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
•
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• 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
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• 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
Spurrier Is Superior
October 9th, 2012
7:38 pm
Does the QB give up almost 50/game to Clempsun and The Middle of Tennessee… or is the defense?
GT needs Division 1A(BCS) defensive talent NOW.
Tech Engineer
October 9th, 2012
7:54 pm
Dan Radakovich is the one who deserves to be fired. His lack of integrity was the reason the NCAA took away the ACC championship, and he has put a debt on tech that we cannot afford. We cannot afford to fire PJ because Radakovich gave him an unaffordable contract after one season which was a stupid move. No wonder he supports Johnson.
Tech Engineer
October 9th, 2012
7:54 pm
Dan Radakovich is the one who deserves to be fired. His lack of integrity was the reason the NCAA took away the ACC championship, and he has put a debt on tech that we cannot afford. We cannot afford to fire PJ because Radakovich gave him an unaffordable contract after one season which was a stupid move. No wonder he supports Johnson.
Gr8 2B aFuzzyB
October 9th, 2012
7:58 pm
You’re onto something there Tech Eng, but you don’t have to be so redundant!
Dawg Fan
October 9th, 2012
8:00 pm
Please sign Johnson to an extension!!
GTBob
October 9th, 2012
8:01 pm
Morgan Burnett,Derrek Morgan,Jonathan Dwyer Bay Bay Thomas all could have started at Georgia.
So Morgan Burnett would have started over Reshad Jones the number 1 safety in the country coming out of high school, Dwyer would have beaten out Caleb King and Richard Samuel, and Bay Bay, a three star nobody would have beaten out AJ Green, Michael Moore or Tavarris King? Sorry, but I dont think so. D Morgan is the only maybe on the list. Just because some guys excelled at GT doesn’t mean they would have ever seen the field at UGA. Please name the others also. There are so many that you should have plenty more to share.
buzzedforGT
October 9th, 2012
8:05 pm
“Is this really the time to pin Tech’s problems on the triple-option offense?”
I for one am not pinning the blame on the offense, but for who want to tout the offensive prowess this year, here’s a little perspective to why they’ve scored so many points.
The ranking (points per game) for the defenses that GT has faced this year;
VT (43rd)
Presbyterian (Really?)
UVA (102nd)
UM (103rd)
MTSU (68th)
Clemson (73rd)
Elite defenses these are not.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
October 9th, 2012
8:16 pm
We know GT is in big trouble with football and I hate that for our good friends at Tech. What we don’t know is whey Jeff is going to give us a great article on how the old ball coach kicked Ron Morris azzz this past weekend. Beating Richt isn’t that big deal since everyone does that but for Steve to whack Morris with all the experience Morris has a bigtime football is amazing. I spoke with Steve and he told me to tell Morris to Clint Eastwood himself. You can’t make this stuff up you know.
rj
October 9th, 2012
8:53 pm
What games are you watching Rad? Are you not embarrassed yet? Fire Johnson now and attempt to salvage the season and prepare for next year. Erosion? It’s more like a landslide.
BehindEnemyLines
October 9th, 2012
9:21 pm
Either that’s the kiss of death vote of confidence or DRad is as much (or more) a part of the problem as Johnson.
Very few legitimate D1 players on the roster, even less coaching up of the “talent” that’s there. If that’s moving forward then I’d sure hate to see what it would take for an AD to feel like things were heading in the wrong direction.
GSUStud
October 9th, 2012
9:50 pm
It’s still looking right on schedule for Ga Tech to have at lease 6 losses. What say you now?
GSUStud
October 9th, 2012
9:56 pm
*least
Burgess
October 9th, 2012
9:57 pm
Quote of the year (after Miami loss) Paul Johnson said ” It was like it just wasn’t meant to be.” He should have been fired on the spot then. How stupid a comment is that for a D1 coach ?
Burgess
October 9th, 2012
10:01 pm
Wow…..the AD really said this ????
“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.”
The only success he’s had at Tech came with Gailey’s players. And then had to give championship back because his arrogance wouldn’t let him cooperate with NCAA.
in other words
October 9th, 2012
10:21 pm
After Chan Gailey recruits left he can only go .500.
Jeff Schultz
October 9th, 2012
10:21 pm
Pat: 1) Nobody on UGA staff is in trouble right now. 2) What ultimatum? Like, “Win the SEC title or else” kind of thing?
