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.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
931 comments Add your comment
George Stein
September 29th, 2012
5:40 pm
Indeed, Teddy.
B. Dodd
September 29th, 2012
5:41 pm
Sadly, the Jackets program is a mirror to the Tulane/LSU rivalry of years past. Tulane last beat LSU in 1982 and lost almost year after that with the last loss in 2001. Tech is pathetic like Tulane was then and Georgia is good like LSU is now. It’s time to step back and take a look at a program that is never going to be big-time again and consider scaling back to playing second-tier teams again. These are thoughts from a Tech fan since 1953. People, we just can’t compete with the big boys (or apparently the little boys either) any more.
TexGT
September 29th, 2012
5:42 pm
Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic, and inexcusable. He has to be fired, on Monday.
Clyde
September 29th, 2012
5:42 pm
Okay Coach Paul Johnson, what you are doing is not working out. Millions of dollars are being spent for the Georgia Institute of Technology to have a successful football program. Make some changes before you cause this program to start losing some serious funding. Right now any kind of reputation you have is on the ropes.
beezit
September 29th, 2012
5:43 pm
Putting the journalism grading aside again, this is a great day for the Ga. Tech football program because finally everybody can face the facts….defense sucks….Radakovich can now start scouting for a young up and coming defensive coaching talent from FCS territory and bring a fresh face onto the flats and turn Tech football into a defensive coordinator incubator program…
Extra mustard on that dog, techie
September 29th, 2012
5:45 pm
My arrogance must be fed.
Michael
September 29th, 2012
5:48 pm
U-G-L-Y, we ain’t got no alibi, we ugly, huh, huh, we ugly.
Yikes, bail out, bail out!!!!
BraveJacket
September 29th, 2012
5:48 pm
Groh has got to Go-oh.
Tech Forever
September 29th, 2012
5:50 pm
beezit,
Forget that. Make the call to Alabama and get Lance Thompson to come home as HC and then he can make the call to Baylor and get Phillips to come as OC.
JB Wengie
September 29th, 2012
5:51 pm
It could have been worse.
MTSU had a touchdown called back and missed a field goal!
gtinfla
September 29th, 2012
5:51 pm
There has got to be something wrong internal to the program. AJC I guess hasn’t tried to report on it. Well any wins for the rest of the year will be nice considering my expectations are so low right now.
ryan
September 29th, 2012
5:52 pm
GT Football was fun from 1998 to 2001 when there were downfield passing threats and an innovative OC. The 98 Team went toe to toe with an FSU team when they were in their prime and had a coach (GOL) who would fight the hill to get players in.
Drad and the Hill have a choice, allow some partial qualifiers or give up major football.
And get a clue about marketing, I can market my business better that these guys who are supposed to be the experts. Should have known getting in bed with the former Atlanta Spirit group executive would be a failure.
Nike should be our merchandising partner and we should be trying to expand our fanbase through outreach in the media, high schools and business community. Tear down the concrete jungle parking deck and create a grove like atmosphere.
gojackets
September 29th, 2012
5:52 pm
B.Dodd as a long time Tech fan, I respect opinion. You have been around the program a lot longer than me, however, I don’t think is in time to wave the white flag yet.
Highly Respected Southern Troll
September 29th, 2012
5:56 pm
@Southern Eagle – If you say so. I’d prefer to wait and see if we actually get a Sun Belt invite. I’m not going to call those teams “phony”. The Sun Belt seems to be getting a little better in football. I think the addition of Southern and Appalachian State would improve the football profile even more.
By the way, I got my Master’s from Georgia State after finishing at Southern. It would be nice for State to build a competitive program but I don’t think it’s in the cards or really even a possibility, unfortunately.
Techster
September 29th, 2012
5:57 pm
Congrats to middle Tennessee good game plan and well coached. long time season ticket holder. Been awhile since I have seen team quit and so often a defense so confused and out of position. There were several times we were scored on because defense was confused. no leadership from players. Last week qb decided to go it on his own and this week senior back gets unsportsmanlike on first series of second half for arguing with the ref. This can’t be allowed by coach. He has lost the team. Johnson has big problems and with all the talk of how rough he is on players, I believe he may need to be rougher. Like bench tw and smith. The defense? There is no hope.
