On the wildest night imaginable, Tech shows its tenacity
Josh Nesbitt was surrounded early. But he broke through. (Photo by Stephen M. Dowell)
Tallahassee — We learned something about Georgia Tech last night/this morning. We learned several things, actually, and not all of them were good. But this part was:
Georgia Tech will fight until the last dog dies.
Georgia Tech will not bend to sentiment, to its own ineptitude, even to a fumble inside the red zone with the game on the line. Georgia Tech will fight to the end even if the end comes way past midnight. Georgia Tech might not be the nation’s best team, but it has as big a heart as anyone.
We flash forward. We flash past the five first-half Florida State touchdowns and the 78-minute delay for lightning. We gloss over the 403 yards the Seminoles amassed in 30 minutes and we move to the fourth quarter, to the bad Josh Nesbitt pitch that became the signature play of a screwball game.
Josh Nesbitt throws the ball away. Florida State’s Nigel Carr picks it up. Josh Nesbitt snatches — no other verb applies, really — it back. Soon Josh Nesbitt scores the touchdown that gives Tech an 11-point lead in a game that had been as tight as a tick all night/morning.
And right there it was: The fire that Paul Johnson didn’t see after the Jackets fooled around and yielded 17 points to Jacksonville State in the opener. The ferocity that wasn’t on display that lost Thursday night in Miami. The heart that might just yield a championship for these Jackets before it’s all said and done.
Said Johnson: “I’m proud of our team. They found a way.”
Yes, yes. We can quibble about the defense, and the lack thereof, and when you yield five touchdown drives and 403 yards in a half it’s more than quibbling. It’s doubts on the order of Willie Martinez doubting. But here was the thing. Trailing five times by a touchdown, Tech answered every time. It never let the game become a Bobby Bowden call-back-the-years testimonial. It kept playing. It kept scoring. And ultimately it claimed the game itself.
Loading ...You can say Tech will never win anything with a defense like this, but it just won a game of some importance with a defense like this. It won because the defense bowed up, as coaches say, and yielded only nine points in the second half while Tech was scoring 21, and the second half was the one that mattered. The first half, as wild as it was, was just for show. The second half was the measure of these teams, and we saw in the final two periods why FSU is doomed to fail and Tech is dressed for success.
The Jackets are turning into — pardon the expression, Tech folks — a junkyard dog of a team. They nearly blew a game against Clemson but took it back. They nearly were blown out of Doak Campbell Stadium on Papa Bowden Night (unofficial) after a week of uproar and a released statement of support by Florida’s governor — really! — for Bowden on Saturday. But they beat Clemson at the end and they ran down Florida State in the second half because these Jackets are turning into the feisty bunch PJ demanded they become.
The first half was ridiculous: Nine possessions, nine touchdowns. The second half was closer to real football, and the second half was no contest. Tech ran the ball and pushed FSU backward and made, wonder of wonders, the occasional stop, and when finally the game was on the line and the ball was there to be grabbed Josh Nesbitt grabbed it last and tightest.
And now Tech comes home, tired but buoyed, to face Virginia Tech in a game that could decide the ACC Coastal. The Hokies are a tough bunch. But these Jackets are rather salty themselves. They didn’t roll over for Papa Bowden. They won’t roll over for Brother Beamer.
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338 comments Add your comment
Bobby Colton
October 11th, 2009
1:01 am
Georgia Tech will beat Virginia Tech next Saturday!
James in Smyrna
October 11th, 2009
1:02 am
Josh Nesbitt – wow!!!!
Ernest
October 11th, 2009
1:02 am
This was an EXCITING game. It is GREAT to BEE a Yellow Jacket!
sharecropper
October 11th, 2009
1:03 am
Thank god I had my annual physical Wednesday and not tonight. I would have been hospitalized.
Cuz
October 11th, 2009
1:03 am
Go Jackets. Now go to bed. And go win the ACC.
From a Dawg.
zgoldatl
October 11th, 2009
1:03 am
Go Jackets!! Fight! Win! Drink! Get Naked!
SamInAtlanta
October 11th, 2009
1:03 am
I hope our 2nd half defense shows up next week…the offense will do fine.
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:04 am
Bowden: “The main problem is the wishbone — we couldn’t figure it out.”
