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
Booze Hound
November 2nd, 2012
3:13 pm
I don’t think Kansas State and Georgia Tech are legitimate comparisons. When Bill Snyder took over Kansas State the first time, they were the worst team in Division I-A. They hadn’t won a game in three years. Almost anything he could have done the first four years would have been an improvement. Johnson took over a team in substantially better shape when he came to Tech.
DawgNole
November 2nd, 2012
3:14 pm
DawgFaithful
November 2nd, 2012
1:16 pm
Bob,
Bottom line is you’re winning less games now than when he started. He’s never won a bowl game and might not play in one this year. You’ve got 3 win. It’s the worst Tech team I’ve seen as far vback as I can remeber. He’s been there 5 years. These should be the best years of his tenure.
How could UGA be on a downward trend? We won 10 games last year. And this year we’ll win 11-12. We’re going to play for the conference champioship this year and with a win in that game and a lot of help we could play for the whole enchilada. Not sure how you think those 2 scenarios are similar.
__________________
So we’re ALREADY in the SECCG–with two more conference games to play? Don’t think so. And while I certainly hope we make it, I’d be real careful about making assumptions and predictions on here–or anywhere, for that matter. That’s kinda like all those fla fans a week ago predicting victory over the Dawgs. I guarantee you they were as sure of themselves as you are about UGA beating Ole Miss and winning at Auburn.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
3:14 pm
I said after he replaced Prince!!
Oh sorry, I thought we were allowed to look at all of the years a coach coached. Not just his few successful ones. Please carry on.
Reggie's Balls
November 2nd, 2012
3:14 pm
Bob-
“You have no loyalty at all right now. It is pretty obvious that you wish CPJ would die a horrible death and take his players with him”
Where and at what point did I say that??? Thats a little irresponsible to put words in my mouth. Again….I ask you. Please show me just one post where I have professed my hatred for GT????
Crickets……….
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
3:17 pm
Almost anything he could have done the first four years would have been an improvement.
Yes and he eventually drove them into the ground also. 4-7, 5-6 his last two years in his first tenure. Worse then any years CPJ has had.
DawgNole
November 2nd, 2012
3:23 pm
DawgFaithful
November 2nd, 2012
2:04 pm
Booze Hound,
We’ve won 9 straight over ole miss. Ga Southern has never beaten us. And Tech… Well let’s not even go there. Just check the record over the last 2 decades. It’s just Not happening.
We win out no problem.
______________________
Better make that “We SHOULD win out, no problem.”
And yes, we SHOULD, but the numbers you cite above are no indicator at all that we WILL. If anything, they simply show that those opponents are WAY overdue for wins against UGA. They also show that we’d best guard against complacency and overconfidence–two afflictions that seem to have overcome you today.
GT Joe
November 2nd, 2012
3:28 pm
Bob: Like i said, plot a regression line on CPJ’s wins per season. Hell, throw in 6 for this year. If that line doesn’t have a negative slope, I’ll slap my momma.
As for snyder at kstate, plot HIS wins (put in, say, 9 for this year). If that line doesn’t have a POSITIVE slope, I’ll slap my momma again.
GT Joe
November 2nd, 2012
3:30 pm
GT Fan: Sorry, 29.7 points per game IS NOT ENOUGH. this is college, not NFL. 29.7 gets you ranked #42. Against a #76 schedule.
Even if we had a top 25 defense, our offense is not enough for us to be a top 25 TEAM.
Once again, 29.7 pts/game is NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE. This isn’t the 80s or even the 90s any more. Scoring this season is through the roof, and we are keeping up.
DawgNole
November 2nd, 2012
3:33 pm
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
2:22 pm
Good thing you have grammar responses to fall back on since you don’t apparently have anything to add to the conversation.
____________________
It’s not the gammar itself as much as it is your incredible ignorance about it–especially given the arrogant tone of your posts. Obviously, you’re happy with that ignorance. Enjoy.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
3:40 pm
Obviously, you’re happy with that ignorance. Enjoy.
Ive had it pointed out to me about 10,000 times now. It annoys guys like you so im not going to stop doing it.
Reggie's Balls
November 2nd, 2012
3:43 pm
Bob-
Whats annoying is fans like you. It’s whats wrong with our whole program.
Born2Buzz
November 2nd, 2012
3:45 pm
Win the next 3 games Paul and we will all feel a little better about your ability to lead the program. Lose to Maryland this week and it will really get ugly. Lost to Duke at home and it will get uglier still.
