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
Gatorman
November 14th, 2010
10:36 am
I still think a match between the Gators and Jackets would be interesting, kind of reliving 1967. I have seen time to time how the coaches since 1967 compared to Dodd and they don’t. Except the last 6 years, Dodd’s success was against the mighty SEC not the ACC, and yeah he was a personal friend of Bear, Butts and McClendon. That’s special even by today’s successful coach’s standards, but I think he would have like CPJ and his style of smash mouth rushing attack, remembering his last great team was an option tandem of Snow and King.
OkefenokeeDawg
November 14th, 2010
10:52 am
Jeff, you should do an article, with stats, on how much per win some high-profile/highly-paid coaches are getting paid this season.
You could start with UGA and Tech, then work into the neighboring schools – UF, Bama, Clemson, UT, UT.
How Richt and PJ can look at themselves in the mirror this season and cash paychecks (for what, $200,000 per game?) is beyond me?
TrishaDishaWarEagle
November 14th, 2010
10:56 am
Oh dog fans, I tried to be nice, said good game, etc. Against my grain, but I did it anyway…no more miss nice now!
Cams eligibility is OUR problem to deal with..
THE FACT HE KICKED YOUR A** is your issue to deal with.
The BEST PLAYERS ON THE FIELD wiped up your team
YOUR team got 5 personal fouls ..and whine about Fairley? Fairley does NOTHING that the greats like Deacon Jones, Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Simeon Rice, and LT didn’t do.
These GT fans are right about you UGA fans..even at 5-6 you are Insufferable and probably think you should be ranked in the top 5.
The End
TrishaDishaWarEagle
November 14th, 2010
10:59 am
p.s..enjoy shreveport
Bad Dawg, Bad Dawg
November 14th, 2010
11:05 am
Jack-in-Homestead….are you kidding. The U is no where on the national scene. Tech has been to the ACC twice in recent years (under two different coaches). What has the U done? I can’t think of the last time Miami was really the talk of college football.
Matt
November 14th, 2010
11:09 am
Man, we are baaaaaaad. Groh better show some serious improvement in the D next year or he can hit the road.
Old Fashioned
November 14th, 2010
11:14 am
Football boils down to blocking and tackling——and THINKING! We’re really bad at all three,especially the last. Did someone mention “high academic recruiting?” Apparently that doesn’t include our football and basketball players. We use special admissions to get them in and then wonder why they continue to make stupid mistakes. Could the answer be that too many of them are stupid? Grade inflation: eliminate bad grades,have high percentage on the honor rolls (one school just had 22 valedictorians!),have Education majors teach math/science (Your math assignment is to underline the number 22),change the SAT scoring ,falsify test scores—–after all,we don’t want anybody to lack self-esteem! Get back to the high standards of the old days and don’t worry so much about a game mostly played by a bunch of illiterate teenagers.
Todd Grantham
November 14th, 2010
11:15 am
Georgia Tech Fans: Do you want me to coach your Defense?
joeygt
November 14th, 2010
11:18 am
ga bull dogd yall say that every game we will lose bc you dont like us
joeygt
November 14th, 2010
11:21 am
eric , your a retard once agains read this and understand it for what im saying you dumb idiot
coach pj has 2 awesome years and this year is a down year and all you bandwagon fans are saying coach pj isnt the best coach we thought we had,,,, well let me tell you ssomething noone was saying that last year or the year before, its obvious coaches coach and players play, its simple our player are not that talented and their not executing the tripple option right look at navy they have no talent and they run the tripple option with great execution and they win 8 games every year, you people are idiots, with a new coach it usually takes 5 years to see the rseults we have seen in the last 2 years.
Okeefe/Bob
November 14th, 2010
11:35 am
joeygt—- I like you…..All you nay-sayers and disbeleivers were on the bandwagon last year.Where are you now?I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Paul Johnson yet.Look at yesterdays game and I think you will see that we were in it until the stupid mistake on Smiths fumble. That let the air out of our baloon.I have not given up on Paul Johnson or GT like some of you have.Kind of reminds me of UGA fans.Thank GOD that congress didn’t give up on Coach Washington at the first sign of trouble.
