Georgia Tech doesn’t look ACC ready, starting with defense
Coach Paul Johnson's offense, led by Joshua Nesbitt, managed just one touchdown in the last nine possessions, but the Jackets struggled big-time on defense. (AP photo)
LAWRENCE, Kan. – In the final game before opening the defense of its ACC championship, Georgia Tech missed tackles, missed assignments, dropped passes, roughed the kicker, roughed the quarterback, certainly roughed its own fan base, shanked a punt 13 yards, seem to float in and out of consciousness against a team that a week ago was dropped by North Dakota State and looked so bad on defense that one was tempted to ask, “So, anybody have Dave Wommack’s phone number?”
Forget the question of whether the Yellow Jackets are ready for next Saturday’s ACC opener against North Carolina. They’re not. The only question is: How deep is the hole?
“There’s nothing magic I can say, like, ‘Abracadabra, kazaam,’ and it’s going to be fixed,” coach Paul Johnson said. “You just have to get better.”
The Jackets just suffered the worst loss of the Johnson era. Projected to win by two touchdowns, they lost 28-25 on Saturday to a Kansas team that a week before was dropped by North Dakota State 6-3.
Fortunately, North Dakota State isn’t also on Tech’s schedule.
Kansas receiver Daymond Patterson spins away from Tech's Kyle Jackson. He finished with seven catches, including a touchdown.
Humiliation was well represented on both sides of the ball. Even Johnson’s vaunted offense struggled. The Jackets scored one touchdown in their last nine possessions.
But the problems really start with the one area on Tech’s team that figured to improve this season, and the one area that absolutely had to: defense.
When Johnson fired Wommack and hired Al Groh, he had no illusions that Tech suddenly would morph into Alabama. He just figured the Jackets would be better than Alabama-Birmingham. Hasn’t happened.
Tech continues to miss tackles and blow assignments. The middle of the defense looks soft against the run, even going back to last week’s game against South Carolina State (178 yards rushing) . When Kansas went to a no-huddle early in the game, watching Tech’s players was like looking at a kicked fire ant hill.
The Jayhawks scored touchdowns on two of their first three possessions. They converted four of their first five third-down situations. It would have been five out of six, if not for a dropped pass. They had a freshman running back, James Sims, rush for 101 yards. They had a receiver, Daymond Patterson, with seven catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.
So much for the Groh effect.
To what extent this can be attributed to a slow transition to Groh’s 3-4 and how much of it is simply bad play can’t be certain.
“You’ve got to get off blocks,” Johnson said. “Sooner or later, it can’t all be the scheme.”
True enough. But who takes the fall for players coming out flat (linebacker Kyle Jackson: “We didn’t look like we were ready to play. We came out kind of dull.”)? Or failing in basics like making a tackle?
“I’m in charge of it,” Groh said. “If there’s any finger to be pointed, it’s at me.”
Groh said the Jackets have practiced enough against the no-huddle, so “to say that was the issue would be a cop-out.”
He said of the 3-4 scheme: “It is what it is. We’ve made the transition. We’re playing the defense. We just have to play it well enough. You’re not going to be competitively tough if you just start making excuses.”
When asked if Kansas — who managed only a field goal in 12 possessions against North Dakota State — is a team that should score four touchdowns against the Jackets, Groh got a little testy.
“That’s fantasy football. I just deal with what happened today,” he said.
But it’s not fantasy — Kansas really did score only three points.
Groh: “That was then. This is now. That’s not the game coaches play. Coaches play the game that’s played today. The rest is talk radio, those guys who have all the answers.”
If Groh has the answers, it doesn’t show. The Jackets go to Chapel Hill next week to start things for real, and as Jackson said when asked if he felt like the team was ready: “You know — I feel like we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
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248 comments Add your comment
Gonna be a lonng season
September 11th, 2010
9:11 pm
jorge…. I sense in you frustration that comes with realizing that the new sheriff in town is BOSS HOG and he can’t even beat a team that lost to North Dakota St. Tek is tek and will always be. SC would kill tek.. Lattimore is the real deal… Tek will lose to Duke this year and Weak Forrest.
Poindexter Jugdish
September 11th, 2010
9:15 pm
No free slurpies for you this week my friends. Somebody tell Mr. Groh his shipment of depends came in.
Clayton
September 11th, 2010
9:18 pm
We suck!!
Tech Man
September 11th, 2010
9:19 pm
Tech fans.. Don’t let this get you down.Good teams fall in a big way sometimes. Especially don’t let the mut fans mess with you.Tech will learn from this.You can’t go into a game and think it is automatic!!, that is what happen last year agianst the little muts! We will be alright!!
