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
Pi$$onaDawg
November 8th, 2009
12:01 am
Florida is Big and Bad, Tennessee is Funny and Sad, but only team we can beat is Georgia State. Go Dawgs
Joe Schmoe
November 8th, 2009
12:01 am
superDawg
November 7th, 2009
11:49 pm
laugh all you want your day is coming.Nov.28,2009!
I am laughing that you dont think it is funny. Chill out man, have a valium and a yohoo!
Joe Schmoe
November 8th, 2009
12:03 am
macrotech
November 7th, 2009
11:51 pm
Fourth and balls!!! Now THAT’S funny!!! Anybody else cool with calling this our ‘trap’ game?! This may have been the MOST anxious game I’ve seen….since the FSU game!!! GO TECH!!! 9-1!!!
When are we not going to play a game that is not considered a “trap” game. Its just some crap that ESPN made up to get ratings. The good teams always beat the teams they are supposed to beat.
L-Dawg
November 8th, 2009
12:08 am
GLORY GLORY TO OLE UGA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good news with our thrilling dismantling of Tenn Tech Cbs sports.com predicts we will move from being ranked #51 to somewhere in the low 40’s!!!!!!! Props to Willy and Bobo for a great game plan!! top 40 here we come. Were like a train going down hill you cant stop us now.
Time to take off the Jorts and put on my David Green PJ’s. It was a great Saturday in GA Good night to ALL.
Pi$$onaDawg
November 8th, 2009
12:09 am
ESPN still has nothing to say good about TECH. Now ESPN is on the Clemson is great bandwagon and Spiller is now going to New York for Heisman Night. 6-3 Clemson is great, but I am not buying it all just yet.
Splavistic
November 8th, 2009
12:12 am
Go Jackets! Sting ‘em!
L-Dawg
November 8th, 2009
12:12 am
GLORY GLORY TO OLE UGA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good news with our thrilling dismantling of Tenn Tech Cbs sports.com predicts we will move from being ranked #51 to somewhere in the low 40’s!!!!!!! Props to Willy and Bobo for a great game plan!! top 40 here we come. Were like a train going down hill you cant stop us now. Time to take off the Dip stained JEAN shorts and put on my David Greene PJ’s. What a Great Saturday in GA Good night to all!!!
Pi$$onaDawg
November 8th, 2009
12:14 am
ESPN is now on the Clemson Bandwagon 6-3 and they are the powerhouse in the ACC. They are good but I am not buying it all just yet. After last night ESPN has Spiller sitting in New York at the Heisman Dinner. Spiller was hurting against FSU and they still have at least 3 games left.
superDawg
November 8th, 2009
12:18 am
lord have mercy on all you idiots.Nov.28,2009!
ProudTechFan
November 8th, 2009
12:22 am
well i just got back from the hospital, they had to revive me after that great finish… Im not going to lie, its was really hard to watch, but to experience what happened on the flats today was simply incredible. It pretty much went down the way i thought it would at the end. We have all seen Tech try to draw the defense offsides with the hard count. Never really works. But to call the timeout and still go for it takes guts. no way Nesbitt wanted anyone on the field who has a scholarship to kick field goals on the field. that guy is truly something special. Props to him, Dwyer and the rest of the team for all the hard work. Its paying off. Props to WF, they are one hell of team, they played as about as good as you can but just came up short. One game at a time. and Duke is next. Hope the team can see the light at the end of the tunnel, it is as bright as ever all we have to do is chase it like it is running from us and it is ours.
GO JACKETS!!!!
THWG
Bobo the man
November 8th, 2009
12:23 am
superDawg…….
Dont be so mad as a fellow Buldawg be glad. Willy and Bobo put a great game plan together today in order to beat a good Tenn Tech team. We’re going to move from #51 ranking to somewhere in the 40’s. So go grab a natural Ice light and a fresh can of copenhagan and party a little.
All Liquored Up
November 8th, 2009
12:25 am
THEM DEACONS ARE GOOD, UMMMMMMMMMMMM K!
Jupiter
November 8th, 2009
12:29 am
Heck of a game Jackets…. next time win by 56 so my blood pressure pills don’t take a hit (They’re expensive).
I could care less about national rankings! We have one game that matters…. DUKE!
Why in the hell did we pass so much and ineffective in the 2nd QTR? Did CPJ briefly lose his mind?
