Our first Guest Blogger: Why Tech will finally win at UVA
Today we present something new on the ol’ MB blog: A post written by someone other than MB. (For many of you, this will represent the best development yet.) Our first Guest Blogger is Matthew Harrison, who won the right to write by answering a trivia question that turned out not to be so trivial. He grew up in Atlanta and lives in Midlothian, Va. He started going to Georgia Tech games at age 5 with his grandfather, who had season tickets.
Matthew’s two favorite things regarding Tech games: “Before the games we would sometimes go to Krystal [or the Varsity]. I remember how excited I was when I could finally eat 2 Krystals! Another thing that was neat? I got to say a bad word at the Tech games with my grandfather. ‘Helluva engineer’ — love that fight song!”
As was part of the guest-blogging arrangement, Matthew got to pick his topic. And here, by golly, it is:
Nineteen years is too long
By Matthew Harrison
In 1990, gas was $1.16 a gallon; “Murphy Brown,” “L.A. Law and “Northern Exposure” were on TV and the top movies were “Dances with Wolves” and “Goodfellas.” In the fall of that year, Scott Sisson kicked a field goal with seven seconds left to lift Georgia Tech over then No. 1 Virginia. That was the last time the Yellow Jackets beat Virginia in Charlottesville. That’s a long streak, and one that will come to an end this year.
There are several reasons why Tech will beat Virginia:
• UVA will be running a new offense this year — a spread (I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery) and Jameel Sewell, the projected starting quarterback, has not played in a year because he was not in school last season. He has to get back into playing shape while he learns a new system under a new offensive coordinator. So the area that is the one question mark for Tech — the defensive line — should see an offense that is a pale imitation of what it’s used to seeing in practice. That also means, hopefully, that Coach Paul Johnson and Coach Dave Wommack will be better equipped to defend against this offense.
• Three starting Virginia linebackers completed their eligibility, so if Tech can keep the Cavaliers guessing, they should be able to run the ball into the secondary.
Guest blogger Matthew Harrison. (Photo courtesy of same)
• Tech has had a year to grow with this offense and Paul Johnson has said that he will be throwing the ball more. Virginia’s secondary is young with one senior starter, so that will also be an advantage for the Yellow Jackets. The one question mark will be Tech’s offensive line especially since it lost both starting tackles. Let’s hope Dan Voss at center is healthy.
• The biggest reason is this: Coach Johnson plays to win, as opposed to Chan Gailey playing not to lose. I was at the game in 2007, and Tech had plenty of chances to win. After taking a three-point lead, it began to play conservative football and that ended up contributing to the loss. I am aware Tech lost to Virginia last year in Atlanta under Coach Johnson. Cedric Peerman had a big day, rushing for 118 yards; Mikell Simpson, the tailback slated to replace him, gained 262 yards all last season.
Virginia is a struggling program that really should not have won last year. Tech is a contender in the conference, while UVA will finish with five wins. Al Groh is on the hot seat while Tech has its coach for the future.
There will be two streaks broken in 2009. The Atlanta Falcons will finally have consecutive winning seasons, and Georgia Tech will finally beat the Cavaliers in Charlottesville.
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228 comments Add your comment
Tom
July 17th, 2009
3:32 pm
Not arguing the split title, just your insinuation that the “5th down” was the only ugly mark on your season.
The fact is that Tech would’ve drug Coach Promise Bleeper McCartney’s squad from one end of the field to the other had the ACC Champ Jackets not been locked into the Citrus Bowl by being one week too late in reaching the #2 ranking. Consider your team fortunate.
Dawgs
July 17th, 2009
3:39 pm
haha Tom is getting a little angry. You won’t like Tom when he’s angry.
