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
savjacket
November 14th, 2010
9:13 pm
I agree that the showing yesterday was awful, but you bandwagon idiots remember your words. Remember them. This is not the end of the world. Oh, and Jackwagons, I don’t think the defenses of other teams have “figured the TO out.” It’s a game of numbers on offense versus numbers on defense. I guess they have figured out the spread that every other team runs as well? Amazing. Just because this defense is unique, AND HISTORICALLY EFFECTIVE, wow, they must have figured it out. The thing is that all of you bandwagoneers, even 20 year season ticket holder, were spoiled early with 9-4 and 11-3 seasons right out of the chute. CPJ will get it under control. Be angry about the coaching, playing, etc., but for God’s sake, spare us the idiocity of “everyone has figured it out.” You sound like a UGA fool. Oh, and don’t speak of CPJ being great when we win again.
savjacket
November 14th, 2010
9:15 pm
P.S. Get us a receiver that can catch a ball and we won’t be having this conversation about the offense.
GTIronman
November 14th, 2010
9:42 pm
Tenuta, Tenuta, Tenuta!!!! For defensive coach, I’m not trying to start a coach change here. And Burgess, you’re dead on. Can Johnson recruit any pro players running an option offense?
WTH
November 14th, 2010
10:59 pm
Frankly, Tech’s performance this season doesn’t bother half as much as what has happened in the stands. I’ve seen a lot of Tech teams come and go, some bad and some good. But through it all, I was always able to sit with my friends and enjoy myself, no matter how bad things might be on the field.
Enter DRad. In one stroke, he eliminated stadium reseating and the points system in favor of the Tech Fund. The block of people I used to sit with has scattered, and now there’s no way to recreate another block. After this season, the GTAA is going to have a hard time filling seats next year, and alumni donations are lower now with the Tech Fund than they were with the A-T Fund. And because of DRad’s policies, there is zero incentive on my part to buy season tickets again next year – me, and a lot of other people. After all, why bother to be a loyal buyer in bad seasons, when you know you can buy your way right back into equivalent seats again anytime you want to?
DRad is a better AD than Braine, but’s that’s damning with faint praise. DRad still hasn’t figured out that supply exceeds demand for Tech football. A seat license works for teams with statewide fan bases. Georgia Tech isn’t one of those teams.
The GTAA is going to have some serious financial issues to deal with next year. I hope DRad enjoys the consequences of his decisions.
Ashley
November 15th, 2010
1:14 pm
Wow, I’m really surprised at people throwing CPJ under the bus. First and foremost- I think CPJ is accountable, just like others have said on this posting.
I think a HUGE problem is Defense.. HUGE HUGE HUGE! Wow, sloppiest, most boring game of football I have ever seen. What is it about Tech that they can’t get it together??? While my husband thinks good ol’ Al is great on Defense- I say they look like crap, play like crap, and are still missing tackles left and right.
Oh, and another thing: Someone PLEASE put Hill on defense instead of offense? Sure, he can get some air- but does he EVER come down with the ball? No.. but I’m sure he’d be good at breaking up some passes and taking out the other teams WRs. And maybe, just MAYBE he may come down with an interception.
This team has too much talent to be playing like preschoolers on the playground.
Do you know why we watch college versus Pro? It’s because in College, there is more HEART in the game!!!
But you wouldn’t know it watching this team. Sure, I miss BeBe and Dwyer, Derrick Morgan, etc… but we’ve got a job to do!
Now GT is royally screwed. We’ll go play a half-hearted game against Duke.. and then? On to Athens to get stomped? AGAIN. How many times can this team humiliate themselves? It’s a NIGHT start, with UGA playing for bowl eligibility. You know they will be fighting. GT will now be synonamous with one word (Again): Losers.
Sad day to be Jacket fan.
HurricanealumfromSouthDeKalb
November 15th, 2010
2:56 pm
You jack leg bumble bee’s got the nerve to call us an average team? Hell we opened once again for the 2nd year with one of the hardest schedule’s in America. That option crap doesn’t work on us because we’re faster unlike your team that can’t pass, run or punt.
BUZZMAN
November 15th, 2010
4:40 pm
Would have commented earlier but still sitting in front of the TV to see if Tech is going to win (ha) If the Athletic Dept. doesn’t do something with Al Groh then the Alumni will!!! When are you going to learn he couldn’t make it in the Pro’s and didn’t make it at Va. You cannot take young kids and put them in a 3/4 defense. You have to have speed, nose tackle etc. Al if you want to run a 3/4 go back to the Pros. If CPJ doesn’t wake up and quite running the triple option he should be gone to. How many teams in the top 25 use the triple option (none). Predications, beat Duke by 10 and lose to Georgia by 14. A good thing did come out of Sat.game. T. Washington did show some spunk, the rest of the team didn’t, but give him credit. I hope we don’t go to a bowl. I am embarassed enough.
HurricanealumfromSouthDeKalb
November 15th, 2010
5:56 pm
Oh, and two last things a few folks on the board said we’re an average team? Maybe you should check out the youtube highlights again.
iami Hurricanes vs Georgia Tech – Defensive Highlights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onJuKkpedKc&feature=related
Miami Hurricanes vs Georgia Tech – Offensive Highlights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CxQiIaxjsM
Glory Glory
November 16th, 2010
9:00 am
How about the 40 gager players that SHOULD be suspendended for the next game because they went on the field during the FIGHT at the end of the Auburn game????????
NCAA RULES STATE YOU STEP ON THE FIELD, YOU ENTER THE FIGHT!!!!!
WILL THEY SIT????? HELL NO, NOTHING BUT CRIMINALS IN ATHENS…
Tom
November 16th, 2010
9:46 am
These guys just…..suck. That’s pretty much it.
Saint Simons
November 16th, 2010
10:43 am
((((80-63))))) hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!
Question?
November 16th, 2010
10:48 am
So if Virginia Tech ends up winning the ACC Championship do they have to give their Trophy to James Madison? hahahahahahaha!
I can see it now…….James Madison 2010 ACC CHAMPIONS! Almost as funny as Georgia Bulldogs 2009 ACC CHAMPIONS!
JMac12203
November 16th, 2010
1:33 pm
I have been a GT fan foe over 50 years, and for the first time I have to say that I am embarrassed to be a fan. I also do not think that Tech should go to a bowl, because a bowl should be EARNED, AND THIS SEASON, TECH HAS EARNED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. It is right up there with the UGA season. They likewise do not deserve a bowl game, because they have not earned squat this season. The game should be played on Thanksgiving, because it will be the “Turkey Bowl”.