Tech’s Paul Johnson: A coach who dares to be great
Josh Nesbitt after scoring the game-winner in overtime. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
The surprise wasn’t that Paul Johnson went for it on fourth-and-inches with Tampa on the line. The surprise was that, for half a minute, it seemed Paul Johnson wasn’t going for it on fourth-and-1 with Tampa on the line.
Down three points in overtime, ball nuzzling the 5: What else would PJ do? “If we can’t get half a yard,” he said, “we don’t deserve to win.”
First Georgia Tech faked everyone out. The Jackets lined up as if to run a play but did the ol’ draw-’em-offside bit to no avail. They called timeout and trotted to the sideline, and your first thought was, “PJ just chickened out.” But PJ doesn’t chicken out. He talks the talk and goes on fourth down.
“If you ask the kids to play to win,” he said, “you’ve got to play to win.”
He’d asked his quarterback what he thought, and Josh Nesbitt, who’s as bold as his coach, said: “I can make it.” And PJ said: “I know you can.” And then Nesbitt did, and one play later he was in the end zone and Tech had climbed a couple of rungs up the BCS standings and drawn within one win of the ACC title game. So you can’t say there was nothing at stake. But PJ’s way is to play to win no matter the consequences, no matter the history.
Four times Tech had gone on fourth down already, and four times it had failed. Nesbitt had fumbled the snap and slipped in the backfield and gotten stopped at the line and thrown a pass Anthony Allen dropped. One more slip and Tech would lose. But this time nobody slipped. This time Nesbitt ducked his head and got the yard.
Tech wobbled Saturday. It started nicely but began to commit penalties at a Georgia-esque rate, and a quick 10-point lead became a 17-10 halftime deficit. It could have been worse, but Dave Wommack’s underwhelming defenders stopped Wake Forest at the end of the first half and then limited the Deacs to one first down over the next 25 minutes.
And then, even after Wake tied it, the D made a stand near the end of regulation to force overtime, and once beyond 60 minutes, PJ and Nesbitt weren’t going to let the Jackets lose. “You just will your way to win,” Johnson would say, and that’s what happened here.
Derrick Morgan had three sacks, all essential. Jonathan Dwyer rushed for 189 yards, 59 coming on Tech’s first snap of the second half when he burst up the middle on a tweaked play for the tying touchdown. (”Something I saw,” said Johnson, the archduke of adjustments.) Wake being Wake, it would never simply slink away into the gathering dusk, but Tech matched the Deacs in heart and trumped them in skill and gall.
Into overtime. Tech held Wake to a field goal and the game was the Jackets’ to win or lose, which meant it was PJ’s and Nesbitt’s, and was there ever any doubt how it would end? Said Johnson: “I don’t think [his players] expected anything else [than going for it on fourth down]. Our defensive guys knew we were going for it.”
Said Dwyer: “Who wouldn’t want to play for a coach like that?”
Before the game, Johnson had given his men an impassioned speech. He told them “not to put the horse before the cart” and ponder what might be waiting down the road. This prompted someone to ask: Doesn’t the horse generally go before the cart?
“Horse before the cart, cart before the horse,” Johnson said. “Maybe that’s why we came out flat.”
No matter. It all worked out in the end. PJ dared and Nesbitt made it work and Tech’s cart and horse, in whichever order you prefer, drew another hundred miles closer to a title game in Tampa.
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552 comments Add your comment
Georgia Tech Breakin Neckz
November 8th, 2009
12:06 pm
Who care bout the dawgs L-dawg not your year and if you dont get rid of mark richt it will be a long time before you have a season that means anything
Pi$$onaDawg
November 8th, 2009
12:08 pm
Actually Gordon Muir at the Varsity will give you a chance to prove yourself. See Gordon is a UGA fan and feels it is his job to hire dumb UGA fans. How do you spell “what do you have”? I think it is close to “How about the Dogs”. See it is all in the delivery not the spelling.
wreckmaniac
November 8th, 2009
12:09 pm
As far as TECH-UGA its the biggest game of the year for UGA. After laying eggs on all of their other key games, its the only redemption game they have. Bobo will have several sexy new plays and a bunch of other junk.
For most of us Tech fans, I think, beating UGA is far bigger than winning some Tampa champ game or winning a bowl. Beating UGA last year was far bigger than the Peach bowl. PJ understands this and will be ready. His predecessor just looked at it as another game.
