UPDATED: Tech drilled by BYU, 41-17
The defense was picked apart and battered. The offense had no magic. The special teams, save one historic kickoff return, was largely a hindrance.
Saturday, Georgia Tech lost to BYU 41-17 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in a game that contained little mystery.
“We pretty much got our tails whipped,” coach Paul Johnson said. “It was disappointing. I think we got whipped in all three phases of the game.”
With a chance to even their record and build on a convincing win over Boston College a week ago, the Yellow Jackets (3-5) continued their flailing season. Tech gave up 40 or more points for the fourth time in the past five games, had a punt blocked and failed to produce an offensive touchdown for the first time since the 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl loss to LSU. In hopes of reviving the offense, Johnson sent in backup quarterback Vad Lee late in the third quarter. To rousing cheers, he drove the Jackets for a field goal on his first drive, but produced 16 yards of offense in his final two possessions.
Just to qualify for its 16th consecutive bowl, Tech will have to win three of its final four games. The Jackets finish with Maryland, North Carolina, Duke and Georgia. For a team that lost by 24 points at home, none of those register as expected wins.
Saturday, the defining difference between BYU and Tech was their performance on third down. The Cougars picked up first downs on 9 of 16 third downs, while the Jackets struck out on 10 third-down conversion attempts.
Defensively, Tech reverted to the form that led to the firing of defensive coordinator Al Groh. After holding Boston College to a 1-of-9 effort on third downs last Saturday, the Jackets permitted quarterback Riley Nelson to extend drives left and right with completions.
Interim defensive coordinator Charles Kelly mixed up coverages and blitzes that occasionally produced results. He sent seven defenders at Nelson on a 3rd-and-8 on the game’s opening possession, but Nelson answered it with a 15-yard completion.
One of Tech’s highlights, a 22-yard interception return for a first-quarter touchdown by safety Isaiah Johnson, came on a third down in which Tech rushed three and dropped eight into coverage. But the Jackets couldn’t disrupt Nelson with any frequency and also missed a slew of tackles, a problem that plagued the defense under Groh but had abated in the Boston College game.
Tech also had trouble with BYU running back Jamaal Williams, a 17-year-old freshman who dinged the Jackets for 107 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
The BYU defense, ranked No. 8 in the country against the run, needed no help, but the Jackets abetted the Cougars with penalties, missed blocks and faulty reads on the option. Not counting a kneeldown at the end of the first half, Tech had nine possessions and couldn’t hold the ball for more than six plays on seven of them. The Jackets ran just 47 plays, a little more than half the 91 they ran against Boston College and the fewest of any game in Johnson’s tenure. BYU’s 38:59 time of possession was also an opponent high in the Johnson era.
“It’s obvious that we’ve got to do a lot better,” Lee said. “We’ve got to clean up a lot of things.”
The big plays that this offense needs to expand its margin for error never materialized. Tech had been averaging six plays per game of 20 yards or more. Saturday, the Cougars held them to one, a 22-yard run by A-back Robbie Godhigh.
“They make you earn it, and we weren’t good enough to earn it,” Johnson said. “We’d self-inflict wounds.”
Asked if this was the worst offensive game of his five-year tenure, Johnson replied, “I’m sure it is.”
Only Isaiah Johnson’s interception return and Jamal Golden’s 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown – the Jackets’ first such score since 1998 – kept Tech in the game, which was 24-14 in BYU’s favor at halftime. The game tilted in the third quarter when quarterback Tevin Washington, pressured by BYU end Ezekiel Ansah, threw an interception deep in Tech territory that was returned to the Tech 2-yard line. A one-yard touchdown run by Williams pushed BYU to a 31-14 lead with 3:43 left in the third quarter and released any remaining suspense.
The Jackets will return to work Monday, trying to find answers that have eluded them for the larger part of eight games.
“I don’t know,” said Johnson, asked to explain how his team could be playing beneath expectations. I don’t have an explanation for you.”
By Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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473 comments Add your comment
justsaying
October 28th, 2012
6:28 pm
Someone call the Wahhhhhhambulance. Butt hurt Yech fans spotted!
