comment
Highly Respected Southern Troll
September 29th, 2012
10:12 pm
@Supersize – Looks like Carolina is pulling away. They’re like Clemson. From week-to-week it’s a surprise. No telling how they’ll look against Georgia.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 29th, 2012
10:14 pm
@ Troll…….actually USC has improved from week to week. They had a slow first half tonight, but so what? Lots of teams do; the mark of a good team is that it can recover from a slow start and then take control.
Ken in Alpharetta
September 29th, 2012
10:15 pm
Who said I was a dog fan? And Supersize, I don’t think anyone takes notice of your prognostications. You are just delusional from all the embarrassment gt and cpj has brought to the school, the city and the ACC.
Joe Biden
September 29th, 2012
10:17 pm
You guys know the OC for MTSU is a former Parkview QB
Supersize that order, mutt
September 29th, 2012
10:19 pm
@ Ken……I think it’s rather obvious that you are a dwag fan, since you resort to insults. I never insulted you, did I? Only dwag fans resort to insults and name-calling
Clyde
September 29th, 2012
10:19 pm
Did CPJ hire Al Groh?
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
10:19 pm
I like that it has taken some of you a couple of years to agree with me that CPJ needs to go. His recruiting and offense is a joke. It will only get worse.
Ken in Alpharetta
September 29th, 2012
10:20 pm
May have been more people at the Parkview-Brookwood game last night than at gt game today. In fact, Parkview vs gt would be a good game.
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
10:20 pm
Spurrier should give his halftime speech before the game.
Rick in Warner Robins
September 29th, 2012
10:21 pm
Yo, yo, yo, Al Groh has got to go!!! Such a pitiful performance by this bunch. Frankly, I’m shocked that a team coached by Paul Johnson could be so ill prepared.
Ken in Alpharetta
September 29th, 2012
10:21 pm
I am sorry Supersize. No insult intended.
ty webb
September 29th, 2012
10:24 pm
supersize,
so now you’re going to live vicariously through teams that ALMOST beat UGA too?
John L. Smith is Your Man
September 29th, 2012
10:24 pm
Tech fans,
Welcome to HADES. LMAO!!! You guys deserve it. Supersize and 5150, suck it!!! Where’s the new Sheriff??
Ken in Alpharetta
September 29th, 2012
10:25 pm
I would like to point out that your code name, Supersize is insulting to Dawg fans. Oh, and I also want to say I am sorry for your embarrassment.
BirminghamJacket
September 29th, 2012
10:26 pm
Fire! Fire! Fire!
Highly Respected Southern Troll
September 29th, 2012
10:26 pm
@Supersize – I don’t think so. They pounded Missouri a few weeks back and tonight they struggled with Kentucky until the middle of the 4th quarter. Spurrier’s teams have consistently done stuff like that at Carolina. They lost to Kentucky the last year they were up there (same year they won the SEC East). Even Furman gave them fits when they played them in 2010.
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
10:28 pm
It’s not just Groh…CPJ is responsible for recruiting and the d-line was pushed around by MTSU and Tech should’ve scored more points against MTSU. AND Yes, he id hire Groh and the buck stops with him. Tech’s talent on both sides of the ball have gotten worse each year under CPJ.
TechRon
September 29th, 2012
10:29 pm
Well, I have been saying since year 2 that Johnson has to go. Not one aspect of our “game” is any good. It really is a disgrace. If PJ had the slightest decency he would just resign now and quietly leave town. Who are the imbeciles who oversee the football program? President, AD and of course, the wealthy movers and shakers. They gave us Gailey and Johnson. Good grief. What could be worse? The last time we had a defense on the field George Oleary was our coach. Enough said, it is a horrible disgrace. Coaches and players all. Just abyssmal. Enjoy your humiliation.
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
10:32 pm
Maybe Tech needs to hire the coach from MTSU…just saying.
Highly Respected Southern Troll
September 29th, 2012
10:33 pm
@TechRon – I like O’Leary but he had one of the worst Tech defenses EVER in 1999. Had to be seen to be believed. They did get better the following year.
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
10:36 pm
I’ll probably add some vicarious living, myself. I’ll just take the easy path and go with Alabama. I like the way Saban does background checks on cousins of cousins and so forth of prospective recruits.
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
10:39 pm
When Giff Smith left, CPJ hired Andy McCollum from NC State for D-line. He was supposed to be an ace recruiter.
Rodeo
September 29th, 2012
10:42 pm
PJ is signed through 2016 and the university will still owe him about $10 mil if he is terminated at the end of this season. He has no incentive to leave on his own. That will also impact the amount of money the university has to hire new coaches.
Be patient and realize at least TW will be gone after this season. Hopefully a coach or two also.
atlxman
September 29th, 2012
10:42 pm
tenn offense is head and shoulders better than south carolina..uga defense is filled with nfl players and should be able to keep south carolina under 14 points tenn offense was set up nicely the last 6 min of the 2nd half that led to 14 points due to sloppy play by the dawgs give tenn offense credit for taking advantage and also give uga defense credit for playing hard and causing tenn to turn it over..
tech simply doesnt have the players to beat the better teams in the big boy conferences…they have to play perfect just to win close games. i have been telling you guys for 2 years now that this day will come ..pj offense can only get div1aa players to come and play..no nfl players on offense and only a few on defense now that fla st is getting better.
DOC 51
September 29th, 2012
10:42 pm
GT has only had four great coaches in its history(Heisman,Alexander,Dodd,and Ross).O’Leary blew several fouth quarter leads during his tenure.
