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
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
2:47 pm
Reader and posters, please note that this is only my opinion, and that I am not an egotistical narcissistic who thinks that I know it all.
True Super, but...
September 30th, 2012
2:48 pm
…Carson was a very bad coach and recruiter – he recruited me and didn’t even know my name when I showed up at the Thanksgiving Day freshman game…but, then again, I was not very highly recruited so not many coaches knew my name, and for a very good reason since I was not a very good player – and did not go to Tech anyway…
Big Ol Stinger
September 30th, 2012
2:49 pm
WnE, you probably do know something about college football. Your problem is you’re a chicken shi&.
Everyone knows you’re a dwaggie, so why are you too much of a chicken shi& to admit it? Why do you use the words “our” and “we” while you’re trolling? Grow the F up!
Oh, and why do you stalk teenage boys on social media?
Thanks.
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
2:53 pm
Yes, that was my post at 2:47. I don’t think that a new QB coach is the answer, even one with Friedgen’s qualifications. I’m trying to address this from a management perspective, and that involves a more serious reassignment of responsibilities. Johnson has to be the head coach, and only the head coach. It’s working for Chip Kelly, another guy who is driven and proud, but it is no longer working for Johnson in this environment.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 30th, 2012
2:53 pm
@ True Super…….I KNOW Carson was not a good coach, and he should never have been hired to replace Dodd. He was NOT Dodd’s choice. Dodd was in Knoxville interviewing Doug Dickey when the Tech president hired Carson to replace Dodd. But the fact remains that Carson was an outstanding defensive coach, as evidenced by “the steel curtain” at Pittsburgh after he was fired by Tech.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 30th, 2012
2:55 pm
@ Delbert….again, I can’t disagree. I don’t think the addition of a GOOD QB coach would hurt, and would probably help. But that alone may not be the answer. As a sidelight, imagine what Fridge might have been able to do with Reggie Ball.
beachdog
September 30th, 2012
2:56 pm
Please don’t fire Paul Johnson.
beachdog, UGA, 78
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
3:01 pm
Super – A different QB coach would help, in any case; we don’t disagree at all on that part of it. I don’t remember anything at all about the Reggie Ball years, and I won’t discuss that further other than saying it is not due to selective memory, but I guess I would say that Friedgen probably would not have stood for him being a starting QB for more than 1 year out of necessity.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 30th, 2012
3:05 pm
@ Delbert…..you are right, Fridge would not have stood for Reggie starting with the attitude he developed. BUT, he might have turned him into the QB he obviously had the ability to be.
Agreed, Super...
September 30th, 2012
3:13 pm
…Carson was “super” with Pittsburgh and their defense for so long…I misunderstood that you guys were only wanting Ralph as an OC or QB coach, but you might as well wish that Saban was coming as the HC ’cause neither one is gonna happen…
Pawleys Island Jacket
September 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
Tech fan since 1952, so older than dirt. A graduate as well. Never in 60 seasons have i seen worse defense than displayed in the last two weeks. I know we cannot afford to can Johnson but Al Groh has to go along with his staff. For those blaming Tevin…..I doubt that Vad lee can run the option yet and maybe never will be able to do so. Even so if we decide to tank the season put him in and let him play…maybe he will learn and the season may have already been tanked because we will get killed by Clemson and UGA and will have difficulty defeating anyone else on the schedule
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
Super – check your in-box
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
I don’t consider this as my problem, so “it ain’t gonna happen” rolls off my back like water on a duck. I consider this a Dan Radakovich problem with his advisors and financial constituents.
Clyde
September 30th, 2012
3:25 pm
Has anyone really thought that much about why a few of the players were held out of the game?
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
3:28 pm
Clyde – The 1st half holdouts surprised me when I read about it. I find that attending a game in person and not having a radio along (I forgot it) leaves me in an information vacuum.
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
3:29 pm
Wow, what has turned on Michael turner suddenly?
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
3:30 pm
That time it was that nice pancake block.
And what was up...
September 30th, 2012
3:30 pm
…with Groh being in the pressbox and not on the sideline?
Clyde
September 30th, 2012
3:32 pm
Just wondering about CPJ’s strategy since it’s apparent he looked right past this game to Clemson. Kinda threw the D to the wolves yesterday.
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
3:33 pm
I spent several minutes trying to spot him from the West stands, looking for his odd hand signaling. I figured that he might have been moved up to the box.
Looks like the same flu has hit the Falcons that......
September 30th, 2012
3:38 pm
…hit GT yesterday…
Chanwagon Gailey
September 30th, 2012
3:42 pm
GT is a joke….joke offense….joke recruits….joke stadium….joke fans…joke conference…..great hire D-Rad!!!!!
Wow
September 30th, 2012
3:50 pm
Not only does the football team suck but now the fans are eating each other – too funny.