Empty Seats
October 9th, 2012
11:06 pm
Of course D-rad supports the man HE hired. He cannot admit a mistake much less take responsibility for the NCAA violations. Read the NCAA report and related ajc article. (D-rad leaked the info to Johnson so the players could be “coached” – that’s funny – as to what to tell the NCAA investigators.)
One can delegate authority no responsibility. Our athletes would be more motivated if they had an Athletic Department which did not violate NCAA rules an have a championship vacated.
Then D-rad is snotty about the NCAA (who he knows is that way) and is his regulator for years.
And to boot, the Board seems not to care at all.
Can we set up more crappy coaches with GT gold retirement plans?
Tech has been made a laughing stock of the nation in football due to admin, not athletes, and people want to belief D-rad and his administration is doing just a fine job the problem is no adequate athletes want to come play at Tech. Maybe is because of this Admin and its poor choices.
No on cares that matters. This is a bureaucracy after all, where accountability is not required as long as you have excuses.
Nationally shaming Tech is not representative of Tech.
Really, after graduating a multitude of athletes from the School of Management, we can’t find one to manage the Athletic department. Someone more interested in Tech rather than setting crappy coaches up for retirement?
GT has your Golden Parachute if your a crappy coach, just sign up on North Avenue and enjoy. Only prerequisite is make excuses and say it “must not have been our day”, let me “go punch someone” and then “go hang myself” per pj, again very motivating to the athletes who are depending on you to motivate them.
Read the NCAA report if you care about this program. Otherwise enjoy the sand your head is in.
Apparently our Board is ? , I don’t even know the word to describe the magnitude of mismanagement represented. No remorse or apology over scholarships lost from D-rad, ACC championship vacated, not by what any athlete did, but the bureaucracy headed by D-rad.
How many empty seats will it take?
Bobo
October 9th, 2012
11:19 pm
I may be the only one still in Johnson’s corner, but the reality is that he showed Groh great respect by ‘butting out’ of the defense for this long and letting the man coach. He also faced a difficult truth and fired a close friend, which many head coaches won’t do in the face of overwhelming evidence like Richt with Martinez ang arguably Bobo. Johnson DOES seem willing to adapt. The pistol is now part of the offense and I think he is clear on knowing that recruiting must improve dramatically. Right now I can see this breaking either way…..getting fired COULD happen after 2013, but he could also win 11 games again.
Bobo
October 9th, 2012
11:31 pm
Right now I must say I’m at a loss for defensive coordinator candidates. I know Charles Kelly is NOT the answer. I think whoever it is must be told quite forcefully that they WILL run a 4-3 base set with lots of nickel packages and disguised blitzes. CPJ needs to lean on the next guy more to get results during games or else take his headset away. The next guy needs to be young and innovative. Maybe we should look to a 2nd tier SEC
Chan Gailey's Revenge
October 9th, 2012
11:31 pm
Yes, he was 20-7 his first two years… with MY recruits. CG
Rick James
October 9th, 2012
11:42 pm
@GTBob
So Morgan Burnett would have started over Reshad Jones the number 1 safety in the country coming out of high school, Dwyer would have beaten out Caleb King and Richard Samuel, and Bay Bay, a three star nobody would have beaten out AJ Green, Michael Moore or Tavarris King? Sorry, but I dont think so. D Morgan is the only maybe on the list. Just because some guys excelled at GT doesn’t mean they would have ever seen the field at UGA. Please name the others also. There are so many that you should have plenty more to share.
——————————————————————————————————————————-
Like I’ve repeatedly I hate when you pretend to be stupid..Dwyer was much better than Caleb King,Bay Bay was better than King and Micheal Moore he just didnt have the quarterback that they had.Heck,Stephen Hill could have started there too..Rashad Jones was the number rated saftey in the country but arent there 2 on the field? Tashard Choice could have started at Georgia as well as Roddy Jones.Maybe saying these guys would hands down started is a little strong but they would no doubt have been in the rotation and none were recruited by CPJ.I cant look at one player that Paul Johnson has recruited and boy I’d love to have him at Georgia.
JP
October 9th, 2012
11:47 pm
Maybe the AD needs to go too if he thinks PJ is the right person for the job…clearly he is not and the program has/is getting worse under his guidance.
ATLien
October 9th, 2012
11:53 pm
1st and 10 HB option right
2nd and 20 HB option left
3rd and 30 HB option right
Last I checked this was the 21st century when your team is completely one dimensional AND lacking top tier recruits consistently sub par to barely mediocre is the name of the game. GT the new Wake Forest
Top Tier
October 10th, 2012
12:46 am
GT should hire Steve Addazio
Top Tier
October 10th, 2012
12:48 am
Steve Addazio would be a much better than PJ. Kids would actually want to play in his offense.
