Groh tears into Tech
In an interview with the Roanoke Times, former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh left little doubt about his feelings about his 2 ½ years coaching the Yellow Jackets.
“Just to say it briefly, this circumstance here was the most unprofessional, divisive and negative environment in which I’ve ever been,” Groh said. “To say more would be unprofessional of myself. It was just a bad cultural match.”
Tech coach Paul Johnson hired Groh in Jan. 2010 after Groh had coached at Virginia for nine seasons. He made the decision to dismiss him Oct. 8, six games into the season, after the Jackets had allowed 40-plus points in three consecutive games.
“I’m sorry to hear that Al feels that way,” Johnson said in a statement. “I’m surprised he would stay here for 2 1/2 years if he felt like that it was that bad.”
A statement released from Groh at the time of his firing was decidedly more diplomatic.
“I appreciate all the help and input from (assistant defensive coaches) Charles Kelly, Joe Speed and Andy McCollum, and the effort of all the players,” part of Groh’s statement read. “I aimed to give the best that I had every day. It’s been an honor to be a part of the legacy of Georgia Tech football.”
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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428 comments Add your comment
Rick James
January 3rd, 2013
12:55 pm
@(G)winnett (T)ech Lee
And Rick James knows this because he has a “what if” machine like the Professor on Futurama. Congrats, Rick, you have just just challenged your buddy dwagfan for the title of biggest moron
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Everthing anti Tech is moronic Lee.Its just my opinion and that of a couple of pro scout friends.No need to get your boxers in a bunch.
Full Metal Jacket
January 3rd, 2013
12:55 pm
Anything less than nine wins and a shot at the ACC next year should find CPJ’s seat white hot.
Pete
January 3rd, 2013
12:55 pm
Al Groh is still living in the 80’s. The football world has passed him by. It’s tough for him to cope with this reality but it is what it is.
Paul Johnson is a tough minded and creative coach who demands results from his staff and players. What a concept. He went into El Paso and beat a highly favored USC program that had numerous Top 10 recruited players up and down their roster. Stars everywhere. Johnson couldn’t have cared less and the results speak for themselves…………21-7 Tech.
Tough minded coaching, not Sunday School picnic time.
Big difference, Mr. Groh
Techno-le
January 3rd, 2013
12:57 pm
Supersize.. What’s not exciting. How about all those Tech runs up the middle or QB keepers. Exciting? How about one team that only passes when they have to and occasionally connects and one team whose QB completed 12 or 39 passes, mostly 2 or 3 yards. Just plain boring. Quit throwing UGA back at me. I am not a fan of any SEC or ACC school. I don’t care. I like football and obviously we disagree on what is exciting. You are a Tech fan and one of the 500 at the game so obviously it excited you. But it is not exciting to the pure football fan.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 3rd, 2013
12:57 pm
@ Rick James…..OPINIONS are worth the paper they’re written on, or, in this case, the monitor they appear on…..and that is NOTHING. If is a FACT that Roddy Jones is pretty much set for life without ever having appeared in an NFL game. I doubt he has any regrets at all.
Rick James
January 3rd, 2013
12:59 pm
@Full Metal Jacket
If you’re a UGA fan and you are wasting your time contributing to a GT blog
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Tech fans and Georgia fans both get this confused.It’s a Georgia Tech related ACJ blog.If we were on a Tech website I’d see your point.
D G D
January 3rd, 2013
1:00 pm
Wow, Rick James. Is it really you? I soooo admire your contributions to music and gender-based violence. I just knew you were a UGA fan. My guess is that you and Mikey Vick probably have a lot in common, besides prison time, such as approaches to the king pimp’s sport of dog fighting. Too bad you are even less relevant than your buddy these days. And wow, who’d ever guess you could write?
GT Lee
January 3rd, 2013
1:01 pm
Rick “Ronald McDonald” James,
And D Thomas and S Hill would be in the pros if only they’d played for uga’s “pro-style” offense instead of Tech’s High-School Triple Sloption, right?
Supersize that order, mutt
January 3rd, 2013
1:02 pm
@ Techo-le…..there were far more than 500 Tech fans at the game. Now how many actually came out from Atlanta, or elsewhere, I don’t have a clue, but like I said, the majority of the 47,000 people in the stadium were cheering for Tech…the VAST majority. And sorry, but yes, I DID find the game exciting. When a run up the middle goes for 10 – 20 yards and keeps a team marching down the field, you don’t get excited? Why is that less exciting than a 10 – 20 yard pass play, which is about all the majority of pass plays get?
Rick James
January 3rd, 2013
1:02 pm
@Supersize that order, mutt
@ Rick James…..OPINIONS are worth the paper they’re written on, or, in this case, the monitor they appear on
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Then why bother responding if you dont agree..I have first hand knowledge of how Roddy feels right now.Do you?
