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
dry dirt road
November 27th, 2011
10:58 am
GT Alum, Charlie Dudish was the great white hope for Tech in 70. He was the Avondale qb that was recruited all over the nation. He was a bust for Tech, and he didn’t transfer and play anywhere else. I heard rumor of why he was a bust, but I’m not allowed to divuldge that here. I tried once and the comment was not posted.
In all seriousness
November 27th, 2011
11:02 am
Jeff,
I am not understanding the love affair Atlanta sports talking heads have with this fraud of coach. Even the d-bags on 680 kiss this clown’s butt, even after he scolded one of their host live on the air and refuses to do their show ever again. Johnson was billed as the second coming, an offensive genius, the Savior of Tech, blah blah blah. How on earth can you people continue to excuse this used car salesman and put the blame on the defense? Johnson’s offense has been laughable at best. He is not just the head coach but the OC as well. Point the blame where it belongs.
dry dirt road
November 27th, 2011
11:02 am
SCJacket, you are referring to the leaky Roof d. Ted used to try his lbs at running all over the place to cover passes, not blitz. The lbs were too heavy to cover receivers in his d.
01HAWK
November 27th, 2011
11:02 am
How soon UGA forgets about the pathetic season you had last year. One good year so far and you may end up with 2 losses to end the year.
UGA fans are still living for 1980………………………………………WELL, HUSCHEL IS GONE and so is DOOLEY.
They are calling for his son’s head in KNOXVILLE also.
Bob
November 27th, 2011
11:03 am
While I’m UGA through and through, I do like to see Tech win except for the annual Dawg beatdown. If Tech is looking to shore up its defense, Zook might be available very soon. He’s a great position coach, just not a headcoach, and always had stellar defenses at Fla.
wins-by-a-link
November 27th, 2011
11:03 am
Why do you (PJ) get on the stump and crow about what you are going to do to the dogs and diss Ga players and fans when you know good and well you can’t back up your arrogant rants, Easy game plan for Richt, Get up two touches and force Tech to pass which they have no clue about how its done. I like how Tech controls the clock when the opposing team is leading in the score.
hahahahahha!!!!!!
November 27th, 2011
11:04 am
Time for all of nerd nation to become vocal LSU fans, to swear to us how they really love basketball more, how all their non-graduating athletes are going to work for NASA one day, so on and so forth!!! lol!!!!!
dry dirt road
November 27th, 2011
11:06 am
Disaster, Spurrier turned down the Tech job already, even after he was an assistant there and found out about how Tech is.
Terrible
November 27th, 2011
11:07 am
Unreal!!!! The QB sucked as Washington can’t read a defense. Next, WTF Tech was not juiced to play as I saw no intensity along with stupid penalties. Tech does not deserve a bowl bid!
EWWWWWWWW!!!!!
hahahahahha!!!!!!
November 27th, 2011
11:07 am
Where are all the cheat fans that for months bashed UGA’s “midget” QB? How many TD’s does he have against the thugs from N. Ave. in the past two years? 7? LOL!!
ARdawg
November 27th, 2011
11:08 am
In all seriousness
I had watched PJ for years and thought him a good coach. I also thought he’d be good for the GT program and might even turn your misfortunes of the rivalry around. Looking at it 4 years later, he’s a bust and doesn’t seem to have the ability or desire to change it. The thing with the TO offense is, opposition adapts. One time, it’s tough, second time it’s difficult, third time it’s a different story. It appears to me IMHO Johnson has been there too long. He is ultimately responsible for the entire team play, not just offense. The call for Groh is mislead. Groh isn’t you guy’s problem
dry dirt road
November 27th, 2011
11:09 am
was surprised Georgia won b/c of the unis they wore for one game that had the ugliest, widest 50’s style helmet stripe I’ve seen in modern times
Reality Yech
November 27th, 2011
11:10 am
Time to face the obvious reality Yech fans, the trade school is where good to decent coaches go to commit career suicide.
ARdawg
November 27th, 2011
11:10 am
01HAWK
Last years was pathetic. We were awful and still beat Tech. Why would YOU crow about that?
south
November 27th, 2011
11:12 am
I had to re-post this and pay homage to “SAY WHAT”
November 27th, 2011
9:07 am
I’d like to welcome all of the new Tech posters to the AJC blog. As new to this blog, you might be looking for some help. The trick is to remain flexible. Don’t concern yourself with the fact that you keep changing your argument. No one will notice. Start your comments out with one argument and when that is proved wrong, quickly change your argument to hide the fact that you were wrong. To help you out, I have compiled this list of helpful hints on how to post.
1. Begin your posting career by stating that UGA will lose to whoever they are playing that week. It doesn’t matter who it is, just state that UGA will lose. After all, UGA is the absolute worst team in the world. They can’t beat anyone.
