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
PJ's right
October 31st, 2012
4:27 pm
The time to panic was about a year ago
Reggie's Balls
October 31st, 2012
4:31 pm
Old Dog-
I think most of the GT folks on this blog are awake…. I’m not proud of this program at all. It’s GT administration that needs to wake up. We will never be a National power but we can do a whole lot better than this garbage in football or basketball. Its a joke. I cancelled my basketball season tickets when thy made the garbage hire of Gregory and I will not go to another football game until we have a new coach. I’m not an idiot and will not part with my money for the garbage they we are being asked to put up with…..
The Ugly Truth
October 31st, 2012
4:31 pm
GTBEE – just a reminder that the last two Tech guys you hired didn’t turn out so well.
You ran off Pepper Rogers after he got a perm (honest).
Bill Curry dropped Tech like a hot potato when he got an offer from an SEC school.
The Oregon of the South? Ask your Tech elders how it worked out when Bobby Dodd tried to make Tech the Notre Dame of the South. Tech still hasn’t recovered from that one and it was in 1966.
old dog
October 31st, 2012
4:32 pm
A tradition that once was proud,
Is now covered in a shroud.
Folks make an excuse
Like an orange makes juice,
But now Grant field ain’t too loud.
Come on Teckies….make the state of Georgia proud again! Get a fresh start! I keep seeing all the lists of coaches that ddid not work out for folks. There are more out there: Kirby Smart or some other young-gun with battle-field training is ready! While ya’ll banter back and forth, you ain’t gettin’ no better…………
Reebok
October 31st, 2012
4:37 pm
No, the time to panic was when we got trampled on our home field by Middle Tennessee State by 3 touchdowns. The program is in total disarray, and I think the team has given up on Coach Johnson. We are in for several bleak seasons until Johnson’s gone and we get a coach who can RECRUIT playmakers to the Flats.
GTBEE
October 31st, 2012
4:37 pm
Actually back in the 1950’s and early 60’s, we kicked Notre Dame’s butt every year. I don’t think anybody tried to be the Notre Dame of the south!! Ahhh the good ole days of throwing fish on the field and just not giving a damn what Notr Dame thought because we owned them and just about everybody else!!
The Ugly Truth
October 31st, 2012
4:38 pm
Kirby Smart is too good for Tech and he can do better.
He’s just waiting for the right opportunity and Tech isn’t it.
Auburn or Tennessee or Arkansas or Missouri might be.
CPJ
October 31st, 2012
4:40 pm
I’m telling you, we’re fine. No need to panic. Geez!
no fan
October 31st, 2012
4:44 pm
Headly
Love the ifs and buts scenario. Unfortunately, games are won and lost for a reason. GT football has sunk to new lows not seen since the lewis era. There’s no reason to be optimistic and there’s def a trend in place. Second year with his players and the team is this bad is no coincidence. Heck, this is when things should be looking their best if you listened to coach arrogant. I won’t be shocked if dook beats gt.
The Ugly Truth
October 31st, 2012
4:44 pm
Ah, Iove it when Tech people live their lives in the 1950’s.
Sixty years ago is a long time my friend, and Tech is no longer in the SEC.
The Crackers are gone and Sanfor Stadium sells out at 93,000 plus.
The Falcons are undefeated and play a mile away in the dome..
Tech’s not the only game in town anymore and has pretty much been left behind. Its kind of appropriate that Tech should be running such an outdated offense that other schools have figured out.
Tech is the Winged T of the college football world now.
old dog
October 31st, 2012
4:45 pm
at RB,
Good man……….I truly want ya’ll to do better; it is good for everybody (believe it or not, us, too!) I reckon’ I just cannot fathom why anyone would think this ship is going to right itself under the present circumstances. I NEVER saw a team quit like Tech did against MTS, and that was when I realized that it was time for Tech to start over. Anybody who thinks this same staff is going to get much better needs to wake up, learn football, or both. When the rivalry is heated, it is better for all. As it stands now, ya’ll actually could sneak up on us. It is now difficult to get fired up for a game that has now been rendered meaningless. Start over guys…you owe it to yourselves.
