How will Tech’s Johnson handle the post-Miami scrutiny?
Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt gets squeezed by the guys in orange. (AP photo)
Most teams can lose and have it just be a loss. When Georgia Tech loses, it’s an indictment of Paul Johnson. This mightn’t be fair, but it’s reality: When your stock in trade is a stylized offense, any reversal is going to be personalized. And Paul Johnson, as we know, tends to take things personally.
As noted earlier, he delights in flouting conventional wisdom, especially when it comes to his offense. Well, that offense just managed 95 yards rushing against Miami — 377 fewer than it did against the same Hurricanes 10 months ago. Yes, Jonathan Dwyer got hurt early, but Tech was supposed to have increased depth in the backfield, was it not?
So now Johnson will have to hear this topic bandied about in both cyberspace and the real world: Has the rest of college football caught on to his spread option? And he’s going to say no, that the offense if run properly will always work against any opponent, but how he wearies of the whole discussion and turns testy?
The loss to Miami was far more comprehensive than the Chick-fil-A thrashing by LSU. That game could be explained away — and Johnson tried — as a failure of motivation and special teams. The offense, he would say, wasn’t at fault. Well, this time it was. The offense did nothing. The defense did less. The Jackets trailed by 14 points at the half and by 23 after three quarters, and now nobody’s really sure what to make of Tech.
“I think we’re going to be good,” Johnson said a couple of weeks ago, but the near-flop against Clemson and the total collapse against Miami have left everything open to question. And next comes North Carolina, which came closest to shutting down that offense last season, and dates with Florida State and Virginia Tech — and yes, with Georgia — still remain.
A cult of personality has arisen ’round Johnson. Tech fans love his tough talk, and they loved it even more when he beat Georgia. But now his highly regarded team has suffered a major blow, and it’s incumbent on PJ not to take the inevitable questions — from both fans and media — as signs of insubordination.
He gets paid a lot of money to coach his team. Here’s where PJ has to duck his head, ignore the chatter and keep coaching.
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354 comments Add your comment
Tbone
September 18th, 2009
4:42 pm
nerds,
I told you last year that the re-up of Paula’s contract was gonna look premature after the ‘09 6-6 campaign…..why don’t you listen to ya daddy????? Last years (actually the Bowl) LSU game was not an aberation….the SEASON was the aberation. The triple fumble offense is no secret…and is VERY defensible. If not for UGA’s tackling like a middle school team (a spoon fed gift to the nerds), the dawgs should have won that game (vs. Yech) by 20. Blind hog luck on Tech’s part.
StingerSplash
September 18th, 2009
4:48 pm
Give Miami credit for doing one thing last night — and this word is almost never associated with things that happen at “The U” — its discipline on defense. They stuck to their assignments. Tech’s opening drive was good. After that, it wasn’t the Canes making an adjustment. It was sticking to their assignments (coupled with some shoddy blocking).
It’s disingenuous to say anyone has “figured out” the offense. You don’t “figure it out” anymore than you do any other offense. It’s the option, and you defend it by sticking to your assignments, play in and play out. Teams that do that have more success than teams that don’t. Teams that don’t get 472 rushing yards dropped on them.
The questions in the aftermath of the debacle at Mediocre Beer Stadium (which reminds me … Corona Light? What are the rest of the girls in the sorority having?) shouldn’t be for the offense. They need to be reserved for a defense that offered a feeble at best resistance. Jacory Harris had enough time to read the health care reform bill back there, all 1,000 pages. He was calm and poised because Tech introduced no pressure upon him, in any way, shape or form.
Tech’s offense will be fine. The defense is another question altogether.
Panties in a wad
September 18th, 2009
4:57 pm
It is pathetic reading you Tech fans trying to rationalise PJ’s “Are you stupid” comment.
GADawg
September 18th, 2009
4:57 pm
I’ve watched GT the last two weeks. This is not a hard O to D against. The main trust of the O is the surge of the line. The entire offense scheme is to take the legs out of the D line. One thing I noticed last night was the U was letting the line commit to their blocks then surging to the line. Simply back the D line back a step or two or hold the surge on a count, by then the line has committed to the blocks and the backs are in their holes. The U met them in the back field numerous times.
It’s not execution, it’s D Coordinators figuring the O out!
Jack G.