To be clear, Duke is the biggest game of the year because this team deserves to be division champs. After that UGA is the biggest game left. I don’t care if Tech gets a bowl game against, say Texas, UGA is bigger. We have reached the top 10 of the BCS. Beating UGA is the next key achievement unless we have a chance to be #1 which will not happen
sidslid
November 8th, 2009
12:09 pm
Local rankings today:
GT Football
Falcons (hawks, thrashers stumbling over bad teams)
Hawks
GT Basketball
Thrashers
Braves(unless they get Vlad Guerrero)
UGA Football
UGA b’ball
Person of the weekend:PJ 4th and one may be Tech’s Lindsey Scott
wreckmaniac
November 8th, 2009
12:12 pm
Do you think all of Willie Martinez posts on here is an effort to become an assistant to D Wommack next year ?
Mike
November 8th, 2009
12:12 pm
Where the hell is Yellow Fuzz? I figured he’d be giving it to the dawg nation with both barrels this morning.
GT4Ever
November 8th, 2009
12:13 pm
RogerDawg
November 7th, 2009
9:28 pm
What we have is a sub-par coach in CPJ getting accolades galore out of our “fine’ journalist staff (Bradley and Schultz). You two must have CPJ buying ya’ll breakfast on a weekly basis…otherwise I have no clue what ya’ll are seeing through your rose colored glasses. CMR still is the best. Book it.
That’s a good one!!!! HA HA HA…How can you call CMR the best in state when you have 5 star recruits up and down your rotser and you’re barley above .500? That right there shows wait a horrible job CMR has done this year and now you want to call CPJ out. Give me a break. Great teams are suppose to just reload after losing players. Not go down the tubes and play like an inept mediocre team. With what CMR has on the roster he should also be 9-1 not 5-4. UGA plays like the most underprepared team I’ve ever seen. Penalities galore, which CMR just shrugs off. Undisciplined and lack of effort. Just like the late hit on Tebow last week. Don’t go calling out someone until your own guy looks himself in the mirror.
Pi$$onaDawg
November 8th, 2009
12:17 pm
Yellow Fuzz is a HER and she is at church with her family. I didn’t make it today.
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
12:22 pm
WHOOOOO…….BIG BAD DUKE……BIGGEST GAME OF YEAR…….CPJ IN J.NES FACE !….WHAT BECAME OF PIGGLY WIGGLY…….OH THE VARSITY NEEDED THE TOILETS CLEANED…..PJ 4TH WAS AWESOME AGAINST WEAK FORMOST
GT4Ever
November 8th, 2009
12:24 pm
It’s hard to believe but since the FSU game our defense has went from 90th in the country to 53rd. That’s pretty good in my book. With all the injuries and what not going on we still have played a lot better. I was impressed a little with Blair’s kickoffs toady. A lot depper than I’ve seen. He acutally got one to the goal line WAHOO!!!!
Every team has a game like this and I’m proud of our guys. It wasn’t the prettiest one but we did win in the end and that’s all that matters. Like CPJ said they were playing not to lose instead of playing to win. I belive it has to do with all the youthfulness on our team. Let’s face it, Tech hasn’t had this kind of success in a very long time. They did play like they were scared to lose. Maybe now we can just go out and just play from now on. GO JACKETS!!!!!
wreckmaniac
November 8th, 2009
12:25 pm
Lord, please keep CMR at UGA.
stiggywiggy
November 8th, 2009
12:25 pm
Brilliant, BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL: The Varsity makes sure that prospective chili steak makers pass a spelling test. Yeah, right. Incidentally, how does it feel having a program on par with Baylor’s?
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
12:29 pm
GT4EVER NEEDS TO GO TO CLASS IN THE AM WITH PIGGLY WIGGLY……….ROTSER?……BARLEY?……..YEA YOU NEED YELLOW FUZZ TO HELP YOU
stiggywiggy
November 8th, 2009
12:29 pm
Say, BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL: The dawgs are hiring now. It’s a special position which I believe is right down your alley. They’re looking for someone to stand by Cox on the sidelines and wipe the sweat off his purple face, so that he can see and at least attempt to keep dawgie games within the spread by which they’re predicted to LOSE.
GT Alum
November 8th, 2009
12:30 pm
Booger Picker, you better log off grandma’s computer and report to Kroger to start bagging those groceries. Clemson may lose this week since NC State owns them. I hope not, though, so we can shut up your inbred arrss once and for all in the ACC championship game.
