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
Nativebird
September 29th, 2012
4:10 pm
Middle Tenn State my fellow jacket fans…how bad does it have to get folks? You tell me? What, an overtime win against Osbourne Sr. high?
This coach has always been a joke and still is. all you defenders need to get a reality check….hopefully this is it. It…..is…..TIME.
Beat UGA
September 29th, 2012
4:10 pm
Time to drop football, may I suggest sumo wrestling as a suitable replacement? Sell the football gear, recruit no more football players, bulldoze the stadium, we need more on campus parking.
Too old for this
September 29th, 2012
4:10 pm
I hope that Johnson is not able to save his own job by firing Groh. Johnson needs to be gone…the day after the UGA game.
Hal
September 29th, 2012
4:10 pm
Anyone who follows Tech and its lack of success in recruiting should not be surprised. CPJ’s offense has a solid scheme but he can’t recruit on either side of the ball to be successful at the D1 level. Just look at what he did with Chan’s recruits. He was great. These boys are all his. It will take years for Tech to recover from this. He has loaded his staff with D2 coaches and they recruit the same way they always have.
GT Fan
September 29th, 2012
4:10 pm
First of all Groh should be fired this week end of story. Secondly with this offense we cannot recruit defensive talent. Who wants to go against this offense in practiice all week, especially if you have aspirations of playng professionally. These are all Johnson recruits and mostly Groh’s, no excuses at this point I am done. I will not renew season tickets what a waste of a Saturday afternoon. Dan you better act fast or the grim reeper will find you next.
Big Ol Stinger
September 29th, 2012
4:11 pm
Demote him to Special Teams coach and bring in a hungry high school coach for $200K a year.
It couldn’t be any worse.
Burgess
September 29th, 2012
4:11 pm
You say Tech can’t afford to fire Johnson, can they afford not to ?
north georgia fan
September 29th, 2012
4:12 pm
You forgot to mentiion that Cunningham gashed Tech for over 200 yards
Ted M
September 29th, 2012
4:13 pm
Well Tech’s new basketball arena looked really cool…there is a bright side. hahahaha
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
4:13 pm
@Ted M, there are zero money issues to firing CPJ. None at all but I don’t think Tech’s there yet, Groh has got to go and a top flight DC brought in. I’m not ready to get rid of CPJ as by and large Tech has not had overt offensive issues.
pb
September 29th, 2012
4:13 pm
Wow, I almost feel sorry for Tech fans and their “genius” coach, Paul Johnson. But season ain’t over yet ! They can make a comeback of sorts… And UGA better not get too over-confident- Tech would love to knock off UGA always, especially this year.
Joe
September 29th, 2012
4:14 pm
Music to my ears: “quite arguably the worst loss of coach Paul Johnson’s five-year tenure at half-full Bobby Dodd Stadium.” Hahaha
DRad Fan
September 29th, 2012
4:14 pm
The players quit. I haven’t seen that many times in my 60 years of watching Georgia Tech. I’m a big supporter both financially with the Alexander-Tharpe Fund and as a season ticket holder. I will never quit on GT football, but this is painful. Our home field advantage seems to be gone, but there is one good thing. We won’t have to go to another lousy bowl game which we have been losing lately and which the payout barely covers the expense of going. The season is done. There is only one way to salvage anything out of it, and that’s in Athens.
Ted M
September 29th, 2012
4:15 pm
Burgess – Perhaps today’s performance will bring donors forward to buy out his contract.
Lets all pray.
Ted M
September 29th, 2012
4:17 pm
“there are zero money issues to firing CPJ” I wish that were true but its not.
JD
September 29th, 2012
4:19 pm
Usually CPJ gets the best out of his team but now it seems they are playing unmotivated football. Going to be an ugly year.
Why Oh Why
September 29th, 2012
4:19 pm
Benny Cunningham, 5 TDs.
Who?
Exactly.
wt. king
September 29th, 2012
4:19 pm
I just can’t get over how CPJ gets paid what he does and just stands there….every game…. and allow this stuff to keep happening? It’s completely obvious CPJ can NOT motivate these players in any positive fashion.