September 18th, 2009
5:21 pm
Insider
If you will recall, I predicted this last year and you and everyone else called me everything but a Christian.
All the world hates an I told you so guy, but I told you so—-so go ahead and hate me.
UM may play on a lousy field, but both teams were on the same field so that dont wash. Niether does having to come of a hard working training camp. UM had a hard camp also. New O & D cordinators, so had to learn new schemes. All CPJ did with his new system last year was make excuses about players having to learn new system.—-But wait till next year, we always make giant steps of improvement after our 1st year.
Lets face it the big schools with good atheletes have caught on to defenseing CPJ foot ball. Especially when you have a QB that cant pass.
I hated loseing to UM but what was embarasseing was the way we played—that and the fact tha CPJ lost his cool and called a player stupid. Such an action was an admission that he did a poor job of coaching, and was blameing his players istead of maning up to who was really stupid.
I could go on and on about this but i am sure it would go over most of the loyalist heads.
By the way, what ever happened to Ken Thrash. Haven heard from him in years.
Smitty
September 18th, 2009
5:22 pm
Once upon a time, coaching really smart V. Basketball kids at a local prep school, i yanked a somewhat typically rattled substitute who just did something I had specifically coached him not to do. I leaned over to his ear and quietly asked him, ” was he really stupid or had he just disobeyed me?” He briefly hesitated, then responded,” Im just stupid,Coach.” thus proving how smart he was. Normal and and appropriate for the ? that Coach Johnson asked. Just have to be careful these days about when and how to ask the question.
gtbabe
September 18th, 2009
5:22 pm
I honestly did not think we would win last night just hoping, it was a blessing we beat them the last two times at Miami…but I do hope we beat UNC at home. Was in Chapel Hill last yr and hated to see how badly we played and Nesbitt go down. Want to see us win that one badly. I’m for Paul Johnson and support him no matter what we do this season. The only thing I have questions about is Wommack, my Gamecock friends tell me he was fired at USC by Spurrier ..maybe Spurrier is the one wrong on that decision, who knows…All I do know is that GT has given the basketball coach more than enough time and I can’t take anymore of it regardless of the outcome of this upcoming season…
dog lover
September 18th, 2009
5:27 pm
I see all my fellow dog lovers trashing tech’s offense becasue they have only had 3 td’s in their last 3 bcs games. I love my puppies but I am smart enuff to know they scored more offensive td’s than that against my beloved dogs alone last year. For that reason I will wait to get on the “GT stinks” bandwagon until I can no longer smell the “stink” from my beloved dogs first!
Saint Simons Good Twin
September 18th, 2009
5:28 pm
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
33-17 GT sux!!!!!
elviskl
September 18th, 2009
5:30 pm
Enter your comments here as a life long jacket fan my comment is this: we got the god dammmmmmed helll beat out of us and that is that……..give miami credit………we will see who has the better record after nov 28……
Saint Simons Good Twin
September 18th, 2009
5:32 pm
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha ha Ha
33-17 GT sux!!!!!
Saint Simons Good Twin
September 18th, 2009
5:33 pm
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
33-17 GT sux!!!!!
Saint Simons Good Twin
September 18th, 2009
5:36 pm
BAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
33-17 GT sux!!!!!
Saint Simons Good Twin
September 18th, 2009
5:39 pm
Where’s the a$$ wipe evil Saint Simons? Your chicken $hit just like I knew you were along with all your sorry a$$ trade school fans!
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
33-17 GT sux!!!!!
jacketsyellow
September 18th, 2009
5:40 pm
is it just me or does blogger “Melinda” write like a 50 plus year old man back in the day…I have even looked at all the female sportswriters from SI and other media outlets and not one’s writing style resembles this bloggers, the old fashioned golly gee script, a man in disguise
Patrick
September 18th, 2009
5:41 pm
Watching GT get their butts handed to them…………..PRICELESS!!!!! PRICELESS!!!!! PRICELESS!!!!! PRICELESS!!!!! PRICELESS!!!!! PRICELESS!!!!! PRICELESS!!!!! PRICELESS!!!!!
Maybe GT needs to look at hiring a real DC. Here’s a link to a soon-to-be available defensive genius:
http://www.WillieMartinezResume.com
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
5:41 pm
I hear the Dawgs will actually play a team this weekend. OH wait, they are playing Arkeysaw. # weeks and no real teams played. You go Dog. UGA might get lucky and Adams will head the NCAA. I need to take a crap I hope I can make it to ATHENS in time to add to the trash on their campus. 3 games in 12 days make any team try that. It takes UGA 4 months to play 3 real games.
