Notes: Johnson’s concerns about BYU
Notes from coach Paul Johnson’s news conference Tuesday
1. Johnson expressed concern for defending BYU quarterback Riley Nelson, noting his experience and mobility.
“He’s got a strong arm, but he’s really hurt people when they get out of their rush lanes and he pulls the thing down on boots and run. The quarterback is a good player,” he said.
More broadly, Johnson anticipates a team that will test the Yellow Jackets with its size and strength.
“They’ll pass the look test, I promise you,” he said. “When we played them every year when I was at the University of Hawai’i, you won’t play too many teams that look any better getting off the bus than BYU.”
2. Johnson liked the way the rotation with the defensive line worked, with backups Adam Gotsis, Shawn Green, Anthony Williams and Euclid Cummings getting considerable time.
“I don’t know that anybody stands out and is that much better than anybody coming in,” he said. “So everybody gets some snaps.”
3. Nothing different with the kicking situation from Monday’s notes, although punter Sean Poole will be back holding.
4. Daniel Drummond is splitting snaps with Jabari Hunt-Days at the inside linebacker position opposite Quayshawn Nealy.
5. Johnson said something needs to be done to improve the pass rush, whether it’s blitzing, running stunts with the linemen or simply the linemen winning one-on-one against offensive linemen. Johnson said that the game video shows that players are actually getting closer to the quarterback than it seems during games, but, it is “clearly an issue.”
Another solution is dropping more players into pass coverage to flood passing lanes.
“You can’t just be one-dimensional,” he said. “You have to be able to do both.”
Regarding Nelson, Johnson acknowledged that forcing a faster player like him out of the pocket isn’t necessarily the answer.
“There are certain guys that you play that you want to keep in the pocket and you’d maybe rather see them throw it than you would pull it down and run with it,” Johnson said. “He’s pretty good at both but he can kill you if you don’t contain him because he’s got good speed, he’s a good athlete and he really hurts people when he gets out of the pocket.”
6. Johnson credited the success on third down (Boston College was 1-for-9) to better run defense. Tech gave up just 32 yards on 16 attempts. It yielded third-and-long situations, which the Eagles couldn’t convert.
In those situations, “You can play at the sticks and come up and tackle them and they had to punt the ball,” he said.
(It bears mentioning that Tech was having equal trouble with third-and-long and third-and-short earlier this season.)
7. There is no specific plan to play quarterback Vad Lee as of Tuesday. Johnson said he will see how practices goes this week before deciding.
“Clearly, he’s a good athlete and capable of making big plays,” Johnson said. “He also had the ball out a couple of times, we’ve got to do better on some read parts of the thing but he’s an exciting player and he kind of gives you a boost when he gets out there. No question about it.”
8. Defensively, Johnson said that the Cougars are “big and physical up front” and capable of stopping the run without secondary support. BYU also shows a lot of different looks on third-and-long, blitzes and fire-zone blitzes. He noted end Ezekiel Anseh, calling him a probable first-round draft pick.
9. A-back Synjyn Days’ playing time was limited Saturday because “he and I weren’t on the same page,” Johnson said. Johnson didn’t provide detail but suggested it was an off-field matter. Overall, Days is practicing better and will play against BYU with a good week of practice.
10. Offensive tackle Will Jackson’s shoulder injury muddles the offensive line depth. If he can’t play, Morgan Bailey will start at right tackle and either Bryan Chamberlain or Tyler Kidney would be the first off the bench. At guard, the first sub would be either Trey Braun or Errin Joe. If he does play, Johnson said that Jackson, who didn’t practice Monday and won’t again Tuesday afternoon, would be the first to rotate in at guard and tackle.
11. Offensive tackle Ray Beno (ankle) and B-back Zach Laskey (shoulder), both of whom left the game with injuries, practiced Monday.
