Georgia Tech’s winning shouldn’t be a surprise by now
Georgia Tech, led by Paul Johnson and Roddy Jones, is off to a 5-0 start. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
Georgia Tech is 5-0 and ranked No. 13 in the nation. We can’t really know what that means yet, other than the obvious, as stated so eloquently by coach Paul Johnson: “We’re better than the five teams we’ve played.”
Western Carolina, Middle Tennessee State, Kansas, North Carolina, North Carolina State.
We’re not talking about the right side of the menu. None were ranked in the AP poll at the time Georgia Tech defeated them. None are ranked now. None can even cling to hope in the “others receiving votes” category.
But to focus on any of that is missing the point about what is going on at Tech. This is Johnson’s fourth season. While it’s true most of his first freshman class in 2008 were recruited by Chan Gailey, the vast majority of the players on this team were brought in by Johnson. These are his guys, brought here for his scheme, schooled in his mindset.
If you’re looking for a reason to feel good about Tech’s future, it makes as much sense — if not more — to look at this year’s team than even Johnson’s first two seasons, when the Jackets were 20-7 and won an ACC championship (later to be stripped) with Gailey’s players. The foundation, the structure, the direction — that’s all Johnson.
Johnson is not the projecting type. He’s not going to speculate how good this team is or can be, other than to say: “I told people I thought we’d be better than everybody said we would be. But I didn’t know how much better, and we still have half a year to go. Trying to pick games is like trying to pick in recruiting. Nobody knows until three or four years how good classes are. So we’ll see how we finish this out.”
Tech wasn’t supposed to be very good this year. But now we look at the schedule and conclude it should beat Maryland on Saturday and Virginia next week. That would bring the Jackets to 7-0. Then come the three games that will decide their fate in the ACC and level of bowl game: at Miami (winnable); Clemson and Virginia Tech (both difficult, but at home). Then comes Duke, then Georgia.
Regardless of how the remaining games fall, the win total should exceed what most projected.
Things like this don’t happen by luck, not in a coach’s fourth season. This isn’t a star-laden group. They’re talented, but young. There’s chemistry. They like each other. But most of all, they’re following Johnson. He has a track record at Tech now for players and recruits to see.
“Most of them know what they signed up for when they came in,” he said. “So now it’s not about trying to transition. I’m not trying to talk them into everything when everybody was telling them it won’t work. That’s the biggest thing we fight here: [Perceptions that] it won’t work, you can’t do this, you can’t go to the NFL. Like I said when I got here, once you’re here, everything will take care of itself.
“The other thing about the fourth year is, they know, this is the way it is. It’s no big deal when you have to run at 6 a.m. for not going to class. It’s no big deal when you have to practice in pads twice a week. Nothing’s a surprise.”
Johnson wasn’t in a good mood this week. He didn’t like the way the team played at North Carolina State, he’s bothered by a cold and, well, he can just be a moody guy. When the rankings came out and the Jackets jumped from 21st to 13th, he hardly blinked, and he made certain his players didn’t blink.
“They know every day from the way I coach them that they haven’t arrived,” he said. “I’m on their butt all the time.”
By Year 4, it’s not a surprise. Maybe the winning shouldn’t be, either.
By Jeff Schultz
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318 comments Add your comment
gdawginkalamazoo
October 7th, 2011
1:51 pm
After this weekend you guys should be “bowl eligible”. I hope you are 11-0 and ranked in the top 5 when we roll into the Flats. I think if you guys do drop a game between here and us it might be the Clemson game. Any how, good luck on the rest of the season.
Jeff Schultz
October 7th, 2011
1:52 pm
Burdell — We’ve always followed the lead of the AP poll, not the USA Today/Coaches poll. You’re referring to the latter. But I’ll insert words “AP poll” to avoid confusion.
DawginLex
October 7th, 2011
1:52 pm
Going down to the game
I hope I get a better hotel this time
Last time I stayed in Knoxville, I called the front desk clerk and told her “I got a leak in my sink.”