Braindawg
July 17th, 2009
3:39 pm
Matthew nice job. Sorry your grandpa subjected you to such horror at such a young age. I can imagine going to downtown Atlanta expecting to see a real college football game, and then the disappointment at seeing the GT Yellowjackets take the field. So come on over to Athens and see some real college football. Hey atleast you wont have to put your life at risk, with all the crime that has taken place in just the last month there. I think they even had a community meeting about it yesterday or the day before, to try and get it under control. Nice job though Matthew, and again sorry you were subjected to such a sorry excuse of a college football team. Luck for your grandpa its not today, they’d lock him up for child abuse for that today!
You are all Clowns!
July 17th, 2009
3:43 pm
Two pages of you bozo’s screaming “my team’s better than your team”…
What a bunch of little kids!
HAHAHAHAHA!
Step back and read some of this crap. You all act like you actually PLAY for one of these teams. Instead you sit your fat ass on the couch and watch. Calm down a bit….take a deep breath folks. It’s a bunch of 18-22 year olds running around. Have pride in your school but don’t be such an ass about it….sheesh!
wombat
July 17th, 2009
3:44 pm
nm
Dawgs
July 17th, 2009
3:45 pm
Get ready Jackets.
UGA WILL WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP THIS YEAR.
I’d be surprised if Tech won 4 games with that Highschool Offense!
What a bunch of nerds. You all know UGA owns you and is the best team in college football so suck it. We will beat y’all by 50 this year.
Paul Johnson is a terrible coach
Mark Richt is king!
Huh?
July 17th, 2009
3:46 pm
I agree “Dawgs”. It’s gonna be one hell of a ride this year.
2009 Champs! Go Dawgs!
Hey Braindawg
July 17th, 2009
3:48 pm
How’d your team fair against tech (the “sorry excuse of a college football team”) last year? They didn’t give up 400 rushing yards to a “sorry excuse of a football team” did they?
Dawgs
July 17th, 2009
3:50 pm
The 3:45 Dawgs is not me…I’ve been posting all day. I need a more unique posting name.
UGAGRAD02
July 17th, 2009
3:51 pm
I agree Dawgs…
This is our year! UGA will win this thing.
NATIONAL CHAMPS!
Dawgs
July 17th, 2009
3:51 pm
3:50pm is not me….
Someone is posing as me
Dawgs
July 17th, 2009
3:52 pm
Other guy named “Dawgs”
Are you saying you don’t agree with what I said about us?
We’re gonna win it all right?
Paul Johnson is crap right?
OriginalDawgs
July 17th, 2009
3:54 pm
I don’t like making predictions. I try and leave out “so suck it” from my posts.
I like clowns
July 17th, 2009
3:55 pm
You are all Clowns – you really upped the intellectual content on this blog.
Pot, meet kettle.
UGA & SEC Rule Forever
July 17th, 2009
3:58 pm
@ You Are All Clowns: Please take your logically comment, pack it in a suitcase, and leave this board! This is no place for grown-ups, this is a place for people whose happiness depends on the outcome of a 60 minute game.
ahope3
July 17th, 2009
3:59 pm
To the imposter Dawgs, you mean like the “4″ games we won last year including running all over the field with that High School offense. You just told the entire blog that UGA got beat by a high school.
OriginalDawgs
July 17th, 2009
4:00 pm
ahope3- haha I loved that you have coined the term “the imposter Dawgs” because that is exactly was he is. I am the Dawgs that was debating with you earlier.
To the imposter Dawgs- I love that you are a UGA fan, but please post intelligently.
from Hoo-ville
July 17th, 2009
4:00 pm
So I hate to be the one to break it to you Matthew but GT will probably NOT beat UVa at the Scott this season. Heck, you couldn’t do it last year in front of your paltry home crowd. The fact of the matter is, some of your points are right on time, while other parts don’t stand up. Virginia has three QBs with differing skill sets that we have to chose from… all of which could be fine Quarterbacks in the spread. GT’s offense is not totally a spread offense in the absolute sense. Not quite the same set up and look as the one UVa will be running. So to say that the Tech defense will be better able to snuff out what UVa will be doing… well all I can say is look at Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri… All of those defenses face the spread everyday in practice but yet when it comes to game time, the defenses still can’t stop it. WHY? Because it all comes down to execution on the offensive side of the ball.