12. Johnson, who voiced his displeasure Saturday (for the second time this year, that I can recall) with the lack of support offered by reserve players from the sideline, offered further explanation. He called it a matter of immaturity and observed that it has increased over the years.
“You’re part of the team and you should be there cheering on your teammates and be excited to watch what’s going on and not in la-la land,” he said.
Johnson particularly directed his frustration with players “who understand they’re probably not going to play, but that still doesn’t change,” he said. “It should still be a privilege to be able to dress out and have your name on the back of your uniform and be on the sidelines at Georgia Tech. It’s not something that you should just kind of show up.”
13. The players of the game for the Boston College win were A-back B.J. Bostic, safety Isaiah Johnson and long snapper Tyler Morgan. Bostic had five carries for 28 yards and two catches for 66 yards. Both receptions were enormous. The first was a phenomenal 39-yard catch on a 3rd-and-8 on the opening drive that prevented Tech from having to punt from its own 8-yard line. The second was a 27-yarder in the second quarter that converted a 3rd-and-26 and kept alive a possession that ended in a touchdown for a 14-0 lead.
Johnson made four solo tackles, tied for most total tackles on the team and had a forced fumble on the first play of the second half that the Jackets converted into a field goal. Morgan had a mistake-free afternoon on 11 snaps.
In case you missed it…
Notes: Field-goal unit needing repair
Tech vs. highly ranked run defenses
With BYU next, no-huddle issues loom for Tech
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
More notes this evening, 9:30-ish. Thanks for reading.
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189 comments Add your comment
ole yeller
October 23rd, 2012
7:27 pm
I would rather have the discipline of P.J. than that of the coach in Athens. I guarantee you Johnson never called a recruit to sing happy birthday to him. I am from Statesboro and have never heard any player that he coached say that he was unfair about anything.
burdell great post
October 23rd, 2012
7:32 pm
these jokes we call bloggers such as gi joe. gt. native bird etal need to go root for bama or uga if they are so unhappy with the ‘mind’ games that cpj plays.
you know… the bama team that has been no 1 for like forever over the last 4 years. the same bama team who has a coach that plays so may mind games with the players they are not only afraid of him but he routinely recruits 35+ players every year and than removes 13 players every year to reach the 85 player limit. talk about mind games. saban certainly dont ‘mind’.
or maybe you guys can go root for coach richt. you know that singing hugging swimming joking christiany kinda guy that all the uga players love. the same coach that has one of the top recruiting programs in the entire country playing like kentucky and vanderbilt each saturday. yeah just what we need. we need our coaches to be best buddies to the players. heck maybe he can even bail them out of jail like they do at uga year in and year out. gotta love that tough love we see at uga.
as far as cpj not being able to recruit nfl talent…. how the hell would we even know that duh. cpj has been here since 08. the players from his first recruiting class are playing as seniors now! chan gailey had his best class in 07. it took him SEVEN YEARS. cpj has not even finished year 5.
And i hate to tell ya but the reason days does not get snaps is because he is a fumble machine both in practice and in the games. that is a plain ol lack of focus on his part. after all, it is not like he is missing an arm or hands now is it? of course if you were real fans you would know that. your just fans of whining an crying an picking at our players and our coaches. none of you would dare say what you do on this blog to any of the players faces. bawk!
cpj not a players coach? last time i looked the players/fans at navy an ga southern loved cpj so much that they are now sidewalk jacket fans. i have seen post after post on the blogs saying as much.
i have to tell ya… we have some of the most ignorant whiners for fans i have ever seen and some are posting in this thread!
5150 UOAD
October 23rd, 2012
7:35 pm
I haven’t been to Athens since 98 and I don’t care if TECH were the UGa freshmen and going to win by 50 I am not going to a football game in ATHENS.
I like to go to away games and have a good time win or lose but you can’t do that in Athens with those fans.
