Georgia Tech just as bad now as it was at Kansas
Anthony Allen and the rest of the Jackets looked outnumbered all day. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
This isn’t to suggest that Georgia Tech suddenly is a football program without any hope for the future. But the team that was just dismembered by Miami — it looked no better than the one that was humiliated by Kansas two months ago.
That’s a problem.
Tackling isn’t any better. Blocking isn’t any better. Even the most basic of common-sense football moments — like, dude, the ball is on the ground, so fall on it — seem to leave players looking perplexed, like preschoolers trying to comprehend chemical engineering.
The Jackets lost to Miami at home 35-10 Saturday. Not only are the defending ACC champions not going back to the title game, they may not even go to a bowl game. They haven’t won a game since Middle Tennessee State on Oct. 16 (and we’ll let you decide how much that counts).
This performance was so bad, even the Independence Bowl scout left after the third quarter. How bad do you have to be for the guy from Shreveport to think, “You know, I really don’t need to meet the Georgia Tech coach after the game. I believe I’ll go watch Georgia and Auburn on TV.”
Just as well. Paul Johnson probably would’ve preferred to be somewhere else.
This makes three straight defeats for the Jackets, their longest skid since the end of 2006. Johnson hasn’t lost three straight games since he was in his first season at Navy in 2002. That’s when he lost 10 straight. The good news is: There’s only two games left on the schedule, so that infamous run won’t be matched.
“Nobody likes to lose,” Johnson said. “Trust me, I’m not used to it, either.
“There’s no magic wand. Hell, if I had a magic wand, I’d have used it at halftime. I wouldn’t save it for next week.”
Yeah, about next week: The Jackets (5-5) are still one victory short of being bowl eligible. Don’t presume the Duke game next week is a gimme. Duke scored 89 points in wins over Navy and Virginia in consecutive weeks. Tech’s defense? It just allowed five touchdowns, 507 yards and 24 first downs to a Miami offense that was using its backup quarterback.
So much for progress in the Al Groh defense.
It’s one thing to alibi for an offense that was missing its primary weapon, quarterback Joshua Nesbitt, at kickoff for the first time this season. But that doesn’t explain allowing the Hurricanes to drive 88 yards for touchdowns on each of their first two possessions.
It doesn’t explain Miami’s second possession, when a silly pass-interference penalty on third down kept a drive going and an offside penalty on a field-goal attempt gave the Hurricanes a first down at the Tech. Miami scored its second touchdown two plays later.
It doesn’t explain running back Orwin Smith fumbling a pitch in the third quarter, then standing there and looking at the ball, as if waiting for it to magically become airborne and float back down into his arms. (Miami recovered and drove to its fourth touchdown on the next possession to make it 28-10.)
When Tech tried to make a run, driving to a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half to close to 14-10, Miami answered in one play: a 79-yard touchdown pass to Leonard Hankerson (a busted coverage on a short toss over the middle).
Yes, the Jackets had built-in excuses for taking a step back this season. They lost four players to the NFL draft. But to lose to Kansas, to get dominated by an average Miami team — which lost to Virginia two weeks ago — and to suddenly have to scramble to avoid missing a bowl game for the first time since 1996 wasn’t expected.
“This really hurts, especially being a senior,” said cornerback Mario Butler, who drew the pass-interference call. “Time’s really winding down. … We had higher expectations.”
Johnson struggled to play the role of optimist: “We’ve still got a chance to salvage a winning season.”
But when a team is making the same mistakes in November that it was in September, it becomes clear that the light bulb just isn’t going on.
♦
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263 comments Add your comment
K
November 13th, 2010
7:50 pm
What, oh what can we do???????
Gaytor Gene
November 13th, 2010
7:51 pm
Typical Auburn!! Just like they did to Reggie Brown a few years ago. Cheap shot!!! Maybe the NCAA will declare Newton ineligible and Auburn has to forfeit. Serve them right
Dooley
November 13th, 2010
7:53 pm
Can anyone recommend a good Remax agent for Coach Johnson and Coach AG?
ylo jkt
November 13th, 2010
7:53 pm
Ugly game today, we are just not good enough to make mistakes and then come back. This team has to play with a lead and not turn the ball over. Miami had a good plan, just run, run, run. They saw what we did against Va. Tech and they knew if they just kept busting us with the run we’d be suspect for a pass here and there. Now watch us spend all week practicing against the run, only to see a passing Duke team. We should beat Duke, but there’s no telling with this group.
