Radakovich says Johnson is ‘right person for this job’
After 2-4 start, Tech coach Paul Johnson fired his second defensive coordinator. (AJC/Curtis Compton)
In his first two seasons at Georgia Tech, Paul Johnson went 20-7, including 12-4 in the ACC, and won a conference title (the whims of NCAA investigators notwithstanding).
In the 2½ years since, he is 16-16, including 10-10 in the ACC, and has lost nine of his past 13. He also just fired his second defensive coordinator, hoping to salvage a season that has some fans grumbling and wondering if those early results were some aberration.
Yet to be determined: Is this merely a step back before another eventual ACC title run (most optimistic) or ugly foreshadowing of a Bill Lewis collapse (most pessimistic).
Welcome to today’s sports world, which can be best summed up as: What a beautiful morning/Wait I felt A Raindrop/The Sky Is Falling! (Elapsed time: 12 minutes.)
For what it’s worth, the sky isn’t falling in Dan Radakovich’s office. The Georgia Tech athletic director affirmed Tuesday that he has not lost confidence in Johnson as the school’s football coach, nor has he given any thought to making a change in that office.
“I know there’s some erosion in support right now, but the Falcons are 5-0, and there was erosion in their fan base last year, too, when they didn’t win in the playoffs,” Radakovich said. “That’s the thing about sports now. People can express their opinion quickly.
Dan Radakovich said Johnson's resume makes him worthy of being given the benefit of the doubt. (AJC photo)
“I have confidence in Paul. He’s the right person for this job, and he will continue to move the program forward. We have to get through this bump in the road. We still have six games left for a chance to have a positive season.”
In at least one respect, being a football coach isn’t different from any other job: When somebody’s tenure begins with signs of very-good-to-greatness, the boss is more likely to give that employee the benefit of the doubt.
Johnson has earned that benefit.
What he accomplished in his first two seasons, including Tech playing in its first BCS bowl game and a first-season win at Georgia, went far beyond what anybody could have projected.
Critics suggest he has made consecutive defensive coordinators, Dave Wommack and Al Groh, scapegoats for his own failings. But apply some logic here: Wommack was fired after the 2009 ACC title season (hence: not a scapegoat). Groh was fired after a three-game losing streak that saw the Jackets score 36, 28 and 31 points but allow 42, 49 and 47. There were late-game defensive collapses both this year and late last season.
Is this really the time to pin Tech’s problems on the triple-option offense?
For as much as Johnson’s offense tends to be a lightning rod for criticism in these just-chuck-it days of football, the Jackets have scored fewer than 14 points in seven of 59 games under Johnson and fewer than 20 in 14 of 59. Overall, they have scored an average of 30.5 points.
Is Johnson ultimately responsible for whether his team wins or loses? Of course. But Radakovich doesn’t see any of the other signs an athletic director looks for when contemplating a coaching change, most notably a lack of effort or hopelessness. “It’s not like we’re getting blown out,” he said. “It’s not like we’re being physically overmatched every week.”
He said he understands the criticism. He expected it. He fields questions at booster functions and reads weekly critiques in his email’s inbox. He just doesn’t agree with them.
“Paul has demonstrated to me that he can coach and he can pull a team together,” Radakovich said. “And it’s important to note that it’s not just here. His entire career [including Georgia Southern and Navy] to me has been as big a positive as anything. He has shown that he’s able to sustain success in an organization over a long period of time.”
Radakovich and Johnson speak daily. The AD was a sounding board for him when Johnson was considering firing Groh.
Radakovich: “It was not an easy decision for Paul, and I look at my role as being someone who can give him a 360-degree view of things. But he’s the head football coach, and I want to give him the opportunity to have the staff that he sees fit.”
If the losses continue, it’s logical to assume that Johnson ultimately would pay a price. But Tech isn’t nearly at that point yet.
