Johnson: ‘Lack of competing’ in loss to UGA
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he could have handled losing 42-10 to Georgia if he thought the effort was worthy. That was not the case.
Johnson said the Yellow Jackets were guilty of a “lack of competing” in their loss to the Bulldogs in Athens, Tech’s 11th in the past 12 years to its archrival. This season, Johnson has been critical of the team for missed assignments, poor tackling and lack of focus. However, his public challenge that the team lacked competitiveness – against an archrival, no less – compared only to his statement that the Jackets “no showed” in the 21-point loss to Middle Tennessee State. While hardly palatable to Johnson, the MTSU effort could be more understandable, given that Tech was facing a team it had blown out in each of the past two years and was seven days removed from an emotionally crushing overtime loss to Miami.
“You’ve got to play hard,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to sell out.”
From watching the game video, Johnson said coaches handed out “a lot” of efforts – demerits for not giving full effort on a play. Johnson said the offense, defense and special teams were all at fault. He did say B-back David Sims played perhaps as hard as Johnson had ever seen him play. But overall, he was confounded by what he saw from players in one of the biggest games of the year, if not the biggest.
“You get beat in life, you get beat in sports,” Johnson said. “Sometimes that happens. But what you want to do is give it your best effort and you want to compete from start to finish.”
By Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
339 comments Add your comment
docsbro
November 27th, 2012
8:40 am
@CT_Jacket, that is one of the BEST comments I have read on a Tech blog in years!! The SEC plays a different game. Until GT fans decide they REALLY want to compete for something other than just beating Georgia once every 3 years(that was the record of the “GREAT” O’Leary). Then things will not change. Of course that was during some pretty down UGA years also.
Look in the mirror. Why does UGA out-recruit us EVERY year? It isn’t because of academics…it isn’t about the system….it is because they have built a BRAND. Every kid grows up wanting to play football at Georgia(sure once every 20 years you get a Calvin Johnson), but the rest want to play at UGA. It is time for GT to quit with the “holier than thou” attitude and create Tech fans.
Oh and so you think well lets just hire some young up and coming coach…GREAT he can cut his teeth here then move on. He is going to leave after 3-4 years for a better job. Yes there are better jobs that pay more and come with more prestige. GT is a GREAT school!! I LOVE the atmosphere there, but every year that passes shows that Dave Braine was right…
observer
November 27th, 2012
8:41 am
When your team gives no effort in an important game this is not a player problem, this is a coach problem. GT players are smart and have figured Johnson out pretty well. No matter how they lose, it is the players fault, or his assistants’ fault. He never takes responsibility for his team’s lack of effort. This team doesn’t believe in what they are being coached to do, and they have quit on Johnson as a coach. It only gets worse from here. Look for about 3-9 next year.
Arob
November 27th, 2012
8:41 am
Talent gap is astronomical. Only one or two playmakers on whole team and one is freshmen qb! Graduated in 92 and been following tech since. In years past, at least we had several players on both sides of the ball that equaled the talent level of a team like ga. Look at our team now and there’s not one! The way godhigh was thrown like a rag doll is but a snapshot of reality we now face.
Pj has to take ultimate responsibility, but would rather dump on his players. These are tough days for tech fans indeed. The only saving grace as I see it next year is he will basically be forced to go with the right qb.
Steve
November 27th, 2012
8:42 am
How bad is the acc? The best team got beat easily at home to uf. Gt gets crushed by ga. SC easily handles clemson and vandy blows out wake 55-24
So fsu, the best team, would be the 5th or 6th best in the sec. Clemson would be the 6th or 7th best. And gt? Well it would rank slightly above auburn and kentucky.
That’s pathetic to be located in the same region as that conference and be so far behind.
With apologies to Ronald Reagan...