Wommack, I’m warning you now, if you don’t bump those WR off their routes you will get beat. The underneath passes are eating you up. That Tampa Two coverage will provide mismatches. Cedric should not have been covering a slot receiver. Put your safety over the top watching the QB (Talk with Iowa’s DC). We are getting enough pressure that a QB’s timing would be thrown off if his receiver was 10 yds off course. I hope we switch to a 3-3-5 or a 3-4-4 one day.
Finally, who on here hates Mark May? Let’s petition to have him removed from ESPN!
SuperB
November 8th, 2009
12:48 am
For God’s sake– it was Wake Forest! GT had to struggle on home turf to beat alosing team in OT. It wasn’t the BCS title game.
GTcoaches
November 8th, 2009
12:52 am
Using a golf term – NC has provided Tech a good read on how to play Duke. NC
showed how to shutdown Lewis’ passing and the rushing game. Study the tape and beat the Dukies. One more game then a break.
nebraska jacket
November 8th, 2009
1:06 am
I’ve got a bromance for CPJ
Colo Tech Fan
November 8th, 2009
1:07 am
Great WIN Jackets! I’m especially proud of the TECH Defense. They are young and inexperienced but are really stepping up. The Defensive coaching staff is doing very well at making adjustments and helping to win games. I’m confused by all the negativty from you YAHOO’S complaining about the defense. GT is 9-1!! Can you just BACK OFF and give them a little support instead of all the nasty remarks!!!!! This is BY FAR the best season that TECH has had in a LONG TIME!! Try to enjoy it!!
GT9
November 8th, 2009
1:09 am
Very good writing, Mr. Bradley.
Great game, JACKETS! 9-1
Skinner and Russell are pretty good football players.
BEAT DUKE!
As far as not getting pressure on Skinner, we sacked him 3 or 4 times. There was a lot of holding going on by Wake that wasn’t called. They pulled Morgan’s helmet off one time. They couldn’t block him so they had to tackle him. Yes, tackling is part of the game. It’s illegal when done by offensive lineman. No matter. We won.
BEAT Duke!
GTFalconsHawksBraves
November 8th, 2009
1:10 am
Huge win, From a Look at you’re coach perspective. PJ wins where ever he goes and this is the first of many 10 win seasons. Sorry UGA. You’re DOne Sons
Go Tech
Go Falcons
Pi$$onaDawg
November 8th, 2009
1:20 am
We need to handle DUKE and really need the BYE Week to rest the guys.
macrotech
November 8th, 2009
1:25 am
Joe Schmoe, I hear ya…however, Tech has a history of taking games off (or trap games). I’m just glad we got this win and look forward to our next one!!! GO TECH!!!
superDawg, you prove to be quite the little man. CPJ going for it on fourth and one in overtime took balls….YOU getting on the blogs after having disappeared for most of the season is LAUGHABLE!!! Nice little five and four season ya got going over there in athens….be patient; we’ll get to the pups when it’s their turn for a beat down!!!
Gailey Can't Coach
November 8th, 2009
1:30 am
Jupiter…We were running a 3-3-5…The doors got blown off in Miami with mass confusion over coverages and it was canned, probably permanently.
How many active FBS coaches would’ve gone for it on 4th and 1 in OT with the game on the line??? Is there any doubt who NCAA Coach of the Year is now?
“If you ask the kids to play to win,” Coach Paul Johnson said, “you’ve got to play to win.”
VOTE FOR HIM ONCE A DAY: http://www.coachoftheyear.com
Savannah Jacket
November 8th, 2009
1:55 am
Mr. Bradley,,
There are times when your articles fall short of expectations. There have been times when I have called you out on typos and grammatical errors. Tonight you wrote this:
“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.”
Sir, that is journalism. That use of the English language is why you are paid the bucks you are paid. Kudos, sir, kudos. Arrogant as it is for my to say (not having a literature degree and all), job well done! Thank you. Oh, and THWG!
Jim
November 8th, 2009
1:58 am
Tech showed a lot of heart, a great running game and a fair defense but obviously didn’t have their heads in the game. The hold on Hill’s TD run was trumped by the roughing the kicker penalty. Tech gave away 10 points and a lot of momentum with those two bonehead plays.
Watch out Tech, plays like that will kill you against UGA and Clemson in the ACC championship game. That,s assuming that they don’t sleepwalk through the Duke game.
JASon
November 8th, 2009
2:21 am
I don’t see why its so gutsy to go for fourth and short. Teams convert that virtually every time. However, the manner with which coach did it was epic. It was beautiful.