By Jeff Schultz
•
Got some time? Here’s the last dozen blogs
• Al Groh’s problems at Georgia Tech weren’t pure ‘fantasy’
• Falcons are easy highlight in Atlanta’s dark sports weekend
• Short takes: Gonzalez, Bryant and missing RG3 in Falcons’ win
• Braves’ Frank Wren needs to fix good, but not great, team
• Chipper Jones on loss in his finale: ‘Ultimately, I’m to blame’
• Braves are hoping to change postseason script
• Weekend Predictions: Dogs over Darth Rooster, Falcons over Skins
• Spurrier should take lesson from Richt on handling criticism
• Video: It’s Winnersville! We talk Braves, Falcons, UGA
• Medlen becomes an unlikely key to Braves’ postseason
• Georgia has uncomfortable mix of highlights, slapstick
• Chipper Jones: Braves lose a legend, fans lose a hero, I lose reason to open laptop
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317 comments Add your comment
GTBob
October 9th, 2012
2:12 pm
Unless of course Tech is okay with wining 7 or 8 games a year? If they are then I’ll take my time and money elsewhere.
How many wins do you expect out of GT every year?
GT Joe
October 9th, 2012
2:15 pm
Rick James: CPJ has outrecruited Gailey on average, per recruiting rankings.
Try another argument.
Jacket Detective
October 9th, 2012
2:17 pm
@GStateBen.
Where ya been buddy?
Too embarrassed by your team to chide us as much lately?
GTBob
October 9th, 2012
2:18 pm
He does not recruit as well as Gailey but you keeep denying it
Here we go again. Recruiting rankings for both coaches:
Chan – 63, 50, 79, 62, 57, 18 — Average: 54.8
CPJ – 49, 49, 43, 41, 56, 48 — Average: 47.6
Chan had 15 four stars and 47 three star players, the rest 2 stars or lower
CPJ so far has had 12 four stars and 80 three star players, the rest 2 stars or lower
And you wonder why I deny it? Chan was an awful recruiter.
Ted M
October 9th, 2012
2:20 pm
“This whole thing about ruining a kid for life by starting him too early is comical.”
I agree with that for every sport.
ramblingbuzz
October 9th, 2012
2:21 pm
Gotta give CPJ the benefit of the doubt here. Everyone may be saying 2 years from now that we should have fired him 2 years ago. But at least he is willing to make the change most fans were calling for, dismissing Groh. I am board with the argument that if we had a good defense, our W-L in the past 2+ years would be a lot better. But ultimately CPJ is the head coach and he’s got to find the right combination of coaches and players on defense. I’m pretty sure he already knows this.
Paddy
October 9th, 2012
2:21 pm
GT could beat Mizzou!!!
Ben
October 9th, 2012
2:22 pm
People talking about coaches choosing to leave GT after they win some are fools. Bobby Ross left… For the NFL! Does that mean LSU is a bad program because Saban left for the NFL? IS Florida a bad program because Spurrier left for the NFL?
And O’Leary left to coach at Notre Dame. What a surprise, an Irish coach considers coaching at Notre Dame as the pinnacle of his career. If Notre Dame hadn’t wanted him, he’d probably have stayed at Tech for a long, long time.
Also, Tashard Choice wasn’t recruited by Gailey, he was recruited by Oklahoma, and transferred to Tech because his mother lives here.
Johnson’ offense, even with the current not so great QB, is still putting up plenty of points. And he’s smart enough to know he’s no defensive genius, which is why he’s trying to find one. So far it hasn’t worked out, but he’s not the first coach to have to fire a coordinator when things aren’t going well, and he won’t be the last.
Jacket Detective
October 9th, 2012
2:22 pm
I’ll put my theory to the test that Groh was the cancer that demoralized the team.
We will beat BC easily and win 4 or 5 of the remaining games.
If I am wrong, I will come on the blog and admit my mistake; something most bloggers usually won’t do.
ramblingbuzz
October 9th, 2012
2:22 pm
“on board”
dick whiskey
October 9th, 2012
2:23 pm
i’m sure i saw groh working as the door greater at the north peachtree wal-mart location this morn.,pretty sure i overheard him telling somebody johnson would be joining him soon
Coach Johnson Supporter
October 9th, 2012
2:24 pm
I believe in CPJ. I love watching the triple-option and I have no doubt that over the “long term” CPJ will be very, very successful. THWG!!! GO JACKETS!!!!!!!!
