Georgia Tech shows its upside in win — and it’s impressive
Orwin Smith's 77-yard touchdown run was part of Tech's first-half assault. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
The first play went for 70 yards and a touchdown. The third play went for 77 yards and a touchdown. The fourth play went for 60 yards. No touchdown. (Virginia’s defense celebrates this small victory, then two minutes later gives up a touchdown.)
Remember 2008, when Paul Johnson brought this scattering-fire-ants-looking offense to Georgia Tech, and the Jackets won games scoring 41, 38, 31, 41 and 45 points, the last coming in Athens?
Remember 2009, when the numbers just got more stupid (49, 49, 39 … 56?), and Tech fans tore down the goal posts after an upset of No. 4 Virginia Tech, and Johnson was viewed as some borderline deity on The Flats for winning the ACC title in only his second season?
That’s sort of what it looked like Saturday. Maybe the ramifications weren’t as great. Virginia, the afternoon sacrifice, wasn’t ranked. There was no title clinched. Tech isn’t even in first place today.
But the Jackets’ 56-20 body-slam of Virginia was significant in other ways. Most notably, it momentarily stuffed all whines and questions about whether the program is headed in the wrong direction. It also suggested something about this team’s high ceiling.
“I believe everything happens for a reason,” quarterback Tevin Washington said after rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for another. “When something goes wrong, just learn. We learned something when we lost at Virginia Tech. It just showed us how even when you have a team down late, you can’t let up. You have to keep playing like it’s 0-0. That’s what we did today. I have a really good feeling about this team. I feel like if we can play with that kind of attitude every week, we can be really good.”
Tech led 14-0 4:29 into the game and 35-7 at halftime. It was 49-7 in the fourth before the foot came off the pedal. It’s not likely going to be that easy against Miami next week, or certainly in a few weeks at Clemson. But if this was the Jackets’ upside, they’re going to be a player in the ACC this season.
Note: Pittsburgh 35, Virginia Tech 17. It’s an open race in the Coastal Division.
Players were motivated watching clips of last season’s 24-21 loss to Virginia in Charlottesville, when the Cavaliers rushed for 274 yards. Washington referenced the contrasting scenes of the two sidelines in the final seconds, and Johnson later: “I heard a long time ago: Revenge is a great motivator for those who care. We were embarrassed the way we played up there.”
The defense, looking more comfortable now in the 3-4, was physical. Virginia was stuffed on a fourth-and-1 in the second quarter (when the blowout was only 28-7). Players were inspired in part by watching a tape of the 1985 Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns middleweight title fight the night before.
“That got me real excited,” cornerback Louis Young said. “We knocked them down and had them on the ropes a lot today. … We were going to stalk them the whole game. Last year, if you look the film, they threw a lot of punches at us early and we didn’t come back at them.”
There was no letup Saturday. It was an important response in the conference to the overtime loss at Virginia Tech two weeks ago. The Jackets scored touchdowns on their first four possessions. Three of their first four offensive plays from scrimmage covered 207 yards, approaching their entire output in Blacksburg (288).
Their first offensive play was a 70-yard touchdown pass fromWashington to Zack Laskey. Their third play was a 77-yard touchdown run by Orwin Smith. Their fourth play was a 60-yard run by Washington, setting up another score. By halftime, Tech had 386 yards in offense, give or take a furlong.
It was a difficult to tell exactly what Virginia’s defensive strategy was, but it appeared to center on their ability to tear the helmet off Washington’s head. They did it twice, forcing him to the sideline to sit out plays because of the NCAA’s inane new rule. (Didn’t matter. The Jackets scored touchdowns on both drives.)
Asked if he felt the helmet grabs were intentional, Washington: “Yeah, and I told the officials. I don’t like that rule.”
Johnson’s pointed observation: “Funny how that happened near the goal line.”
Not that it made a difference.
By Jeff Schultz
EARLIER: 3 thoughts on Georgia Tech’s win over Virginia
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215 comments Add your comment
GIVE ME A BREAK
September 15th, 2012
10:07 pm
Love the team’s attitude. Playing with some passion. ” GO JACKETS “
Greg
September 15th, 2012
10:13 pm
well paul it wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened, now would it?