Buford T. Pusser
November 13th, 2010
7:57 pm
Long time Tech fan and reading a lot of negativity on this blog. Just as disappointed as anyone else but if you want to spew poison, head over to the thUGA blog with the rest of the rednecks.
I feel confident that CPJ will turn this around. He’s been a success at every level and has not all of a sudden forgot how to coach.
However, I hate to admit it, and I hope I’m wrong, but this team will not stay within 3 touchdowns of thUGA.
The Sheriff has spoken.
Reality Bites
November 13th, 2010
7:58 pm
omg…….a free education, fine career promises after graduation, and this is all the fans of GT can get in return? Players and coaches should be held accountable. This was embarrassing.
it is what it is
November 13th, 2010
8:03 pm
Jeff, it is not embarrassing when you expected to lose anyway…embarrassed against Kansas but not Miami, no expectations for this one…disappointed that Orwin fumbled, he did well despite that and so did Anthony Allen.
ramblin man
November 13th, 2010
8:03 pm
last year, there was some spark to this offense (obviously the defense was horrible then too). there was a feeling that everytime we got the ball, the potential was there for us to go the distance and methodically march down the field and score. that’s just not here this year. for whatever reason.
in my opinion, the biggest problem the offense has is its line. it is AWFUL. the number of times tevin had no time today was unbelievable, and it’s been like that all year. i will support the heck out of this team still, but they just dont have that spark anymore—perhaps theyve lost confidence too
it is what it is
November 13th, 2010
8:04 pm
we are not good enough to play the clemsons, miamis and vt’s without a few 4 or 5 stars, only asking a few recruits,
Jacket Backer
November 13th, 2010
8:06 pm
Hope we can beat Duke. Gonna be ugly in athens. Just a bad year. This team never came togtether. Not sure the reason and I don’t think CPJ knows either. Just have to hope 2011 will be better. Still love to go to the games and I’ll always cheer for the Jackets. GT is educating my 3 kids so I can live with a bad football team!
Go Jackets!!
Old School
November 13th, 2010
8:07 pm
@Burgess: Don’t know if you are a Tech fan, but I have worn the White and Gold for over 50 years. I am is disappointed and disgusted as just about every Tech fan, but please don’t say the typical, “Well, he (fill in the blank with the current coach) won with (fill in the name of the last coach), et., etc. ” If you have it one way as in when the new coach comes out of the gate winning and you don’t credit the previous coach fo having supplied the players, then how can you seriously say when the team loses that “Well, he only only with the previous coach’s players.” Come on. When a team deterioates like this, EVERYBODY has to share the blame. Let’s see what Johnson does in the next year or so. Hopefully, they will bring in some big, strong linemen who won’t be oerpowered on both lines of scrimmage. That’s the key. But in any case, win or lose, I will ALWAYS be a Georgia Tech fan!
Scrod
November 13th, 2010
8:09 pm
Dear DRAD,
I turned in my Basketball season tickets two years ago and won’t be back until Hewitt’s gone. I’m about to the same point with my Football season tickets. The sports program (the ones that count, anyway) is in a shambles under your “leadership”. Either lead or get out of the way. It’s time to clean house.
time4TechOldGold
November 13th, 2010
8:14 pm
when CPJ says there’s no magic wand, it’s that attitude of not reading the papers and what is being said about CPJ’s Tech program that is one of the criticisms I have about his coaching; if he read the comments here, he would come out with a better team; he always wants to serve only, and never let anyone help him do that; he doesn’t really learn from other people; he thinks he knows it all; his teams’ uniforms the past two years gotta be the dorkiest I’ve ever seen at Tech, almost as dorky as the ones that had the GTs the size of the GTs on the helmets that were worn at the hip area on the pants’ sides one year; his usage of color and patterns in Tech’s uniforms, or whoever is designing the uniforms, indicates a personality disorganization characteristic of someone who is on drugs; Tech’s just better than the uniforms they are forced to wear; why couldn’t CPJ stay with the old gold-striped uniforms of 3 years ago that were so popular they, in my opinion, were one of the prime reasons that got them to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl against LSU?; maybe the team just doesn’t want to play, and selects certain loser-looking uniforms before the season starts because they’re jealous of the mostly white student body who have much higher SAT scores than them, and will end up getting the high paying white collar jobs instead of the grueling NFL jobs the blacks get
Old School
November 13th, 2010
8:15 pm
Good gosh people!!! Some of you sound just like the UGA fans. Come on! I fully agree with the Hewitt situation and that he needs to go, BUT…..Rad did not put Tech in the contract situation that we are in with Hewitt! Dave “The Brainless” did that! And frankly, Tech doesn’ have the money to buy him out—at least not yet. And yes, Rad did beef up Johnson’s contract, but you don’t call it quits on the coach after ONE bad season. Come on! Don’t stoop to the level of the UGAGS!