Patrick
September 18th, 2009
5:46 pm
StingerSplash, congrats on the stomp-down. It could and SHOULD have been a lot worse!! It just shows how much class Shannon has by not running it up on your sorry junior college team. Stick a fork in the bees – they’re done. No ACC championship game and maybe a December bowl game. Tough to handle, isn’t it? Putz.
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
5:48 pm
UGA: talk on Friday, don’t play nobody on Saturday, and still trying to get to TECH’s record against the NOBODIES of the SEC. Joe Cox did you take off last night slinging the DOG to save your shoulder for the Hogs? The UGA Sigma Nu’s said you were sling the DOG all night long in the gameroom. Rest that shoulder until you make it to the EAGLE on your bye week.
Patrick
September 18th, 2009
5:52 pm
Pi$$onaDawg, you pathetic little trout sniffing puzzy. What a lame excuse. I suppose that if the mighty Jackettes had had 2 weeks to prepare for Miami that it would have turned out much differently, huh? How enlightening. You got your @ss whipped by a much better and faster team. Pony up to the bar. Face it. Be real, puzzy. What a jackass you must be.
Saint Simons Good Twin
September 18th, 2009
5:58 pm
I knew the excuses would come fast and furious from the little nerd trade school geeks and t5hey never disappoint.
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
33-17 GT sux!!!!!
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
6:00 pm
Patty your dawgs had 3 months to prepare for OSU and look at the EGG you laid! The dogs then play the doormate of the SEC that UGA has a 49-14-2 record against and you still looked like the Vandy, Kentucky, So. Carolina, Miss State, Ole Miss of the SEC. YOU have players that can’t play. We have players that Played 3 games in 12 days. Get your dogs to even try to play 2 SEC teams and a cupcake in 17 days. Don’t talk crap until you can do the same with all your 5 hahahaha Stars. Hit me back Sunday if you can do better than a 10 point win to get to 2-1.
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
6:05 pm
UGA didn’t make it to the AIR FIELD. The pilot could not find the END ZONE. J. Cox said he couldn’t help because he has not seen it since he was in middle school drawing plays in the sand. Willie M asked J. Cox so why can’t you help UGA land because is that not the same Offense BOBO runs?
Saint Simons Good Twin
September 18th, 2009
6:06 pm
Cry me a river you big pu$$y (Pi$$onaJACKET). Did your mommy not give you enough love? Man up geek and own up to that a$$ whopping Miami gave you Trade school homos. Oh and 33-17 Bahahahahahah!
Pi$$onaJACKET
September 18th, 2009
6:08 pm
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA 33-17
42-45 a fluke!
September 18th, 2009
6:09 pm
Mike T.
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
6:10 pm
OHOHOHOHO Hit me one more time. MIAMI will end the season higher ranked than Okie State and USC east. I think Clemson will as well. So, now who has UGA played? I didn’t p——-my dawg I just let him BURN.
Pi$$onaJACKET
September 18th, 2009
6:13 pm
Yellow is the perfect color for you chicken $hit Trade schoolers.
33-17
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
6:16 pm
The DAWGS want ADAMS to leave. If Adams goes to run the NCAA will the dawgs finally play for the SEC championship and graduate a D-lineman? POLLACK call me if you can put the phone to your ear and bend your BROKEN neck (HAHAHHA) to respond.
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
6:20 pm
I will bet GT just played 2 top 30 teams and went 1-1 while UGA played 2 40+ teans and went 1-1. Want to bet UGA fans?
Mike T.
September 18th, 2009
6:24 pm
Are you stupid? Yes Sir. I come to Tech didn’t I.
