Tech notes: Washington holds lead at quarterback
1. The path to playing time for Georgia Tech backup quarterback Vad Lee leads through the Rose Bowl practice fields. It sounds like Lee is in a holding pattern.
“He’s doing,” coach Paul Johnson said of Lee’s practice work, a less-than-glowing endorsement. “He’s not beating anybody out, if that’s what you’re asking.”
In the wake of the Yellow Jackets’ three-game losing streak, Lee has predictably become a fan favorite, but has not shown coaches enough in practice to merit playing time in place of starter Tevin Washington.
“Will Vad Lee get more time? That depends on Vad Lee,” Johnson said on his radio show last Wednesday. “Vad needs to earn more time. I’m not real big on giving somebody something that they don’t take just because somebody thinks he ought to have it.”
Another obstacle for Lee has been that the defense’s ineffective play has given the offense little margin for error, which has made it difficult for coaches to substitute or take other chances as much as they might like.
On the show, Johnson offered a defense of Washington, saying that younger quarterbacks such as Lee and Justin Thomas may have size or speed advantages over Washington, but that they can’t move the ball as consistently as Washington. Tech is fourth in the ACC in scoring and second in third-down efficiency. He leads the ACC in scoring at 13.0 points per game and, had he enough pass attempts to qualify for ranking, would be second in pass efficiency.
Said Johnson, “Tevin Washington is not the problem, people.”
2. Tech returned nearly all of its injured regulars to practice Monday, its first practice after the only open weekend of the season. As the Jackets prepared for Boston College, only center Jay Finch was in a gold jersey, indicating non-contact status. Catlin Alford subbed for Finch after he left the Clemson game Oct. 6 with a bruised calf.
Safety Fred Holton, who has been out the entire season with a lingering foot injury, ran Monday. Johnson said that it is “very doubtful” that he would play against the Eagles.
Tech returned to practice after working out Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of last week.
Said Johnson, “It wasn’t quite as good as last week. You could tell we’ve had a couple days off.”
3. Johnson’s assessment of Boston College, which is 1-5 after a 51-7 loss to Florida State on Saturday:
“They’ve moved the ball fairly well against most people and the last couple games, they’ve struggled a little bit defensively because they’ve given up so many big plays.”
Boston College is ranked 115th out of 120 FBS teams in total defense (499.7 yards per game) and 96th in scoring defense (32.7 points per game).
4. Tech will play its home game against BYU on Oct. 27 at 3 p.m., the same time as the Jackets’ game this week against Boston College. Both games will be broadcast on regional sports networks, including Fox Sports South in the Atlanta market.
5. Johnson said he spent his off day Saturday watching games on television, flipping back and forth.
Asked if he enjoyed the commentating on the broadcasts, Johnson replied, “Yeah. If we don’t start winning, that’ll be my next career.”
6. Safety Isaiah Johnson will be the seventh player to wear the No. 40 jersey Saturday to honor former linebacker Julian Burnett. He is the second junior to wear the number in salute of Burnett, who suffered a career-ending neck injury in last season’s Sun Bowl. Linebacker Chris Crenshaw was the first non-senior to wear it. …
The ticket office is running a “Family Four Pack” promotion for Saturday’s game. Fans can purchase four tickets, with four hot dogs and four soft drinks, for $100. Tickets are available at 1-888-832-4849. Prior to the game, McCamish Pavilion will be open to visitors from noon to 2 p.m. …
Tech is a 14-point favorite over the Eagles.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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184 comments Add your comment
GT Fan
October 16th, 2012
1:14 pm
Avg 37.8 pts / game…yeah, it’s obvious GT’s O is not the problem. Scary though, to think how much better the O would be with a “home-run” hitter in the Bback position!
Jacket Detective
October 16th, 2012
1:22 pm
Bill Curry was no legendary coach.
Beamer started poorly at VT and was unimpressive for 6 years.