2. When Georgia wins against that team, talk about how bad that team was anyways. It’s always good to throw in a few “most delusional fan base” comments as well. The important thing here is not to worry that your argument was that UGA was going to get beat. Simply change the argument from UGA losing to the fact that they didn’t really beat anyone at all. Quoting stats of those teams win/loss record is always a plus. Make sure to point out that that team was in a lower conference and when UGA plays a team in their conference their real lack of talent will show.
3. When UGA beats a team from the SEC East, point out that the SEC East is awful! Pepper your post with comments such as “The East can’t ever beat anyone!” Don’t let the fact that the SEC East has teams like Florida and Tennessee in it and that they are normally in the Top ten. Don’t let facts cloud your mind. This year the SEC east is down. Rub that in really well…
4. When UGA beats a team from the SEC West, make sure to point out that they are awful this year as well. Do not concentrate on the fact that that team won the National Championship last year and you spent all week talking about how UGA would lose. That is beside the point! Stay flexible!
5. Now comes the time of year when you can start talking about how your team and your genius coach will run all over the Dawgs. Don’t concern yourself with the fact that you lost last year. Point to the fact that even though you did lose, your team ran for well over 500 yards. So in reality, it was a moral victory for Tech. Again, ignore the score! I know, that’s how the winner of all football games is decided. Just stick to your guns and talk about how no one can defend the triple option.
6. Once you lose to UGA for the 9th time in 10 years, it is time to get creative about posting. First, talk about how UGA is always supposed to beat Tech. Mention that Tech is not a football school. You might wonder, “Why would I be posting on a football/sports blog if Tech is not a football school?” Again, ignore that! Don’t let it cloud your mind! At this point, completely abandon football – just forget it. Now is the time to pull in the big guns! A favorite place to start is how your academic standards are so much higher than UGA’s. Comparing majors is a favorite place to go here, but be careful! Don’t spend too much time here or someone might bring up the graduation rates for your athletes. Next, talk about how many UGA fans work for Tech fans. In addition, make comments about how UGA grads only work at McDonalds or mow grass. Oh! Mention how all UGA fans are red necks and inbred. Talk about their coaches! How could I forget the coaches?!? Talk about how Todd Grantham is a fat slob who is totally classless. I know! Paul Johnson said to punch UGA fans in the face and that some UGA fans are “retarded”. Again, ignore that! Now talk about Mark Richt and his fake tan. Talk about how he is “fake” and make fun of his faith. Oh! Bring up the fact that UGA won the Fulmer cup last year. Let’s see… what else? Oh yeah! Talk about UGA’s mascots and how they keep dying. Post as the temporary mascot and poke fun at the team.
7. Now its time for your finale. Make sure that you remind the UGA fans about Jan Kemp.
New Tech posters, I hope this helps! To really see these techniques used by pros, please check out the recent posts by GT Bob and especially 5150 UOAD. These guys have perfected these posting points and raised it to an art form.
Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Happy posting!
dry dirt road
November 27th, 2011
11:13 am
Tech needs a four man dl like the old gold unis years of 71-2′, they don’t have 3 man strength unless blitz on every down
Gorilla Biscuit
November 27th, 2011
11:15 am
ATTENTION Walmart shoppers!
Now on sale. All Georgia Tech apparel now 90% off the regular marked down price!!
Get it now or within the next 9 months because after Tech beats itself in the spring game and lays 60 points and gains 500 yards rushing on Middle Tennessee or Stoney Brook the price will necessarily inflate itself!
USMC
November 27th, 2011
11:15 am
I think if Paul Johnson went and hired a quality D-Coordinator, Tech could win the ACC and more every year. Also, you can’t completely blame Tech’s inability to pass on Tevin Washington. Paul Johnson has got to incorporate the passing game more consistently throughout the entire season. You can’t expect a QB to throw darts all of the sudden when you haven’t been passing all season.
Of course the QB, Washington, is rusty as an accurate passer. Al Groh is a BAD D-coordinator, period.
In all seriousness
November 27th, 2011
11:16 am
You run the TO when your school has seriously inforced academic requirements to where you are forced to make the utmost out of the limited amount of “talent” that you are allowed to have. Everyone knows Tech recruits roughly 90% of the same kids coming out of high school as UGA does and would gladly roll the red carpet out for any of them to choose us over the Dawgs. So getting talent through the doors at Tech is not the problem, it’s the lack of appeal to lure them there. I knew Johnson’s offense would be a recruit killer as it has been for the past 4 years. He is too childish and stubborn to admit his offense will not will consistently work at this level. We are not even in the SEC for crying out loud and still cannot compete on a regular basis in the lowly ACC.
Time for change, immediately.
Dog2
November 27th, 2011
11:17 am
BUZZ2011—-34-17 shut the hell up and go back to cooking the french fries you idiot NERD!!!!
yellow britches
November 27th, 2011
11:17 am
Jeff, CPJ may have lucked out with some of the key players he inherited from Gailey. Let’s face it, Josh Nesbit was not a pro style, drop back, passing quarterback and yet that was going to be the scheme he was it it Gailey had stayed. He was perfect for CPJ’s option. Same can be said for the stable of running backs that were left over from the prior regime. Now, four years into the triple option attack when Tech is playing with CPJ’s recruits we are no better off than we were.
On defense Al Groh has installed a pro defense knowing he did not at the time have the personnel needed to make it work. Recruit to your system, he says. OK, fine but where are these players. Murray was seldom if ever pressured. If Duke could run up over 30 points using short crossing patterns one had to shutter at what Georgia would be able to do. And yes, Georgia was able to do about anything it wanted.
In the end, the separation of the two in state programs is about as great as it ever has been. About the same can be said for the entire ACC conference versus the SEC. We are consistently out coached, out played and it just sucks. IT JUST SUCKS!
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
11:18 am
Netural……………right
Will USC get the SEC east TITLE when the dawgs get killed by LSU?
The ONLY reason UGA is in the SEC CG is because they actually played some of the REAL SEC teams.USC BEAT the teams in the EAST and played1 of the ONLY good teams in the West.
In all seriousness
November 27th, 2011
11:19 am
USMC,
Johnson’s offense was sold to be unstoppable!! Are you on crack rock? His offense is horrible and is the main problem the program faces.
Terrible
November 27th, 2011
11:19 am
Tech, stop recruiting from the hood and get some freakin players that can read so they can understand how to READ a DEFENSE!!!!
dry dirt road
November 27th, 2011
11:20 am
ol’ Tech does not embrace the old gold years of 71-2′ and the color old gold; they should hire Perdoni as dl coach, but he probably wouldn’t take the job unless Tech wore old gold again, and unless Tech used a shotgun for about 50% of the plays, and unless Tech came out passing when two touchdowns down and one quarter left, something PJ did not do yesterday.
hahahahahha!!!!!!
November 27th, 2011
11:20 am
Choad is the perfect cheat fan!! Already wearing his LSU colors since his team can NEVER take care of their own business. What a coward.
Hey choad, how badly did you get your butt kicked last night, btw? As bad as your team did on the field? LOL!!!
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
11:20 am
The ONLY reason UGA is in the SEC CG is because USC actually played some of the REAL SEC teams
Say What??
November 27th, 2011
11:21 am
Yep… I think I need to add a couple of more to the list:
8. Talk about how bad the Dawgs were last year. Again, put it out of your mind that Tech’s best team in a decade was beat last year by the worst team UGA has had in decades… No one will remember that. (Thanks, 01HAWK!)
By the way, Buzz2011, congradulations! In the matter of 8 minutes (9:58am through 10:09am) and 3 posts, you used tips #4 (9:58am), #3 (10:01am) and #5 (10:06am)! That has got to be some kind of record!!! Keep going, you on a roll my friend!
hahahahahha!!!!!!
November 27th, 2011
11:21 am
Terrible,
But…but….but….they are all going to work for NASA one day!!!! LOL!!!! Dead last in the ACC in graduating their football and basketball players. What trash.
dry dirt road
November 27th, 2011
11:21 am
PJ ran it on 1st down and 2nd down with 12 minutes left and down by 20
hahahahahha!!!!!!
November 27th, 2011
11:22 am
Choad,
GT has zero real teams to play in the ACC and still couldn’t handle their laughable schedule. Try again and hurry up and go to Walmart to get your LSU colors, LOL!!!
31-17!!!!
hahahahahha!!!!!!
November 27th, 2011
11:23 am
UGA does have a pasty schedule every Thanksgiving weekend, I will give you credit for that
Cobb Dawg
November 27th, 2011
11:24 am
5150 UOAD, if I were you I’d just learn to keep my mouth shut. Wrech’s won 1 of 11 against UGA. That’s not a rivalry and you’re not very bright.
Definitely not a Tech fan
November 27th, 2011
11:25 am
LSU will destroy you mutts next weekend!!! Get ready for the beating of a lifetime!!!! You get 67 points dropped on you and kept out of the endzone for all 4 quarters!!!
I am a diehard LSU fan, not a Tech fan or alumni at all that graduated in 2007.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
11:25 am
Hahahahaha……………………pick a Blog name and keep it. You are a punk no matter What blog handle you pick for posting.
hahahahahha!!!!!!