Mohammet, Jugdish & Sidney
September 11th, 2010
9:19 pm
Yeah…we really suck!!!
Breaking News
September 11th, 2010
9:25 pm
Where’s all the Nesbitt 4 Heisman talk now? QB from Michigan makes Nesbitt look like a freakin’ joke, and he’s a freshman!
Bullyelf
September 11th, 2010
9:25 pm
ACC!! ACC!! James Madison wins!! Kansas Jayhawks win!!! Ohio State Buckeyes win!!!!!!!!!
I predict no ACC team will be in the top 25!!! Stick to basketball skip football
GTJeff
September 11th, 2010
9:27 pm
Ramblinwreck shove it buddy! I GT alum here & I have supporte the team for many years . But this garbage is inexcusable & I have had it!!! Garbage pass game, ridiculous excuse for a defense. Great teams play hard & take care of business. Good teams might drop one now & again. Mediocre teams choke & humiliate their fanbase. Thats what GT has done against good ops (Miami, UGA & Iowa) & now against those that couldn’t be Parkview high (Kansas). Pathetic & embarassing. 5-6 season. Thank CPJ & Groh. Nice job guys, nice job.
GTJeff
September 11th, 2010
9:30 pm
Tech man….you have got to be kidding. You’re delusional. This was NOT Ohio State or Oklahoma. It was Kansas, you know the team that lost to ND State? Groh, go take your defense & shove it buddy. Put Nesbitt at B-back because he can’t hit the broad side of Stone Mountain.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
9:34 pm
Tech will not lose to Wake or Duke.
It’s saturday night.
I’m old and retired.
You young dawg fans must be real losers not to be out and about.
What happened?
Lose your fake ID.
Tech82
September 11th, 2010
9:35 pm
Our lack of a passing game falls directly on Paul Johnson. Nesbitt was hitting receivers in the hands and they couldn’t hold on. Why? Because in practice they get no reps catching the ball. They spend all their time learning blocking schemes for the running game. I love the option but if we can’t pass reliably we will never achieve prolonged success.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
9:36 pm
When is Uga going to finally win the NC?
Next year?
10 years of Richt and not getting any closer to it.
Let’s compare Uga to the other state schools nearby.
Bama Champion and looking for more.
And hated Florida with three BCS championships to your zero,
What has it been like going all the way to Jax to lose 17 out of 20?
That drive back must be awful.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
9:38 pm
GTJeff. You sure are jumping off the bandwagon early.
Kansas had a new and better QB which is the most important position.
It can make all the difference.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
9:40 pm
Football experts.
All I heard was how terrible Vols would be.
Hanging with #7 Oregon at 13 all at the half.
If Oregon were to lose, how would anyone be able to explain it?
ACC Rules.. Oops
September 11th, 2010
9:42 pm
As it is written (the ACC hopes to be relevant in BCS Champ discussion at the end of Nov, but could be out the discussion in Sept with a bad day today…) as it will be! I will never doubt the AJC again (at least tonight)…
Mohammet, Jugdish & Sidney & Clayton
September 11th, 2010
9:47 pm
Let’s go play Zombies versus Humans.
Gatorman
September 11th, 2010
9:50 pm
Based on what I’ve seen so far, BC and Miami look like top teams, and maybe NC. FSU, the two Tech’s, look like middle of the pack in the conference. Good thing, in the BCS Boise States win against VTech has no weight, so we get two real teams playing for the National Championship.
smitty
September 11th, 2010
9:56 pm
well said **old school**………..really do not know what to say about the defense…….it really doesn’t matter whether the offense picks it up or not if our defense gives up YARDS (over 300) to a kansas offense that could muster only 3 points against a school in the dakotas and is ranked in the 15th percentile for offense…….”does not bode well” is putting it mildly……..as far as the offense, the rushing yards were there…..the option worked……but as happens in college football, penalties, special teams play, and turnovers can muck things up……..and then adjustments need to be made……and when you’re playing catch-up, you might need to be able to complete a pass or two…….it’s called balance……..and being able to pass the ball would do wonders to keep opposing
defenses “off balance” when running the option……..and until nesbitt proves he can pass with
consistency, then tech will be at the mercy of a running game that cannot afford ANY miscues on handoffs,pitches, etc, and a porous defense that in a few seconds, can negate a 10 minute triple option drive for a TD…..go jackets
a porous defense that in seconds can negate a 10 minute offensive possession
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
9:59 pm
Dooley’s son appears to be doing alright with what was thought to be terrible players.
Uga’s schedule just got tougher.
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September 11th, 2010
10:00 pm
[...] Georgia Tech doesn't look ACC ready, starting with defense | Jeff … [...]
larry the lover
September 11th, 2010
10:00 pm
Yo, can a tech nerd calculate how many pocket protectors lost their lives in anger today?
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
10:01 pm
The Kansas we played was not the same team that lost to ND State.
They got coached up and got a better QB.
Plus their D coordinator is good against the triple O.
FSU lost their first game to Southern Miss with Favre at QB many years ago.
Should they have given up on their season?
They didn’t.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
10:02 pm
Our schedule just got easier as VT looks demoralized.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
10:04 pm
I’m impressed with Derrick Dooley, Tennessee fans and their team even if they lose.
I guess they didn’t get the memo that they had no chance tonight.
layinlow
September 11th, 2010
10:06 pm
How will man boobs react when the Tech fans turn on him? The honeymoon is over! I wonder how well PJ will handle the media scrutiny. So far he has been the darling of the AJC but when he goes to 1-2 after the loss at UNC next week things are going to get a bit testy.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
10:08 pm
The Tech vent tonight reminds me of the Braves vent before the last two wins over the Cards. Most of the venters were declaring a lost season.
I wonder sometimes if venters ever attend a game.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
10:10 pm
Tech fans will not turn on Paul Johnson.
Did you check the Dawg blog today?
Richt has a much unhappier fan base than CPJ.
Not even close.
GT fan in MS
September 11th, 2010
10:12 pm
Yes the D is a problem. But it really isn’t any worse than last year. Didn’t we give up alot of points last year to questionable teams? MS state? FSU? Vandy?
The real problem is the offense and special teams. Going from a marginal passing attack last year to a non-existant one will kill us. The opposing D’s have no reason to not sell out against the run when the QB can’t hit his targets and the recievers can’t handle the passes. Special teams was atrocious this afternoon. A 13 yd punt that resulted in a KU TD? A running-into-the-kicker penalty that resulted in a KU TD? An out of bounds kickoff that resulted in a KU TD?
Last year our D was not good but we could outscore opponents and control the clock.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
10:14 pm
Agreed, GT fan in MS
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
10:15 pm
Had we managed to win a high scoring affair like last year, most of this whining would not have been written.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
10:17 pm
Anyone watching the Vols?
They sure are giving an effort.
I hope they win but they may wear down as the game goes on.
Jackets2010
September 11th, 2010
10:25 pm
Damn I hate being right.
Ducks just broke an 80 yard TD run with a missed tackle at the 20.
Vols not quitting though.
Butwadduino
September 11th, 2010
10:40 pm
Kansas looked like they had ignored SD St and prepared all summer for Tech. If so, it wasn’t a bad strategy. They ignored the pass, stacked the line, knew their assignments, and contained the running game just enough. As we’ve seen repeatedly, when the rushing isn’t quite getting it done and Tech plays poor defense, they can get beat by anyone.
OK, Tech saw man coverage and attempted to pass more. Good idea. But, based on recent performance I have to wonder if they really practice this part of the offense, or just draw it up in the huddle. The “route running” was imprecise, the timing was off, the balls that were decently thrown appeared to surprise receivers, and Nesbitt’s sloppy mechanics often resulted in passes being badly off target. The running game was not effective when needed. The A-backs didn’t break many one-on-one tackles and there were too many 2nd or 3rd and longs to sustain drives.
The defense was the biggest disappointment, though. They were on the field forever and looked untalented, physically overmatched, and confused about their assignments. They didn’t tackle worth a damn. Even when they got close enough to make contact, they didn’t wrap up and the D-line and LBs were manhandled much like Iowa did last year. Groh’s in-game adjustments didn’t impress, either.
Finally, all facets of the kicking game looked like they are viewed internally as an afterthought.
Appears everyone – coaches and players – have a lot of work and soul searching to do if they are going to get better and have a year they can be proud of.
DP
September 11th, 2010
10:47 pm
Just when I thought the ACC couldn’t embarrass themselves any worse they have what might be the worst Saturday of any alleged major conference in BCS history. Tech loses to a team that lost a week ago to North Dakota State, Va Tech loses at home to a subdivision team, Florida State is slaughtered by Oklahoma and Miami would have lost to Ohio State by 30+ points but for 2 kick returns for touchdowns.
How about taking away the ACC’s automatic BCS berth this year and giving it to the Mountain West winner?
GTFan
September 11th, 2010
10:50 pm
All U so called fans knocking Johnson just wait till seasons over before you hang the man. Johnson has always been a win and GT will win again.
The Football program is not 1/4 as bad as the Paul DA Bewitt program.