Stinger1
October 10th, 2012
3:37 am
D’RAD NEEDS TO BE FIRED WITH JOHNSON……………..TAKE YOUR MEDIOCRE CRAP & LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE………………..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Notso Fast
October 10th, 2012
5:39 am
A Coach always gets a slap on the back about the faith they have in him before he is shown the door. Coach Johnson just had his slap on the back. Watch out he better win.
TechRon
October 10th, 2012
5:55 am
If he things PJ is the right person for the job, then he is the wrong person for AD.
lkmantsk
October 10th, 2012
6:14 am
me thinks Danny boy needs to put the bong down for awhile…..
Tennis Rodman
October 10th, 2012
6:51 am
GT has subpar players because of the offense PJ runs. It is a high school offense. Give a team more than a week to prepare for it and it is shut down.
New Edge
October 10th, 2012
6:53 am
Tech Engineer,
I like your comment.
“Dan Radakovich is the one who deserves to be fired. His lack of integrity was the reason the NCAA took away the ACC championship, and he has put a debt on tech that we cannot afford. We cannot afford to fire PJ because Radakovich gave him an unaffordable contract after one season which was a stupid move. No wonder he supports Johnson.”
And Peterson should be fired too. He was in the loop in the NCAA fiasco. Peterson has also failed the State of Georgia and taxpayers by turning his back on Georgia students.
Tennis Rodman
October 10th, 2012
6:55 am
It appears to me DRad looked at the numbers and can’t afford to hire a legit coach. DRad should consider working for the Atlanta Spirit – prop up coaches when they suck.
GTalan
October 10th, 2012
7:02 am
CPJ average recruiting class is 47th. Is he worth what we are paying him? The future is not bright with this kind of recruiting. And do not compare CPJ to Gailey, Gailey was fired.
HAL
October 10th, 2012
7:31 am
Read the College Recruiting section and you will understand CPJ problem.
It is coming
October 10th, 2012
7:38 am
UGA, as dreadful as we are, will score 60 on GT and amass 600 total yards; with GT scoring 28 and accruing 350 yes. 120 yds will be by passing the ball to WIDE OPEN receivers.
Wait and see. It will be a track meet of two crummy, coddled teams.
Thomas Brown
October 10th, 2012
7:41 am
Georgie tek is on NCAA PROBATION in FOOTBALL back-to-back repeat Offenders of the Major Infractions Database.
Yes, Paul Johnson beat Georgia in his 1st season and won a ACC Championship Title; but he CHEATED. He talked to players under Major Infractions Investigation, although he has been head coach college football for 31 years, and knew he could not discuss it with the players while the investigation was just starting. They told him there was an investigation and he still interviewed the players in question, when he knew he could not talk to them. It has been standard for all 31 years he has been head coach not to talk to players in an NCAA Major Infractions Investigation.
He had to therefore VACATE the ACC Championship Title. If he had not LOST to UGA the year he won the ACC Title, he would have had to VACATE THAT WIN OVER US TOO. Only problem ? He LOST.
Gator Jim Bob
October 10th, 2012
7:51 am
I”m a Gator fan who likes GT too. I love to watch the explosiveness of their offense! There defense is a total wreck, maybe that’s where “Ramblin’ Wreck” moniker comes from. Back to my observation; PJ is a great coach, an offensive genius second to few.
I have been taught, my entire life (66 yrs) that you win with DEFENSE and put fans in the seats with OFFENSE!! PJ might have lost sight of that simple rule, but he is smart. All Tech needs to put their program among the elite is a Defensive Coordinator that takes exception to giving up points like they were a DIII program!!
One last note GT, I’m still waiting on that scholarship promise you made to me in ‘64!!!
GFJacket
October 10th, 2012
8:21 am
Folks, Tech got probation because DRad copied Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny. When asked by the NCAA why he discussed the fact of the investigation with Johnson after being told not to do so, DRad asked… “You were serious about that?” The NCAA said if you wanted to let everyone know about the investigation, you should have done was UGA did with AJ Green, and simply hold a press conference….
MC
October 10th, 2012
8:27 am
Drad has 10.2 million reasons he HAS to say that. I’m sure UGA fans thank you for this unbelievably stupid contract.
GT man
October 10th, 2012
8:29 am
CPJ and his smart ass attitude, who wants to play for him.He is to busy working on his personality to coach.