November 27th, 2012
8:43 am
…there he goes again, this time throwing the whole team under the bus – IT IS NEVER CPJ’s FAULT – and he ALWAYS lets everyone know that…
tired from all the frustrations of being a yellow jacket
November 27th, 2012
8:44 am
CPJ is right about the players not leaving it all on thefield. That has happened several times tihis year. maybe our players are just not mean enough. Missed tackles, arm tackles out of position and not in the game must be attributed to the players. Do not forget that tech had over 200 yds in the first half against a defense many claim to be the best in the nation. Get over it, CPJ’s Offense works. Now we must get a DC who demands that every Tech Player lay his life on the line to win. Defense is contagious, unfortunately tech’s this year laid down. It was sad to be sitting in amongst the dawg fans and hearing their derisive and hoots about Tech. At this point we just are not competitive with Ga.
JM
November 27th, 2012
8:45 am
disappointing. The team played different in that first drive, until the fumble.
ramblingbuzz
November 27th, 2012
8:48 am
You know, if I were Johnson, I would not have made the statement that the team was not ready to compete against UGA. That says Johnson is not effective in motivating his team. Now maybe they respond to him calling them out in the media. Maybe they need to be called out. But maybe they say, ” Hey Coach up yours!” I get the feeling none of these guys are playing real hard for Johnson because he’s a great guy. But at least they can play for self-pride.
TechLB
November 27th, 2012
8:49 am
If they didn’t show up it’s on the coaches because these kids did not believe in the approach and game plan, especially on defense. When players don’t show up to compete it often means they don’t believe they have a chance.
We’ve seen this before…when you’re asking a player to do the same thing they’ve been unable to do over and over against less talented teams, nothing new nothing different just execute, they lack the faith or confidence to sell out. It hasn’t worked why would it work this time? Try something new, be creative, something new and different to help these kids buy in.
The coach has to realize the capabilities of his players. If your success as a team is dependent on perfect execution, 100% of the time, you’re doomed.
GT Fan 54
November 27th, 2012
8:50 am
I would also say a lack of interest or focus is also a problem. Drummond was out at the bars in downtown Athens after the game. What a joke, you get you tail whooped by your rival and then you decide to go out and celebrate? I miss the days of Wheeler and KaMichael Hall.
just wonering
November 27th, 2012
8:52 am
Who would win if Tech played Ga. Southern???
old dog
November 27th, 2012
8:52 am
Ya’ll can cuss UGA, hope we get stomped by ‘Bama, and every other rivalry (at least USED to be a rivalry) induced action you can think of. The bottom line is that if we lose to ‘Bama 500-0 and give up 2000 yards, etc., we are still light-years ahead of the squalor you have let your once-proud program slip into. Nothing is stupider than a bunch of folks whose program has gone straight to h#ll in a hand-basket besmirch another program that may not be on top, but certainly is far out in front of what you have become. Ya’ll should be ashamed for that sincere and total lack of effort and performance on Saturday. It was the same thing you did against MTSU (and yes, I watched that entire game!) So, before you cuss us, look in the mirror. UGA has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the cesspool that your program has become. So, if you really want Tech to come back, quit spending all your time “Dawgin’” us out just because you are so terrible that there is no other trail to follow. Start over, play big-boy football, and get your own house in order. Saturday showed just how bad YOU are….. the ‘Bama game with us should not eneter into your efforts to right the ship.
Arob
November 27th, 2012
8:55 am
Tired…
The offense does not work with this talent level! So what we had yards. Ga was toying with us and just stripping it after we went by them. No Dwyer, no Thomas, nobody to make a big play except against duke or Presbyterian! No way to come back.
The defense is always bad, and it shows every week that they don’t get to work in practice against a pro set that even somewhat resembles what an opponent will use against us. Fire all the DCs you want, it makes no difference.
GT Realist
November 27th, 2012
8:57 am
I see a pattern here!! CPJ always blames the players for losses. He needs to take more responsibility, he calls the plays I think. He also hired the defensive coordinator. He always uses the players as scapegoats. He will never ever beat CMR again. CMR has the respect of his players. I never see CMR throwing his players under the bus after losses. I also am amazed how CMR goes up to each one of his players on game day with a word of encouragement. CPJ just stands off to the side on game day like the great tax master he is. JOKE!!!