Wal-Mart Retards
September 15th, 2012
10:14 pm
next de-pantsing… Miami!!!
Greg
September 15th, 2012
10:15 pm
I thought they played great today. But i thought the same thing many times over the years especially into last year when they were 6-0 and we saw what happened. keep your blinders on fyj. The ones I am friend with know different.
Greg
September 15th, 2012
10:15 pm
friends
YELLOW BRITCHES
September 15th, 2012
10:22 pm
Orwin Smith is a playmaker big time. Vad Lee certainly has the physical tools, size, speed and arm strength to play at the next level. Tevin Washington is now running the option as well as Josh did three years ago. This could be an interesting season. To Hell With Georgia–for real.
Paul in NH
September 15th, 2012
10:23 pm
Greg
September 15th, 2012
10:13 pm
well paul it wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened, now would it?
——-
Greg,
Whoever hijacked your handle must be quite an expert. He used exactly the same lack of capitalization and punctuation that you did. Not to mention the same insults to people who don’t share your views.
Of course, a simpler explanation is just that you are a child who when called on a stupid post claims you didn’t make it.
Greg
September 15th, 2012
10:26 pm
As well as josh? Are you kidding? TW isn’t half the player JN was. Come on. I hate to be this way but i will be LMAO soon when the same typical gt offense sputters. How amazing you forget two weeks ago and what ALWAYS happens to gt against weaker opponents.
Ol'JacketFan
September 15th, 2012
10:26 pm
WKU 32 KY 31 in OT
Paul in NH
September 15th, 2012
10:31 pm
OJF
Got to congratulate the SEC – they’ve managed to go 3-2 against the Sun Belt this year.
Greg
September 15th, 2012
10:39 pm
If tw was doing as “great” a job a josh, he would have a v against vt. He’s 0-3
Ol'JacketFan
September 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
So true, especially mighty Auburn todayl
Greg
September 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
ND looking good. Bet they can’t wait to start playing more acc schools now aside from the emerging fsu who is def back.
Go Tech!!
September 15th, 2012
10:42 pm
Greg,
On here calling people names. Tech is getting better. No Washington has not the size of Nesbitt or strength (he power cleaned over 350 lbs) But Tevin is running the option a bit better than before and can pass better. Vad even better than that. I am excited about this team and I like how Tech keeps chipping away at these things with Johnson. Youc an’ty deny the large plays. And as his system gets better joined with a good defense……it will get better and better
Josh Smith for 3
September 15th, 2012
11:14 pm
As a reasonable UGA fan, I gotta admit that Tech surprised today. Beating the brakes off of Virginia might not be impressive to some, but they proved they are a potentially dangerous team. They could easily gain momentum and be a serious threat in the ACC.
And UGA going up 56-14 over FAU is a definitive indicator that UGA is certainly not overrated. They might not be too focused early on against the Buffalos/FAUs but they most certainly can clamp down and take care of business.
DecaturHurrianceAlum
September 15th, 2012
11:15 pm
I hope more than 2 Yellow Jackets in metro Atlanta talk trash on this blog I want to email my cousin whose playing for them all your comments so he can share them with his teammates. Miami is a lesser team that GA Tech? Euh? 2 teams have stopped your option time and time again Miami and Georgia oh and that year Miami, Georgia and Iowa stopped your option.
George Stein
September 15th, 2012
11:25 pm
We’re shaking in our little space boots, DecaturHurricane.
Hugo
September 15th, 2012
11:29 pm
You geeks are so precious. No one outside the Atlanta area even knows who you QB is. Irrelevant at it’s finest. But hey, keep spouting off, have fun.
Big Crimson 75
September 15th, 2012
11:32 pm
Decaturcane — has the U replaced all their defensive players from 2 weeks ago?
Big Crimson 75
September 15th, 2012
11:34 pm
Smith — Bouncing back from an opening night heart-breaker is impressive.