She said “Go ahead, ain’t nobody looking but you.”
bamaguy
October 7th, 2011
1:53 pm
I agree that Tech “looks good”, but how do you think they would do if they came back to the SEC as the 14th team?
DawginLex
October 7th, 2011
1:53 pm
My wife got sick on the last trip to Knoxville.
Found out you can’t get a prescription filled down there.
No one ever figured out how to get the little bottle into the typewriter.
Harvey from Docs
October 7th, 2011
1:54 pm
I can’t believe y’all even have a conversation with UGA joe.
THWG.
GSUStud
October 7th, 2011
1:58 pm
I repeat….Tech has NOT played anyone yet. GSU would be undefeated with Tech’s schedule. Tech will have at least 4 losses this year.
rduck
October 7th, 2011
1:58 pm
Besides, last I checked, ol’ Magarity isn’t exactly ordering up alot of mighty teams for your OOC games. Face it, both teams still have alot to prove. Time will only tell how good either team is gonna be. If I were you guys, I would worry less about Tech, and worry more about your trip to Knoxville. You guys don’t have a great history there as of late. Best of luck to ya though….
Gbaby
October 7th, 2011
1:59 pm
@UGA Joe
I’ll take our coach over yours any day. You know as well as I UGA recruits higher caliber players than we do, yet all of the games between our schools remain relatively close because of coaching. If Saban had your players you’d be undefeated. Johnson is 1-2 against uga, but that will even out this year because your players are not disciplined. They make a tackle and celebrate every time like they have really accomplished something. Duh, that’s what you’re suppose to do. Until Richt DEMANDS respect from his players, I’m afraid you will remain in the middle of the pack.
Jeff Schultz
October 7th, 2011
1:59 pm
Brock — When was North Carolina ranked in AP poll? Received votes I think one week, NC State 1 or 2 weeks. Neither ever in top 25 that I can see (on AP).
UGA JOE
October 7th, 2011
1:59 pm
thanks beebee. didn’t mean to rant. Just giving my opinion on where Tech has been adn, based on the past 10 years, I was just guessing it could be the same based on a weak defensive unit.
I could be wrong though.
Reebok, you are a classy blogger.
kc
October 7th, 2011
1:59 pm
GT was ranked in the final polls in 2008 and 2009. They are presently ranked for 2011. I will take that any day. Of course GT isn’t up to the caliber of some of the SEC teams, but to say GT is irrelevant(which has been said on these blogs countless times) is just silly. Again, GT has been a top 25 football team in 3 of the last 4 years. We will see how we finish in 2011. I have a good feeling about it. Go Jackets.
Kenny the Jet fan
October 7th, 2011
1:59 pm
“We’re better than the five teams we played”
Paul Johnson certainly is not from the same coaching school as Rex Ryan.
Trojan
October 7th, 2011
2:00 pm
They haven’t even played a top 50 team yet. Why be surprised? They will win for another 3 weeks and then their winning will stop. It’s called playing a decent team. The winning will stop and the large crowds (yes all 36,000 of them) will be sad.
rduck
October 7th, 2011
2:00 pm
Oh Lord. The lone GSU fan is dilusional too….
Good ones Lex..
Richard Hungwell
October 7th, 2011
2:01 pm
There are at least 50 teams in the country who would be undefeated if they played Techs schedule. NC is the only thing they played that even might be called a football team and they would be middle of the pack at best in the SEC.
Dollar Bill
October 7th, 2011
2:03 pm
I thought GT would be better IF the passing game improved. It did. And the scary thing is there is a more room for improvement in the passing department. So much that when this offense is purring the other guys have to pick their choice of how to get shafted – on the ground or in the air.
If we had a passing game – I think the LSU game would have been somewhat different. LSU still had the size and quickness that we could no match.
This offense is just in 3rd gear now. We have 3 more to go.
DawginLex
October 7th, 2011
2:06 pm
Hard to get into a movie theatre down in Knoxville because Tenn people always go in groups of 18.
