How three points and one man changed football in Georgia
Paul Johnson exulted as UGA fell and the tides turned. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Three points on a rainy day when 87 were scored. Three points that halted a seven-year run of losing for one side and induced an abject reversal for the other. Three points that changed the state of college football in a state that lives for college football.
Georgia Tech beat Georgia 45-42 on Nov. 29, 2008, and never has one skinny victory assumed such heft. Tech is now the champion of the ACC Coastal Division and has been ensconced among the nation’s top 10 teams for a month. Georgia has had its worst season under Mark Richt and could be bound for Shreveport. You can argue that a different result 12 months ago wouldn’t have affected anything that has occurred in 2009, but you’d be wrong.
We stopped seeing Tech as hopeless during the first seven minutes of that famous third quarter. The Jackets went from 28-12 behind to 35-28 ahead in the time it took you to say, “There goes Dwyer!” And when it ended, Tech having won for the first time since George O’Leary was coaching against Jim Donnan, this much was clear: Mark Richt wasn’t coaching against Chan Gailey anymore.
Gailey tried six times against Richt, lost six times. In 2006 he even had the better team. Didn’t matter. There was something about Gailey that made you believe he could go 0-for-100 against the Bulldogs. Paul Johnson needed only one swing. Paul Johnson, as we now know, is different.
The Tech booster (and former co-captain under Bobby Dodd) Taz Anderson tells the story: Not long after Johnson was hired, he and Anderson were playing golf. The format was alternate shot. Johnson stood over the second shot on a par-5 hole. Anderson said, “Might want to lay up, Coach.” Johnson said, “Oh, I don’t know.” And knocked the darn thing on the green.
Just as faint heart never won fair maiden (really old saying), a timid Tech wasn’t going to unhorse Georgia. Tech stopped being timid the day Johnson strode — PJ doesn’t so much walk as he strides — through the door. Here’s a man secure enough to use an offense that supposedly ran its course decades ago, secure enough to run an actual play on any fourth-and-you-name-it. Johnson doesn’t care what you think of him. He’s so secure in himself and his methods that he needs no endorsement.
Nor, to hear him tell it, does he necessarily need to beat Georgia. “I’m not making it out to be the Super Bowl the way you guys are,” he said at his media briefing Tuesday. “I’m not going to let one game define our season.”
And then: “I don’t want to leave the impression that it’s not important. It is important. But I’m going to get Georgia Tech to the point where our program is bigger than one game.”
It helped that PJ won that one game on his first try. (”Been there, done that,” he said Tuesday.) Richt was no longer the scourge of the heated series but the guy who’d lost to the guy with the high school offense. Willie Martinez was the coordinator who couldn’t stop an offense that completed one pass (that on the game’s first snap). Georgia was no longer mighty, Tech no longer meek.
Had Georgia won on Nov. 29, 2008 — the 2009 Georgia media guide, perhaps inadvertently, lists the score of the game as 42-42 — the Bulldogs would have rounded off a disappointing season by at least reasserting their in-state dominance. Instead they laid themselves open to question, and in the succeeding Richt has seemed to have no answers. The guy who works at North and Techwood has hijacked every answer.
And now PJ and his program move from strength to strength, while Richt is under heavy pressure to change something, anything. Johnson’s team could play in the Orange Bowl. Richt’s just lost at home to Kentucky. Johnson’s team is the rising power, Richt’s the fading light. Three points did all that. Three points and one cocksure coach.
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577 comments Add your comment
Warren
November 24th, 2009
5:48 pm
Wade, GT should by no means disregard a very mad UGA team. This is a rivalry game – ever heard of one? The records do not mean a single thing and you probably know that. Yeah, UGA is 6-5 but could very easily be at least 8-3 after playing very close games; so could GT. That stated, let’s just suppose that two 8-3 teams take the field on Saturday night. What makes you think GT will win? I know….PJ, right?
Hey Shane, you blind?
November 24th, 2009
5:56 pm
Ever been to Sanford stadium? That’s a dump…and I’m a dawg fan!
stilladawg
November 24th, 2009
6:01 pm
Darell,please understand paul johnson isn’t even in the same league as Richt.the triple option is a joke, a gimik. mark coaches real football in a real conference and i cant wait to see them dawgs show that an ACC #1 doesn’t mean anything.you may as well be playing in the WAC with boise.
GTSteve
November 24th, 2009
6:02 pm
CFB, did you say that ….”Remember, they really beat you the first time around”…UGA fans should know better than anybody that penalties really do count…That is like saying Tech beat UGA a couple of those 7 years because those turnovers by Reggie Ball didn’t count….