On another note, the roughing the passer/kicker penalties have gotten way out of hand. How are you supposed to give a good effort to block a pass or a kick when a flag gets thrown if you even breathe on the guy?
jake
November 8th, 2009
2:23 am
WAR DAMN YELLOW JACKETS!!!!!!!!!!
Rusty
November 8th, 2009
2:30 am
if we keep winning, we will jump Boise; TCU is much less likely considering the teams they play (BYU, Utah, Clemson etc.). Granted we have to win out, and Duke is our biggest concern right now, but in terms of the NC Texas, Cincy, and most likely TCU have to lose for us to play in it. However TCU plays Utah on Sat, Cincy plays WVU Friday and Pitt in Dec, and Texas has Texas A&M and either KState or Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship…the season is by no means over
Gailey Can't Coach
November 8th, 2009
2:45 am
“Normal” 4th and shorts aren’t “so gutsy”…But consider some of the things on the line with this ONE decision:
IF IT FAILS, probably LOSING the Coastal Div Title, No ACC Game in Tampa, No BCS Bowl, No Top 10 finish to the season…And I’m sure there are more. Just having those things on the line with ONE PLAY are certainly worthy of a “gutsy” 4th and 1 call to go for it, instead of the conservative play for the chip shot to tie into another OT period…
What makes this “exceptionally gutsy” is the fact that GT was already ZERO for 4 on 4th down tries during regulation play…I was literally shaking in the stands and about to pass out…The fact that Johnson, Nesbitt & Co kept their composure UNDER EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES WITH DIRE CONSEQUENCES is just such an AWESOME STATEMENT FOR GT FOOTBALL!!!!
The coach TRUSTING the players and the players TRUSTING the coach…I was PROUD that my 3 young sons could witness that game, that call, that play at BDS yesterday…Life Lessons are learned from experiences exactly like that and they saw something that they can take with them for the rest of their lives! It may not be fighting the enemy oversees or policing the streets, but there was certainly COURAGE and BRAVERY exhibited in that single decision and the resulting play…
It’s the kind of decision that EVERYONE ADMIRES…Other coaches (I’m sure even Grobe), sports writers, players, fans, recruits, etc…And to be willing to suffer the wrath of those same constituents IF IT FAILED is what sets Paul Johnson apart from the rest of the coaching pack!!
It wasn’t just “gutsy”…It was “INSANELY GUTSY”!!!
I mean, did you hear Charlie Weis after today’s loss to Navy…PATHETIC…I’d be surprised if he isn’t FIRED 30 minutes after ND’s final game this season.
Gailey Can't Coach
November 8th, 2009
2:48 am
Sorry, meant “overseas”…It’s late…I think the adrenaline rush is finally wearing out…Time for sleep!
Justin
November 8th, 2009
5:00 am
Looking at GT’s schedule this year, “daring to be great” is an exaggeration…Hey, AJC are headline writers, right?
jacket3
November 8th, 2009
6:12 am
Being there and watching the flags fly from across the field – completely out of position to call a play was absolutely astonishing. I have never seen so many phantom calls in any game since the LSU-Georgia game – absolutely incredible.
Bobbling he ball right infront of CPJ and possession play the WF player was clearly not in control but given the catch.
The long touchdown run called back because of a real phantom call, preposterous officiating. I know CPJ is going to send these plays to the ACC for review – has to for the Jackets sake. These officials were as bad as that SEC team that got canned.
Clearly CPJ has the biggest COJONES in College Football – Mellon size as my kid told me….
snapshot
November 8th, 2009
6:46 am
Even if JD had not made the first down or the touch down, I still think it was the correct call by CPJ. A average coach would have kicked the field goal, a great coach goes for the home run. That was a great football game. Great teams find a way to win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One more hurtle and even if we don’t jump it, what a season it has been for Georgia Tech. I hope CPJ is around for a long time at Tech.
snapshot
November 8th, 2009
6:50 am
A NC will come soon enough at Tech, lets just get to Tampa.
Joseph
November 8th, 2009
6:51 am
Kind of a sloppy performance but GT showed great heart and maybe they are really going to be a top 5 team before this year is done!
snapshot
November 8th, 2009
6:54 am
Colo Tech Fan, you are correct. We have a very young defense and they have come through when it counts. CPJ is only in his second year at Tech and look what is happening. Everyone should sit back and enjoy the ride. Losses will happen but they will be few and far between. 9 and 1 ain’t bad!!
snapshot
November 8th, 2009
6:56 am
Tech wanted to win so bad that they just did not relax and play football until coach Johnson calmed them down. What a coach Tech has.
