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
GT1990
October 28th, 2012
12:52 pm
MIKE S. JUST SHUT UP! Lee needs to get as much playing time as possible. This year is over. If GT plans on keeping johnson then play LEE.Have to get ready for next year!
Mike S.
October 28th, 2012
12:52 pm
@5150 – keep dreaming about that talent. I would say Tech shouldnt have gotten worked by MTSU and BYU, but there isnt enough talent on this team to regularly beat the Va Tech’s, Clemson’s, UGA’s, or even Miami’s. Enough to grab an upset here and there? Sure. Not enough to regularly beat these teams.
GT1990
October 28th, 2012
12:53 pm
SORRY MIKE I MISREAD YOUR POST!
USMC DAWG
October 28th, 2012
12:59 pm
I think GT fans just like the IDEA of Vad Lee because of his “Ketchy” name and the fact that he ISN’T Tevin Washington.
There seems to be more to Tech’s problems than Tevin Washington. Was Tevin this bad LAST year? No.
I noticed when CPJ was hired that his Asst Coaches/ coaching staff seemed weak, but What do I know. CPJ seem to be a great X’s & O’s Offensive Coordinator, but he might lack the executive abilities required to field a well balanced Football TEAM.
(my guy, Mark Richt, isn’t much better, but yesterday’s win was Awesome!)
Go Dawgs!
Mike S.
October 28th, 2012
1:00 pm
@GT1990 – And what do you expect for next year? I dont think its really going to get a whole lot better. Johnson has to decide how competitive he wants to be down the stretch. His job may also be on the line. If he loses 3 of 4 and gets worked over by UGA again, you can bet he is on borrowed time. Gailey may have not been able to beat UGA, but he most certainly competed with them. Right now, I dont see how Tech is going to stay within 3 TDs of UGA.
Mike S.
October 28th, 2012
1:01 pm
@GT1990 – no problem
GT1990
October 28th, 2012
1:01 pm
USMC is lee going to fix everything? No but CPJ needs to get ready for next year. Playing TW is pointless at this point. Lee needs as much time this so next year want be a damn bust to!
GT1990
October 28th, 2012
1:03 pm
@mike
The players KNOW Lee is better than TW. Think about being on a team and your coach playing someone that isn’t getting the job done. How would you feel?
USMC DAWG
October 28th, 2012
1:24 pm
“The players KNOW Lee is better than TW. Think about being on a team and your coach playing someone that isn’t getting the job done. How would you feel?”–GT1990
So the PLAYERS know Lee is better than Washington, but CPJ doesn’t????
Come on, you graduated from Georgia Tech, you are smarter than that… Right?
The Urange Bowl
October 28th, 2012
1:51 pm
right after the Urange Bowl humiliation for GT, I warned all that the GT wishbone O was antiquated and any team with slow farm boys like Iowa had, could easily stay home and lock up on tackles. Teams ate doing that. Meanwhile GT was then and is now a joke on D.
That MTSU game was CPJ’s legacy game. Small college stomps itty, bitty ACC GT team.
techers, it is what it is. CMR will win his 11th over 12 games and we all know “UGA is no good.” Right???? LOL !!!
BYU Fan in Fl
October 28th, 2012
1:56 pm
Gentleman (you know who are) I wold like to thank you again for your gracious hospitality. My wife and I enjoyed the time we got to spend hanging out yesterday. Just sorry we couldnt make it up sooner. Sorry things didnt work out better on the field for you but I will take it. Good luck with the rest of your season and thank you again you are a classy bunch!!!
old gold
October 28th, 2012
2:19 pm
Tech fan for Life, you are right on. When I view that coverage of Tech-GA game in 1990, I think how far GT is from that type of team, and I just want scream! Everyone with any football sense knows the problem. Since Chan left, recruiting has been abysmal. Secondly, we have a coach who only wants to run some funky offense that even Division 1AA teams want run, there is no hope of ever getting any better. The offense is boring, and counts on big plays, which are rare these days against any reputible defenses. The defense without a traditional offense to hone their skills, are worse than abysmal. I beleive the players have quit on Johnson, and its time for Rad to move on, rather than waste another year enduring this crap. I too have been a season ticket holder for a number of years, but this is it for me. I have literally given away tickets to those who will take them, because I just can’t stand watching the abysmal play of this team, week end and week out. I don’t care what it costs to buy out this guy. If something isn’t done soon, Rad is going to lose a big part of the seasont ticket fan base, and how much will that cost. I just have no hope as long as Johnson is here. He will never abandon this offense as that is all he knows, and we never recruit the kind of athlete’s to make it back to what we had in 1990. As Furman Bisher used to say, Selah and Adios.