When does his contract run out?
Highly Respected Southern Troll
September 29th, 2012
4:21 pm
This is a lesson in why you NEVER talk smack and start counting your chickens before they hatch. Three years ago Georgia Tech appared on the ascendency under Johnson, Georgia on the decline under Richt. Then…BOOM! – the debacle of November 28, 2009. Since then, Paul Johnson is 17-16, 0-2 versus Georgia, 0-3 against Virginia Tech, 2-1 against Clemson, and 0-3 in bowl games. Georgia, on the other hand, looks like a machine. That’s not the only problem. FSU rotates back on the schedule next year.
Ted M
September 29th, 2012
4:22 pm
CPJ got big raise and contract extension after he won with Chan Gailey’s players but I can’t remember what exactly.
mcdonoughjacket
September 29th, 2012
4:24 pm
Al Groh should be gone. right now. this evening. No excuse for this. CPJ has to make a stand and set and example. Worst loss in years. Rest of the season is pointless except finding new D coordinator and making sure offense figures something out. TW tried, but it is time to put in Vad Lee to see if there is even a future with the current system.
HouseDivided
September 29th, 2012
4:24 pm
Just back from the game. Sat a few rows up behind the bench–thanks to a friend the best seats Ive ever had. It was obvious the team lacked fire nor care a flip for the coaches or their attempts to motivate. Chan’s lack of fire got him fired but at least he could tell recruits I can coach you up for NFL football where CPJ can barely make that claim. Al Groh could say that in theory due to his NFL past but he should not be allowed to even tell high schoolers he can coach them up for college football. Sad defensive coaching. Sad defensive play.
BCC0224
September 29th, 2012
4:24 pm
I’ve always rooted for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and always will…. except when they play Middle Tennessee State University, as I’m a proud alumni of MTSU.
RB Benny Cunningham – 5 TDs, 217 yards. Awesome performance!
Not hating on GT – I am still a fan – but give Middle credit. They played a great game, on both sides of the ball.
GO MIDDLE! GO BLUE!
North ave. faithful
September 29th, 2012
4:24 pm
55 years old, went to my first tech game at 9. I thought last week was one of the worst, boy was i wrong.
The Grinch
September 29th, 2012
4:24 pm
Middle Tennessee? 2 of the last 3 years?
I said it earlier this week but I’ll say it again. GT finds themselves in a Jim Donnan situation. The coach will win more than he will lose but there is no consistency and he can’t beat hs big rivals on a regular basis.
Big Crimson 75
September 29th, 2012
4:25 pm
Georgia Tech deserves better than Paul Johnson.
GT in SC
September 29th, 2012
4:26 pm
I love GT sports, but the coaching staff needs to be gone. Sign the check, and let him finish the year. Start over
George Stein
September 29th, 2012
4:26 pm
This was as comprehensive a failure as we have had since Duke in 2003.
I continue to believe the offense is good, but the defense can’t be defended. I hate saying a man should lose his job, but Al Groh should not be the DC tomorrow morning.
George Stein
September 29th, 2012
4:27 pm
We deserve nothing, Big Crimson.
Highly Respected Southern Troll
September 29th, 2012
4:27 pm
@BCC0224 – Congratulations. Great win for Middle Tennessee State. You guys made the Sun Belt proud, I’m sure. Hope to see the Eagles playing the Blue Raiders sometime soon!
Ted M
September 29th, 2012
4:29 pm
Its Johnson’s fault not Groh’s. GA Tech was simply over powered by better stronger players.
Southern Eagle
September 29th, 2012
4:29 pm
We will do just fine with the triple option when we move up to FBS and to the Sun Belt and play MT. We would beat Tech this year and might even give UGA more than they can handle.
Hail Southern!!!
George Stein
September 29th, 2012
4:31 pm
It’s all their fault, Ted. Johnson hired Groh and is the head coach. Groh was a massive error, and that falls on Johnson.