Alabama Jack
October 11th, 2009
1:04 am
5-1 is better than 3-3. What a team, what a game, what a heart.
Now all we need is some Bud Carson style defense. Hope Dave Womack and the guys have it in them.
Can there be any other Coach of the Year besides PJ?
George P Burdell
October 11th, 2009
1:04 am
Josh Nesbitt is the best QB in the state. What a Warrior.
CarRamRod
October 11th, 2009
1:04 am
Just Awesome
GO JACKETS
Supersize that order, mutt
October 11th, 2009
1:04 am
Great article, Mark
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:05 am
Bowden on what would benefit FSU: “Don’t play the Wishbone anymore — that’s the best thing we can do. We can’t stop them.”
Supersize that order, mutt
October 11th, 2009
1:05 am
Maybe he couldn’t figure out the wishbone because we don’t run the damn wishbone. LOL
TechDan
October 11th, 2009
1:05 am
FIRST!!!
GO JACKETS!!
Ernest
October 11th, 2009
1:05 am
Mark, it isn’t it something when everyone in the stadium knows who will carry the ball yet nothing can be done to stop them consistently? Who said this offense will not work?
TECH
October 11th, 2009
1:06 am
I don’t know if we can beat VT, but that was a BIG WIN. So proud of Nesbit and the boys and proud to be a JACKET
GameTime
October 11th, 2009
1:06 am
Outstanding effort and heart!! So many great contributions by many players – a great team effort. Josh Nesbitt is a warrior that hates to lose. And tonight he made it happen. What a wonderful effort and great leadership.
TechDan
October 11th, 2009
1:06 am
Damn. I shouldn’t have stopped to actually read. No even close on that first.
DMWC
October 11th, 2009
1:06 am
“Georgia Tech will fight until the last dog dies.”
Awesome.
Mark Richt
October 11th, 2009
1:06 am
I shore wish I had sumbody who could run the dang ball like that tech. I thunk Hurshall still has a year of eligibilty lefft. I wunder how many yards theyll get against us?
ExecutiveStinger
October 11th, 2009
1:06 am
A signature win for Paul Johnson and Co.
Way to fight, way to claw, way to snatch!!!!
Defense needs work like Caleb King’s grades, but we’ll get there, he won’t….
GOOOO JACKETS!!!!!
5-1 GT
October 11th, 2009
1:06 am
Josh Nesbitt is one smart TOUGH dude.
Bebe's Kids
October 11th, 2009
1:07 am
Mark, great piece but did you really have to use the junkyard dog reference?? When was the last time we had this big of a game at Grant Field like we have this saturday? I really thought we were going to let this one slip away. THWG
mrb
October 11th, 2009
1:07 am
Great article Mark. You just sealed it. No way I’m getting to sleep tonight. Josh Nesbitt is the man…and he’s flying up the charts of favorite Jackets of all time. He flat-out took over that game, just like Mississloppie State last week and Carolina the week before.
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:07 am
Bowden on why he ordered the onside kick in the first half: “We couldn’t stop them — why give them the dadgum ball?”
George P Burdell
October 11th, 2009
1:07 am
Paul Johnson is the best college coach in the state also
Joe Schmoe
October 11th, 2009
1:07 am
Coach Paul Johnson is the man!!! GT will be around the top of the leauge for as long as Johnson is here. I hope we can find a new D coordinator in the offseason thought.
Paul Johnson's Thought Balloon
October 11th, 2009
1:08 am
Are these real Bowden quotes?
Tom
October 11th, 2009
1:08 am
Shades of many a performance by Tracy Ham-led Eagle teams……but with D-1A talent.
GTOldSchool21
October 11th, 2009
1:08 am
As a frosh, 17 years ago in Atlanta, Tech was up by 19 points against FSU with 6 min left (that’s how the story remains in my head). A legend was born that 4TH quarter with the “shotgun offense” as Charlie Ward and FSU came back to win. Tonight…sweet redemption…the “dadgum wishbone” offense puts the nail in the coffin of a legend, Bobby Bowden. GO TECH 49-44!!!!!!!
rocket
October 11th, 2009
1:08 am
going to be a great night at Homecoming…..BZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:08 am
Bowden said he didn’t think the distractions affected his team. He said the captains wanted to do the solidarity walk during introductions with him in the middle. He said he tried to get away from them but they picked him up and wouldn’t let him go.
