5 bogus reasons Georgia Tech will flop in 2009
I wouldn't read too much into one bowl loss, were I you. Just sayin'. (AJC photo by Ben Gray)
1. Opponents have caught up to Paul Johnson’s offense. Were that the case, wouldn’t Georgia Tech have struggled later in 2008 as more tape of the Jackets became available? Yet in their final two regular-season games against opponents of comparable if not superior talent (Miami and Georgia), they rushed for an aggregate 877 yards and scored 86 points.
2. LSU showed everyone else how to defend Johnson’s offense. What the Chick-fil-A Bowl showed was that if, in the course of one half, you boot the opening kickoff out of bounds and fail on an onside kick and whiff on a fake punt … well, you’re in trouble against a good team. The Jackets lost 38-3 but were only outgained by 10 yards.
3. The defense lost too many players. The D is missing four starters — defensive linemen Michael Johnson, Vance Walker and Darryl Richard, plus cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels. And technically (ha! pun!), Rashaad Reid, who’s back, started more games last season than did Word-Daniels. And the best of the defensive linemen, end Derrick Morgan, returns in all his glory.
4. Tech can’t throw and catch to save its life. There aren’t 10 better receivers in the land than Damaryius Thomas, known as Bay-Bay. He took in 39 of the Jackets’ 74 completions last season and had nine catches of 20-plus yards. He can get downfield, and he can go get the ball.
5. The rest of the ACC will be ready this time. In Johnson’s second season as head coach at Georgia Southern, his Eagles played nine teams they’d met in his first season. They were 8-1 against those nine in Year 1; they were 9-0 in Year 2. In his second season at Navy, his Midshipmen faced five teams against which they’d gone 1-4 in Year 1; they went 4-1 in Year 2.
(OK, Tech fans. That’s the good news. The bad news comes with our companion list: 5 legit reasons Georgia Tech could disappoint in 2009. Finally, defensive end Derrick Morgan tells us why the Jackets are the real deal.)
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126 comments Add your comment
PMC
August 26th, 2009
10:17 am
The biggest is probably the pass rush that they lose some of and the defensive line depth. They have gained Tarrant though at CB and replacing Word Daniels is not going to be that difficult. Cooper Taylor has had an outstanding offseason. With Tech running so much clock opponents are going to throw more often and the best player on the team is likely Morgan Burnett who will be waiting to steal passes. They do seriously need to worry about keeping thier QB’s healthy.
Bobby
August 26th, 2009
10:19 am
I BLEED RED AND BLACK. I HATE gt with everything in me almost as much as i hate florida. With that being said, gt is building a very nice program. I think you guys have one hell of a coach who has a system that is hard to stop. I know I sat in the rain and watched it kill us in the second half. I have said that we don’t worry about tech until the game gets here, and this pains me to say this, but we better start worring about tech every year. You guys are unfortunately heading in the right direction and its going to be hard to beat you every year. I hope Paul J. leaves you quickly so we can get back to owning tech, but I don’t think that is going to happen anytime soon. You guys are going to be very scary for us and other teams that you play for many years to come. GO DAWGS AND TO HELL WITH gt
Burdell
August 26th, 2009
10:30 am
DawginLex–
You may be right about CPJ taking UGA’s line and receivers…but the beauty is that he doesn’t need them to beat you guys!
Go Jackets!!
Smart Jay
August 26th, 2009
10:31 am
“Who do you think built that chair your fat keester is sitting in while you talk down to people who put in hard day’s work for a pay check?”
Uhhh, you?
Saint Simons
August 26th, 2009
10:36 am
Woo hoo…go vocational/trade school!!! can’t wait until mommy unlocks me from our basement sex dungeon so I can join the other 237 people that actually show up at our disgustingly unattractive football stadium.
I hear in order to bring more Tech fans to a game from the “Harry Potter/D&D Convention” in Gwinnett, they are giving away “Twilight” DVDs – woo hoo!
GEORGIA97
August 26th, 2009
10:42 am
Hey Dogtards: Are you familiar with the phrase “assumption is the mother of all f*ck ups”? You assumed that I’m a blue collar worker when I used the phrase “out on the floor” when nothing could be further from the truth. The phrase is commonly used when a manager sits in an office with a closed door and commands the troops “out on the floor” in their cubicles. You put the cart before the horse and got it all wrong. Rest assured, UGA will not be 11-0 come November 28th but when is the last time that either team’s record mattered in this game of pure, old-fashioned hate?
DamnGoodDawg
August 26th, 2009
10:45 am
I’m praying hard that they flop! Nuf Said!
gdawginkalamazoo
August 26th, 2009
10:51 am
“The Jackets lost 38-3 but were only outgained by 10 yards”. Tony, that makes it sound better.