Jacket Dad
September 29th, 2012
5:57 pm
Humbling? HUMILIATING!!!!! Saw a few “highlights” on ESPN and our defense looked drugged. Not tackling. Not in position. Our guys have given up and I think it goes all the way to the top. They don’t want to play for Johnson any more and certainly not for Groh.
The only silver lining is that this will force the to go another direction – new QB, new defensive coach, new everything. It’s going to be a long and ugly season. From top to bottom this team has given up and stinks.
I’m sick.
Harry S. Crotum, MD
September 29th, 2012
5:58 pm
WTF is going on at the flats? We alumn have to be embarrassed by losing to a second division school. The Jackets should not even be playing schools like that, so they probably got what they deserved. Sad, sad day. I missed the game, thank goodness. Where are you Bobby Dodd?
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
5:59 pm
Anyone know if CPJ’s contract stipulates that he is head coach *and* offensive coordinator?
Bill M.
September 29th, 2012
5:59 pm
The only thing I have to say is fire Paul Johnson and take his coaches with him.
Highly Respected Southern Troll
September 29th, 2012
6:00 pm
@ryan – That was 1999 (and 2000, too) when Tech came so close against FSU. In 1998 they got beat 34-7 (though it was a close game for three quarters). And Friedgen was already gone in 2001.
Clyde
September 29th, 2012
6:01 pm
No kidding, Ryan. Saw a ticket stub from 1964, Georgia Tech vs Miami. From the ticket design, it looks like GIT used to be a fun place to go to school. Now it’s about a bunch of old folks complaining about what color socks they wear, always just bragging about how smart they are. What kind of teenager wants to go to a program having folks looking down their noses at you?
we steal ruin this state
September 29th, 2012
6:03 pm
Hey PJ! It isn’t working.
George Stein
September 29th, 2012
6:04 pm
There is some truth to that, Ryan.
same result different year
September 29th, 2012
6:06 pm
if it hasnt sunk in yet, we lost to MIDDLE TENN. STATE, that should in no circumstance EVER happen. Those morons on the radio saying we shouldnt read too much in to this, well when we do we start to worry? PATHETIC doesnt ever cover the state of the program right now. I have never been more embrassed to be a tech fan than I am today.
J'boroJacket
September 29th, 2012
6:09 pm
You generally play the better QB that performs in practice…. well Tevin only has to go against the 1st team defense- no wonder he shines. Too many missed tackles, assignments.
The New Coach Hewitt
September 29th, 2012
6:09 pm
Cmon Guys …. Al Groh needs one more year to solidify the 3-4 defense. Hahahahahahahaha.
CPJ: Hmmm I am the new coach of a team who usually has an undersized line. Probably should go with the 3-4.
Freaking IDIOTS
Tech Forever
September 29th, 2012
6:10 pm
Rocket Science = hire a defensive minded coach from the lineage of the best defensive minds in football right now as HC….considering Kirby Smart would never come to Tech, you then go get Lance Thompson who loves Tech + hire an offensive minded coach from the lineage of the best offensive minds in football right now as OC…..considering Kliff Kingsbury would never leave A&M to come to Tech, you then go get Phillips from Baylor and pay him big $$$.
I’ll add that Lance Thompson is also regarded as one of the best recruiters in the SE.
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
6:11 pm
Tech Forever – Hire Al Groh?
“hire a defensive minded coach from the lineage of the best defensive minds in football right now as HC”
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
6:12 pm
Fire Groh, name Andy McCallum interim DC for the season, Scour the country for the best young defensive mind and bring him in to bring this D to level it should be. 4-3, 3-4, 3-3-5, I don’t care what the scheme is as long as it is fly to the ball and knock you hat off style of D.
Bring back Giff Smith to be your closer in recruiting. We’ve lost too many highly ranked players over the last few years because Tech can’t close the deal. Players that are both academically capable and are 4-5 star recruits.
Look to George Godsey and bring him back into the fold as the next head coach. He has been learning under a master in New England, is a coach’s son and there are things CPJ can teach him as well. When it’s time for CPJ to retire then Godsey’s ready to step in and run the program. Intermingling the good things from CPJ’s offense with that Godsey has learned at the NFL level sounds like a recipe for sucess.
Memphis
September 29th, 2012
6:18 pm
Memphis gave MTSU a better game than GT. That’s just not right.
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
6:18 pm
Georgia has this game locked down. Switching to The Ohio State University vs. QB-less Mich.St.