Ted M
November 14th, 2010
11:52 am
GT doesn’t need playmakers…they NEED linemen on both sides of the ball and a special teams coach.
juice sourcer
November 14th, 2010
11:59 am
Tron 5000 nailed it with his comment…”we suck”…yes you do Georgia Tech…live with it…last year was a freak…you are nothing more than a very average football program…you are not elite and never will be…your former AD was correct in what he said about it not being realistic to expect 9 wins a year and he got run out for stating the truth…the truth hurts Georgia Tech and you have to live with that.
realist
November 14th, 2010
11:59 am
When you are on track to produce the worst record in 14 years, I think you have to be questioning some things. Long term GT fans have seen this before and were hoping the same pattern wasn’t going to repeat, but we’re probably stuck with that given who we are.
UGA will focus on the last game of the Richt era
November 14th, 2010
12:05 pm
UGA haters …………you were right about UGA for 2010 …………we DO stink. I will say it again, my alma mater, UGA does stink in big boy ball.
The good news is this:
1.) The Richt era will be over or in 2011 it will be over.
2.) GT is not big boy ball. Y’all are more like a Navy or a Furman or a Ga Southern ( GT made in the eyes of the creator ) and the AC is systemically awful.
UGA will roll ove GT. It will be ugly. I predict a 48-20 thang with Johnson screaming into the unnerved faces of the players. He will be cursing and yelling and seemingly coming un glued. Why?
He knows that he is again losing to Mark Richt ……….. a coach whose time and come and gone. Richt’s record vs small ball GT will be 9-1 and that will make UGA like 12-4 over the last 16 years and more like 18-6 over the last 20 and something like 45-10 over my lifetime.
Go Dogs.
PS: GT goes through a new football coach every 3.5 years counting Bobby Dodd since 1967.
Bill Fulmer, Lewis, Ross, Carson, O’Leary, Pepper Rogers (cold cocked on nation wide TV with my head phones and fell to my knees) and Curry ( let us pray to leave for Alabama) and CPJ and Chan the Man, and simply too many more to name.
CPJ by next October will be right at 3.5 years ……………another 6-6 year in 2011 and he will be gone bye bye ……….. right on schedule.
Get ready GT ………………. Athens is awaiting. See you at the fabulous Indigo Hotel, where your dreams might come true, like meeting a CHi Omega or a Tri Delta. Don’t count on it.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
Ted M
November 14th, 2010
12:10 pm
wow… GT actaully doesn’t have a special teams coach. That makes sense considering their performance.
Coaches
Paul Johnson – Head Coach
Brian Bohannon – Quarterbacks/B-Backs Coach
Al Groh – Defensive Coordinator
Charles Kelly – Defensive Secondary Coach
Andy McCollum – Defensive Line/ Recruiting Coordinator
Lamar Owens – A-Backs Coach
Al Preston – Wide Receivers Coach
Mike Sewak – Co-Offensive Line Coach
Joe Speed – Linebackers Coach
Todd Spencer – Co-Offensive Line Coach
Richard Bedesem – Staff Assistant
Shane Bowen – Staff Assistant
Craig Candeto – Graduate Assistant Coach
J.R. Dorman – Football Office Assistant
Chris Hampton – Graduate Assistant Coach
Jason Snider – Director of Football Operations
Tom Conner – Equipment Manager
Liam Klein – Director of Player Personnel
Todd McCarthy – Director of Video Operations
Jay Shoop – Director of Sports Medicine
Note: Charles Kelly, according to bio, used to the special teams coach in 2006 & 07.
Buzzfan
November 14th, 2010
12:16 pm
There are too many negative comments here. Jacket fans should keep the following points in mind:
1. We lost our best player and leader against VT when we had the lead and a good shot at repeating as ACC Champs.
2. Our back-up QB, Washington, is young and inexperienced, but is showing signs of becoming a great one.
3. If Tech had avoided two key mistakes, the momentum and complexion of the game may have been quite different:
a. Butler made a bad decision on the pass interference call. A completion would have bee short of the first down & Miami would have had to punt. Instead they scored.
b. Orrin Smith should have quickly fallen on the ball instead of thinking about picking it up when Tech had first on goal on the 6 yard line.
