GT’s Johnson on the passes: ‘Seemed to me the thing to do’
This pass worked. Others did not. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Because I was curious, I asked: Why did Georgia Tech call four consecutive passes from the Georgia 46 Saturday night? And here’s what Paul Johnson said at today’s media briefing. (His answer went on for a while, so I’ll paraphrase in places.)
“We had two extremely similar situations,” Johnson said, referring to the end of each half. And there were similarities: Tech had the ball at the Georgia 40 with 2:03 left in the first half, but after a penalty and a sack wound up throwing a desperation pass on fourth-and-17 from the 47 as time expired.
But there were differences. Tech didn’t have to score to win the game at the end of the first half. There were still two quarters to play. And the Jackets had all three timeouts remaining in the first half, as opposed to one left with 1:49 to play.
Johnson’s point, though, was that Tech had had the ball in almost the same spot and hadn’t done much with it by conventional Tech means. (Though the sack of Josh Nesbitt on second-and-7 from the 37 effectively quashed the second-quarter possession.) “That registered,” Johnson said.
Also this: “We were taking six or seven minutes to score,” Johnson said. Correct again. Of Tech’s three touchdown drives, two lasted six minutes. The exception was the three-play series that culminated in Demaryius Thomas taking a short hitch and turning it into a 76-yard touchdown.
Also this: It’s hard to score from 46 yards out in 1:49 without breaking a long run. Asked Johnson: “How many 20-yard runs did we have?” Answer: Two, and one was an end-around by Stephen Hill. The longest run by any Tech A- or B-back was 16 yards. And Johnson also noted this: “We did run it the first four plays [the first three, actually] of the [final] drive.”
OK, now to the sequence. The first pass was a deep ball to Thomas. “We had a chance to make a play,” Johnson said, but the throw was long and Thomas was covered.
Speaking of coverage: “They’d just had a safety get knocked out of the game,” Johnson said, speaking of Georgia’s Bryan Evans. And Johnson had noticed that Reshad Jones, the other safety, was jumping (meaning committing early) on routes. So Tech sought to fool him.
“The second play was supposed to be an out-and-up,” Johnson said. “It ended up being more of a wheel route.” Because the route got rounded off, Hill didn’t pop open. Jones was with him. Hill nearly caught the ball while fighting both Jones and the sideline, but he didn’t.
Johnson: “We still almost made the catch. If we had, it’s first-and-goal at the 3 and we’re probably not having this discussion.”
Third-and-10: Anthony Allen blew past a linebacker and was open down the middle. But by the time Nesbitt’s pass arrived, Jones had closed in support and the linebacker, Johnson said, had “made up ground.” Incomplete.
Fourth down. “We tried to throw it the [first-down] marker,” Johnson said. And Thomas, who drops nothing, dropped the ball. And Tech had lost and fans on both sides were wondering why the designer of the famous spread option had turned into Air Coryell.
“Unless you score,” Johnson said, “you’re going to be an idiot.”
And did he feel, three days after the fact, idiotic? “If I had it to do over again, I’m not sure I’d have done anything different.” Then this, smiling: “I’ve been doing this a lont time, and it [throwing the four passes] just seemed to me the thing to do.”
And now, you’re asking, would I – famous coordinator that I am — have done things differently? I’d have probably run it on first down. But Johnson didn’t, and once you throw an incompletion on first-and-10 it’s hard to come back to the run with that little time remaining. As Johnson said, “You could run it three times and be down to 14 seconds.”
At some point Tech was going to have to throw it to win. We can quibble over whether the Jackets threw it too much too soon, but that’s what happens when something doesn’t work. You get the quibbles. You get second-guessed. You get media folks saying, “What were you thinking?” And give Johnson credit: He told us.
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298 comments Add your comment
Hillbilly Deluxe
December 1st, 2009
2:33 pm
It didn’t seem to be the thing to do to me but I guess he’s where he is and I’m here for a reason.
schleydawg
December 1st, 2009
2:42 pm
Hard to question a coach with an offensive record like Johnson’s. One drawback to the triple option is a limitation on scoring quickly when the other team knows you have to score quickly.