I’m more PO’d at DRad right now. There had to be something going on between him and the Administration for him to don that orange coat and tie while still being “officially” on the GT payroll.
Reggie's Balls
November 2nd, 2012
3:47 pm
Bob-
The only thing I am left to cheer for this year is Alabama to beat UGA in the SEC CG. I guess you will be fine with rooting for a big win over Maryland who is playing their 5th string QB (A converted LB) and you are fine with that. Thats whats wrong with fans like you…Mediocrity is celebrated…..
Reggie's Balls
November 2nd, 2012
3:49 pm
Born2Buzz-
You would feel better about his ability to lead if he beats the Maryland and Duke???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Are you serious??????????????????????????????? a typical GT fan. Celebrate that mediocrity.
DawgFaithful
November 2nd, 2012
3:52 pm
Vad Lee, Justin Thomas, Francis Kallon, Shamire Devine, Jeremi Hall, Travis Custis, Pat Gamble. Those are just a few.
Shamire Devine could get drafted. The rest of those kids are garbage. I’ve never even heard of most of them. Bright future. Have fun with that.
Booze Hound
November 2nd, 2012
4:00 pm
DawgFaithful,
Justin Thomas is garbage? He was a Nick Saban recruit who switched to Tech. You obviously haven’t seen Vad Lee play. And how would you know that Shamire Devine could get drafted when he’s not even in college yet?
Geez, talking about a stupid post! No wonder you got called-out by a fellow UGA fan earlier.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:07 pm
Whats annoying is fans like you. It’s whats wrong with our whole program.
Yeah, im supporting the coach and the players, I go to every home game even when we are losing, I still have hope that we can improve. Im such a terrible fan.
DawgNole
November 2nd, 2012
4:09 pm
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
3:40 pm
Ive had it pointed out to me about 10,000 times now. It annoys guys like you so im not going to stop doing it.
_____________________
So you wrote it wrong on purpose 10,000 times? Yeah, right.
Like I said, you have no credibility–first (today) because of your ignorance, and now because of your dishonesty.
Georgia Tee
November 2nd, 2012
4:13 pm
Now, what was the question?
Reggie's Balls
November 2nd, 2012
4:15 pm
Bob-
You just don’t get it………. Do you understand that bad play = no attendance and no money and a program further in the toilet. Cheer all you want, I will be supporting the team and the kids tomorrow as much as any GT fan but what I don’t support is a garbage program and there is a difference but you will never see it….
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:16 pm
The rest of those kids are garbage.
Even the ones heavily recruited by UGA, Alabama, and other major SEC schools? Why are SEC teams going after such garbage recruits?
Born2Buzz
November 2nd, 2012
4:16 pm
I will feel better than I do now. I said, win the next 3 in a row and I will feel better. But lose to Maryland or Duke and the hot seat will be broiling.
Don’t lump me in with Bob and others that are OK with 7-5 records. That was Chan’s yearly mark and I will say the same thing about CPJ that I did about Chan. With the schedules these days, 7-5 really means you went 5-5 and likely lost most games against decent competition. There are 2 patsies (oops, MTSU was supposed to be one this year) on the schedule every year, so if you don’t go 8-4 in the regular season you really haven’t done anything.
Look, we all were ecstatic those first 2 years with CPJ. He beat UGA in year 1, he won the ACC in year 2. He was a coach that played to win the game, not playing not to lose. But he’s lost his mojo and is now having to deal with a lot of angry fans, me being one of them. I’m not calling for him to be fired right now but I sure as hell want things to get better.
My biggest complaint has been his insistence of sticking with TW at QB. That is just being stubborn. And if he continues to be stubborn he will be fired for the first time in his career.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:17 pm
So you wrote it wrong on purpose 10,000 times? Yeah, right.
You said yourself that you have tried to correct me before and I ignored you. That should give you your answer.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:20 pm
Don’t lump me in with Bob and others that are OK with 7-5 records.
Would you fire any GT coach in the future on the spot who has a 7-5 record or worse?
Big Crimson 75
November 2nd, 2012
4:23 pm
Bob — Johnson ran off D-Rad!!
To Auburn, with a lake, no less.
Can it get any worse?
Are you gonna say D-Rad wouldn’t have exited stage left if the Football Team was playing better?
He wants no association with Johnson, whatsoever.