MC
October 9th, 2012
2:24 pm
And GT Joe…Nesbitt was a drop back passer coming out of high school. Players don’t always know where their talent lies either. The warrior in him made him successful as a QB in that offense. But he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn throwing the ball. Who knows where he’d be if he’d listened to coaches who knew where his natural abilities were. Hines Ward was a QB in high school too. Look where he went from there.
Jacket Detective
October 9th, 2012
2:25 pm
If a coach had a choice between the Tech job or Florida – the money being equal – where would he go?
tooltime234
October 9th, 2012
2:29 pm
I hear ya Jacket Detective. A few years ago I thought the Falcons screwed up by not taking Glen Dorsey and drafting some other I guy instead. I was wrong about that one.
MC
October 9th, 2012
2:31 pm
Derrick Morgan played defense Jacket Detective.
GT Joe
October 9th, 2012
2:32 pm
MC: I guess you think Nesbitt would have played Safety at UGA? Is he not getting a shot at Safety in the NFL right now? What else could he want?
Kid was the #1 QB in Georgia when he graduated, #9 dual threat QB in the country, and #12 overall QB by scout.com.
Kinda hard to turn your back on all that go be a DB at UGA.
Jacket Detective
October 9th, 2012
2:35 pm
Why didn’t Reggie Ball play well vs Uga?
He quareterbacked two wins over Auburn and started our 4 game winning streak vs the Canes (now past history) with back to back wins against them.
I think they got in his head his freshman year and stayed there.
Or maybe we just are not in Uga’s league.
Reggie had some good games.
His rep with many fans is solely due to his 4 losses to Uga which were all coached by deer in the headlights Gailey.
Gailey lacked the confidence and fire to beat Uga.
At least one of his 5 losses (and I think two) was winnable.
Nix was an average O coordinator at best and hurt Reggie’s development.
Best Idea
October 9th, 2012
2:35 pm
If it was up to me, I would fire the GT President, Drad, and CPJ. All three were involved with the NCAA mess. We deserve better. CPJ can’t recruit, Drad has never looked like a good AD to me and GT’s President is not doing his job if only 50% student body are Georgians. We are State Supported and need to support the taxpayers that support us.
Jacket Detective
October 9th, 2012
2:36 pm
Why didn’t Reggie Ball play well vs Uga?
He quareterbacked two wins over Auburn and started our 4 game winning streak vs the Canes (now past history) with back to back wins against them.
I think they got in his head his freshman year and stayed there.
Reggie had some good games.
His rep with many fans is solely due to his 4 losses to Uga which were all coached by deer in the headlights Gailey.
Gailey lacked the confidence and fire to beat Uga.
At least one of his 5 losses (and I think two) was winnable.
Nix was an average O coordinator at best and hurt Reggie’s development.
Jacket Detective
October 9th, 2012
2:36 pm
Why didn’t Reggie Ball play well vs Uga?
He quareterbacked two wins over Auburn and started our 4 game winning streak vs the Canes (now past history) with back to back wins against them.
I think they got in his head his freshman year and stayed there.
Reggie had some good games.
His rep with many fans is solely due to his 4 losses to Uga which were all coached by deer in the headlights Gailey.
Gailey lacked the confidence and fire to beat Uga.
At least one of his 5 losses (and I think two) was winnable.
Nix was an average O coordinator at best and hurt Reggie’s development.
ramblingbuzz
October 9th, 2012
2:36 pm
When you have a GT defensive player quoted as saying after the Miami game, “We weren’t prepared”, you know you got problems on defense. That carried over into the MTSU game. You can’t get rid of all the players which means the only thing a HC can do is fire the DC. Are all the defensive coaches terrible? I have no idea. Maybe they were just trying to teach and implement Groh’s 3-4 as instructed by Groh. Johnson must have an idea that the remaining D staff can change and improve some of the defensive problems or he would have stuck with Groh. Either that or he’s really desperate. Can’t say as I blame him.
macrotech
October 9th, 2012
2:38 pm
Haters gonna hate! I remain a fan of CPJ and will continue to pull for these Jackets!!! I was hoping Groh would work out, but had reservations about the 3-4 D…I like that CPJ didn’t play around and pulled the trigger on letting him go in the obvious need for change. I’ve always liked the results when we’ve “simplified” the D….I’m looking forward to seeing how the season plays out! GO TECH!!!
