Paul Johnson says SEC’s superiority all about perceptions
Paul Johnson says the SEC isn't the overwhelming beast it's made out to be. (Johnny Crawford)
The same week that the top of the BCS rankings are punctuated with three SEC teams and the overwhelming shadow beast of Athens prepares to bring its football team to Georgia Tech, Paul Johnson said precisely what we’ve come to expect from him.
To capsulize his thoughts: Whatever.
Johnson, whose weekly news conferences can be relative standup comedy dotted with sarcastic jabs, was unusually low key Tuesday. But afterward, he addressed perceptions of the SEC’s Godzilla to the ACC’s Bambi, which filters down to the annual Georgia-Georgia Tech game. This subject has been one of Johnson’s pet peeves since he arrived at Tech in 2008 (and won at Georgia in his first season, after the Jackets had lost the previous seven in the series).
“It’s all perceptions,” Johnson said. “People will think what they’re going to think. There’s nothing I’m not going to do to change their mind.
“Personally, I think the conference thing is way overblown. How are you going to evaluate? Are you looking at the top two teams in the conference or are you going to take the conference as a whole? There’s four SEC-ACC games Saturday. Let’s see what happens. Who’s favored in the Clemson-South Carolina game? Who’s favored in the Florida-Florida State game? Wake-Vandy? I don’t know. But you see what I mean? Now, if we’re just talking about Alabama and LSU, that’s different.”
Johnson makes a point. While you can make a case that the SEC is the nation’s superior conference, the strength at the top – and certainly five consecutive BCS titles – exaggerates the differences between conferences from top to bottom. Not to diminish the accomplishments of Georgia during this nine-game winning streak, but even the most ardent Dogs supporter recognizes that the East Division is down this year.
Perceptions certainly play into this week. Johnson figures to milk this for all its worth to players. He’ll talk about how nobody’s giving Tech a chance, how Georgia’s already looking ahead to the SEC title game, how the Jackets have punched the Dogs in the mouth before and they certainly can do it again.
“Every coach does something,” he said, without getting specific. “You always take anything you can find or post, things that you think will get your guys ready to go.”
This is Johnson’s fourth season. Tech’s senior class is 34-17, including 1-2 against Georgia. In 2008, the Jackets won 45-42 as an underdog in Athens. In 2009, they lost 30-24 as a favorite in Atlanta. In 2010, as a 12½-point underdog in Athens, they accumulated 512 yards in offense but committed four turnovers and trailed 35-34 (on a missed extra-point attempt) until a touchdown by Washaun Ealey with 1:29 left.
The point being, there hasn’t been much difference between the two programs over the past three years.
Two years ago, Tech was where Georgia is at this week. The Dogs will pay for the SEC championship next week. In 2009, the Jackets had secured a spot in the ACC title game. The Georgia game was secondary in importance (as foreign a concept as that may be).
When asked if that played a role in the loss, Johnson said, “I don’t think that played into it at all. That was the week we had the NCAA [investigators] in here. That played into it a great deal. That played into it far more than [looking ahead to] the ACC championship.”
This year, there’s no question. This is Tech’s final game before a bowl. Johnson spent part of Tuesday reaffirming that while he thinks the Dogs are good, it’s not like Tech has been facing middle schools.
He was asked about the strength of the Dogs’ defensive line. He responded with some praise but added, “I don’t know. We’ve played some really good players. [North Carolina's] Quinton Coples is a first-round draft pick. [Clemson's] Brandon Thompson is a pretty good player. This won’t be the first good players we’ve seen.”
He was asked about Georgia tight end Orson Charles. He responded with some praise but added: “We’ve played against other tight ends who are really good. The tight end at Clemson [Dwayne Allen] is probably an early-round draft pick in the NFL.”
Johnson realizes his words won’t change perceptions. But the last thing you’re going to hear from him is any suggestion that his overshadowed program from the overshadowed conference can’t win Saturday. And, truth is, the past three meetings have affirmed as much.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,026 comments Add your comment
George Stein
November 22nd, 2011
8:42 pm
He never said Georgia sucked, Chris. In fact, he said quite the contrary.
GT ATW
November 22nd, 2011
8:46 pm
You Dawg fans are some sick pups. Only UGA can squander a top 5 recruiting class each with pitiful results. You guys wrote the book on underachievement. The fact that our 3 star players are every bit your equals each year shows how poor your team of superstars and coaches really are. We’re kickin your can all over the field on Saturday!!! THWG!!!