Ol'JacketFan
September 15th, 2012
11:37 pm
BigCrim, did you see Stanford over SC?
Couldn’t happen to a nice guy!
Big Crimson 75
September 15th, 2012
11:41 pm
Ol’ jack — I picked 2 upsets this week :
- Stanford over USC…..check!
-Ole Miss over TX…..eraser please.
Paul's Johnson
September 15th, 2012
11:42 pm
I love how the fans on this blog will worship me, at least until the next game when we lose again. That’s the life of mediocrity though. It’s fun completely surprising people. You never know what you will get out of my team.
Ol'JacketFan
September 15th, 2012
11:42 pm
Ohh that second one, OUCH!
Ol'JacketFan
September 15th, 2012
11:45 pm
LOL! Yet another troll heard from. Got to admit it’s been fewer than usual. Kind of hard to be effective at trolling when a team puts up 56 points
Big Crimson 75
September 15th, 2012
11:45 pm
Ol’ Jack — Stanford is a solid program, butt USC was vastly over-rated from the start, in particular their Head Coach. Speaking of which, even with last years 10 & 2 year, I still think Kiffin is sub.500 as a head coach in college & the pros.
Ol'JacketFan
September 15th, 2012
11:47 pm
Big Crim I just enjoy seeing Kiffen gets spanked. People think CPJ is arrogant? He can’t hold a candle to Lame Kiffin. Kiffin’s never accomplished anything as a coach and yet he carries himself like he’s won 5 Super Bowls or something.
GTBob
September 15th, 2012
11:50 pm
Big Crimson 75, I just wanted to go ahead and congratulate you on another national championship. Its pretty much a cake walk for you guys now.
"We're # 36 national university."
September 15th, 2012
11:57 pm
3 blogs in a row by Jeff Schultz about Georgie tek beating hapless Virginia with Virginia’s # 67 Scoring Offense and # 42 Scoring Defense. You win by the same score we did.
Our game finds us now with over :
8 Penalties per game average against 3 cupcakes
An Interception per game average against 3 cupcakes
3 Lost Fumbles per game average against 3 cupcakes
Our Back-Up Quarterback isn’t ready, duh
21 Points Per Game Allowed average against 3 cupcakes
56-20 identical scores over equivalent opponents
Georgie tek thinks they are great
Georgia Bulldogs’ fans at Sanford Stadium booed our own team, again
We’re really sloppy
Oh, almost forgot : Would someone please explain what the Excuses are ?
This team is nowhere near # 7 in the nation.
The vols’ suck. Vandie sucks. Kentucky sucks. Auburn sucks. Georgie tek sucks. Ole Miss sucks.
Georgia is sloppy. We cannot even put 11 men on the field for special teams. How many times have we put the ball on the carpet now this season ?
25 Penalties after 3 games against 3 cupcakes.
This is not a well-coached football team.
But, at least we don’t have to come in here to the AJ-C after looking at the motley cheerleaders Florida Atlantic brought up here for us to look at all game long and read some AJ-C sportswriter say that 56-20 over a hapless team like Virginia is something great
- and deserving of 3 blogs in a row by Jeff Schultz about it
DecaturHurricaneAlum
September 15th, 2012
11:59 pm
@Big Crimson 75 , they will be ready, from what I understand you know the game Big Crimson 75. Tell everyone that all your players are hurt.. blah, blah.
No George Stein we’re shaking in our boots lets recap via youtube, GO CANES.
Bee’s your QB is Reggie Ball 2.0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Cban9TUeE (and this was your best team, GA Tech) HA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqCO72tzoaE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhH4sg-yIj0
Ol'JacketFan
September 16th, 2012
12:02 am
Man that has to be one of the strangest rants I’ve read in a long time. Whew!
"We're # 36 national university."
September 16th, 2012
12:03 am
long drive string headlights, past my bedtime
Big Crimson 75
September 16th, 2012
12:36 am
Not yet Bob.
We still gotta play in Death Valley. Which is a perfect moniker for Baton Rouge, LA!!
LSU’s as talented & experienced as we are. I do like our edge in Coaching for that game.
It took 3 weeks for a good weekend in College Football. I’d much rather play the dogs than Gators in Atlanta!! I can go ahead & let that out now.
Al Groh is the star of the Jackets season IMHO.
If GT had played a softy then VT, y’all would be undefeated right now. Tevin was the only option in Blacksburg.
George Stein
September 16th, 2012
12:37 am
I always live folks who post to say we’re irrelevant. The irony gets me every time.
Big Crimson 75
September 16th, 2012
12:47 am
Hahahaha
Stein — Glad I’m not the only one who feels that way.
Drexel Gal
September 16th, 2012
1:01 am
Did any of you morons notice that GT and the University [sic] Of Georgia won by identical scores of 56-20? Identical scores for two in-state schools may not be such a big deal, if they were 17-10 or 21 -14 … but, 56-20? What are the odds? (Tech grads only, since U [sic] GA have no clue about what “odds” are.)
GB's Hamburgers
September 16th, 2012
1:07 am
It’s an offense of extremes. When they are clicking it awesome and a lot of points are scored, but when the quarterback is malfunctioning, almost anyone can beat them.
5150 UOAD
September 16th, 2012
2:46 am
OUCH…………..how many quarters did it take UGa to put away MIZZOU? TECH put away UVa in 15 minutes.
najeh dappenfart
September 16th, 2012
3:13 am
5150:Lmao…please keep equating GT with the Dawgs or UVA!
boykin
September 16th, 2012
3:18 am
Kep practicin for the Dawgs! Finally yall beat Virginia!
bad uga apples & stolen hash browns
September 16th, 2012
3:41 am
and other teams have finally figured out
how to defend the triple option.
Buzzman
September 16th, 2012
7:40 am
Great job Jackets. I would love for us to beat Clemson and Georgia. We can still go for the ACC title because I’m sure Virginia Tech will faulter. The problem is they have to lose 2 to ACC opponents and we have to win all of ours. I have a little more confident in this team this year. Very impressed with Van Lee. Great coaching PJ, and yes I have to give a little credit to Big Al. You know I just said a little credit. Remember defense wins games.
Paddy
September 16th, 2012
7:55 am
Cigar Dawg…I guess you must be a UGA fan by you name. That post @ 9:46 was not your finest effort. Give it a rest and come back strong tomorrow!
Go Dawgs
Lamont
September 16th, 2012
7:56 am
As a longtime doubter of TW at QB, I must say that he played a near flawless game yesterday. The offense was flawless And much better than they showed against Preb. The defense was very sound and physical. I really believe with no let downs they could run the table-including the ugly dawgs. There is no doubt that Tech will be the best team that the hated and ugly Dawgs will play all year.
UGA = Yawn
September 16th, 2012
8:00 am
The team looked very good. Not a big fan of giving up TD’s late to the opponents but what the heck. I also certainly wouldn’t need to watch movies the night before to be motivated on the field once the game started. They put 4 very good quarters in versus a good conference rival. I am impressed. hey need to get their rhythm which they did last week and it carried to this week. Next Saturday would have been a good time to play VT – not the first week. They can easily be in every game from here out. Hopefully, we win them all too. Beat Miami!
GT
September 16th, 2012
8:01 am
Paul go home!
GT
September 16th, 2012
8:02 am
Greg go home first!
Joey
September 16th, 2012
8:08 am
I was thinking the same thing JS while watching Tech.
Reminded me of ‘08 and ‘09.
Wish they could play VT again.
Congrats GT, from a UGA fan!
B. Beaver
September 16th, 2012
8:27 am
How about those egg sucking dogs? Yeah Buddy.
Birmingham Jacket
September 16th, 2012
9:25 am
Lesson of the day:
1) If you’re driving around town with a “G” on your car, you’re a Georgia fan, and that’s fine. You were probably boasting your loyalties 15 years ago, when times weren’t so good.
2) If you’re driving around town with an “A” on your car, you’re a cheezer, bandwagoner. 99% of you were not boasting your brand 15 years ago. Move to Alabama.