Georgia Tech drilled, problems start with Al Groh’s defense
Common scene: UGA (Chris Conley) scoring, Tech (Rod Sweeting) watching. (Brant Sanderlin)
When a team looks flat, lost and beat up and loses 31-17 to its chief rival — and it really wasn’t even that close — generally no player or area is immune to criticism.
Physically, Georgia Tech got hammered Saturday by Georgia. There were mental lapses. Emotionally, the Jackets seemed to lack a pulse on their home field against the only opponent that usually defines their season — which probably is the greatest indictment of all, considering the 364 days of buildup on a campus where the rallying cry is, “To hell with Georgia.”
“You have to play with everything you have. We didn’t,” linebacker Steven Sylvester said.
How does that happen? Were they saving it for the Sun Bowl?
But Tech’s biggest problem Saturday against Georgia was no different than what its biggest problem has been for four years under coach Paul Johnson. Their defense stinks. They can’t stop anybody or intimidate anybody. Two many games come down to pinball games.
Bad defense got Dave Wommack fired after two seasons. Bad defense under Al Groh should leave his future uncertain at the end of a two-year contract. Groh hasn’t said definitively that he wants to come back, but the question Johnson needs to ask himself is: Do I want him back?
This is no minor issue. Johnson has won 34 games in four seasons. The Jackets’ 8-4 record this season going into their bowl finale certainly is not worse than most projected at the outset of this season, and it’s probably better. But when you have a defense that ranks 43rd in yardage, 56th in points allowed and 89th in third-down conversion, you’re not going anywhere.
Georgia is good, very good. The Dogs have better players and are as hot as any team in the country, save LSU (next week’s opponent in the SEC championship). But when the Bulldogs accumulated 254 yards on their first four possessions, this game was over. Georgia didn’t even punt until its sixth possession. By then, it was 24-10.
Johnson’s view of his defense’s inability to stop the Dogs: “It’s deflating. I think it deflates the whole team.”
The option offense isn’t built to play from behind. Neither is quarterback Tevin Washington. When the Jackets tried to open it up, Washington was intercepted twice on Tech’s first three possessions in the second half.
But remember where the problems started.
Georgia’s superiority on the field shouldn’t discount that Groh’s 3-4 defense got worse late in the season and has failed in the big picture. Tech is no better off on defense today than it was when they fired the last guy. Nationally, under Wommack the Jackets finished 28th (2008) and 54th (2009) in total defense. They were 64th in Groh’s first season and went into this week 43rd. Scoring defense in the past four seasons: 20th and 38th, respectively, under Wommack; 37th and 56th (entering the week) under Groh.
Progress?
Johnson is an offensive-oriented coach. When he goes consecutive series without a touchdown, he goes postal, but even he recognizes the importance of having some semblance of a defense, or he wouldn’t have made a change two years ago.
Groh wasn’t made available for comment Saturday. Just as well. He might need some time to figure out how to spin this one. There was an expected transition period with the switch to the 3-4 defense last year, but it’s not any better now. The Jackets still don’t have the players to play it, particularly up front.
Young teams should get better as the year goes on. But Tech has back-slid since a 31-17 upset of Clemson, with mediocre defensive performances against Virginia Tech, Duke and Georgia.
Sylvester on the difference since the Clemson game: “I think it’s just playing with emotion. If you turn on the film of the Clemson game you can see how emotional we were. I feel like we came out flat the last couple of games. We didn’t have as much energy as we should have, and our attention to detail wasn’t [good enough].”
Players should be able to get up for its rival, but that’s also on coaches for not having them prepared. Johnson and Groh share that responsibility.
But the head coach isn’t going anywhere. Groh, we’re not so sure. And when Tech fails, it’s usually not because of the offense.
By Jeff Schultz
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632 comments Add your comment
IL Jacket
November 26th, 2011
10:32 pm
Tech Tony, I agree with you. Ten in a row in today’s college football environment is an enviable achievement. The other point that needs to be made is despite all the angst over CMR, I contend that he and his staff do an excellent job over the course of the season. His teams always seem better at the end of the year than at the beginning. His team could have come
out flat today with the SECCG next week and a makeshift backfield, but that was not the case. Instead it was the Jackets who came out flat. I wish Skoien had been successful in matching us up at the beginning of the season to test my theory.
cpj says punch em
November 26th, 2011
10:34 pm
hope groh is back. if not defense will be worse next year and two treats later. can’t keep changing the scheme. this was a rebuilding year. qb was ok. hope Vad can earn starting position. we will not get better without it. defense needs linebackers and a line to mature. we were still one quarter away from acc championship game. ill take that after what they were saying preseason. Vad you are the savior. groh won’t leave he’s got a thick skin to put up with UVA following. go jackets. maybe we can lessen the blow with a hoops win at Stedman.