Westicles
September 29th, 2012
4:31 pm
We are the greatest team in Georgia!
Go Jackets!
Ted M
September 29th, 2012
4:31 pm
and those players that over powered Tech lost to McNeese State. Oh my freakin’ god!
GT in SC
September 29th, 2012
4:32 pm
Ran out of our own house! Players look like from start of game they are not playing for coaches. I see nobody on team that is a leader. I ‘m sure all the kids are good young men, but no leaders. TW seems to want to score all the time. Funny how 1st and goal from the 8yd line and 4 straight QB keeper. Outside is wide open, and what about Laskey? The best B-back doesn’t touch ball. Love GT, but I’m over TriOpt and CPJ. I’m sure he’ll pass the buck on this one
Ted M
September 29th, 2012
4:33 pm
yeah you’re right there is a lot of fault to go around but johnson is chief among them.
Westicles
September 29th, 2012
4:33 pm
Georgia Southern College ought to stay in FCS and the SOCON.
Texas Jacket
September 29th, 2012
4:34 pm
Disgusted doesn’t begin to describe my feeling. Losing by 21 at home to MTSU is inexcusable. There aren’t any excuses. The players aren’t being motivated and they aren’t executing. We’ve had horrible tackling for YEARS with slight glimpses of improvement but then a full regression once something goes wrong. I hope we can keep the bowl streak going, but at this point, maybe it’s better to not qualify for a bowl so that major changes can happen.
Okierat
September 29th, 2012
4:34 pm
Charlie Strong !
GTVegas
September 29th, 2012
4:34 pm
Disgraceful.
Embarrassing.
Starting to have to agree with WnE, oh the pain.
I think it’s time to face the facts, CPJ has recruited, and thinks he has to play with, athletes more suited to a different division. As I see it now, we can keep CPJ and join the Patriot league or we can replace EVERYBODY.
The Grinch
September 29th, 2012
4:35 pm
So how much will GT have to pay to get rid of Johnson? I believe you are still paying your ex bball coach so you may just have to ride it out.
Ted M
September 29th, 2012
4:35 pm
Well guys I’ll still be rootin for Tech next week. I wish them luck too they’re gonna need it.
GTVegas
September 29th, 2012
4:35 pm
We do not deserve to play in any bowl game after the last five games. I really doubt they can get to bowl eligible.
Kelvin
September 29th, 2012
4:36 pm
This is the loss that will sack Coach Johnson. New coach new offensive system next year.
Defenseless
September 29th, 2012
4:36 pm
While the offense is not great it is scoring on average better than 39 points per game which should be good enough to win, however, the defense can’t slow much less stop anyone. PJ find someone who can coach and recruit on defense. It is apparent that AG cannot do this. Defensively we obiviously have no depth and the talent that is on the field is either not being coached or is not capable of playing at this level(a result of poor recruiting and judgement of talent). At one time when Tech did get beat, it was normally because we could not score. Now, we can score enough to win but we do not have a defense that can secure a win.
After following Tech Football for better than 40 years, the last two games reminds me of the defenses in the early 80’s where we plain and simple did not have the talent to compete. I’ll end this tirade with the old football saying that if the other team doesn’t score then at least you walk away with a tie and I like the odds of a team winning when it can keep the other team from scoring, period.
Big Ol Stinger
September 29th, 2012
4:36 pm
Johnson coming out and saying “this is all on me” isn’t going to make it better.
Football is the cash sport. Nobody is going to pay to watch this, and every sport is going to suffer.
Change has to be made somehow.
George Stein
September 29th, 2012
4:37 pm
$12MM, Grinch. Johnson isn’t going anywhere.
mk
September 29th, 2012
4:37 pm
PJ gotta go or we need to start playing all girl teams at least they MAY not run up the score. I will not watch any more games untill paul is gone. Bulldogs have mercy please remember when you had ray goff.
Southern Eagle
September 29th, 2012
4:38 pm
@Westicles you are just mad b/c we will be competing with Tech and beating them in the next few years and then be the second best team in the state behind UGA.
Hail Southern!!!