Rasheed
December 1st, 2009
2:42 pm
Both teams played hard, my man.
Junkyard Dawg
December 1st, 2009
2:42 pm
((((((((30-24))))))))) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Eat it Saint Simons
December 1st, 2009
2:42 pm
((30-24)) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Brad in Jasper
December 1st, 2009
2:43 pm
It truly is a game of inches – closely made and missed FG’s. Passes nearly caught/dropped. Fumbles not recovered by the other team. Great game by both teams. Although I’m glad the Dawgs won, it would’ve been interesting to hit the ‘alternate ending’ button and see what would’ve happened had Thomas caught that pass.
Ted Striker
December 1st, 2009
2:43 pm
The first two times I got married, it seemed like the thing to do.
Paul Turkey Neck Johnson Press Conference
December 1st, 2009
2:43 pm
Sound logic to me. No excuses… unlike Tech fans have come up with. Tech doesn’t deserve CPJ. The fans make him look bad.
jim
December 1st, 2009
2:44 pm
Enjoyed the article Mark. As a dawg fan, I applaud the outcome. As a football fan, I still question 4 passes in a row from that type of offense. Mark, have you heard ANYTHING regarding Willie and his status at UGA? thanks.
Tech
December 1st, 2009
2:44 pm
The reason Tech has been able to succeed this year is because Johnson isn’t afraid to take risks and give his players a chance to make a play. Unfortunately, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Also, if a wide open Thomas hadn’t make a very rare and untiimely mistake, no one would be second-guessing Johnson anyway.
old grump
December 1st, 2009
2:45 pm
CPJ, you will rue the day you said that those a’holes in athens better get used to losing to GT. Congrats on the ACC coach of the year. I mean that was an award by default aparently.
The Murf
December 1st, 2009
2:45 pm
I would’ve thought shorter passes, not necessarily the home run ball, but agree with Hillbilly… There’s a reason why he’s the head coach and I’m not
SadDawg
December 1st, 2009
2:45 pm
I was afraid I was gonna see that option to the outside right on down to a TD with no time on the clock. Thank you, PJ.
billy bob from cobb
December 1st, 2009
2:45 pm
He consulted that dot heads in the math dept. at nerd u and that is what they told him to do.
DR.J
December 1st, 2009
2:48 pm
ACCCG tickets $21 on Stub Hub and dropping like another Tech pass
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
2:48 pm
Based on the end results, it seemed like the right thing from my perspective as well. ….and Boo Boo Thomas drops the pass…. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2009
2:48 pm
Here’s the thing: Tech’s offense doesn’t feature short passes. (No tight end on the roster, remember.) When the Jackets do throw it, they tend to throw it deep — often off play-action.
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2009
2:48 pm
I have heard nothing out of Athens beyond what has been reported. Which is to say, nothing of any substance just yet.
B'ham Jacket
December 1st, 2009
2:49 pm
The next time I am the offensive coordinator in a college game it will be my first. CPJ knows what he is doing and that’s the reason he gets paid to do what he does and I don’t. Everything looks easy when your sitting forty rows up in the stands or sitting in your living room easy chair in front of the TV eating tater chips and drinking coke. I am as guilty of it as anybody, believe me.
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
2:50 pm
Hey everyone, over/under attendance for the A She She championship game. 40,000??
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
74 UGA grad
December 1st, 2009
2:50 pm
Would Johnson still be getting second-guessed if Thomas caught the 4th down pass and Tech went on to score, or at least had a chance to win the game in the closing seconds?
When coaches make bad play calls (the interception Cox threw to C. King against Kentucky when Bobo called the exact same play that had worked for a score a few minutes earlier), they deserve to get criticized.
When the plays don’t work because a player completely fails in his assignment (the drop by Thomas), don’t put the blame on the coach.
In that case, however, what would you and Schultz write about? The 2 of you can criticize the Falcons & ‘Dogs all you want, but both teams have played better than you guys have written the last week.
Big Sur Dawg
December 1st, 2009
2:51 pm
I think I know what the problem was on Saturday night. All the nerds were distracted with the new episode of Pimp My Calculator.