HATS OFF TO JOSH NESBITT
October 11th, 2009
1:08 am
Folks-
Got to cheer for this kid Nesbitt on every play. He busts his tail, all the while many criticize him on talent… Love this kid. He is a model for college players. Let’s beat VA TECH next week!!!!!!!!!!
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:09 am
Yes. These are Bowden quotes. They were piped into the press box via TV.
Ernest
October 11th, 2009
1:09 am
Joe Schmoe, in fairness we need more ‘beef’ on the defensive line. I trust that PJ and company will ‘coach up’ the players we have to overcome that, though.
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:09 am
What? You thought I was making them up?
SamInAtlanta
October 11th, 2009
1:10 am
Mark. What were PJ’s comments on our defense?
Paul Johnson's Thought Balloon
October 11th, 2009
1:10 am
Well he does have predictable vernacular.
Not Disappointed!
October 11th, 2009
1:11 am
Cuz, you’re a classy act. I wish there were more Jackets and Bulldogs like you. Have a good nite. You will see me on the dawg blog to encourage not bash.
Great Game Jackets. Wife kicked me out of the bed because Wes was loud on the radio.lol
Ramblin Wreck tired!
Supersize that order, mutt
October 11th, 2009
1:11 am
I knew you weren’t making them up. Bowden and the two stupid announcers tonight are the only people on earth who think we run the wishbone.
Coastal Division
October 11th, 2009
1:11 am
The Hokies better be ready to rumble with Nesbitt ,,,,,, THE MAN
fatdawg
October 11th, 2009
1:11 am
My gawd Bobby….get in the bed. Get in the bed Bobby, you’re nearly 80 years old. Munson has long been sleeping by 1 AM.
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:11 am
Bowden didn’t mention Tech’s D. He just trashed his own D.
Tampa Wreck
October 11th, 2009
1:12 am
I agree with everything except the junkyard dog comment.. That was a low blow. Thanks for staying up with us all night Mark.
And yes Josh was definitely the man tonight.. He doesn’t alway make the best reads. His passes are not always accurate. He’s a little sloppy with the ball sometimes, but the guy definitely has a heart as bid as a watermelon. I’ll take that any day.
Jon
October 11th, 2009
1:12 am
Wow, what a great game. Didn’t think it would be this close but whew….
Joe Schmoe
October 11th, 2009
1:12 am
Ernest, too true! No pass rush whatsoever.
Cuz
October 11th, 2009
1:12 am
I think the junkyard dog reference was a compliment. Except he spelled Dawg wrong. Heck Mark is tired. I will cut him some slack.
21
October 11th, 2009
1:12 am
A great win. After watching games from noon past midnight, the only defensive players from Georgia that I saw make any great or even good plays were playing for Tennessee or Florida. At least we have a great offense with a great plan.
Rocket City Jacket
October 11th, 2009
1:12 am
GO JACKETS, spread option and CPJ! THWG! THWVT! THWF$U!
Mark
October 11th, 2009
1:13 am
The TEAM was great.
PJ verses Bowden and three assistant coaches scratching their heads.
Nebitt willed the victory . . . played better than Tebow , , , did ESPN even notice????
Running / Passing was great.
Defense . . . hey, they kept it exciting and hung in there.
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:13 am
Mark is so tired he believes he just saw Tech yield 44 points and win anyway.
Matt the Jacket
October 11th, 2009
1:13 am
Poetry Mark!!! Go Yellow Jackets!!! Couldn’t be prouder of Georgia Tech. The Dodd days are back!
rocket
October 11th, 2009
1:13 am
get ready for Homecoming….should be fun!!!
Alabama Jack
October 11th, 2009
1:13 am
Oh yeah, and did anyone notice Bey Bey padded his lead over the vaunted A J Green – Bey Bey 84 yards and a TD, Green 60 yards and 0 TDs.
ExecutiveStinger
October 11th, 2009
1:13 am
Bob Davie is an idiot.
