A fat and sassy Georgia Tech gets handed its comeuppance
Virginia's Mike London had his men primed. His opponent was less than prime. (AP photo)
Charlottesville, Va. – Even if the polls suggested otherwise, Georgia Tech was never the nation’s 12th-best team. It was a good team with a clever scheme and a bunch of guys who’d worked hard and coalesced to make the whole greater than the talent on hand. And then, in the season’s seventh game, the workers worked less hard and got what they deserved, which was beaten by an opponent that had won one ACC game since 2009.
Surely Mike London and his Virginia staff saw what was coming to Scott Stadium: A team that could win any track meet but not many wrestling matches. The Cavaliers, who’d lost to Southern Miss and beaten Idaho by a point in overtime, treated this as their game of arrival and, when Tech got done fiddling and flailing, it was. The No. 12 team got beat and deserved to get beat.
“It’s been coming,” said Paul Johnson, Tech’s obviously irked coach. “When you play with fire long enough, you get burned.”
Tech couldn’t put North Carolina State away in Raleigh two weeks ago and had stopped scoring against Maryland last week, and those were troubling signs. But collegiate players can be tough sells: If you’re winning, what difference does it make? For Tech, the winning stopped Saturday. A pedestrian offense amassed 407 yards against a unit supposedly coordinated by Al Groh, who recruited some of these Cavs. Tech’s own sleek offense couldn’t override a 10-point halftime deficit against an opponent that didn’t score again.
“We talked about it repeatedly,” Johnson said. “[Virginia's] backs were against the wall. We were going to get everything they’ve got.”
Message unheeded. The Jackets trailed 7-0 after six minutes and 14-0 with 6:20 gone. They’d been staggered, and they never fully recovered. Whenever Virginia needed to move, it shoved the Jackets backward. The Cavs rushed for the same number of yards (272) as Tech, and they did it with power. Said Johnson, speaking of Virginia’s repeated sorties around the flanks: “We never set the edge.”
Remember when, back over the summer, we suggested Tech might not have enough prime-time players to win the ACC Coastal? Here was a tutorial in the difference between big/strong and smallish/skilled.
Said linebacker Julian Burnett: “When they run the ball right at you and you can’t stop them, it’s frustrating.”
Say what you will about Johnson, but he’s far better with a lean and hungry team than with a bunch of fat cats. Heck, his whole system is built on wrong-footing bigger guys. He said he tried to impart both a warning and a challenge — “We talked in the pregame meeting about what an opportunity we had” — but this time his urgings moved no one.
Johnson again: “Sometimes you just get blocked and can’t block the other team.”
Some try to make every Tech loss a referendum on Johnson’s spread option, but this was no such thing. It was a pounding by a desperate team that hit harder and fought longer. LSU or Alabama or Oklahoma could have laughed off an early flurry by the likes of Virginia, but Tech is not LSU or Alabama or Oklahoma. On talent, Tech is scarcely better than Virginia.
The Jackets aren’t good enough to win, at least not repeatedly, at half-capacity. They’re a good team when doing the things they do well, but if you force them into a different game they’re far less. Virginia hogged the ball — it punted only twice — and nursed its lead, and with 5:58 the Jackets completed a fizzled series by punting to the Cavs, who wouldn’t give it back.
Johnson: “That’s the way everyone is going to play us … They were able to get ahead and in the end in worked.”
Burnett: “I wasn’t surprised [that Virginia sought to be the aggressor]. We just didn’t match it.”
If we’re going to criticize anything about Johnson’s Method after such a loss, it’s more a matter of philosophy: Johnson wants to do it his way — with a roster of middling recruits who’ll fight to the finish — but we saw Saturday what can happen if the middling recruits don’t fight as hard as they might. They get exposed as … middling.
Yes, that’s a bit harsh. Playing hard and well, Tech is a tough opponent for anybody anywhere, and the Jackets will have the chance to beat some big names over the next six weeks. But a sluggish Georgia Tech is just another team, and Saturday it was a loser to a program so starved for victory that its students swarmed the field.
By Mark Bradley
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332 comments Add your comment
Buford T. Pusser
October 15th, 2011
9:36 pm
Dawg Sh^t,
Thanks for proving my point. That you lack the intelligence to provide any salient points on any topic. By the way, how is your job search working out since you got laid off from the sanitation department. Any problems since your double-wide was placed in foreclosure?
The Sheriff has spoken.
DS_CE91
October 15th, 2011
9:36 pm
Tough day for the good guys. Now, let’s get ready for Miami. I’m NOT writing off the rest of the season based on a bad day.
GO JACKETS!!!!
Mark Bradley....
October 15th, 2011
9:36 pm
I honestly do not know how you keep a job.
Do what?
October 15th, 2011
9:38 pm
Western Carolina. Middle Tennessee State. Kansas. North Carolina. N.C. State. Maryland (by the skin of their teeth). This wasn’t about being fat and sassy. This was just about keeping it real.
Augusta yellow Jacket
October 15th, 2011
9:42 pm
Washington is the same as last year,and so is the sorry AL. Groh Defense and it look like he gave U.V.A. our play book. It time to try Vad Lee so he can start next year.
Johnny FuPa
October 15th, 2011
9:42 pm
Great article. I appreciate the honesty. We have beaten nobody this year. Paul Johnson got exposed today. A bad defense is a package deal with his offense. Just like it’s harder to prepare for our style of offense, it’s equally as hard for us to prepare for a pro style offense. As a Yellow Jacket’s fan, I just wish I could watch real football!
Boyz From N. Ave.
October 15th, 2011
9:43 pm
Theme song for 2012….AL Groh has Got to Go. Tell me why we hire a DC that has been FIRED from his last 3 jobs and expect to win?
Sensei John Kreese
October 15th, 2011
9:43 pm
“Fat and Sassy”? That’s hilarious! I’ll be laughing about that for a while.
Boyz From N. Ave.
October 15th, 2011
9:44 pm
BTW….tis team is a 7-4 reg season…… Pissant bowl loss.
Tech Guy
October 15th, 2011
9:49 pm
At least we got some of the dawg doo doo off the blog.
toldya
October 15th, 2011
9:49 pm
3 or 4 more losses are coming. Get used to it.
Bad bad Leroy brown
October 15th, 2011
9:52 pm
Do they serve crow at the varsity cause tech fans will be eating a lot of it now
Buzz
October 15th, 2011
9:53 pm
Mark, screw you!
Rafe Hollister
October 15th, 2011
9:54 pm
What will happen if you play a good team?
SRF
October 15th, 2011
9:55 pm
this team sucks – they will not win another game
Bad bad Leroy brown
October 15th, 2011
9:55 pm
@ buzz don’t get mad at mark cause y’all lost to a sister of the poor
Unranked beats 12
October 15th, 2011
9:56 pm
loss puts a lot of pressure on the Bees, they lose to VT (or even Miami next week) they’ll go from having dreams of an undefeated season to possibly not even making the ACC Championship
Paul Johnson should have reminded them early on the importance of winning this game and what might happen if they lose
fbGuy
October 15th, 2011
9:57 pm
Tech players and fans grew complacent and expectant with the very soft schedule. They likely will finish 8-4 or 7-5.
Improbable victory for Virginia over Georgia Tech » Crossings – Electronic Journal of Art and Technology
October 15th, 2011
9:58 pm
[...] most to blame for last season's fade, yielding 151 points in the final four defeats. … read full news Published: Sun, 16 Oct 2011 02:01 Tags: Improbable victory for Virginia over Georgia [...]
Vern
October 15th, 2011
10:00 pm
Just before the end of the 3rd quarter it’s 3rd and 5, and the Jackets hurry to get a play off and throw an incomplete pass. Then punt to start the 4th quarter. Why not run to get in position to maybe go for it if it’s 4th and sort? There were some bad decisions and bad play calling as well as some poor effort.
uga63
October 15th, 2011
10:07 pm
Bwahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
To All GT Fans
October 15th, 2011
10:14 pm
With linebackers 3 yards off the ball and safeties 6 yards of the ball (8 men in the box) we have got to have play action passes, but Paul doesn’t.
Bradley can say what he wants about effort, but this was as much about play-calling as it was about anything else. CPJ has been awful the last 10 quarters.
Scott Gardner
October 15th, 2011
10:17 pm
Wa hoo wa!!
OldSchoolTechFanatic
October 15th, 2011
10:18 pm
Hey Nate take a breath. I am not a hater. If you have been watching GT as the talent has went up Tevin’s stats have gone way down. We have not even played the hard part of our schedule yet. Orwin should be getting the ball more. Why do you call people a moron ? That sounds like a hater to me.
Lil' Barry Bailout
October 15th, 2011
10:20 pm
Tech will win one more.
Mike Lum
October 15th, 2011
10:36 pm
After today it can no longer be said that GT will have the best coach when they play Clemson. The Tigers were down 18 and won by 11. CPJ is certainly an offensive genius (though he still calls too many pass plays), the way be belittles players will always keep the best athletes headed other places. As an alumni, it gets old.
A.Bishop
October 15th, 2011
10:44 pm
Best assessment for GT and UGA today is we both played terribly.
GT-UT
October 15th, 2011
10:44 pm
Mark,
Excellent column. You are right on. Key word is middling.
It’s up to these Jackets to prove it wrong and there is an exam every week.
I’m just a big fan prayin for our guys!
Go Jackets
Cali jacket
October 15th, 2011
10:47 pm
What happened to the toss sweep? It’s been the most effective offensive play all season.
Butters
October 15th, 2011
10:51 pm
Ha ha ha, the gold and white tickle pile goes down once again!
Pretenders exposed as usual. Your gimmick offense always fall apart.
You are pathetic as usual – you suck again!!!!!!!!!
benchwarmer
October 15th, 2011
10:52 pm
Let’s face it Tech plays in a lolly pop legue and still has problems. Not nearly as good as 50% of the SEC. By the way the dawgys almost slipped on the Vandy banana peel tonight. They really havn’t won a meaningful game yet this year. No Tennessee is not a superior opponant. Did you see what LSU did to them today? GA teams continue to be weak this year.
swd311
October 15th, 2011
10:52 pm
Mike you are a fool!! 8 passes today is too many? Here are my observations after the last 3 games! No offensive linhe play at all! Too many bad offensive calls on 1st and 2nd down. Bad Washington decision making. No passing. Defensive line play. Absolute horrendous special teams play. Horrendous d-line and linebacker play and tackling. Tech will lose next 3 games beat Duke by a td and lose to UGA by 50. GT sucks again folks….get behind them all you want but this team SUCKS!
Burgess
October 15th, 2011
10:53 pm
Chan Gailey…NFL Coach of the Year…….Paul Johnson…helluva 1AA coach
benchwarmer
October 15th, 2011
10:55 pm
Tech and GA are weak sisters. Tech, little talent no defense. GA, lots of talent, nobody who can coach it.
swd311
October 15th, 2011
10:55 pm
BTW UNC blows and GT hasn’t beat anyone and wont this season. My guess is that they draw someone like SMU in the bowl game and get beat by 35. Paul Johnson is no genious. Just a unique offenese that can be stopped after 2 weeks of practice. That is the truth! Say what you want GT fans but Johnson is a genous in his and only other GT fans. Heather Dinich is a better coach! hahaha
GT Joe
October 15th, 2011
10:56 pm
21-24. Bwuhahahaha
swd311
October 15th, 2011
11:01 pm
Paul Johnson the savior? bwahahahahahaha GT shoud rethink Braine’s comments…they were true!
Buford T. Pusser
October 15th, 2011
11:02 pm
Butters,
The exposure is on your part. Thanks for sharing with everyone that you are an unemployed wannabe who never attended college. However, you feel a need to belong so you live vicariously through UGA to compensate for your personal shortcomings. Now get off the computer and on to bed before your mother wonders why the phone line is busy in the trailer.
The Sheriff has spoken.
swd311
October 15th, 2011
11:02 pm
Glad I am skipping watching this crap for the rest of the season…however I will remind all GT Fans every week…GT blows!!!!! Paul Johnson is a fool and thinks he is a god! What a loser!
Ga Tech Old Timer
October 15th, 2011
11:03 pm
Mark – Just a few things need to be fixed before Tech has a team that can play consistantly with the “big Boys” 1) a defensive line that can stop the run – 2) an offensive line that can block – 3) special teams that can play like they are special. Beyond that I think we’re in pretty decent shape. Oh, one other thing, players who are smart enough to not make stupid penalties like #61 (Phil Smith) does almost every game or blocks in the back on runs that negate any yardage and destroy momentum. Actually, I thought you article was well written and spot on! I am a bit concerned about Coach Johnson not being able to motivate the players over the last month. What happened to all that talk about playing better together as a team this year versus what happened last year? I think last years problems are still with us today and that poor attitude hurts as much as anything else at this point. The season isn’t lost by any stretch but the team has to have a change of attitude NOW or it will be too late.
Mike Lum
October 15th, 2011
11:04 pm
Eight passes is too many when 2 are interceptions (& 6 fall incomplete). Those wobblers should’ve been shot. If Tech has a running offense, then run the ball. I agree, QB TW made plenty of bad decisions today.
swd311
October 15th, 2011
11:05 pm
Buford the exposure is on you! UGA is and will always be better than GT in all sports!! Go back to your calculus books!!!! GT is a JOKE!
Buford T. Pusser
October 15th, 2011
11:05 pm
swd311,
What the he11 is a genious? Are you that ignorant?
The Sheriff has spoken.
toldya
October 15th, 2011
11:06 pm
Could the honeymoon be over with Paul Johnson. Sounds like the teckies are getting their panties in a wad over one loss. Typical teckie fans
swd311
October 15th, 2011
11:09 pm
Ole timer…your just old like most of the GT fans at the games! This offense sucks!!! This defense sucks!!! You have a hard headed coach with 5 plays. Bring in Ralph!!!!! Fire Groh tomorrow and start over. This team looks like crappola! One game of crappy play\ callking and passing maybe I give Johnsonless a pass. 3 weeks in a row he can take his manboobs and jet! Groh can go with him. He is a loser!
GTJ
October 15th, 2011
11:10 pm
We cannot continue to say “Wait until CPJ gets his recruits”. They are here and they are the starters. Maybe they need another year but you can’t keep saying that forever. That said, I am very happy with him as our head coach because I still believe that once our defense improves we will consistently win 8-10 games / year on average. At GA Tech that is awesome. You can call me a pesimist if you want but with our loyal but small fan base, academic standards, location, etc. you are just not going to be Alabama, USC, or Oklahoma in this day and age at GA Tech. If you consitently average 8-10 wins a season, football season will be fun again and you might even pop a national championship with luck during Paul’s career. I guess this theory could still be proven wrong and I hope that it is but I am starting to have my doubts that CPJ can do here what he did in DII. Go Jackets!
RmblnWreck
October 15th, 2011
11:10 pm
This is a typical column from someone that lacks any foresight and just piles on to the wave of popular opinion. When things are are going well for the team, they rush to support the team with inspirational stories. When things don’t work out for the team, they try to be the harshest critic with a bunch of “I told you so” columns. Sure, it takes talent to write clever catch-phrases, but does it really reflect any knowledge about football?
gcs
October 15th, 2011
11:11 pm
“It’s been coming,” said Paul Johnson.
My thoughts exactly.
.
JP
October 15th, 2011
11:11 pm
GT just doesn’t have the talent and Paul Johnson has proven he is no recruiter. If he is out to prove he can win with this system and 1 and 2 star players…let him prove that point someplace else. His playcalling is terrible and boring…the same thing over and over and the same result over and over. The defense couldn’t stop me and my 40 year old buddies…rush 3 DL that can’t shed a block, heck can’t even stand up for goodness sake and I will complete passes on you too. Both sides of the ball have progressively gotten worse as the season has worn on. Chalk it up to poor coaching and lack of talent. Same ole GT!
Don roberts
October 15th, 2011
11:11 pm
Buford t. Pusser – I bet referring to yourself in the 3rd person as the sheriff is a big hit with the ladies.