DOC 51
October 23rd, 2012
7:40 pm
GT players don’t improve very much under CPJ and his staff.What you see as a freshman or soph. is basically what you get as a senior.There is an improvement progression under coaches like N.SABAN and U.MEYER.S.DAYS has been there 3 yrs.and look at him.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
7:41 pm
@ burdell great post……ABSOLUTELY CORRECT !!!
@ UOAD…..totally agree with you too
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
7:42 pm
@ DOC 51……whether you like Tevin or not, the fact is he HAS improved under CPJ, as have just about everybody else too.
ole yeller
October 23rd, 2012
7:43 pm
UOAD, my last game in Athens was in 1960. Not much has changed since then regarding the UGA fans.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
7:53 pm
@ ole yeller……going to Athens, no matter when, you always realize a r—neck is a r—neck; it never changes and never will
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
7:54 pm
I’m outta here, guys. have fun
DOC 51
October 23rd, 2012
7:58 pm
If all the GT players were improving on a regular basis we would definitely be better than (10-12) over the last 22 games.
jwill
October 23rd, 2012
8:00 pm
Only season ticket holders can buy the Tech-uGAG tix
jwill
October 23rd, 2012
8:01 pm
Its under contract for both sides
Jacket Time
October 23rd, 2012
8:01 pm
Wow seems like some pple are having a hard time accepting that CPJ is the HEAD COACH, the boss, head honcho, etc… It is his team and not the players nor the fans for that matter who run the team. He does. But i get it. We love winning and that is not happening so your taking shots at the right person at least.
Worried about BYU. If their D shuts us down, I’m pretty sure our worn out D will have another 4th quarter catastrophe. We’re gonna need to find a rythm on O and maintain it. This is going to be a true test to see what we’re made of and if we have any chance of turning our season around this game will determine that.
Jacket Time
October 23rd, 2012
8:03 pm
Yikes i’m going to athens for the 1st time this year. Y’all got me second guessing that decision.
BYU Fan in FL
October 23rd, 2012
8:04 pm
Hey guys have been o a couple of these boards and have gotten a few suggestions (thanks 1 4 GT). Looking for a spot to tailgate and not being from the area I am asking that you help out fellow college football fan. Any advice/recomendations would be greatly appreciated. See you guys saturday regardless…..GO Cougs!!!
5150 UOAD
October 23rd, 2012
8:08 pm
Jacket Time you will hear some things said to you about you and your wife or mother that will make you mad I am sure. I hope you sit near some classy UGa fans but they are hard to find.
well doc 51 if your so smart....
October 23rd, 2012
8:11 pm
i suggest you email drad and volunteer to coach the team. show us your stuff.
as far as saban goes…. comparing him to cpj is apples to grapes. are you really serious? sheeeesh,.
saban’s players dont have to go to school. bama can hide players in joke classes. bama is a football factory as is uf. every player cpj signs must meet the approval of the hill. bama and uf never have to deal with anything like that. of course you should know that but yet you still whine.
furthermore….. saban and meyer over recruit. i promise you that days would never have lasted 3 years with coach saban. PROMISE. we get bama cast off’s. dont we have a wr that bama cast off that is doing absolutely nothing at gt either? but he will stay with us an graduate using up a spot on that 85 man roster.
saban would have found a way or reason to remove days off the team an moved on to a player who does ‘get on board’. that is what over signing 35 players ever year will do for you.
gt and cpj over the last 4 years have averaged around 20 signees every year. signees that must get by the hill…. every year.
by my book that means that in a 5 year span… bama has the opportunity to not only take the top players in the nation (that gt has no shot at) but they also get to cherry pick the best 85 players from that crop of (35 x5 =) 175 nationally elite players they sign.
and you have the nerve to even compare saban’s situation with that of cpj’s? lmao at you dude. your hilarious!
give me a break.
get real would you!
your comments are complete jokes.
5150 UOAD
October 23rd, 2012
8:15 pm
BYU fan you can stop our area. It is in the parking lot at the corner of Ponce de Leon Place between Spring and West Peachtree St.