Patrick
September 18th, 2009
6:24 pm
Pi$$onaDawg, UGA has just as many issues as Tech and that’s a fact. I will be the very first to admit that a win in Fayetteville would totally shock me but hey – it’s a highly emotional game where virtually anything can happen and that’s one of the reasons why I follow NCAA football. Please, please let it rest about playing 3 games within a 12 day period. Other teams played 3 games within a 15 day period so your case doesn’t hold much water. Yes, UGA recruits many 4 & 5 star players but hasn’t a clue (in most cases) regarding what to do with them. There’s a fundamental reason why programs like Florida and Alabama succeed – the coaching staff knows what to do with the talent at hand and they are extremely serious about winning. Richt, Bobo & Martinez simply don’t (consistently) get it. The jury is still out on Johnson because he’s fielding mostly Gailey recruits. My point is that the GT fans bought into the hype and expected this team to [snicker] come out on top and even contend for the nation title. I think you drank the yellow koolaid as well. We’ll see how the rest of the season pans out. I know one thing for sure – GT & UGA will lose about 3 more games each this year so it should be an interesting game in November.
Canes Rule
September 18th, 2009
6:26 pm
Greetings Redneck, knuckle draggers up there in red clay country.
Hope you’re feeling better today after that ass whipping you received from a clearly superior and better-coached football team (on national TV)last evening. Revenge is so very sweet. Best wishes as you disappear from the national rankings. Lick your wounds.Improve your spelling, too!
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
6:31 pm
PAT name 1 team that has played 3 games in 12 days against 2 of their conference foes. NAME 1. Not the UGA playing USC and Vandy type of game, but the type of teams that have a chance of playing for the league championship. Last year Clemson was ranked HIGH, Miami will be ranked high this year. Yes, Clemson was the ACC’s UGA last year, but they are better this year. I think Miami will be the ACC’s Bama this year bit that is weeks away with a lot of wins on the way.
surfrider
September 18th, 2009
6:37 pm
First our Defense has to get better. Maybe more pressure rush extra LB or 3-4. Also need to get #21 when back more one on one on the outside.
Maybe most important we have to pass the ball to keep these defenses honest. Nesibitt-Bam Bam on the 56 yard TD pass fantastic. We still had a long shot at the end. An option “expert” told me these long passes are needed to keep the defense honest and pin the DB’s back. Once we get this passing game effect option should open up more. Nesbitt on the rollout with option of passing or running seems. Miami shut our running game down 40 carries for 95 yards. Miami looked awfully good.
Patrick
September 18th, 2009
6:48 pm
Pi$$, what is THAT supposed to mean? Please run your warped thoughts through a logic device before posting!! Is SC not a conference foe? Does Spurrier not focus most of his summer training on a game scheme to beat UGA? Was OSU not loaded to the gills with talent? Hey, look back about this time last year when Clemson was ranked fairly highly and then went into the ATL Dome to have their butts handed to them compliments of Nick Saban et al. You’re all over the place, Pi$$ – sort of like a fly on horse $H!t. It seems that you want to blame your schedule on the fact that GT was sucking wind even in the 1st quarter. The truth is that Miami ran their butts off with their better game plan. If your team was worth the #14 ranking then it should have demonstrated a lot more will to win on the field. Instead, it got embarrassed by UM and the game was over in the 2nd quarter. GT just gave up and folded like a cheap suit. At least UGA fought for all 4 quarters against OSU and SC. Face it – GT has an undersized OL & DL. You’re in for a disappointing season, Pi$$. VT will absolutely clean your clock – likely worse than Florida will clean ours.
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
6:50 pm
Never make excuses. I was so drunk the first time I took the SAT I was accepted by UGA. HAHA. Glad I sobered up to take it again and I was accepted by Vanderbilt. I wanted better so I took it again and Emory accepted me, but I still wanted to go to TECH. I took the test again. UGA I hear they are sending an Agricultural Engineer to the moon. Maybe a UGA grad can gut the grass on the moon.
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
7:00 pm
PAT you are stupid because that is what I said. USC sux, OSU is over rated and Arky is yet to be desided. OSU is a big time game until the end of the year and OSU sux. USC east sux as usual 49-14-2. Arkesaw ???? UGA has played what will turn out to be NOBODY. Go crap in a UGA Frat house front yard, act like you matter, and beat a team of value. A. Murry is the best QB at UGA and you want to keep COX then play Gray. Murry is the QB, but I don’t expect CMR or Bildo to actually know that. Hell they think C. King has talent. hahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
Patrick
September 18th, 2009
7:06 pm
Pi$$, you seem to de disturbed by the fact that UGA punked GT for seven – count ‘em, 7 years straight and even hung 51 on your team during the process. Heck, GT can’t even fill up their miniscule stadium unless UGA comes to town. Your school is a joke where the students dare not venture too far from the campus lest they be relieved of laptops, wallets, cell phones, etc. You’ve got the right name there, Pi$$. Now you’d best go on to bed. Try not to Pi$$ your dorm bunk bed tonight.