Clemson is lucky to play in the soft side of the ACC. They would be an afterthought in the Coastal division..
stiggywiggy
November 8th, 2009
12:31 pm
Speaking of classes, BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL, how did you do in your UGA course: “Your Ass and a Hole in the Ground: A Comparative Study?”
I think that’s the one that Sylvester Boler flunked.
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
12:31 pm
PIGGLY WIGGLY…..I SEE MISS LANDERS TOLD YOU HOW TO SPELL THIS TIME…..OR WAS IT THE BEAVER?
GT Alum
November 8th, 2009
12:32 pm
Booger Picker, are you really as dumb as you appear to be in these blogs? Shouldn’t you still be partying on the field at death valley after beating unranked FSU??
wreckmaniac
November 8th, 2009
12:32 pm
Order has been restored. Tech is in its rightfull place, top 10 BCS, and UGA is on the back page where insignificant teams playing insignificant games are listed in tiny print. We can never allow any disruption to ever occur again. This Clarke county upstart needs to know its proper place in the world. Just like in the 50’s.
GT Alum
November 8th, 2009
12:33 pm
You’re not funny either. Keep your day job bagging groceries.
son_sir
November 8th, 2009
12:33 pm
Just finished the GT/Wake replay on the DVR after seeing it in person yesterday. Defense wasn’t quite as bad as I thought…. Skinner “threaded the needle” on a few…. Other DL’s are going to have to step up and give Morgan some help with the pass rush….The refs were as awful as they looked from the stands. What, exactly, were the replay officials looking at on the Wake sideline “reception” ??? Tech avoiding the trap game by the skin of their teeth. Time to thank the Lord, forget about it, and move on.
Tech has to step up again this week then get a much needed break to heal some bodies and get ready for the hatefest. This ACCCG/BCS stuff will take care of itself. Tech has to take care of Duke.
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
12:34 pm
GT ALUM ………… YEAH, YOUR SIDE IS AWESOME
GT4Ever
November 8th, 2009
12:36 pm
Give PJ a raise!
November 7th, 2009
9:52 pm
George you may be right about CPH….but with some bowl money and some passing of the hat after all these wins at BD stadium, we might come up with enough $$$ to keep him here and not answer his cell phone…..
And to answer Boot’s comments on which coach to take? Priceless!!!
I’ve heard through the grapevine that CPJ doesn’t plan on going anywhere or isn’t thinking about it. Why would he pass up coaching in the south with all the wealth of talent in the surrounding HS. The man’s not stupid. He’s not going anywhere. He loves it here!!!
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:37 pm
Y’ALL LIKE MY DUMB-ASS POSTS? Y’ALL WANT ME TO CONTINUE? WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW TO TURN OFF THAT DANG CAPS LOCK?
I STILL TAKE OFFENSE AT BEING COMPARED TO BAYLOR, THOUGH. W’UNS GOT BETTER LOOKING CHEERLEADERS THAN THEM BEARS.
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
12:37 pm
WOW!……BIG TRAP GAME….WEAK FORMOST…….DAWG FAN SAYS CHECK CLEMSON / WAKE SCORE
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:39 pm
I STILL GOT MAH LIDSAY SCOTT-LINDSAY SCOTT CASSETTE. AND HERSHEL WAS AWESOME.
Patrick
November 8th, 2009
12:40 pm
How is it possible that Tech beat WF yesterday? Heck, I thought UGA beat Tech.
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:40 pm
I AM PRODUCING BOOGERS FASTER THAN I CAN DIGEST THEM. WOULD SOMEONE ELSE LIKE TO DINE?
son_sir
November 8th, 2009
12:41 pm
Yeah Booger.. Trap game means having a letdown against an inferior opponent. For reference, see your Homecoming game against Vandy a couple of years ago…..
GT4Ever
November 8th, 2009
12:42 pm
KillerBee
November 7th, 2009
10:07 pm
Just Googled Elizabeth Lambert — let’s sign her up as a DB !!!
I think Urban Meyer’s already placed a call to the girl. I don’t think Spikes would like her to well with his long dreads and all.
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:42 pm
DID YOU’UNS SEE THE WHUPPIN’ WE PUT ON TECH YESTERDAY?
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:43 pm
I SEE BOOGERS FALLING FROM THE SKY. OH, MY BAD. THEY’RE JUST FALLING FROM MY NOSTRILS.