Sign says “17 and under not admitted”
Jeff Schultz
October 7th, 2011
2:07 pm
ATL Dawg — “…when the Jackets were 20-7 and won an ACC championship with Gailey’s players.”
Not so fast Jeff, this one’s not on the books anymore! Sorry Jackets!
Actually, that statement was accurate. What NCAA did after the fact doesn’t change what happened. (And technically, it’s under appeal.)
Jeff Schultz
October 7th, 2011
2:08 pm
Jeff — what is factually incorrect?
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 7th, 2011
2:09 pm
Your argument is with the voters of the poll that has GT at #13. I don’t think CPJ could care less about the polls right now. The polls make it harder to keep the players focused on improving. ” ROLL JACKETS “
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 7th, 2011
2:10 pm
Thanks, Jeff, I totally agree.
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 7th, 2011
2:12 pm
Lex, that one made me lol.
Brock
October 7th, 2011
2:12 pm
So if no other polls matter then why put them out there? I saw them at 24 or 25 without even looking at what poll it was. But, if you’re going by the AP only then I take back what I said Jeff.
Bobby Walden
October 7th, 2011
2:13 pm
Beat up enough patsies and maybe the maggots can cheat their way back to the Orange Bowl.
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 7th, 2011
2:14 pm
Dollar Bill, that’s the way I feel about all the bowls for Tech under CPJ.
RT
October 7th, 2011
2:15 pm
I thought we were ranked 24th and North Carolina was ranked 25th when we played them 2 weeks ago.
Jeff Schultz
October 7th, 2011
2:17 pm
Brock — When referencing what a team is ranked, AJC — and I’d say most media outlets — generally refer to AP rankings because it’s the oldest, most established set of rankings. Not saying one is better than the other though.
Maryland Jacket
October 7th, 2011
2:18 pm
@DawginLex
Hey, Tennessee isn’t all that bad! I heard that the toothbrush was invented there!
Of course, if it were invented anywhere else, it’d be a teethbrush…
Handy Manny
October 7th, 2011
2:20 pm
North Carolina would beat Georgia
LET THE BIG DAWG EAT!
October 7th, 2011
2:20 pm
You are absolutely right! With the “HIGH SCHOOL” teams they are playing they should be winning.The ALMOST COMPETITIVE CONFERENCE is a joke!
LET THE BIG DAWG EAT!
October 7th, 2011
2:22 pm
Maryland Jacket – If the toothbrush had have been invented anyplace besides Tennessee it would have been called the TEETH BRUSH!
NiquePhotog
October 7th, 2011
2:23 pm
UGA’s perceived strength of schedule has been getting weaker and weaker as the season progresses. Let’s compare the similarities to GT!
Western Carolina = Coastal Carolina
MTSU = New Mexico State
Kansas = Ole Miss
NC State = Miss State
Maryland = Kentucky
Duke = Vandy
UNC = USC
Virginia = Tenn
Miami = Auburn
Clemson = Boise
VT = Florida
So yes, we haven’t played many good teams yet. But UGA has no room to talk about SOS because they have the easiest schedule in the “vaunted” SEC, and the SEC East is currently a joke.
I guess if we have played NOBODY as most mutt fans suggest, UGA is a NOBODY as well. WAKE UP MUTT FANS, UNC is ranked higher than you!!!
Frank Lane
October 7th, 2011
2:23 pm
No bickering here. I am a DAWG fan, went to my first GA-FLA game over 60 years ago. I AM IMPRESSED BY TECH AND BY PAUL JOHNSON. DON’T CARE WHO YOU PLAY. YOU HAVE WON THEM ALL AND IT HAS NOT BEEN CLOSE.
I am officially afraid of TECH this year.
GTRay
October 7th, 2011
2:24 pm
I hope we (fans and players) don’t get overconfident. I just don’t think we are the 13th best team in the country – and I’m not so sure about even being in the top 25. Of course, I hope I’m proved wrong when we play that 3-game stretch against the U, Clemson and VPI (we’re THE Tech in the ACC). We could have easily lost the UNC game, and if the refs had called pass interference on us in the 1st quarter (NC State’s first drive, if memory serves), who knows how the game would have turned out. All I’m saying is the guys HAVE to go out and fight and play with discipline on every play, offense and defense.
