Johnson responds to critics
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson made for pretty entertaining radio Wednesday night on his weekly show on 790 the Zone. Johnson took calls from listeners who challenged him on all matters regarding the team and its disappointing 3-5 record. Johnson even proactively addressed issues that have been raised by fans and media about the team before they were brought up, namely quarterback Tevin Washington.
I’m not sure how these read, but I wouldn’t call his tone defensive. Even-keeled and firm, certainly. Perhaps defiant. You can listen here through the Tech iTunes page.
On the season:
“We’ve lost two games in overtime. It isn’t making excuses, it’s just facts. We’ve lost two games in overtime. We lost the one at Clemson after being ahead in the fourth quarter. Is Sammy Watkins a really good player? Yes. Is DeAndre Hopkins at Clemson a really good player? Yes, but all in all we played with them to toe to toe until we fumbled the snap on 4th and 1 from the 7-yard line. If we don’t fumble the snap, maybe we go up two scores in the fourth quarter and it’s different. It wasn’t like when we lined up, we couldn’t line up and they were knocking us off the ball.”
On the BYU loss:
“We were horrid on third down in that game but if you go back and look for the rest of the year, we were probably tops in the league or second in the league. Last year, we were second in the country. We’ve been pretty good on third down.”
On recruiting:
“If we want to be honest, recruiting’s about the same as it has been. We can rewrite history, but the facts are the facts. I think we have some good players. We’ve got to be better. If we don’t play better, your point will be proven. If we do, mine will be proven that we’ve got some pretty good players.”
On recruiting and talent level:
“We’re trying to compete in the conference that we’re in, and if you look at it, we’ve played five times, we’ve been ahead five (times in the fourth quarter). If the talent level is that bad, then we must be doing a hell of a job coaching to stay in there and I don’t think that’s the case. So I think that the talent level is not as bad as you think. We’ve got to finish the games. Now, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. I got you – we need to win the games. I just don’t see the gloom and doom that everybody wants to buy into.”
On the team’s intensity:
“I think intensity has not been a strong suit of this team, I would agree. That’s something that we’ve got to find and I’ve got to do a better job of as a coach.”
On his record and quarterback Tevin Washington:
“There’s an overall body of work. When the time comes, if it’s not good enough, do what you’ve got to do but you don’t have to re-set your standards and you shouldn’t be judged on every series or every play or every game. And the quarterback shouldn’t be judged on every play, of every series, of every game.
He has an overall body of work. He can do what he can do. He can’t control punts getting blocked, he can’t control whatever, and the only thing I can tell you is the kid is busting his tail doing everything he can do for Georgia Tech. And I promise you, I go to practice every day, and if I thought the other guy would help us win, he would be playing.
And I’m not ready to throw away the season – and I’m not saying if we put the other guy in, we’ll throw away the season – he may very well play this week. But it’s not going to be because somebody tells me to do it. It’s going to be because I think he gives our football team the best chance. Because my job is to try to give us the best chance to win the game. I see those guys every day we practice. I know there’s a lot of people out there that can do my job better than I can. I gotcha. I understand that. But pardon me if I’m not going to listen to everybody who tells me who I should be playing, what I should be doing.
I’ve managed to survive for 34 years doing what I’m doing without getting fired and we’ve won a lot of games. If I’m going to go down, I’m going to go down doing what I do and knowing what I know. So that’s it in a nutshell.”
On play-calling:
“You try to call the plays that people can run. You can have 100 plays and if you can’t run ’em, it doesn’t do any good to call ’em. I don’t mean this in a bad way or whatever, but it’s not like PlayStation, where you just pick a play. You have guys out there who can do certain things. And if guys struggle pulling, you don’t run the pulling plays. If guys aren’t as good at throwing one way, you try to throw the other way. That’s all the things that you know from being with those guys every day in practice and going into the game plan.”