Full Metal Jacket
January 3rd, 2013
1:04 pm
RJ, did you really just say this was an “ACJ” blog? Thank you for clarifying for all Tech and Georgia fans so that we are no longer “confused.” So it is completely NOT a waste of time for UGA fans to read, obsess over, and troll through “Tech-related” blogs on the “ACJ” website? We are forever in your debt.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 3rd, 2013
1:05 pm
Well, I have never met Roddy Jones in person, which I doubt you have either, but he has certainly never made any public comments which would cause me to think he is anything but happy and proud and fulfilled. As far as my responding to your inane comments, why are you even here making them to begin with. It may not be a Tech-OWNED blog, but it IS a blog about Tech. Why do you care so much about Tech when you are obviously not a fan? Is your life that meaningless?
Supersize that order, mutt
January 3rd, 2013
1:06 pm
@ FMJ……you’re on a roll today. LOL
Techno-le
January 3rd, 2013
1:06 pm
Supersize- most of the 47,000 rooting for Tech were just Anti USC fans and probably didn’t speak English or understand the game of football. So I understand you like this offense and are a CPJ fan. God Bless you. I gotta go to work.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 3rd, 2013
1:07 pm
@ GT Lee…..be careful, bro, you are mixing FACTS with OPINIONS there, and we all know that UGA fans don’t understand FACTS.
Supersize that order, mutt
January 3rd, 2013
1:08 pm
@ Techno-le…..that was a very racist comment. You have no idea what ethnicity the fans there were. Not everybody in El Paso is latino. One El Paso resident sitting in front of me was a female latino; another was a male Caucasian.
Rick James
January 3rd, 2013
1:08 pm
@(G)winnett (T)ech Lee
January 3rd, 2013
1:01 pm
Rick “Ronald McDonald” James,
And D Thomas and S Hill would be in the pros if only they’d played for uga’s “pro-style” offense instead of Tech’s High-School Triple Sloption, right?
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We dropped Ronald years ago Lee but thanks for reminding me how well I’m doing? Did D.Thomas or S.Hill play alphabet back? Did I even mention them? Get you boxers out of buch Lee You’re just trying to pick a fight instead having a meaningless disagreement
Rick James
January 3rd, 2013
1:11 pm
@Supersize that order, mutt
Well, I have never met Roddy Jones in person, which I doubt you have either, but he has certainly never made any public comments which would cause me to think he is anything but happy and proud and fulfilled. As far as my responding to your inane comments, why are you even here making them to begin with. It may not be a Tech-OWNED blog, but it IS a blog about Tech. Why do you care so much about Tech when you are obviously not a fan? Is your life that meaningless?
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If you’ve never met him how do you now what he thinks? FYI I know his entire family very well..
GT Lee
January 3rd, 2013
1:11 pm
Tech-hole,
I guess none of all the GI’s in the stands spoke English, huh?
1 4 GT
January 3rd, 2013
1:12 pm
Here is the Georgie football schedule for 2013.
I leave y’all to draw your own conclusions.
August 31….Georgie @ Clemson….W? or L?
Supersize that order, mutt
January 3rd, 2013
1:13 pm
@ GT Lee…….see? He says you are trying to pick a fight when, after having to read his generally malicious drivel, you come back at him with a sarcastic comment that actually included facts. I would call that incredibly insecure on his part
Booze Hound
January 3rd, 2013
1:13 pm
Anthony Allen is one of two Johnson players drafted. Gailey had about sixteen players drafted plus about eight or so more undrafted who went to the NFL. Johnson’s first two teams had around ten Gailey players who went into the NFL, including four drafted from Johnson’s 2008 GT squad alone.
Since Gailey’s NFL talent left, Johnson’s record has gone off the cliff.
GT Lee
January 3rd, 2013
1:14 pm
Rick “Ronald McDonald” James,
No bunching of my underwear here, but thanks for your concern. My only point was that if you’re good enough, the Pros will find you. Your “what if” statement holds no water. Happy New Year to you too, McTroll!
Supersize that order, mutt
January 3rd, 2013
1:15 pm
@ Rick James…..I know what he has said; therefore, I assume he tells the truth and that my perception of what he thinks is correct. And why should I believe that you know his family well? You could also claim to have slept with Kim Kardashian, and I would be supposed to believe that too?
Rick James
January 3rd, 2013
1:16 pm
@Full Metal Jacket
RJ, did you really just say this was an “ACJ” blog? Thank you for clarifying for all Tech and Georgia fans so that we are no longer “confused.” So it is completely NOT a waste of time for UGA fans to read, obsess over, and troll through “Tech-related” blogs on the “ACJ” website? We are forever in your debt.