Tech Tony
November 26th, 2011
10:35 pm
Super Committee—I don’t know so much if it was that first possession that did us in but more that FG to end the half. What little momentum we were building withered away in that final minute drive.
For all the criticism he’s taken, Bobo was spot on today. He called as good a game today as an OC can.
flagboy?
November 26th, 2011
10:36 pm
I’m sure not the defense is “deflating” to the entire team. . i’m sure throwing 2 INT’s inside your own half is pretty deflating too. . . at least Groh’s defense was able to keep UGA from scoring on the first INT, which was a really, really poor throw. UGA scores there and the game is over in the first half.
Johnson hired Groh. . . in fact, Johnson was the guy who walked Groh around tech’s facilities while his other D coordinator was still on the job. . . buck stops with Johnson, the head man, not Groh. . . but i’m betting it won’t be spun that way.
IL Jacket
November 26th, 2011
10:42 pm
One other thing for the Dawg fans, I hope you give CMR his due at developing QBs. From what I have seen looks like Murray has developed greatly from early in the season-the Auburn game and today’s game did not look like the same quarterback as the Boise game. He gets good QB talent and coaches them up. Not much else to ask for in a coach.
5150 UOAD
November 26th, 2011
10:47 pm
uga75………….are you Blind or just stupid? There are 6 pages with Tech fan responding.
cpj says punch em
November 26th, 2011
10:47 pm
well the only people who spout a bunch of crap about tech are these blog guys. bunch of uga guys at the gym. … they don’t say a word. probably because i bench over 300 lbs for reps and my tech buddy over 350 so those Georgia fans we talk to don’t say a word. so keep calling me names on your computer uga guys. I’m trembling now. we got beat bad. congrats to cordial fans.
dbc
November 26th, 2011
10:53 pm
GT scored a few TD’s. Are they having rings made?????
dbc
November 26th, 2011
10:56 pm
cpj …. don’t drop the soap!!!!
Frankly
November 26th, 2011
10:57 pm
What’s all this talk about tech being flat today? They are flat because they got steamrolled again by a better team. That is the fact of the matter, no excuses.
Super Committee
November 26th, 2011
11:00 pm
Tech Tony, yes that drive just before the half sort of shifted the momentum…. Bobo did do a nice job and Murry was a little erratic in the second half…
Well except for Florida the SEC looked pretty good today…. not sure why we continue to argue about this SEC, ACC thing……. it’s pretty clear…..
DILLIGAF
November 26th, 2011
11:01 pm
Another crappy ACC team falls to the SEC…..USC smashes Climpson. I hate them both equally but how about that SEC conference perception that ole’ turkey jowls Johnson was talking about earlier this week?
Strange Murphy
November 26th, 2011
11:03 pm
I guess Georgia still hasn’t played anyone.
Skitty Fritty
November 26th, 2011
11:05 pm
Does Tech play football?
godawgs82
November 26th, 2011
11:08 pm
UGA may lose to LSU. UGA may lose our bowl game.
But UGA still beat Tech!
James
November 26th, 2011
11:11 pm
@5150 UOAD
After that beatdown today the Georgia players and coaching staff should have been arrested for assault.While the Tech coaching staff should be arrested for stealing money and the Tech players should be charged with impersonating a divsion one football team.You got spanked today and none or your attacks will change that.Make your reservations for El Paso.
funny...
November 26th, 2011
11:15 pm
Well that, and it sure doesn’t help Tech when at least 40% of the stadium is wearing red.
Bad Dawg
November 26th, 2011
11:16 pm
Arkansas is not in the same league as Alabama or LSU. They struggled with Ole Miss and should have lost to Vanderbilt (Not to mention Alabama and LSU beat them easily and they were the so called #3 team in the country). I think the dawgs would stand a chance against Arkansas but Alabama or LSU is a whole different story. UGA does have a good measuring stick coming up in LSU so we can say how they stack up against an elite opponent. I am expecting a loss but if the dawgs come out and compete I’ll be happy if UGA gets beat by 21-50 like everyone (haters) are predicting then UGA will just be regarded as an above average like they have all year.
James
November 26th, 2011
11:25 pm
@ GT Fan
Your ramblings only reveal your inner pain and how much you would have loved to win today.It would bother me know Tech was beaten by a “not very good”UGA team playing with fourth string running backs.Lucky for Tech that Georgia plays LSU next week or this game would have been over at halftime.I’m sure that if Georgia gets boat raced by LSU you will take a vicarious pleasure in watching but remember,you still loss today and I dont see you winning this game anytime in the near future.Enjoy sunny El Paso.
