Johnson says it’s not time to panic
1. At his Tuesday news conference, coach Paul Johnson offered an analysis of the season that acknowledged that it’s missed the mark thus far but asserted that it’s not time to panic.
“Certainly, the year has not gone the way that we would have liked or envisioned to this point,” he said. “But sometimes, it happens.”
Johnson noted that Tech has led in the fourth quarter of all five of its ACC games, three of which it lost, Virginia Tech, Miami and Clemson.
“It’s not like we’ve rolled out there and gotten steamrolled by people,” he said. (Middle Tennessee State explanation is down below) “We just haven’t finished and haven’t won the game.”
He pointed out that “you can make a really good case that we had a great chance” to beat both Virginia Tech and Miami. Tech led both games going into the final minute but lost both in overtime.
“If you win those two games, you’re probably looking at a whole different scenario,” he said. “But if if’s and but’s were candy and nuts … We didn’t get it done. And sometimes that happens. I don’t think you panic and throw the baby out with the bathwater all because you didn’t (finish).”
I believe there’s some validity to what he’s saying. If Tech had won both of those games, and it’s hard to argue that they weren’t entirely winnable, the Jackets would be 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the ACC and in control of their fate in the Coastal Division. You could also make the case that Tech wouldn’t have lost to Middle Tennessee State if it hadn’t absorbed such a devastating loss to Miami seven days prior.
That loss, Johnson made no excuse for, saying “we no-showed, bottom line.” For the sake of argument, let’s give the Jackets that game. That makes Tech 6-2 and conceivably ranked.
On the other hand, it doesn’t explain the defensive lapses, and perhaps BYU would still have drummed Tech by 24 points at home. Johnson noted that BYU is “pretty dang good,” could finish 8-4 and that three losses will be to No. 3 Notre Dame (by three points on the road), No. 11 Oregon State (a game that was tied going into the fourth quarter) and No. 19 Boise State (7-6 on the road).
You could make the case that maybe Tech would have played with more confidence or spirit if it had been 6-1 going into that game, but then you could also say that BYU would have been all the more fired up to play a ranked team on the road and that maybe the defense might have made more mistakes had Al Groh still been the coordinator. (Johnson said defensive mental errors were “probably half of what we would normally have.” The problem Saturday, on top of getting stuck with disadvantageous field position, was a lot of missed tackles.)
Losing by 24 points at home and not scoring an offensive touchdown is hard to argue around. Even if all the if’s and but’s were true and BYU had been 7-1 and in the top 10, a 24-point home loss to anyone is something of a statement.
This all makes me think of a few things. One, you can play this game the other way, too. Johnson’s signature win, the 2008 defeat of Georgia, could well have gone the Bulldogs’ way with one play. But for a few plays in 2009, Tech could have lost to Clemson (three-point margin of victory), Florida State (five points), and Wake Forest (three points, overtime) and Clemson again in the ACC title game (five points), although none of those teams had those games in the bag like Tech seemingly did the Virginia Tech and Miami games.
That said, I don’t think that Johnson’s point is that Tech should have a better record – as he acknowledged that “we didn’t get it done,” – but rather that the team isn’t the jalopy that some (most?) think.
“It’d be a lot more concerning if we were trotting our butt out and getting beat 56-3 or 41-7 and you were never in the game and you never had a chance,” Johnson said, coming narrowly close to reciting the score of the BYU game. “Then you might be looking at wanting to make some changes in what you were doing and the way you were approaching and all that. In my mind, anyway. We’re not that far away.”
Two, something I’ve heard Johnson say a number of times is “That’s why you play the games.” I’m not sure anyone saw this coming, and I don’t know that, if you rewind the season to Sept. 3, it would turn out again the way it has. Maybe it would.
Three, it’s hard to not feel like something is missing. I asked Johnson what the team’s personality was, and after saying that he thought the team has “probably got some different personalities,” noted that the team is young. There’s 12 seniors on the roster, six of whom start.