November 27th, 2011
11:26 am
Choad can’t help but run his mouth. His mouth got his butt kicked I heard in Athens last year after his team lost yet another one to his master.
31-17!!!
BurytheBone
November 27th, 2011
11:26 am
@Say what….. Spot on. If you didn’t say anyhting about how if your team didn’t beat us. start to tell us that somebody else’s team next week will.
hahahahahha!!!!!!
November 27th, 2011
11:26 am
Answer my question choad, did you get your butt kicked as badly as your team did this year? LOL!!!
31-17!!!!
hahahahahha!!!!!!
November 27th, 2011
11:28 am
Get your LSU get-up ready choad, since you are stuck ALWAYS pulling for any team that plays UGA since your cheating thugs cannot ever take care of their own business
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
11:29 am
Cobb Dawg………right that will happen. Maybe you should be at church thanking God and the SEC schedule makers for your being the sacrificial lamb in the DOME twice in 1 year.
Why do you think the GATORS are a rival then? The Gators OWN the dawgs in EVERYTHING, Football, Basketball, Women, and Education.
USMC
November 27th, 2011
11:31 am
“Johnson’s offense was sold to be unstoppable!! Are you on crack rock? His offense is horrible and is the main problem the program faces.”–In all seriousness
Paul Johnson’s offense is Horrible????
“Georgia Tech’s spread-option offense ranks 17th nationally in scoring offense (38 ppg) and second in rushing (328 ypg) while compiling 475 yards of offense per game.”
Tech has one of the top rated offenses in the country. Sure CPJ needs to tweak it a bit with a passing component. I am a Die-Hard Dawg fan, but I am also intelligent enough to admit facts.
Tech’s main problem lies with their defense and special teams. Al Groh is not a good D-Coordinator; great resume but not fit to build and run a top defense.
Go Dawgs!
Georgia won the game yesterday and we should all be happy, but how about showing some class.
Gorilla Biscuit
November 27th, 2011
11:31 am
Pile on!!!!
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
11:32 am
hahahah……………………you are so Fing Stupid. I haven’t been to a game in that cesspool called Sanford since 1998. If you keep wondering if I got beat-up why didn’t you come to the game in person and try it.
Say What??
November 27th, 2011
11:32 am
Hey! Welcome back 5150! I am so glad you are here! We are trying to help out all of the new Tech posters and I was worried you wouldn’t show up. I was bragging about your abilities and I am glad to see that you did not let me down. You allowed me to see another one I left off the list – UGA’s strength of schedule. I cannot believe I left that one off! Let’s make that one #9. But then again, that is why you are 5150 and I am not…
Also, new Tech posters, you can see from 5150’s latest posts, you can effectively combine different tips to get an even better effect. Why just mention that the East is down when you can point out that the team that lost the East did so because they played a different schedule than UGA? Awsome! Simply brilliant!
DawgByte
November 27th, 2011
11:32 am
01 Hawk (Troll) -
This will be UGA’s 4th trip to the SEC Championship game during Richt’s tenure. UGA has won two SEC Championships and won the East FOUR times ‘02, ‘03, ‘05 and ‘11. This program is not new to success. There isn’t a single program in the country that hasn’t had a down year during the long tenure of a coach. Penn St., Michigan, Texas, Florida St., Notre Dame, Miami and now Ohio St. have all gone through tough patches. We have one bad year and trolls like you come out of the woodwork. Sorry, get your facts straight before posing as a retard. Oh, wait you are a retard.
(((31-17)))
dawggone
November 27th, 2011
11:34 am
I’ve been a Tech fan for 55 years and nothing against the dawg faithful or team but why does Tech seem to always play one of their worst games against their biggest rival. I know a lot of it has to do with Uga having superior athletes but come on Tech when is this instituion going to make this game relavent again because right now it’s just a fn joke
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
11:34 am
I see the dawgs here are as much Real fans as you are Real Christians. You claim to be both but most of you NEVER attend Games or Church. I thought you respected Richt and his views, but you don’t follow his example an attend church? Why is that?
dry dirt road
November 27th, 2011
11:34 am
To Jarmar: I went to Tech from 69′-73′ and had a blast on campus. I didn’t find it pathetic at all. The skyline scenery at night was cool. I never went to Athens for any games during that time. I don’t like dogs.
dawggone
November 27th, 2011
11:37 am
yellow britches I’m with you 100% it just sucks
sad, sad little man
November 27th, 2011
11:38 am
Choad is a liberal, anti-American athetist playing probably the most pathetic, sad card I have ever witnessed on here.
Why are you such a poor loser? Why do you not have any friends? Why do you get your butt kicked in front of your lady? Why do you run your mouth when you know you cannot defend yourself like a real man? Why is 31 points more than 17?