TechLB
November 27th, 2012
8:58 am
@CT_Jacket – Amen! There’s a huge gap right now between the SEC and every other conference in the FBS if you ask me. It comes down to the money generated and available for the program. I can’t see any other factor that explains it. I do wonder how long it will be before the NCAA or someone takes action to attempt to enforce equity of some kind. That will be interesting.
And while the SEC continues to distance themselves the smaller conferences are becoming more competitive.
I’m not whining by the way, just agreeing with you calling it out.
JB
November 27th, 2012
9:03 am
TechLB……….You are correct. It’s about branding. Bama vs LSU on Saturday or Wake Forest or Duke on Saturday night. Who you gonna watch?………In football that is…..Switch to Basketball, and everyone changes the channel to Wake and Duke……ACC plays big boy basketball that EVERYONE wants to watch…..Football, it’s all SEC.
DawginLex
November 27th, 2012
9:05 am
My $.02 if any of you care to read.
I was at the game. The 1st drive and fumble, the air went out of the team. The defense needs playmakers at defensive end and linebackers. The linebackers got whipped repeatedly. There was no discipline on the defensive side of the football.
Later on, it got embarrassing in allowing Ogletree to lay the wood and body slam the running back twice. If I was playing, I would have been tossed out of the game because the next play, I’m finding him and hitting him multiple times in ways that would get me tossed.
There was no fire, no passion. I do think the team gave up.
Despite all that, Vad Lee is a talent. The offense is really not the problem. You need to hire a defensive coordinator who blitzes and is aggressive to offset the lack of talent. You CANNOT run a 3-4 with no true NG and undersized slow linebackers and defensive backs who couldn’t cover me deep.
I hope you beat FSU. That would be tremendously funny given the crap they spewed all year.
Joshua Barlowe
November 27th, 2012
9:07 am
Coach Johnson – stop blaming the players. It’s your responsibility to get them ready. If they’re not ready and they’re not competing, it’s on YOU. Maybe you’re the one who needs to step it up?
JB
November 27th, 2012
9:08 am
In the next 30 days or so, 75-100 new D1 coach’s will be hired at schools with openings ( position coach’s also)….Bad time for Johnson to be shopping for a new defensive staff…..But he must. I would hire VanGorder from Auburn. That mess down there is not his fault. The guy can coach. Tech would get an immediate upgrade
old dog
November 27th, 2012
9:09 am
DawginLex is generous…….please refer to my last post……………….
Heat Check: Destiny’s ‘Dogs? Bowl-less Jackets? | Mark Bradley
November 27th, 2012
9:09 am
[...] TECH: Paul Johnson now believes his Jackets didn’t give much of an effort in Athens. (Who knew, huh?) But if Tech can rouse itself to topple Florida State — maybe the [...]
DawgFaithful
November 27th, 2012
9:14 am
Demerits huh? A college football coach that gives out demerits… That’s rich.
Hey, 4 star recruit… Come play at GaTEch. We’ll run the same offense you’ve been playing in since Pop Warner and we’ll win 6 games a year, go to a bowl game every year and lose said bowl game EVERY TIME. When you don’t play well we’ll hand out demerits. If it gets really bad we’ll put you in timeout.
Trust me you’ll be totally prepared for the NFL. Come to Tech and all your dreams of becoming a pro athlete will come true. LOL
Long live Paul the Genius Johnson. Please stay at GaTech for as long as you want to. GTech football has never been more interesting.
JB
November 27th, 2012
9:14 am
At Georgia, VanGorder was the lightning rod for toughness and aggressiveness. Go for it Tech. You need a guy like him….And I’m a Dawg Fan. No one likes what happened last week that’s a football fan. We want a game.
Technically Correct
November 27th, 2012
9:17 am
CPJ saw what we all saw on Saturday – a Tech team that was completely intimidated by Georgia. If it happens once, it might be a fluke. If it happens twice in a row, it’s a trend. Okay, Tech football players, it’s time to decide just how you wish to be labeled and remembered. You can be the guys who manned up or the girls who didn’t.
DIT
November 27th, 2012
9:17 am
Come on Jackets, beat FSU and tell that NCAA committee where they can stick their bowl waiver. This Dawg is pulling for y’all!