Silly Mutts
October 28th, 2012
2:29 pm
Who cares? GT sucks and is a middle school team with middle school talent! Duke will beat gt by 6 tds!
The solution
October 28th, 2012
2:39 pm
GT simply needs to vacate ther ACC spot and allow. Louisville University in. then, GT can play with Bill&Mary, Elon, College of Charleston, Citadel, Furman and App State.
The crowds at GF@HBDS would be about the same and Tech would be fairly competitive within just few short years.
Problem Solved.
PS: The Tech Fund boys are listening, I might add.
1 4 GT
October 28th, 2012
2:50 pm
I must say, the blogs are relatively calm today. The butt sniffing mutts were out in force yesterday, even if it was just a small number showing their usual inane, silly, stupid John Brown hind parts. That is, after all, what they do best. I just hope a sense of apathy & lassitude hasn’t taken root. We still need to support our team. I believe the boo birds out came yesterday for no other reason than to show how upset we were over Tevin’s latest panic plays. And the seeming lack of cohesive play on both sides of the ball. I don’t think the booing will continue if we can just see some evidence of trying to improve things. That is all. BTW, Furman never said adios.
Vern Lundquist
October 28th, 2012
3:02 pm
OH MY! HAA HAA gtu is a a terrible terrible football team.
Mike S.
October 28th, 2012
3:10 pm
Lee played most of the second half, and it resulted in a FG and stats that didn’t look a whole lot different than Washington. I think people assume that a QB upgrade is all that is needed. It seems to me the line, RBs and WRs arent doing their job either. Washington didnt all the sudden forget how to run this system.
Clyde
October 28th, 2012
3:20 pm
It was the second game using a different DC. The special teams gave BYU great field position over and over again. I had a great time at the game, as I always do but it was just obvious that BYU had confidence in themselves. They knew where the ball was at and how to get to it. Yes, that is what good coaching looks like. I didn’t boo TW coming out but wanted to see Vad Lee in sooner, with CPJ alternating them throughout the game to keep the Cougars guessing. But, there was no guessing yesterday. The season is winding down, there will be changes made soon enough.
1 4 GT
October 28th, 2012
3:21 pm
Right turn Clyde!!
GT1990
October 28th, 2012
3:27 pm
@Mike
Lee came in with a few minutes left in the 3. He only played in three series. TW IS GARBAGE!
GT1990
October 28th, 2012
3:28 pm
How does playing TW help your team for next season??????????????????
USMC DAWG
October 28th, 2012
3:29 pm
“Right turn Clyde!!”14GT
LOL! Great call 14GT!
And Mike S.@3:10 — You nailed it Mike. Vad Lee might be a pretty good athlete, but Tech has more problems than the QB. Paul Johnson has said time and again that Vad Lee has NOT shown him in practice that he is ready to start. However, I understand that when GT isn’t playing well fans want to see something different that might shake up the offense. I personally want to see Hutson Mason come in during games when Aaron Murray isn’t playing well. I don’t think VAD is the answer; regardless of the ketchy name.
old gold
October 28th, 2012
3:34 pm
Anyone who believes that having CPJ back for one more year and expecting any kind of improvement is improvement is insane. The definition of insantity is keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. How anyone can’t see that is beyond me. Show him the door.
USMC DAWG
October 28th, 2012
3:34 pm
“Lee came in with a few minutes left in the 3. He only played in three series. TW IS GARBAGE!”–GT1990
I think Paul Johnson is a better judge of talent and who to start than GT1990 or the “PLAYERS”.
Vad has really done nothing. Video game players just like his name. That’s it.
Clyde
October 28th, 2012
3:40 pm
USMC Dawg, who do you think is going to be the starting quarterback next year, Tevin Washington? You are aware he’s a senior aren’t you?