“People say, ‘Well, when Vad goes in the game, you call a different game.’ Well, I try to do what Vad (Lee) can do better as opposed to forcing something else. Now there’s a point that it doesn’t matter just what Vad can do, you have to do whatever everybody playing with Vad can do. That’s part of coaching. We’ve got a lot of plays and people have probably made it – and I’m probably my own worst enemy by saying, ‘Hey, we run five or six plays and we do variations.’ – it’s a little more complicated than that. But we try to run the plays that give us the best chance to win the game.”
In case you missed it…
Washington, Lee keep relationship smooth
Tech scrambling to prepare for Maryland QB
On Tech ending its kick-return drought
Johnson says it’s not time to panic
Heisman biography offers revealing history
Notes: B-backs struggling to produce
Notes: Johnson mum on starting quarterback
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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439 comments Add your comment
Ol'JacketFan
November 1st, 2012
3:58 pm
Ah yes, the ad hominem attacks begins. I so enjoy the mindset that if someone disagrees with you then you must attack that person, such a mature way to handle things LOL!
Fear the Veer
November 1st, 2012
3:58 pm
And he ain’t recruiting South Ga enough. There’s a lot of teams down there that run the Veer, Wing-T, etc…..and not one GT coach at a TCC, Lowndes, or Camden game.
wrecked again and again
November 1st, 2012
3:59 pm
Pj is in way over his head,Is he seriously trying to compare coaching Georgia Southern and Navy are remotely close to being the head coach in the ACC. Get ready PJ your days at GT are numbered.He’s not winning at Tech, even in the worst division in all of college football. Tech not just getting beat by unranked Sunbelt teams , its getting blown out at home by unranked teams.
JoeFan
November 1st, 2012
4:00 pm
Would really like to see what a coach with the stature of a Saban or Spurrier could do at Tech. Then maybe we would find out whether its the coaching or the recruiting that is the problem.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 1st, 2012
4:01 pm
Now THAT is the Paul Johnson that I like. He shoots from the hip and he doesn’t take any crap from somebody who probably never played a down of football in their life. This is the kind of thing I have been wanting to hear him say all season. And if you “hater’s” don’t like it then, scroo you. GO JACKETS !!!!
Skitty Fritty
November 1st, 2012
4:01 pm
As a UGA fan, I think CPJ has everything under control and heading in the right direction.
GT Joe
November 1st, 2012
4:01 pm
Bob:
Let’s see, last 3 seasons, 6-7, 8-5 and now 3-5. That win% is getting irrelevant. Even Gailey didn’t have a losing record, CPJ is working on his 2nd. in THREE years. YOu think Chizik at Auburn will survive this year with HIS win% and national title? Doubtful.
Last year and this year were the “years to turn things around”. and no, .500 football is not a “turnaround”.
If CPJ was smart (big “if”, I know), he would have started Vad this season; at least then we could have called this a rebuilding season and his record wouldn’t be so scrutinized. And yes, we would have still been 3-5 with Vad.
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
4:02 pm
GA Tech is nothing more than a 1AA football program and all of you “Real Fans” and “Supporters” get a life and realize that this program is a Joke Nationally and Locally….. It makes me sad because we don’t have to be.
f-trey
November 1st, 2012
4:03 pm
None of us claim to be experts–look at the facts. 5 wins in the last 15 games. Attendance is terrible with both the students, alumni and everyone else. Fired 2 defensive coaches in his tenure. The goal is not to avoid getting fired, but to win.
I am alumnus, 3rd year generation alumni, grandson of an All-American/Hall of Fame player at Tech and really disappointed that the games are boring and going nowwhere. They were only exciting when we had Dwyer, Thomas, Nesbitt, Morgan, Michael Johnson, Burnett. All of those players were converted to CPJ’s system. If he can get those types of players and win great. But he hasn’t proven that yet. You can tolerate arrogance from a Coach when you are winning but not win you are losing. It doesn’t mean we love Tech any less if we expect our team to play hard and win.
Skitty Fritty
November 1st, 2012
4:03 pm
I think Auburn could even beat Tech this year.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 1st, 2012
4:03 pm
@ JoeFan….Spurrier could get it done at Tech, because he got it done at Duke when he was there. Saban would field a good team, but I doubt his recruiting would be any better than what we have now. And to Feer the Veer, how do you know he’s not recruiting in South Ga? Did you ever think that he is, but he’s not getting (or maybe not able to get) the talent that is down there?