The ACC ain't much...
September 11th, 2010
10:56 pm
GA Tech IS ready for the ACC. It’s the out of conference games they need to worry about. The ACC is pathetically weak conference. The ACC two weeks into the season has easily proved to be absolutely wimpy!!!! I’m sorry but the ACC has lost everyone’s respect. They’re getting their butts kicked left and right by Div. 1AA teams, those who lose to Div. 1AA teams and minor conference bottom feeders. Tech could win the ACC and not even be a Top 50 team. And right now they’re not!!!
No Respect for the ACC
September 11th, 2010
10:59 pm
Here is a list of some conferences better than the ACC:
WAC
MAC
Mtn West
Conference USA
Big East
Gulf South
GA High School Region 7AA
just to name a few…..
KANSAS? REALLY?????
September 11th, 2010
11:00 pm
You guys lost to Kansas? In football?
that’s pathetic
KANSAS? REALLY?????
September 11th, 2010
11:01 pm
I guess we can start using that name JACKETTES again!
RoadtripForAthensHos
September 11th, 2010
11:04 pm
“Fans will be fans,” Coach Johnson says. Well, Coach, from all of us fans let me say, “Let’s hope coaches can start acting like coaches.” Many of the problems we saw today are a direct result of the poor job the coaching staff did in having the team prepared.
dawgonateckblog
September 11th, 2010
11:16 pm
Yes, I’m a Dawg fan but I have to say this (Kansas) was a humiliating loss (Kansas only scored 3 against N Dakota State??)…true UGA looked like crap against SCar,,,but lets compare records of Kansas and SCar at the end of the year. Still when you look at some of these early season out of conference losses (Ole Miss, TN, FSU, Miami, Tech) it would appear in all fairness that both the SEC and ACC are underperforming…looks like Bama is head and shoulders above everyone….
dawgonateckblog
September 11th, 2010
11:17 pm
Geez – and I forgot to mention the Hokies!!!!
mowreck
September 11th, 2010
11:18 pm
Did anyone but me notice that Joshua pitched the ball lots more than he kept. He only kept it mostly when he passed it or was going for a touchdown.
Teams with quick backs are gonna hurt us cause we seem to get caught up with the flow and down stay at home at position.
Kansas stopped our pitches with the corners coming up hard and tackling. Speaking of which how many times did GT player use their shoulders or head to try knock the players down. You only do that if they are running up the sideline to knock them out of bounds. THEY HAVE GOT TO LOCK UP on oppositing RBs or WRs.
In my opinion, Joshua had a good game throwing the ball. Problem seem to be nobody could catch it or run the right route. Good example: going for it, 4th and five, from THEIR 49 yd. line, he threw a pass about 7 yards to Hill on the right sideline. Problem is Hill was 25 yards down the field. We only needed 5 yards.
I have always been AGAINST “going for it” all the time. Inside their 20 maybe 2 yards or less, OK.
Old School, I have been a GT fan for almost 60 years. I have seen most all the games except when I was in the Air Force for 3 1/2 years and all I am saying is something is wrong whether it is the players (lack of talent?), coaches or preparation.
Same thing happened to GT as happened to South Fla. and Tennessee. Looked good til the other team scored a touchdown … then the real offense showed up on the opposing team.
When Kansas scored it was like someone turn a light on.
I still think we are gonna kick Caroliina Blues azzes. GOOOOOOO JACKETS!
mowreck
September 11th, 2010
11:20 pm
Error: don’t stay at home
mowreck
September 11th, 2010
11:22 pm
Worth saying again. PLEASE LOCK UP WHEN TACKLING!
Die Hard
September 11th, 2010
11:23 pm
Today was the worst tackling I have seen since the Dawgs defense when Tech beat UGA in 2008. God help us.
mowreck
September 11th, 2010
11:24 pm
dawgonateckblog, don’t know what you are comparing …. LOST IS A LOST when I last looked.
mowreck
September 11th, 2010
11:25 pm
By the way … Kansas was a very good football team a couple of years ago. Lets see how they end up this year before we compare.
CrackDaddy
September 11th, 2010
11:27 pm
The best SEC win this year was LSU’s skin-of-the-teeth win over a one-arm UNC team. Arkansas, Tn, Ole Miss, UGa, where’s the meat? SCar is good, not great. Same w/LSU. Alabama would get rocked by Oregon.
mowreck
September 11th, 2010
11:37 pm
Jeff, help me out here. I need USC to beat Virginia. Who sets these lines anyway? USC is a 19 1/2 point favorite. Score is 0-0 with 7 mins. til half.
Both teams are playing like one is scared and the other is glad of it.