“So at times we have a hard time staying focused,” he said. “The maturity level is probably not what you would like all the time.”
He went on further to say that problems with focus can happen game to game or even series to series, noting how off the team was in the second half of the Boston College game.
“Momentum is a big deal, especially with a young team,” he said. “It’s a big deal and when things don’t go well early, they can get down really quick.”
I imagine that strikes some as an excuse. Maryland is even younger than Tech, although it starts more seniors, and has had to deal with four quarterbacks going down with season-ending injuries.
“I think our team has handled all the situations pretty well,” Maryland coach Randy Edsall said.
He noted that the Terrapins haven’t finished the last two games as well as he would want – perhaps being down to the fourth-string quarterback was a factor – and added that players are giving great effort.
On the other hand, N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien said that with teams with few seniors, “there isn’t that sense of urgency” because underclassmen know they have seasons left to play. At this point of the year, he said, when seniors realize there’s only four games left in their career, “it picks up the whole football team.”
It’s hard to not think something is missing with this team. It’s possible, maybe even likely, the paucity of seniors is a factor. A shortage of playmakers is another. Obviously, the pass rush hasn’t measured up, nor has the offensive line. While it’s contributed plays, special teams has been leaky. The secondary hasn’t lived up to its billing.
In looking at a quote from the 2009 Wake Forest game story, a quote from Johnson stuck out.
“We found a way to win in the end,” he said.
There’s a lot to point a finger at. However, they might still all be warts even if the team were 5-3 or 6-2, but, right or wrong, we probably wouldn’t be dwelling on them so heavily. As Johnson often says, but remarkably didn’t say Tuesday, things are rarely as good or as bad as they seem.
I’m not sure how much I agree or disagree. But I don’t think Johnson is entirely off base.
2. And, also, Johnson said “we’re committed to playing Vad (Lee). A lot of it’s going to depend on practice, and I talked to both of them yesterday (Monday) and they understand the situation. They both have got to get ready to play and as the week goes on, we’ll figure out how we’re going to do it.”
That’s all you were really interested in, right?
In case you missed it…
Notes: B-backs struggling to produce
Notes: Johnson mum on starting quarterback
Thanks for reading.
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233 comments Add your comment
jacket time
October 31st, 2012
2:12 pm
“That’s all you were really interested in, right?”
Yes
Reggie's Balls
October 31st, 2012
2:14 pm
Booze Hound-
Great posts….. It really doesn’t get any clearer than that. We have to do something different.
Always a Jacket
October 31st, 2012
2:15 pm
Ken
Great article. I feel for you. Having to cover a losing program with a tempermental coach. You cannot be too critical, or he won’t talk to you. bottom line is wins and loses and PJ ain’t gettin it done.
Tech4Life
October 31st, 2012
2:16 pm
Booze Hound: All these facts have already been supplied. Tell me what exactly has UGA done in Richt’s 11 years. Two SEC Championships in 2002 and 2005 and then what? Two BCS bowl wins if you’re going to actually include Hawaii. You have a top 10-15 recruiting class every year and what do you actually have to show for it? Nothing.
Reggie's Balls
October 31st, 2012
2:22 pm
Tech 4 Life-
I’m as big of a Tech fan as anyone but don’t deflect. BoozeHounds stats are pretty telling. I personally don’t care what UGA has done, I care about what we have done…..
5150 UOAD
October 31st, 2012
2:22 pm
Panic is a sign of a defeatists attitude.
I’m not in a panic but i’m not happy.
ABAC-North Doggies
October 31st, 2012
2:22 pm
The timimg is perfect. Hire Tom Osbourne as AD. He and PJ can together rebuild those monster husker teams…
Booze Hound
October 31st, 2012
2:24 pm
Tech4Life,
I’m not a Georgia fan so I’m not sure why you’re bringing Mark Richt into this. But I can tell you one thing Richt has accomplished – beating his arch-rival ten out of eleven times (including its current coach three out of four). Richt was and is smart enough to realize that the administration at UGA won’t tolerate consistently losing to GT (see Donnan).