George Stein
September 29th, 2012
6:20 pm
We need a DC that will simplify everything and recruit like a madman.
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
6:22 pm
Dang, it’s Musberger. Switching to the Cincinnati game.
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
One other thing Godsey would be able to do it to work with the OBs on their mechanics!
George Stein
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
Wow, Tennessee.
UGA took tackling lessons from us. Also, nice cut block by the QB.
Clyde
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
Hopefully I didn’t offend any one that considers themselves old. But if you look at Al Groh and picture yourself going to college and having to see him every day, wouldn’t that be like having your grandfather around all the time yelling at you? I just don’t think he fits well, psychologically, with these young guys. It has to be bad enough having your head coach as your offensive coordinator as well. Can’t get away from the guy.
dry dirt road
September 29th, 2012
6:26 pm
To GTpack on p.1: who would Tech be able to hire- nobody; each coach left Tech or did not want the job; Ross left Tech, Rogers left; Curry left, Fridgen did not want the job; they realize that Tech is not competitive in Div 1, and might need to move to Div 2(yeah, where MTSU is); Tech dropped all phys ed courses except one, required in the Junior year; I believe they need to drop that also, and have Tech become a bookworm school only, with phys ed courses available for no credit as audit courses are; Tech as you see today has become a weak athletic college; they just don’t emphasize athletics, but love to have the white students watch the black slaves on the “field” do all the sweating; when I was at Tech from ‘69 to ‘73, all students had to take 2 years of phys ed, white and black students, for a more well-rounded education; now Tech tries to educate students to watch black pro athletes and pay millionaire salaries to those blacks, in my opinion; Tech is really weak in athletics now as an entire school; look at how Cunningham bowled over Tech today; alot of that has to do with Dan Radikovich as AD; I see Tech in the future as dropping out of athletics and focusing on sitting on softy behinds to watch sports played by blacks preferably, as Southern plantation owners watched, then watch the Falcons, Hawks and Braves the same way; it’s just a new Tech now; they should drop out of Div 1 quickly, and join the conference that Harvard, and the Ivy League schools are in; believe me, though, Tech wasn’t always a panty waist school of weaklings
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
6:29 pm
@Dry Dirt Road, man your ramblings are get worse. Have you spoken to your doctor lately? You need serious help!
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
6:29 pm
“join the conference that Harvard, and the Ivy League schools are in”
That would be the Yale League, I suppose.
NOTSO FAST
September 29th, 2012
6:30 pm
I have to say that it is time for Coach Johnson to go. The players just aren’t playing with ant energy.
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
6:30 pm
Man the tackling (or lack thereof) in the GA/TN games is almost as bad as the Tech game.
Tap Out
September 29th, 2012
6:31 pm
Stunning
Paper bag Jacket
September 29th, 2012
6:31 pm
Tech never had defence and now it doesn’t have offence. It’s going to be a long year. Time for the NBA to start.
GT65
September 29th, 2012
6:32 pm
47 years and that was the worse BS on the field I can remember..Its time Rads to clean house.
Ol'JacketFan
September 29th, 2012
6:33 pm
offence/defence? Brit? Canuck? LOL!
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
6:34 pm
I got hassled by beggars as I was leaving the stadium along N. Avenue, saying “they were tired of the losing, and were going to move to Athens and be homeless in Athens.” They thought it was very funny.
Clyde
September 29th, 2012
6:34 pm
Dry Dirt Road, I can see what you’re saying. GIT just doesn’t have grit anymore, more like a white collar atmosphere. All prestige, no ruggedness.
Tech Forever
September 29th, 2012
6:34 pm
Delbert,
Did I say hire Groh? He worked for Belichick for one season….it obviously didn’t take and he prefers the stone age philosophies of The Tuna……who Belichick and Saban have left in the dust when it comes to coaching and recruiting/drafting defense. Lance Thompson….that is where I’d start the search.
mountain_jim
September 29th, 2012
6:34 pm
This GT grad says – Go Falcons!
Well my saturdays are now free of GT football and I can only hope this hastens Johnson’s demise.
Can’t recruit and his system has been exposed now that Gailey’s recruits are gone.
Looks to me like his players are tired of his arrogant yelling self and have stopped giving a shiite.
Delbert D.
September 29th, 2012
6:36 pm
My guess on this game at halftime was that it would be 54-44, Georgia. It may top that.