GT1990
October 28th, 2012
3:42 pm
@CLYDE
Im not going to write back to this clowm. He doesnt’t see the problem like i do.
GT1990
October 28th, 2012
3:45 pm
The season is pretty much over! One question for all you GT FANS. Who wants to see Vad or TW??
Tech Fan For Life
October 28th, 2012
3:48 pm
Thanks Old Gold. Finally someone with critical thinking skills.
For those of you who say my boycott of Tech until Johnson is gone is going to hurt the team etc.
Let me see if I can simplify it for you since we don’t have many critical thinkers like Old Gold.
1. I keep buying season tickets- which I had for 20+ years until this year, keep sending money to
the Tech athletic dept, and buying merchandise – then the higher
ups will keep Johnson and that will DESTROY our football program.
2. I give up season tickets- giving etc. If enough of us to do it then higher ups will be forced to do
make a change i.e. Fire Johnson. If we hire an innovative
coach (Yes there are several I can list them for you doubters)
then we can SAVE our program.
So here is the simple explanation (Continued Support= Johnson Stays= Destroyed Program)
(Stop Support = Johnson Fired= Program Maybe Saved)
GT1990
October 28th, 2012
3:51 pm
Enter your comments here
Clyde
October 28th, 2012
3:52 pm
I’m not trying to be snide with anyone, the offensive energy level visibly ramped up with the players yesterday when Lee came in. The BYU linebacker had two personal fouls called on him in that drive, one late hit on Lee and another call for when he almost yanked his helmet off. He was pumped and I think the other players see the difference in the speed and ability of Lee. He learns to learn the offense and that requires playing time. He may not be the answer but the players on offense may have seen what could be and what is and aren’t really that interested in TW trying to figure out what to do with the ball anymore. Lee will get the WRs and RBs the ball and they want the ball. That’s why they play, not to block for TW.
Cougar Fan
October 28th, 2012
3:53 pm
I think you tag this loss to your Coach. If he would have done his homework he would have known BYU has one of the best run defenses in the country.. BYU got manhandled by Oregon State in the 4th quarter because the secondary gave up too many long plays.
Your coach should have had your qb pass 8 out of 10 downs..
Pass pass pass to setup your great run attack.
USMC DAWG
October 28th, 2012
3:58 pm
“USMC Dawg, who do you think is going to be the starting quarterback next year, Tevin Washington? You are aware he’s a senior aren’t you?”–Clyde
That’s NOT how College Football is played. College football coaches play to win EVERY game. They don’t throw the remainder of the season, so some fair weather fans can see an UN-proven player take the reins.
The starting QB for Tech next year is the player who WINS the job during the OFF season. That’s who. Vad Lee might have a flashy name, but Paul Johnson has said on NUMEROUS occassions that Vad Lee has not proven himself in practice. Plus, every time vad Lee has come in to play, he misses obvious “reads” that Tevin is better at making.
USMC DAWG
October 28th, 2012
4:02 pm
“Pass pass pass to setup your great run attack. Pass 8 out if 10 times…”–Cougar
You obviously have never watched Georgia Tech Football.
Clyde
October 28th, 2012
4:08 pm
I saw with my own eyes TW miss a wide open receiver running across the middle yesterday, wide open. His vision is just a tad slow for quick decision making and his arm isn’t strong enough when he does suddenly change his mind and throw to someone else. There are just different caliber quarterbacks with different strengths, he’s just not ’strong’.
Now that decision comes home to roost
October 28th, 2012
4:21 pm
Stephon Tuitt SHUNNED GT for Notre Dame two years ago. Tech fans were stunned with his decision.
Now, GT fans know he was right in that decision. Them chickens for GT’s lousy recruiting are coming home to roost.
GT will be awful for two or three more years and I am guffawing.
How bout them N Avenue Dogs!! LOL!!!
justsaying
October 28th, 2012
4:23 pm
Hedgewhacker? The only thing you whack is your meat. F*ck you and your loser Yech butt buddies. Eat sh*t and Die!
justsaying
October 28th, 2012
4:26 pm
5150 knows his PMS. His mama never lets him have any nookie when she’s on the rag.