Biff Pocoroba
November 13th, 2010
8:18 pm
Scrod, do like I did and get women’s tickets. You can park next to the AMC for free and the tickets are cheap. The players play hard and act like they care. I’ll buy men’s tickets again when the players look like they care more about playing than getting in twitter wars with the ESPN girl and doing videos to promote themselves and their hair.
Old School
November 13th, 2010
8:20 pm
OMG!! This is getting worse than the Fleabags. The design of the uniforms is now indicative of the quality of the coaching?!?!? @time4TechOldGold: please re-read your statement. Do you know how absolutely ridiculous you sound! I’m embarassed that an alleged Tech fan will come up wth the drivel. Come on! I’m sorry. I gotta go. Are you people sure you are not actually UGAG fans posing as Tech fans. This is absolutely nuts!!
Jeff Schultz
November 13th, 2010
8:22 pm
It is what it is — Not embarrassing to lose to Miami. It is embarrassing to lose to Miami 35-10 … at home.
Mayberry
November 13th, 2010
8:23 pm
You hit the nail right on the head Jeff. This team is a mess in every phase of the game, plus they play with very little heart or determination. Its sad when you’re worried about beating Duke and Georgia will humiliate us. You wait all year for football season and its very frustrating to watch a lifeless Tech team on the field each week. Too bad the 1990 national champions couldn’t strap it on one more time. It was great to see them today.
Old School
November 13th, 2010
8:25 pm
I still can’t get over this uniform design stuff! I guarantee you if Tech was winning big like it did last year, you people wouldn’t care if Tech came out in pink leotards. And too, last year Johnson was absolutely revered with the way Johnson said stuff like, “Punch ‘em in the nose!” What a guy! What a coach. And now because we are losing, it’s suddenly, “Oooh, he doesn’t listen to anybody!” “Oh, if he read our comments, he wouldn’t blah-blah-blah.” I’ve had enough. I gotta go. And I will be at Grant Field next Saturday cheering for the Yellow Jackets!
NOBODYYOUKNOW
November 13th, 2010
8:32 pm
The dogs are gonna be so mad when they play the Bees its not gonna be funny. Tech has no chance of winning that one. I’m going to a movie that saturday.
JP
November 13th, 2010
8:34 pm
This is the worst Tech team in the last 15 years…I’ll be the first to admit Paul Johnson did a great job the first 2 years, but with talent someone else recruited. The defense is horrific, Al Groh has been a diaster so far. If the best players on the team are on the field…well that’s says it all. This offense is boring as is his playcalling, and long term not the right offense to run at this level of college football. If it wassuch a great offense, other’s than just the service academies would be running it. Terrible coaching job this year, he should forfiet some of his pay for this pathetic performance!!
GTFanny
November 13th, 2010
8:35 pm
All the Dawg fans like to crow about ruling this state. Really? Big wup! Look who the competition is. Pathetic! Absolutely pathetic! I hope Al Groh caught the plane to Miami. He couldn’t coach at UVA and he sure as he’ll can’t coach here.
chalkdawg4
November 13th, 2010
8:40 pm
At least Tech can get us bowl eligble. We appreciate it. I may go to Shreveport this year. Auburn thugs really rattled my cage. I say dawgs 45-10. Thanks
Nativebird
November 13th, 2010
8:41 pm
and the long slow fall to the next GT head coach search begins….(it actually started two years ago, but no one understood it was happending at the time).
Gimmick offense + non-inspiring ego-maniac HC = never, ever will be able to recruit the players. Ever.
John Doe
November 13th, 2010
8:41 pm
CPJ is exposed for the egotisitcl fraud he is. It is OBVIOUS the first two “winning” years were due to a) Gailey’s NFL players b) “newness” of a high school offense and c) a weak ACC … this is FIRST year we are seeing the “real CPJ” .. oh wait, let’s wait 10 years until he has “his” players; wow can’t wait for that; up there with watching paint dry.