Booze Hound
November 1st, 2012
4:03 pm
GTBob,
O’Leary’s winning percentage was similar to Johnson’s, but O’Leary beat Georgia (at UCF, too) and won bowl games. As far as Ross, most of his losses came during his first two years while cleaning-up Curry’s mess. During his last three years, he went .736, beat UGA twice, won two bowl games, and won a NC.
Von Trapp
November 1st, 2012
4:05 pm
Everyone of us would get defensive if we did out best,but realized it was not all our fault. He has had several years to get this Tech thing going. WE all get fired sooner or later. Move on Von Johnson. Tech will not win no matter who they hire. Too hard academically
One down, one to go
November 1st, 2012
4:06 pm
Bob, if you are OK with the direction of the program then your settling for mediocrity.
Tech deserves more. Tech has accomplished more before Johnson. As any Tech fan and they expect to beat UGA more than once every 10 years and to win the ACC CG more than what we have.
Yes, I’m ticked. If you claim to be a tech fan and are really OK with what has been happening I question your loyalty and what is best for tech. I’m tired of it. I want to be mentioned in the run for a NC not just a possibility for winning the division.
gt eh
November 1st, 2012
4:06 pm
gt athletics screwed yet again by a lousy coach who does well early and gets a ridic contract extension. first braine now drad. no wonder he wants out. he sees the sinking ship.
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
4:06 pm
Ol’ Jacket Fan-
You are on a BLOG you moron….. That’s what happens. I know it doesn’t happen when you are sitting in your luxury box in your slacks and your little gold sweater vest cheering for the old Gold but thats what happens on a blog…..
billyBobjacket
November 1st, 2012
4:07 pm
GTBob: So, beating UGA once in the rain after being owned in the first half, and winning an ACCC during the previous decade with somebody else’s recruits, which was also during the weakest period of ACC football in recent memory (which, by the way, CPJ and DRad managed to get taken away from us) is all we expect from a coach these days. And you guys say we complainers have “given up”?! Settling for something less than mediocrity seems more like giving up to me. An Ol’Jacket: If our choice was CPJ or a keyboard coach, I would agree, but for what we are paying CPJ I would hope we could hire a REAL coach. I know we are stuck with him as we can’t afford to pay him off, but we don’t have to like it.
gt eh
November 1st, 2012
4:08 pm
so super, no one can criticize the president except for ex presidents? or the governor except for ex governors? your argument is asinine.
but that’s expected from someone who said gt would go 11-1 this year.
hahahaha fool.
One down, one to go
November 1st, 2012
4:08 pm
Johnson should have left with DRad and Groh!!!!
Really?
November 1st, 2012
4:08 pm
Like one previous commenter said, there are no players that I want to watch on this team. (Kinda like the GT basketball team the last several years.) I don’t have any bad things to say about Johnson as a coach.But after 26 seasons of watching GT football, I just don’t really care anymore.
Von Trapp
November 1st, 2012
4:09 pm
The Ross nc WILL NEVER happen again
Coach Z
November 1st, 2012
4:10 pm
I was at the news conference during the then head coach of NC STATE, Chuck A’mato, infamous “who built that” (referring to the new football stadium) speech. Coach A’mato was fired shortly after. To me, it sounds like CPJ is starting his “doing what I do” speech. I hope he is around to prove us wrong, cause I like kicking teams butt with the TO!
Ol'JacketFan
November 1st, 2012
4:13 pm
@ Reggie’s son you don’t know me at all. I assume you attack anyone who has a differing opinion from you by the tone of your posts. To me that shows an unbelieveable level of immaturity and I won’t be bothered to respond your “comments”. Don’t go away mad, just go away child
GT Joe
November 1st, 2012
4:15 pm
Really: sadly, there is a player that I’d pay to watch. Vad Lee. But stubborn old CPJ apparently knows better cause he watches him in practice. Who cares about game day, I guess.
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
4:16 pm
Really?
