Five Tech freshmen who have impressed in practice
They will carry the banner for Georgia Tech in autumns to come. This year, most of Georgia Tech’s 2012 signing class carried out scout-team assignments to prep the first- and second-string Yellow Jackets.
A handful have made an impression on their teammates with their ability and promise. Four of Tech’s 17-member class played this season – wide receiver Anthony Autry, defensive lineman Adam Gotsis, punter Ryan Rodwell and defensive back D.J. White. Of the other 13, the following five redshirting freshmen were repeatedly identified by players and coaches for having stood out on the practice field.
- B-back David Sims described safety Lynn Griffin as “a physical specimen” who can hit with power and has speed. Sims holds the same hopes for Griffin that teammates have had for safety Fred Holton, another big hitter who has been out the past two seasons with injuries. Coach Paul Johnson said in November that, if not for an injury early on, Griffin (6-foot-0, 197 pounds) would have played this season.
Said quarterback Tevin Washington, “He’s going to be a real special player.”
Both starting safeties, Isaiah Johnson and Jemea Thomas, will return next season, although Thomas could return to corner. Holton and Griffin will be in the mix with Chris Milton, Demond Smith and Coray Carlson.
- Defensive end Patrick Gamble was named the defensive scout-team player of the year. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds and probably heavier, he is expected to be able to play both inside and outside on the line. Quarterbacks and B-backs coach Brian Bohannon particularly noted Gamble’s attitude and effort.
“Pat sticks out more just because he’s strong, he’s quick,” A-back Orwin Smith said. “He flies around.”
Like all the freshmen, Gamble will begin his first full offseason in the strength and conditioning program and figures to add weight and strength. Smith said that if he and fellow freshman lineman Francis Kallon can develop a more tenacious style, “they can bring some damage to some teams.”
With nose tackle T.J. Barnes and end Izaan Cross graduating, spots will be open in the line rotation for Gamble, Kallon and others.
- Wide receiver Micheal Summers, one of three wide receivers signed in 2012, caught the attention of outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu.
“Mike, he has great hands, he can catch the ball really well,” he said. “I can’t wait till he starts playing.”
Summers (6-1, 190) and fellow freshman receivers Travin Henry and Autry, both rehabilitating knee injuries, should be ready to compete with Darren Waller and Jeremy Moore next season.
“He might not look like it, but Mike is an athlete,” Sims said.
- Center Freddie Burden, Summers’ teammate at Statesboro High, was the offensive scout-team player of the year.
“I don’t go against Freddie a lot, but he’s quick for his size,” Cross said. “He needs to get a little bit stronger, but he’s very quick for his size. Quick feet.”
Burden (6-3, 292), who figures to back up Jay Finch next season for Finch’s senior season, could have played this season, Attaochu said.
“He’s a competitor,” Attaochu said. “He’s pretty legit.”
- Quarterback Justin Thomas has split time with the second-string offense and the scout team. When he has run the scout offense, he has given the Tech defense trouble with his speed.
“I really don’t know who’s fastest (on the team),” Attaochu said, “but he’s pretty quick, elusive.”
Thomas (5-11, 169) has been impressing teammates since he arrived last summer, back when he stung receivers’ hands with zipped passes in seven-on-seven drills. He’ll compete with quarterback Vad Lee in the spring for the starting job.
“I actually think (Lee) and Justin are going to be fun, watching them in the spring next year,” Sims said, “because Justin is electric.”
In case you missed it…
Sun Bowl gifts include hair dryer (again)
Notes: Johnson, Barkley out for bowl
Some highlights, but special teams still lag
After forgettable season, Young can start fresh
Tech 2008 signing class delivers in classroom
USC’s Barkley reportedly unlikely to play
Notes: Successful career for Tech long snapper
Orwin Smith tries for strong finish
35 football players make dean’s list
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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138 comments Add your comment
hum that ho
December 29th, 2012
10:27 am
@ UOAD……didn’t you know that ho hummer is the greatest football mind of our times? All the coaches in every school in the US come to him for advise because of his incredible knowledge and expertise. We should all bow before him in praise and adulation. The problem is it’s hard to stoop so low as to bow to someone already on his knees humming.
Ho hum
December 29th, 2012
10:35 am
5150 I will type this slowly with the hope that it penetrates your incredibly thick skull.
The entire article talked about the promise of better days ahead. A promise based on comments from current players.
