Georgia Tech fourth in the ACC Coastal? Sounds low to me
Crafty PJ plans to coach this season from the center of the field. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
The media assembled in Pinehurst, N.C., picked Georgia Tech to finish fourth in the ACC Coastal Division, which includes six teams. Me, I’d bump the Jackets up one spot. But maybe that’s just me.
My rationale: There aren’t many (if any) unwinnable games on Tech’s schedule. The Jackets don’t play Florida State, which stands to be the ACC’s best team. The toughest conference game — against Virginia Tech — will be played here on Nov. 10, which is a Thursday night. The second-toughest figures to be against Miami, and the Hurricanes are in transition yet again.
The ACC media picked the Coastal this way: Virginia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Virginia, Duke. We can all agree that the Jackets, who play Duke in Durham, shouldn’t lose that game anywhere. Carolina remains under a cloud and has lost a ton of talent, some of which was ineligible last season. I like Virginia coach Mike London, but his team won one ACC game — against Miami, a result that shoved Randy Shannon out the door — last season.
I know what you’re saying: Georgia Tech isn’t exactly brimming with talent. You’re right. It’s not. But here’s where I’m guessing Paul Johnson’s system makes a difference. PJ in Year 4 should be able to outcoach a lot of ACC folks. I’m not suggesting Tech will crack the Top 25, but I can’t see another losing season, either.
Me, I’d say the Jackets will run third in the Coastal (ahead of Carolina) and finish 8-4 overall. But again, maybe that’s just me.
By Mark Bradley
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195 comments Add your comment
cattledawg
July 26th, 2011
11:38 am
I like tech 1st or 2nd if they get good qb play. Third if he struggles.
Ramblin Recluse Road
July 26th, 2011
11:39 am
I’m glad Ben Vaughn beat John Carlos. He was in the Army while at Tech. I saw him run a 220 on tv, which of course he won. Did he wear a track shirt with ARMY across the chest? Hell no, he wore one with TECH across his chest.
j
July 26th, 2011
11:41 am
Is it 3rd or 4th really that big of a deal?
Ramblin Recluse Road
July 26th, 2011
11:42 am
And Vaughn’s track shirt said just TECH, not Georgia Tech. To try to fing apparel that says just TECH from a Tech site is not possible these days. There’s one sweatshirt at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore for Tech that says TECH, and it only goes up to 2XL.
Nate the Great
July 26th, 2011
11:43 am
MB: I’m going with DNF for playing ineligIble players. Now your not just nerds but also dirty cheaters. But above all you 1-9 in the last decade against UGA.
Alan
July 26th, 2011
11:47 am
How many years do we have to beat unc for them stop picking them over us? Gt will play with a chip on their shoulder this year because of the ncaa bs. And this team will be much better than last year. We would have beaten vt if nesbitt hadn’t gotten hurt. Watch out for vad. He can pass. This team will go 11-1 and surprise everyone, but that happens with pj quite often.
Ramblin Recluse Road
July 26th, 2011
11:48 am
no TECH apparel to wear, another reason to be reclusive from alma mater; do entrust that football team wears watchable unis this season such as ones worrn in CPJ’s first year with the old gold on white background; just about every time they wear old gold they win
Ramblin Recluse Road
July 26th, 2011
11:56 am
I think Tech could beat VT b/c VT is a sissy school where they have the cool mtn temps and pretty scenery of Blacksburg, Miami fired their coach and will have to learn a new system and, NC doesn’t have any star like Natrone Means was, so that describes these three. Even Julius Peppers with NC was always kept in check playing Tech. I think NC’s coach is not any good.
Big Macon Dawg
July 26th, 2011
11:58 am
Of course Tech is “brimming with talent”. All their players played highschool football, and most even had offers from Jacksonville State or Furman.
ss
July 26th, 2011
11:59 am
Why do you media dudes drink the FSU kool-aid? They didnt win the leauge a year ago. Thier probally good enough to win the atlantic again, but the hokies still got the grump running the helm.
T3
July 26th, 2011
12:00 pm
Here’s my 2011 forecast:
1. W: Western Carolina.
Why this game is important: All 3 GT QBs will get playing time.
GT will see begin to see a leader at QB emerge. GT Defense will be
play lights out for first-half then D subs will play.
2. W: MTSU:
Why this game is important. Again, more GT QB evaluation.
GT D will show that their for real in 2011.
3. W: Kansas: GT wins 49-0.
GT will finally settle on a starting QB.
GT D will shut out Kansas.
4. W: UNC.
GT really shows theyve got all the pieces working well.