You don’t really care anymore…. I agree with you 100% and that is the problem. All of these people on here talking about being “Real” fans and “Supporters” of the program and don’t want to say anything negative are fooling themselves. Our program is in the toilet and you are ok with that. That’s pitiful Keep supporting mediocrity and thats what you will be supporting until the day you die.
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
4:16 pm
Really?
You don’t really care anymore…. I agree with you 100% and that is the problem. All of these people on here talking about being “Real” fans and “Supporters” of the program and don’t want to say anything negative are fooling themselves. Our program is in the toilet and you are ok with that. That’s pitiful Keep supporting mediocrity and thats what you will be supporting until the day you die.
juvenal
November 1st, 2012
4:19 pm
how come when i click submit twice all i get is a screen that says “Duplicate comment-you already said that”?
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
Ol Jacket-
OOOOHHHHH, you really got me there. I especially liked it when you called me son, thats a good one. Have all the opinions you want and keep supporting garbage and thats what you will be supporting the rest of your days. By the way PLEASE respond to my comments If you don’t then I don’t think I will be able to go on.
GT Lover
November 1st, 2012
4:23 pm
“Keyboard Coaches”
I love it!
Al you wanna be’s, are just keyboard coaches!!!
You have no life except to defame someone on this stupid blog!
Idiots!
HA! HA!
GT Joe
November 1st, 2012
4:24 pm
GT Lover: stop defaming us by calling us idiots.
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
4:27 pm
GT Lover-
Who on this blog is “Coaching”? I haven’t read one X’s and O’s comment. The program is in the toilet and its because our coach doesn’t know how to coach a defense. Look at the stats, they don’t lie.
www
November 1st, 2012
4:29 pm
let’s see some vad lee passing over the middle to orwin smith this weekend.
running it up the middle against a solid maryland defense is gonna make for a loooong afternoon.
need to put this team away with some big plays early so their confidence is low in the 4th quarter.
5150 UOAD
November 1st, 2012
4:29 pm
All the people that know what needs to be done and how to fix Tech are the same guys that think they are the best lover their wife ever had.
Don’t have a problem with Johnson. If this continues next year then something will have to be done, but not just yet.
TechApp fan
November 1st, 2012
4:30 pm
classic catch 22…Lee cannot get the job because of inexperience….cannot get experience without the job.
Johnson appears to be stubborn about his option O by continuing to play a QB with a recent history
of not winning but if he plays a different QB and does adjust his O to fit the other, will he be considered not stubborn?
Either QB will win the MD game so Johnson/Tech wins either way.
www
November 1st, 2012
4:31 pm
gtjoe and reggieballer represent the worst of what georgia tech fans (if that’s even true?) can be.
your parents should be ashamed by your collective lack of class. or they would be if they knew better.
afan
November 1st, 2012
4:32 pm
Sounds like BS to me..covering his a@@. Talks cheap do it on the field Coach Johnson. I was your biggest fan and supporter but no more..same with Obama the BS don’t get it anymore. Time for REAL CHANGE…at GT and USA.
GTBob
November 1st, 2012
4:32 pm
Tech deserves more. Tech has accomplished more before Johnson.
Like what? Every once in a while we win an ACC championship and every once in a while we beat UGA. That hasn’t changed with CPJ. In the last 52 years GT has won 8 games or more 12 times. 25% of those were with CPJ. He hasn’t been the horrible coach everyone is making him out to be. He is certainly in a rough time right now but I really don’t see why he shouldn’t get a chance to rebound from it. Especially when many changes are coming next year.
afan
November 1st, 2012
4:35 pm
Braves have gone to pot..They jst signed Schafer off waivers…he has been busted twice..great imagine for Braves.
Has GT gone to pot?
GTBob
November 1st, 2012
4:38 pm
I would agree, but for what we are paying CPJ I would hope we could hire a REAL coach.
If we fire him then we are paying him that much not to coach. Is that better? We aon’t be able to afford a top coach and whoever we bring in will probably need 3-4 years to recruit for a normal system. We are probably looking at 3-5 win seasons the first couple of years. Are you really in a hurry to get to that?