4. Tech’s defense played well against VT and seemed to be catching on to Groh’s system. While they played poorly on Miami’s first two drives, they made adjustments and played pretty well until the momentum shifted later.
5. If Johnson and Groh can fix the problems above and others Tech should beat Duke which is playing better.
6. If Tech beats Duke and looks good doing so, they have a great shot at a revenge win against the dawgs who may be without their QB, Murray.
KEEP THE FAITH!!
[b]GO JACKETS!![/b]
UGA will focus on the last game of the Richt era
November 14th, 2010
12:17 pm
A couple of facts babout this year’s UGA/GT game:
1.) Aaron Murray was not on the playing field last year. He is superior to the QB who did play.
2.) Kris Durden is UGA’s Go To receiver. HE is the TOP Dog. HE can mke the big play and HE did not play vs GT in 2009.
3.) AJ Green is the # Two wide out on UGA’s squad and he is fairly dependable ( selling articles of clothing or as a receiver) and he did not play in 2009. HE wants to go out with a bang and he will be in a punishing mindset with the GT corners.
3.) UGA’ s D is far,far superior, at least in mind set, than the UGA D of 2009 and the 2010 stats show it.
4.) The UGA entire team knows that Mark Richt could be and hopefully will be coaching his last UGA game. I pray that this is his last uGA game.
5.) The UGA fans will be waiting for GT and CPJ and they will talk all week and into next week about this ugly, ugly year and about PUNISHING GT for the mistake of having defeated UGA there in 2008. They want a scalp.
GO Dogs.
PS Ealey and King are still here ………..at least today they are. With them ……….who knows??
StingDoc
November 14th, 2010
12:25 pm
How do you change fonts, bold, italics, color, etc.? I tried and it didn’t work.
They say that W. lied. Well, um so did CPJ
November 14th, 2010
12:26 pm
The W haters all cry “Bush lied” which is dumb. Obama’s lie ( S ) are clear about jobs, and the war and GM and the healhty economy and the mythical recovery, etc. “Cash for clunkers” sounds like AU’s recuiting goals. AHAHAHHAHAHAHA Scam? Cam? Get it???
CPJ DID LIE …………he said that “AL Groh with his wealth of NFL experience will boost GT’s D and he will recruit BLUE CHIPS ” because of it.
Al …………….show these boys that 1975 NFL ring. That will surely impress them. NOT !!
Go Dogs
PS it is coming GT ……………..see you in Athens. Bring some ear plugs.
GT92BEE
November 14th, 2010
12:26 pm
Did you see the game day interview of Washington on the Georgia Tech website? When asked why he chose Tech, he said that it was one of the few schools that was interested in him for quarterback. That speaks volumes. Our players aren’t focused and aren’t excited about our school.
Ted M
November 14th, 2010
12:28 pm
I’d like to know that too.
How do you change fonts, bold, italics, color, etc.?
Ted M
November 14th, 2010
12:29 pm
Richt and Johnson aren’t going anywhere…and they shouldn’t.
jimmy
November 14th, 2010
12:33 pm
you donkeys ragged the dawgs about Shreveport all year! well, how’s it feel to know you’d be lucky to get an offer from them maggots. Yea, the dawgs stink but the jackets are awful!!!
hard to be a tech fan
November 14th, 2010
12:36 pm
When the seniors tell the younger boys,”we got our rings, who cares?” it is hard to have much enthusiasm for the program.
UGA = JOKE
November 14th, 2010
12:44 pm
I don’t know if we will beat UGA, but know we will beat Duke and be bowl eligible. Although UGA is pathetic, GT isn’t much better. Al Groh’s 3-4 D is pathetic. At this point, I am hoping UGA beats themselves, or half the team is out because of stealing scooter helmets, playing with red panties, or selling jerseys.
xRandy Shannonx
November 14th, 2010
12:44 pm
Don’t mess with the Canes. Should’ve been alot worse than it was girls. Paul Johnson’s offense can’t play with the big boys. And your defense can’t stop a basic off tackle run.