Patrick
September 18th, 2009
7:13 pm
Pi$$, you are right. USC is horrible and OSU is a pretender. I just wish UGA had the gall to schedule juggernaut teams like Jax St and Clemson. Yeah, those teams always end up way, way up in the top 15. You’re right. I guess I’m stupid (sort of like your OL clown last night). My bad.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 18th, 2009
7:16 pm
Wow….don’t let this cat bring ya’ll into name calling. It is obvious to tell that Tech, just like Dawg fans do not like the cat calling that takes place on the blogs. That may be the only thing we have in common.
The reality of it is, is that Tech got it handed to them. The same thing may be said about us when we play a team just north of Miami, with some guy named Tebow.
GOOO DAWGS!
WOW
September 18th, 2009
7:18 pm
Looks like Tech’s bandwagon has turned into a whaaaaaambulance. I know Tech is 1 of the finest engineer schools in the world, but why can’t you guys count to 13? If you insist on using fatigue as an excuse, than the correct phrases to use would be:
Tech has played 3 games in 13 days
or
Tech has played 2 games in 12 days
or
Tech has played 1 game in 6 days
or
“ARE YOU THAT STUPID”
UGAissolastyear
September 18th, 2009
7:19 pm
Fine…but THERE HAS TO BE A PLAN B!!!! Option when working is great. If we are running it and winning fine – but if we are running it and not fairing well – THERE NEEDS TO BE A PLAN B!! And that is a QB that can PASS THE BALL!! Enough already – one dimensional teams will never rise to the top. Another thing that bothers me is he never really seems to take the blame. After Miami, he said ‘there’s a lot of blame to go around’. Ah….huh!? Suck it up coach and take the frickin blame once in awhile. Be a man. And PS: if your QB isn’t the greatest player, why call for him to throw the bomb on the very 1st play against Clemson?! Just assinine!!!
UGAissolastyear
September 18th, 2009
7:20 pm
meant to say ‘if your QB is not the greatest passer’ . . .
Kenny
September 18th, 2009
7:47 pm
GT don’t have a passing game. You cannot win in football without a passing game. The U pick the secondary apart last night ! Until GT start passing and maybe they can win a couple of games.
No passing No wins !
Kingcane
September 18th, 2009
7:47 pm
THE U IS BACK IN A BIG WAY,,,,THE ACC IS FINALLY GETTING WHAT IT WANTED OUT OF HAVING THE U COME TO THIS LEAGUE, A NATIONAL CHAMPION!
Pi$$onaDawg
September 18th, 2009
7:51 pm
WOW: Sept. 5 to Sept. 17 how did you even pass UGA math? 17-5 = 12. Sept. 5 at noon to Sept. 17 at 7:45 is still less than 13 days. STFU until you can do simple math 9-05-09 @ 1300, 9-6-1300, 9-7-1300, 9-8-1300, 9-9-1300, 9-10-1300, 9-11-1300, 9-12-1300, 9-13-1300, 9-14-1300, 9-15-1300, 9-16-1300, 9-17-1300 = 12 days and 6 & 3/4 hours. Do I need to do it for you again U F Redneck? Use your daddy’s teeth to do da count’n nexma timz.
Alabama Jack
September 18th, 2009
7:55 pm
You know this blog makes so much more sense if you ignore all screen names that contain the letters dawg.
Josh Nesbitt
September 18th, 2009
7:56 pm
Um sawry korch Jonsen. Ah wuz trine tah run en dw at haynd-awf en awl lak yew tawt me but em canes jess kep kummin up awn me. Ah tride payseen but em canes kep uh kummin awn me nen tew. Um sawry, korch. Hey yew gawn lemme een uh nayxt gaym, ayncha? Korch? Korch????
Aint Simons
September 18th, 2009
7:56 pm
Hey Saint Simons ! Where are you ????
Dont you wish the Nerds played on Saturdays when all of the real college football teams play. The A-SIS-See is a complete joke.
(((33-17))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(((33-17))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(((33-17))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(((33-17))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(((33-17))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(((33-17))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(((33-17))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(((33-17))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(((33-17))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA