Paul Johnson on Tech’s recruiting: ‘Ask again in three years’
Tech A-back Orwin Smith: A good player, yes, but is he an impact player? (AP photo)
Some folks live to follow recruiting. Paul Johnson, who makes his living in a business tied to recruiting, isn’t among them. Here’s the Georgia Tech coach on the sport-within-a-sport:
“It’s kind of been blown out of proportion a little. Certainly [recruiting] is important, but you’ve got people hanging on every word. I think crowning a guy before he’s played a [collegiate] down is a little premature.”
I know what some of you are saying: Easy for Johnson to claim recruiting isn’t a big deal, but would he feel the same if the Rivals.com rankings were reversed? If Tech’s class were rated the nation’s seventh-best and Georgia’s the 40th-best?
Being Paul Johnson, he would. He’s a pragmatist of the first rank, and a bit of a contrarian. When asked a question, he often begins his response with, “Oh, I don’t know …” or “Not really.” He’s a football lifer who has seen pretty much everything, and one thing he knows is that, in football as in life, things aren’t always what they seem.
Johnson: “We did a study about the ACC, and it showed that more teams teams ranked in the bottom half of the conference in recruiting played in the championship game than those ranked in the top half. And yet you’ve got people ready to cut their wrists [over recruiting].”
Also: “I don’t think anyone really knows how hard a guy is going to work. Some guys have reached their peak; some guys are just scratching the surface. And people talk about ‘impact players’: A very small number of guys are ‘impact players.’ Go back to last year’s [Tech] group, where we had two guys go in the first round. [Receiver Demaryius] Thomas was redshirted as a freshman, and [defensive end] Derrick Morgan didn’t have a great freshman year. But they became playmakers.”
The issue of impact, or the lack thereof, is a Tech hot button. The Jackets plummeted from a 2009 ACC title to an Independence Bowl loss because of an apparent absence of difference-makers. Would Johnson concede that, with the famous 2007 recruiting class assembled by predecessor Chan Gailey all but gone, his program lacks top-end talent? He would not.
“As good a football player as [B-back] Johnny Dwyer was — and he was a great player, the ACC player of the year [in 2008] — he really didn’t play much as a freshman after his first four games. I just think as those kids worked, they got better.”
Gailey’s 2007 class was ranked 19th-best by Rivals, marking the only time Tech has cracked the Top 40 in the past decade. With this class at No. 40, it would seem the Jackets have done well by their standards but not quite as well as they’d have liked. Johnson’s take: “I think it’s going well, but ask me again in three years … It’s like a coach once told me: ‘They all came highly recommended.’ But you don’t know how hard they’re going to work.”
Will work alone be able to lift Tech back above .500? Or has a post-Gailey talent gap developed that Johnson — whose first three recruiting classes were rated 49th, 49th and 43rd by Rivals — has been unable to close?
Johnson: “We’ve got some good young players. We’ve redshirted some offensive linemen. [A-back] Orwin Smith made an impact; he had some big runs. And [outside linebacker] Jeremiah Attaochu had a better freshman year than Derrick Morgan. I don’t know if he’ll be as good as Derrick, but it’s possible he could be. ”
If it wasn’t an diminution of talent that led to 6-7 after 11-3, what was it? “We didn’t turn the ball over as much the year before, and we didn’t lose our quarterback [Joshua Nesbitt] … But you have to make your breaks. We did the year before, like Josh snatching the ball back at Florida State. Anytime something happened last year, it went the other way.”
That said, a coach is paid his million(s) to win games, not say, “Gee whiz.” Paul Johnson is nothing if not a results-oriented guy. But you’ll pardon him if he doesn’t see Signing Day, in this or any year, as a true result.
“You want to judge recruiting?” Johnson said. “How many games did you win? That’s the best bottom line.”
By Mark Bradley
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288 comments Add your comment
Jesup
January 30th, 2011
3:14 pm
@ GTfan01 No Grantham was not first choice.. and frankly he is very overpaid and if he has any success next year i think he will go back to the NFL. I was hoping that the Dawgs would have hired Deruyter from Air Force after the Kirby Smart fiasco.. but Grough needs to gooo…if yall want to win and Recruit.. Go Dawgs
Ted M
January 30th, 2011
3:15 pm
Paul Johnson just spun a load of crap. He just said he doesn’t want James Wilder, Jr as opposed to I can’t get James Wilder, Jr. You can replace James Wilder, Jr with any 5 star recruit in that statement.
CPJ wants these 5 star recruit just like every other coach. He is not man enough to admit he can’t get them so he feeds you spin.
Jesup
January 30th, 2011
3:20 pm
Paul Johnson is a Very good Coach just think if he still had Jeff Monken and Niumatalolo…the Man spends a lot of time coaching coaches. DEFENSE will make or break Johnson Career not the Triple option offense… Go Dawgs
GTfan1957
January 30th, 2011
3:20 pm
What ever gtfan….Spin it however you want to make yourself feel good. I could care less how you slice & dice it. This class is a disaster for GT & CPJ,
RomeDawg
January 30th, 2011
3:22 pm
Paul Johnson is a fat douche. I love the comment about teams with teams in the ACC that had recruiting classes in the bottom half of the league played for more championships. When is the last time you can recall an ACC team playing for a BCS title or really even being relevant in the national picture of college football? Fact is, if you look at teams that recruit well, the play for more than conference titles.
Now before you Techies start to slam me about UGA’s recruits and our lack of success, please keep in mind we play in a REAL conference. If we played in the ACC we would go undefeated every year. Heck, one of our worst teams beat the ACC champion two years ago at Bobby Dodd.
Crowell is getting ready to RUN THIS STATE!
Jesup
January 30th, 2011
3:32 pm
The kid down here in Jesup might still have an Offer from Tech if PJ or Grogh would have stayed in his ear….and to pull his Offer because he is visiting FSU this weekend is stupid, I think he would have honored his commitment. He is gonna be an impact player somewhere. And the people around here think that PJ has burnt bridges. not a good thing to do because WC has one of the top QB prospects in the Country next year Sabin and Richt have made visits to the High School..of course the QB would never consider Tech because he is a SLOW pro style QB. But they are other good prospects here that would fit the option offense and a heck of a LB prospect. Funny cause our Mascot is the Yellow Jackets…..GT has made no friends in Wayne County.
Hummon
January 30th, 2011
3:36 pm
I am a UGa fan and find PJ’s schtick tiresome most of the time, but he is dead right about this. For Dawg fans who are giddy about our recruiting class, I have two words: Brandon Miller.
Tech Man
January 30th, 2011
3:36 pm
There are no lay-ups at Ma Tech. Paul understands this. He is recruiting young men of character AND skill. Tech will be just fine.
And, we will be proud of those who represent the Institute. We will not sacrifice the great name and honor of Georgia Tech.
To the less honorable (i.e. UGA), there is no honor to defend. The brand is already tarnished and accepts a fouled reputation as par for the course. It is easy to be loose with character and substance.
Paul "The Genius" Johnson
January 30th, 2011
3:40 pm
Mark — Once again my man, you came through to help a brother out. You have done a great job at sweeping my bowl failures under the rug, my loss to UGA (again) and ending the season with a 1-6 record. Really, I would have to say that you were our MVP for the 2010 campaign.
Also, thanks for continuing to prop up the ‘genius’ meme. As long as I keep belching out colloquialisms and projecting a “I am too cool” and “too smart” to worry about recruiting blather you will keep waiving the flag. Well done, well done indeed.
Hopefully, I won’t run up against an AJC columnist with a brain and a pair who will call BS on these contradictions and ask….”so coach, if recruiting is not so important and what really matters is coaching, working hard and execution — then why did your team finish 1-6? Who is accountable for such a dreadful outcome?” Toodles!!
Tweets that mention Paul Johnson on Tech's recruiting: 'Ask me again in three years' | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
January 30th, 2011
3:43 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Brian Watsley, Bertromavich Reibold. Bertromavich Reibold said: Paul Johnson on Tech's recruiting: 'Ask again in three years': Certainly [recruiting] is important, but you've g… http://bit.ly/eDlE3I [...]
Jacket Backer
January 30th, 2011
3:48 pm
Johnson will not be at Tech in 3 years ! The worst recruiting class in decades! This will be his last year and it will be another losing season!
Anticipation
January 30th, 2011
3:50 pm
No Crying: “I can’t wait for next season when the Broncos come down to Georgia, with our crop of second rate and overlooked recruits.”
We (UGA) can’t wait, either.
GTBob
January 30th, 2011
3:56 pm
There seems to be added uneasiness this year with recruiting for GT fans. I really wonder why. We have never recruited well, and we will never recruit well regardless of who our coach is, so why are GT fans acting surprised now. There is a reason why Paul Johnson was brought to Tech. GT has to have a coach who can win with lesser talent. Otherwise you get 7-5 seasons every year like Chan Gailey. If you guys want to have a football factory who signs 30 guys a year then GT really isn’t the right choice for you.
Ezekiel
January 30th, 2011
3:58 pm
Paul Johnson can win more with less than just about any coach out there. The talent level coming out of high school nowadays is a lot deeper so that it used to be so it is a lot harder to rank players and classes. Talk more Tech recruiting at: http://bbuzzoff.com
Paul "The Genius" Johnson
January 30th, 2011
3:59 pm
Correction, we won 1 out of our last 6, to finish 1-5. Thank goodness we played Middle Tennessee State before we went on our year end streak of suckitude, or it would have been 1-6. Oh well, nonetheless Mark, thanks for sweeping the 1-5 finish and loss to a Service Academy under the rug.
Not one column was written by you or Jeff acknowledging the disaster in Shreveport. You have done your part Mark and that is all I can ask from you, so here is another humble thank you from “The Genius.” Toodles!!!
GT
January 30th, 2011
4:01 pm
All those top 10 classes uga had in 06 07 and 08 sure are paying off!!
GT man
January 30th, 2011
4:05 pm
On PJ’s recruting, I do notice that players that Ga.Southern,Troy, UAB offer, PJ loves to go after them. Is anybody offered any Wofford or Elon players, so PJ can fill the last 2 slots?
GT
January 30th, 2011
4:07 pm
Again, let’s see according to Rivals mark, the great uga had the following classes
2007 #9 class
2008 #7 class
2009 #6 class
2010#15 class
Doesn’t this contradict what you’re implying and prove it’s all about coaching. Can you imagine what PJ would do with classes like uga has gotten?
I laugh at these uga imbeciles touting this years class when they’ve had the same class the past decade. There’s some serious kool aid being consumed by uga fans.
Jesup
January 30th, 2011
4:08 pm
A good read on Recruiting Stars and such >>>> http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110130/SPORTS02/101300360/Fans-feed-off-college-football-s-numbers-game
saban
January 30th, 2011
4:12 pm
Comparing CPJ and Groh to Richt and choakdawg is like comparing Gold to an Athens trailor park.
Richt knows this. He is a good enough bartender and choakdawg is good at biting the head off of snakes for entertainment. But coaching just not in the gene pool.
The reality is Tech will win a national champinship before Georgia will.
And I will win several while the good ship dawg sinks in the Savannah River.
Keep Richt.
Headley Lamar
January 30th, 2011
4:20 pm
The reality is Tech will win a national champinship before Georgia will.
I literally just fell out of my chair laughing. Tech cant beat UGA. Much less win a title.
And as far as recruiting goes. Most years UGA has a Top Ten class. Most years they finish in the Top Ten. There is a direct correlation.
Even if there weren’t I would rather start with the better players and take my chances.
Rodney Dangerfield
January 30th, 2011
4:23 pm
“GT has made no friends in Wayne County”
There is a Wayne County in GA? Was it named after the Duke?
Anyway, why are Tech fans so up in arms over recruiting this year. It is on par to be like every other year that Tech has had in recruiting over the past 20 years. Tech has a lot of fans just due to being the underdog. If Tech started getting top 10 classes then they are no longer the underdog.
As a GA resident growing up I liked Tech just because just about every one else liked UGA and I like basketball more than football at the time (Hewitt has killed my love for collegiate basketball). I live in a family full of UGA lovers and they all want Mark Richt fired, haha.
JB
January 30th, 2011
4:25 pm
It may be over for Johnson at Tech. Not a Div 1 WR on the team, A Qb who the last two games impressed few, Not a Starter on Defense who could be foirst team on any SEC team. A coach who will run a game plan based on HIS ego. A big drop off in talent the last 3 classes, enough though he get’s a pass on the first one. I see Johnson winning the obvious games, and like the bowl games, we confronted with BCS type talent and teams….Gets beat almost every time…Welcome to Tech football, who can’t even beat a bad Georgia team.
RAID
January 30th, 2011
4:26 pm
My guess is, and this is’nt meant to rip GT fans, but you’re going to be more likelly to recruit top knotch defensive players than on offence…..As we all know, most kids who are playing football have aspirations of playing at the next level…….The 3-4 defence gives them just that but the option attack does not….It’s more a system of deception and does’nt fit what the NFL promotes…..Top offensive athletes are’nt looking to play in a system that won’t carry over to the next level……I’m not saying that your system does’nt work to a point because the rushing numbers speak for themselves……But there’s a reason that so few college teams run the option attack……Its a good way to get the most out of less tallented athletes……..
Rodney Dangerfield
January 30th, 2011
4:26 pm
“The reality is Tech will win a national champinship before Georgia will.”
Tech won the last national championship between the two schools and can win the next one. All it takes in the BCS system is to go undefeated, and since it is the ACC, hope that everyone else loses one. Because a one loss BCS conference team will make it in before a one loss SEC team for all you SEC homers.
Rodney Dangerfield
January 30th, 2011
4:30 pm
Excuse me… I mean an undefeated BCS conference team will make it in before a one loss SEC team for all you SEC homers. My bad.
my dog digs the Jackets!
January 30th, 2011
4:30 pm
I certainly wish Tech had the #7 instead of the lower. If a coach can “coach up” kids with lesser talent, what could he do with kids with superior talent?
Probably win more, ya think!
ps…no myth. Johnson is hard headed.
RAID
January 30th, 2011
4:30 pm
Rodney, when was the last time a 1 loss sec team left out of the championship game?….Hell, LSU made it in with 2 losses……A 1 loss SEC team still garners more respect than most undefeated teams do in most cases…..
saban
January 30th, 2011
4:35 pm
If one looks at the Boise State recruiting effort this year it is full of two star players. Yet once they beat the dawgs and their all world dream team by 50 the reality of new daddies everyhere will sink it.
I don`t think you folks understand that the Central Florida loss is a watershead for the Georgia program. Johnson and Groh will make players better. All Richt can do is pray and try to keep the Georgia players out of jail.
AB
January 30th, 2011
4:38 pm
Exactly GT
Im waiting for uga fans to come on here and say, well we play in the sec!!
As if gt couldn’t beat la lafyette vandy(did last year) colorado miss st (did last year) tenn(unc did) kentucky and the mighty idaho st!! All this with the easiest sec east in decades.
And they got 6 wins. I’d argue that tech’s 6 win opponents were harder than ugas and yes that includes gt being one of those oppoenents!
Find me another school with what 9,10 years of top 10 recruiting and no nat champ apperances.
destin dawg
January 30th, 2011
4:39 pm
UGA has a monster recruiting class coming….. Grantham and remember we got Belin and Kakatos too…. we coach up these kids next couple years… Junkyard dawg defense.. Richt will wake up and call the plays…. It’s Great to Be a Georgia Bulldawg !!!!!!
destin dawg
January 30th, 2011
4:40 pm
Lakatos
gadawgs
January 30th, 2011
4:46 pm
All you Techies that keep saying that recruiting does not matter and CPJ can coach anyone up better take a look at what a fellow ACC team is putting together in Tallahassee. The top five class that Jimbo Fisher is putting together is going to wax your “coached up” so called players all the way to ACC Championship. Not to mention the top five class UGA is putting together this year will once again beat your “coached up” players in November. Your coach has his head in the sand. If recruiting were not important to him why try to flip Tuitt the way he did. Why mess with the four and five star guys and stick with the two and threes (and coach em up) as there is less competition for said player.
gadawgs
January 30th, 2011
4:49 pm
Gtfan01…By the way your comment about Granhtam being fired from his last DC position (with the Browns no less) holds no water because noone can coach what they have in Clevelanc. As Belichick who was ALSO fired from Cleveland but has done pretty well for himself in Foxboro. Once Grantham gets his type of players for his scheme our defense will be fine. Even Saban and Smart’s 3-4 did not go so well their first year. CTG is a helluva coach that everyone will see this year.
@gtfan01
January 30th, 2011
4:50 pm
UGAs lack of success ocer this period of time, 6 top ten finishes, 2 of those top 3, 3 sec east division titles , 2 SEC titles , winning record over every SEC team except Florida.3 BCS bowls and a 7-3 bowl record. Chan had to recruit in 2005 and 2006 while under NCAA probation, 2004 during the NCaa investigation and before that Flunkgate,PJ has written offers to 11 of Georgias current recruits. He tries to recruit the same players as every other school.
Savannah Dawg
January 30th, 2011
4:50 pm
Mark Bradley’s mancrush on PJ, the coaching genius, continues! He better be a genius if he continues to recruit at the current level.
ToeMeetsLeather
January 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
I know the whole system is out of whack, but with a parents main responsibility to their child to make sure they are prepared for adulthood, and said child has the mental capacity to attend Ga Tech with a free ride. How can schools like FSU and Arkansas change these family unit’s minds? I guess this just underscores our country’s lack of emphasis on education. Mind boggling at times.
rednecks all over barking
January 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
too bad uga can’t have just one loss with their top 10 classes.
heck they wind up with 5-7 losses and they haven’t even had to play bama the past 2 years.
mdbatl
January 30th, 2011
5:03 pm
Count this Dawg fan as still skeptical of Johnson. When Tech hired him, I thought it was a great pickup. Now though with FSU apparently back, the ACC isn’t the cakewalk it was when Johnson first got there, and I can’t help but think those titles aren’t going to be a lot harder to come by.
I think he’s nonchalance about recruiting is going to hurt him. As excited as I have been about our “Dream Team,” the last few seasons Between the Hedges have made me a bit skeptical over recruiting rankings. Nevertheless, you can’t rely solely on diamonds in the rough. Case in point– Johnson clearly outcoached Richt in last year’s game, and arguably his team wanted it more. They didn’t win though, because they couldn’t make the plays when they needed to. That fumble near the goal line. The complete lack of a passing game. That goes down to recruiting, and the fact of the matter is that Tech is not going to be able to compete in the long run with the Florida States and Virginia Techs, least of all the Georgias, if they don’t start recruiting better players.
Want proof? Florida essentially had an absentee coach last year and still squeezed out 8 wins. Talent is important, and Johnson’s not going to be there in 5 years if he doesn’t pick up the pace.
CPJ speaks from the heart
January 30th, 2011
5:08 pm
This thread has really gone stupid. gtu fans have not earned the right to deride UGA simply because of a 1-9 record against UGA over the last 10 years. And to GT January 30th, 2011 4:07 pm I would think it would be more like UGA fans laughing at the imbeclie GT and his meaningless commentary. And CPJ isn’t what all of you techies think he is either, he will not even be a BCS coach for very much longer, so it is not hard to imagine what he would do with talent at any school over the long haul.
THWGT
NOBODYYOUKNOW
January 30th, 2011
5:10 pm
Tek is the worst team in the state of Ga? That is a pretty big cutdown. Considering who you are compairing them to. JAWJA. The biggest joke in the SEC.
john
January 30th, 2011
5:15 pm
You know…reading all the hatred toward CPJ from the muttfans leads me to believe that they are SERIOUSLY worried about the future.
bitter dawgs fan
January 30th, 2011
5:15 pm
coach paul johnson has won at every level, bottom line!!show some respect, dumb as— comments, take your as— to a bammer site
2009 acc champs, stop bashing—as a dawg fan i to believe the games are played on saturday!!!!!, come the start of oct we will have our ansewer for both coach richt and coach paul, —yaaaw
surfrider
January 30th, 2011
5:20 pm
Good article. First of all Tech could have won 3 or 4 games it lost. The difference to me is we did’nt play Nesbitt as much in the spring and we did’nt play Washington/Shaw more as backups and we switched to 3-4 when talent was better suited last year for 4-3. We still can’t catch and throw the ball adequately which when we can wil make a big difference. One sure handed receiver can turn that around. Also, the tlanet is starting to appear in the 3-4 so that should be a plus going forward. Then focuse on the special teams with some good returners. If Tech can do these things and expand recruiting base a little it wwill break top 30 every year. Bobby Dodd and Bobby Ross and O’leary realized you take the best you can get from Ga/Fl.etc..then expand outward. Attrition is key along with player development (redshirting, switch positions, etc.)
GTBob
January 30th, 2011
5:20 pm
It may be over for Johnson at Tech
UGA fans crack me up. Are you guys really that eager for us to turn on our coach? If he is so terrible then I would think you would be encouraging us to keep him.
rxdawg79
January 30th, 2011
5:25 pm
@GTBob: I’m not encouraging you to get rid of him. I do as you think I should: I encourage you to keep him. After all, this year’s recruiting class has FINALLY solidified that long snapper position.
rogeriter
January 30th, 2011
5:26 pm
I am a dawg fan, but I think most of the bloggers from both schools on AJC sports sites, act more like they are in high school. Fact: I’d rather have a good recruiting class than a bad one. Fact: I’d rather beat my rival than come close. Fact: I’d rather win bowl games than lose them. Opinion: both sides need to grow up–blogger-wise.
rxdawg79
January 30th, 2011
5:31 pm
@Nobodyyouknow: Yep, it is a pretty bad “cutdown.” Because as bad as UGA was this past year (and your self-proclaimed “joke of the SEC” they still managed to beat Tech’s sorry azz. And that makes Tech worse than UGA. Got it, genius?
Ted M
January 30th, 2011
5:33 pm
Are there really people out there who think CPJ does NOT want 5 star recruits?
He wants them…he’s ego won’t allow him to admit his offense won’t allow him to get them.
Sugar Hill Dawg
January 30th, 2011
5:34 pm
Everyone take a deep breath. How many guys arrived in Athens as “THE NEXT” (Jasper Sanks come to mind) and never delivered on his “promise.” While I’m excited with the commits so far (two sons at Auburn – I need some trash talk ammo), don’t forget they have to get “coached up” once they hit campus. I heard Davey Pollock say the other day he wasn’t a highly rated recruit (in fact, he came to UGA as a fullback prospect), but he turned out okay.Five and four stars and a buck will get a kid an FO at the Varsity on MIlledge (maybe tow bucks) – lets hope they deliver on the expectations. Go Dawgs!