The GT football product is just plain poor and boring. The alumni are already stirring. CPJ is an arrogant, “not to smart” Southerner whose act is going NOWHERE unless he wins.
My gut? .. He is gone by next year. Same path we went down with Gailey with the alumni.
JT
November 13th, 2010
8:50 pm
Ok, that game was pretty bad, but what do you people expect? We’re without our 5 best players from last year, and down to the second string on half of the offensive line. Now I’ll admit that I’d expect to see more effort, but I think the problem is that we have so many new and young players in the game that they’re spending all of their time trying to figure out what to do rather than just playing hard. Our defense isn’t any good, but it wasn’t any good last year either even with Morgan and Burnett. Our offense has a quarterback starting his first game, the second-string center and guard, our only athletic wide receiver can’t catch a cold, and we’ve got true freshmen rotating in at A-back. I don’t expect much this season, but I’m betting it will start clicking midway through next season and we’ll have at least 2 good years following that where we’re “dominant” again. We’re going through a slump that happens when you lose your 5 best players early and have nobody to replace them. I’ll keep cheering and hoping, and they’ll get it turned around as Johnson’s recruits get older and more experienced.
JoeFan
November 13th, 2010
8:51 pm
The offense gained more than enough yards to win the game. The problem was all the mistakes. Its like the kids aren’t even thinking. Wherever the problem lies, it needs to be corrected before next Saturday. I don’t expect CPJ to be going anywhere for at least 2 more seasons. If 2011 doesn’t show improvement and the team doesn’t challenge for the title in 2012, thne I agree, Tech will be searching for a new coach. Until then Johnson needs to be given the opportunity to build this program. He has won the ACC Championship and taken the team to a BCS game. Lets see what the future holds. I don’t see the team in Athens being world beaters either and who knows the lost to Auburn may leave them with a hangove of “the who cares?”
Whopper Dawg
November 13th, 2010
8:53 pm
Wait a minute, this is the same coach that was widely and soundly renowned as a genesis last week for not letting his team get blown out by VTech after losing his QB by this same tabloid. That was much to my amusement and chagrin as can be verified by my posts at the time.
Now, he is a bum. I think you have it right this time. Thanks.
getting what you wished for
November 13th, 2010
9:03 pm
You are witnessing the future of GT football with PJ leading the charge, the myth that he can coach them up has been exposed. The sad part is it will take years to rebuild the program with the caliber of players that Chan was able to bring. Everyone likes to forget Chan had to recruit while we were on probation. This is all on Pj arrogant ass.
China Jim
November 13th, 2010
9:10 pm
Jeff, being half a count early on pass defense is not a silly interference call. But I guess that fit into your story line!
Smith’s reaction to the fumble is incomprehensible. That was the turning point of the game.
BUZZ ME
November 13th, 2010
9:10 pm
We suck. And this loss goes to COJ not Tevin Washington who gave us all we would have gotten from Nesbitt plus some passing. Johnson’s two bonehead calls for the toss sweep on critical 4th downs when they had been stopping was plain stupid. Give the ball to Allen up the middle he always gets a yard or two which is all we needed. Until Johnson incorporates some short passes to backs coming out of the backfield on misdirection fakes nothing will change. I bet we lose to Duke and the Dawgs put up 30 before halftime, If we do become bowl eligible we should turn it down, unless its the toilet bowl!!!!!!! GROH has got to go….John Tenuta where are you?
GTFan4Life
November 13th, 2010
9:11 pm
It is really hard to watch this program go downhill so fast. The coaches seem to be more focused on their scheme on offense and now defense than in designing a game plan to the talent and the weakness of the opponent. When Johnson came in he inherited the best recruiting class of the last 30 years, they were said to not fit the new system, but because of talent and heart – we won. We now seem to have no talent, leadership, or heart – I will always be a GT fan, but this is tough to watch – the buck stops with the coaches – we have two games left to at a minimum show some heart and urgency.
GTFan
November 13th, 2010
9:11 pm
I will still continue to support my Jackets, and wear my colors!!! The season has not gone our way but we will continue to get better. We have lots of young talent, and we lost some key players. For the so-called GT fans who are so darn negative, please just jump on the UGA bandwagon bus already.