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
10:44 pm
Please tell me why GT is the only college team in a major conference to run the triple option exclusively. Is CPJ that much smarter than every other coach?
gtbme
September 29th, 2012
10:46 pm
can someone explain the rational behind DRADs decision to give CPJ a huge contract extension?
were we worried about some big name school stealing him from us to run his outdated offense? for being a ’smart’ school we sure do have some morons among our administrative staff.
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
10:48 pm
@Cloudman, once again the TO is only one of the facets of Tech’s offense. It is NOT exclusive. I’m watching Oregon run theTO within their offense right now on ESPN2.
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
10:49 pm
Consider the source when you read posts by certain individuals.
“atlxman
December 31st, 2010
8:10 am
ucf? conf usa champs? haha..no way the bulldogs lose this game and the only way its close if uga gives the ball up 5 times on there own 15.
“the UCF hasnt really played anyone like the dogs all year and when they see how much bigger and stronger these guys really are look for ucf to lay down.
Clyde
September 29th, 2012
10:50 pm
What Rodeo says and keep your money in your pockets. If the higher-ups are like most people that run businesses, they don’t care if the product sucks or not as long as they’re getting people’s money.
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
10:52 pm
Ol’JacketFan…Oregon doesn’t run the triple option exclusively. Tech runs 99.9% of their plays out of the triple option formation and pretty much exclusively runs it. Yes, they pass out of the triple option some, but they do exclusively run it. Oregon uses shot gun, spread option, 5 WR sets, triple option, etc. The spread option isn’t the triple option and this is what Oregon runs the most. Does tech ever run the spread, 5WR set, power I, Pro Set, Pistol, etc. etc.; or is it the triple option formation 99.9% of the time? Tell me; I must be watching different games than you
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
10:52 pm
CloudmanJacket – Nobody can answer your question, because it contains a false premise: “run the triple option exclusively”. They don’t run it exclusively.
Izzan Cross
September 29th, 2012
10:53 pm
Can I get that order supersized with extra cheese
Highly Respected Southern Troll
September 29th, 2012
10:54 pm
@DOC 51 – O’Leary blew several 4th quarter leads during his tenure? He may have lost some games that were back-and-forth during the last quarter but I don’t remember him blowing many good leads. He blew the Georgia game in 1997 after a really late lead (48 seconds, I think), another lead against Maryland in 2001, and an early 17-0 lead against Virginia in 1999, but I also remember him winning some other games late (Clemson in 1997, 1998, and 2000, Virginia and Georgia in 1998, etc.).
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
10:55 pm
And you must indeed be watching different games.
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
10:58 pm
Sorry that I used a definitive; but Tech almost ALWAYS runs their offense out of the triple option set…once again; the only school in a major conference that does.
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
11:00 pm
Delbert…you are an idiot and a prick if you cannot admit that Tech runs the triple option set almost every play. You don’t know what you are talking about. Yes, the triple option set allows for dives, QB sneaks, triple option, passes, etc; but it is still the triple option set and Tech is still the only team running this in a major conference. Keep CPJ if you like, but his high school offense needs to go. Send him back to GA Southern since that is what Tech football has become
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
11:00 pm
@Cloudman, Oregon runs out of a pistol formation better than 90% of the time, the first read out of the pistol is the dive. The 2nd read is the OB keeper and the 3rd is the option. Sound familiar? Tech has run 4 wide, shotgun, pistol formations as well. There is NO TO formation, elements of the TO can be run out of any offensive set.
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
11:03 pm
BTW Cloudman tell us what is a TO formation?
BirminghamJacket
September 29th, 2012
11:04 pm
Went to game.
1 row behind MTSU.
They were never afraid.
Athletes. Recruiting.
Hire GIFF SMITH.
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
11:05 pm
CloudmanJacket – Well that was uncalled for. You went right to the insults, didn’t you? Have you noticed the Pistol, Johnson’s preferred passing formation?
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
11:06 pm
So you are tellling me that Oregon and Tech run the same offense…really? You know nothing about college football. Even the analysts commented today during the game that only 3 programs run the same system as Tech. Oregon wasn’t one of them. I am also watching this game and I see the QB in the shot gun with 2 backs next to him and 3 WR’s. Never seen that from CPJ. Oregon’s QB is in shot gun on most plays. Don’t be stupid
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
11:06 pm
B’hamJacket, that is one thing I am definitely in favor of!
1 4 GT
September 29th, 2012
11:07 pm
Too stunned at lack of team “fire” to speak.
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
11:09 pm
Cloudman where did I say the Oregon & Tech run the same offense? Don’t try and put words in my mouth when you can’t answer the questions put to you. Both offenses incorporate many of the same elements but nowhere did I say they were the same,. Quit trying to deflect.
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
11:10 pm
What is a TO formation…see link; I guess you didn’t know. It has also called flex bone by old school coaches…
http://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2008/12/triple-option-101_29.html
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
11:10 pm
Oh my goodness an option play by Oregon!
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
11:10 pm
CloudmanJacket – You are not producing a very good case for understanding college football. I have to ask, what is your experience playing football?
CloudmanJacket
September 29th, 2012
11:13 pm
Yes; they do incorporate similar things, but the spread includes more options to pass. Listen; I am sorry if I am frustrated, but I was frustrated when they hired him and I thought I might be wrong early on after they beat UGA and followed it up with a good year, but he has his players now and his system has been figures out and it looks bad.
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
11:13 pm
Sorry Cloudman, that’s the base spread option formation from which the TO can be run. See the triple option is a series of 3 plays run out of any number of formation including a pistol, flexbone, veer or the old timey wishbone. It is NOT a formation.