We’re live from Vandy (which I think is in the SEC)
Tyler Morgan (63) and cornerback Mario Butler (2) lead Tech off the buses at Vanderbilt.
NASHVILLE — Welcome to Vanderbilt, where the major college football team from Georgia that isn’t so preoccupied with the color of their helmets and uniforms will play a game tonight.
Georgia Tech has won five straight since its only loss of the season in Miami and has a good chance to win out in the final four regular season games (although I say that without yet knowing what scary color pants and helmets – ooooh – Georgia will wear Nov. 28). The rest of the schedule: Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Duke, Georgia. If the Jackets win out, they’ll be 11-1 overall (8-1 in conference) going into the ACC championship game.
This is what Vandy's Stadium looks like before the game, and it's not that much different during it.
And seriously, how can Tech lose tonight? Granted, weird things happen sometimes at Vanderbilt. Opponents seemingly get lulled to sleep. It has happened to Georgia. But this is a bad Vandy team. The Commodores are 2-6 and the wins have come over Western Carolina and Rice. In the last four games (all losses), they have scored only 7, 13, 10 and 10 points. Their offense is last in the SEC in average time of possession (26.41). They’re going against a Georgia Tech team that’s first in the ACC in TOP (35.31).
Ever hear of that game called, “Keep-away?”
Really, the only way I see Tech losing this game is if their heads are somewhere else. But focus hasn’t been an issue since the Miami game. When coach Paul Johnson was asked about the potential of a letdown earlier this week, he said: “I’m not worried about that. I hope our guys are mature enough to realize that Vanderbilt is a good football team. We’re playing against the SEC, we’re not supposed to be able to compete. It’s a chance for our guys to match up with [an SEC team] again.”
Funny Johnson should harp on the SEC thing. Anybody who has been here knows it’s the most un-SEC-like atmosphere you’re going to find. The football team almost seems like an afterthought on campus — not quite Duke-like but pretty close.
One more thing, and I’ll expand on this when I rewrite this blog before halftime. This is a close Georgia Tech team. The players like each other, they’re confident and they’re following their coach, which is why I have a hard time seeing them cracking.
The team bussed up to Nashville Friday. Part of it is economics: The one-way trip with four buses saved the athletic department about $25,000, compared to if the team had chartered a flight. But because it’s a relatively short drive from Atlanta, the drive to the airport, and time involved in loading an unloading the plane, travel time is not that big of a difference. Tech did the same thing in the Florida State game: bussed there and flew back.
The Jackets stopped in Chattanooga on the way to Nashville and ate a barbecue place called, “Sugar’s.” Is that bonding, or what?
According to associate athletic director Wayne Hogan, “There were goats grazing outside the restaurant. Some of the payers had their pictures taken with goats.”
It’s the only goats we should expect on this trip.
That’s it for now. I’ll check back in here shortly. But let me ask you: Do you have any concern about a letdown tonight?
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786 comments Add your comment
Statue for CPJ
October 31st, 2009
9:28 pm
Special teams and defense suck again. I still don’t see us losing the game unless the offense turns the ball over a couple of times.
RogerDawg
October 31st, 2009
9:28 pm
CPJ = overrated head coach.
Biff Pocoroba
October 31st, 2009
9:28 pm
Vandy gets the ball at the 40 to start the second half so we will be down 35-28 quickly. If Nesbitt doesn’t start completing some passes, we will quickly be run out of the stadium. This always happens when Tech teams start looking at the rankings and getting too high on themselves though. Maybe the defense all got swine flu at the BBQ place yesterday.
Here we go again
October 31st, 2009
9:28 pm
RogerDawg:
Very good point, but technically, we won’t know how well we play against the bottom of the SEC until the saturday after thanksgiving.
Wow
October 31st, 2009
9:29 pm
I’m just a delusional dog fan that is sad about the Gator game and I have nothing left except to choose one of the following….
1) We are in the best conference ever
2) We have Willie Martinez
3) We sellout our games
4) And of course, our stadium is bigger than yours
Get a life and shove it while you’re at it.
SRF
October 31st, 2009
9:29 pm
oh – you got beat by the same “good team” that struggled against its two previous inferior opponents ?