FYI for the future….you should consider blocking Sean Spence and Colin McCarthy.
UGA = JOKE
November 14th, 2010
12:47 pm
They say that W. lied. Well, um so did CPJ
You have won no games of any significance and don’t think you will start with GT. The mutts are licking their chops, but not so soon my mutt fan. UGA really sucks bad and GT isn’t much better, but if UGA has to win the game to be bowl eligible, which they do, GT has something to play for and will come ready to go. The mutts finish 5-7 and make excuses that it’s a rebuilding year and next year is your year. Good luck with that one. THWG
VT Grad
November 14th, 2010
12:50 pm
xRandy Shannonx
Don’t get all giddy because you beat a mediocre GT team. You will lose next week to the Hokies with your true freshman QB, or Jacory concussion Harris. Your coach suxs as does your city and fans. Enjoy getting pounded next week, then get on here and blog.
Jackets
November 14th, 2010
12:54 pm
Hey Jimmy! Do you think UGAG will have enough players eligible to play the last game of the year? I mean, you have a week off for additonal arrests. Maybe, Midget Murray steals some school books are something and AJ Green sells another jersey, or your new AD gets caught with his pants down with some nasty red panties. I don’t think UGA is any better than GT, as they both suck. However, if we come prepared Roddy Jones will torch your D for another 214 yards. Heck, I think he’s still running from 2 years ago. Welcome to no bowl for the muttts. By the way, your basketball team looked great the other night winning by 2 against MSVS. Wow, all the high expectations in hoops and football, but in reality your teams suck.
Buzzfan is right
November 14th, 2010
12:58 pm
I did not expect much out of this game with our backup QB getting his first start, but there are some positives…
Al Groh has said, he does not have the bodies he wants yet for the 3-4, but nevertheless we are used to not having a defense and I think we are and will improve here.
To those saying people have figured out CPJ’s rushing attack. We put up over 400 yards on the best Defense in the ACC…. all of this with our backup QB getting his first start.
We can not drop the ball anymore than we have this year…. look at UGA 2 years ago and how many “DROPS” AJ Green had….. The passing game will get better and Washington getting playing time now will help for next year.
As far as the UGA game goes… it will be tough for us to stop them…. but their defense looks confused 90% of the time and when you look at their true yards per play allowed stat, they are much worse than 2008 and 2009. I think CPJ will take advantage of this. The question is can we execute.
And that is why we have not turned the corner this year… we can’t execute (i.e. Catch the ball, avoid the red zone turnovers, punch it into the inzone, costly penalties…) Things such as this can’t get any worse.
Looking towards a bright future for the Yellow Jackets!
son_sir
November 14th, 2010
1:45 pm
As a Tech fan, I have to disagree with Schultz. Tech is worse than it was against Kansas. Tech is simply outmanned up front on both sides of the ball. Especially on defense. Groh better put up his best scheme against UGA or it will be ugly. Stopping Greene is job enough, but stopping him along with Charles, Durham, the UGA RB’s, the screen package, Murray breaking out of the pocket, etc. etc. is going to be a monumental task for GT’s undersized and overmatched defense. I think Tech will move the ball and score, but doubt it can come close to matching the scoring from the UGA offense. Perhaps the Jackets can get the Blue Devils. Who knows ? Tech should be getting about 13 pts. or more next week in Vegas.
CV for GT
November 14th, 2010
1:46 pm
I’m amazed at how cocky most Cane fans are…still to this day. Hey Jack_in_Homestead, FL, GT is 10-6 overall against your precious canes, even after yesterday’s loss. Tech’s defense looked pathetic, but this offense (also playing a backup QB) rolled up over 400 yards on your vaunted D, so I’d think twice about talking trash. Oh, and Shannon’s decision to go for it on 4thd down to score a TD with less than 4 minutes to go in the game was a classless move. If he kicks a field goal, UM goes up by 21, so either way GT’s out of it. If he remains the coach at Miami, which may be doubtful, he needs to remember one thing; payback’s a bitch!
