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
Rufus
October 31st, 2012
6:25 pm
Right. Panic time has come and gone. It happened when we got waxed by MTSU.
OkieDawg
October 31st, 2012
6:29 pm
@jojo…I’m an UGA grad and have been watching both UGA and GT for a very long time. The first UGA game for me had a QB with the first name, Fran. Your post is RIGHT ON! There are so many atheletes that are smart enough to go to GT but they do not want to be engineering or math majors. I do have a little fun on behalf of GT, Good Ole Fashioned Hate, but I do want GT to be competitive and win. I love the rivalry but as you stated, GT must realize the times have changed and the curriculum must be expanded. Or GT will remain status quo.
Tech Forever
October 31st, 2012
6:51 pm
The bigger point is completely being missed. Tech has lost ot some REALLY BAD football teams. Would have could have should have. Even if we are sitting at 6-2 we’re sitting there having BEATEN NO ONE AND STRUGGLED TO DO IT.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2012
6:51 pm
@ GTBee…..I think you should do a little research before you post. Tech played Notre Dame twice in the 50’s and split with them. We didn’t play them again until 1967, and we lost 4 in a row to them.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2012
6:53 pm
That post should have been directed to GTBEE, not GTBee, in case there are two of them
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2012
6:55 pm
In fact Tech’s all time record against Notre Dame is unfortunately 6-27-1
And Bobby Dodd DID say he wanted us to be the Notre Dame of the South when he pulled us out of the SEC.
Jacketnation Deflation
October 31st, 2012
6:58 pm
Tech could be 8 – 0 but we ain’t! We could have a strong defense, a great passing game, and excellent recruiting. But guess what? We don’t! We could have a head coach who changes his offense when it won’t work. But he doesn’t!
We could be 3 – 5. And because we have none of the above, we are.
Jacketnation Deflation
October 31st, 2012
7:02 pm
Maybe Tech could schedule Georgia State 12 times in the same season starting next year. Maybe Tech is a poor division II football school trying to play division I ball. We really stink and this ship will not right itself any time soon.
Paul
October 31st, 2012
7:23 pm
Just be patient. When I stated that my offense cannot be stopped I meant exactly that. Our team will win the rest of the games and be invited to a bowl. Our team will win that bowl game.
UGA = Yawn
October 31st, 2012
7:44 pm
He needs to speak up then and tell us who he IS going to beat the remainder of the season. Put your money where your big mouth is coach!
UGA = Yawn
October 31st, 2012
7:45 pm
Well said Rufus – I agree.
YellowJacket
October 31st, 2012
7:57 pm
Georgia Tech has as much of a chance against Georgia as Arkansas did against Alabama.
It’s boys against men.
Mr Smiley
October 31st, 2012
8:00 pm
At least GT has a national championship in past 22 years, something that our frienemies in Athens can’t say, and won’t for the foreseeable future. So before you mutts start spittin out “national relevance” arguments, go win one yourself.
Wild Will
October 31st, 2012
8:06 pm
Johnson is an offensive genius. But, his defense has always had holes. Finally putting together better defense coaching and recruiting will now be top priority. I assume he will have at least one season to make good progress before the new AD hires his own coach.
Von Trapp
October 31st, 2012
8:14 pm
Word to Von Johnson…………………Too late to panic……….Ask for das blindfold before das execution
Ve must laugh Von Johnson…………No vone can win at Tech ………..No vone. Not your fault. Too much book study for das players to do both.
Iron Maiden
October 31st, 2012
8:16 pm
All this crazy talk!
This is a symptom of a FB program that has no focus or direction.
For those doomsdayers, do you understand that the Tech FB has been there before?