Reggie's Balls
October 31st, 2012
4:47 pm
We need some dude that will violate a bunch of NCAA rules, pay players etc….thats the only way we turn around within the next ten years…..
Tech Troll 13
October 31st, 2012
4:49 pm
@ Booze Hound
Pass attempts Completions %
Ga. Southern 45 21 .467
Ga. Tech 115 65 .565
Georgia Southern really throws the ball around.
old dog
October 31st, 2012
4:50 pm
RB,
You are wrong…plenty of good coaches out there………..get one!
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2012
4:51 pm
@GTfan 1:18p.m. – I think Gary Andersen is a lifer at Utah State at this point in his career, but I floated his OC’s name on the blog this week for the same position at Tech under Johnson. How about injecting some different stuff into the offense? They run the triple option out of multiple sets, the read option out of the shotgun, and motion guys going every which way. That guy (Matt Wells, another Aggie alumnus) is only in his 2nd year with the Aggies, but he’s been QB coach/passing game coordinator for Louisville and was WR coach/recruiting coordinator at another school.
Brian
October 31st, 2012
4:57 pm
Well my fellow Tech fans- it now appears after watching UGA last weekend in Jacksonville, they seem to be getting their act together…I just pray its not another beatdown…
Bob
October 31st, 2012
4:58 pm
CPJ sounds a lot like Kevin Bacon in Animal House during the Homecoming parade…and we all know ho that turned out.
www
October 31st, 2012
4:59 pm
@ reggie baller:
“You can call me a troll or whatever you want but what I am is a realist……GT SUCKS!!!!!”
ok, you’re a troll.
with no life, obviously. who knows nothing about football. glad to have the sidewalk fans still paying attention to georgia tech football!
uafuneman
October 31st, 2012
5:00 pm
excuses, excuses,excuses. On that 1st series if we would have made that block. On the next series if we wouldn’t have had that holding penalty. On the next series if we wouldn’t have dropped the ball. Guess what Mr. know it all, no teams are perfect and have to put up with the same things you complain about but their coach’s actually coach them up after these mistakes instead of yelling and screaming. Also if you do have a holding penalty that sets you back and now your 1st and 25, with this offense that’s a tall order to over come so I guess as long as your the coach we will have to play a perfect game every Saturday.Just my 2 cents.
Skeptic
October 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
The Ugly Truth
October 31st, 2012
4:38 pm
Kirby Smart is too good for Tech and he can do better.
He’s just waiting for the right opportunity and Tech isn’t it.
Auburn or Tennessee or Arkansas or Missouri might be.
———————————–
Why do you think MO is looking to change coaches? I don’t think Pinkel is on the hot seat. But, you could put KY in that list.
I don’t think Strong would be interested, either; I bet he goes back home to AR.
Petrino would be foolish to consider Tech; the AJC Sports staff would rip him to shreds daily.
Joe
October 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
As much as I hate to say it, it might be our saving grace if UGA puts a beatdown on us…..might be the only way to get rid of CPJ and the keystone cops his assistants.
Booze Hound
October 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
Tech Troll 13,
My bad, I thought it was closer to ten attempts per game this year (which would be throwing it around by Southern’s standards).
Buzz4Ever
October 31st, 2012
5:04 pm
would another 51-7 debacle to Ugag be the final nail in CPJ coffin?????????????
Freezekalo72
October 31st, 2012
5:06 pm
As a true TECH fan and will be for life, I agree with most of my Techies – CPJ has to go. I was with him in the beginning. I mean who wasn’t the frist two years with Dwyer, Burnett & Morgan. But times have changed.
The offense isn’t getting anywhere and getting any better. It’s not only the ACC who has it figured out but talented D-1 teams (i.e. – all opponents we have played in the Bowl games. 0-5).
I don’t know who we should get, but all I know is that GT cannot put up with this offense and stubbornness.
He also needs to care about our defense and special teams as much as he does his “perfect – wait and see with good recruits” offense.
We should go after Utah State’s coach, Chezick from Auburn (I think he would take it and could afford it since he isn’t doing much right now at AU, heck, even Middle Tenneessee State’s coach – SOMEBODY besides CPJ.