Juvenal and his wife make a nice spread and we like to meet nice fans.
Here is a mapquest link to the location. Keep chatting this week and I am sure Juvenal will respond soon.
http://www.mapquest.com/#ce2b9e5ab5c3231f089767b7
Jacket Time
October 23rd, 2012
8:17 pm
UOAD I guess will have to mentally prepare and bring a rain suit based on what happened to super.
5150 UOAD
October 23rd, 2012
8:23 pm
Might not be a bad idea. LOL
Dad and i just got so over it and mom I think her last trip to Athens was in the early 80’s. I know we all have bad fans, but I have found more in Athens than any other trip we have ever taken.
St. Richt
October 23rd, 2012
8:23 pm
I’m trying to support our coach- but having Hunt-Days split snaps with Drummond is insane. Drummond is the slowest linebacker to ever play at GT. Isaiah Johnson might well be the slowest safety, too.
Jacket Time
October 23rd, 2012
8:29 pm
I can see that just based on experiences when they are at our stadium.
BYU Fan in FL
October 23rd, 2012
8:36 pm
@ UOAD
Thanks for the invite. That is the roughly the same location I got earlier. Do you guys park in that lot or the garage like a block away? We will be in a smaller madza and would love to be able to just squeeze in. Thanks again and I will stay on with this name and see if we cant figure some stuff out. Will you guys have a grill I could bum some space on or should I bring my own??
5150 UOAD
October 23rd, 2012
8:41 pm
BYU the lot has parking only with a PASS. So some of the guys park in the decks a block away and walk over. If you are there early some can get space in the VARSITY lot too.
5150 UOAD
October 23rd, 2012
8:42 pm
juvenal has a grill and he or his wife cook something. I think if you check back you can ask JUVENAL all your questions.
1 4 GT
October 23rd, 2012
8:46 pm
BYU Fan in Fl….juvenal & his wife have a grill & UOAD is one of our regulars. The lot we are talking about is $200 for the season. No single game parking. I park in the garage because it is a short walk & is covered & guarded. C’mon Up!!!! I gave you directions to the garage. If you print off my directions, you will not get lost.
1 4 GT
October 23rd, 2012
8:48 pm
UOAD….I thought the V lot was a $200 season pass lot too?????
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
9:01 pm
Only stopping by for a minute, but juvenal extended a blanket invitation earlier. Last week was the first time he has had a grill, and I don’t know what his plans are this week. Prior to last week, he had finger food, but plenty of it, and it was good. BYU fan….no need to bring anything unless you want to bring some beverages or sweets (I usually bring sweets), The parking deck 1 4 GT mentioned is convenient and easy to get in and out of.
BYU Fan in FL
October 23rd, 2012
9:06 pm
Awesome!!!!! 1 4 GT you probably figure out this is Ben from the other board. Hey if you guys dont mind me incroaching I would be glad to come and meet some new folks. Cant say I am a “good” mormon so I will indulge in a few brews as well
figured you guys porbably would be alright with that. The wife and I hope to see you guys there. Looking for Honda ridgeline pickup right?? that was the rumor anyway 
Thanks again guys you have been great!!!! Saturday should be fun!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
9:08 pm
@ BYU Fan……UNLIKE UGA fans in Athens, you will be accepted warmly by the Tech fans and treated with dignity.
5150 UOAD
October 23rd, 2012
9:11 pm
I might suggest if you have a folding chair you might consider bring 1 or 2 just in case.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
9:12 pm
You can’t take the folding chairs to the stadium, but the parking deck is close enough to the tailgate lot that you can drop them back at your car before going to the game
GT Fan
October 23rd, 2012
9:15 pm
Why should you invite more than one mormon to your party, or in BYU-in-FL’s case, to your tailgate?
B/c if you don’t he/she will drink all of your booze!
Just having fun BYU in FL … please forgive.