This hire a QB coach may be the dumbest comment I have ever read. WTF good would a QB coach be without dropping that stupid T.O. – my on my the GT fan base is as clueless as the current coaching staff. Yeah hire a QB coach – that’s the ticket – yeah. Not to mention GT is ALREADY at the limit per NCAA rules regarding staff size – good grief what moronic clowns – GT doesn’t deserve a good team with such a stupid fan base.
Keep up the good work WnE one day you will break through and convince even the dumb ones.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 30th, 2012
3:53 pm
@ Agreed……it is not as far-fetched as you might think. Fridge already lives in Reynolds Plantation and has been to the Tech campus many times. He has also been quoted as saying, “I LOVE Ga Tech.” The only thing stopping something like that would be Johnson.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 30th, 2012
3:59 pm
@ Wow……you just showed your total ignorance not only of The Fridge, but of college football in general. Fridge ran the option (though not the triple option) MANY times when he was at Tech, and if he coached the QB in the technique of running Johnson’s option-base offense, the QB would be awesome.
bernie
September 30th, 2012
4:08 pm
Who is the strength coach? The tech players look small on both sides of the ball. The tech boys need more muscle to compete in the acc or any conference for that matter. Its not like bama was the opposition manhandling our boys on both sides of the ball.
Rodeo
September 30th, 2012
4:21 pm
The reality is this mess was not created overnight nor will it be resolved overnight either. PJ has over 10 million reasons to not resign but instead it will require action by the GTAA and university to make the change – if they choose to do so. It will cost a lot of money to terminate the agreement.
There’s not a list of long-term replacements who would come in mid-season to untangle this. No major changes until either very late in the season or after the season is over. Fans have no choice but to endure the rest of the season. IT WILL PROBABLY GET EVEN WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.
Hopefully he stays on course and continues to uninspire and lose, then it will make the replacement decision easier.
Lord help us if we actually upset a team such as Clemson or Ugag because it will delay the process!
WnE
September 30th, 2012
4:36 pm
re:
Big Ol Stinger
September 30th, 2012
2:49 pm
WnE, you probably do know something about college football. Your problem is you’re a person of superior intellect.
Everyone knows you’re a dwaggie, so why are you too much of a chicken shi& to admit it? Why do you use the words “our” and “we” while you’re trolling? Grow the F up!
Thanks.
_______________
Everyone that doesn’t drink the CPJ “kool-aid” is not a troll, mutt, or non-GT Alum.
I am a GT Grad that happens to know a lot about CFB, that could see in advance how poor of hire CPJ was despite all the masses telling me I was crazy.
I knew I was right and I stayed the course, and it is unfortunate that I am now in a position to unload the “I-told-you-so” commentary on all my D-B@g detractors.
While you take time to call me out, WHY don’t you make the same effort to call out all those that were WRONG about CPJ and were WRONG about me and my spot-on Analysis of GT FB & Coach Kung Fu Panda (yeah I had to pull that out for old times sake).
I find it ironic that you can call me out EVEN WHEN I’M RIGHT, but cannot say a darn thing about all those that were wrong.
I didn’t go anywhere when I was the lone voice of reason and catching criticism from all angles, you know d@mn well I’m not going anywhere when time has proven me to be a prophet.
All HAIL WnE!
Big Ol Stinger
September 30th, 2012
4:44 pm
Very cute.
Still being a chicken shi&, huh? You’re no Tech grad. You forgot the other question, too. Why do you stalk teen age boys?
Thanks.
George
September 30th, 2012
4:49 pm
I have beenthru thick and thin with this School, but never have I felt so bad for the players. This
coaching staff needs theit BUTT kicked. This was on them today. Its been tough to watch talented
players not used to their peak performance. GET a DEFENSE and an OFFENSE that works. That
would mean new staff. Sounds good to me right now. I remember listining in the early 50’s and there
were never this kind of screw up and not since the Bill Lewis era either. SAD DAY today.
BORAT YAGADOV
September 30th, 2012
4:50 pm
Fear not Tech fans this was Middle Tenn. a perennial powerhouse of college football. The fact you lost by only 3 Touchdowns should give you a moral victory!
I would encourage the Georgia Tech AD to immediately give Paul Johnson a contract extension, thereby guaranteeing the Dawgs dominance over the Nats!
Clyde
September 30th, 2012
4:50 pm
I think I’ll wait and see how the season plays out before throwing in the towel on CPJ. Tough losses this year but the season isn’t over yet. Doesn’t the special teams coach, Walkosky, have some experience with defense?
BORAT YAGADOV
September 30th, 2012
4:52 pm
2012 Scoreboard:
UGA: 120
Tech: 7
Chanwagon Gailey
September 30th, 2012
5:05 pm
recruiting matters…..CPJ cannot do it.
Knuterockne
September 30th, 2012
5:09 pm
Offense not the problem. Defense is the problem. Tackling seems to be a foreign concept to this team. Groh was a terrible NFL coach and sent UVa down the tubes. Bad hire by Tech. You can see the defense getting worse by the week under Groh.