You are correct I haven’t seen these alleged young studs but I have seen the current players take the field – in a word they suck. So that is what I base my assessment on – mediocre players telling us how good the younger guys look – not hard is it?
how far we have fallen
December 29th, 2012
10:36 am
2008 pj yr #1- 9-4 (very few of his players) 2009 pj yr #2- 11-3 (some of his players still good bit of chan’s) 2010 pj yr #3- 6-7 (now we get into his players) 2011 pj yr #4- 11-5 ( wow a winning season! Dave Braine was right !!!!) 2012 pj yr #5- 6-7 ( his showcase year his fith year red shirt seniors …
Ho hum
December 29th, 2012
10:37 am
I love it when I hit a nerve and the techies resort to childish drivel and name stealing. Keep it up – you are proving my point……………………….
Ho Hum
December 29th, 2012
10:42 am
My mother taught me how to bark like a dog.
how far we have fallen
December 29th, 2012
10:44 am
CPJ first two years with most all the players from Chan Tech goes 20-7 … next three years with his players CPJ goes 20-19………. and to me it is not just the record, better teams do get upset from time to time I get that I have played sports. but we look like 11 punters out there trying to arm tackle with the lone exception of #45…… why was Gailey so hated and CPJ seems to do great, we are in a free fall and everybody says it is going good ergo even great….. get your heads out of the sand, we could not win at Div. 2 with this talent, Ga southern gave Uga a better game than we did……
wrecked
December 29th, 2012
10:47 am
John Wayne, I suggest you look at the players Gailey recruited and developed compared to what PJ has done during his tenure. In year 5 under Gailey tech had 7 players on all Acc 1st and 2nd team and 2 All Americans. Take a look at the rosters from 2007 and the roster of 2012 and tell me which has the most talent. Gailey never had a losing season playing tougher schedules.In case you haven’t noticed PJ has 2 losing seasons out of the past 3. If we use your argument that PJ has recruited better than Gailey , then we should conclude Gaileys staff did a better job of developing players. PJ is in way over his head, the longer he stays at tech the further the program will sink.
how far we have fallen
December 29th, 2012
10:47 am
note correction on above CPJ year # 2011 we go 8-5 ( I wrote 11-5 wishful thinking,)
Exterminator
December 29th, 2012
10:55 am
Be advised that you are out of touch with reality if you feel Tech will thrive with a new defensive coordinator or when the scout team hits the field. The dwindling level of talent has them moving towards Duke and away from the top of even a weak conference like the ACC. I can assure you that Dawg fans want CPJ to stay at Tech for a long time. It makes it a mere scrimmage before the SEC Championship Game.
Go ahead, call me a troll or leg humper, whatever but failing to accept what is clear to he eye will lead to many years of bad football. Oh and 5150 UOAD spare me the Tech has better men crap. As most of these guys would be Walk ons at UGA then you should only be able to compare Tech GPA’s to UGA walk on GPA’S.
how far we have fallen
December 29th, 2012
11:00 am
most of you guys are missing the big picture,I would never want or accept the junk that goes on in Athens, I think CMR learned well from bobby bowden, just run them through school and keep cashing the checks, it is all about winning. I loath Uga and their win at all cost, I am not saying Tech go down that path, I would not pull for Tech if we did that, but I cannot understand how we accept mediocrity so well… it is not that we cannot go 11-0 any more, it is that we cannot truly compete with schools that we used to be on equal footing with.. If Stanford can do it, why can’t GA TECH ?????
Home Crowd
December 29th, 2012
11:11 am
You faithful fans who think us “bandwagon” fans are bad fans for jumping ship and giving up on CPJ…well, there comes a time to jump ship and give up. We are the smart fans who want to live another day. There’s no honor in sticking with a crummy coach year in and year out. We’ve given CPJ 4 years and he’s gotten us no where. When my ship is no longer floating, time to swim.
Exterminator
December 29th, 2012
11:14 am
How far fallen
When Tech did win they did it with players that UGA also recruited. Calvin, Burnett, Morgan, Johnson, Dwyer, etc. Some were good students, some not. It’s about football Though because if CPJ graduates well and what not he will still be fired when his subpar recruits lose. His poor recruiting is a direct result of his offensive system which worked better with talented running backs. Defensive recruits do not want to practice against the cut block and a top defensive back at Tech is a pipe dream. How can you get better practicing against Tevin every day.