Jacket Detective
October 9th, 2012
2:38 pm
computer got stuck. sorry about the repetition.
FunnyAsHell
October 9th, 2012
2:39 pm
Thanks to that buyout UGA gets to beat GT at least 4 more years in a row. What dumbazz AD screwed that up so bad.
Yo Yo
October 9th, 2012
2:42 pm
Jeff, thanks for exposing what most people and readers expected. The AD does not have the drive to insure his programs are winning, and not just some, but All of his programs.
The AD should interview all Head Coaching, and Assistant Coaches and tell them:
We EXPECT you to do the following things:
Win
Keep your players in good Academic standing
Graduate your players
Keep your student athletes under control and out of trouble
Win Conference Championships
Follow School, Conference and NCAA rules.
Recruit good student Athletes
Compete for National Championships
Without a strong demanding leadership then you are just going through the motions.
GTBob
October 9th, 2012
2:42 pm
Thanks to that buyout UGA gets to beat GT at least 4 more years in a row. What dumbazz AD screwed that up so bad.
Yeah, because we were beating UGA a lot before CPJ got here. He must be the only reason we lose to them.
Jacket Detective
October 9th, 2012
2:42 pm
@macrotech.
As I’ve said today, I think the D will be revived with the removal of the regularly outcoached Groh and the promotion of excited assistants hoping to show CPJ they can do the job.
TCW
October 9th, 2012
2:44 pm
If PJ doesn’t get this turned around look at all that wasted money. Tech is starting to be known for stupid contracts.
Friendly Advice
October 9th, 2012
2:44 pm
Hire Mike Bobo as your new DC. He’s been shutting down our offense for years.
macrotech
October 9th, 2012
2:47 pm
Agreed Jacket Detective!
MC
October 9th, 2012
2:47 pm
Because GT Joe they recruited Nesbitt as a Safety. And he may have arrived in the NFL ready to go at that position instead of just now learning to play it. DUH!
Not Convinced
October 9th, 2012
2:47 pm
Getting rid of Groh might help a little but I don’t expect the GT team to get any better with the bunch that CPJ has recruited. I think near 50 in the recruiting rankings. It shows on Saturday. Pathetic. I think Drad and CPJ need to move on. Fire them. I won’t be back until GT gets serious about Athletics from the President down. By the way, fire our GT President too.
Rick James
October 9th, 2012
2:49 pm
@GT Joe
Rick: PLEASE keep Richt. Any other coach with UGA’s talent would be winning NCs.
Sincerely,
A Tech Fan
————————————————————————————————————————
I guess you can always take peasure out of watching Georgia lose to other teams when yours has lost 10 out of the last 11 games to them.
2dogs2cokesAnotherChoke
October 9th, 2012
2:50 pm
Wonder what season ticket sales will look like next year?
Rick James
October 9th, 2012
2:52 pm
~pleasure~ Sorry
tooltime234
October 9th, 2012
2:52 pm
Why would we take pleasure in watching UGA lose? We have our own problems to deal with. Also its more adventageous for both teams to be as good as possible if we play each other for strength of schedule, national exposure ect.
Bluto
October 9th, 2012
2:53 pm
When does Dr. Peterson give DRad a vote of confidence? DRad got us on probation (and if you read the NCAA report as well as Tech’s response, CPJ wasn’t even the first person DRad told about the problem in 2010 thus disobeying the NCAA’s instructions), gave a big contract to a football coach we now apparently can’t afford to get rid of anytime soon, and although new facilities are nice, has increased the AA’s debt considerably, all while drawing one of the highest AD salaries in the ACC.
http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2011/07/15/tech-ad-radakovich-still-has-a-job-for-that-hes-a-lucky-man/
BTW, is CPJ really just a glorified offensive coordinator? Every problem with the team is ultimately his fault or he shouldn’t be head coach. Also, when do we stop considering CPJ’s decisions to go for it on 4th down to be gutsy and instead realize that many times the decision is stupid?
2dogs2cokesAnotherChoke
October 9th, 2012
2:54 pm
2-4 with losses to MTSU and Miami. That’s pretty grim.