Hit The Nail On The Head
November 14th, 2010
1:49 pm
M
BehindEnemyLines
November 14th, 2010
2:13 pm
The problem isn’t the scheme, it’s the lack of talent on the field to run the scheme. If CPJ doesn’t show signs of recruiting/judging talent better very quickly, then it’s either time for the relationship to end or time to drop down to I-AA. There are moments when this team looks Lewis’ era bad, not just Gailey era incredibly mediocre.
Ed
November 14th, 2010
2:52 pm
It makes me laugh that the school (Navy) that Paul left to come to Gt, is better than Gt is.
reebok
November 14th, 2010
2:52 pm
There’s nothing wrong with the schemes. We don’t have the players.
Marty
November 14th, 2010
2:53 pm
son sir
13 points over Duke? Yeah right. More like 5
Gt4ever
November 14th, 2010
2:57 pm
Son_sir,
GT can’t move the ball against UGA and well, everybody can run and pass on our defense…
Dook
November 14th, 2010
3:07 pm
Dook 38
yech 17
Techmaninathens
November 14th, 2010
3:08 pm
I went purely to see Washington and I thought he was great. Interesting how Tech lost decidedly even when the quarterback played well. It shows the problems are mostly defensive. We miss the big plays and breakaway runs that seem to have eluded us. We drive down and have a misplay by Smith, but Oran Smith played a great game other than the miscue. Hats off to Washington and O. Smith.
gcs
November 14th, 2010
3:23 pm
Everyone has caught up with Paul Johnson’s silly little offense. Don’t expect any improvement as long as he is coach at GT and keeps the same O.
That scheme is great for a place like Navy but it just won’t fly in the BCS.
.
Mark Shultz
November 14th, 2010
3:49 pm
Question: Will it ever get better for Mark Richt at GT?
Gator Man
November 14th, 2010
4:18 pm
Worst team I have seen on the flats in years. There is no heart in this team and losing doesn’t bother them at all. This just shows the lack of talent on this team. We need to be in a conference lower than the ACC and that’s saying a lot. Hopefully, next year Tech will do better.
Techsuxoffski
November 14th, 2010
4:19 pm
Jeff…..PJ won in a weak ACC and has gotten crushed in both Bowl Games!!! PJ has done zero you moron!
Jack_in_Homestead, FL
November 14th, 2010
4:19 pm
The problem with the complaining Bumble-fans ..is that they still can’t come to grips with the fact that Larry Coker has left the building. A man who never met a team he could’nt make look good.
“Bad Dawg Bad Dawg” …yeah we have’nt played in the MNC game in EIGHT years. An eternity by OUR standards. I know that your team has played in the NC game since we did so I can accept your pot-shots. Still at the end of the day despite our OC and HC blowing THREE games this year this team can compete with anybody.
Ahhh a VT fan (or so the handle says) ….calling out Miami and it’s home city. Well we know that we can’t compare to that sparkling international hub known as Blacksburg. Why with it’s mecca like appeal, glitz, glamor, fabulous beaches, great weather and diverse population….Blacksburg is on everyone’s “to-do” list.
Where coaching is concerned …Miami does’nt need to hold onto to the same coaching staff for thirty years just to be decent.
Techsuxoffski
November 14th, 2010
4:22 pm
PJ has crappy play callin in the red zone all year!!!!!! 1st a goal and pitch it outside? Home many times has that play ended in a turnover this season? Practically every time! PJ sucks and so does Groh….get rid of them both!
Bad Football
November 14th, 2010
5:39 pm
CPJ needs to contact Navy, maybe they give him a refresher course on how to run his offense
son_sir
November 14th, 2010
6:37 pm
Marty… That spread comment had nothing to do with Duke. I was saying the oddsmakers should have Tech at least 13 point underdogs to UGA. I meant next week as in Thanksgiving week.
Old Fashioned
November 14th, 2010
8:17 pm
Bobby Dodd,called “Lucky” because he won so often by outsmarting his opponents who had superior players,won by having SMART players. Bobby Ross,because of his military background,won with DISCIPLINED players. I suggest the emphasis should shift to recruiting smarter athletes and then install some old-fashioned discipline into the program. Haircuts,as a start. (As with Marine recruits.)