South Georgia
November 26th, 2011
11:35 pm
How about an article on Todd Grantham. He is one of the best defensive coordinators anywhere.
Time for a change
November 26th, 2011
11:51 pm
I would love for Tech to reach out and bring Oklahoma State co-defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer back home. He’s a former Jacket defender, one heck of a recruiter and just a rock solid human being. He knows this area all too well and might want to get closer to home after the tragic loss of his wife following a heart transplant. He helped build West Georgia into a Division II power in the late 90s partly due to the team’s defensive play.
Return to Glory
November 26th, 2011
11:54 pm
Where is T. Moore he stated in 2008 after the fluke GT win that Tech would not lose to UGA again as long as Johnson was the coach…yea and Obama is qualified to be president….lol
GO DAWGS
Flo-Ri-Duh
November 26th, 2011
11:54 pm
Tech and the ACC are OVER RATED. The SEC west is not that much better than the SEC east. Georgia will give LSU a game. Hopefully Tyson will be able to play for Georgia. They will need all the depth they can get. It will come down to turnovrs and field goals.
kb
November 26th, 2011
11:55 pm
Pjs not a very perceptive person ACC takes it on the chin again. The ACC is the least. Generations of Domination continues on and on and on
GTBob
November 26th, 2011
11:57 pm
Georgia will give LSU a game.
lol. Ah thanks. I needed that laugh after a tough day. LSU beats a top 5 team by 24. UGA beats a sad Tech team by 14. Somehow UGA fans think that will equate to a competitive game against LSU.
Bean Counter
November 27th, 2011
12:00 am
Everyone on here is blaiming CPJ and CAG for not getting the team fired up to play your annual state rival. This was such an important “rival game” that Tech couldn’t sell out a stadium that only holds less than 55,000 seats. It appears that the students and alum are to blaim for not supporting the team and helping to fire them up. In the future send more tickets to Athens and we will guarantee you a sell out for a rival game! Please sign PJ and AG to lifetime contracts.
kb
November 27th, 2011
12:05 am
GTBob, Georgia could’ve beaten tech much worse. Given your prowess at predicting the outcome of Georgia games , I like their chances.
GTBob
November 27th, 2011
12:07 am
Given your prowess at predicting the outcome of Georgia games
I have predicted that UGA would win every game they have won. Including today’s game. After the Va Tech game, our guys pretty much packed it in for the season.
GIVE ME A BREAK
November 27th, 2011
12:09 am
gt4ever, I totally agree. I don’t see it the way Shultz does at all. A few completed passes change the whole game. The defense has been put in bad situations all year. For this offense to only score 17 points is shameful. I’ve been waiting for a pass after the pitch, I just thought it would be Sims throwing the ball. Lee should make a difference. ” GO JACKETS “
The White Ratdog
November 27th, 2011
12:17 am
It comes down to money and Georgia has it and GT doesn’t. Grantham is paid $750,000 a year to get the job done, he is a solid coach. Georgia Tech does not have the money to go out and replace Groh with a coach any better than Groh.
This talk about GT being young is silly. Logic is silly, young does not mean good, just hopeful. Georgia by the way is also very young, but the dream teamers show up in a big way for Georgia, with GT it has been the last of the Gailey Seniors that have showed up big.
As long as you recruit in the Academy way, with the Academy offense, your are bound to lose to Georgia, and be a middle of the road ACC team.
GTBob
November 27th, 2011
12:20 am
As long as you recruit in the Academy way, with the Academy offense, your are bound to lose to Georgia, and be a middle of the road ACC team.
You are correct. As long as we remain a school devoted to academics, we will not compete with football factories. Personally, im ok with that.
The White Ratdog
November 27th, 2011
12:24 am
Ah, the other failed logic theory GTBob, your academics prepare your students to work for UGA grads. Now if you are accusing UGA of not adhering to strick academics for their athletes, well we are not the team on probation for Academic violations.
GTBob
November 27th, 2011
12:30 am
Ah, the other failed logic theory GTBob, your academics prepare your students to work for UGA grads
lol. Yeah, not so much. Take a look at academic rankings, and graduate pay scales. Actually don’t. It’s not pretty.
St.Simon's Daddy
November 27th, 2011
12:34 am
Have any of you seen my boy? The Jackets were outplayed and outcoached today folks. It starts with Paul Johnson. He is stubborn and thinks he can win with his one dimensional offense. The fact is that any time he plays a team with speed on defense he loses. You can blame Al Groh all you want but the main problem is the tech fan base. The stadium had more Dawgs fans than Tech fans. Until you get a fan base that supports its team you will never be consistant. GTBob, you are the perfect example. You say I know we were gonna lose but next week UGA is gonna get killed by LSU. That attitude is why Tech is a third class football team. Quit being angry at UGA and get behind your team.
