Tech’s Orwin Smith expecting to play
Georgia Tech A-back Orwin Smith said he thinks he will be able to play in Saturday’s ACC Championship game against Florida State.
Speaking on a teleconference with media members Monday, Smith said his right ankle was feeling better.
“It’s still to be determined,” he said. “I think I will play. We’ll just watch and see how it goes.”
After injuring his ankle in the Duke game, Smith did not play Saturday against Georgia. He was a game-time decision for the game. Smith said that he warmed up but that he didn’t feel like he could contribute enough to help Tech win.
Smith said his availability for the ACC title game wasn’t a factor in the decision, but added that knowing he could play in it “kind of brightened me up a little bit, knowing I still had a shot” to play in another important game.
Smith said he wouldn’t practice Monday, but expected to be ready Tuesday.
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
68 comments Add your comment
Turd Ferguson
November 26th, 2012
12:21 pm
Hello world
ibidGT
November 26th, 2012
12:35 pm
Good to hear! Thanks for the update Ken!
Speaking of updates is there any word on the DC search? Or is that on hold as of right now?
Thanks!
Jacket Jordan
November 26th, 2012
12:43 pm
Glad to hear he is doing better, even more glad he wasn’t apart of that embarrassment on Saturday, debatin buying my ACCCG ticket based on that awful performance, Vad or no Vad, we suck!
BigTimeTECHFan
November 26th, 2012
12:50 pm
Awesome.
And hang in there Tech fans:
We all knew going into the season if TW was the starter at QB, it would be an Avg year at best for the Jackets. No know, he’s represented Tech well but is not he special QB Tech need to be a better then Avg team.
Next year Tech will be awesome:
OL is set and deep, actually handle UGA DL well, opened up some nice holes
QB – Lee is going to huge upgade at QB, will win games on playmaking ablity. Plus Thomas is going to push him for starting job, which means Thomas is good.
BB – Laskey, Perkins, Snoddy
AB – Bostic, Days, Godhigh, Zenon
WR – coming into year 0 catches, next year will have more experiance with Greene, Waller, and Autry (who looked awesome)
DL – Gotsis has looked great as true Frosh, out played everyone he faced, Kallon, Gamble beast, GT will have good DL by mid season,
LB – Days, Neally, Watts, Harrell,
Johnson had done great job recruiting, and it will show next year
IronJacket
November 26th, 2012
12:50 pm
Great news if he does play but doesn’t change the state of our defense.
GT Dude
November 26th, 2012
12:57 pm
Too bad Orwin doesn’t play on the D side of ball
ramblingbuzz
November 26th, 2012
1:09 pm
BigTime……Agree that offense should be very good next year. Also need to get us a great D Coordinator who can teach and motivate our D players. Very important hire for CPJ.
Booze Hound
November 26th, 2012
1:09 pm
BigTimeTECHFan,
Johnson’s in over his head and should be fired.
TDone
November 26th, 2012
1:17 pm
I think the worse part of Saturday was for Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz to be proven correct.
GT Fan
November 26th, 2012
1:38 pm
IMO, Bostic is a better Aback than Orwin. Faster, more elusive, better receiver. His few chances on Sat, to me, showed that.
Orwin’s been the Aback that gets the majority the carries…which means he’s not called on to block nearly as much. So Bostic, if blocking’s the reason he doesn’t get more PT, wouldn’t have to block as much either.
Gotta get a home-run threat at Bback. Gotta make LBs HAVE TO HONOR the BB every play.
Buzzed
November 26th, 2012
1:40 pm
Bigtimetekfan: Nice try. And Orwin Smith won’t make a difference except to his mom.
GIVE ME A BREAK
November 26th, 2012
1:41 pm
Smith has been fun to watch. Glad he gets to play one more game. Hope he has a great day against FSU.
juvenal
November 26th, 2012
2:13 pm
BigTime, it’s the play calling that i wonder about, i.e.,-for the only time all year, Days(former QB) shows an A-back pass-uga calls a time out-& we never go back to it…….
wreckbone
November 26th, 2012
2:16 pm
I think we have a great shot next week. We gained over 400 yards on UGA just could not finish drives without a great b back. If we had that the fans on here would not be talking so bad on Johnson. I think Johnson is a good coach. The defense used to keep us in games. I agree with Johnson, how do you think you will consistently beat those high talent teams doing the same thing. UGA scheduled Ga Southern to help them work on our option. Everyone hates it on opposing teams. just please a 4 star RB come to GT to be our B Back. Everyone that blames the talent on Johnson does not understand it. We had 1 – 5 star player EVER. We will not get that talent. I hope he gets another couple of years because I think he has the QBs he needs, just needs that B back. Also, Vad playing in NC again so hopefully he can play like he did in Chapel Hill!
Flexbone 45
November 26th, 2012
2:31 pm
@BigTimeTECHFan I agree, next year should be an improvement.
Glad to hear Orwin may be back on the field. He’s had a great career.
Tech Fan Since 1950
November 26th, 2012
2:43 pm
Defense (lack there of) has been the prime issue for Tech over the last few years, but being too stubborn when it comes to the issue of the forward pass is prime issue number two. I know personally that confidence building is important, but when you have a quarterback like Vad Lee you find a way to play him and pass more than just a few times a game. I am ok with the “high school offense” as long as there is some “high school passing” thrown in. Any chance Tech will have Saturday or in the bowl game will come down to a good combination of both. So far in the Johnson era, that combination has not come about. It is called being stubborn.
Jacket Detective
November 26th, 2012
2:49 pm
@wreckbone.
And who would the one be?
Megatron.
I argued last week with Duke Dad but since both Duke and his alma matre Virginia lost, I guess he won’t be gloating so much.
I’ve grown tired of the silly arguments that develop on here every day.
If I met Duke Dad, we’d probably have been fast friends had we not gone back and forth with insults for 30 minutes.
GT Lee
November 26th, 2012
3:06 pm
We just signed a 6 ft 230 lb back from Aquinas High School in Augusta. Go look at his film on carvell’s recruiting blog. There’s your next B-Back (Brendan Douglas).
Jacket Detective
November 26th, 2012
3:08 pm
What really gripes me about Tevin’s plight as the starting QB of Georgia Tech is the props he would have gotten with a decent defense.
In the last bowl loss (not to mention the Clemson game), he revealed a decent arm but was denied the accolades due to the defense.
Against Virginia Tech, he might have been hailed as a clutch player (instead of all the knocks he took from our “fans”) and with Deon Hill gotten to be heroes on campus for a week but was denied that status due to the defense.
Why didn’t we pass more instead of running the B dive into the ground?
Then against Miami, we score 36 straight points but again Tevin became the goat and we were denied the win – stop me if you’re heard this one – due to the defense.
How many times has Johnson gone for it on our side of the fifty and not made it, setting the other team up with great field position yet when it was essential to go for it and one successful play wins the Miami game (not just a tie like in the OT), he chokes and punts.
Nesbitt failed on 4th down against Wake in 2009, as I’ve pointed out, but was saved when Derrick Morgan made a game and season saving sack to push Wake out of winning field goal range.
Nesbit failed too sometimes but he benefitted from having defenders on his team who occasionally could make an important stop.
In Tevin’s defense, he would very much have liked to been the starting QB on such a team too.
collegeballfan
November 26th, 2012
3:18 pm
Speaking of a new DC – head coaches are being axed daily. That means there are a lot of coaches available. Might be a good time to cherry pick the better defensive assistants and completely re-do the entire GT defensive staff. The defense gave up points at a record pace this season; 42, 49, 47, 41, 50, & 42 in six games. I can’t think of a reason any defensive coach should be retained.
GT Fan
November 26th, 2012
3:24 pm
Just got a chuckle out of the joke the BCS rankings are. UGA is #3. They’ve played the weakest SEC schedule, and only 2 good teams of which they have a 1-1 record.
UF, ranked #4, has played @ Texas AM, vs LSU, UGA, SC, and @ FSU. UF is 4-1 vs. those teams. How are they ranked behind UGA??? B/c SOS and “quality wins” says otherwise. Same goes for 1 loss Oregon. The Ducks have beaten three 7-5 teams (AZ, UW, @AZ St) by scores of 49-0, 52-21, & 43-21, respectively. They won @ USC & OrSt. And their 1 loss (OT loss) is to a better team (Stanford, 10-2 #8) than SC (10-2 #10).
Other than Vandy & UF, has UGA beaten a team with a winning record in 2012. And don’t give me the “they had a winning record at the time they played” b/c you are what you are (GT, 6-5 and UT, 3-1 when they played UGA). Oh wait, UGA did beat 1-AA Ga Southern. So that’s 3 teams with winning records that UGA has beaten in 2012, and we’re supposed to believe the Dawgs are the 3rd best team in the country?
BCS #7, 8, & 9 are LSU, Stanford, & Tex A&M….would UGA beat any of these? Remember #10 is SC, and # 4 UF was kind enough to commit 6 turnovers.
UGA #3, my arse.
Silly Mutts
November 26th, 2012
3:37 pm
Next Year…Next Year…Next Year….Next Year!!!! Come on fellas. Next year will be the same as long as our defense and special teams continue to SUCK! It isn’t going to get any better for many, many years as long as Johnson is the HC. Also, his offense continues to SUCK against quality teams when behind again and again and again and again and again. GT must pass the ball when down 14+ points. I am tired of saying this over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Get it through your thick skulls…..Johnson SUCKS over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Anybody would be an upgrade. Otherwise you’ll be repeating yourselves (and I will) for the next 3 years! Gosh for smart people you are pretty dumb!
ACCsucks
November 26th, 2012
3:38 pm
@GT Fan, using that logic, Alabama has played very few good teams except LSU and Texas A&M…of which they are 1-1 and they should have lost to LSU. Michigan wasn’t as good as advertised. Miss State has fallen off the map. We can go on and on about schedules and Oregon has beaten who??? AZ, UW and AZ St? That’s it? Notre dame played some good teams (I guess) and they should have lost to Stanford and took 3 OT’s to beat Pitt. PITTSBURGH!!!! Face it, most of the teams with great records also had the benefits of scheduling. Only LSU last year had a schedule that had more than 2-3 ranked teams on it. You play the schedule you are given and do the best that you can. Our own ACC best was humiliated by SEC teams that didn’t even with their division. I think you need to close your mouth because you are exposing your ignorance and bias.
Al Bundy
November 26th, 2012
3:50 pm
I just hope we still have our coach come Saturday. With all the head coach openings around the country, some school will surely come knocking on CPJ door. He’s just got to be on everyones short list for a new head coach.
BULLDOGMANIAC
November 26th, 2012
4:05 pm
It doesn’t matter who will play. Tech will lose to FS.
And by the way – WE OWN THIS STATE!
GT Joe
November 26th, 2012
4:07 pm
Jacket Detective: Don’t mention the INT at VT in OT. Or the misread vs. miami. they don’t fit your narrative.
If you are comparing nesbitt to tevin, that is foolish (to put it nicely). Nesbitt could carry this team on is back. Tevin couldn’t carry nesbitt’s jock on his back.
That said, I hope that vad doesn’t play another down this year. CPJ has made his decision with Tevin, now time to ride that horse into the ground…
A fool and his job are soon parted…
say what
November 26th, 2012
4:32 pm
watch and see how it goes? Are you kidding me? Wrap it up and play, this is it….what are you saving for, the Sun Bowl……..pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
JM
November 26th, 2012
4:46 pm
Good news from Orwin. Get well soon.
White&Gold
November 26th, 2012
6:47 pm
So from what I’ve read on ESPN, unless we can get a waiver, we either play in the Orange Bowl or don’t play in a bowl at all. Quite a system the NCAA has.
No Bowl Please
November 26th, 2012
6:51 pm
No bowl for us this year. See CBS sports. We’re just no good!
Don’t reward lazy players with a bowl.
That’s what’s wrong with this country!
People getting things they haven’t earned!
67% high school graduation rate, and you wonder why we don’t have good players?
All the dummies go to UGA!
They do run this state… the morons!
The Shu
November 26th, 2012
6:58 pm
I think we as tech fans should admit the obvious and that is we do not have the talent to compete at a level we would like to think we should. With that said I was watching CFD on ESPN today and they had a segment about the number of tickets returned for the UGAG game. They proceeded to say that if GT fans cant even go to a rivalry game 50 miles down the road, then how many tickets will GT return for an ACC championship game 150 miles down the road! That is embarrassing! As a long time Georgia Tech fan whom has absolutely no ties to Georgia Tech other than my father went to GT back in the day.I grew up up during the Dooley and Walker days and endured a lot of ridicule and criticism during those days. I love Georgia Tech and always will. My problem is with the alumni whom through personal experience have plenty of money to travel to games and BOWL GAMES but decide to have ” An Almighty than” complex about education and earthly processions but clearly will not support the team they supposedly pull for. I am posting this to maybe ignite the true Tech fan who CAN financially go to the ACC championship game and cheer and pull for our Jackets like most other Southern schools that we are surrounded by would do for their own team. It starts with fan support. Go jackets!
White&Gold
November 26th, 2012
7:04 pm
Couldn’t say it any better myself, Shu. Our fanbase is a joke. No support during rough stretches.
GT Fan is quite delusional...
November 26th, 2012
7:05 pm
…yet that is what one would expect from a fan of a team that just got drilled by a “joke” team like UGA – but go on and compare those schedules and “project” who would beat whom on any given Saturday – all we kinow for sure is that UGA drilled Tech by more than they drilled that 1AA team, GSU, and that UGA is in a position to play for the MNC, while Tech did not even win its division yet still gets to play for the ACC championship – so STFU, GT “FAN”…
No Bowl Please
November 26th, 2012
7:11 pm
@The Shu
You must not have been to Athens for a game.
I’ve been there when we have lost, and I’ve been there when we won.
The last time I went we won, my wife was mistreated by the uga fans with F bombs,
I’ll never go back. I’ve spent a lot of money going to bowls that we lost, never again!
When we get back to a place where we actually have a chance to win, I’ll go to an away game!
We have no chance this weekend!
FSU fans are as obnoxious as uga fans!
Rick James
November 26th, 2012
7:27 pm
@GT Fan
UF, ranked #4, has played @ Texas AM, vs LSU, UGA, SC, and @ FSU. UF is 4-1 vs. those teams. How are they ranked behind UGA??? B/c SOS and “quality wins” says otherwise. Same goes for 1 loss Oregon. The Ducks have beaten three 7-5 teams (AZ, UW, @AZ St) by scores of 49-0, 52-21, & 43-21, respectively. They won @ USC & OrSt. And their 1 loss (OT loss) is to a better team (Stanford, 10-2 #8) than SC (10-2 #10).
——————————————————————————————————————————-
Florida is ranked behind Georgia because they lost to them..I konw you’re questioning that because you dislike Georgia and not because you’re that stupid.
superDawg
November 26th, 2012
7:37 pm
supersize is banned for stupiity.
1 4 GT
November 26th, 2012
7:40 pm
Rick….GT Fan answered his question with his sentence beginning…..B/c SOS and “quality……………. but you had to chime in with your holier than thou attitude anyway.
big gt fan
November 26th, 2012
7:47 pm
dont any major college want cpj if they do they can have him, hes embrassed tech enough how are you going win a game only throwing twice per game please. its easy to stop 1 part of the game.and if you talk to him tell him get some players with some heart to stand up and fight not the ones that get throwed around like rag dolls.
big gt fan
November 26th, 2012
8:01 pm
would you rather play a qb that has 0 turnovers and 0 touchdowns or a qb with 1 maybe 2 turnovers with 4 or 5 touchdowns you got go with guy that makes touchdowns, because with time on field and coaching the turnovers will stop!
Rick James
November 26th, 2012
8:02 pm
@1 4 GT
Rick….GT Fan answered his question with his sentence beginning…..B/c SOS and “quality……………. but you had to chime in with your holier than thou attitude anyway.
———————————————————————————————————————
Like you did?
Jacket Detective
November 26th, 2012
8:08 pm
@GT Joe.
Put some money behind your mouth (season tickets or other contribution) and maybe someone will care about your views.
We’ll see whether your messiah can actually carry the team next year and if he can deliver a win vs Uga. (very doubtful)
Nesbitt never carried the team by himself.
The 2009 team was much better.
Without the top draft picks to bail him out when he needed it he was on the way to a losing season in 2010 with future losses to VT and Uga.
He didn’t look so great running for his life vs NC State and was saved by a Tarrant pick-6 from being the QB in an embarrasing blowout loss.
The Shu
November 26th, 2012
8:10 pm
@ No Bowl please. That is the choice every college football fan has. Your quote”I’ll never go back. I’ve spent a lot of money going to bowls that we lost, never again!
When we get back to a place where we actually have a chance to win, I’ll go to an away game!
We have no chance this weekend!” Is exactly what Im talking about. When GT is relevant people come some what. When we are not, people (alumni) do not. Look at the games on TV, the gold seats from the 40 to the 40 are empty! Its horribly embarrassing. Why would a 4 star recruit come to that. Tech people that live in the south need to go to games to make us relevant. Tech people use the excuse that football is only a game when we are bad and that there are other things in life more important, albeit true, however, when fall rolls around we have the optimism of a great season just like every other college football fan. The only problem is that our fans do not support our team like other fans do through out the south when the season goes not to our expectations.Yes Georgia Tech graduates on an average make more money than UGA grads, ALA, OLE MISS, LSU, FLA, USC but they love their school and they love their football and that is why the 4 and 5 star recruits on the defensive side of the ball are going to their schools. Its not Rocket Science.
ole yeller
November 26th, 2012
8:21 pm
superDawg, nobody cares what you think on this blog. If stupid were terminal you would not be here with us now.
Coach Z
November 26th, 2012
8:30 pm
I believe Johnny gill said it best, “I don’t want to be a fair weather friend.” Seems like that’s the point people on here are making about GT alumni. I’m a fan with no ties to the institute and if I only had the means that most of you all talk about having on this blog I’d be at every game doing it right, regardless. But I hope Tech gets a younger, energetic, most importantly loyal fan base
Bryan
November 26th, 2012
8:31 pm
It’s not going to make a difference unless he plays defense or can teach proper tackling. Tech defense has been pathetic ever since CPJ’s arrival and nothing seems to be happening to change it.
Coach Z
November 26th, 2012
8:37 pm
The defense is bad, but it just has to be a tiny bit better than FSU this weekend.
jackets123
November 26th, 2012
9:10 pm
where is john tenuta
OkieDawg
November 26th, 2012
9:17 pm
I have not commented since the debalce in Athens, but man is GT’s D bad or what? The Triple Option is run to perfection and give CPJ kudos for that. But the AD should demand and give financial support for the best DC available. Oh, I forgot…GT does not have an AD.
BigTimeTECHFan
November 26th, 2012
9:33 pm
fired up for FSU game.
Tech OL manhandled UGA DL, FSU’s d-line is a lot better, their DE’s are awesome.
Brendan Douglas is a beast, best RB in the state, many comare him to the Stanford RB from a couple of years ago. 230 lbs and fast
Ling Graves
November 26th, 2012
9:51 pm
Missed him against UGA and happy to see he’ll be healthy for FSU!
ignition
November 26th, 2012
11:07 pm
Article on where Tech currently stands
http://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2012/11/26/3691760/monday-morning-qb-thinking-of-the-bigger-picture
Santa Monica Jacket
November 27th, 2012
2:06 am
Douglas looks likea very good pickupt for B-Back…. However, watching this highlight tape of Perkins… How the heck is this kid not starting over Laskey or Sims!?! Hopefully he figures out how to get on the field… The talent is obviously there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Mvv1kvGeMuo
Santa Monica Jacket
November 27th, 2012
2:17 am
40 yard dash times
Jonathan Dwyer- 4.52
Charles Perkins- 4.51
Travis Custis- 4.67
Brendan Douglas- 4.5
Hopefully we can start hitting some home runs up the middle again… Dwyer really helped make the offense go with his break away speed. These guys all should be able to do the samething.
djack0062
November 27th, 2012
6:41 am
IRT Santa Monica Jacket. The problem with Perkins is he does not want to be a B-Back..or can’t compete well enough to beat out Laskey or Sims. Laskey with a few more pounds and muscle will be a monster (he has the skills). David Sims will be a much better as an A-Back (has balance issues/goes down easy). We have the talent its just in the wrong places.
JaxYJ
November 27th, 2012
8:26 am
BULLDOGMANIAC – When do you graduate HS?
JaxYJ
November 27th, 2012
8:36 am
@ The Shu – I am in complete agreement.
Old Dog
November 27th, 2012
9:46 am
To Hell with Tek, today, tomorrow and every other day!
Old Dog
November 27th, 2012
9:53 am
Tek loses to Middle @#$#%^& Tennessee State. Tickets to the ACCC game can be bought on StubHub for under $5.00. No high school kid worth his letter jacket wants to play for Pole Johnson. Give up people, the Varsity could really use the room for parking and calculus could again rein supreme.
GT Fan
November 27th, 2012
9:54 am
1 4 GT
November 26th, 2012
7:40 pm
Rick….GT Fan answered his question with his sentence beginning…..B/c SOS and “quality……………. but you had to chime in with your holier than thou attitude anyway.
———————————————————-
Thanks 1 4 GT …… ain’t it funny how some Dawg fans can “spin” anything to UGA positive.
Based on their body of work & who they’ve played, there is now way in hell UGA is the #3 in the country. Every other team in the top 10 has had a tougher go, though a couple just a slightly tougher go (Bama) than UGA.
It’s sad that the might BCS system (with computers to help it) can’t figure out the absurdity of UGA’s schedule. But like I’ve said all along, it’s all about the $. Most SEC would eat sh@t-brownies if the BCS/ESPN told them it would get their team to the NC game. “….you can fool some of the people (SEC fans) all of the time” The BCS/ESPN have a never-ending $ train going with the SEC fanbase.
GT Fan
November 27th, 2012
10:09 am
I see the truth hurts, ACCSucks.
But don’t get mad at me I’m only stating the facts. I can’t do anything about this joke ranking system, and your Dawgs are in position to be playing for a NC. It takes a little more than glancing at an 11-1 record and thinking a team is worthy of NC consideration to prove the hypocrisy which the BCS/ranking system is.
GT Fan
November 27th, 2012
10:13 am
Dating back to August 2011, UGA has played six GOOD teams (teams that won a minimum of 9-10 games). The Dawgs are 1-5 in those games.
sean jones
November 27th, 2012
11:52 am
O. Smith is soft. How do you sit out against UGA unless you cant walk? This team defines softness.
sean jones
November 27th, 2012
11:54 am
We will never be UGAin football. Their talent and financial support are too strong. Tech fans shud either accept this or quit whining. As smart as Tech ppl are, they seem dumb when it comes to common sense
BYU Fan in FL
November 27th, 2012
2:22 pm
Good luck GT…you have an uphill road to climb with FSU but here is one fan of another team who hopes you can pull it off….Take it easy gentlemen until next season in Provo!!!!
DecaturHurricaneAlum
November 27th, 2012
2:28 pm
If your yellow jackets football team got a serious passing game with your option and some safeties , LB’s and corners with real speed your team would be a threat. Your secondary can’t cover and they have to play back to far which means short passes all night.
GT TN
November 27th, 2012
3:24 pm
@Bigtimegtfan..FSU defense is good but I wouldnt say great..they just lost the best DE they have for the year..UF rushed for almost 250 yds and we have a better rushing attack than they do
All the UGA fans that are barking about how good the record is better hope they win against Alabama..if you lose you are going to the Capital One bowl and being left out of a BSC bowl..at that time you will have wished you played a better schedule
As a UGA fan..how disappointing would that be..go from a chance at NC game to Capital One bowl and then GT win and have to watch us play in a BCS bowl
TECHIE
November 27th, 2012
5:58 pm
where is Marcus Allen from FL.? was a tremendous H/S back with speed. redshirted maybe?
we can beat FSU,if things go our way just a little bit, y’all watch it n TV, we’ll be there.
good luck to my boys, white and gold forever.
Louisville to the ACC, ACC Championship Links » ACC Blogger
November 28th, 2012
8:28 am
[...] Saturday. The Orlando Sentinel’s Coley Harvey breaks down the Jackets. A-back Orwin Smith is expected to play after injuring an ankle against Duke. And it broke early in the week, but FSU’s Tank [...]