5150 UOAD
October 9th, 2012
2:54 pm
Best Idea
October 9th, 2012
2:35 pm
If it was up to me, I would fire the GT President, Drad, and CPJ. All three were involved with the NCAA mess. We deserve better. CPJ can’t recruit, Drad has never looked like a good AD to me and GT’s President is not doing his job if only 50% student body are Georgians. We are State Supported and need to support the taxpayers that support us.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey MOE RON better than 80% of the Government High School Graduates from the state of Georgia can’t even come close to getting or staying in TECH. You want Georgia kids to go to TECH then get the freaking Government Schools of this state to do their jobs and Educate the children of Georgia
Rick James
October 9th, 2012
2:54 pm
~pleasure~
2dogs2cokesAnotherChoke
October 9th, 2012
3:00 pm
Bluto he’s getting alot more stupid and alot less gutsy as time goes by. It’s called going from hero to zero.
How Many
October 9th, 2012
3:00 pm
If you were to take the UGAg starting defensive team and place them at GT. How many would be eligible to begin classes at Tech? How many would remain academically eligible for the entire season? How many would stay out of trouble living 24/7 in the Atlanta metro-area? That my friends is one of the huge differences in the UGAg and Tech football programs. Agree or disagree, like it or not.
GT Joe
October 9th, 2012
3:01 pm
Rick James: the only thing worse than losing to UGA would be watching UGA win an NC.
That said, the only thing that cures a bad loss by GT is to watch UGA underachieve and get blown out.
Please. Keep Richt. Please.
2dogs2cokesAnotherChoke
October 9th, 2012
3:01 pm
Frying any “bigger fish” lately PJ?
GT Dad
October 9th, 2012
3:02 pm
“Moving forward” is not a phrase I would use to describe GT right now…… I do think Groh’s firing was timely and a move in the right direction. I hope this helps shake up whatever funk was embedded in the team this season. Maybe this will light a fire under Johnson and the players. We need leadership and a positive, can-do spirit to at least put forth our best effort.
I will continue to support my Jackets – whether they win, lose or draw. However, I do desprerately want them to play with passion and teamwork. Please don’t let us hear more after-game comments about “coming out flat” or “just not being prepared”. GO JACKETS!
Good Lord
October 9th, 2012
3:03 pm
Johnson would have scored more than 7 points in Columbia
If he was at UGA with Grantham, UGA would dominate the SEC if he was given time to recruit for his offense and let Grantham recruit defense.
Erk trained him. 4 and 5 star talent on both sides of the ball in Athens and he would win big
He can’t compete at GT with 2 and 3 star players who should be playing for Furman
GT Joe
October 9th, 2012
3:03 pm
MC: all a college football player can ever want is just a chance to succeed in the NFL. Nesbitt has that chance. What he does with it is up to him.
There are plenty of UGA safeties that didn’t make the NFL or get the shot Nesbitt is getting.
Now, if Nesbitt never even got a LOOK from an NFL team, I’d agree with you.
Rick James
October 9th, 2012
3:04 pm
@GTBob
He does not recruit as well as Gailey but you keeep denying it
Here we go again. Recruiting rankings for both coaches:
Chan – 63, 50, 79, 62, 57, 18 — Average: 54.8
CPJ – 49, 49, 43, 41, 56, 48 — Average: 47.6
Chan had 15 four stars and 47 three star players, the rest 2 stars or lower
CPJ so far has had 12 four stars and 80 three star players, the rest 2 stars or lower
And you wonder why I deny it? Chan was an awful recruiter.
—————————————————————————————————————-
As always you avoided part of the question..Gailey always had players that could at Georgia.Who on the current Tech team could start at Georgia?
GTJoe
October 9th, 2012
3:04 pm
You cannot blame all the loss on the defense. Some blame has to be place on TW and the offenses execution in the fourth quarter. Many of the games in the fourth, TW would make poor reads and cause 3 and outs. CPJ’s play calling was poor at crucial times. In the fourth quarter, at 4 and 1 you punt, but in overtime on 4 and 1, you go for it. CPJ never helped his defense in the fourth.