Paddy
November 8th, 2009
7:03 am
By Dodd…you said,”Nesbitt is going to get us killed when it is really important….” There would never be a time “when it is really important” without him. Enjoy the ride and fill your cup up, it always seems to be half empty!
Dawgcatcher
November 8th, 2009
7:06 am
Willie Martinez needs to teach them dawgs how to use the chop block .
Paddy
November 8th, 2009
7:11 am
Justin, that is all you can contribute is a comment about the guy who writes the headlines? After watching that game! Thats all you’ve got? Stick to the cooking shows or Dr Phil because football sure does not do it for you. WOW
Yellow Fuzzy
November 8th, 2009
7:21 am
NO other coach in the world tries that !!!!
What?! Saban, Meyer, Miles, Kiffin, Chizik, Shannon, Swinney, Petrino, Carroll, Nutt…..at least 98% of the coaches.
The difference in them and GT? They never would have allowed their team to become a 1 yard game on the line OT against Wake Forest.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
Yellow Fuzzy
November 8th, 2009
7:23 am
Did GT tear down the goal posts last night?
Come on…tell me they did! Please tell me they did!! This was a big win against a powerful under .500 team so it would make a big statement to do it.
Please! Tell me they diiiiiid! Please!
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
(can’t stop laughing)
Beano Cook
November 8th, 2009
7:33 am
Can we FINALLY get Oklahoma out of the top 25
with
FOUR damn losses?
Old 'Jacket
November 8th, 2009
7:37 am
Does anyone know CPJ’s contract status and what are the chances of a Nore Dame or other big name trying to pry him away
HS program
November 8th, 2009
7:49 am
While it worked, to go for it on 4th down was a high school call. At home in OT on 4th down, not smart call. It worked luckily for the Techsters.
Burdell
November 8th, 2009
7:50 am
Bitter dogs. I love it!
Great game last night…too close for any type of comfort.
GO JACKETS!!! BEAT DOOK!!
George P. Burdell
November 8th, 2009
7:53 am
Jacket3, you forgot the worst call of all in the completion and fumble by Wake Forest losing a yard. They reviewed and got it right but you have to wonder how an official can be so bad to make that call in the first place. Overall, one of the worst officiating performances I’ve ever seen. The ACC has got to get a handle on what is or is not a chop block, and while they are at it, they might want to call it on both teams instead of just focusing on GT. Beamer has done exactly what he set out to do and didn’t even get so much as a slap on the wrist from the ACC. They might also want to brush up on holding and let the officials know you can call it when the defensive player is #91 same as you can call it for any other number.
That said, you’ve got to love our coach and its obvious the players love playing for him. You can say he played the odds, but there are still so many things that could have gone wrong on that 4th down play. Just imagine the howls today if it had failed.
GR82BAG8R
November 8th, 2009
7:56 am
Old ‘Jacket, you are wise to be asking about Johnson’s contract. Since Bobby Dodd, any coach that was successful at Tech has left for more prominent programs. I don’t believe that he would sign anything that would limit his options, or penalize him for leaving. I also doubt he would want to leave anytime in the next five years. He has a lot to prove and Tech’s program is best suited for him to prove it.
If he does make it to a BCS bowl game – - and in the future the NC game – - there will be a lot of media hype about his system, etc. There will also be not-so-subtle hints that his style of football can be successful with the “smart” kids. Tech’s football team has the highest SAT scores of any public university. You don’t out-athlete your opponent, you simply out smart and out execute them.
Congratulatins on another victory. Don’t overlook Duke. They can beat you, just like Wake Forest almost did.
PappyHappy
November 8th, 2009
7:56 am
Paul Johnson is quickly becoming THE COACH in the State of Georgia to EMULATE!! This guy COACHES — and IT SHOW!!
Burdell
November 8th, 2009
8:01 am
Bitter dogs. Ha Ha.
Great win last night. Ballsy call in OT is just what we needed.
GO JACKETS! BEAT DUKE!
stiggywiggy
November 8th, 2009
8:01 am
Hey, Yellow Fuzzy. You think Wake Forest was a wimpy team for us? Wait’ll you see the team we play after Duke. They make Wake look like the Saints.