BUZZ ME
November 13th, 2010
9:12 pm
oh yea…BURN THE BLUE UNIFORMS!!!!!!!!!!
MOVE to Div 2
November 13th, 2010
9:15 pm
Truth be told, last year was an anomaly, and GT is at times a nice little story. UGA is clearly the better program, sad, but true. They will torch us like no tomorrow
BIOMASS
November 13th, 2010
9:16 pm
Anyone else still believe in Paul Johnson and his HS offense? I am so sick of watching this fumbling, bumbling act.
Just give me a drop back passer and a pro set. Hell, can’t look any worse that this fing crap.
Too bad the knee jerk reaction was to give Johnson a big contract.
aimee
November 13th, 2010
9:17 pm
tech=weakmeat
The Man
November 13th, 2010
9:23 pm
Shultz, you guys proclaimed Johnson the Savior of Tech football..You Lied
EagleDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:24 pm
It is sad to see all the fair weather fans that Georgia Tech has. And the remaining are “closet fans”
Old Fashioned
November 13th, 2010
9:25 pm
Our athletes apparently are NOT VERY SMART! Same silly,stupid mistakes over-and-over. How about recruiting some intelligent Bobby Dodd type players? Athleticism isn’t the whole story. And maybe try some boot-camp discipline—-haircuts,for example.
The Grinch
November 13th, 2010
9:26 pm
Reckon Paul Johnson will consider the UGA game irrelevant again this year? After all, he’s all about winning championships.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The Grinch
November 13th, 2010
9:27 pm
Old Fashioned
November 13th, 2010
9:25 pm
Wait a minute! I thought tech recruited all those highly intelligent athtlets who wanted to major in engineering. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
RAMBLE ON!!!
November 13th, 2010
9:29 pm
truth, despair…
The Grinch
November 13th, 2010
9:30 pm
Johnson isn’t going anywhere and neither is Richt, but I do believe Richt will have to make some changes in his staff.
Always a Jacket
November 13th, 2010
9:35 pm
I drove from out of state to see that sorry excuse for an effort. Gailey’s teams were more entertaining.. Paul Johnson looked lost on the sidelines. Thank goodness it is time for basketball… Oops, I forgot, Hewitt stayed. Maybe DRad is the problem.
Old Fashioned
November 13th, 2010
9:36 pm
To The Grinch—-Obviously we’ve greatly lowered our academic standards for recruiting purposes and will figure a way to get any reasonably decent athlete into school. We now have easy majors for studying. And don’t even bring up the basketball fiasco,with apparently some recruits that don’t bother to attend class. Personally,I’d not accept any special admissions just to get athletes. Then we’d have true STUDENT athletes! And no worries about alumni BUYING players.
Vince
November 13th, 2010
9:36 pm
@ Jeff
If the hit on Murray had been accidental I don’t think Fairly would have been doing a dance at mid-field and receiving high fives from his assistant coaches. Nor would Chizik have been cheering the hit so robustly.
Tony
November 13th, 2010
9:40 pm
It’s easy to see against good teams that we are undermanned with the roster that Tech has this year. Heart can only take you so far. We need talent. Tech is overmatched against most of their opponents this year. They will have to recruit better. By the way, we will not have much success in our 3-4 defense if we don’t have strong, physical guys that can push the lineman back. We are giivng good quarterbacks way too much time to pass or run. That spells defeat everytime. Maybe next year!
Jupiter
November 13th, 2010
9:42 pm
Tech Fans, this band wagon crap has to stop. You all sound like whinny Georgia Fans. Grow up and remember that there WILL be down seasons. The only difference in this year and last? WE could throw the ball. When you have NO downfield threat the defense can concentrate on the run. I think we’ll be alright in the years to come.
GSU Eagle 91
November 13th, 2010
9:42 pm
Burgess…You are a real brainiac…Get back under the rock you call home….and study football fundamentals before you make another misguided, 3rd grade education comment.
GT has inferior defensive talent…They are slow, small, and cannot make ANY plays on 3rd down…
The offense is suffering with the losses of Thomas and Dwyer, and now Nesbitt.
I know Coach Johnson well enough to know he can coach as well as anyone in the country, but he must decide if GT is where he wants to be for the next 5-10 years…I am not sure he can win consistently there.
GT will end up 6-6…beat Duke, but UGAG will score at will vs this GT Defense….