Bill Dance
November 22nd, 2011
8:47 pm
Dang George, you must be Judge George Stein, you making more rulings in here than a carpetbagging yankee…wait…George Stein…Im outta here
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
8:49 pm
the only small chance has to win this game is isaiah crowell and carlton thomas our top two backs since richard samuel our power back is hurt.Cuz our offense is built off the run. Our 2 in the country rush defense will shut yall down
GTBob
November 22nd, 2011
8:49 pm
Chris, you are trying too hard. The SEC is terrible outside of LSU, Bama, and Arkansas. Tell me, what are the big wins for the other 9 teams? UGA, USC, and Auburn all beat each other and none of those three would be a big win. The other 6 haven’t beaten anyone at all. Its a pretty sad conference this year.
Paul Has A Small Johnson
November 22nd, 2011
8:49 pm
Anyone know where Russ will take a dump on the field?
I want to make sure I do a belly flop after the loss.
If I cant beat them I might as well look and smell like a looser
Signed
The Great Small Johnson
George Stein
November 22nd, 2011
8:50 pm
I was born in Atlanta, genius.
Greg on the Florida Emerald Coast
November 22nd, 2011
8:51 pm
Hey Tech Man, you are self-righteous and arrogant enough to be a televangelist with your own televised show.
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
8:51 pm
name one quality team other than vt and i guess clemson is pretty good they’re great on offense but lacking on defense! Acc sucks sec is by far the best conference
CC Hawg
November 22nd, 2011
8:51 pm
UGA Fan inUVa Country…….you wouldn’t happen to be a Colquitt County lad now would ye?
RopeDawg
November 22nd, 2011
8:51 pm
Bahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaah @ all the NERDS on here trying to puff out their chests and justify GT football.
9/10 is ALL that needs to be said.
Dennis Felton
November 22nd, 2011
8:52 pm
At least Paul Hewitt could beat UGA in Atlanta. Look what happened to him and his top 5 recruiting classes. I guess the reduced seats in basketball helped the jackets sell most of their basketball tickets and keep the road game from becoming a home game for UGA as it does in football.
Coach Johnson doesnt respect the SEC, but his school raises ticket prices when the SEC Dawgs come to town
George Stein
November 22nd, 2011
8:54 pm
How anyone got the Johnson doesn’t respect the SEC from his comments is beyond me.
GT Bob (with Glasses on)
November 22nd, 2011
8:54 pm
Crap…the ACC is terrible except for…? never mind
davidinloganville
November 22nd, 2011
8:54 pm
George Stein the DUI Lawyer you call out a guy for calling some one queer as stupid and a homophobe. Your coach called someone a “retard” on his radio show, and all your gang loves him for it, you think there are any parents of special needs children out there that think that was a classy move?
Snoop Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
8:55 pm
Tech is a one dimensional team. They haven’t recruited the same level of talent that UGA has. Johnson is probably a better coach than da Preacha Man, though, because we all know that both Richt and Bobo are incompetent coaches. That being said, UGA has so much raw talent that Grantham’s defense will whip GT without any offense needed. Any offense that we get will be gravy. GT is undersized…
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
8:55 pm
no i think its funny how that tech fan thinks the sec is bad.
OGRE
November 22nd, 2011
8:57 pm
Give me your tears NERDS!
DavisDawg
November 22nd, 2011
8:58 pm
What will be your excuse this year bugs? Hopefully it won’t be that we got “out choached” and you still got beat….again. Somebody’s gonna get knocked the Fu#k out by Jarvis jones
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
8:58 pm
gt bob (with glasses on) i was being kind saying vt and clemson were quality teams. I think they are equivalent to auburn and vandy (this year who is actually good despite their recorrd )in the sec. but those are the best teams
George Stein
November 22nd, 2011
8:58 pm
Yes, I called him out for that.
GTBob
November 22nd, 2011
8:58 pm
Dennis Felton, last year when we were terrible at basketball and all of our fans were revolting, we still had better attendance then UGA. Please don’t pretend like UGA fans will ever care about basketball.
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
8:59 pm
i dont think paul johnson is a better coaach than richt
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
9:00 pm
i dont care about college basketball cuz uga is rarely good so i dont care if yall beat us in basketball
George Stein
November 22nd, 2011
9:00 pm
I can understand you taking offense to him calling anyone a retard.
GTBob
November 22nd, 2011
9:00 pm
Chris, Clemson spotted Auburn 17 points and still easily beat them but sure, they are about equal. Vandy is awful also. UGA fans need to quit building that team up like they were a quality win. Just because the rest of the SEC East sunk to their level doesn’t mean they are good.
DavisDawg
November 22nd, 2011
9:01 pm
Leave it to tech to talk about basketball the week of our football game. Point proven
George Stein
November 22nd, 2011
9:02 pm
Fortunately, no one cares what you think, Chris.
Dawgz4Life
November 22nd, 2011
9:03 pm
It is sad to see such classless posts from both sides of the fight….