Curry might could have been our Beamer (and a legendary coach) but he had to take the money and run.
To a college I was taught to hate because of the Granning incident.
I finally buried the ax about that.
I like Saban.
And Granning played 7 years in the pros so his injury was exaggerated but the AJC.
Or meeting Darwin Holt prepared him for the pros.
Jacket Detective
October 16th, 2012
1:27 pm
@GT Fan.
What is disheartening is how good we could have been the last three years with a coordinator who will blitz on occasion.
One whose defense gets better as the season goes along and from year to year.
A good hire at Maryland has turned their defense around immediatley by blitzing and turning them loose.
He runs the 3-4 and did not ask for a 3 year excuse.
I used to think age discrimination was bad until we hired Groh.
William Casey
October 16th, 2012
1:27 pm
I like Tevin Washington’s general running of the offense but have long advocated situational substituting at QB. If it’s 4th and short, I’ll take Days. I’d rather have Nesbitt but he has no more eligibilty.
Nativebird
October 16th, 2012
1:35 pm
Of course tecin is not the problem. It’s Paul Johnson that’s the problem. Overhyped Div1-AA white board jockey made good. Way way way in over his head. Taking a desperate program that hired him down with the ship. The AD is an egoistical jerk as much as the head coach is.
Jacket Detective
October 16th, 2012
1:37 pm
I wouldn’t mind Days on a 4th down too but I do not think he is a QB any more.
MTS Who?
October 16th, 2012
1:40 pm
I lost interest with Tech after the drubbing that Middle Tennessee State put on them (not even a high school but a middle school ran them ragged).
Jacket Detective
October 16th, 2012
1:41 pm
If CPJ hires someone like Stewart at Maryland after 2009 season, we are a ranked team at the end of the season every year with bowl wins.
Both Gailey and Johnson wrecked our bowl best winning percentage that most Tech fans have long been proud of.
Grounds in their coffee?
trueblueeagle
October 16th, 2012
1:41 pm
Hire Tommy T. from Texas Tech he should be able to win the ACC every year! See you on TV pregame next year PJ.
BS Patrol
October 16th, 2012
2:08 pm
Duh.The TO does not account for the most embarrassing defense seen by modern man. If this area is so loaded with “talent” as we are led to believe, we should be able to field a defense that is at least decent just by using doggie rejects. Recruiting has just plain sucked. PJ is one of the very few real football coaches we have had here. I don’t know why he does not seem to to address this deficiency.
Tuberville ain't...
October 16th, 2012
2:09 pm
…leaving TT for GT or the ACC, never, ever…
SS loves Obama
October 16th, 2012
2:39 pm
I still prefer Vad in passing situations.
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
2:42 pm
WOW: so many folks now calling for Vad to start! I’m so proud of myself! I’ve been calling for this since after the VT debacle… glad to see the masses starting to follow.
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
2:45 pm
Practice? PRACTICE!?!?
Is CPJ serious? what’s more important, practice or game performance? In football, there are always players that are studs in practice and not in the game. And vice versa.
I’m about to hop on the “fire CPJ” bandwagon. His stubborness was cool for a year, but now he’s becoming an idiot (even though i love his offense).
CPJ
October 16th, 2012
2:57 pm
Tevin Washington is not the problem, people. I AM.
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
3:03 pm
Yeah, can’t blame Tevin for anything. He’s not the one inserting himself into the game…
TechApp fan
October 16th, 2012
3:03 pm
a prediction. Tech will beat BC. Lee will get some 4th qtr playing time. Many bloggers will attempt to use the game to validate the assumption that the problem is only the D/groh….Just remember it’s BC.
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
3:04 pm
Tevin leads us to 7 points in the 2nd half vs. MTSU.
Nah, Tevin is not the problem.