Georgia Tech, on the other hand, seems content with its coaches losing to Georgia (see Gailey and Johnson).
Reality
October 31st, 2012
2:28 pm
IT’S TIME TO PANIC
EVERYONE SCREAM AND RUN AROUND IN A CIRCLE
BUT NO MORE FALLING (Jumping) OFF THE BLEACHERS
Birmingham Jacket
October 31st, 2012
2:28 pm
Of course he’s not panicing.
He’s making over $2mil / yr. with a huge buyout.
Tech4Life
October 31st, 2012
2:28 pm
Reggie-
Honestly though, what have we done? The majority of Tech fans do not see Johnson’s first two seasons as legitimate because he used “Chan’s recruits” which for some reason automatically makes the season unvalid. We had the NC in 1990 and a few good seasons under O’Leary, and then what else? Bad-average seasons with the occasional good season in the mix for decades. What makes the last three years any different than the other ones? Johnson beat UGA, won the ACC, got us in the top 10 and on the national stage, so it’s expected every single year.
OkieDawg
October 31st, 2012
2:32 pm
I’m now convinced that GT should be 6-2 not 3-5. Please correct the official results to reflect such.
And while you are revising, make UGA 8-0. If we only count the last 1:55 on the clock, Georgia would have won the South Carolina game.
kingster
October 31st, 2012
2:34 pm
Ken, I’m a hard pressed TECH fan, but CPJ is reaching for a life raft, every team has there up’s and downs, every team has injuries, every team has young players, he is a coach and he has been a coach a very long time and knows these things. What I can not understand is why doesn’t face up to the fact that he may have to change some things both offensively and defensely, some time pride makes the truth hard to deal with. Bottom line is playing close and we put in a great effort means nothing, the bottom line is wins and loses, Paul Johnson needs to admit that, to me he is not a very good coach to state the overtime games they lost the team was leading in the 4th quarter. What makes me think rock bottom is not to far, playing a team at home and not score one offensive touchdown (stats mean nothing without wins/3rd in the nation rushing) again Chan Gailey’s boys are gone and the difference can be seen.Most of my friends are Bulldogs fan, I don’t care for the bullpups, but at least they have character and thats more than what I can say about this coach and team………that hurts me to say this!!!
Hate GT
October 31st, 2012
2:38 pm
Let’s face it guys
You are horrible and will never win with the coaching staff in place.
Cannot wait to play GT in Athens this year!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Booze Hound
October 31st, 2012
2:40 pm
People like to trot-out the class rankings to “prove” that Johnson’s recruiting is as good as Gailey’s was. Yet, Johnson himself doesn’t seem to think ratings are all that important. Furthermore, here’s a list (possibly incomplete) of the Gailey-recruited talent that Johnson inherited in 2008, all of whom went to the NFL:
Offense: Josh Nesbitt, Jonathan Dwyer, Cord Howard, and Demaryius Thomas (Tashard Choice would have also been on the list if he hadn’t left after his junior season)
Defense: Darryl Richard, Michael Johnson, Vance Walker, Derrick Morgan (the ENTIRE defensive line), and Morgan Burnett
Look at GT now. And people still claim that Johnson recruited as well as Gailey?
www
October 31st, 2012
2:47 pm
lots of loser internet trolls out today.
oh hi bruisedhound/okradwag/lovegt/birminghamdwag/reggieballer, glad you could make it.
not much else going on in your life today, i see.
or ever, apparently.
thanks for thestrong interest in georgia tech’s football team and CPJ!
Booze Hound
October 31st, 2012
2:52 pm
Tech4Life,
Noone thinks that Johnson’s winning with Gailey’s recruits made his first two seasons illegitimate (though the 2009 season was tainted by the vacated title and loss to a putrid Georgia team). If anything, it showed that Johnson was a better coach than Gailey. Unfortunately, it also served to illuminate a talent drop-off that Johnson’s apparently struggling to remedy.