I’m sure the same things were being said in the 80’s when the FB program
floundred. By a small miracle, the right leadership came along and in short time
a NC was achieved.This is why DRAD leaving provides a great opportunity. The question is, will the
leadership at Tech make a careful and intelligent decision concerning the future
leadership of program? I for one am holding my breath…
TechRon
October 31st, 2012
8:40 pm
Baloney. “Just didnt get it done” is just sugarcoating abject failure by HIM. He has presided over the biggest mess that I recall. The close games they lost are ones that they had in the bag and then blew by rotten defense. They got killed in a few games, too, one of them to MTSU. The offense is hopeless. He has recruited terribly. We have a run-centric offense with no passing game, so where is the great running back that should want to come play in this system? Someplace else. There isnt any Dwyer as there should be. There isnt any Roddy Jones, even. Abyssmal recruiting. PJ has no plan B. If what Tech normally runs is not working, he has nothing to try in it’s place (like the fiasco in the Orange Bowl a few years ago. The question is only when he will be fired, not if. You won’t see anyone lining up to hire him, either. No one will want to run that stupid offense.
Boy, would I love to see George Oleary back here.
TechRon
October 31st, 2012
8:46 pm
OkieDawg: Your comments are correct and appreciated. And MY first Tech game was vs. UGA in 59. I wonder if that one was your first UGA game also? Tarkenton, Pat Dye and Billy Payne were on that team. Tech did not have a great offense but did have quite a good defense led by Maxie Baughn. UGA 21- GT14. I remember it well. It was COLD!
CloudmanJacket
October 31st, 2012
9:03 pm
Panic??? No. There is no reason to panic when all hope is gone. Time for CPJ to be shown the door as I have been saying for 2 years.
Skeptic
October 31st, 2012
9:11 pm
Delbert D. at 6:15
That post didn’t go unnoticed. “BePrepared”. I didn’t read the story but I could probably tell you exactly what the dude posted. A prepper most likely that posted something that interested BATFE. Not at all sports related, but a very interesting thing to think about boys. Watch what you post, you no longer have control over it once you hit submit. It then lives forever.
Go Jackets
October 31st, 2012
9:31 pm
Sure, youre right….nothing to see here….just a chitty football team…..WTF!!!!!!!. Fire this carnie act coach yesterday!
OkieDawg
October 31st, 2012
9:50 pm
@TechRon…Bobby Walden and Pat? Case were also on that team. Good times for UGA and Teck…Larry Rakestraw, Kirby Moore and Mike Cavin followed Tarkenton. Let’s get back to those days when UGA and GT were both good and competing.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 31st, 2012
9:53 pm
@ Skeptic……that would seem to indicate that if anyone wanted to go after the name thieves who post on here under other bloggers’ names, the courts might not be so kind to them or to the AJC. VERY INTERESTING !!!!
dagnabit
October 31st, 2012
10:53 pm
Ken. Have you heard anything about a defensive co-ordinator.
Coach
October 31st, 2012
11:10 pm
I still love Paul. What some call “arrogance’ is an honesty that is rare. Mark Richt basically says that the “thug” behavior against UF was ok because players need to keep “their edge.” I could never imagine CPJ saying that, and I hope he never will.
Empty seats
October 31st, 2012
11:12 pm
Ok pj let us know when it is time. Let us know when it is time to win, or recruit, or not violate ncaa rules.
Let us know when you realize you are over your head, are honorable and will decline the $10,000,000.
Donate it back to the school, be happy with your $2,000,000.
If you can live with the guilt.
Man of honor.
jojo
October 31st, 2012
11:36 pm
New to the blog…….amazing how many answers on this blog are suggesting answers to the symptoms and not addressing the real problem. Do you think Saban could recruit 85 players of Alabama’s quality with Tech’s academic requirements. This has been our problem for almost 50 years. What are your thoughts?
corndog
October 31st, 2012
11:38 pm
do what if tech wins 6. those 6 will be vs. presbyterian, uva, BC, unc, maryland, and duke.
that would be 1/2 of a quality win.
they are miserable.
the ship is sinking, fast.
gsupaintballer
October 31st, 2012
11:40 pm
jojo- give it up about the academic requirements. Ive had classes with football players- you know they didn’t get in the same way you or i did. It really is ashame that us Tech fans make so many excuses for ourselves.