We just need a “REAL” D-1 offense, coupled with a head coach who cares for defense and specials teams too!
Freeze
GTBEE
October 31st, 2012
5:07 pm
Ugly Truth…you brought up the 1960’s dumb ass…not me.
gt4ever
October 31st, 2012
5:08 pm
Who panics with a 2M a year salary… Pathetic…
old dog
October 31st, 2012
5:08 pm
Smart ain’t going to Kentucky….he’d have a better chance of doing well at Tech than Kentucky. He is from Georgia, too. He may or may not come…..but some good coach will. Set your sites up, not down. The program has backed up because ya’ll have let it back up, not because of academics or anything else.
Reebok
October 31st, 2012
5:09 pm
Georgia is heading for their conference championship game (sure, they will probably lose, but they are at least playing for a title) and we will need to improve considerably to beat Duke. Hard to believe how far these 2 programs have diverged since the 2009 game at BDS. I hope Saint Richt is feeling charitable or the Dogs will hang 80 points on our ‘defense.’
Skeptic
October 31st, 2012
5:14 pm
NOOOO to Cheezit
Need someone with (state of) Texas or (state of) FL ties, recruiting-wise.
On My On
October 31st, 2012
5:19 pm
What other D1 school besides the Service Academies run the Wing-T, Triple Option, Flex-bone type of offense? No ONE. HELLO! It is not attractive to kids who think they have a chance at getting to the next level. These kids end up at UGA, FSU, ALA, Clemson, etc… Get rid of PJ, trash the offense, and in 6 years you might see some progress. I’m out of here.
Cold Hard Truth
October 31st, 2012
5:19 pm
You can say anything that you want to, rationalize all you want, whatever: The cold hard truth is that when you are playing to 20,000 empty seats at your home coming game and cannot sell your ticket allotment to the Georgia game (returning 1900 I believe) you are toast. The arrival of a new AD means that the Paul Johnson era has come to an end. My guess is that Radakovich jumped to Clemson because he feared that The Turk was coming for him too.
JC Vol
October 31st, 2012
5:20 pm
Update that resume, PJ. I have a feeling I know what the new AD’s first order of business is going to be.
Buzz4Ever
October 31st, 2012
5:25 pm
ReeBok……I agree….Please Saint Richt….have mercy on us………UGA 45 Tech: 9
AGTFan53
October 31st, 2012
5:26 pm
I panicked weeks ago.
Ignition
October 31st, 2012
5:28 pm
10 Million owed tells me CPJ will be GT’s head coach for at least 2 or 3 more years. Paul Hewitt isn’t even off the books yet so they’re is no way GT three ex head coaches. You can afford to be an arrogant pompous sob with that kind of job security.
OkieDawg
October 31st, 2012
5:38 pm
As Florida’s AD Jeremy Foley said “Anything that must be done eventually, must be done now.”
Will GT eventually get tired of running the Triple Option? Will GT eventually get tired of losing recruits because they don’t want to play in CPJ’s offense? Will GT eventually get tired of losing legacy atheletes like Naim Mustafaa to their in-state rival? Will GT eventually get tired of being ranked in the lowest tier of the BCS rankings (#92)?
To stay the course and expect things to change is the definition of insanity. But I’m just an outsider that does want GT to be competitive and do the State proud.
Empty Seats
October 31st, 2012
5:39 pm
“If” all you want. If a frog had wings it would not bump its rear every time it hopped.
He can ignore the trend of worse teams each season and no effectiveness at Defense.
This is also the guy that demeans the challenged and wants to hit someone or hang himself after losing games – his words not mine.
What does Paul think of the increasing number of empty seats?
If winning fills seats what does losing miserably do? BYU and MTS were blow outs.
Empty seats are more expensive than $10m at some point. There is a breakeven point.
A wealthy donor should sponsor a football team to play in BD Stadium.
This dude is done this year, to costly to keep him.
admiral
October 31st, 2012
5:42 pm
“If” this. “Almost” that.