You should loath UGA cause they are gonna be kicking that ass for years to come.
Exterminator
December 29th, 2012
11:19 am
Anyone on here know what the longest tenured coach at Tech has been since Bobby Dodd. Seems to b a position of high turnover
GB's Hamburgers
December 29th, 2012
12:03 pm
It’s nice to see there’s still a lot of hopeful Tech fans. I believe the long term solution for the program is to get back into the SEC. That would put meaningful games back on the schedule and folks into the stands. It would help with recruiting as well. I believe the NCAA will eventually outlaw the cut-blocking Johnson offense so Tech will have to suffer some down years to restock with actual football players. Congrats on the academic achievement of this current team.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
12:16 pm
@ GB……..The SEC, and especially UGA will NEVER vote to let Tech back in the SEC.
Jacket Detective
December 29th, 2012
12:28 pm
If your school is in the ACC – except for Clemson – you will probably have a better basketball program.
We finally have a basketball coach who has shown he can both recruit and coach.
I”m considering switching season ticket holder status from football to basketball.
Maybe the sky is not the limit for basketball but it is a good bit higher than for football.
The news is good for basketball and keeps getting better.
Those on here who are actually Tech fans, stop your whinning and go see some BB games.
John Wayne
December 29th, 2012
12:44 pm
wrecked,
And what exactly did Gailey do with that great 2007 class? Nothing! Lose to a horrible Maryland and Virginia team. Lose to UGA and Virginia Tech and Boston College. PJ comes in and boom, we beat UGA and win the ACC the next year. Yea, PJ doesn’t know how to develop talent. Moron.
ignition
December 29th, 2012
1:09 pm
It’s all about the defense !!!!
Exterminator
December 29th, 2012
1:18 pm
CPJ develops players just fine. Can’t make diamonds out of manure. The question is not what the SEC would do for Tech (it would do wonders) but what Tech would bring to the SEC (not much).
Jacket Detective
December 29th, 2012
1:26 pm
I’m not happy with the football program but CPJ deserves another year.
A lot of the gripping is due to – not just to the last three years – but to the all the years since Dodd (1966). Ross’s five years, for example, consisted of one great year, one good year and three crummy years. Even the great year did not achieve a BCS bowl game. The players Ross inherited from Curry were not as bad as their record.
Had VT sacked Beamer during his crummy first six years, Beamer Ball never would have been invented.
My point is Johnson might have to change the name of the TO to Quad-O if either or both of the promising QBs can pass like we think they can.
Since Dodd, the program has fallen before and gotten up.
It might have been cheaper to match whatever the Chargers offered Ross.
And found out if that one great year was just a fluke or a trend.
Smyrna Gold
December 29th, 2012
1:33 pm
Worst thing to ever happen to the Tech program was to beat UGA in 2008. If not for that win, CPJ would be gone. But, I’m sure as soon as we get a new AD and a top notch DC there will be brighter days ahead. Maybe we’ll be able to whip up on MTSU, Air Force, BYU. Idaho, Agnes Scott, et al.
wrecked
December 29th, 2012
1:57 pm
No John Wayne you are the moron, look at the players Johnson has recruited and developed , compared to what Gailey did..PJs 20-19 playing with mostly his player. Plus Gailey had to recruit while on probation with scholarship reductions. Gailey would’ve had just as much success if not more than Johnson did playing with his recruits. Cahn had 7 1st and 2nd team all acc players his 5 year , all his recruits, how many did PJ have this season ? You only need my middle finger to count how many were placed on the team by this staff.
wrecked
December 29th, 2012
2:31 pm
Jacket Detective, Beamer didn’t inherit a roster with 8 players that would be drafted in his 1st 2 seasons like PJ did.