GT wins a close one: 27-24
5. W: NCSTATE
GT D proves their strength.
GT wins another clsoe one: 33-23
6. W: Maryland
CPJ despises Edsell. GT wins in a beatdown: 39-24
7. W: UVA
UVA coach London is till trying to rebuild UVA.
GT crushes UVA: 47-24
8. L: MIami
Miami has the biggest O & D lines in the ACC.
This will be a very tough game. GT loses 34-24
9: W: Clemson (Toss-Up)
Will GT be at full strength after very tough Miami game.
10. W: VT
GT gets 10 day layoff.
VT is once again highly over-rated.
GT was CRUSHING VT in 2010 before Nesbitt go thurt.
GT in a BEATDOWN GT 49 VT:23.
11. W: Duke:
GT in another beatdown: GT:36 Duke:23
12: W: UGA
UGA cant stop GT’s run game.
GT’s D hits all cylinders.
GT blasts SEC East Champs UGA.
GT 42 UGA 24. GT
GT loses very close ACC-CG to FSU.
GT blasts USCe in Chik-Fil-A bowl: GT: 41 USCe: 24
Big Macon Dawg
July 26th, 2011
12:05 pm
@T3
Hilarious, dude!
Nate the Great
July 26th, 2011
12:08 pm
I love that gt thinks they will be getting better. You run a gimmick offense that most teams have figured out. Florida did the same thing but with talented athletes and not players who wouldn’t play at any other major d1 school. Will y’all fire cpj if he maintains his downward trajectory? We at UGA will fire cmr if he doesn’t win 10 games or 9 and one is against Florida.
Here’s a little bit of knowledge for you yechies: We fire our coach for losing to tech but give them a contract extension for beating Florida. Why? Because we expect to beat you yearly and just want to get the series more competitive against Florida. We always want to beat you but we don’t consider gt real competition.
Jon Heisman
July 26th, 2011
12:09 pm
Synjyn Days may be the starter and has more upside. Groh’s defense will be improved. I think we win 8 games if we cut down on fumbles. Johnson has not properly motivated guys that put the ball on the ground last year.
And whoever dropped the two punts last year, should be no longer on the team.
Tennis Rodman
July 26th, 2011
12:13 pm
If Gtu cheats like they normally do they can move up to 3.
Nate the Great
July 26th, 2011
12:15 pm
T3. Is that really your schedule? The only thing that’ll make it easier is to schedule a HS team. You guys better win 9 games no matter the talent or find a legit hc that will runs a real offensive scheme so you can recruit real talent. But T3, do you really think you’ll beat us 42-24? You wont run like you did last year and that still wasn’t enough.
ANTOINEFORD
July 26th, 2011
12:20 pm
This is the least talented team Tech’s fielded since the Bill Lewis days. We have about as good a chance of winning eight as Obama does of winning the next election. Georgia lost most of their talent as well. Look for Tech to win about 6 and the Dawgs to play in yet another little bowl.
Heavy Dawg Walkin'
July 26th, 2011
12:24 pm
If the honey bees beat South Carolina, I’ll introduce you to a pretty girl on tech’s campus.
Gotcha! Can’t believe you nerds keep falling for that one!
BYRDDAWG
July 26th, 2011
12:33 pm
T3……lay off da crack jack!!!!!!!
reebok
July 26th, 2011
12:35 pm
i keep hearing that tech doesn’t have any talent, but don’t we send anywhere from 3-6 guys to the NFL every year?
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
July 26th, 2011
12:38 pm
4-8 baby. I know many of you HATE PJ and his antics. Such as chastising the NCAA before appealing the ruling. Or maybe the fact that Georgia is stacked with D1 talent and PJ can’t sign very many of them. Losing to Air Force has to suck. 4-8 indeed. See ya PJ.
reebok
July 26th, 2011
12:39 pm
I think we will be 6-1 after the Virginia game, but the only sure win on the schedule after that is Duke. I find myself wondering if this is the year Georgia quits on Richt…they have no backup QB, a thin offensive line, and will be relying on a true freshman to carry the load offensively…Tech might be meeting a Georgia team that is demoralized and in disarray in November.
Lance
July 26th, 2011
12:41 pm
Who cares if you are 4th or 2nd or last. If you are not 1st it does not matter and Tech certainly has NO shot at being 1st!
JB
July 26th, 2011
12:42 pm
Anyone get punched in the face at the presser? Just asking, you never know.
Gorilla Biscuit
July 26th, 2011
12:44 pm
I would have thought maybe 6th or 6 1/2.
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
July 26th, 2011
12:45 pm
t3
That was hilarious.