I cannot fathom how he was ever hired at Notre Dame. I have never heard worse commentary in my life. Never once has CPJ said we run the wishbone. Our base set is the flexbone. We have never lined up in the wishbone. How about the spread option? Davie is a joke.
mrb
October 11th, 2009
1:14 am
that is hands down, the craziest football game I have ever witnessed
Tampa Wreck
October 11th, 2009
1:14 am
I know the Wishbone. I watched Pepper run the Wishbone on the flats while at Tech in the 70’s This ain’t no stinkin wishbone.
CPJhomer
October 11th, 2009
1:14 am
I don’t think Coach Johnson will have any problem telling it like it is with his “D”.
Paul Johnson's Thought Balloon
October 11th, 2009
1:15 am
I’m gonna make the defense run wind sprints. over on Bankhead Hwy. at 3am. each individually. alone. with any weapons. they’ll learn some defense.
JacketMan
October 11th, 2009
1:15 am
I am sooo proud of CPJ and especially JOSH the man. I am proud to be a Jacket. and those Vols did us proud……a true yellow jacket—–soo happy to see the red-neck dags get crushed!!!
Perfect night in Maui—great sunset—jackets win—Dags lose biggg.
Mark
October 11th, 2009
1:15 am
Remember, this is the offense Eric Zeier calls “HIGH SCHOOL”.
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:15 am
I’m not going to say Tech was devastating tonight — at least not on defense — but not many teams could have come into this environment and trailed virtually for three quarters and still taken over the game.
Did I mention it was a weird game?
Ernest
October 11th, 2009
1:15 am
Mark, thanks for staying up with us! I still psyched and can’t sleep.
BTW, might this make the AJC home delivery edition on Sunday?
Cuz
October 11th, 2009
1:16 am
Mark is so tired he is writing in the third person. Must be tough getting out of the pressbox.
Joe Schmoe
October 11th, 2009
1:16 am
Oh and to the UGA fan THWGT, your a low down piece of trash. Wishing a major injury on young men is disgusting, just because you dont like the team. You sir are no gentleman.
No semihole fan
October 11th, 2009
1:16 am
Changing of the guard is ugly.
Jason
October 11th, 2009
1:16 am
Mark, I am normally a silent reader on your posts, but I must say, thats a very well written article. Good job.
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:16 am
Thanks, Jason.
Cuz
October 11th, 2009
1:16 am
Weird, only about twenty times Mark, but who is counting.
Tampa Wreck
October 11th, 2009
1:17 am
Tampa Wreck is so tired he just thought he saw Tech turn the ball over 3 times in the second half and still outscore FSU 21-9.
If that didn’t give me a coranary.. nothing will.
mtraininjax
October 11th, 2009
1:17 am
Mark – Did Bobby mention the fact that Nesbitt ran the dive most every play in the 4th and FSU could not stop it? They could not even stop Tech for no gain.
Why do you think Clemson was able to stop it, but FSU was not?
Oldasyouschool
October 11th, 2009
1:17 am
Dang OldSchool21, you just made me feel old. I was a freshman at that game too. Feels good to have a coach that’s 2-0 against FSU.
Sports Fan
October 11th, 2009
1:17 am
This was ugly, but I’ll take it. The D looks terrible…we need something to change!
jojatek
October 11th, 2009
1:17 am
Unbelievably solid performance from Nesbitt… last week’s win against MSU was absolutely huge for his confidence, but tonight he played like a true veteran… a leader who knows he can overcome anything in any situation, and a team that is starting to feed off of that confidence. A great, great win for us… let’s enjoy it for a few hours, then turn the page quickly to the Hokies…
Tyrod Taylor is peaking right now, and the Hokie defense is very, very good (not to mention special teams and “Beamer Ball”). We’ll have our hands full next Saturday, but the atmosphere will be like a Bowl game… this is what GT football should be all about… thanks CPJ for bringing back discipline, hard work, and the kind of humble confidence that used to define both programs in this state… Go Jackets!!!
CW
October 11th, 2009
1:17 am
Those quick strike TD’s in the first half damn near wore our defense out. Three touchdowns on four first half plays! Are you kidding me?
Our defense was absolutely SHREDDED by Ponder and their receivers. They really have a good QB, but their defense made Tech look like the Steel Curtain.
We’ll worry about VT tomorrow. Right now, time to celebrate two in a row over Florida State!
GTOldSchool21
October 11th, 2009
1:18 am
Hey Mark, I actually like your blog here…if only you would stop covering Uga for good….