Knuterockne
September 30th, 2012
5:12 pm
Thanks goodness this defense doesn’t play West Virginia.
ZinoDawg
September 30th, 2012
5:12 pm
Blue Raiders just scored again…………
Sorry, Super...
September 30th, 2012
5:18 pm
…but you are really showing your age bias (and I am almost as old as you) if you think CPJ will hire ANOTHER 65 yr old coach, especially since it appears he is about to fire his 68 year old coach, nor would Drad allow him to hire him, even though Ralph does live close by and currently “loves” Tech…
1eyedJack
September 30th, 2012
5:41 pm
My condolences.
Tech86
September 30th, 2012
5:42 pm
I went back and checked the coaching records, and let’s face it, since coach Dodd left, (I was 3 when he left), our head coaches are basically about the same, 60% winning percentage. Take out the 1990 season, Coach Ross was under .500 at 20-26, he won the NC and left 1 year later and we got stuck with Bill Lewis, George O’leary in 7 seasons averaged just over 7 wins a season, Chan Gailey ( ” I guess I did not have them ready to play, 51-7″) about 7 wins a season. Under Johnson, same thing, maybe unfortunately Brain was right, but I think we can compete every couple of years. Not sure new assistant coaches will help, but I think it is time for Vad Lee or Syngyn Days at QB. TW is a nice guy, a college graduate, but can’t win the big game. New coaches every 5-7 years is not going to get it done, if you have the money to cover the payouts, put it up or shut up and support the team.
He Hate Gator
September 30th, 2012
5:54 pm
Time for Tech to consider a deal with the devil and interview Bobby Petrino
1 4 GT
September 30th, 2012
6:15 pm
What has happened to the kid that “is too good to stand around on the sideline wearing a baseball cap”? (per CPJ) He didn’t play a snap against MTSU. If he played against Miami, it was only 1 or 2 snaps.
JB
September 30th, 2012
6:26 pm
Petrino would put fear in the hearts of the ACC…..and in Athens. The guy can coach. He’s slime…….But did I mention he could coach.
Big Ol Stinger
September 30th, 2012
6:29 pm
Wow. What a weekend.
Epic Tech collapse.
Epic Ryder Cup collapse.
Hurry up Monday.
JB
September 30th, 2012
6:29 pm
Picture Johnson sitting in the home of a 17 year old stud pitching Tech…………The talent has dropped at Tech in the last 2-3 years……You can spin it all you want….The proof was on the field Saturday……
Delbert D.
September 30th, 2012
6:29 pm
The headline of one of Ken’s articles has proven to be prophetic:
“Al Groh breaks down Georgia Tech defense”
8:24 am July 16, 2012, by Ken Sugiura
JB
September 30th, 2012
6:30 pm
Derek Dooley may be available soon. Talk about ironic and spooky. A Dooley leading Tech.
WnE
September 30th, 2012
6:33 pm
re:
Big Ol Stinger
September 30th, 2012
4:44 pm
________________
I’m right and have been right for a very long time, yet you continue to attack ME instead of addressing the important issue concerning GT FB.
Amazing!
You really are a CPJ boot-licking-toady.
CPJ’s problem is that he’s a “small potatoes” FB coach, he has no connections to HS coaches to Recruit better, he has very few connections to up & coming BCS asst. coaches to improve GT’s staff.
He basically got lucky that ND went through a down stretch, beat them and parlayed that into a cushy gig at GT, and then he proceeded to hire a bunch of Service Academy Assts. that can’t recruit worth a crap and can’t develop players to compete vs. BCS competition.
Read the names of CPJ Assts. currently at GT and name one that projects to be a HC in a BCS conference?
You can’t because CPJ is glorified OC that is not HC material.
He can’t MANAGE a BCS-level program, the Recruiting, hiring Assts. that can’t develop talent that are also ace Recruiters themselves.
GT just doesn’t have those things and it all starts with Coach Kung Fu Panda, he has not only Recruited players poorly but he has also recruited his Assts. poorly.
The GT FB Program is in SHAMBLES, but the weakness of the ACC and the LACK OF A “HIGH CFB IQ” by the fanbase are the only things that are masking it to many GT Fans, not me of course.
You should change your name to Plump Ol’ Stinger, that way I could shorten your screen name to PoS, and it would be a perfect fit for a guy like you.
JB
September 30th, 2012
6:34 pm
Wonder why the Groh hire. It’s 1/3 X’s and O’s. 1/3 recruiting and 1/3 game day coaching and motivation. He brings a lot of knowledge, but little else. Ask John McCain about old pasty white guys exciting young people.
A Dooley leding GT...
September 30th, 2012
6:36 pm
…is no more spookey than a Dooley leading UT – and the scoop up in Knoxville is that the powers up there have already contacted Petrino about that job…