Cricket
November 27th, 2011
12:37 am
GTBob, your a piece of $h!t. All week we heard how your team would beat Georgia but now that you get bashed (as usual), you want to throw out excuses like “GT packed the season in.” etc.
Cricket
November 27th, 2011
12:37 am
GTBOB, you are a SOB
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
12:37 am
Between Waffle House and Wal-Mart I would say those 2 Tech men employ more UGA fans than any other business in the US.
Dawg Whisperer
November 27th, 2011
12:46 am
Some GT fans continue to let the facts get in the way when making an ill advised point. GT has been lagging in the ACC with athletes that are not satisfactorily progressing in their chosen curriculum. However, why stand behind facts when you can repeat the same mantra even when there is no evidence to support it? There is no difference in the scholarly pursuits and achievement of the typical GT football player compared to UGA and most NCAA schools. Keep beating that same drum but the noise doesn’t drown out reality.
Bad Dawg
November 27th, 2011
12:47 am
Sink as low as you want to Tech fans. 31-17 is set in stone for the next 364 days. You better become a realist like GTBob and accept GT as a “supreme” academic institution known for churning out millionaires instead of a great football program. The question I pose to you though GTBob is how in the world did tech ever win a national championship in 1990 and what about Stanford they seem to get the job done with inadequate resources? (since you seem to be all knowing)
GTBob
November 27th, 2011
12:50 am
Quit being angry at UGA and get behind your team.
I am behind my team 100%. I am just a very realistic person. We are never supposed to beat UGA. If we ever do then it’s an upset. The type of players you attract and the type of players we attract will always prevent that from changing. It doesn’t mean I don’t root for a miracle to happen.
(cb) mark sheffield
November 27th, 2011
12:52 am
Was Dave Braine right?
St. Simon's Parental Unit
November 27th, 2011
12:55 am
My son is hanging out in our basement in his GT underpants holding his Paul Johnson autographed GT Penant……he keeps saying over and over “wait until Paul Johnson gets his players in……wait until Paul Johnson gets his players in…….Synjin Days…..errr….Vad Lee….”
tech sux
November 27th, 2011
12:56 am
tech fans always find someway to talk bad about UGA after we beat them every year. seems like you would run outta excuses by now??now go back to the Athletically Challenged Conference.oh and i bet mark fox and the boys will beat you again in basketball this year wanna bet??
BiggdawgK
November 27th, 2011
12:57 am
When you have a classless coach who uses illegal blocks and lies and cheats you deserve to be humiliated like tech was today.
dbc
November 27th, 2011
12:58 am
GTBob. Try not to wet the bed tonight…
GTBob
November 27th, 2011
12:58 am
what about Stanford they seem to get the job done with inadequate resources?
Andrew Luck. Wait and see how good they are after he leaves. The three years before he started playing they went 1-11, 4-8 and 5-7. And I wouldn’t call their resources inadequate. They are a great school, but much more friendly to athletes then we are.
(cb)scott sisson
November 27th, 2011
1:01 am
5150 van halen dude. This is football! If ya want to talk about intelligent Tech grads go to http://www.doubleE.com and leave football talk to sports fans.
BiggdawgK
November 27th, 2011
1:02 am
5150 most tech grads are living outside the US and your sad little delusion about this army of tech bosses that employee UGA fans makes you seem even more pathetic and just downright stupid that your usual hate filled tirade.
dawg555
November 27th, 2011
1:04 am
As long as you recruit in the Academy way, with the Academy offense, your are bound to lose to Georgia, and be a middle of the road ACC team.
You are correct. As long as we remain a school devoted to academics, we will not compete with football factories. Personally, im ok with that.
GTBob…..that’s a crock. If you felt that way, you wouldn’t spend half your life on these blogs. Just take it like a man. You got beat bad and you hate it. We’ve all been there….just own it
St.Simon's Daddy
November 27th, 2011
1:09 am
Excuses, excuses and more excuses. Coach Dodd did not seem to have a problem with your academics. Of course you have never had any consistancy since Dodd left. You have 4 10 win seasons in 56 years. UGA has 5 in the last ten.You should be ashamed of your head coach. He constantly runs his mouth and continues to embarass himself, the team and the school. I know he is having a big fish fry next weekend. He needs to learn to show some class, learn how to recruit and prepare his team. All year you have been on every blog on here running your yo yo about how weak UGA was and how Tech was gonna claim a victory. Looks like you have another year of hating to do. Goodnight all and GO DAWGS!!!!!