GT Joe
November 1st, 2012
4:41 pm
uh www, what part of my posts did you dislike? Where am i showing lack of class? (ignore that last “GT Joe” post, that was Take the Wheel aka TW Fan aka GT Lover writing out his deepest fantasies).
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
4:41 pm
www-
How So ??
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
4:45 pm
www-
You are an employee of the GT athletic department aren’t you?
Booze Hound
November 1st, 2012
4:52 pm
Let’s not get sidetracked from the issues at hand, namely Johnson’s excuse-making and stinking record as-of late: five wins in the last fifteen games and eighteen wins in the last thirty-seven games; NO wins against Georgia, Virginia Tech, or bowl opponents since November 2009; this year’s pathetic results that includes beatings handed-down by Middle Tennessee State and BYU.
5150 UOAD
November 1st, 2012
4:53 pm
Reggie’s Balls is looking for support. Go buy a jockstrap for your face.
Tech Troll 13
November 1st, 2012
4:56 pm
GT Bob
Good posts. It’s hard to be logical and reasonable on a blog.
old dog
November 1st, 2012
4:57 pm
Supersize,
Glad you are loyal. Ya’ll may even sneak up on us, as it is hard to get up for a now-meaningless game. However, ya’lls program is going downhill quickly. Of course a coach was going to defend his program…..what the h did you expect? Your recruiting is bad, contrary to what is said, and there is no excuse….Tech did not suddenly become a tough school, and ya’ll were good in the past. The “cripple” option will NEVER bring you a great QB, and fan support is lower than a snakes-belly in a wagon-wheel rut. I am one of the few Dawgs who SINCERELY wants ya’ll to do better….it is good for football and good for the state of Georgia. But right now, ya’ll are not good, headed towards bad, and ultimately terrible. Get a coach, play big-boy football, DO NOT QUIT IN GAMES (I watched the entire MTS game…if that ain’t pure quittin’ a hog don’t squeal) and lastly, for true Jacket fans like yourself…please…don’t fool yourselves anymore. I’m directing this to you because I know you are true blue………
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
4:59 pm
5150 UOAD-
That post doesn’t make any sense? Was it a joke? explain it to me…….
crackbaby
November 1st, 2012
4:59 pm
No argument that Tech is going through a terrible spell. However, IMO there is way to much focus on:
1) Recruiting,
2) TW vs. Vad, and
3) CPJ’s playbook
1) K State is #3 in the country. How many 4 and 5 star recruits go there? Not many I’d wager. Not too long ago, Ray Goff at UGA used to out-recruit Steve Spurrier at UF. Gators almost always won on the field.
2) Tech isn’t losing games because of TW and Vad wouldn’t make our record better. We are getting handed our asses at the line of scrimmage. Both sides of the ball. Uzzi plays well but the other O-linemen are mediocre. D-line is even worse.
That shovel pass TD by BYU in the second half should have been stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Instead, Jamal Williams of BYU (a three star recruit out of HS) broke the game open by taking it to the house. JW is a stud and none of the “experts” could see it when he was in H.S.
3) Tech has some really good new formations this year. A-backs out wide (in the slot) with QB in shotgun. Just haven’t been able to execute. TW hasn’t thrown well but the O-line’s failures have often eliminated the running game. Tech can’t get a yard on 3rd and 4th down when it matters. That’s not the QB, it’s the O-line.
CPJ is still accountable for all this and the season is a mess. Hopefully we will see some improvement. If not, it will be a massacre in Athens later this month.
Go Jackets!
GTBob
November 1st, 2012
5:02 pm
Your recruiting is bad, contrary to what is said, and there is no excuse….Tech did not suddenly become a tough school, and ya’ll were good in the past.
When were we good at recruiting?
Reggie's Balls
November 1st, 2012
5:03 pm
Old Dog-
That’s a very good post…. The only problem is that if you (The collective you) are a GT fan and you say something bad about the program then you are classless or not a “Real” fan or not a “Supporter” Thats why GT is in the shape its in. It’s like making excuses for a drug addict that can’t quit. Oh its OK, it will get better, its going to be all roses soon……