Cewbee
October 28th, 2012
6:55 pm
I was disturbed when we came out on the field wearing all white. Isn’t the home team supposed to have SOME sort of color? Looked like we were waving the white flag before we even started!
GTpack
October 28th, 2012
6:57 pm
Whether CPJ is retained or not, DRAD needs to help him or the future coach get a recruiter that can bring in players. That would be good for the program regardless of who the coach is. Every successful sports program has a good salesman. Every successful company has a good sale department, otherwise you have something good that no one knows about.
We have seen what CPJ’s offense is capable of doing when he has good recruits. Maybe this offense is a negative when it comes to recruiting higher caliber players, if we can’t get past that, then it is time for a change. We cannot compete using FCS caliber players. Bobby Ross was able to compete, so it is not impossible, so I’m calling on our AD to make the changes that need to be done to help our coaches be successful. Even coaches can use some coaching from time to time as each of us can.
If a change is to be made, it would be nice to see someone like Ken Wisenhunt come back and coach his alma mater. Wonder if he has made enough $ to be willing to help out Tech. Probably won’t happen, but would not hurt to ask. Or what about Keith Brooking to come back in some defensive coaching capacity? Maybe I’m reaching a bit high on the chain, but someone needs to be reaching for something, because this is just not cutting it.
1 4 GT
October 28th, 2012
7:04 pm
Not only does the AJC allow name thiefs, it allows fools like justsaying to get away with his trash on the blogs yet one can’t use the word G A Y</h or the type the USC G A M E C O C K S or the name of one of their Mr. P E A C O C K E or use the, “don’t get your P A N T I E S on i wad”. How foolish can they look?
Reformed Toady
October 28th, 2012
7:09 pm
I believe “justsaying” is reliving his “date” last night. Sad to post it on a public forum for everyone to see. Keep it in the closet creep.
Techster
October 28th, 2012
7:37 pm
Now I know why Tech’s Jumbotron is constantly spewing “entertainment” at every opportunity. It’s to take our minds off the Tech disaster on the field.
1 4 GT
October 28th, 2012
8:00 pm
NAME THIEF ALERT!!!! Poster @ 7:18 PM is a name thief!!
SlimG
October 28th, 2012
8:52 pm
CPJ until 2016? Who orchestrated that contract? Wow
Write It Down.
October 28th, 2012
9:01 pm
Wow! The natives are restless. I’m not a die-hard PJ fan but
I don’t yet think it’s time to burn him in effigy.
We all love to win-and talk about past Tech teams that gave us the
“warm and fuzzies.”
Maybe, we can revive one of our past great coaches to lead us to victory!
If we dug up John Heisman, would we want the one who went 9-0 in 1917?
After all, he’s the same coach that went 4-4 in 1907.
How about Bill Alexander? He led the team to a 10-0 season in 1928.
Of course, we’d want to ignore his 1-9 debacle in 1934.
Hell, we loved Bobby Dodd enough to name a stadium after him. He did
guide us to a 12-0 1952 season. We could sweep his 4-6 and 4-4-2 seasons
under the rug.
Then there’s Bobby Ross. We’d cheer for the 11-0-1 (1990) Bobby but the
2-9 (1987) Bobby would be sh!t out of luck.
I’m glad we didn’t have the internet during some of those coaches tenures.
They might have been fired before they had a chance to do us any good.
Don’t worry folks, I’m not blind. We suck this year. We suck badly!
The offense is streaky, at best, and our one-man-defense
(Jemea Thomas) is simply out-numbered by the opposition.
Paul Johnson has had some good seasons at Tech. He will have some bad
seasons too.
Your Wish came True!
October 28th, 2012
10:03 pm
A top 15 recruiting class, remember 2007? You miss Giff Smith now don’t you? He and Jeff Collins were a good combination when it came to recruiting and making the players feel special. Many fans said they wanted the 07 class (Gailey’s) boys gone, said they were a “cancer” on the team. They came in and beat GA just like they said they would and no matter what the NCAA says they WON the ACC Championship like they said they would! They accomplished many of their goals as a unit, a team. Can we say that now? Fans are never happy. Maybe you should get out there and play. HMMMMMMMM. Be careful what you wish for!
justsaying
October 28th, 2012
11:12 pm
Don’t worry losers, the Whaaaaaambulance will be there to help you soon.