GTSteve
November 24th, 2009
6:03 pm
UGA sold 95k plus tickets last week…MIchigan sold 95k plus….look at the scoreboard losers
Robert
November 24th, 2009
6:06 pm
Beating Gomer Gailey just keeps you from riding the short bus. Who cares?
Paul Johnson 1-0….moving to 2-0. ALL THAT MATTERS.
Solid Gold Dancer
November 24th, 2009
6:11 pm
The game will be close at halftime (within 4 points either way). Locker room adjustments will be made by one of the head coaches. That team will outscore the other by 24 points in the second half. The final score will be 49- 23.
GTSteve
November 24th, 2009
6:12 pm
I can live with that Solid Gold, because I know which coach is better at making adjustments
Wade_Marquette
November 24th, 2009
6:28 pm
I’m a Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech, and a hell of an engineer–
A helluva, helluva, helluva, helluva, hell of an engineer.
Like all the jolly good fellows, I drink my whiskey clear.
I’m a Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer.
Oh! If I had a daughter, sir, I’d dress her in White and Gold,
And put her on the campus to cheer the brave and bold.
But if I had a son, sir, I’ll tell you what he’d do–
He would yell, ‘To hell with Georgia!’ like his daddy used to do.
Oh, I wish I had a barrel of rum and sugar three thousand pounds,
A college bell to put it in and a clapper to stir it round.
I’d drink to all the good fellows who come from far and near.
I’m a ramblin’, gamblin’, hell of an engineer!
Paul in RDU
November 24th, 2009
6:35 pm
Emorydawg – Looks like you have problems with management in your company. If everything you’ve posted is correct you either do a terrible job hiring people, put people in the wrong positions, don’t know how to correct issues with problem employees or just accept porr work habits.
On top of that, it sounds as if you just found out that you have 5 lazy, good for nothing GT grads as employees – you must be a hands off CEO who accepts poor performance from your direct reports.
Techman
November 24th, 2009
6:41 pm
Thinking back at last year, I can still see that guy, Ellerbee bouncing off Dwyer on the first play of the second half. I wonder if he still hurts.
Paul in RDU
November 24th, 2009
6:45 pm
once a mutt…
You are correct about most of the Dawg fans are not putting their money where their mouth is. The GT-UGA game opened at 6 1/2 and it’s gone to 7 1/2
Solid Gold Dancer
November 24th, 2009
6:52 pm
I’m 9-2 on calling this game since 1998. I missed the mark on the uga upset in 2006. And last years second half festivus caused my prediction to be wrong (to my delight). Saturday night, the Jackets will make my record 10-2.
the ides of thanksgiving are upon us
November 24th, 2009
6:55 pm
thank you Lord that tech is on the schedule, we are 32 and 12 against the bugs since i was born, lots to be thankfule for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! go dawgs
wade's masculine monkey grinding fight song
November 24th, 2009
6:58 pm
do you play with your pud or your beau’s pud or do you play with flag boy’s pud during your fight song, lmao
Solid Gold Dancer
November 24th, 2009
6:59 pm
I’m 9-2 in calling the winner of this game since 1998. I was off the mark with the the uga upset in 2006. And last year’s second half festivus proved the yearly prediction wrong (to my delight of course). Late Saturday night I will be 10-2. There will be smiles.
nerd wigs
November 24th, 2009
6:59 pm
are the tech mascots, a.k.a. the nerd wigs gonna be on the front row in their cute little yellow wigs this week, lmao
Solid Gold Dancer
November 24th, 2009
7:01 pm
Sorry guys, I doubled up……didn’t think the first one got through.
nesbitt nerd and drier will fumble
November 24th, 2009
7:04 pm
3 poor exchanges and the dawgs pounce, the nerds are gonna be a little uptight for this one, Mark Richt’s class under fire will be rewarded , dawgs win in a slight upset, ever so slight given the schedule georgia played
winterdawg
November 24th, 2009
7:04 pm
Can’t wait to upset the Jackets and ruin their special season! Where is m and saint simons?
bugbite
November 24th, 2009
7:06 pm
we will beat you georgia boys!
bp
November 24th, 2009
7:06 pm
gonna be a close game but tech should wear them down in 3rd and 4th qrtrs.Im a tech fan but GA is not going to lay down.WE have seen some crazy crap in these games.
joeygt
November 24th, 2009
7:06 pm
gt will destroy ga this saturday 49-14. ga defense is horrible and their offense will sputter bc of cox . in the 2nd half pj will put in his 2nd stringers to try not embarass ga too much and tech 2nd stringers will still score on ga
Wade_Marquette
November 24th, 2009
7:07 pm
have fun in Shreveport losers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how does 6-7 sound? go jackets!
Hey bugbite
November 24th, 2009
7:07 pm
are you really covering up for flag boy, the guy who twirled the flag at halftime for the jackets back around the year 2000
Solid Gold Dancer
November 24th, 2009
7:08 pm
Nerd wigs….Saturday night while watching the Kentucky game, I saw the “neck wigs” in the low row of the student section. Kinda looked like a bunch of Raggity Anns.
joeygt
November 24th, 2009
7:09 pm
1
Georgia..laydown?
November 24th, 2009
7:10 pm
not on your life…a 7 point spread isn’t a whole lot to be favored by considering tech is ranked 7th and Georgia is being ostracized by the whole country!
GTkenz
November 24th, 2009
7:10 pm
I need only read the first few comments to understand fans, alumni, and friends of Ugag. Their facts are distorted like their media guide. Their understanding of football is limited to Hershel, Buck, and the boys, or what they learned in one magical season from “run Lindsy run”. They bark, literally bark more than real DAWGS. Nothing is good enough. There is always an excuse, usually the Coach’s fault as opposed to lack of talent at the QB position and throughout most of the defense. “THE SEC”. Do these idiots not realize that the ACC is also mostly in the south, and the players representing both conferences are generally very comparable coming out of HS??
It’s like take your two or three, and we’ll take the next seven. I guess the people from Ugag either don’t have grandparents or don’t speak to them. As mine tell it, Tech rarely lost to Ugag and in fact did win eight in row, and still holds largest margin of victory.
Take your medicine and like it, Ugag!!! THWG, GO Jackets!!
A perfect set-up
November 24th, 2009
7:11 pm
this game means the whole world to Georgia Tech..don’t you love it Bulldawg Fans!!!!!
Gtkenz..flag boy
November 24th, 2009
7:12 pm
when was the tech 8 game win streak …was ole Abe Lincoln President? lmao….
joeygt
November 24th, 2009
7:12 pm
ga has as much a chance of being tech as florida state has against florida
Wade_Marquette
November 24th, 2009
7:14 pm
id care less about winning this game against ugay . I want to beat clemson to go to bcs and be the acc champs!!!!!!!!!!! TOo bad it still will be a blowout 62-3 GO JACKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
joeygt
November 24th, 2009
7:15 pm
hahaha a new sheriff is in town and his name is pj and years of dominance of ga bulldawgs beating tech is done fore good
three in a row and dawgs fire a coach
November 24th, 2009
7:16 pm
the last two coach’s to lose 3 in a row to tech (jim donnan,1990’s and wally butts..no relation to tech’s flag boy.. in the early 1960’s) both coaches were fired at year’s end
marq..flag boy..wade
November 24th, 2009
7:18 pm
you know how much a tech win over georgia would mean..lots more than a wimpy acc championship game
yep.gt.joey
November 24th, 2009
7:20 pm
your right …if papa john johnson wins 23 in a row he can even the series…lmfao
bp
November 24th, 2009
7:21 pm
Fla state might beat Fla.
revwreck
November 24th, 2009
7:22 pm
CFB Fan 4:53
need to check your schedule again…you cant even get that right..
when we beat Miss St…yall say they are the worst in the SEC, so combine that with Tenn tech and Arizona St…is that 3 cream puffs or is Tenn tech a powerhouse with a winning record…you are still full of crap
yep.gt.joey
November 24th, 2009
7:22 pm
oh and his navy and ga. southern jobs, real impressive schools, will see how long he keeps tech a perennial contender..something coach richt does know about. trust me
revwreck
November 24th, 2009
7:23 pm
Vandy
flag..revboy...wreck
November 24th, 2009
7:23 pm
yeah, ya’ll played some real powerhouses! sure
revwreck
November 24th, 2009
7:26 pm
Vandy not Miss St…my bad I knew it was one of those superior SEC teams
bp
November 24th, 2009
7:26 pm
Navy is a pretty impressive SCHOOL. Get it??
revwreck
November 24th, 2009
7:27 pm
and yall have lost to some real powerhouses
virginny, jackst., wake, duke, unc..etc. etc. etc.
November 24th, 2009
7:27 pm
and vandy and miss. st. mary and william and so on , georgia is much more tested and failed…..so far…new week tho!!!!!
Wade_Marquette
November 24th, 2009
7:27 pm
least we beat #4 in the nation. who did yall beat?
georgia losses
November 24th, 2009
7:29 pm
all winning records , all bowl eligible, blown out by florida and possible tennessee, much more tested than tech’s weak sister flag boy schedule
#4 in the nation is currently unbeaten nerdo!
November 24th, 2009
7:30 pm
ya’ll arent’ real football savvy are ya? lmfao
revenge of the nerds
November 24th, 2009
7:31 pm
oh you mean 25th ranked virginia tech, yeah ya’ll beat them and they dropped 16 spots that sunday, lmfao