Just Saying
December 29th, 2012
3:19 pm
Just a few comments about the present GT football program. First of all I believe that CPJ is a fairly good coach but there are a few things missing from his scheme. The triple option offense is very difficult to contain when the best players are placed in the correct positions. One needs to go back and take a look at what Tom Osborne did at Nebraska back in the early to mid 1990s. What enabled those teams to become so dominate with the triple option offense? Well, a very fast, physical and suffocating defense comes to mind. GT is extremely lacking in that regard. Also a big, fast and strong offensive line. GT is also lacking in that regard despite their dangerous habit of cut blocking (which I pesonally hate and do not think that Osborne ever used). Finally, a very quick and efficient special teams unit that plays an important part in any game. Again, GT is lacking in that regard as well. The bottom line is that CPJ is not capable of attracting the players to make his ‘nobody has ever stopped my offense’ team winners. CPJ obviously does not give a rat’s behind about defense and it has caught up with him. It is also very difficult to attract 4 & 5 star players to compete in college with a non-pro style offense. Hey – it worked while CPJ was at Navy but he has lately run out of ‘options’. Good luck in the bowl game and let’s hope that USCw gets stomped!!
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
3:41 pm
@ Just Saying……it may interest you to know that when Erk Russell hired CPJ as an assistant at Ga Southern, he was hired as defensive coordinator. So for you to say he doesn’t give a rat’s ass about defense is totally incorrect. He took a calculated gamble on Al Groh, and it did not pay off; those things happen. I think and I HOPE that he will hire the best DC he can find to come in and build the kind of defense we need.
Highly Respected Southern Troll
December 29th, 2012
4:09 pm
Paul Johnson was NEVER defensive coordinator at Georgia Southern.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
4:12 pm
He may not have been the defensive COORDINATOR (although that is what I was told), but he DEFINITELY coached defense under Erk Russell before he coached the offense
Highly Respected Southern Troll
December 29th, 2012
4:18 pm
In other words, you were wrong as usual.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
4:19 pm
no, I was not wrong. I posted what I was told by a sports writer in the state of Georgia who has long followed Ga Southern football. If I was wrong, it is because he was wrong, and I highly doubt that
wrecked
December 29th, 2012
4:20 pm
Supersize, That was what 28-30 years ago when PJ wasn’t the Defensive coordinator at Southern he was the D line coach for 1 season. Pj’s biggest problem is he’d never coached at a big time football program before being hired at Tech. His inexperience coaching on this level is obvious, His glaring inability to recruit players to compete with the better teams on the schedule to his poor performance in player development. Losing to MTSU at home would be one thing , but getting blown out at home and losing 3 other games by 17 points or more is a sign of much deeper seeded problems. Pj needs to clean house and hire some coaches with the experience he lacks or Tech needs to fire PJ and bring in someone that can.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
4:22 pm
This is what I was told: “Johnson’s first job at Ga Southern was as defensive coordinator. Erk Russell, although he knew that Johnson’s forte was offense, wanted him to coach defense, because he figured that in doing so, Johnson could learn ways to make his offensive skills even better.”
how far we have fallen
December 29th, 2012
4:23 pm
we stink, no we do not just stink, we stink on ice….. happy new year…..
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
4:24 pm
@ wrecked…..I agree that Johnson may indeed need to clean house, certainly on defense. I think Kelly has probably done a pretty good job since Groh was fired, but he should in no way be considered for permanent DC. And I don’t think that he will.
Highly Respected Southern Troll
December 29th, 2012
4:26 pm
@wrecked – Don’t you understand? Supersize was “told” something so it HAS to be true.
how far we have fallen
December 29th, 2012
4:27 pm
I think the Bart Simpson every kid gets a trophy day must have been stolen from Ga Tech. five years into his job, and we are saying if we could just get a good definsive coach,and maybe some new ass. coachs, sometimes you need to evaluate the evaluator…………just saying……………..
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
4:27 pm
@ Troll……so we are supposed to believe you because you say I am wrong??? What’s wrong with that picture. You said Johnson was never DC at Southern; my friend said he was. I quoted what he told me. What is your source?
Highly Respected Southern Troll
December 29th, 2012
4:29 pm
Johnson doesn’t need to clean house. Johnson needs to be fired.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
4:29 pm
@ fallen…..don’t you remember when Richt fired Martinez because after all the years Richt had been at UGA, he still didn’t have a decent defense? What’s the difference?