Tech, what it means is that you don’t know football.
Should be an interesting season for Tech. Good luck until you play us.
GEORGIA97
August 26th, 2009
10:52 am
Smart Jay: Sorry, it wasn’t me. I was too busy out bangin’ your mom like a screen door in a hurricane.
Jared
August 26th, 2009
10:53 am
anyone that thinks the offense is why we lost to LSU just flat-out didn’t watch the game.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 26th, 2009
10:54 am
Sorry Mark I didn’t mean to call you Tony. My bad.
Green Tea
August 26th, 2009
11:19 am
FLASHBACK to the first day of school for ever nerd on this blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3njjD41f48&feature=PlayList&p=1EC4F3B6403CE8FE&index=0&playnext=1
Green Tea
August 26th, 2009
11:35 am
every
steve
August 26th, 2009
12:14 pm
aren’t numbers 1 and 5 pretty much the same thing?
5 bogus reasons Georgia Tech will flop in 2009 | Mark Bradley | Georgia Today
August 26th, 2009
12:29 pm
[...] Go here to see the original: 5 bogus reasons Georgia Tech will flop in 2009 | Mark Bradley [...]
K with a K
August 26th, 2009
12:32 pm
If GT can reach the following goals I will be happy!!
1: Go To ACC Championship Game
2: Go Undefeated at Home
3: Lead the Nation in Rushing
Go Jackets!!!
gdawginkalamazoo
August 26th, 2009
1:42 pm
If GT can reach the following goals I will be happy!! Maybe, maybe not.
1: Go To ACC Championship Game (Tickets are available to anyone to attend, as a matter of fact you could probably just walk right in 5 minutes after kickoff and pick a seat for free. The players could wear their jersey and get a free hotdog and soda).
2: Go Undefeated at Home (For Thursday nights no problem, those Saturday games will be tough)
3: Lead the Nation in Rushing (No problem there but you will have to score points and play defense and special teams. See 38-3 for reference).
Go Jackets!!! Go Jackets until you meet the Dawgs!
Okay I know it isn’t my turn to talk smack but hey a seven year habit is hard to break.
Braves73
August 26th, 2009
2:09 pm
I really think that GT has a decent chance at the conference title. The ACC is weak top to bottom, and PJ is a GREAT coach. The thing I admire most about PJ is his ability to game plan and make adjustments. He also does not accept anything less than the best on every snap, every play, every block, every tackle, every opportunity. He is one of a few coaches that can make a “difference”.
The only thing I don’t like is those HIDEOUS uniforms. What the heck color is that? It looks like puke yellow & green..not a good look.
Pago Flyer
August 26th, 2009
2:15 pm
Actually, GT will beat “thug u” by at least 20 points.
Not Disappointed
August 26th, 2009
2:17 pm
Does any of this have to do with Georgia Tech’s Football. Get a life guys and girls. The bogus reason by Mark Bradley is good food for thought, but just it. “Good food for thought.”
Looking forward to some actually football. Georgia have their own with Oklahoma State’s Offense. One thing is for sure about the game. Georgia will score several times to win. Tech will have an interesting game the following week. Until then Blog on….. “Ramblin Wreck!”
TW
August 26th, 2009
2:33 pm
6. Too many teams in the ACC with better recruiting classes over the last five years.
NC, FSU, VT, MIA
Old Dawg
August 26th, 2009
2:43 pm
I watched Paul Johnson’s teams when he was the HC at Georgia Southern and also when he was the offensive coordinator. His teams are always well prepared and execute the option better than even the heralded Oklahoma and Nebraska teams of the past. His Navy teams were also exciting to watch.
Josh Nesbitt is doing as well as he possibly can in this offense but after watching him play in high school I don’t think he is a natural spread option QB. Of all the QBs Johnson has coached, Tracy Ham was the best overall because he could ran and pass with equal authority. His career in the CFL speaks volumes about his passing ability. It will take a while for Johnson to find the perfect D-I player to fit his system. Once he does, watch out.
I still have concerns about the pounding a QB takes in this system, especially with the size and speed of D-I linebackers. As you can tell, I have great respect for Paul Johnson’s coaching ability. At the same time, the reality of today’s game creates concern for the long term health of his QBs.
Johnny DangerDawg
August 26th, 2009
2:54 pm
Mark Bradley,
“Flopping” is an ambiguous term. If Tech finishes with the same record as last year but below this year’s pre-season ranking, is that a flop or a success?
Life coach
August 28th, 2009
2:53 pm
Here is five reasons UGA will flop this year:
1) Overated (See last year)
2) UF, LSU, GT
3) Can’t win the big one (See 30 years and counting to a Nat Champ.)
4) Arrests of various players
5) History: Lot of wins but few against top talent See #1, 2 &3
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