4-8 maybe 5-7
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
July 26th, 2011
12:47 pm
I’m starting to think 5-7, but those losses count as moral victories.
JB
July 26th, 2011
12:50 pm
reebok………….you have your head in the sand about Richt and Georgia. The Team last year quit on Richt ( still managed to squeak out a Tech win). This year will be a lot better in THAT department. Now, does that means more wins, who knows. Several ” cancers” off that team are gone…and this years Georgia team will be a lot more physical and in better shape. WE have many questions, but our schedule is favorable. We lost 4 games last year in the fourth quarter by less than 7 points. Now, talking to a Techie is fruitless I know, but I had to say something. Good luck this year.
dawgmatic
July 26th, 2011
12:50 pm
250 degrees for the fish fry grease? Sounds low to me.
JB
July 26th, 2011
12:53 pm
325 at least to cook fish.
Big Ten Champs Nebraska
July 26th, 2011
12:53 pm
4th sounds low for a team that can’t follow the rules?
Football in the south is a joke.
ANTOINEFORD
July 26th, 2011
12:56 pm
We have been sending lots of players to the pros because Gailey and O’Leary could recruit. This is the first CPJ team without any of Gailey’s players.
GT
July 26th, 2011
1:03 pm
No one knows what Tech has or does it matter. There is such a fine line between a breakaway run and a loss. If they have a real defense this year I think they once again will surprise us all, but last year really was a let down. They don’t get blown out but sitting on a dove field barely picking up a radio signal and then hearing they are losing to one of the NCAA’s worse teams makes you wonder.
Michael
July 26th, 2011
1:15 pm
Nothing against you, Mark, but where’s Mr. College Football?
Brave Hokie
July 26th, 2011
1:18 pm
@T3
Just smoke the weed kid, stop eating it…
Buzzzed
July 26th, 2011
1:28 pm
CPJ won’t make the difference this year; it will be CAG and the defense. They will be in the hunt for the title.
Groover Gaddis
July 26th, 2011
1:29 pm
I dunno. 4th sounds awfully ambitious.
Groover Gaddis
July 26th, 2011
1:31 pm
My prediction is 7th if everyone stays fit and unincarcerated. Mark it down Mark!
Duke
July 26th, 2011
1:34 pm
Tech will lose to duke this year , finished tied for bottom spot in ACC.
TAM
July 26th, 2011
1:37 pm
I do believe that, based on these blogs, DawginLex is one of the only classy uga fans in existence.
timthebrave
July 26th, 2011
1:38 pm
I think 3rd sounds about right. They could also easily end up 2nd or 4th in their division. I could see them beating Miami and NC but I also can see them losing to both of those teams
yellow britches
July 26th, 2011
1:43 pm
7 and 5. It’s a sad day when Georgia Tech has to travel to Murfreesboro to play Middle Tennessee State just to keep the finances sound. Ugh. How far we have fallen. Next step is a home and away series with Alabama Birmingham. I may not make that trip.
Laughing at PJ
July 26th, 2011
1:46 pm
Not brimming with talent might be overstating what PJ has assembled at tech. What has Pj ever done on a major college level, 1 win vs Vt and 1 vs Uga. Beating a 9 loss ND team while at Navy? 0-3 in bowl games , some system. Service academy offense, 1-5 to end 2010 and more of the same coming in 2011, perhaps some early season success against the dregs on schedule. Downhill fast after Kansas.
reebok
July 26th, 2011
1:46 pm
JB – don’t misunderstand me, I am not predicting a Georgia collapse. Just being mindful that these are kids under tremendous pressure, and emotion (and that mystical quality called ‘chemistry’) factor in much more than at the pro level. Good luck in the Dome against Boise State.
o'leary
July 26th, 2011
1:54 pm
ah…so refreshing to see the dog fans out in force. they always bloom in spring and summer.
but then comes the real games….
what’s it like looking up at central florida?!
o'leary
July 26th, 2011
1:59 pm
nate….you finished 6-7 last year?!! glad to see how you hold your coaches much more accountable
JB
July 26th, 2011
2:03 pm
O’leary…………nice try….We really bloom about the last weekend in November. really nice time of the year for us.
4 Tickets 4 Dogs 4 Popcorns 4 Cokes
July 26th, 2011
2:03 pm
Who cares, they’ll still lose to Georgia and lose their bowl game.
LOL
July 26th, 2011
2:09 pm
Antoine: Gailey had one good class the entire time he was here. Do a little research for once.
BigTimeTechFan
July 26th, 2011
2:11 pm
GT may go undefeated and play Oklahoma St in the Natl Championship Game.