I’m hoping we jump on Maryland early (say 28-0 in the first half) and the defense plays great.
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 7th, 2011
2:25 pm
Maryland Jacket, that’s a picture that will be in my head for awhile. lol
crackbaby
October 7th, 2011
2:26 pm
Nice write-up, Schultzie.
If CPJ builds it, they will come…. Shhhhhh…. let the magic happen (like it did in Statesboro)
Go Jackets!
Scrap
October 7th, 2011
2:28 pm
Great Ed Jeff…….It looks like it’s going to be a fun season to be a Yellow Jacket. I swear, the people that dis this offense, just don’t like college football. There’s nothing more exciting than watching a good solid football team run up and down the field, break big plays, and hit the big pass when it’s called for. On top of that the defense is coming around, it seems a little more each week. They get a stop now and then, they get a sack now and then and the whole D seems to fly to the ball. This is a very fun team to watch. Yes, it’s been a very fun half season to be a Yellow Jacket. Here’s to seven more exciting games, and we’ve got a good chance in each of them.
crackbaby
October 7th, 2011
2:30 pm
@GSUStud – Tech will have at least 4 losses…?
Put your money where your mouth is and maybe we can have a conversation.
Boobie Bowden
October 7th, 2011
2:31 pm
El Jefe, anyway you can institute a minimum intelligence requirement to weed out some of these UGA trolls? You know, like you have to be this smart to post on this blog. That would certainly clean things up.
DawginLex
October 7th, 2011
2:35 pm
you would be the 1st one diqualified Boobie
Lee
October 7th, 2011
2:36 pm
UGA fans are retarded… There are mispellings on here, guys calling Tech UGA Tech, wtf it’s not the university of georgia tech. morons everywhere, read a book occasionally, or get an education, and stop trolling on a GA tech article. I know you’re tired of going 7-5 every year but you chose to root for that redneck school, so leave us alone.
Correction - UNC was ranked and has votes
October 7th, 2011
2:38 pm
“None were ranked in the AP poll at the time Georgia Tech defeated them. None are ranked now. None can even cling to hope in the “others receiving votes” category.”
Granted this is true for the AP, but North Carolina was ranked 25 the week we played them and currently has 10 votes in the USA Today Poll
Doug the Jacket
October 7th, 2011
2:38 pm
Would you and your co-workers please drop the NCAA comments (later to be stripped), please. It ain’t over til is over.
UGA JOE
October 7th, 2011
2:40 pm
I likes it when my daddy made us take turns washin down the Ford. I’s just simple country folk. I also likes to do the occasional dance with a farm animal too. Momma never did like it when she’d catch me doing that.
Richt`s Hammer
October 7th, 2011
2:42 pm
I can recruit punks better than Johnson. Johnson is an evil man who does evil things to win.
We are good christians at UGA. Someone stole my car last night in Athens. Russ was in it and my extra pair of red panties.
Lee
October 7th, 2011
2:43 pm
GSU stud, you don’t even go to a real school in a BCS conference jeez, get a life, GSU would be 3-2 at best right now with our schedule. You’re recruiting average for the last 4 years is probably right around 2.1. Kansas is at 2.7 or so and they are terrible, don’t bring that garbage in here.
Richt`s Hammer
October 7th, 2011
2:44 pm
Lord what a beatdown in Tenn. this weekend. DA RICK is going to score 10 touchdowns and run off with two of our cheerleaders.
Maryland Jacket
October 7th, 2011
2:45 pm
Stay classy guys.
Anywho, I’m calling a three-touchdown, three-turnover performance by Maryland, one of those turnovers being a pick-six
UGA JOE
October 7th, 2011
2:46 pm
And by dance I mean filthy farm animal tom-foolery not fit for folks under 17