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
3:06 pm
a prediction:
Tech loses to BC 30-21. Tevin goes 3-10 with 2 INTs (just like the UGA game). Both INTs occur in the red zone on 4th down (double whammy for Tevin), and both get ran back for TDs because TW couldn’t run down a dead squirrel.
CPJ still thinks we can win the ACC, so he sticks with TW for another week. Yes.
...Take The Wheel
October 16th, 2012
3:08 pm
I can understand many of you wanting to see who you think will be the QB of the future get some much needed experience this year. But whether he will manage just fine when his time comes to start. Its one of those things thats nice to have but not entirely necessary.
I’m sure he’d planned to play Lee more this season. Unfortunately game situations have not allowed that. Clearly he doesn’t have enough confidence Lee to put him in high presssure situations right now. For the record, I dont know where the glowing admiration for Lee comes from. He hasn’t played enuogh to prove anything to any of us. What is this great love for Lee based on??? Personally, I think Justin Thomas looks better on paper and tape than Lee. And I too would like to see PJ rotate the QBs situationally – including Justin Thomas.
Secondly, lets not ignore the FACTS and RANKINGS he listed for our current offense. The offense has not been the problem people. Why would he disrupt the one element on the team that HAS been working.
TechApp fan
October 16th, 2012
3:10 pm
Hope you are wrong,
Joe.
...Take The Wheel
October 16th, 2012
3:11 pm
excuse the multiple typos… GTFoe does that to me!
**Joe – dont compare yourself to the rest of these people. You are coming from an entirely different place…
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
3:13 pm
Take the Wheel:
Our offense is #36 in the country in scoring. #66 in 2nd half scoring. CPJ thinks this is not a problem? He is wrong.
According to you, Vad will never be ready for pressure situations. Because he will never be put IN pressure situations. But I guess he should do better in practice (which has no pressure) so he can be better in games (which has high pressure)?
Vad is wasting away. He should transfer. Justin can have the job next year by default. And he’ll be great. a 175 lb QB will last about 2 games in this offense.
TechApp fan
October 16th, 2012
3:20 pm
mistakes normally are the cause for a loss (O or D). Against MTenn, Tech had a receiver (wide) open and the QB finally threw the pass….late and short. Result was a pick. They scored quickly. On a 4th down play, Tech completed a pass to an A back that unfortunately did not fall forward and that play did not result in a first down. They scored on a pass play new very next play. Mistake by the O and a mistake by the D…boom, another TD.
The team lost.
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
3:23 pm
TechApp: agreed, mistakes causes losses. Like that INT in OT at VT. Or the misread on 4th down vs. Miami in OT. Those mistakes = 2 losses.
But I’m sure Tevin doesn’t make those mistakes in practice. Which apparently is more important than making those mistakes in games.
TechApp fan
October 16th, 2012
3:28 pm
Joe, one could argue that mistakes by the D/groh (in less than one minute in regulation) caused that loss. If no mistakes in 44 seconds, TW would not have been playing in OT and many of us (you included) would probably be happy now.
GTJacket
October 16th, 2012
3:36 pm
Take it to the bank…the season ends 4 – 8. Although if we got lucky with BYU it could be 5 -7.
...Take The Wheel
October 16th, 2012
3:44 pm
@Joe – You continue mis-quote stats and isolate only those that are negative. There have been mistakes on both sides of the ball – yes. But the offense has performed well enough to win, even with all the errors you blame TW for. And as bad you try to make him look, Vad must not look better, because PJ is not willing to gamble on him. And I’m sure CPJ wants to win MORE THAN YOU!
Personally, I dont know that he will start next year either!! He’ll have to earn it in PRACTICE!! Yes practice. You dont just give someone something when they haven’t first proven it in practice. Common sense dictates that if you cant do it under limited pressure (practice) youre certainly not going to get under high pressure and do better. Those are the rules of the game! So if you’re expecting someone to break the rules for Vad, maybe you should advise him to transfer. Cause I suspect he’s gonna have a heck of a race with Justin next year and nothing is guaranteed!