Let’s also point out that by mid to late Oct. UVa will have become much more acclimated with what they’re doing in the spread. It may not be perfected but it’s not like UVa will be just getting it’s feet wet at that time of the year. In fact, usually UVa starts out fast only to fizzle out toward the end of the season. This has been the general UVa trend. Honestly, I would say GT would stand a better chance facing UVa in late Sept, not late Oct.
UVa also seems to be able to possess that one thing that rivals need to maintain and that’s a will to beat your rival on your home stadium (VT excluded…). Don’t think for a second that UVa intends to roll over and allow this streak to come to an end. Just look at the UNC v. UVA game last season for an example of the pride that the fellas take in these streaks. UVa was dead in the water and projected to lose the game by ten or more points. Everyone declared UVa’s season dead, myself included but we now know the result of that game. I feel like GT will be in for a dogfight at Scott Stadium and to get a win, they’re going to have to be tougher, more physical, and basically have much more heart… Groh’s teams generally have one thing in common and they all have A LOT of heart.
Also, let’s face it… GT seems to struggle in Charlottesville. Perhaps there’s something in the water, I don’t know. I was at that heartbreaking GT 1990 football game. Every year that we beat GT will never be enough to take away the sting of that damn kick by Sisson. I hope GT does well most other times of the year because honestly, I myself almost decided to become a Yellow Jacket. However, either way it goes, I’m really excited to see what the season holds. GO Hoos!
Hoo God has spoken
At the same time
Davey P
July 17th, 2009
4:01 pm
Tech is ear elephant.
GT
July 17th, 2009
4:01 pm
THE REASON FOR NOT HAVING A GEORGIA BULLDOG AS GUEST? COULDNT FIND ONE WITH AN ORIGINAL THOUGHT AND COULD WRITE!
OriginalDawgs
July 17th, 2009
4:03 pm
@GT…actually, a tech fan happened to answer the trivia question first. But good try. Fans like you give your school a bad name, FYI.
ahope3
July 17th, 2009
4:15 pm
@Hoo-ville,
1. You were losing pretty much the entire game last year.
2. “Virginia has three QBs with differing skill sets that we have to chose from… all of which could be fine Quarterbacks in the spread. GT’s offense is not totally a spread offense in the absolute sense. Not quite the same set up and look as the one UVa will be running. So to say that the Tech defense will be better able to snuff out what UVa will be doing…” This is the most idiotic statement I’ve heard on this blog. Do you realize that no one Tech played last year ran the option. They ran I formation or spread. You said GT’s offense is not totally a spread………Are you kidding me, it’s not a spread at all. Not one bit. Are you blind?
3. You have to be doing some pretty hard drugs if you actually think that Georgia Tech will not win this year, this is the best team we’ve had in years, 18 returning starters who have gotten used to the option. You can’t know anything about college football. Instead of praising one of the sorriest teams in the ACC (UVA) you should research what you’re posting. I can’t even believe you posted that trash. This will be Tech’s best season in years, hence the ranking……wait I take that back cuz it seems rankings don’t tell everything (#1 UGA pre-season)
GT Alum
July 17th, 2009
4:15 pm
The only thing that allowed UVA to beat Tech last year was Eugene Monroe man handling Michael Johnson. The double team was then placed on Derrick Morgan and the stout Tech D’line was shutdown for 4 quarters.
bb
July 17th, 2009
4:26 pm
LOL, Dawgs sure has hung out for a long time on the ‘irrelevant’ Tech blog that he only clicked because he is a such a big MB fan. And has a truck load of posts to prove he camped out here. Get a job man.
Mark Bradley
July 17th, 2009
4:35 pm
Trouper, you’ve asked a question that is above my pay grade. But I’ll ask somebody who might be in a position to know the answer. OK?