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Thank you for putting me in place Sir.It’s very wrong of me to assume that since this blog is an open forum my opinions would be welcome.My humble apologies Sir.~Slowly exits blog with eyes toward the floor~
Rick James
January 3rd, 2013
1:17 pm
@Supersize that order, mutt
We’ve has enough exchanges for you to know that I care about what you believe..
Rick James
January 3rd, 2013
1:22 pm
@G(winnett)T(ech)Lee
Rick “Ronald McDonald” James,
No bunching of my underwear here, but thanks for your concern. My only point was that if you’re good enough, the Pros will find you. Your “what if” statement holds no water. Happy New Year to you too, McTroll!
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You dont think Roddy was good enough to play in the pros? Get your boxers out of a bunch.
gt4ever
January 3rd, 2013
1:25 pm
Exactly Booze Hound,,,
and it is getting worse every year!
Rick James
January 3rd, 2013
1:26 pm
@Booze Hound
Anthony Allen is one of two Johnson players drafted. Gailey had about sixteen players drafted plus about eight or so more undrafted who went to the NFL. Johnson’s first two teams had around ten Gailey players who went into the NFL, including four drafted from Johnson’s 2008 GT squad alone.
Since Gailey’s NFL talent left, Johnson’s record has gone off the cliff.
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Thank you Sir..Be prepared for the insults that will follow that post.Supersize will just call you crazy which is his defense for everthing..I’ll let your picture be on the dartboard for a while.Have a good day.
GT Lee
January 3rd, 2013
1:26 pm
Ronald McDonald,
You sure do like to put words in peoples’ mouths, eh? I never said I didn’t think Roddy wasn’t good enough to go pro. But apparently the pros don’t think Roddy is good enough. And for the record, YOU first addressed me with the Gwinnett Tech remark, even though I had said nothing derogatory towards you, so it seems to me that YOU are the one with bunched drawers trying to start a fight.
GT Lee
January 3rd, 2013
1:37 pm
Last comment should say I never said I thought Roddy wasn’t good enough to go pro……darn double negative……
GT TN
January 3rd, 2013
1:43 pm
@Boozehound..you can say all you want about CG and his talent..he did nothing with them..I bet Dwyer and Bay Bay are glad that CPJ came to tech..the number vastly improved from last year with CG and first year with CPJ..you can’t say how many of CPJ kids are playing in the NFL because his first true rec class is graduation this year…so most of teh kids that CPJ has rec are still at GT..
I’m tired of hearing well CPJ hasn’t won with his player..no one said anything about Les Miles only winning with Saben’s players..we won 11,11 and 12 his first 3 years and then won 8 his 4th and 9 his 5th year..he won less games with his own players until is 6th year
1 4 GT
January 3rd, 2013
1:44 pm
This is the Georgie football schedule for 2013.
Draw your own conclusions. Try to be objective.
August 31….Georgie @ Clemson….W? or L?
September 7….Georgie vs South Carolina….W? or L?
September 14….Georgie vs open…………
September 21….Georgie vs North Texas State….W? or L?
September 28….Georgie vs LSU….W? or L?
October 5….Georgie @ Tennessee….W? or L?
October 12….Georgie vs Missouri….W? or L?
October 19….Georgie @ Vanderbilt….W? or L?
October 26….Georgie vs open…………
November 2….Georgie vs Florida….J’ville….W? or L?
November 9….Georgie vs Appalachian State….W? or L?
November 16….Georgie @ Auburn….W? or L?
November 23….Georgie vs Kentucky….W? or L?
November 30….Georgie @ Georgia Tech….W? or L?
___________________________________________________________
I can see anywhere from 3 & 9 to 9 & 3. Just saying!
1 4 GT
January 3rd, 2013
1:51 pm
Thomas Brown is “Carnack the Magnificent” aka gollum & his “preeccciiiiooooouuuuuusssssss” aka WnE. He is an unabashed leg humping, butt sniffing, stone licking, vomit eating mutt.
Booze Hound
January 3rd, 2013
1:58 pm
GT TN,
Gailey did relatively little with his talent which is why he was rightfully fired. Likewise, Johnson’s done very little with his “talent”: 22-21 since clinching the ACC Coastal Division in November 2009. In that time period there have been four consecutive losses to Georgia and Miami each, three consecutive losses to Virginia Tech, and three bowl losses. For that, Johnson needs to be fired as well.
Johnson won with Gailey’s talent. Stop the denial.
The D is gone
January 3rd, 2013
2:21 pm
Next year will be interesting for uga.
No holdovers to *again try* to win a NC – Everybody who is anybody is jumping ship.
Tougher schedule for the first time in three years.