Craig from Dublin
October 11th, 2009
1:18 am
Unreal game. One of the craziest I’ve ever watched without a doubt.
Cuz
October 11th, 2009
1:18 am
cause Clemson aint got no Bowden no more.
Tom
October 11th, 2009
1:19 am
Tonight is why Bill Belichick spent days at USNA watching film…trying to figure out a way to stop this offense when it’s running right.
Did I mention he still hasn’t?
Mike Knobler
October 11th, 2009
1:19 am
Nice work, as usual, Mark.
Tampa Wreck
October 11th, 2009
1:19 am
Enter your comments here
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:19 am
As fate would have it, I’ll be doing Vandy-Georgia next week. That’s the way the ol’ schedule falls.
raddy
October 11th, 2009
1:19 am
Thanks for the late updates and quotes, Mark
Who wants Chan back?
October 11th, 2009
1:19 am
GT never showed this much heart with Chan as a headcoach. What an exciting game! But, our defense worries me. I wish we had a few weeks before VT game. THWG
BuzzGT
October 11th, 2009
1:19 am
Nesbitt is a warrior. He gets pounded on every play and still has the gas to win games in the 4th quarter. He can even win games that stretch over a 2 day period.
Tech Won
October 11th, 2009
1:20 am
What a sweet weekend! Tech wins, ugag loses AGAIN. All is right in the world. 2nd half D – show up for VT next week and we control our destiny. Proud of our team – GO TECH!!! THWG
Mark Bradley
October 11th, 2009
1:20 am
Thanks, Mike. Longer night here than at Clemson in 2004. (The night I told you the wrong guy caught the next-to-last Tech touchdown.)
Dacula Jacket
October 11th, 2009
1:20 am
Loved the article, Mark. Great game Nesbitt and the rest of the offense!! Defense has to play better for us to beat VT. We definitely can’t afford to spot them 44 like we did tonight. GO JACKLETS!
GTMike
October 11th, 2009
1:20 am
Mark, thank you for the blog and comments. Bowden’s quotes are humourous as well.
Not sure GT can win a championship with this defense. But one thing for sure, we’ll be playing for one next Saturday night. No one else in the state can say that!
ExecutiveStinger
October 11th, 2009
1:21 am
Did Rod Mackenzie hang in there too Mark? I hope he didn’t dose off after the effects of his pre-game tailgate……
Not Disappointed!
October 11th, 2009
1:21 am
Joe Schmoe who wish that on a player? Geez! Somebody has issues?
G Man
October 11th, 2009
1:21 am
Very nice article Mark. And you’re right on point. While the second half was the true measure of both teams, Tech really showed me something when it scored 4 straight times in response to FSU scores. Does anyone really doubt it would have scored another TD in that first half if any time had been left on the clock?
They say teams adopt the heart of their coach. PJ knows no fear, and neither does Tech. Big game in the ATL next weekend.
BuzzGT
October 11th, 2009
1:21 am
I am enjoyed the article. It gave me something to do while the knots in my stomach unwind.
Cuz
October 11th, 2009
1:21 am
Mark, I am sorry, truly I am.
The Cumberland River shootout, the horror, the horror.
reebok
October 11th, 2009
1:22 am
Mark. thanks. Great post. I am too wired to sleep. But I am so proud of this team. VT may kill us next week, but I love this team.
GTOldSchool21
October 11th, 2009
1:22 am
There was another shootout at DC back in 1999 I believe….Joe Ham to Dez White and Kelly Campbell but Tech couldn’t close it out….Tonight was the first win for Tech at Doak since FSU joined the ACC…just FYI….and don’t forget the 51-3 smashing Tech got in 93…I don’t…which makes this win all the better….
JacketMan
October 11th, 2009
1:23 am
Mark—is Josh OK after this tough game? He was a warrior and a champion
not to take anything away from
October 11th, 2009
1:23 am
our hard fought victory but….
i think that this would have been a completely different game had the acc ref made the correct call on the opening kick off.
had we been allowed to recover that ‘fumble’ and scored ,fsu would have folded like a cheap card table and we would have won going away.
Randy Rhino
October 11th, 2009
1:23 am
Tenacity, consistency and discipline are the ingredients for a successful program.
PJ just knows how to win, plain and simple.