GT could win w/ the right scheme and staff
October 28th, 2012
4:30 pm
GT needs a coach with a wide open plan of attack. he would get QBs that can run and pass the ball. He would sign r backs, tight ends and o Lin en that CAN COMPETE in the hapless ACC on a man to man basis with most of the lousy ACC teams. He is in Georgia and next door to state of Florida and within three years could re build GT into decent but COMPETITIVE ACC team.
This said by a UGA alumnus. After all, UGA DOES want this supposed rivalry to be worthy of the traditions of long ago. We own UT, Florida and Will own Auburn and you guys, so that is not so bad to UGA grads. SC will be ancient history when Steve retires. So, the GT / UGA game needs to amp up !!
Tech Hater
October 28th, 2012
5:04 pm
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!
Reformed Toady
October 28th, 2012
5:07 pm
“justsaying” WOW!
Stay classy!
TechRon
October 28th, 2012
5:14 pm
PJ needs to pack his stuff and get out of town. If he doesn’t have a QB that can get it done, it is his own fault. I would say the same for the AD, who has presided over a trainwreck in football and basketball. We are on our way to the Southern Conference at this rate, and I am not sure we can win there. A storied program, down in flames. Is anyone actually in charge down there?
George Stein
October 28th, 2012
5:30 pm
This was as comprehensive a failure as I can recall. Our offense did nothing, the defense offered no resistance, and the special teams wrapped it all up in a nice bow.
I guess there’s nothing really more to add, except to say that every time someone says we’re irrelevant, I just look at the volume of comments by UGA fans and have confirmation that we are still very, very relevant.
1 4 GT
October 28th, 2012
5:42 pm
George S….I wonder of the Georgie trolls are secretly fearing a GT resurgence (improvement for you Athenians [those who reside {live} in Athens]) in football & the retribution (payback mutts) that will ensue (follow for the dwags) for them? They don’t seem very secure in their abilities to me.
1 4 GT
October 28th, 2012
5:45 pm
justsaying….a prime, 1st rate prototypical example of the true Georgie leg humping mutt fan. Class just runs off him like water off a duck’s back.
Jacket time
October 28th, 2012
5:48 pm
Ok pple don’t want to see vad play because of his name. It is b/c he is our only espnU 150 recruit in the last 6 yrs.
dry dirt road
October 28th, 2012
6:05 pm
This past Summer I was on here and said Tech needed a shovel pass. BYU used one against Tech twice for good gains. Georgia loves to use them. Tech runs to the side too much instead of downfield via shovel passes and shotguns/pistols/wildcats. The to is a side to side revolving door that will never cross the goal lines, only the sidelines where there’s a bench to warm and no pt to be had. The qbs have no time to find receivers in the to. Even when Tech ran the pistol this year, playing better teams neutralized any blocking behind the los for the qb by their overpowering any blocking backs. Tech just isn’t all that athletic this year apparently. Their record reflects that. BYU has appeal for the colder temps, scenic mountain campus and history of bigamy. If you want to go to a college and find a coed to marry and snuggle up by the real log fire then you might choose applying to BYU, or Boise. You if you’re at Tech might even want to transfer to BYU. If you can’t beat them, join them. Granted, it’s rather hot in Atlanta in the warm months, much hotter than when I was at Tech from ‘69-73. Fridgen said he did not want the Tech job, so count him out. O’leary did not want it. Ross did not want it. It is to hot in Atlanta in the Summer now. The popular schools are by the cold Pacific, such as Oregon, and the Mountain West where BYU and Boise are. People have had it with the heat. Remember last July? No coach wants to live in Atl in the Summer now. You only live once.
dry dirt road
October 28th, 2012
6:08 pm
This AJC sofare s leaing gps in keyboard stroes tonight- see.
Clyde
October 28th, 2012
6:24 pm
The AJC is doing what, dry dirt road?
justsaying
October 28th, 2012
6:24 pm
If my erudite ramblings have offended thee, then too bad. F*uk you and may GT be swallowed into the pits of hell never to return!
justsaying
October 28th, 2012
6:26 pm
Sure it does. If you mean a yellow duck then that would certainly fit you guys. Yellow cowards all.