But they won right – so that makes them good – so if we win them we are good too ?
TechFan
October 31st, 2009
9:30 pm
USC Oregon tied at 17.
Morris
October 31st, 2009
9:30 pm
Roger we know our def sucks. Just like your’s. the difference is we find a way to win. And a game like this, well it happens. Look at Iowa with N Iowa and a few other games. Look at fla with ark and miss st. You should really get lost considering how pathetic your team looked today. Miss st would crush you the way you are playing. Nice bye week show up btw.
GTGirl
October 31st, 2009
9:30 pm
Oh Roger – you just aren’t getting it are you? I should have known you’re uneducated – that’s why you’re a UGAg fan. But it’s ok..I’ll spell it out for you. GT = 7-1, UGay = 4-4. I’m pretty sure that you’re one of those who is calling for CMR to be fired so why don’t you fix your coaching problems before you come talk about ours
RogerDawg
October 31st, 2009
9:30 pm
SRF
We blew out Vandy. Can you say the same?
RogerDawg
October 31st, 2009
9:31 pm
GTGirl
Shouldn’t you leave the football talk to the boys and get back in the kitchen?
SRF
October 31st, 2009
9:31 pm
maybe so – we half a whole half left
dh
October 31st, 2009
9:32 pm
Guys, if you ignore certain morons, they will basically be talking to themselves and will go away. If they don’t go away it’s because they are losers that only know how to hate.
SRF
October 31st, 2009
9:32 pm
have
Stop Taking the Bus
October 31st, 2009
9:32 pm
Last time we took the bus to a game, we ended up in a shootout with FSU. Our defense sucks when we take the bus, so stop taking the bus!…or get a new defensive coordinator.
Sean M
October 31st, 2009
9:32 pm
Aweful first half defensively but knowing CPJ i’m sure he’ll light a fire under his players. Rogerdawg your team is 4-4 and just got trounced and you’re talking smack? Tech ends up winning this thing by 28.
ccrider
October 31st, 2009
9:32 pm
Whether Tech wins or not, this game shows the problems that still exist. The Worst Kicker and Kickoff return teams in college football. Wommack is either not up to the standards of a top DC or Tech’s personel is much worse than we thought. We have a top ten offense with the 101th defense.
I hope CPJ addresses this after the season. FIND a KICKER! Determine if It’s Wommack’s system or the players. I have a feeling that after CPJ got involved with the simplification of the defensive schemes, he suspects it’s Wommack that’s the problem. Tech didn’t have a shutdown defense last year with a defensive line that will all be playing in the pros next season!
My dog is bigger than yours
October 31st, 2009
9:34 pm
Wow a bigger stadium ! ooooh Willie Maritinez! Ouch wasted money! Low – next to the bottom in the best conference ever!
I want to be a bigger dog still! woof Woof WOOF
TechFan
October 31st, 2009
9:34 pm
Wow-
1) Mine is bigger than yours. Sounds like a little child.
2) You can have Willie Martinez. Dawg fans are always trying to get him fired anyway.
3) Your conference is number one but not because of UGA. Try UF and Alabama.
4) We can’t help it because there are 90,000 idiots living in Georgia.
Grow up jackazz.
Sean M
October 31st, 2009
9:34 pm
RogerDawg-GT almost scored the same amount of points in one half as UGA did in a whole game against Vandy.
Jeff Schultz
October 31st, 2009
9:34 pm
Amplifying on a stat I used earlier. The only two games Vandy scored this many points this season, the opponents were Western Carolina (45) and Rice (36). In its other six games, it scored 9, 3, 7, 13, 10 and 10.
RogerDawg
October 31st, 2009
9:35 pm
dh-
oh sorry about that…flashes of Rodney Hampton?
GT Fan
October 31st, 2009
9:35 pm
This game makes be sick. The d@#$ Defense and special team didn’t show up. Hope Johnson kicks a@@ at half.
Mike S
October 31st, 2009
9:36 pm
TD Oregon! Ducks 24 Trojans 17 1:49 P2
WOOF
October 31st, 2009
9:36 pm
At least Rice is a nerdy place too
TechFan
October 31st, 2009
9:36 pm
Orgeon 24 USC 17 1:49 2Q
SRF
October 31st, 2009
9:36 pm
Can Nesbitt kick off ?