doc
October 31st, 2012
11:46 pm
learning how to win is always a difficult lesson for any team to learn. cpj may need to do it as well. i hope that is all it is about. maybe, but the record since the 6-0 start last year is frightening and speaks just as loud as the but/if accounts for tis year we just read about.
jojo
November 1st, 2012
12:39 am
Paint baller….have you ever coached? There is only x amount of coaching up that is possible. I know the system….played sports all of my life. It is amazing how many experts there are and Monday morning quarterbacks. It really doesn’t matter……either you have the athletes are you don’t…….for whatever the reason.
pcb mike
November 1st, 2012
1:01 am
GO JACKETS – but, gotta tell it like it is, it was time to panic after the Middle Tennesse loss.
Old Dog
November 1st, 2012
6:41 am
To Hell with Tek, today,tomorrow and every other day!
dry dirt road
November 1st, 2012
6:47 am
Tech needs a new coach who is a Tech grad and would be more dedicated than PJ is since it looks like PJ Favors Erk Russell and GA since GA has Best won loss record against Tech. Also Radikovich Favored LSU in my opinion. Everybody knows triple option offense is nowhere. The Best Choice for new head coach would be a former Tech player who is black since Hamilton became the record leader over all the former white players such as Kim King, Johnny Sias and Lenny Snow. Hamilton had pro experience in the arena league. Eddie McAshan had pro experience with the Jacksonville Sharks. He could coach for another 20 years. Shawn Jones was good. These guys would empathize with Tech and not just sympathize with Tech. For the new AD, Curry would be Best.
MC
November 1st, 2012
7:24 am
And IF a frog had wings PJ…………
MC
November 1st, 2012
7:28 am
jojo if you don’t believe Saban could do it bet your house on that. Besides it’s been done before. Only problem was GT got caught manipulating eligibility and they got caught. Some players had what…a year and a half toward graduation after being on campus for 4 years?
MC
November 1st, 2012
7:32 am
But I do agree with jojo on one thing. I’ve coached and some days your team plays lights out and others they sleepwalk. Same coaching. Human beings play sports and nothing is more complicated than a human. Put 11 of them together at the same time and you have 11 different dynamics in play.
SuperB
November 1st, 2012
7:46 am
Two words: MIDDLE TENNESSEE. One more word: EXCUSES
Bad Dawg, Bad Dawg
November 1st, 2012
8:23 am
Sounds like Obama’s excuses. Simply put neither have gotten the job done. Neither want to accept responsibility. To let the program fall to this level is unacceptable. Even he should accept responsibility for that! 1-4 versus VT and Miami, 1-3 against UGA and 0-4 in bowl games. We’ll be an underdog to Duke. Incredible and sad!!
old dog
November 1st, 2012
8:27 am
jojo,
Saban could d#mn sure do better than what ya’ll got now…………….heck, Joker Phillips could do better than what ya’ll have now. Every one of my Tech buddies has to know it is time to start over! Even with the mediocre athletes ya’ll presently have a good coach could do better. Don’t talk about let-downs after a tough loss, etc. That team
old dog
November 1st, 2012
8:32 am
(sorry….computer went out) to finish: that team quit on MTS, there is no other way to put it. I watched every down of that game! If ya’ll do not think they quit, then perhaps, as a few have suggested, it is time to re-assess your commitment to football overall! The lay-down mode was on; that is obvious to a midget league coach!
TechLB
November 1st, 2012
8:40 am
Ken – as well as George, Headley, other fans adding insight to the discussion – Thanks for the article and discussion. Nice to hear from other passionate football fans!
Paul’s right, a few breaks our way and things could be different from a W/L perspective BUT from a fundamental program perspective, we’d still be in rough shape. I’m almost thankful this season has taken some “shine” off things so we can really see it. Honestly, let’s say we beat VT this year, so what? They’re not a good team. Neither is Miami or MTS. Even if we win, our record looks better, we all have more fun and feel better BUT we still lose to the first decent team – BYU – and look bad doing it, then lose to UGA and lose to a bowl opponent. We’re not building a stronger, smarter program that improves each year. That’s troubling.