I wish my adversary well, but I am confident that the Dawgs will prevail!
For the mighty Munson, hunker down Dawgs, just one more time!
Dawgs4life
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
9:03 pm
im not saying they’re a great team but for vandy usually one of the worst teams in the sec they are good for them. They have gotten a good coach. WE played bad that game (thanks special teams NOT) but they are tougher than people give them credit for
Perception is Reality
November 22nd, 2011
9:04 pm
Even one of the worst teams in the SEC can score points like a basketball team when they’re playing one of those Western patsies like New Mexico State.
PJ’s jealous.
Rick Strickland
November 22nd, 2011
9:04 pm
LOL @ Ropemutt and all of you others who think we aren’t an obstacle EVERY YEAR now that CPJ is entrenched.
ACC Coastal > ACC Atlantic > SEC East
Don’t think so? See you here on the blog Saturday night!
Bama, LSU = great teams. Congrats for that. How’d ya’ll do against them? Oh you didn’t play them? You played a deadbeat Miss St. team that we waxed 2 straight years and an Ole Miss team that ducked out of our contract with em. Ask Vandy what they think of us? Oh that coach aint there anymore but his players are and they were 3 seconds and a scoop and score on a blocked punt from proving my point.
You are the state school, you offer all the easy degrees, you get the 5-star talents in a state that churns out the best of them yet 1980 is over 30 years away and you still think the next Walker is coming to your school. (Where is Jasper and what’s his name from GAC/Parkview now?)
Your “Voice” has now passed on like all the in-bred mascots you’ve been trotting out there.
The new “OWNER OF THIS STATE” is in place and after Saturday, he’ll be 2-2 since his tenure with nearly EVERYTHING coming back next year!
Go kid yourselves about how great you are, I’ll be back here Saturday night to say I told you so!
George Stein
November 22nd, 2011
9:05 pm
i think paul johnson is a way better coach than richt. He is a great guy who makes fun of special needs people. Oh tech is awesome! STING EM
Sandusky is Johnson's idol
November 22nd, 2011
9:06 pm
Is it me or does Paul Johnson look like he diddles with little boys?
Perception is Reality
November 22nd, 2011
9:06 pm
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
8:59 pm
i dont think paul johnson is a better coaach than richt
If you put ‘em both up for auction, I don’t know that you’d get any bids.
Dennis Felton
November 22nd, 2011
9:06 pm
GTBob: I could handle Hewitt and I still got fired. Then Coach Fox ran him out of town. I do admire how Tech gets their entire athletic fan base to games (~8,000)…but it hurts in football even when you have a stadium no bigger than a Texas JuCo program
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
9:07 pm
Rick Strickland- 9/10 thats all im going to say
GTBob
November 22nd, 2011
9:07 pm
Leave it to tech to talk about basketball the week of our football game. Point proven
Sorry to disappoint you but it was your fans who brought it up. You should ask your own buddies to stick to football.
George Stein
November 22nd, 2011
9:08 pm
Nice. My handle has been stolen. Classy.
SnoopDawg
November 22nd, 2011
9:09 pm
We got this on lock. Somebody about to get tiity slapped! And I ain’t talkin cheerleaders.
@GTBOB
November 22nd, 2011
9:09 pm
Vandy, Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Miss. State all have better talent and coaching than tech. Serioulsly , 5 of Techs 8 wins have a total 10 wins between them. Talk about a cupcake schedule
Vt would be 4th in the East 5th in the West, and your 1-aa talent laden jackets would be ahead of only Kentucky and that would be close Kentucky has more overall talent.
Perception is Reality
November 22nd, 2011
9:10 pm
Someone snatched my knob.
DavisDawg
November 22nd, 2011
9:10 pm
Strictly dickly….you are a joke like your post. I’m sure the yearly tickle pile will be in your basement this year
George Stein
November 22nd, 2011
9:10 pm
It’s you, Sandusky.
Dawgz4Life
November 22nd, 2011
9:10 pm
Rick, you are sick. Have respect for the departed, one day you will stare it in the face too….
GTBob
November 22nd, 2011
9:10 pm
but they are tougher than people give them credit for
Which one of their wins should I be most impressed by? Elon, Uconn, Ole Miss, Army, or Kentucky?
SnoopDawg
November 22nd, 2011
9:11 pm
Tech will choke. They always do.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 22nd, 2011
9:11 pm
It was a mutt troll who brought up basketball, bubba
Jim Donnan
November 22nd, 2011
9:11 pm
Hey! Its better than 9 out of 10…Can you spell vacated wins, Little Joe? With instant replay in 99, Im up there with Saban these days instead of playing ponzi.
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
9:11 pm
why is tech so confident??? lost 3 out of last 5 we have won 9 in a row