Bugg Man
July 17th, 2009
5:12 pm
Well said my man. So when your prediction comes true are you going to quit your day job and get a job as a full time sports commentator?
Sting 'em Buzz
July 17th, 2009
5:16 pm
from Hoo-ville,
If only y’all could have knocked off that VT team…..
BruffDawg
July 17th, 2009
5:52 pm
Here’s an original thought for you. Streaks are there for a reason. Sometimes they can not be explained. Will GT win? Probably. But i will take UVA plus the points all day long.
Big Bee
July 17th, 2009
6:40 pm
DAWGS, I won’t be ignorant if you won’t be arrogant. I am sure CMR is n ot up all night about his record agains CPJ, but some of his followers seem to have a bee in their butt about it. Now ,about the 7-1 streak, UGA has not broken the 8-0 streak yet, and it will be at least 9 years before they do. Now, why don’t you just drop that subject for the next 7-8 years.
GTNuke
July 17th, 2009
6:44 pm
I see all of the georgie fans talking about their team’s vast superiority over Tech. I will admit that uga has been better as of late on the football field, but georgie fans VASTLY over-rate the difference. Let’s take a look at the last decade (1998-2008) for an example. Head-to-head: uga 7, Tech 4; average record: uga 10-3, Tech 8-5; Win %: uga 76%, Tech 63%; Conference championships: uga 2, Tech 1; Division championships: uga 3, Tech 2.
Uga has been better, but only slightly. Both teams have a national championship in the last 30 years, but one was 29 years ago and the other was 19. I’d say both teams have been pretty good over the last decade, but neither have been elite. The gap is definitely not what georgie fans would like to believe.
Hillbilly Deluxe
July 17th, 2009
7:21 pm
I don’t really follow college football but nice job by the Guest Blogger.
BruffDawg
July 17th, 2009
7:33 pm
There is a huge gap between schools that average 10 wins a season, and those who average 8. 10 win teams are only a bounce or two away from a national title game. 8 win teams are two wins away from being a ten win team. See the difference?
Not Disappointed
July 17th, 2009
7:45 pm
Mathew and Mark nice blog on the Jackets in 1990 and near future. I recall that game like yesterday…… “That Magical Kick!”
The Jackets has an excellent chance of Running the table thru the ACC. Last year, VA Tech and Ga Tech was a close game until the end. Two suspect calls and the game was over.
I hope the Jackets learn alot from the lsu peach bowl nightmare. Oy!
Thanks again for the blog Mathew. Exciting days are a head at the Flats!
Mark, still a little sore about the 11-15 top coaches without the Fridge and picking O’Leary over the big man.
Ramblin Wreck!
Hmmmmmm
July 17th, 2009
8:02 pm
I have NO skin in this game, but I can tell you this, being from outside the area. UGA has the MOST arrogant, moronic, and obnoxious fans in the country. They are second to NO ONE! Their pitiful team is the most hyped underachieving college football team in the nation!
(Tech)^(1/2) = UGA
July 17th, 2009
8:42 pm
When we finally get a blog posted about the Jackets, it has to be about how a lousy team owns us every year.
Dawg
July 17th, 2009
9:39 pm
bb…. where do you work? you might work for me?
GM
July 17th, 2009
10:14 pm
Hmmmmmmmmm: So true, ask just about any other team in the SEC also, and they’ll tell you the same thing.
Dawgs: Why the need to prove so many points? You have some sort of self-esteem issue? Drink a beer, relax, or just find something else to do – you’ll feel better. Glad I could help.
bbuzz
July 17th, 2009
11:57 pm
hey Dawg since you are a student @ ugay you weren’t even alive when they won they’re 1 national championship! as far as people in Texas and usc they know their teams don’t wet their pants when their ranked #1
DAWGHATER
July 18th, 2009
1:48 am
Hey Huh! UVA owns us, but the almighty Gators own your crappy school. You all are a bunch of rednecks. 49-10 and 45-42. How sweet it is to kick your sorry azzes between your smelly redneck hedges in front of 90,000 neckersons. Also, your basketball team will suc azz this year and your football team will be lucky to win 7 or 8 games. You will start out 0-1 as the OSU cowboys are kickin your lillly redneck azzes in Stillwater. Mark it down and get back to your doublewide. GO JACKETS AND GATORS. THWG!