1 4 GT
October 23rd, 2012
9:16 pm
I can bring a couple of bag chairs if needed Supersize. Let me know.
BYU Fan in FL
October 23rd, 2012
9:16 pm
Like I said earlier I like college football…I just happen to be rooting for the team that is playing you…..doesnt mean we cant have a little fun in the mean time….everybody has there classless fans I dont take you guys to be those nor do I consider myself one….oblivious with high hopes of couse but thats what being a fan is about right. It sucks we are 7 points from being 7-1…but thats football some years. You guys understand that. CHairs CHeck!!!!!
BYU Fan in FL
October 23rd, 2012
9:19 pm
GT FAN its all good…..I am sure a Polygamy joke will come out sooner than later
And I only have the one wife…..for the record 
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
9:19 pm
@ 1 4 GT……I don’t need a chair. I like to roam around too much to want to sit down. The friend coming with me doesn’t need one either, so don’t waste your time.
ole yeller
October 23rd, 2012
9:20 pm
Great to see an opposing fan with class. You don’t see if often in the South.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
9:20 pm
@ BYU fan…..I like your sense of humor. And, for the record, the majority, if not all, of us tailgating together will be voting for Romney.
ole yeller
October 23rd, 2012
9:20 pm
it
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
9:21 pm
@ ole yeller……I went the Clemson game, and their fans had class……at least all the ones I saw…..except for one jerk, and the Clemson fans around me apologized to me for his behavior.
ole yeller
October 23rd, 2012
9:22 pm
Super, the key word is often.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 23rd, 2012
9:23 pm
@ ole yeller……LOL. true
Reformed Toady
October 23rd, 2012
9:29 pm
uafuneman
October 23rd, 2012
7:09 pm
“CPJ needs to worry about why Ga. Tech returned 2000 tickets back to UGA for the game. CPJ is going down,down,down.”
You are what is commonly known as an azzhat. I assume you work for or own a tire shop. The reason is self evident. Opposing fans have to endure so much material damage (the cost would be in the thousands of dollars) just to endure threats and verbal abuse to young children and women for the “game day” experience of Athens. No thanks. Sell those tickets to the “true dawgfans” (sic). Maybe UGA will have a sell out of that Soviet era megalith. Please be sure to get sloppy drunk and try not to get arrested. The library is now off limits for urination and defecation. Plan accordingly you pathetic excuse for a human being. Go Dwags!
BYU Fan in FL
October 23rd, 2012
9:31 pm
Dont know that I will be voting for Romney but I wont hold it against you…..You have been more than kind enough already…really looking forward to it. Hope to get up there about 1…assuming the traffic isnt stopped anywhere on 75 we can usually fly up that in 5 hours or so.
Michael Veli a.k.a Jim Donnan's financial adviso
October 23rd, 2012
9:32 pm
I am back my friends!
ole yeller
October 23rd, 2012
9:33 pm
Super, I am biased to be true. My bad experience’s were with UGA, FSU Miami, and Alabama. All but the Bama games were away games. So I guess my only taste of bad stuff at home was with Bama. Remember Darwin Holt, real classy.
Notes: Tech faces age-gap challenge vs. BYU | Georgia Tech
October 23rd, 2012
9:36 pm
[...] Notes: Johnson’s concerns about BYU [...]
5150 UOAD
October 23rd, 2012
9:41 pm
I was lucky at FSU. My buddy had company tickets. We went to the Chief’s Club on top of the stadium for the Tailgate party. People in that club were not going to be buttheads. I was the ONLY TECH FAN in his ticket area so I caught a lil abuse but not really UGLY stuff. Mostly good humor ribbing.
GT Fan
October 23rd, 2012
9:41 pm
BYU in FL … I live in Utah (Farmington). I love college football too, but the skiing is a little better in Utah than GA.
Went to the Holy War and BYU-Oregon St games. Will be flying back to ATL for this game too.
Enjoy the tailgating experience in ATL, and game on for a great game!