Mama Says
November 2nd, 2012
4:25 pm
As far as I am concerned CPJ should be president. Unless you have a clue about what you are saying your comments only add to the problems. You fools act like Tech is a top 5 sports school attracting nothing but 5star recruits. Wake. The hell up! We have a passionate coach, one that will do it right even in the face of idiots.
You are absolutely right Coach, you can only call what the players can do and there are a hell of a lot more factors in that scenario than the coach.
Turn on a NFL post game news conference once in a while and you will hear the big time coaches saying the same thing– the players have to play.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:27 pm
I will be supporting the team and the kids tomorrow as much as any GT fan
The thing is, I don’t think you will. You have already given up on this team and its coach. If a loss tomorrow would guarantee that CPJ would be fired would you root for the team to win or lose?
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:28 pm
Are you gonna say D-Rad wouldn’t have exited stage left if the Football Team was playing better?
DRad leaving had nothing to do with Johnson or the football team.
Big Crimson 75
November 2nd, 2012
4:30 pm
Bob — how confident are you in beating Maryland?
Bearing in mind, the Terps are down to their 8th choice at QB, who happens to be a Jack-Linebacker by trade!!
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:35 pm
Bob — how confident are you in beating Maryland?
Very confident. No way we lose that game.
Big Crimson 75
November 2nd, 2012
4:35 pm
If Maryland’s QB tosses for more yards tomorrow than the combined effort of Tech’s, Johnson should be clipped on the spot, and you know this.
Their starting a LB at QB tomorrow!!!!
Born2Buzz
November 2nd, 2012
4:36 pm
7-5 should be considered a bad season. A series of bad seasons gets you fired.
We didn’t fire CPJ after he went 6-6. He rebounded with an 8-4. He get’s a pass again this year unless he loses to Maryland and Duke (and finishes 3-9).
He is piling up the strikes against him. Breaking the bowl streak would be another strike. Losing another bowl game would be another strike. Eventually you strike out. Right now he’s still swinging. Let’s see how he does the rest of the year.
Booze Hound
November 2nd, 2012
4:37 pm
GTBob,
“D-Rad” got out while he still could…faltering football program under a coach he hired, unproven basketball coach coming off of a not-so-good season, the vacated ACC Championship, etc. Really, it was a no-brainer on his part.
BBQ MAN
November 2nd, 2012
4:38 pm
there is not a more dedicated GT fan than I and I support them win or lose. My problem is twofold.. 1. How bad we look in all areas… 2. lack of progress in said areas.
Mama Says
November 2nd, 2012
4:40 pm
I have to get in this D Rad thing also.
Anyone who paid attention would know that sev,real schools have been after D Rad for the last 3 years. Clemson is a good southern football school with money. MONEY ! Get it MONEY for the athletic program in whole. Tech has been committed to building toward the future problem is they have to budget the future. You either want facilities or high priced coaches. Tech has a good coach and built state of the art facilities.
Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina Oklahoma and so on can do both, build the big time facilities and pay a high priced coach or two. We can’t.
Several factors come into play at tech that have nothing to do with sports. A board of regents who refuses to expand Techs curriculum, a board of regents which just expanded UGAs curriculum to include engineering and the among others the number of students at the schools. Tech is barely bigger then Wake Forest yet you expect them to compete financially with the big boys.
Wake up folks.
At Tech sports has to be done in stages at Clemson the AD has free reign
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:43 pm
Really, it was a no-brainer on his part.
The main reason DRad left was because he never really had Peterson’s support again after the the NCAA debacle. He has been looking for a way out for a while now. It was better for him and for GT that he leave.
Born2Buzz
November 2nd, 2012
4:45 pm
I really liked CPJ and I still think he can be a good coach. But the trend is not good. And not just with wins and losses. Years 1 & 2 the D was bad, but it made plays when it needed to. The O was terrific and won games when the D was awful. The ST was pretty decent and we wouldn’t have won the ACC without it. Years 3&4 the D got worse – we are going to blame that on Groh, who I thought was a bad hire to begin with. The ST got worse, so bad that CPJ did something he’s never done and hired a ST coach. The O was still pretty decent but TW couldn’t pull out a big win in a close game to save his life. This year, all 3 phases of the game are lacking. While the O can still strike for some big plays there is no consistency and TW has gotten worse as the season has progressed. The ST is no better (the KO return, finally, was offset by the blocked punt) and maybe it is worse. We can’t make chip shot FGs. And the D is as bad as it can possibly be.
That’s a lot of things to fix. What has CPJ been doing?
Really?