Quite frankly, 2009 was a long time ago. Johnson’s 4-11 since the second-half of the 2011 season. The Jackets got pummeled by Middle Tennessee State. They just got shut-down by a 4-loss BYU team. The only wins this year are against Presbyterian, Virginia, and Boston College. Something’s gone seriously wrong at GT.
mark twain
October 31st, 2012
2:53 pm
i see no problems with p.j. i believe he is the best coach in america besides joe pa. let him stay at gt forever, then we will always have at least one acc win a year. thanks dawgs.
trueblueeagle
October 31st, 2012
2:53 pm
I watched Navy use the no huddle against ECU and wonder if CPJ would try it. The defense needs to play lights out. Other than BYU the offense has not been the problem getting the team to act like care about winning or losing.
Bobo.
October 31st, 2012
2:54 pm
So when WOULD be a good time to panic? Should we wait until we are back to where we were during the Bill Lewis era? That took nearly 5 years to turn around.
GJ
October 31st, 2012
3:04 pm
Lots of assumptions there…but “assuming” you are correct, the fact the team let those games slip away and didn’t show up for MTSU falls strictly on coaching. Period.
old dog
October 31st, 2012
3:12 pm
I wish ya’ll the best, and I am one of the few Dawgs that does. But, you can keep fooling yourselves if you want to……….if it is not time to panic now, I wonder when it is? Your talent level has fallen (plummeted) and your fan support (if I may call it that) is not the best right now.
old dog
October 31st, 2012
3:24 pm
p.s.,
CPJ is right….it is not time to panic (that is, unless you really care about your ball team; then it is “sho-nuff” time to panic!)
JB
October 31st, 2012
3:24 pm
Interesting reading all this from Paul…..and then thinking back to his comments after beating UGA once by three points. Not the no spin zone for sure.
GT_Swing
October 31st, 2012
3:28 pm
Good article Ken. No need to panic just yet…especially if we pull one out 11.24.12.
JB
October 31st, 2012
3:29 pm
With a New AD on the way, Johnson has two years to prove himself that HIS way will and is working. The new Ad will not pull the trigger……and if they a no nads guy that Johnson can bully, Johnson will be there forever.
TechApp fan
October 31st, 2012
3:29 pm
one of the few team goals still attainable is the bowl streak. Panic time for sure would be needing a W over the dogs to keep the streak alive. Johnson might just sweat like Gary W (MD basketball coach) did years ago.
Sat is not panic/sweat time.
Wondering
October 31st, 2012
3:34 pm
Well, gee, as long as everything is ok, coach, and we almost won those games, and we’re not getting blown out — except for here and there — and we’ll be fine. I feel so reassured. And besides, if we can just beat GA…..
Actually, I feel like I just read a lot of baloney from a coach who doesn’t know exactly why he’s getting beat so badly and wants to keep his job anyway. I don’t wish him well.
wrecked again
October 31st, 2012
3:34 pm
Just wait till PJ gets his recruits that fit his system….. what a flipping joke.
Bottom Feeders
October 31st, 2012
3:36 pm
Sorry folks,
We’ve traded places with Dook.
Isn’t it funny that it will probably be Dook that knocks us out of a bowl game this year.
GT TN
October 31st, 2012
3:42 pm
Booze Hound..please answer the question of who to hire besides firing the coach..I posted this earlier
Rick Nueheisel was the big name last time job was open..his record since 2008 was 21-29 (13-23 in conf) and he was at UCLA..CPJ is 37-24 (23-14 in conf)..glad we didn’t hire RN like everyone wanted..