DAWGHATER
July 18th, 2009
1:48 am
UGA suxs azz!
DAWGHATER
July 18th, 2009
1:50 am
Hey Ugay fans: Is Joe Phallic the real cox or what. I say he is a blow hard! THWG
DAWGHATER
July 18th, 2009
1:53 am
Hmmmmmm: Very well said indeed! Overated and underachievers every year. What a shame for the rednecks in Athens, Georgia. Well, heck yeah man, I am from Athens, Georgia. Oh boyo! How sad is that! THWG!
DAWGHATER
July 18th, 2009
1:56 am
Hey BruffDawg: I’ll take OSU, UF, GT, LSU and Auburn all day long. THWG! You necks will be lucky to win 7 games with Joe Phallic (AKA Mr. Blowhard) at QB. LMFAO
DAWGHATER
July 18th, 2009
1:58 am
Hey UGA: man, this is fun! I am on the blog and you are suckin a dogboner! LMFAO!
macrotech
July 18th, 2009
2:41 am
Brock just got female dawg slapped by MB! Too funny!!! supes, yet you’re here….on a Tech blog…talking about it’s irrelevance…kind of smacking down your own argument with your actions aren’t ya?! Dawgs, “all you ever see”?! Your mutts been muzzled? I’m on the pup blogs and your leg humpers are yelping away! Huh?, in Atlanta, there are MANY options for people…in athens, you can go to the game or you can enjoy a fine afternoon of cow tipping! While you’re stopping the presses, did you know that a majority of the pup nation enjoys family reunions to pick up women? GO TECH!!!
macrotech
July 18th, 2009
2:55 am
Boulderstudent, don’t get stuck standing at broadway and table mesa….those shnook winds will blow you away! I understand that the air up there is thin, but the buffs are going to get blown out by the pups of uga! Colorado got the biggest break of their existence when they got a share of Tech’s national championship. Leather helmets? When did your buffs do anything before or after 1990?! Stick with the flatirons…this conversation doesn’t involve you. Boulder’s a nice city, though! ;o)
Minnesota Jacket
July 18th, 2009
3:24 am
I am willing to take every UGA fan bet for this upcoming season…number one you will bench your quarterback after ya’ll fail to show up for both the ok state and the south carolina game, and MR will do what he always does and hope for the best with a young quarterback (willing to take all betters), 2. UGA will win 8 games this year, 3. UGA will lose to tech and everyone of you UGA fans will use the excuse as such (well we had a freshmen quarterback and this is a rebuilding year) 4. UGA will once again get a top ten recruiting class and downplay its talent while Tech gets MAYBE a top 25 class and up play the talent. 5. More than 80% of all UGA fans who post on here never went to UGA 6. more than 80% of Tech fans who posted either went to tech or had a parent or sibling who did and of course number 7. No matter how bad UGA loses this year to Tech you will hear about the past 10 years, because every Tech fan knows that all UGA fans look to the past because there is no future.
THWG “Go Jackets”
and of course “Roddy is still Running”
CitadelTechFan
July 18th, 2009
4:52 am
Lets not forget that CPJ ended two steaks last year by beating Fla St. and Uga. Tech is supposed to be a much better team than Virginia this year, but then again, they were last year too.UVa knows they have Tech’s number at home though so don’t think they won’t be ready to play. It’s why you line up and play the games.
Alabama Jack
July 18th, 2009
7:25 am
dawg fans suck
michael
July 18th, 2009
11:15 am
would at least one person spell DOG correctly? Oh, and filler-up please.