A canny loss to UGA leaves Tech fans giddy about their coach
Paul Johnson thinks of something. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
This we know: Georgia Tech folks obsess over Georgia. (An unkind reference to UGA is included in the song “Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech.”) And it’s beyond dispute that the Jackets lost to the Mutts (another unkind reference) in Athens on Saturday. And yet …
Tech people walked away from that game feeling good about themselves, which never happens when Tech loses to Georgia in any sport. But it happened this time. It happened because Techies, who pride themselves on brainpower, were tickled at having outsmarted Big Brother.
OK, I know what you Bulldogs are saying. I’ve read the responses to this little missive from late last night. To paraphrase the stance of (some) Georgia folks: “If Paul Johnson is such a genius, how come he lost to Mark Richt again? Isn’t the name of the game to win?”
Well, yes. But there can be honor in defeat, especially when the defeat is so hard-fought and cleverly wrought. There can be no denying that the Jackets were the aggressor throughout and the stronger side up front. Those 411 yards rushing weren’t wisps of smoke. (Fun fact: The Jackets ran for two more yards against Todd Grantham’s million-dollar defense than they had against the one misguided by Willie Martinez in the epic upset of 2008. And this time they did it, as I’m guessing you’re aware, without Joshua Nesbitt.)
Urban Meyer, my role model in all things, believes the measure of a coach is how his team fares “when the checkers are equal.” The checkers weren’t anywhere close to equal Saturday night — even Tech people fully expected their team to get blown out — and the Jackets were a PAT from a tie inside the final five minutes. Georgia made three mistakes (two turnovers and a botched kickoff) that yielded no Tech points, while three Tech fumbles spawned three Bulldog touchdowns … and still the Jackets kept coming.
Full credit to the Bulldogs for making the requisite plays at the end, but fuller credit must go to Johnson and his Jackets: They got nearly the maximum from their diminished resources on a night when Georgia’s best player, the sublime A.J. Green, could be seen running out of bounds three yards short of a first down when the score was 0-0. (Georgia scored on the next play, Kris Durham’s catch-and-run, but still.)
And when the careening game finally seemed lost, that rascal Johnson conjured up one last way to make it winnable. He ordered cornerback Jerrard Tarrant to tell the other Jacket defenders, “Let ‘em score.” A Tech employee standing on the sideline heard this exchange and was terrified the Bulldogs would catch on to this strategic bit of jujitsu, but they didn’t. Washaun Ealey burst through the line and kept going and everyone in red and black got really excited — for five seconds. Then they realized they’d been snookered.
Said Richt: “We didn’t coach very good there. We got outcoached right there. It was good strategy by Coach Johnson. I thought [when it happened], ‘He got us there. He got me.’ ”
Said Johnson, almost shrugging: “It was the only way we could win the game.”
In the end his team lost, but the same Tech man who’d told me after the Jackets’ uninspiring defeat of Duke that he fully dreaded Saturday night in Athens was positively giddy in this losing aftermath. And another Tech man, the former captain Taz Anderson, sent this e-mail 18 minutes after the final whistle: “Tonight you saw a great football coach take a group that has little talent and keep them in a game where they were clearly overmatched.”
OK, I know what (some of) you Bulldogs are saying to that: “They’re Techies and they lost– who cares what they think?” And under other circumstances I might agree. But after this wild night I’d suggest both sides saw the same game, which is to say an on-paper mismatch that became an on-field white-knuckler. And I’d also ask this: When was the last time Georgia’s coach worked a game that good?
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
791 comments Add your comment
paulsjohnson
November 29th, 2010
7:40 am
Tech fans are only good at beating their meat, it’s the only sex they ever get.
paulsjohnson
November 29th, 2010
7:42 am
We can see how much it hurts you techies, that’s what makes it so much fun. I can even imagine a few hopefully killing themselves, that would be funny.
Atticus
November 29th, 2010
7:42 am
Paul Johnson is 6-6 in a BAD ACC. Paul Johnson doesn’t recruit hard and doesn’t commit to defense because of his ego. Being smarter than Mark Richt isn’t saying much, Georgia is pathetic. Come on, can’t you write something better than this Mark?
VarsityJacket
November 29th, 2010
7:44 am
HEY MARK; is this the same genious coach that lost to 5 unranked teams this year. He needs to be fired.