Tenuta was interviewed..he still doesnt have a HC job..that must sy he isn’t HC material
Joker Phillips was interviewed..do I need to tell you how bad he has been at UK
Bowden was interviewed and 5 years later he is at Akron..no high profile job
Chris Hatcher was interviewed and fired from GA Southern the next year
Randy Esnell was interviewed..he was 74-70 at UConn and is 6-14 at Maryland in 2 years
Charlie Strong was the only person interviewed that has done anything since CPJ took over..he is having a great year this year but was 14-12 before this year as a HC
So..who are you going to hire to be the GT HC after you fire CPJ..here is a list of school that will most likely be looking for a HC
Reggie's Balls
October 31st, 2012
3:44 pm
WWW-
You are an idiot……. My father, uncle and brother-in-law all played football for GT. My grandfather played basketball and baseball at GT, I am a GT graduate and have been a fan since I wore gold diapers so you need to get a life. I am a bigger GT fan than most. You can call me a troll or whatever you want but what I am is a realist……GT SUCKS!!!!! in Football and basketball and its a shame.
Muttley
October 31st, 2012
3:44 pm
Glad to hear that in an alternate universe of candy and nuts, tech could be “conceivably ranked”.
old dog
October 31st, 2012
3:48 pm
@GT_Swing,
Yep, we could fall by the wayside on the 24th. Thats because we will probably be looking forward to the SEC Championship game, since the Tech game has lost all of its relevance. Might lose by holding folks out so they don’t get hurt in the REAL GAME! Please get a new coach, a new system, and renew the rivalry. You have many UGA folks feeling sorry for you; even some of us don’t kick folks when they are down! However, being down is not as bad as not getting back up……………….all the old traditon of the Tech game seems to be gone!
PLAYMAKER
October 31st, 2012
3:49 pm
See this is the problem, CPJ doesn’t understand he is not getting it done! The TO is a public relations nightmare, the Staff is D-2 and were it not for the who GT plays the average attendance would be 30,000. He is not building a new fan base. The guy just refuses to believe he is failing. Give me a break “if” how many losing college or Pro Coaches can hide behind that? If I would have just gotten a break I’d be a Millionare. But the gold colored glasses crowd will eat all this BS that CPJ is blowing them. “I don’t care anything about Stars, I evaluate kids different.” Really?You finish 8th in recruiting in a very weak ACC, though you sit in a State full of talent, then you hide behind the excuse,”they have better athletes then us.” You are the Coach, you have to get the Staff, you have to change recruiting, you have to motivate the team, you have to make adjustments to help the perception of the program like just pass the ball a little more. It hurts to be a fan because you are a good Coach but your arrogance and lack of humility holds you back! It is plain to me, you’ll get 10 million one way or the other, so you are going to stay your vain self and GT football will suffer! Thankfully you’ll play a Maryland team that just loss to pitiful Boston Colleg, you’ll probably beat Duke and North Carolina because the ACC is so weak and the Gold Colored glasses crowd will hail you as the KING again. REALLY??????
Reggie's Balls
October 31st, 2012
3:58 pm
Old Dog-
Why would you be looking forward to the SEC championship. Do you like losing by 40 to Alabama. That will be a joke of a game and you will be in the Outback bowl game once again. UGA fans live in a fairyland………Your program is not relevant Nationally……..
Robert
October 31st, 2012
4:01 pm
Boozwe hound, I never listen to drunks..
GTBEE
October 31st, 2012
4:01 pm
Hey Paul….the wheels are off and the axles are broken…..uhhhh, I think now is as good a time as any to start the panic express!!
If we had a new coach right now, it would take us at least 3-4 years to get real college level athletes back on our roster. We would need an offensive line that can actually pass block, receivers who can actually run real pass routes and a 300lb center who can actually block a 330lb nose tackle.
A defense that can defend college level passing attacks, linemen who average 295lbs, linebackers who can defend the pass and the run, DB’s who can play man coverage and match up to 230lb wide receivers.
Uh….HELLO…..anyone looking for a nice rebuilding job??
3 to 4 years just to compete in the ACC again!
Booze Hound
October 31st, 2012
4:05 pm
GT TN,
I suggested hiring George O’Leary back. Friedgen wouldn’t be bad, either though he was up-and-down at Maryland.