How’d you like our boys tearing your field up? Kinda sucks when it happens to you, right? Tell your pathetic fanbase not to mess with our hedges, and maybe we’ll return the sentiment two years from now after our sixth straight victory at Historic Mark Richt Field.
Tom
December 1st, 2009
2:52 pm
Bottom line….Thomas makes the catch we have 1st and 10 at their 35 with 1:30 left…we did not make the plays and Georgia did…that is the difference in winning and losing.
Tech75
December 1st, 2009
2:52 pm
Tech, I’m with you on this one.
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
2:52 pm
Tech
December 1st, 2009
2:44 pm
In all seriousness, I don’t think anyone questioned the 4th down pass. Most people I’ve heard from questioned the previous three consecutive passes.
Saint Simons
December 1st, 2009
2:53 pm
Got 2 tickets, 50 yard line seats to the ACC championship. $10 takes both. Any takers?
Erin Andrews Landing Strip
December 1st, 2009
2:53 pm
Blah Blah Blah…..
Who cares about the call to pass or run. To Johnson’s point execute one of the plays and the game is different. The right calls were made.
KB
December 1st, 2009
2:53 pm
Enjoy it while it lasts and be sure to let us know how the weather in Shreveport is….
SWFLJacket
December 1st, 2009
2:55 pm
Ugay lost to Kentucky….
Exactly how do you bolis eaters rationalize that?
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
2:57 pm
Saint Simons
December 1st, 2009
2:53 pm
Are free hot dogs and cokes part of the package? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
nebraska jacket
December 1st, 2009
2:57 pm
why does it seem like every UGA fan has to put hahahahahahahahahahah on every comment? is it really that funny because i didn’t know winning one game and then heading off to the sh** bowl to celebrate was so hilarious
White and Gold
December 1st, 2009
2:58 pm
It’s like the 4th and 2 against Wake in OT. If Nesbitt hadn’t made it, the questions would be unending. Here again, gutsy play calling, and unfortunately a different result. Of course a different result would be nice, but I’m looking forward to good things to come. As a Tech alum I like and respect Paul Johnson and think he was a great hire and will provide us with many years of exciting football. I think we’ll have a lot of close games against the Dawgs in years to come, unlike that 51-7 showing in 2002.
timthebrave
December 1st, 2009
2:58 pm
It’s up to the players to make plays. 1. qb missed a single coverage home run ball that was tightly covered down the middle 2. Missed a first and goal on the right by a great defensive play 3 Tech’s best receiver dropped an easy first down that would have kept the game going. Execution was the problem for not coaching. That said. Go Dawgs!
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
2:58 pm
SWFLJacket
December 1st, 2009
2:55 pm
tech lost to UGA…
Exactly how do you bolis eaters rationalize that?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Mister T
December 1st, 2009
2:59 pm
billy bob…like you consulted the English Dept at Cow College before making your last post? Idiot.
Congrats to the dawgs. We definitely got exposed on the d-line. We need to get some much bigger d-linement. Had they stopped the run even on a couple of drives, CJP’s TO had been slowed but not stopped. Could have been different.
THWg!
Golden Tornado
December 1st, 2009
3:00 pm
You got it right, Paul Johnson. That razor-thin loss was suffered by UGA’s effective running. But at the last, you took a now-famous “Johnson risk.” It can’t work every time. Do keep taking risks, and being a winner.
Saint Simon's Daddy
December 1st, 2009
3:00 pm
NERD HERD TAKEN TO THE WOODSHED ONCE AGAIN!!!!!!
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR POINTLESS CHAMPIONSHIP!!
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
3:01 pm
nebraska jacket
December 1st, 2009
2:57 pm
Is the sh** bowl the blue one tech regularly played on? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Kevin
December 1st, 2009
3:01 pm
Theres been an amber alert issued in Atlanta, Ga. There looking for 11 individuals between the ages of 18 and 21 and were last seen wearing gold and white jerseys. They go by the nickname Tech’s defense.