November 2nd, 2012
4:48 pm
I haven’t commented here in weeks. I hope the trade school “fans” appreciate my kind gesture.
Booze Hound
November 2nd, 2012
4:51 pm
GTBob
Do you think Peterson should have fired “D-Rad” after the NCAA vacated Tech’s ACC Championship?
DawgNole
November 2nd, 2012
4:53 pm
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:17 pm
You said yourself that you have tried to correct me before and I ignored you. That should give you your answer.
____________________
I simply pointed out your mistake the first time. I didn’t explain to you the difference in the two words; I assumed you knew it. That you acknowledge repeating the mistake (thousands of times, even) thereafter obviously indicates that you really don’t know the difference. It’s that level of ignorance–and your pride in it and your lying about it now–that surprises me. Again, all that’s in light of the pomposity and arrogance of your posts.
DawgFaithful
November 2nd, 2012
4:56 pm
Bob,
You’re delusional as always. 2 of those kids had offers from Bama, UGA, auburn, and Florida and they were both linemen. The rest didnt even have offers from UGA. We were going after blue chippers. J thomas is from Bama so of course they offered him. They offer everybody in case you havent noticed. Like 2 of the names you listed cracked the Rivals top 250 and those are your crown jewels. Thats not very good. Doesnt make for a very bright future in my opinion. But you already said you’re cool with 8 wins or less. A lifetime of mediocrity but you reside in a recruiting hotbed.
GT Joe
November 2nd, 2012
4:56 pm
CPJ’s tenure at GT comes down to this: Does Vad start tomorrow or not?
If Vad starts, he gets a pass on this 5 win season.
If Tevin starts, he gets fired after this 5 win season.
GT Joe
November 2nd, 2012
4:59 pm
It’s not just the lack of wins, my main problem with CPJ is that he doesn’t get his most talented players on the damn field. Days. Vad Lee. Come on.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:59 pm
Do you think Peterson should have fired “D-Rad” after the NCAA vacated Tech’s ACC Championship?
Yes. It was a completely incompetent decision. He could have done more during the whole NCAA process as well. To me, that is his legacy and im not really sad that he is gone.
Just A Fan
November 2nd, 2012
5:12 pm
I have both played and coached. Have been to GT games this year and I can say I would not be moviated by Paul Johnson. He always has a look and sound of negitavitism. This leads to a defeatist attitude. You folks sound like you are trying to justify his coaching and will except an average program, well that is your choice. Don’t except being average (50%) or soon it will become 100%.
To me 5-15 is not average even an engineer knows that.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
5:14 pm
You’re delusional as always. 2 of those kids had offers from Bama, UGA, auburn, and Florida and they were both linemen.
Lets go their offers.
Vad Lee – SC, and UNC.
Justin Thomas – Bama, Florida, LSU, Auburn
Francis Kallon – Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas, FSU, Stanford
Shamire Devine – UGA, Florida, FSU, Tennessee, USC
Jeremi Hall – Ole Miss, Tennessee, VT
Travis Custis – Clemson, Miami, Miss St, Mich St
Pat Gamble.- UGA, Ole Miss, Miss St, Stanford
Yeah, nobody wanted any of these garbage players.
Stinger 1
November 2nd, 2012
5:17 pm
CPJ has been described in many ways on this blog ranging from very bad to o.k. to good. The GT football program is being portrayed as in the worst shape its ever been in to medicore to o.k to what is normal for us. If I had not been a GT fan for 52 years, I would have a hard time sorting out all of these resonses and deciding who is right or wrong. Since I have been around so long and seen so much of all kinds of seasons, ups and downs in the program, I say you are all correct. No one really is right or wrong. Since the Dodd regime, it has never been consistently good or bad and it never will be again. If you want to be a GT fan it is what it is and nothing else.
Just A Fan
November 2nd, 2012
5:22 pm
Hay Mama Said: If things are so bad maybe Tech should think of going to another level of competition. When Bobby Dodd took Teck out of the SEC maybe he could see the future. Be glad you don’t have to play BAMA< LSU FLA USC MISS STATE TENN or even Vandy.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
5:22 pm
But you already said you’re cool with 8 wins or less.
I never said that at all. I said that is what is a good season at GT historically and maybe we shouldn’t be firing coaches for it.
Stinger 1
November 2nd, 2012
5:23 pm
GT Joe: Regardless of what happens in the last four games, he won`t get fired
He will be around at least one more year after the new AD is hired. Also, GT
cannot afford to pay his buyout at this point.
GT Joe: