Notes: Johnson waiting on coordinator hire
1. Georgia Tech’s search for a defensive coordinator will proceed at coach Paul Johnson’s pace. For now, that means nothing is likely to happen before the Yellow Jackets play USC in the Sun Bowl Dec. 31.
“We’ll deal with that when the appropriate time comes,” Johnson said following the team’s Thursday practice. “I know people to talk to and there’ll be a process we go through and it’s going to be an important decision.”
Johnson said he thinks about the decision daily, “but I haven’t done anything yet.”
Interim defensive coordinator Charles Kelly has led the defense since Johnson fired Al Groh on Oct. 8 after a 2 1/2-year tenure that ended with the Jackets giving up 40-plus points in three consecutive games for the first time in school history.
With Kelly coordinating, the defense has had its moments, particularly shutting out Florida State in the second half of the ACC Championship game. But the Jackets also gave up 50 points to North Carolina in a 68-50 win.
“I think there’s been some games better than others,” Johnson said.
In making and then working with the hire, Johnson said he won’t be tied to a particular scheme and will have more involvement with the defense. Kelly will be considered, Johnson said, as will other defensive assistants.
“I want guys to be able to play fast and not get bogged down in all the minutiae, just be able to play,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of ways to do that.”
There are also a lot of ways to hire a coach and Johnson will use his. He said he laughed when he received one email asking if he had a search agency.
After the season, he said, “I’ll sit down and talk to everybody and we’ll figure it out. We’ll have one by the time spring starts, I promise.”
2. Johnson’s lone comment on wide receiver Jeff Greene parting from the team: “Guys have to do what they’ve got to do.”
Greene and Tech coaches came to a decision late last week that it was best for Greene to leave the program. The team’s leading receiver with 18 catches and 284 yards for a 15.8 yards-per-catch average, Greene is expected to transfer and continue playing.
Wide receivers coach Buzz Preston wished Greene the best, but said he wished Greene would have stayed.
“I would have loved to have the opportunity to help him get to where he wanted to go, but the decision was made, so you go with it,” Preston said.
For the Sun Bowl, Greene’s vacancy opens up an opportunity for Corey Dennis, who switched over to wide receiver from defense during the season after wide receiver Jeremy Moore’s temporary departure from the team in September.
Said Preston, “Corey’s been doing some good things in practice.”
3. The team had its fourth bowl practice Thursday after a four-day break for final exams. The Jackets will practice Friday and Saturday, then Monday through Friday of next week before breaking for the holiday.
“We were rusty and trying to get back in the flow,” Johnson said. “After you take a few days off like that, I think that’s what happens.”
Thanks for reading.
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Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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150 comments Add your comment
yeller bug
December 14th, 2012
10:11 am
We have one of the best rushing teams in the country every year and the benefits of a strong ground game is ball control. We also are in the top quartile in big play production. What most people see in the stands is CPJ running the same option play while on the field the reads change, the blocking assignments change…it may look the same, but it’s a different play. So if we develop a stronger passing game, how much will we sacrifice in terms of timing, efficiency and production in our running game? [Hours practicing passing means less hours practicing the nuances of running]. Would the threat of a legitimate passing attack cause defenses to adjust such that the run game would still be proficient despite the less practice? These are the strategic questions along with matching up personnel skills to the plays called.
Awesomeb
December 14th, 2012
10:27 am
GT TN. Like you, I want to give CPJ a couple more years to straighten this out. And you are right, UGA’s record hasn’t been great either. But, they did just play for a chance to play in the NC game. That’s a totally different place than where GT is right now. Here’s a few more stats and facts for you about the last 3 years:
GT’s record against FBS opponents – 16-19
Number of wins against FBS opponents who finished with a winning record – 5
2010 – UNC 8-5
2011 – UNC 7-6, NCST 8-5, Clemson 10-4
2012 – UNC 8-4
The combined record of the teams we beat – 82-128 (.390)
Lost to a 3-9 Kansas team in 2010.
Got blown out by Sunbelt Conference team Middle Tennessee State in 2012 (49-28).
Beat 10-win Clemson in 2011.
Won ZERO bowl games.
So, looking at those stats and facts, if you were hiring a head coach, would those numbers impress you? Would you hire a coach with these stats? If you said “no”, then why would GT want to continue to “hire” CPJ (by not firing him)? CPJ is VERY lucky he had the success in ‘08 and ‘09 that he did and got that contract extension. Otherwise, I don’t think he would make it past this year. Hopefully, he turns it all around next year and can win 9 or 10 games (and a bowl game) and right the ship. I’m pulling for him.
Empty Seats
December 14th, 2012
10:27 am
@mama & gtfan – how is the sand your heads are in.
can’t ask pj a legitimate question.
Defense has been weak for years and 3 dc’s later defense is ok product?
yeller bug
December 14th, 2012
10:32 am
I think CPJ made an error this year in how he handled the QB situation. TW and Vad have different skills and strengths—CPJ shoe horns them into the same offense with minor tweaks to adjust to their skills. In option football you need to be 2 or 3 deep at QB due to the high risk of injury. I think CPJ should have played Vad more in pass first or a pass-run balanced offense, run more pistol, specialize in the two minute drill, and thus give opponents more to worry about. Thus in practice you have 2nd team offense (Vad) running a pistol offense against 1st team D [better practice for 1st D] at one end of the field and at the other is TW running the TO against 2nd Team D. Mix scout team in with both. Thus 1st D sees a typical offense it will face week to week and the O develops the full spectrum of offensive plays. It’s also not like TW could never pass or Vad never run, but tailor the offensive play calling more to the QB skills, vice a one QB fits all in the little pass, mostly run TO offense.
Additionally, the room for improvement on D is great and there is no reason why Tech cannot have an awesome D, no matter what our offense does.
GTville
December 14th, 2012
10:35 am
Sounds like CPJ is going to give Kelly a look and is waiting for the NFL regular season to end so he can discuss with his main targets without distracting their playoff run.
wrecked
December 14th, 2012
10:35 am
@Mama Says, “Wonder what you consider bad quality ” how about 20-19 over the past 3 seasons with 2 losing records,Pathetic recruiting and worse coaching.Or maybe 8-12 over the last 20 games is that bad enough.
No DC hire until after Sun Bowl
December 14th, 2012
10:37 am
[...] DC hire until after Sun Bowl Makes sense to me. Notes: Johnson waiting on coordinator hire | Georgia Tech Reply With [...]
Awesomeb
December 14th, 2012
10:38 am
yeller bug – the problem with your argument is that those big numbers and big plays come against week teams. How many points did we average on offense against BYU, FSU, and UGA? I will tell you – 9.33.
And all those big plays also dried up. That’s why you MUST be able to throw the ball a little. You simply cannot depend on being able to run the ball against every team. And when you do get to games like BYU, UGA, and FSU, you have to be able to throw it a little to open up the run some. But, if you NEVER throw it in the games you are able to run in, of course you will not be able to throw it successfully in the games you DO need to throw it. Nobody is suddenly good at something they NEVER do. You simply have to mix it in occasionally, even in the blowout games just to stay sharp on it. Plus, it makes your WRs happy and they don’t quit all the time.
yeller bug
December 14th, 2012
10:42 am
Finally, one more thought besides Merry Christmas and safe holidays everyone. Does CPJ include a quick instruction with each play he calls? Like a “swing thought” in golf, does he add a quick commentary (success key) as a reminder to the offense—e.g. remind the QB not to stare at the primary receiver, make sure to read a certain D player, ensure you sell the pass and let the blocks clear before doing the QB draw, remind an A back that his block is key or things such as that. Just a curious thought.
www
December 14th, 2012
10:43 am
GT Fan – you’re a troll.
gt has fewer players leave than any program i’m familiar with.
nice try though. why not worry about your bulldwags versus nebraska?
Really????
December 14th, 2012
10:48 am
GT’s offense scored less than the opponents per game average in two games this year. Can someone explain to my why so many people still think the offense is the problem here? The problem is CPJ’s mentality that the defense only needs a couple stops per game. I want a defensive mindset that will allow GT to win a game through field position on those occasions when we are facing an opponent that gives up less than two touchdowns a game.
GT Joe
December 14th, 2012
10:56 am
Everyone complaining about CPJ’s performance since 09, remember this: Tevin was QB.
The single worst decision of CPJ’s coaching career.
I’m baaaaaaccccckkkkk…….
GT Joe
December 14th, 2012
10:58 am
Really: We are #36 in scoring against FBS opponents. #40 in yards per game.
If our defense was as good as you THINK our offense is, we still wouldn’t crack the top 25 or go to a BCS bowl or win the ACC.
Reality stinks.
TechRon
December 14th, 2012
10:59 am
It’s not the DC that is the biggest problem with this team. It is the HC.
GT Joe
December 14th, 2012
11:02 am
Also, really: Can we beat FSU scoring 15 points? Can we beat UGA scoring 10 points? Can we beat VT scoring 17 points? Can we beat Miami after going scoreless the last 25 minutes? Can we beat MTSU by scoring 7 in the 2nd half?
Hint: the answers are no, no, no, no and no.
Awesomeb
December 14th, 2012
11:03 am
Really???? – your argument is not entirely accurate. In 4 of the 7 games we lost this year, the offense averaged 11.25 points per game (VT 17, BYU 3, UGA 10, FSU 15). So, yes, against weak teams, the offense is not a problem. But, it is hard to win games when your offense only scores 11 points. And top be honest, 7 of the points we scored against UGA were against 2nd and 3rd string. So really, we only averaged 9 ppg in those 4 games. I would have to say offense is a problem also. Unless you are satisfied with only beating UNC, Duke, BC, and FCS schools every year.
GT fan
December 14th, 2012
11:31 am
I love GT and have been a fan for 30 more years..Enough is enough from CPJ. We are the embarrassment of the South. I go all over the Southern States working and when they see my GT tag and watch etc I always catch hell….when you going to fire Johnson, when you going to win a game, on and on. Now I have replaced the tag and all GT stickers etc to help my business.
It used to be fun being a GT fan but not anymore..we fired Hewitt and basketball is 100% better..Fire Johnson and let new Coach hire his own coaches. GT deserves better.
GT fan
December 14th, 2012
11:33 am
I’m @ 11:31 not the same GT fan as other post.
Birminham Jacket
December 14th, 2012
11:37 am
It’s pretty clear by now, that not even great defensive minds like Nick Saban or Bud Foster could have much success with the players— and I use the term loosely, we have on our roster.
There are several astute posts on this thread that hit the nail on the head:
Bud Peterson is a dufus, who couldn’t care less about Georgia Tech football. He’s more interested in how to make liquid paper that can be poured on a bee, that won’t kill it.
We need new leadership that is willing to broaden the our curriculum. Someone gave an excellent example— like Stanford.
Really????
December 14th, 2012
11:45 am
Awesomeb- you actually missed my point. The I missed BYU because I didn’t go back to see how the points were scored, but I intentially didn’t count FSU as we scored 15 and their average was 15.1. My point was that those defenses averaged 20 (VT), 14.7 (BYU), 18 (UGA), and 15.1 (FSU). So those must have been pretty good defensive teams against all offenses, not just GT’s.
SansWorld
December 14th, 2012
11:46 am
“GT Fan – you’re a troll. It has fewer players leave than any program i’m familiar with.”
This has to be true. I don’t have any numbers in front of mem be GT’s attrition rate seems very low. Thats why our signing classes have been small recently, most players are staying around for five years, and there are not many slots.
Auburn for instance has lost 1/3 from many of their recent classes and often have more scholarships avalible than the 25 they can offer.
careless
December 14th, 2012
12:10 pm
I guess PJ can’t hire his new D coordinator until the high school season is over.
Awesomeb
December 14th, 2012
12:14 pm
Really???? – I got your point – I just don’t agree with it. Against the teams with bad defenses, we outscored their average. Against good defenses, we barely met or scored less than their average. And that fact would mean that GT’s offense was equal to or LESS than the opponents’ offenses that those teams faced. It also means that some teams scored MORE than the average on them. Yet, our strength is supposed to be our offense and we could only muster up average at best.
Really – you don’t measure yourself against the teams you are supposed to beat. You measure yourself against the good teams – the teams you are hoping to compete with on a regular basis. And against those teams this year – we were average at best, and in most cases, BELOW average on offense. So, you tell me how our offense is fine, when we weren’t even as good as the offensive average of the teams that played UGA, BYU, and VT? (and technically FSU also).
Jmonty
December 14th, 2012
12:27 pm
I wonder if CPJ wants my resume now or after the Sun Bowl loss to USC?? I know how to stop USC.. CPJ hit me up if you want someone that knows what defense is.
GTMEANSNODEFENSE
December 14th, 2012
12:50 pm
Doesn’t matter who the defensive coordinator is, GT is still a minor league football program with a gimmick offense. Enjoy those 6-7 records or at best 7-5 and lose to UGA every year!!! CPJ is at best the 4th best coach in this state and remember we RUN this state.
Hey Knuckleheads
December 14th, 2012
12:54 pm
It’s not the defensive scheme – it is a total lack of talent. CPJ can make his stylized offense function with lesser quality so I assume he has the same approach on defense.
Look at his recruiting – small slow guys going against big fast guys = 6 – 6 records. Face the fact as more of CPJ’s recruits have become starters the worse the team looks. CPJ is a small time – small school coach at best. He doesn’t belong in the big boy league.
I really doubt GT defense would be any better with Saban coaching defense – you have to have talent. You get talent by being very good at recruiting – CPJ sucks as a recruiter. All he cares about is showcasing his vaunted offense – he is an egomaniac.
5150 UOAD
December 14th, 2012
1:13 pm
Georgia Cracker
December 14th, 2012
6:49 am
GT needs to broaden its curriculum like Stanford. Fire Bud Peterson.
=====================================
Bud can’t do anything about the curriculum that is the Georgia Grad filled Board of Regents job. The Regent will do nothing to help TECH. They are giving EVERYTHING to UGa and taking from the other colleges. Read up and get educated.
unajacket
December 14th, 2012
1:14 pm
Does anyone really believe that we recruit on a level playing field? If so you have your head where the sun don’t shine. Great 300# DT’s dont search out schools with calculus & physics on the menu. CPJ is doing a great job with the issues he must deal with.
5150 UOAD
December 14th, 2012
1:17 pm
GT Fan
December 14th, 2012
8:59 am
Why does Ga Tech have a coach that has so many young men leave a program in his tenure. I have not heard of another program in Div 1 that has had so many player leave or quit a football team under on coach like Paul Johnson. What is wrong with Ga Tech football?
===========================================
Get out of the AJC and read some other Sport writers and you will find MANY schools lose players every year. Tech is not special and hasn’t had as many leave as NCSU or Penn State just to name 2. Really read some other sport information outlets.
5150 UOAD
December 14th, 2012
1:32 pm
Wes
December 14th, 2012
9:29 am
If Paul Johnson can’t turn Tech around…who can?
Tech is royally handicapped by “The Hill” = President Peterson. Peterson cares more about robots who play music than he does our football program. What a loser.
==============================================
It is COLLEGE and sports are entertainment and Robots are classwork. Football doesn’t make the Institute. The Institute will be here with or without football.
Wes is a LOSER
1 4 GT
December 14th, 2012
1:37 pm
ddr….Bobby Dodd= Athletic Director= Georgia Tech, MB (??)=LBC (???)=Georgia Tech, therefore Bobby Dodd=Georgia Tech=MB (??) clarify for the ignorant….
1 4 GT
December 14th, 2012
1:57 pm
GT fan @ 11:31 AM & 11:33 AM today Dec. 14….the GT Fan prior to you is likely the name thief that has plagued the GT blog for some months now….his email address is derickdooley@aol.com….why not drop him a line?
CHESSJACKETS
December 14th, 2012
2:07 pm
Why not give up college football and play chess instead since you can’t recruit on the same level. GEEKS ARE AS GEEKS DO!!
UGA = Yawn
December 14th, 2012
2:12 pm
Why would he laugh about that email? He thinks he is the greatest evaluator of talent???? Ah…look at your results coach! Maybe you SHOULD ask for help in your search!
Supsersize that order, mutt
December 14th, 2012
2:17 pm
@ CHESSJACKETS…….and RED NECKS ARE AS RED NECKS DO!!! I offer you as a prime example.
Supsersize that order, mutt
December 14th, 2012
2:24 pm
I am not a big Peterson supporter, but he alone is not the problem. NO Tech president, surrounded by a group of Tech elitists, has ever done anything to broaden the curriculum at Tech. They have stifled pretty much every attempt to do anything in that direction. But, as UOAD said, even when they have made some kind of attempts to broaden it, the UGA-loaded board of regents has nixed it. I was surprised to learn a couple of weeks ago that the BOR is not quite the majority UGA grads as I thought, but even the Tech members of the BOR have taken a somewhat elitist attitude, vetoing attempts to change things at Tech. The fact remains that Tech is an INSTITUTE, not a UNIVERSITY. So we will never have the course offerings that a UNIVERSITY like Stanford has. Standford IS a highly ranked academic school, but as a university, it has it’s share of courses designed to get the jocks in and out.
GT TN
December 14th, 2012
2:30 pm
@awesomeb..UGA did have a chance to play for the NC but the record against the teams they beat were 47-61 (.435)..would be alot worst if not for Florida..you have to look at CPJ full record at Tech and not just pick out 2 bad years..we were 8-5 last year..that isn’t that bad of a record..in the last 50 years we have only had 9 seasons with more than 8 wins and 2 of them were CPJ coached teams..the coach has the 4th highest winning % in school history..he has won the ACC 1 time in the last 5 years and also has played in ACCCG 3 times in those 5 years..please don’t tell me that the only reason GT played this was because Miami let us in..that same reason can be given to why UGA/Bama was able to play together for cahnce for NC..if Ohio Stae wouldn’t have been on probation they would be playing ND for the NC..this has been a very bad year..
the same way you asked would I fire a coach with CPJ resume..I ask you the same thing about hiring CPJ..if before I told you before we hired a coach that he will be 40-26, 3 ACC champ games and 1 BCS game..would have have taken that??? I think most GT fans would
SUPERSIZETHIS
December 14th, 2012
2:54 pm
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES, if frogs had wings they be YELLOWJACKETS. Tech deserves the ACC, check your record against SEC teams! CPJ might be the only coach you can get better keep him losers!!!
wrecked
December 14th, 2012
2:56 pm
GT Tn, Pj has played in 2 acc championship games, this years only because the coastal is such a pathetic conference. In 5 years PJ has had 2 losing seasons, and racks up wins against crap competition. You always seem to mention Georgia and their schedule, but perhaps you should look a little deeper and see who those teams Georgias beating are losing to, LSU, SC, GA, A and M , Florida, Alabama.Fact is GT would be 7 or 8th in SEC this season. 40-26 playing in the ACC isn’t very good, considering 1-4 vs VT, Georgia, Miami and 0-4 in bowl games (soon to be 0-5 if USC shows up to play) 20-19 over the past 3 seasons, that record gets most coaches fired.It is what it is with PJ , next year will be another 5 or 6 win season.
Supsersize that order, mutt
December 14th, 2012
3:08 pm
@ SUPERSIZETHIS……Under CPJ, Tech is 4-5 against SEC competition. Gailey was 4-6 against SEC competition, including 2 wins against Auburn. That’s a record of 8-11 against the SEC in the past 11 years. Unfortunately, 9 of those losses were to the mutts. Now I’m sure you’re going to point out that Tech only played Miss State and Vandy, plus the 2 with Auburn and one with LSU, but UGA’s SEC schedule year-in and year-out is definitely not a representative SEC schedule (you play Miss State, Vandy, and Auburn EVERY YEAR)
Supsersize that order, mutt
December 14th, 2012
3:11 pm
Sorry, 10 of the losses were to the mutts, not 9.
The Truth Is
December 14th, 2012
3:16 pm
Enter your comments here
You Can't Argue
December 14th, 2012
3:21 pm
With idiots. GT is and will always be about academics. Blame the so called “Hill” if you want. If IT’S ALL or nothing but football then move on and become a UGA fan. I love GT for what it is; A #1 institution for HIGHER LEARNING. Football is a side-note to the institution and NOTHING else. And, yes, it really is about a robot playing music.
GT TN
December 14th, 2012
3:23 pm
@Wrecked..you are correct..I mad a mistake and should have said 2 ACCCG..based on you saying that coaches should get fired over a bad 3 year period then Tech should have fired O’Leary after going 18-16 in 3 years and Bobby Ross after he went 12-21 in 3 years..by the way UGA has only played LSU 1 time in 3 yrs, they lost 3 times to USC, 2 times to Alabama, and they havent played A and M, andthe 2 times they lost to UF; UF was 7-6 and 8-5 (not great UF teams)..and not sure who GA is..so they didn’t play 2 of the 6 teams you mentioned
Flak Jacket
December 14th, 2012
3:28 pm
CPJ should give the ball to Vad Lee for this bowl game and roll with it.We need a win and TW has shown he can not get us to the end zone in the clutch.It would at least look like a positive move in the right direction.It could also put a spark in the defense and special teams.The time for a change is past due.Play with reckless abandon and earn a much needed bowl win.If we lose at least it would have been from giving it our best shot.
11 of 12
December 14th, 2012
3:30 pm
The Auburn wins were impressive supersize and I remember those well. I think we all agree this was a bad year for tech so things seem compounded.
How quickly they can change though and even if you don’t think the dawgs deserved to be playing Bama in a national semifinal they did. Same program that only two years ago went 6-7 and lost to central freaking Florida in the liberty bowl lol. Oh how that sucked trust me.
My point is things can change and improve again for Johnson but he has to step up the recruiting a good bit on D and get a good D coordinator. Remember what Richt did the year after the Central Florida debacle (hyped up the program and recruiting with the silly dream team slogan but it must have worked some).
Also, I like the point someone made above that he should throw more against teams you aren’t having trouble running against to help practice and improve that for the games you need it. There will always be 3 – 4 games a year you will need to be able to throw the ball for sure and you guys can’t do it at all right now.
Supsersize that order, mutt
December 14th, 2012
4:15 pm
11 of 12……thanks for your usual cogent remarks. I typed out a rather lengthy response to your post, but it wouldn’t go through for some reason. I will try now in separate posts, so hang with me…..
Supsersize that order, mutt
December 14th, 2012
4:16 pm
I believe things can change almost overnight, and I, for one, believe they will. People
like to knock CPJ’s recruiting, but it is no worse nor better, on the
average, than any other coach’s recruiting at Tech has been. He is
hampered somewhat by the style of offense he runs, but there are plenty
of great athletes who can play in that offense, regardless of what his
detractors claim. And for the most part, he has built a pretty sound
offense with those players he has recruited; the yards rushing each year
would seem to indicate that
Supsersize that order, mutt
December 14th, 2012
4:18 pm
It’s hard for him to recruit outstanding receivers, though, when he will never throw the ball that much. Recruiting for defense is, for a variety of reasons, more difficult, but I think we have some good athletes on defense right now, albeit not much depth. He’s just got to find the right man for DC to get them to perform consistently. Some would like to say that CPJ CANNOT recruit,
or, by implication, doesn’t even TRY to recruit. Give me a break!!!! Why would he not try? Why would he not do everything possible to sign the best he can get? Hell, the team’s success AND HIS JOB depend on it; he would be stupid not to even try. And CPJ may be many things, but he is NOT STUPID.
5150 UOAD
December 14th, 2012
4:20 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-high-school-sports/2012/12/14/aaaaaa-scouting-report-lovejoys-gambling-defense-vs-norcross-explosive-playmakers/?cxntfid=blogs_georgia_high_school_sports
TECH Fans if you have the chance go to the DOME tomorrow night and cheer for CUSTIS(lovejoy) the Tech RB commit in the State Championship game.