Fladawg
October 10th, 2012
8:35 am
What a revelation… Do you expect radakovich to say that johnson is the wrong man for the job and that is why he supports him?
Cecil34
October 10th, 2012
8:44 am
When you are the person responsible for a bad or questionable decision (hiring Paul Johnson) then you certainly are not going to make public statements that indicate that you have failed or made a mistake.
Thus basically demonstrating that you are an idiot and not a good judge of head coaching talent.
You will in fact do what Rad is doing and say all the right things, all the nice things, all the good PR things, so as to deflect blame and responsibility.
In his heart of hearts (which we and the media are not privy to) he knows that he quite possibly has hitched his wagon to the wrong horse.
He is in fact just delaying the inevitable.
Johnson will continue to disappoint in the recruiting front, and Tech’s program will continue to sink to D-2 levels.
Once he has lost the confidence of fans, boosters and potential recruits, he is doomed.
That time is very fast approaching, and it may be in December, after Tech goes 6-6 or 5-7.
Thomas Brown
October 10th, 2012
8:44 am
4 cokes 2 hot dogs 2 bags of boiled peanuts free parking pass and still had to blow-up half your seats with still empty seats. Only tickets you sell are seasons’ tickets to UGA fans who throw away all the games except against us. Your fans are the dead-last worst poor sports in the history of college football. You don’t care about anything for your # 36 national university except that you beat Georgia which you have done 1 time in the entire history of our coach 1-10.
NCAA PROBATION 2012 FOOTBALL MAJOR INFRACTIONS DATABASE
You cannot recruit your way out of a wet-paper bag, averaging # 52 recruiting ranking every year of Paul Johnson, and you wonder why you cannot play football, and keep-on keeping-on firing defensive coordinators like that will fix anything.
The problem is talent, talent on the fans’ parts, talent on the players’ part, talent on the head coaches’ part and talent on his coaching staff’s part.
You have no talent anywhere in sight.
Thomas Brown
October 10th, 2012
8:46 am
6-7 ?
How in the name of Heaven Above is Paul Johnson going to go 6-7 in 2012 ?
You don’t care; as long as you beat Georgia, all is well in the world.
Thomas Brown
October 10th, 2012
8:49 am
4-8 Paul Johnson 2012
Supersize that order, mutt
October 10th, 2012
9:10 am
D-Rad needs to fire Coach Paul Johnson before sundown, then Tech has a shot. Until then, I just can’t bear to watch a game.
Tech4Life
October 10th, 2012
9:34 am
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many fair-weather fans in my life. This time last season, we were 6-0 and “Tech fans” were screaming for contract extensions. Now that things have started going sour, people are showing their true colors, and they’re not white and gold. It’s sad.
Thomas Brown
October 10th, 2012
9:58 am
Supersize that order, mutt June 13th, 2012 9:52 am
“Thomas Brown, do you even have a clue? Go back to the cesspool and spread your drivel. So what if 70% of Tech football players major in business (management, actually), of course the UGA graduation rate is higher than Tech’s.
Get a life, Thomas Brown”
_____________________
Supersize that order, mutt September 17th, 2012 12:46 am
“Troll hard, Thomas Brown……You have historically one of the most screwed up athletic programs in the country, so if it gets you off trashing Tech for two minor probations, then enjoy it. You apparently care more about what goes on at Tech than any of us care about what goes on in cowtown. Sure, we would like more wins against the dwags, but it is what it is.”
AMG
October 10th, 2012
2:45 pm
I am tired of listening to people say Tech does not have good recruits, do any of you saying that actually follow recruiting. If you do then you know that every year we get some guy ranked 4 stars that if he had gone to Alabama he would be lifted to a 5 star recruit. He ends up a 3 star recruit and then people on this blog act like he isn’t any good. Our D has 9 guys that will end up in the NFL. That is really, really good. Not that they are future pro bowlers, but still very good talent except maybe four or five teams in college today. Our offense is still really good and I wish Alabama had not canceled the home and home series between us. Stop acting like spoiled rotten kids, Tech will be fine, this season may be shot as far as the high goal, but long term if they can improve the D to be decent, not even great, just decent we will win almost every game.
AMG
October 10th, 2012
2:50 pm
Thomas Brown, we are not recruiting from the parole board. UGA has won the Fullmer award every year for 7 years. They are renaming the award the Rick award after this season. Graduation from UGA is no more than a high school degree but much less difficult to attain.