1 4 GT
October 28th, 2012
11:38 pm
Don’t we have some classy folks in this state. They give the University of Georgie such a good name & image for folks to see & admire. You just know their momma’s are bursting with pride. The best part of justsaying ran down his momma’s leg when he was conceived (made by your momma & daddy having relations) booboo.
GT ee
October 29th, 2012
12:20 am
I hate to say it as I’m a big CPJ fan, but I think it’s time for him to go away. Too may inconsistencies, poor performances and lack of motivation. He has lost the team, lost the season and I won’t renew my season tickets if he’s here next year. I know the institution will miss my $500 tech fund donation greatly. haha
techfan11
October 29th, 2012
2:38 am
I have grown up watching tech football and i have seen some great players on the likes of calvin johnson, bay bay, jon dwyer, and many come through. Tech has zero playmakers on the team, Paul johnson cant recruit all tech can get is 3 star players and if we are lucky get a few 4 star players. Has CPJ even recruited a 5 star player since he has been at tech? No. The Option was cute for the first couple years when nobody knew how to stop it. Well now it doesnt work at all. And on the defensive side of the ball, our d line is a joke and cant pass rush to save their lifes and our defense cant tackle at all. You never see Tech come out and play good and play with intensity against good teams. And CPJ needs to preach home-field advantage to his team, you should never at any circumstance get blown out at home. Thats just down right embarrassing, hopefully Vad Lee can bring some energy and make his teammates play a little better and play with a little bit more passion. If tech doesnt get better atleast a little bit, Georgia is going to have fun with them in Athens this year and it wont even be a game to watch. Pick it up Tech!
Go Jackets!
MC
October 29th, 2012
7:06 am
Is it not obvious now? It’s Paul Johnson that’s the problem and this is the inevitable result of his hiring. Radakovich should be shot.
Old Dog
October 29th, 2012
7:15 am
To Hell with Tek, today,tomorrow and every other day!
dry dirt road
October 29th, 2012
7:28 am
Tech is losing to all the teams that wear blue this year. If that holds true, they will lose to NC and Duke. We already know they’ll lose to Georgia. Since they have no defense, offense and kicking game, I don’t see how they could beat Maryland. They even lost to McNeice State since Mcneice beat MT tis year. The pink GTs on the field during BC game looked like the old powder puff fooball league where the female teams might have worn pink unis. A pink end zone background with the Tech name in Tech colors and pink ribbons at the 40 yard lines would have been better, and perhaps pink crepe paper festooning the goal popsts with it streaming in the wind, but just keep pink away from being associated with a school that used to be all male and still is mostly male.
dry dirt road
October 29th, 2012
7:44 am
This game was like Tech in all white, like Auburn wears sometimes, playing Auburn in their blue jersey unis, and I really liked it. It was about time for Tech to abdicate to Cam Newton and Ted Roof’s national championship Heisman team that beat Oregon b/c Tech would have lost to Auburn that year, and wasn’t even scheduled in the same bowl b/c it would not have been competitive.
Tech buster
October 29th, 2012
7:48 am
Goes to show you that a one dimensional mickey mouse offense can get shut down….start recruiting defensive players…so pathetic!!!
old dog
October 29th, 2012
8:49 am
High school offense = high-school recruits. Y’all have a long and proud tradition, and you still may pull out a few more wins. You may have to change up a little, though, to get in top talent.
bjohnDawg
October 29th, 2012
8:56 am
I think a lot of Tech fans were surprised by BYU. That team is actually not bad. They have lost a number of close games to UTAH and NDame and could have easily with a couple of breaks been a one loss team coming in to Tech.
Tech has to develop a passing game. Otherwise teams will continue to load the box.
david
October 29th, 2012
9:14 am
Ya’ll are missing the fact that BYU head coach has owned the triple option. He has never lost to it when he coached the defense. When BYU was in the MWC they saw the triple option every year with Airforce and BYU defense would kill AF every year.
CrαZy
October 29th, 2012
9:30 am
Look at the bright side… at least now we won’t have to waste our time watching us get owned in some meaningless bowl game!!!