Highly Respected Southern Troll
December 29th, 2012
4:38 pm
@Supersize – You really get tiresome. Johnson himself said he was never a DC during a press conference earlier in the season. Plus, the ramblinwreck website states he was defensive line coach at Southern.
gt40pinhd
December 29th, 2012
4:45 pm
of all the complaints about pj’s TO offense, name me another one that can average 35 points a game?
yeah, he got groh for defense. seemed like a wise choice. big name. success. everything you’d want in a DC. as we know, it didn’t work out. given our ball control offense, this should be a no brainer for a good DC.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
4:50 pm
@ Troll……if that’s what Johnson said, then so be it; I was not aware he had made that statement. Also if that website indicates he was a D-line coach, then that must be correct as well. The point that I was trying to make though is that he DOES have experience coaching defense, so for “Just Saying” to say that Johnson doesn’t care about defense is simply not true.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
4:54 pm
Why won’t the filters let me type the word r i d i c u l o u s with no spaces in it?
Highly Respected Southern Troll
December 29th, 2012
4:56 pm
Yeah Johnson’s offense is really a juggernaut. Three points (and 157 yards) against BYU, three points against UGA until they put the scrubs in midway through the fourth quarter, seven points in the second-half against Middle Tennessee State, zero points in overtime games, fifteen points in the ACC Championship game this year, an average of eight points a game against the first three bowl opponents (LSU, Iowa, and Air Force), etc. It does look nice against Kansas and Presbyterian, though. I will give you that.
Smyrna Gold
December 29th, 2012
5:01 pm
I think Tech should hire Supersize as the new AD and publicity director. He always make CPJ sound like a Saban and the defense and all the other short comings of this program sound like the Falcons.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
5:04 pm
@ Troll….when the players don’t come to play, NO offense will work. Just look at Va Tech last night. Lowly Rutgers manhandled Logan Thomas for the majority of the game, and Logan Thomas usually is a beast. Tech’s players, for whatever reason did not come to play against MTSU this year, and frankly, we deserved the beating we got. 15 points against FSU is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when we somehow held them scoreless in the second half. Iowa had the best defense of any team we have faced since Johnson has been at Tech; they contained the offense from the opening gun. Against LSU, Johnson tried to get too tricky, and he got burned. AF I frankly don’t remember, other than a disastrous kicking game. And as far as UGA this year, they beat us handily, but although the offense didn’t do much till the 4th quarter, it was again the Tech defense that totally sucked. As far as UGA putting in the scrubs, I don’t keep up with or recognize the numbers of the UGA players, but I doubt very seriously Richt put in any scrubs; he never has in any other game.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
5:07 pm
@ Smyrna Gold…..I certainly wouldn’t go that far, and I certainly don’t think that highly of myself. I am just a loyal Tech fan. However, one thing you indirectly addressed certainly needs to be addressed by somebody at Tech. SOMEBODY, be it the AD, the publicity director, the coach….SOMEBODY needs to do a better job of “selling” Tech. The sports information department at Tech SUCKS !!!!!
Smyrna Gold
December 29th, 2012
5:16 pm
I’ve always thought 90% of the employees in the athletic department are UGA fans. The ticket office is terrible.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
5:20 pm
From what I have heard, the ticket office was terrible even when Dodd was there.
GTJohn
December 29th, 2012
5:21 pm
Hard to read all the comments because of the trolls. From what I gather Tech’s player would have a hard time walking on at UGA, yet at the same time Tech and UGA recruit the same players. Seems like some people like to play a weird “circle of logic” argument. Put it back in the dryer because your thought process is still wet.
While I’m getting a bit tired of CPJ. I am willing to give him another year. Drad did not do us any favors with the contract he gave CPJ. I believe Tech needs a top shelf DC that can recruit, but do we have the money to get one?
All the sock puppet dogs need to go back to their own blogs and wonder why a starter stopped going to class after Bama. And least I forget, you guys need to keep beating your chest about how your going be whip Nebraska. I can script the game for you guys:
UGA goes up 2 or 3 scores by half. Seems like they’ve beat Nebraska.
Nebraska comes out in the second half and shuts UGA down. They get the 2 or 3 scores back and then go up 3 to 7 points. Bobo goes in panic mode. He runs when expected and passes when expected. Nebraska intercepts Murray on a pass that should never have been thrown. The dogs lose but claim a moral victory. Afterwards they blame the referees, then Nebraska, then bobo, then cmr.
Back at home numerous players houses are vandalized. I’m sure I missed a few details but that’s it in a nut shell.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
5:21 pm
Actually, from my recent experience with the ticket office, things seem to have improved considerably, just in the past year.