Hal
November 29th, 2010
7:45 am
Mark can you explain to the folks why the ESPN broadcast team kept on saying winning rivalry games is big for recruting. Tech won the the National championship in ‘90. It didn’t help its recruting, They beat Georgia two years ago that didn’t help. Last year they won the ACC. No luck there either. Yet year after year evey other school in the area signs 5 star players. There seems to be a disconnect between brain power and physical prowness. Can’t these kids see if Tech had any type of defense they could be in the top 5 every year.
Dawg 1
November 29th, 2010
7:46 am
Mark. Congratulations, almost 500 respones and no telling how many hits. You guys hit a hot buttom everytime you run the ‘how smart’ CPJ is. His team was 6-6 with a very weak schedule. Next year will begin to tell us what Georgia Tech really has in a coach and program. What happened on Saturday night wasn’t anything special. It was less about a ’smart’ move by CPJ and a dumb move by Richt. His team should have been in the ‘V’ formation, knee down two more times, shake hands and watch the Tech players go home with another loss for CPJ, who is 1-2 verses Georgia. Oh wait, that happened anyay didn’t it.
11 Arrests 6 Wins
November 29th, 2010
7:51 am
paulsjohnson
November 29th, 2010
7:40 am
Tech fans are only good at beating their meat,
And GA fans beat other people’s.
OkefenokeeDawg
November 29th, 2010
7:58 am
“Tonight you saw a great football coach take a group that has little talent and keep them in a game where they were clearly overmatched.”
***************************************
The Techie is right, Mark, but the same thing could be said of Myer, Mullen, and Hawkins this season vs UGA.
Coach Richt has allowed coaches with lessor talented teams to beat his UGA teams since ‘02, when he allowed UF’s Zook to kill UGA’s chance at the Big Game.
OkefenokeeDawg
November 29th, 2010
8:01 am
“Tonight you saw a great football coach take a group that has little talent and keep them in a game where they were clearly overmatched.”
The Techie is right about that, but the same thing could be said about Hawkins, Myer, and Mullen this season vs UGA.
Coach Richt has allowed coaches of lessor talented teams to beat UGA since ‘02, when UF’s Zook killed the Dawgs’ chance at the Big Game.
Big Dawg Daddy
November 29th, 2010
8:12 am
Keep Richt, fire Bradley
DawginLex
November 29th, 2010
8:13 am
I said 43-41 Tech and everyone laughed.
I tried to tell everyone we couldn’t stop them.
Our coaching staff should be fired for falling for that trick at the end of the game.
Anybody really feel good about that win??
I don’t.
jdawg
November 29th, 2010
8:15 am
If Paul Johnson so much outcoached UGA then why did he lose to the worst UGA team in 20 years? If Paul Johnson so much outcoached UGA then why did he have to tell his team to quit playing the game and let UGA score? If he outcoached UGA then UGA should not have had the ball back with 1:30 left in the game…if he so outcoached UGA then he would not have gone 4 and out on the series prior to that…Anyone who knows anything about football who watched this game could see two basically equally matched teams. True UGA had more talent in some areas, but Tech had more in others…from little league to NFL turnovers makes such an impact on a game and in this game UGA capitalized on turnovers and GT did not. Two years ago when Tech won it was the other way around.
Falcsfan10
November 29th, 2010
8:16 am
So Johnson allowing Ealey to score was outcoaching Richt ? What about getting his defense to cover Charles,Durham,and A.J. ? I guess that was Richt outcoaching Johnson there. Everybody in the stadium knew what Tech was doing letting UGA score. Its been done a lot of times before. Paul Johnson didn’t come up with that tactic, he just used it because it was his only chance.
gt45
November 29th, 2010
8:18 am
I truely expected Ga to win by 21, so I can’t help to be proud of our team. Especially, knowing we would have won, except for the turnovers in the red zone! I honestly can’t believe Ga fans are beating their chests right now. The best they would be in the ACC is 4 and 4!
paul01
November 29th, 2010
8:19 am
Is Alabama so great? How many World Series, Olympic Games, teams in the Super Bowl, Masters Golf tournaments and/or professional teams have they ever had? If an SEC championship were held in AL, there is not a stadium in the state meeting the requirements. Keep your two diversions AU and AL. We in GA have other activities to follow. And, btw Tech and UGA will be back on top soon. What then will you say?
UGA=YAWN
November 29th, 2010
8:20 am
Bull Crap to this article and GT fans then. I am GT and I am not at all happy. No moral victories. It is this silly attitude that allows for us to continually lose the game. To me, our team should have 1 goal – beat UGA. I could care less about meaningless bowl games. And winning the ACC last year was also meaningless sandwiched in between losses to UGA and a humiliating one to Iowa. Get real GT fans! Demand better. We lost the game!!!!
DYNAMICBIGBOY
November 29th, 2010
8:21 am
Johnson’s team is headed south. His recruiting has been very poor and with losing Allen they have no big back for the next year. Tevin Washington is not going to win the bumblebees any games and the defense shows no improvement at all.
Falcsfan10
November 29th, 2010
8:21 am
Grantham’s defense couldn’t stop Tech’s option at all. Its hard to believe a coach can get paid $750 g’s to allow 400 yards rushing and 34 points. I could have allowed the same poor defense for $50 g’s…
UGA=YAWN
November 29th, 2010
8:21 am
And what coach in the world allows the other team to score!? That is just asinine!!
Shug
November 29th, 2010
8:22 am
What honor in defeat? Why is Tech seemingly pleased with always playing the part of the spunky underdog? Tech could have won the game. Perhaps it should have won the game. Instead it got beat, again. Good teams and good coaches win games against mediocre opponents. Tech didn’t.
hotbobby
November 29th, 2010
8:22 am
This is what I was afraid of. Just like last year. We beat Tech, and it gives Richt a free pass for another year. You people kill me. We got dam lucky to have won, and you folks are just as blind as ever. What will our record be next year, when we lose so many players? Mark Bradley is right on. They kicked our A– with lesser talent that was COACHED up!
UGA=YAWN
November 29th, 2010
8:23 am
g45, you are the problem at GT. Cheer for another school. You are proud of us losing 9 times out of the last 10!? get real!!!
Falcsfan10
November 29th, 2010
8:24 am
UGA-Yawn dummazz, losing by 8 with the ball trying to tie the game is better than losing by 1 and watching UGA run out the clock…
high school offense
November 29th, 2010
8:25 am
Didn’t UGA stop Tech on their last two possessions…when it mattered most? Where was the genius of CPJ then.
Coach Richt always get out coached…nothing new there.
Darren
November 29th, 2010
8:26 am
Opening 4th down call by Tech will haunt Johnson. If he kicks the field goal, Tech wins. Richt used his aggression to beat Johnson again.
Perry
November 29th, 2010
8:28 am
If Johnson doesn’t call that pitch that got scooped and scored, to Justin Houston’s side, Tech wins. Great move by Georgia moving Houston around to outfox Johnson.
Falcsfan10
November 29th, 2010
8:28 am
Saying Tech fans are giddy after losing is like saying the groom looked nice in his tuxedo while walking out on the bride at the wedding. Mark, you are trying to bring out the positive in a total negative result…
Felix Millan
November 29th, 2010
8:29 am
brilliant Paul Johnson throwing the ball when they were gaining 10- 15 yds per rush.
bigD
November 29th, 2010
8:30 am
CPJ’s offense looks like my son’s eight year old team. Run it up the middle, run it right, run it left, and throw it once or twice in the game. Too bad our pitiful defense couldn’t figure out how to stop it again! Didn’t Grantham watch the tapes from 2009 on how to stop it and 2008 how to not stop it?
Bud
November 29th, 2010
8:30 am
Thought the sneaky slip of Houston from being a passrusher to a passdefender was the coaching move of the game. Johnson didn’t see it coming. Tech had been calling plays rolling the QB away form Houston. Then, Georgia reverses Houston’s side, and drops the SEC’s 31 sack leader into pass coverage? Johnson didn’t see it coming, and Houston intercepts and ices the game.
Gdawg
November 29th, 2010
8:31 am
UGA’s defense is pathetic and I am totally embarrassed, frustrated, disappointed, and not looking forward to next year. TG you suck as a DC, and to think that you are making $750K is totally rediculous. Duke’s defense is better than UGA. Why can’t we play D? Why can’t we get good defensive coaching? That was a rediculous display of defense the other night. 411 yards rushing with a backup quarterback. Totally embarrassing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Falcsfan10
November 29th, 2010
8:32 am
Its very easy to stop the option. One man on RB,one man on pitchman,and one man on QB. You know one of the three will get the ball every play. Just stay on your man.
gt45
November 29th, 2010
8:32 am
UGA, Our boys gave everything they could given on that field, and could have won, except for turnovers in the red zone. This is to a way more talented GA team. I’ve been to every home game this year, and will be for every year to come, if I’m able. WE’RE YOU? I thought so! You, sir, are not a true fan!
11 Arrests 6 Wins
November 29th, 2010
8:33 am
UGA=YAWN
You wouldn’t know a smart tactic if it hit you in the face.
Falcsfan10
November 29th, 2010
8:34 am
And it would be easy to stop Cam Newton too. Just put 7 or 8 men in the box and make him throw the ball. Blitzing every play wouldn’t allow him the time to set up and throw. Grantham couldn’t figure this out with $750,000 reasons to figure it out…
Alabama 1st in football, last in reading
November 29th, 2010
8:35 am
Even the sleaziest state in the union needs to be the best in something. In Alabama, it is cheating.
Auburn will be out of the football bidness for a while, and when AL is on probation again next time, they will both be purged from the SEC
To The Haters
November 29th, 2010
8:37 am
MB you’re starting to sound like saint simons, “oh yeah we lost but our coach is smarter than your’s!!!”
Did you really write this crap? I thought sports was about wins and loses? If you want to discuss brain power why not write about the Ivy League? MB- A true D-Bag!
TEXAS DAWG
November 29th, 2010
8:38 am
Got back in Texas at 1:30 in the morning yesterday capping off my first ever Bulldog game in Sanford Stadium. It was totally worth it. GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!
GTGirl
November 29th, 2010
8:38 am
I’m glad so many UGA people actually read the article. Congrats on the win leghumpers, you’re best possible uga team barely beat our team of misfits and 3rd stringers… you should be really proud
I didn’t know Football counted as work release…
Paul Johnson
November 29th, 2010
8:38 am
Hey, I’m brilliant – I have an idea – let’s let UGA score with one minute left on the clock and go up by 8 so we can run the ball for probably 80 yards and score a 2 point conversion to tie the game! I am so smart it hurts plus it will make these nerd fans giddy to think I thought of this tactic and fooled CMR by letting him go up by 8. ESPYs here I come with the play of the year!!!
Bud
November 29th, 2010
8:40 am
If Johnson saves all 3 of his timeouts for the end of the game, Tech is able to run the ball, and probably wins.
Ouch!
Eric
November 29th, 2010
8:41 am
Little surprised Paul Johnson didn’t figure out a way to win this game. Georgia lost 3 DL to the NFL. That’s big. Johnson didn’t exploit that enough. Thank goodness Johnson didn’t see that.
JDennis
November 29th, 2010
8:41 am
How about last year when the soon to be ACC champs where the far superior team and got their clock cleaned, because their “Genius” coach had bigger fish to fry.
Tom, Resident Georgia Fan
November 29th, 2010
8:43 am
St. Simons: You are a coward and a joke.
UGA=YAWN
November 29th, 2010
8:43 am
Dude, I get club seats every year – pay the big bucks. I am a true fan. We lost! Again! Be mad not happy fool.
UGA=YAWN
November 29th, 2010
8:44 am
A smart tactic? letting the other team score? Yeah right? Canvass 200 coaches and ask them that one and see how many say they would do it? Zero. Well, maybe 1 – our coach!!!
UGA=YAWN
November 29th, 2010
8:45 am
JDennis – we didn’t get our clocked cleaned last year.
Dazed and Confused
November 29th, 2010
8:46 am
Ealey’s little jig in the end zone with the whole Tech team just standing there was priceless. At least Ealey made it across the goal line without fumbling.
Bud
November 29th, 2010
8:47 am
I wish Ealey had known Tech was go let him score. He missed a great opportunity to “showcase” a little bit. He could have criss crossed the field a few times, maybe run backwards, skipping would have been funny, get right down to the goal line and put a knee down.
Saint Simons
November 29th, 2010
8:51 am
Does anybody have any locker room pictures of Tech players naked or in their jock straps.