THWG
October 31st, 2009
9:37 pm
Like Johnson has said over and over again this are 18-22 year old kids and you never know what you will get from game to game. GT is good enough to overcome that awful half but they need to get it together. Roger…. 4-4 nuff said.
THWG
October 31st, 2009
9:37 pm
these*
RogerDawg
October 31st, 2009
9:37 pm
GT Fan
It’s tough when you realize the best team in the ACC is on par with the worst team in the SEC, isn’t it?
son_sir
October 31st, 2009
9:37 pm
Transcript just in of CPJ’s half time speech.. “&%$%^&*&&^*&^$#@@#&^%$&**(#@$%^&***&^^$%@!*&%*&^&%$#@, etc, etc,
Here we go again
October 31st, 2009
9:37 pm
Roger,
Welcome to October 31, 2009. A lot has happened since August of 2008. I suggest you start catching up.
(spoiler alert: it ain’t pretty)
GTGirl
October 31st, 2009
9:38 pm
Roger,
I can guarantee you I know more about football than your wife/cousin. I won’t be in the kitchen because this isn’t 1950 and I can guarantee I have more of a brain than you. That’s why I actually attend GT. I’m sure you’ve never even gotten close to a HS degree, much less a college degree.
P.S. – Do your players have black aprons to match their black helmets? Oh that’s right, they have black and striped uniforms to match. You know, the ones they wear in prison.
jadams
October 31st, 2009
9:39 pm
scott blair is a joke
gtg628y
October 31st, 2009
9:39 pm
Our defensive coordinator hasn’t shown any hint of promise. The few games our defense has played well is because of athleticism with a ’simplified’ scheme. I have a hard time holding any confidence for wommacks abilities.
Morris
October 31st, 2009
9:39 pm
That’s correct Jeff but let’s look at the other side of the ball. the most points scored against them is ga with 34. One td and we surpass that. they average giving up about 17 points. So while the def does suck, the offense is TCOB. That’s taking care of business.
dh
October 31st, 2009
9:40 pm
Let’s see if the special teams & defense can right their wrongs from the 1st half on this drive.
Army Vet
October 31st, 2009
9:41 pm
GTGirl…that was funny…and I’m a UGA grad !!!
GT Fan
October 31st, 2009
9:41 pm
Worse team in SEC? Its not over yet! We’re not playing UGA tonight……………………
Tech82
October 31st, 2009
9:42 pm
The situation isn’t as bad as it looks. We held the ball twice as long as Vandy in the first half. If we keep that up, Vandy’s defense will be gassed in the fourth quarter and we’ll pull way ahead.
GTGirl
October 31st, 2009
9:42 pm
Roger,
I’m sure I could whip something up for you…maybe a little humble pie?
3rd Gen
October 31st, 2009
9:42 pm
will we have a new Def Coord next year
Bat Masterson
October 31st, 2009
9:42 pm
I don’t have the game down here in the Fl. panhandle. From the score it looks like another defensive struggle.
Jan Kemp
October 31st, 2009
9:42 pm
RogerDawg, your parole officer called; time to put away the ripple and report back to the halfway house.
WOOF
October 31st, 2009
9:42 pm
No Roger it ’s a great thing to duo in the kitchen,, sorry you are missing out
GTGirl
October 31st, 2009
9:43 pm
Thank you Army Vet. But honestly it’s not that hard to compete with the incompetent fans that UGA seems to attract
Biff Pocoroba
October 31st, 2009
9:43 pm
No half time adjustments. The secondary is still awful and playing too far off the receivers.
Statue for CPJ
October 31st, 2009
9:43 pm
Average yards per play for Vandy in the first half = 9.9
Oh, and that’s against their back up QB. Ridiculous.
RogerDawg
October 31st, 2009
9:44 pm
GT Girl
No…I’d rather have a hot plate with it cool outside..and might as well have you bring it out to the TV room and hand it to me in the recliner with my feet propped up. Then it’s either back to the kitchen or to clean and scrub the halls for you!
matt
October 31st, 2009
9:44 pm
Womack is much worse than Martinez