I’d hate for Georgia Southern to lose him, but logically I suppose that Tech might consider hiring Jeff Monken. The Eagles run a somewhat similar offensive system to the Jackets but do a generally better job of it. Monken could probably fit the sytem and personnel in place and improve on it. I’m not convinced that Johnson’s offensive scheme, per se, is the problem.
Reggie's Balls
October 31st, 2012
4:08 pm
Booze Hound-
You are correct…. The offense is not the problem. Its the defense!!!!!! and unfortunately you have to play both in college football. He’s gotta go.
Brian
October 31st, 2012
4:09 pm
wooo wooo…would of could of should of blah blah blah…..hehehehe….well lets see, if we played this game on Sun and the other team thought it was Sat we would have won and then next Sat we could have scored right before the half and then not let them score in the 4th qtr and we would have won. plus if we would have thrown a pass that scored a TD in overtime we could have probably won the ACC coastal…….bottom line TOTAL BS FROM THE COACH….
old dog
October 31st, 2012
4:17 pm
Reggie’s Balls,
You may be right, but at least we are playing well enough to get there……by the way, I understand the State Patrol is still trying to chase down Benny Cunningham….
If I were in the ACC and still a non-factor, I would be trying to get a fresh start. In spite of what is happening now, ya’ll can do better. Being at the bottom of the ACC in football does not give one much to gloat about. We may or may not get waxed by ‘Bama, and some of our folks may even have an inflated opinion of UGA. However, ya’ll are so far behind any conversation that we enter into that you need to wake up. Your football team right now blows one as long as a railroad track, and it is time to wipe the slate clean!
The Ugly Truth
October 31st, 2012
4:18 pm
Johnson says it’s not time to panic –
Nope, after the Titanic sinks it doesn’t do any good to panic, does it?
Booze Hound
October 31st, 2012
4:20 pm
RB,
I was referring more to the scheme than the actual execution. If you look at the offense’s performance, it’s up-and-down. Last week it was putrid. Johnson seems to pile-up yards against crappy OOC opponents and the debris of the ACC, but against better opponents (particularly ones who have more time to prepare) it’s a different story. 3 points against LSU in 2008, 14 points against Iowa in 2010, 7 points against Air Force in 2010, etc.
As for Georgia Southern, they run triple-option, reverse wishbone, pistol, throw it around the field, etc. Admittedly, they’ve had some QB and fumble issues this year, but I’ve liked the look of their offense more than Tech’s.
JFKDawg
October 31st, 2012
4:23 pm
Reminds me of Kevin Bacon in Animal House. “Remain calm, all is well” before he gets flattened.
Nativebird
October 31st, 2012
4:23 pm
Holy crap I can’t believe this excuse making. The final resting place of The Loser. This is sad. And the deference that the press and all GT suporterS everywhere is affording this guy is truly head scratching. tHIS idiot coach is a loser and needs to be fired immediately.
The Ugly Truth
October 31st, 2012
4:23 pm
Gene Chizik might be available soon and Auburn would throw in a duffle bag of footballs if you take him before the season ends.
Then, when?
October 31st, 2012
4:25 pm
It may not be time to panic but it sure is past time to “suck it up and get on with performing”!
GTBEE
October 31st, 2012
4:27 pm
Hire one of the offensive assistants away from Oregon!
We could become the Oregon of the south and I will promise you that fans will pack the stands to see a fast, high powered offense like that.
George Godsey would be a good pick as well. He has been groomed well coaching with the Patriots staff.
If the Cardinals fire Ken Whisenhunt, he would be a no brainer for our next coach.
We need a Tech man to run this team, somebody who already understands & enjoys hating the red and black step-child in Athens!!!
The Ugly Truth
October 31st, 2012
4:27 pm
Loved Birmingham Jacket’s comment:
Of course he’s not panicing. He’s making over $2mil / yr. with a huge buyout.
With that perspective, I can understand why everyone on North Avenue other than Paul Johnson is panicing and Paul is as comfortable as an old pair of house shoes.