Mark
December 1st, 2009
3:01 pm
Give them all the credit they deserve, Mark. Because they certainly deserve every bit they get. Wins are difficult to come by in this series for the tech program….. So give them all the credit they deserve, even when they lose. Plus I have noticed it seems to make you and schultz feel better about yourselves when you are giving tech credit and the dawgs crap. So go ahead and gve them all the credit they deserve. Then we will tee it up again next year and the win or loss will come down to how bad UGA plays regardless of the effort tech puts forward.
Observer
December 1st, 2009
3:02 pm
I don’t mind the play call. First ball to Thomas was over thrown but there. Next ball to Hill could have had a better chance but was catch-able. I figured to see the out to Thomas on 3rd down, but the play to Allen was there but nicely defended when the ball was in the air. On 4th we see the out to Thomas, the gimme play, and the ball was dropped, game over. See you next year. Other opportunities were missed. It was a typical Tech/UGA game where it could be won on the last drive. As for the ACCCG, no matter the significance, Tech/Clemson will be an entertaining game.
EW
December 1st, 2009
3:03 pm
Regardless of all the crap Tech fans have talked for the last year (which I would expect from GT fans), I thought the UGA fans would have more class. Act like we’ve been here before people, when you don’t, GT fans are gonna drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. After a decade of domination you would THINK we expect to win.
U-no
December 1st, 2009
3:03 pm
At that point the game, it was one of those “What were you thinking?” moments. But, hearing CPJ’s explaination I can handle the decision to pass. I just can’t handle the outcome. But, we do get to keep playing for something other than the “Wonder if it is going to be good enough” bowl. We will have other opportunities to conquer the Pups. Let’s go get them Tigers! Go Jackets!
acc duds
December 1st, 2009
3:03 pm
IS THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP SOUTH CAROLINA VS GEORGIA????
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
December 1st, 2009
3:04 pm
SFWLJacket SAYS GT LOST TO A TEAM THAT LOST TO KENTUCKY. HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAH AND MORE HAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHHA AND SOME HAHAHHAHHAHAHHHAHAHHAAHHAHAH AND ANOTHER HA
Saint Simons
December 1st, 2009
3:04 pm
@nebraska Jacket, not sure if you frequented the UGA posts prior to this weekend, but one of your classy fellow fans wasnt used to winning and therefore was a sore winner. Now, the UGA fans are retaliating. Enjoy the next year.
SadDawg
December 1st, 2009
3:04 pm
Jim, didn’t know if you had read Tim Tucker this am. This is a response to a question about staff changes:
Richt’s reply: “I’m not going to make any comment about anything like that. I think people think that just because we need to get better or make some kind of change — they think it always involves changing of people, too. And that’s not always necessarily true. But, you know, we’re going to get things back on track, I can promise you that.”
Sounds like the promise he made after last season, trying to justify no changes in staff, namely Martinez. We all know how those promises went. The only thing that improved were the paychecks…
Dawg Tired
December 1st, 2009
3:05 pm
Now that we beat Tech can we go to the Peach Bowl, get hammered by 35, and still have the AJC re-annoint our coach as the Messiah?
Paul in RDU
December 1st, 2009
3:05 pm
Mark – you are correct about GT not having a tight end and that most of GT’s passes tend to be thrown deep, but they did hit some fairly short completions against UGA. The one that BeBe took to the house was a pass in the flat and the dropped 4th down pass was just past the 1st down marker.
Having said that, I can’t second guess CPJ’s play calling – this game was won by UGA’s OL. It will be interesting to see if he makes any personnel changes after the bowl game
Slick
December 1st, 2009
3:06 pm
No need to SWFLJacket. Tech lost to UGA. You’re the one that needs to rationalize.
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
December 1st, 2009
3:06 pm
GT SHOULD MOVE TO JACKSONVILLE, FL. THEY WILL HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF WINNING. AT NORTH AVENUE THEY WILL BE ROASTED EVERY YEAR. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHA AND MORE HAHHAHHAHAHHA FOREVER AND EVER.
I Run This State
December 1st, 2009
3:07 pm
State Rankings:
1. UGA
2. Georgia Southern
3.Georgia State
4. Georgia Tech
Tech is absolutely pathetic!!!! Eat your words for the next year chumps!!!!
((((((30-24)))))) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Observer
December 1st, 2009
3:08 pm
Big Sur Dawg,
Chewing your hedges after a victory in Sanford is funny, because you idiots put so much focus on “playing between the hedges” when you’re not the only school with shrubbery around your field. Walking around with chunks of grass and dirt in your mouths just makes you look like the morons you are. The grass will grow back.
LizDawg
December 1st, 2009
3:08 pm
Paul Johnson was clearly scared of the UGA defense in order to abandon the triple option and throw it up for grabs hail-mary style on 3 of 4 consecutive attempts. He claims during the off-season that NO ONE can stop his gimmicky offense, but when the game was on the line it was Coach Paul Johnson that abandoned the running game.
A great win against a top 7 team on the road for Mark Richt, 30-24 ALL YEAR LONG!
p.s. – Caleb King JUST ripped off another 75-yard UNTOUCHED romp into the end zone!
David
December 1st, 2009
3:09 pm
I don’t mind the playcall either. Time was running down, and PJ chose to start throwing before UGA was expecting Tech to throw. Any later and a pass would’ve been the obvious play. Looking at those four plays, at least three of them were great calls that the players just didn’t execute.
That said, I’m also amused by the difference between Tech fans’ reactions and UGA fans. Tech fans analyze the game, UGA fans type ‘hahahahahaha’ and forget about the caps lock key. I guess basic keyboarding is a senior-level class at that glorified community college.
Solid Gold Dancer
December 1st, 2009
3:10 pm
Richt came in with a great game plan. Uga sustained long drives and kept Tech’s O off the field. Also with Tech having to play a liittle “catch-up”, they just about had to play mistake free throughout the second half. The game was primarily won in the first half by uga’s O-line
SadDawg
December 1st, 2009
3:10 pm
SWFLJacket, bolis? That’s rude. Oh, and I guess we just rationalize the KY game the same as Tech does this one. As in, wtf?
NOVAJacket
December 1st, 2009
3:10 pm
On the play to Allen, Roddy Jones was wide open on the check down. Either make that throw or call the out to Bay Bay on third down and we are having a different discussion.
GATORS#1
December 1st, 2009
3:10 pm
UGAY still sucks!!!!!!!! GLAD yall chant SEC after the game–is that the conference that yall are no longer competitive in? Cant wait to score 60 on you next year cause if u aint a GATOR–U R GATOR BAIT!!!
Cindy Loo Hoo
December 1st, 2009
3:10 pm
I was so dad burn happy the dawgs one I took me a big ‘ol dump right in the middle of the dad burn North Campus to celebrate.
Hope none of y’all stepped in it! It kinda blended in with all them other ones there.
Go Dawgs!
Harry Dawg
December 1st, 2009
3:11 pm
Suck it Nerds, ((((((((30-24))))))))) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Hey, have you noticed all of those new GT hats and shirts, that right.. Tech fans are fair weathered fans and you don’t see many older shirts and hats. GT is a 6-6 team in the SEC. 2-8 in the last decade is terrible against Georgia. We love Reggie Ball, can he come back and play????? Triple option will not cut it after this year, even in the ACC. DC’s are getting that covered up pretty good, especially in other conferences besides the ACC.
college football historian
December 1st, 2009
3:11 pm
not sure if you know any history about college football, but the hedges at sanford are the FIRST hedges placed in a college football stadium.
cattle dawg
December 1st, 2009
3:12 pm
My older brother larry said that paul johnson once wrote a term paper using his own blood as ink.
GATORS#1
December 1st, 2009
3:12 pm
CHOMP CHOMP—–that dead doggie taste good!!!!
kauai dawg
December 1st, 2009
3:13 pm
I am a huge DAWGS fan. CPJ is a stand up guy. The game was hard fought and thankfully we came out on the winning side.
Mark great assessment of thier short passing game not being the norm. All the plays were close to completion as I remember and I am just thankful they were not. Football is a game of inches at times.
Go DAWGS!
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
December 1st, 2009
3:13 pm
I HEARD GT WILL PROVIDE FREE BUS RIDES TO TAMPA ON SATURDAY TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT GT IS A GOOD TRAVELLING GROUP. THE PROBLEM THE FREE RIDES ARE ONLY ONE WAY SO THAT THE GT FANS DO NOT LEAVE EARLY WHEN GT START GETTING SWATTED BY THE TIGGERS. HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHH
Phil
December 1st, 2009
3:14 pm
The third down play was the most interesting and could have got the first down or even the TD.
Four receivers release off the line and the play looks like it was designed as a high-low combination route over the middle. Anthony Allen attacks up the seam and has man coverage while Roddy Jones starts up the field but then runs at an angle across the middle. Georgia’s linebackers let Jones run free and it looks like he is going to be wide open, but Georgia’s safety starts running in to get to Jones. This leaves Allen running up the seam with no safety help and Nesbitt makes the right read and throws it to him. The safety tries to get back into position but has no shot. Sadly, the pass falls incomplete.
If Georgia’s safety stays high in patented Willie Martinez Prevent and covers the two deep routes on the right side then perhaps Roddy Jones becomes the most hated Yellow Jacket in the history of Georgia.
I think the play would have worked out better if Allen was on the wing and a WR was in the slot, but Stephen Hill had just gone into the locker room with a lower back injury. Thomas was on one side and Melton was on the other, so I guess Johnson felt Allen had a better shot of making the play than Sims.
GT45
December 1st, 2009
3:14 pm
I have nothing but complete faith in PJ. Fourth and eight and we go for it? It must be great to play for a coach who has that much faith in his players. I believe he knew he had that play in his pocket on that last series-Thomas just dropped it. I still wouldn’t trade either for any THUGA’s-players or coaches!
timthebrave
December 1st, 2009
3:15 pm
Give UGA credit. They came out with a good game plan and executed better than Tech. Both teams had plays they coulda/shoulda made but UGA MADE more plays. Go dawgs!
defactodawg
December 1st, 2009
3:15 pm
Mark,
I wonder if Richt has been waiting and watching the developments in tallahassee, allowing that to play out before deciding/announcing changes in Athens? just a thought.
Fuzzy flying to Tampa and Miami
December 1st, 2009
3:16 pm
Do the irrational Pupites react this way against all their defeated opponents, or just against Tech? Such obessive-compulsive behavior is unbecoming such a “classy” school as UGA. Some of these folks need to get a life, there is something more productive and enjoyable in life than to ridicule and make sick comments about a fellow competitor. It is sad, really sad.
It really is silly when you consider that the Pups may play in one of the great “I Don’t Give A Crap” bowls as a reward for a less than stellar season. If they had put as much intensity in their other games as the game they played against Tech they might have made it to a better bowl than the “Bluewater Tidy Bowl” in Shrevedump.
Bulldog7
December 1st, 2009
3:17 pm
EW has it right!! That’s the attitude. But does this feel good or what???? Uh huh! Go Dawgs!!
Solid Gold Dancer
December 1st, 2009
3:18 pm
LizDawg….the spread option is not designed to be a quick score offense. It’s ball control and eats up the clock. Anyone who has any football knowledge knew that at least one big play (25-30 yards)was needed in that final drive.
The UGALY Truth
December 1st, 2009
3:18 pm
I’ll be in Tampa Sat and I want all of you Dawgs, especially The Grinch, to eat a chicken wing for me while you’re all watching other teams play for Conference Championships on the big screen at Hooters. Your Dawgs may be competing for a CC again one day once you figure out how to get past KENTUCKY!
Oh, and Tech has less than 500 tix remaining of the 10,000 allotment…GO JACKETS!
“7 and 5, Pizza Bowl, Kentucky — WE ARE GEORGIA FOOTBALL!!”
30-24 Dawgs - WE RUN THIS STATE
December 1st, 2009
3:18 pm
Coach Willie Martinez stood up and looked Coach Paul Johnson in the eyes, and Johnson blinked. Totally abandoned the date that brought him to the dance.