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
12:44 pm
HE CANT EVEN GET THE NAME RIGHT…..BOOGER MAN,SIR… YOU DONT HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR NAME ASS HAT,DO I SENSE TEARS IN YOUR EYES OR IS THAT YELLOW STUFF URINE? LOCKS SO ASS HATS LIKE YOU GET THE MESSAGE……
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:45 pm
MAYBE WE SHOULD TRY A GREEN-OUT, SINCE ALL THEM OTHER COLORS AIN’T WORKING. LET’S JUST SMEAR OUR BOOGERS ALL OVER OUR OVERALLS.
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:47 pm
I SAID “LOCKS SO ASS HATS. ” I KNOW, I KNOW. IT MADE NO SENSE. THAT WAS THEM BOOGERS SPEAKING. SORRY.
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:48 pm
DO YOU’UNS THINK WE’UNS HAVE A CHANCE AGAINST THEM WILDCATS? I AIN’T SURE WE EVER FACED NO WILDCAT FORMATION.
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
12:49 pm
GO CLEMSON
Pi$$onaDawg
November 8th, 2009
12:51 pm
TECH fans if we can get “them” in Bobby Dodd. We need to bring all the empty ANTIFREEZE Gallon jugs we can to throw at UGA VII and willie we can. HAHAHHAHA
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:51 pm
IF YOU MIX YOUR RED MAN WITH YOUR BOOGERS YOU GET A NICE RED AND GREEN MIXTURE. AND IT’S TASTY TOO. AND THEN YOU ALREADY GOT JOE COX’S PURPLE FACE. WE’S COLORFUL. WE’UNS MAY PLAY LIKE TULANE, BUT WEUNS HAVE SOME PURTY COLORS.
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
12:53 pm
I THINCK BOOGER EATER IS HAVING A PISSY FIT! CALM DOWN ITS OK…..GOT TO GO NOW, WILL CHECK BACK WITH YOU TICKS LATER
BOOGER EATER FROM HARTWELL
November 8th, 2009
12:54 pm
IF’N WE WUZ TO BEAT AUBURN, DO YOU’UNS THINK ESPN WOULD FINALLY TALK ABOUT US?
stiggywiggy
November 8th, 2009
12:57 pm
“I THINCK BOOGER EATER IS HAVING A PISSY FIT!” Looks like Booger Man won’t get that Varsity job when was talking about, you know: that job which he “THINCKS” might require spelling prowess.
GT4Ever
November 8th, 2009
12:59 pm
DawginLex
November 7th, 2009
10:48 pm
Cox actually played well today and Gray looked horrible so once again, Coach Richt was right about continuing to play Cox. Ealey is going to be great and Samuel will be a LB in 2010.
Clemson is now winning and they are going to be hard to beat in Tampa.
It’s the Spiller show and nothing else.
GT4Ever
November 8th, 2009
1:03 pm
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
12:29 pm
GT4EVER NEEDS TO GO TO CLASS IN THE AM WITH PIGGLY WIGGLY……….ROTSER?……BARLEY?……..YEA YOU NEED YELLOW FUZZ TO HELP YOU
I didn’t know spelling was a prerequisite. At least I don’t write in caps like some 5 year old or a UGA homer.
booger
November 8th, 2009
1:05 pm
boogerman – you are an imposter, and illiterate, too. go back to noodlin fish.
INSIDER – great posts. ajc should hire you.
booger
November 8th, 2009
1:07 pm
why do doggs even bother to comment – your team is crappy.
macrotech
November 8th, 2009
1:07 pm
Booger Man, “OR IS THAT YELLOW STUFF URINE?”….it IS!!! WE pissed on the pups last season and look forward to pissin’ all over the mutts again THIS season!!! GO TECH!!! (To all respectable and reasonable Dawg fans…this level of disrespect is aimed at a single dawg fan as I’ve respected a good many of you and your thoughts throughout this season…)
BOOGER MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 8th, 2009
1:12 pm
PIGGLY WIGGLY…….GOOD JOB CATCHING TYPO…..OR DID MISS LANDERS SEE IT? THE BEAVER MAYBE? SERIOUSLY THOUGH I MUST GO NOW. I WILL CHECK BACK LATER AND SEE IF YOU GOT OVER YOUR PISSY FIT……..SEE YA
Pi$$onaDawg
November 8th, 2009
1:13 pm
Falcon TD on the first drive. I think the SKINS have a SEC(auburn) QB Tech beat a couple of times too.
Number 7
November 8th, 2009
1:15 pm
GT No. 7 in AP and Coaches