Booze Hound
November 27th, 2012
9:17 am
Johnson has relegated the Jacket’s football program to the ashbin. Time for him to go.
old dog
November 27th, 2012
9:19 am
@JB,
Well said……I been trying to get that across to the Teckies; we want the rivalry back! It has fast become a joke, and there really is not another way to put it. The State of Georgia as a whole deserves better recruiting, coaching, and effort than CPJ has brought to Tech. When I was at UGA, it really was a rivarly….close, hard fought games, and (unfortunately) we lost some. Now, if we lose to this program in its present state, it would have to be that we were looking ahead……as it stands now under the present system, the rivalry is gone!
Dawglasville
November 27th, 2012
9:21 am
You guys know that I don’t troll this blog. Like you, I don’t play the game, so there is no chest thumping. Johnson’s actions after the game made me a little mad. We all want a coach with fire but I think that part of him screaming at his players after the game was for show. My Dad, a good Tech man, use to do that. If his sons acted out in public he made sure that not only we knew we weren’t going to act like that, he let the world know that his sons weren’t going to act like that. Him throwing his guys under the bus in the media yesterday is crazy. Forget Richt. Leave him out of the equation. Saban wouldn’t do it. Les Miles wouldn’t do it. Meyer wouldn’t do it.
The basketball game will be next week. I’m pretty sure your Jackets are going to win. As much as I like to win that game, it seems to give things a sense of balance when you guys do. Go Dawgs.
Iluvnutella
November 27th, 2012
9:23 am
Funny thing that is never Johnsons fault. I listen to him talk, and its just aweful. I can only imagine him speaking to a son with his parents. Dude gots to go!
Dawglasville
November 27th, 2012
9:25 am
If Stanford and Notre Dame can compete so can Tech. You are not Duke or Wake.
Coach
November 27th, 2012
9:25 am
Easy to blame the players! Is it any wonder that top players do not want to go to Tech!
10Dawgs
November 27th, 2012
9:26 am
There is a reason they stopped running the triple option in the 50’s. The system in outdated. And the coach blames the players, in public no less. If you are a gifted athlete with hopes of getting to the NFL, GiT offers NOTHING! Who would agree to play for this A-Hole? Unbelievable!
old dog
November 27th, 2012
9:32 am
Hey Teckies….notice anythihg? Yeah, thats right; you are getting sympathy from Georgia fans on this blog………that says it all!
JB
November 27th, 2012
9:33 am
The AD that just left Tech was afraid of Johnson IMO. Hoping the new AD has what it takes to right some wrongs. Johnson is a decent coach in certain situations, but to get back to big boy football, the guy has got to go.
NCDawgFan
November 27th, 2012
9:35 am
Johnson reminds me of when Donnan was in Athens. Donnan was arrogant and was always more concerned with calling the plays on offense than actually “being” the head coach. Donnan was not at all interested in speaking with the media, the fans or the big-time contributors. He came across like an arrogant jerk in almost every case. He couldn’t beat his primary rivals on a consistent basis. After four seasons averaging 8 wins, his arrogant attitude got him fired. Donnan was not a bad coach, he was just not the right coach for Georgia. Maybe it is time to come to the same conclusion at Tech. I do think your team has a chance against F$U if you can turn the game into a shootout.
Birmingham Jacket
November 27th, 2012
9:45 am
I continue to believe a large part of our and other members of the ACC, is being in the ACC, itself. Good football players in the southeast don’t want to play in a patsy football conference.
There is a lot of chatter of FSU to the Big 12 and perhaps Clemson to the SEC.
If we were able to somehow get to The Big 10 (and I have heard talk of such), I think we could sign better recruiting classes that would make us more competitive.
If not, then get ready and just accept continued domination by the UGAs, Iowas and LSUs.
Take The Wheel
November 27th, 2012
9:45 am
I’m not one to publicly voice my oppinion of CPJ. But I will say, I dont see him encouraging the players in any positive way on the field. There’s no real acknowledgment of good plays made – but we certainly see him ripping into them after a miss. During the game, he should do more to rally the players. Dabo Sweeney is really good at that. You see him butt slapping and high fiving every now and then and that goes a long way with the players.
We could argue that at this level, players should be able to get themselves up for every game. But even pros feed off the energy of the coach. CPJ seems very removed but for an occasional public reprimand – which irks me to no end!
Take The Wheel
November 27th, 2012
9:48 am
Although I’m seeing much more class than expected… there are entirely too many dawgs on this board today!
Delbert D.
November 27th, 2012
9:50 am
“There is a reason they stopped running the triple option in the 50’s.”
Possibly, in some alternate universe.
ramblingbuzz
November 27th, 2012
9:51 am
NCDawg……Very good analogy between Donnan and Johnson. They seems to be similar in many respects.
TechLB
November 27th, 2012
9:52 am
@Ignition – Thanks for the link man, good read and right on!
For all of you railing we should fire CPJ, read this WSJ article where they researched the success of firing versus keeping coaches:
http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2012/11/20/forget-the-coaches-maybe-fire-the-players/
Prediction for ‘13: A high-energy, passionate Defensive coordinator breathes some fire into GT results no less than “remarkable”. And Paul hires an image consultant, high fives players after big plays (on National TV!!) and smiles more = equals a revitalized Tech Nation.
Ah, dreams sometimes come true…
Little toy rag dolls
November 27th, 2012
9:53 am
UGA threw the Tech men around like toys. UGA was so physical and the Jackets wilted. GT simply plays football in a silly, sissy league.
Top to bottom, from Vandy stomping WAKE, to FSU and Clemson being abused by SEC all so rans Florida and we won nothing SC, the ACC was exposed AND in a below average year in which Auburn and UT are well below their usual lofty levels.
Enjoy your NO BOWL jackets.
CPJ is on the Waffle House HOT SEAT.
ramblingbuzz
November 27th, 2012
9:54 am
BJacket…….I understand your point, but I’m not sure a move to the Big10 will fix all the problems with GT football. Yes we need to recruit better players especially on D, but I believe there are coaching and team chemistry issues than such a move will not fix.
Al Bundy
November 27th, 2012
9:55 am
Wow, what a surprise our coach just blamed the loss to UGA on the players not giving 100%. I watched every minute of the game and I didn’t see anyone quiting. I saw our team get out coached in every area of the game. All I can say is what a jerk. If I win the powerball tonight, coach fish fry is done at GT! Defense wins champioships and CPJ hasn’t done one thing to improve our defense since he got here. And to all think CPJ is such a great coach, I say bull. If he were so great why hasn’t some school tried to hire him?
Take The Wheel
November 27th, 2012
9:56 am
However, I do agree with CPJ on the comments above. All of our boys did not give 100% for 4 quarters. And its unfortunate for the players who did. Because they really took some blows. That could have and should have been a much closer game on Saturday.
Losing this way certainly helped to over inflate the dawgs already gargantuan egos.
Smyrna Gold
November 27th, 2012
9:58 am
After 5 years, I think the conclusion is obvious. The program is going downhill so fast under CPJ with losses to Va Tech, Miami, MtSU (for heavens sake) Clemson, BYU, 4 straight bowl losses, after a six game winning streak in 2011 then going 2 – 7 in the remaining games.
Tech football is in a sad state of affairs; very demoralizing to the few remaining fans. I’m not sure anyone can fix this mess but I sure hope so. CPJ has got to go.
Al Bundy
November 27th, 2012
10:02 am
To all you crotch sniffin DAWG fans, yes your team is better than our team, yes you won the game, so why don’t you just go away. Maybe go to some BAMA blog and post some trash talking over there while you’re ahead. As they say, “Every DAWG has his day” and your day is coming!
Dawglasville
November 27th, 2012
10:02 am
Part of the problem is that Miami and VT did not carry their weight after they joined the conference. FSU owned the conference and then fell off. I knew that all three plus Clemson and Tech would struggle once they started to beat each other up, but I never expected this.
Flak Jacket
November 27th, 2012
10:02 am
Grab VanGorder for DC and go from there.
Old Dog
November 27th, 2012
10:03 am
A lot of the comments on here are from you,14 year old GT. Wanna sniff?