Tech COULD be 5-3! Ya, well, they’re not. Not to mention that the teams they “could have” beatne (VaTech and Miami) both kind of suck this year…
CPJ is not a bad football coach, he just runs an outdated, hopeless system in the big boy world of college football. Even in his system, he won with another coaches players who are/were simply better athletes.
Fire him, get a pro coach and start getting talent that can actually compete.
...Take The Wheel
October 31st, 2012
5:43 pm
You people are impossible… Its no wonder DRad left. I’ll bet if PJ could leave he would too! This is the most fickle fan base I know!
Bunch of friggin cry babies. Yet you want to players and coaches and everyone else to be so tough and perfect!
Give me a break…
admiral
October 31st, 2012
5:44 pm
To clarify – I mean a “pro style” coach, not necessarily a “pro” (NFL) coach.
Atlanta truth
October 31st, 2012
5:44 pm
Too late. EVERYONE’S panicking. I just drove down North Avenue and there are Tech fans and students running through the streets panicking like crazy ! OMG Panic !
Atlanta truth
October 31st, 2012
5:46 pm
Idea ! Cover up seats like they do in the pros. Seal them over with —- wait for it —- bee’s wax !
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2012
5:52 pm
One of the first orders of business for the new AD is to make sure that the Club Level seats are always full. This means recruiting standbys to hang out in the bar and move out to the seats when ticket holders take their breaks in the bar. I volunteer for that duty.
dry dirt road
October 31st, 2012
5:53 pm
not on same page with PJ; conjure up recollection of shotgun clinic put on for PJ by NC State in Atl when Russell was qb, with los snaps only within the red zone for State, for Tech the entire field, which loses to shotguns
dry dirt road
October 31st, 2012
5:57 pm
shotguns rule state of Georgia, not triple option; to is revolving door at los that doesn’t let the person with the ball out
jojo
October 31st, 2012
6:13 pm
I am a Tech grad…bs and ms. I grew up in Atlanta and have been watching Tech football since the late 50’s. Last year, at the end of the Tech-Ga. game, the camera was panning both the Ga. and the Tech sidelines. The guys in Red looked older, stronger, faster, etc. and our guys looked like 17 year olds. I sat on the 40 yard line, 30 rows up at the Clemson game this year…….same exact scenario……Clemson has more size, strength and speed and unfortunately, playmakers. In the late 60’s when Bobby Dodd retired and Bud Carson came on board, the game was changing to better athletes in most colleges. To be able to recruit these athletes, academic requirements were reduced and majors were put in place for athletes who were not as talented in math, science, the arts, etc. Instead, there are now majors such as sports management, general studies, etc., etc. The game of college football has continued to evolve in this direction. Our staff at Tech is trying to recruit athletes who at least are capable of passing “cookbook” calculus and physics…..not just a handfulof players…….an entire team! Not to sound critical or make excuses, but how many of UGa’s, Alabama, LSU, etc., players are truely capable of surviving this type of academic atmosphere. I am not making excuses…..our situation is what it is. For GT to compete at the level we all want our teams to compete at…..and beat UGa a couple of times every 5 or so years….the Board of Regents and our Institution needs to install several majors that good athletes/average students can study at GT. I can’t imagine how difficult recruiting is for all of our athletic staff. It is time to realize the world has changed and make the appropriate adjustments (if we want top 10, top 20 ranked sports programs) or stop the griping and accept the situation for what it is.
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2012
6:15 pm
Judge Orders Kan. Newspaper To Reveal Name Of Commenter
Shawnee County District Judge Steven Ebberts last week denied a request by The Topeka Capital-Journal to quash a district attorney’s subpoena seeking the name, address and Internet Protocol address of a poster who goes by the pseudonym “BePrepared.”
johnny Pod
October 31st, 2012
6:16 pm
Wonder if Coach Gaily is available?
beezit
October 31st, 2012
6:21 pm
paucity….wow, what poetry…
Wow, jojo, did you think this up all by yourself?
October 31st, 2012
6:24 pm
…”but how many of UGa’s, Alabama, LSU, etc., players are truely capable of surviving this type of academic atmosphere. I am not making excuses…..our situation is what it is”…
Or, are you just new to this blog?