No Recruiting Rodney to bring in the big boys.
All the five *’s go to UA, LSU, FL and now SC.
Dog days are ahead. This could be ruff.
The Anti Insta-Toot
January 3rd, 2013
2:31 pm
Only losers play football for Tech.
They sign with Tech because no one else wants them or their parents make them go there because they believe the lies.
On the Outside Looking In.
January 3rd, 2013
2:34 pm
Anyone looking at the Tech Football program can look in to it and see that it’s foundation all based on arrogance from the top down. It’s been that way for years but has gotten worst under the current HC and the last AD. I surprise Groh had to be fired.
dry dirt road
January 3rd, 2013
2:37 pm
I heard where he had 80 D plays, too many for the college level guys to remember, even D guys at Tech.
5150 UOAD
January 3rd, 2013
2:38 pm
Shouldn’t……………Rick James……..be running his Church’s Fried Chicken Joints or washing his Bentley?
5150 UOAD
January 3rd, 2013
2:43 pm
Rick James…….how much is the new insurance law going to set back for all your employees? You firing some to get under the number or are you cutting hour to keep them all part time?
GT Lee
January 3rd, 2013
2:44 pm
5150. I thought Little Ricky was asst mgr at MacDonald’s?
GT Lee
January 3rd, 2013
2:45 pm
5150 what do you think that “Bentley” does in the 1/4 mile?
dry dirt road
January 3rd, 2013
2:53 pm
One thing to remember is that CPJ hired him, and it was a bad hire. CPJ is just an average coach. He makes alot of mistakes, and lost to MT, who lost to McNeice. Tech needs a better than average coach, who sees that the team and himself get innoculated for flu during pink powder puff GT girl breast cancer month when team wears pink and loses in it. We need pink on field, not on unis! AndI ned my keybod sycrnized wh m ketroes yac(And I need my keyboard synchronized with my keystrokes by ajc)! Sync on IE7 plz. I Tech grad 1973.
The Good Word
January 3rd, 2013
3:09 pm
When asked about Groh’s hiring and vast experience, CPJ commented “it doesn’t matter what you know. what matters is if you can teach it.” Not only did he not teach it, half of the time, it seemed like Groh didn’t know it either. Being able to “break-down” a play in the film room is MUCH different than being able to call a defense scheme from the sidelines to react to power house MTSU!
AMG
January 3rd, 2013
3:38 pm
Al Groh is an idiot, this was his defense, he had total control over it if he wanted it, he is to blame if it was a negative environment. Now this might also explain why such a talented d played so poorly. Now he says he is looking to keep coaching and says this….IDIOT. Thank God he is no longer part of GT.
AMG
January 3rd, 2013
3:44 pm
August 31….Georgie @ Clemson….W? or L? Clemson by 20 or more
September 7….Georgie vs South Carolina….W? or L? SC by 20 or more
September 14….Georgie vs open…………
September 21….Georgie vs North Texas State….W? or L? WOW the Dawgs won one
September 28….Georgie vs LSU….W? or L? Bad loss even though LSU is way overrated
October 5….Georgie @ Tennessee….W? or L? Georgia wins another one against a fledgling program.
October 12….Georgie vs Missouri….W? or L? Missouri wins
October 19….Georgie @ Vanderbilt….W? or L? Close game , Ill give UGA a break call it win 3
October 26….Georgie vs open…………
November 2….Georgie vs Florida….J’ville….W? or L? Florida wins by 3, Florida is the most overrated team in America, but they do play D
November 9….Georgie vs Appalachian State….W? or L? UGA wins 4th
November 16….Georgie @ Auburn….W? or L? Auburn is a lost cause 5th UGA win
November 23….Georgie vs Kentucky….W? or L? Kentucky wins in an upset of sorts.
November 30….Georgie @ Georgia Tech….W? or L? Tech wins by 30 or more.
GT TN
January 3rd, 2013
3:44 pm
@dry dirt road..for Gods sakes..will you please type something else besides the samething over and over..everyone know we lost to MTSU..nothing you can do about it now..it happend..by the way AJC has nothing to do with your spelling..it is McNeese..do you watch any football besides Tech in the month of Oct..all the NFL team and a ton of college teams wear pink on the uniform..also get off the flu shot..i got the flu shot and then got a strand of flu that the shot didn’t cover..your agruement has run its course..get something new to complain about
JB
January 3rd, 2013
3:56 pm
Tech was a different team with Johnson coaching Gaily’s players. Pretty dang good. Now, not so much.
Lout
January 3rd, 2013
4:06 pm
Groh had truly awful results. He tried the press box- he tried the sideline- trying somewhere else was and is the right answer. Hate to say it but his facial expression, wherever he stood or sat, was one of a school girl without a date to the prom.