Ben
December 1st, 2009
3:18 pm
These sort of chances may contribute to losing sometimes, but I bet they contribute to winning a lot more often. If you don’t like him doing this, then you should also criticize him for all the gutsy calls that led to wins, like going for it a couple of games instead of kicking the field goal for the tie and another overtime. But somehow I douvt anyone minds the risky calls when they pay off.
What I love about Johnson’s playcalling is that he treats the 4th down like an actual down where a play can be made, unlike pretty much every other coach in football. That’s 33% more chances to get big yards than most teams have.
SimpleDawg
December 1st, 2009
3:19 pm
Kudos to PJ for answering the questions about the passes with calm aplomb.
NOVAJacket
December 1st, 2009
3:20 pm
LizDawg,
I don’t think that PJ was afraid of a defense that he had gained 242 yards on in the second half.
Tech75
December 1st, 2009
3:20 pm
defactodawg – I doubt it. He’s got a perfect setup in Athens – why would he want to go anywhere else?
Dawggrl
December 1st, 2009
3:20 pm
This is the first time I have read one of the articles/blogs about Tech on the AJC. I am usually too busy reading the posts about UGA, but I can tell you that the Dawg fans on here are being much nicer than the Tech fans on our blogs. Not surprisingly, there really haven’t been any Tech fans on our blogs this week other than to remind us about Uga VII.
Observer
December 1st, 2009
3:20 pm
college football historian….and your point is?
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
December 1st, 2009
3:21 pm
GATORS#1, YOU DAYS ARE NUMBERED, GT IS MOVING TO GAINESVILLE. PAUL JOHNSON IS COMING TO TOWN. HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA, AND MORE HAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAH AND MORE HAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHA
Harry Dawg
December 1st, 2009
3:22 pm
Georgia would be 10-2 in the ACC. Florida and Alabama could beat any ACC team with their scout teams. GT fans stay off the Georgia articles and we will stay off yours. It sucks getting beat by the 6th best team in the SEC.
Suck it nerds
Alabama Jack
December 1st, 2009
3:22 pm
I told them not to allow the Internet into the trailer parks. Damn.
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
December 1st, 2009
3:23 pm
A GT FAN IS FINALLY GOING TO TAMPA ON SATURDAY. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA AND MORE HAHHAHAHHAHAHHA, AND SOME MORE HAHAHAHAHHHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAH
Father Pius
December 1st, 2009
3:23 pm
We see that Coach Johnson has more cojones than Coach Weis, with these daring pass plays against a suspect UGA secondary. We will have Coach Johnson installed soon in South Bend, but perhaps after the ACC Championship, to be respectful (although the game is a wee bit tarnished, laddy, is it not?).
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
December 1st, 2009
3:25 pm
ALABAMA JACK HELLO, I’M ENJOYING THIS IN MY TRASHY AND DIRTY TRAILER PARK HOME. HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA ADN MORE HAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAH AND SOME HAHHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHHAHHA FOREVER AND EVER..
Chris
December 1st, 2009
3:26 pm
@Nebraska Jacket & others,
many of the UGA fans have taken to typing the score followed by hahahahahahahahahahaha, usually in some parenthesis because they are mocking the poster known as “Saint Simons” He is/was a rabid tech fan who talked trash all year on these blogs and he always concluded his posts with 45-42 hahahahahahahahahahaha.
Childish I know – but their ire is directed not so much at GA Tech but at the knucklehead Saint Simons
BG
December 1st, 2009
3:27 pm
Caleb King just scored again!! Paul Johnson sucks!!
saint simons
December 1st, 2009
3:27 pm
there are so many nerds on here talking about “having a different discussion” if they catch the ball on 4th down or make a field goal or not fumble or if their qb wasnt hurt for 2 series. Suck it up, you lost, that’s football. End of story. maybe next year, you will make the plays “and have a different discussion” but i doubt it.
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
December 1st, 2009
3:27 pm
ALBAMA JACK IS CLASSY. HAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHA AND MORE HAHHHAHAHHHAHHHA AND SOME MORE HAHHAHHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHA
30-24 Dawgs - WE RUN THIS STATE
December 1st, 2009
3:28 pm
Coach Johnson’s staff had a full 2 weeks to prepare for UGA and was totally helpless trying to slow down Ealey and King, AKA THE true Perfect Option.
Congrats to CMR & coaches for schooling CPJ & co. 30-24, a night that will live in infamy!
wxwax
December 1st, 2009
3:28 pm
The issue isn’t whether or not they should have thrown the ball.
The issue is that when the situation requires them to throw the ball, they’re not very good at it.
Nesbitt is inaccurate. To this layman’s eye, he has really bad form. Tech just doesn’t throw enough in games (and I’m guessing practice, too) to be good at it.
So when they’re forced to throw the ball, it feels like a bit of a heave-and-pray every time.
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
December 1st, 2009
3:29 pm
ALABAMA JACK IS CLASSY. HAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHA AND MORE HAHHHAHAHHHAHHHA AND SOME MORE HAHHAHHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHA
timthebrave
December 1st, 2009
3:29 pm
Fuzzy flying to Tampa and Miami, you say GA fans not being “classy” because they are making fun of beating GT. Then you turn around and make fun of UGA “Bluewater Tidy Bowl” in Shrevedump. Pot meet kettle or nerd meet double standard.
IMO-When GA doesn’t turn the ball over 4 times and have 100 yards in pentalties they are a top 10 team that can beat anybody. When they do stupid mistakes they can lose to anybody and it shows. GT is a really good team but once again you have to give UGA some credit.
defactodawg
December 1st, 2009
3:30 pm
Tech75, I’m not thinking Richt is headed there, just thought he may be waiting to see if some of the staff may be available
Harry Dawg
December 1st, 2009
3:30 pm
Let the Tech fans have fun this year because they are not used to winning much besides the last two years. Where did all of you go during the down years???? Georgia fans used to by a three package Tech tickets to just get the GT vs Georgia tickets. Have you ever seen people giving away Georgia Tickets, you could get Tech tickets for a few dollars. You nerds get lost in Athens.
The UGALY Truth
December 1st, 2009
3:31 pm
Mark, Tech should’ve never been in a position to HAVE to score to win on the final drive. Wommack is THE problem. He’s a holdover from the Gailey Regime and I hope he’s about to coach his final game at GT. If CPJ can find someone to prepare and run a defense like he does with the offense, then you’re truly looking at a team that can dominate opponents on both sides of the ball…The kind of team that consistently wins championships. It’s not fair to ask the kids to go through wholesale scheme changes on defense every week, like the stupid 3-3-5 they tried at Miami…D. Morgan on pass coverage…Everyone bumping into each other and wondering where they’re supposed to be. That’s ALL Wommack’s fault and he needs to be dumped.
Before CPJ arrived, the talk used to be about how Tech’s DEFENSE won the game and was rarely about how Gailey’s Offense did…Remember the famous 6-3 CCG??? THREE POINTS?!?! It was TENUTA who had the kids blitzing when they got off the bus. I only saw ONE linebacker blitz all night Sat (but I was in the stands and could’ve missed others). Point is: No pass rush gives an offense all the time in the world to do whatever they want – pass or run or both — and it hurt Tech several times this year.
So TENUTA’s looking for a job again, maybe???
humble the bumbles
December 1st, 2009
3:32 pm
“Ifs” are irrelevant. If Tech got one reception in four tries. If Walsh had hit the 55-yarder, it would have been a moot point. If Nesbitt hadn’t gone down in the first half. And on, and on, ad infinitum.
It was a great game played by two teams that hate each other’s guts. Making it sweeter still is the knowledge that the Techies play the South Carolina Tractor Maintenance School Saturday for the ACC title, and bith teams just got beat by SEC school with .500 conference records. Winner if the ACC title game gets the fifth-place finish in the SEC East.
Slick
December 1st, 2009
3:33 pm
Why so many mentions of Kentucky tech fans? Just be thankful you don’t have to play them. We pounded you. Imagine how badly they’d beat you guys.