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
3:46 pm
TechApp Fan: Well, why just go back to 44 seconds? I’m sure folks could find some other non-TW mistakes in the 3rd or 2nd or 1st quarters that cost us those games, right? Coin flip maybe?
When the game is on the line, winners win. And Tevin don’t. But there’s always an excuse.
SS loves Obama
October 16th, 2012
3:46 pm
@GTJacket…BYU may be the most difficult of the remaining games.
Nativebird
October 16th, 2012
3:47 pm
Please jacket fans, can we please start seeing the forest and the trees. Who cares If you have the bloody greatest offensive statistics in the History of college football if you go 6 and 6, lose to 1-aa level opponents, and compete for last in your weak division much less your conference!! CPJ is not, can not be a top level major college football leader. Why? Because he is not. plain and simple. Own it.
TechApp fan
October 16th, 2012
3:50 pm
something to ponder. A good/winning coach normally plays his good/winning players and usually has a good/winning record.
this is something like …do you still beat your wife?
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
3:50 pm
BYU is an L for sure.
SS loves Obama
October 16th, 2012
3:56 pm
@GT Joe…are you new to the blog?
...Take The Wheel
October 16th, 2012
3:59 pm
@GTFoe – For as long as I’ve been reading you never have anything positive to say. Why are you a GT fan???
Why dont you just get off the boards and go start a Vad Lee fan club!
fuzzyjacket
October 16th, 2012
4:12 pm
Do you really think we can win with QBs that are less than 6′3 tall?? They should at least be able to see over the OL. Shouldn’t Paul Johnson be recruiting kids who at least have the physical attributes to compete at this level? These are the QBs on our roster.
2 Vad Lee QB 6-1 213 RS FR Durham, N.C. Hillside HS
4A Tim Byerly QB 6-0 212 RS FR Alpharetta, Ga. Chatahoochee MTSU
5 Justin Thomas QB 5-11 169 FR Prattville, Ala. Prattville
11A Darryl Dickey QB 5-10 207 RS SO Locust Grove, Ga. Ola
12A Holland Frost QB 5-11 195 FR Marietta, Ga. Pope
13 Tevin Washington QB 6-0 205 RS SR Wetumpka, Ala. Wetumpka
10 Synjyn Days QB/AB 6-2 215 RS SO Powder Springs, Ga. Hillgrove
Why is Johnson even recruiting kids that are 6′0 and under?? Unless Johnson is gone, the program shall remain mediocre at best ..
billybuzz
October 16th, 2012
4:25 pm
Welcome back, Ken. I missed you.
Washington is productive except when you need it. Then it is busted play, fumbled exchange from center, or short arm the pass. 4th quarter is a bust mostly because we don’t move the ball.
Vad Lee could be a clutch player, but we will not find out because he is not a practice player. I would like to see him in crunch time at least a couple of times. He could not be much worse.
...Take The Wheel
October 16th, 2012
4:29 pm
fuzzy – thats scary! Of course height is one asset of a QB but there is so much more that comes into play. I’ve seen 6′6 Logan Thomas look phenomenal and I’ve seen him look mediocre (and not just once or twice). I know if you’re a betting man, smart money is on a taller QB but one shouldn’t stop there…
..ever heard of Mike Vick, Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Ty Detmer (great story btw)
I get your point, but I definitely think shorter QBs can compete, they just dont have a height advantage and MUST make up for it in other ways.
FANtastic
October 16th, 2012
4:31 pm
As a Tech fan, it’s not so much that I think Vad is better than Tevin, but that since this season is already in the crapper, why not get him some experience.
billybuzz
October 16th, 2012
4:32 pm
I disagree with those calling for CPJ’’s head. He is exactly the coach for us. Tech is never going to be stocked with 4 & 5 star recruits. CPJ’s system makes us competitive with the talent that we have..No one can coach it better than Coach Johnson. Lets get behind him and quit calling for someone else.