Not even talking about the Offense – give it up guys, it’s unconventional but it moves the ball and puts up points, most of the time. Even Pro-Style, spread, you-name-it offenses get stopped, we see it every week.
Fundamentally, fix the defense and things get better. Just play sound, play hard, tackle dang it and compete. The basics.
Recruit some better athletes, although Pauls classes compare well to previous years.
How about this – LET THEM PLAY – don’t reduce their ability to such a metric-based, execution tracking style that their natural ability and passion is minimized. I think we’d see better results.
TechLB
November 1st, 2012
8:42 am
@MC – way off. You need to go back and check your facts. Sounds like you’re still embarrassed by Jan Kemp friend.
old dog
November 1st, 2012
8:43 am
TechLB,
I admire your positive attitude, but that is wishful thinking…………………….
TechLB
November 1st, 2012
8:47 am
@gsupaintballer – So, because you’ve had classes with some players you think GT is equivalent to a Liberal Arts college? You basing that on what? Dress, hair style, articulation? that easy to judge intelligence eh? It’s called Math, you have to take it at Tech and there are less choices for majors.
I do agree it’s not an excuse but it would be impossible to get some of the top tier talent to work that hard, or who are academically prepared for Tech, when they’re looking at the NFL.
TechLB
November 1st, 2012
8:50 am
@old dog, you might be right, I’ll admit to being one of the first to call BS on our on-field performance last year even early against bad teams. Fundamentally poor in many phases of the game. Now, 4 years in, our kids know the system, we have the players we recruited to play in it, and we’re still very mediocre on a good day. it’s sad.
Still, I guess I’ve learned that “scorched earth policy” rarely works out for the best. Yes, it forces change but man the rebuilding…
CRad
November 1st, 2012
8:51 am
ok – if we go with your “for arguments sake” of a 6-1 season: D-Rad doesn’t leave either.
But we’re not 6-1 and D-Rad, as the captain of GT Athletics, abandoned ship – coward.
This type of what-if reasoning is stupid and it’s especially disheartening to hear Coach Johnson speaking this way.
CRad
November 1st, 2012
8:52 am
sorry, 6-2 season
old dog
November 1st, 2012
9:19 am
@TechLB,
Good luck to ya’ll, man. When (and I mean no offense) you are towards the bottom of the ACC in football, that “ain’t good!”
The system requires, as you noted, the recruitment of players for it. Players in that system by its very nature are going to have less talent when all is said and done. It is run mostly by the service academies and teams whose athletes have no greater aspirations as well as teams who need to trick folks to make up for a little less talent. Now, folks have figured it out. You are stuck with a team w/o a TRUE QB, as nobody who does not want to sacrifice their body to the cause is coming there. Likewise, the overall talent is down. I am convinced ya’ll can do better. Forgetting all the excuses, the Tech-UGA game used to be the event of the year. Now, as opposed to a rivalry, if we were to lose (and it could happen) it would be more because the game has become meaningless. A rivalry must go back and forth………………ya’ll have showed in the past what you can do. Even if the academics are tougher, etc. are you gonna sit around and let the program self-destruct???
One down, one to go
November 1st, 2012
9:34 am
Get rid of PJ and the panic will be over. This guy is so overrated! People are seeing him as the coach that he is. He likes to do the blame game. Groh was not the best DC, we can all agree with that, but it was HIS hire! Dooley will be fired at years end, heck why not go after him. At least the guy can recruit. PJ has absolutley no idea on how to recruit.
Tech should not be this bad. Too much talent in the south. I remember growing up in Los Angeles and watching the UGA.GT rivalry game way back when. It was big. Now, it’s nothing! It’s discusting how this program has run itself into the ground with it’s rich history of football. Now it’s a joke. Tech people deserve better, but that won’t happen until you get rid of PJ and hire a real coach that knows how to recruit.