...Take The Wheel
October 16th, 2012
4:57 pm
- ..”When the game is on the line, winners win.”
– funny how that only applies to Tevin. You win as a “team” and lose as “Just Tevin”, right Joe?
Funny how some of you have so much confidence that Vad is the cure to all – and he’s barely taken 10 snaps – and dare I say I was not WOWED! What is this great hope based on, highschool? Why no interest in seeing Justin? And isn’t it so easy to speculate about how great someone “will be” or “might be”! When we have the #3 rushing offense, #26 overall and you really want to have a conversation about offensive changes??? I may never get it.
...Take The Wheel
October 16th, 2012
5:04 pm
@FanTastic (nice handle btw)
I AGREE!!! We need to rotate the QB’s situationally though. Vad is not the starter right now and I’d like to Justin. I dont want to put all my eggs in his basket without at least seeing what Justin has to offer as well.
However, I dont think all is lost. We can still hope for a strong finish. Plus with all the changes on D, I think its even more important to have proven QB on the field. PJ is smart to protect Justin and Vad from the negativity that could come from putting them out there prematurely. He needs them to be pumped, fresh and eager for next year. Not beaten down from this tumultuous season…
GT TN
October 16th, 2012
5:16 pm
@ GT Joe..it is funny how use examples that are one play in the game..u never mentioned the 4th down completion on last drive against VT..you bring up OT..the game never should have gone to OT if defense would have played..how do you know what Lee can do..Lee was dropped to 3rd string after the scrimmage when he turned it over 3 times..you are not a real GT fan..you have no facts to back your thoughts..anyone can just say something..you have no merit..
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
6:35 pm
Wheel, yes you will never get it. The qb is by far the most important player on the team, as much as you would like to believe that all men are created equal.
Not wowed by vad? Go look at his stats, he has been spectacular. What on earth are you talking about.
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
6:43 pm
Yeah that’s it wheel..burn Justins red shirt for a few snaps this year. Genius
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
7:00 pm
GT TN: funny how i just use one play in the game? Hello, these are the most critical plays in the game! You know, when the game is won or lost? Sorry, maybe we should just judge tevin on his 1st quarter play…LOL.
Wants facts?
Tech is #36 in scoring
Tech is #66 in 2d half scoring
Tevin is 6-13 vs BCS conference teams not named Duke
Tevin led us to 7points in the 2nd half in the worst loss of tech’s history (MTSU)
Tevin is 3-7 in games decided by one possession
Tevin ended games with INTs TWICE vs. VT
Tevin was 3-10 with 2 INTs vs UGA last year
Tevin had 19 rushes for 4 yards vs. MTSU this year
Happy? Or should I go on?
GT IN
October 16th, 2012
7:28 pm
Wow there are a lot of suspect Tech fans. This is crazy! What happens when Tech win games? Do the “fans” actually enjoy the win or do the “fans” still find something to criticize? Last time I looked at a game, better yet every time I look at a game there are 11 players on the field. To pin a lost on one player is so easy. For those calling for a change at QB because its the most important position on the field, tell all the back up QB’s to work harder so they can get the chance next year to read how bad their “fans” will call them out for a loss even if the offense average 37 pts per game.
GT Joe
October 16th, 2012
7:48 pm
GT IN: take out the FCS school that we played, and we are #36 in scoring. Are you happy with that? Is that “enuff to win’?
GT IN
October 16th, 2012
8:11 pm
Thanks for the stat, I do think that is enough to win. Looking at the top 25, I would say that is plenty. #1 Ala is 65, #2 Fla is 89, #3 Oregon is 16, #4 K State is 62 & #5 ND is 83 in scoring. How can 4 out 5 top teams have such low rankings in total offense and still win? I think we now how!
GT IN
October 16th, 2012
8:12 pm
“know” not “now”, my mistake!