A sobering truth revealed: Georgia Tech just isn’t very good
Oh, no! Zach Laskey after fumbling away a punt. (AP photo)
Miami — Georgia Tech has messed up its season, and not in the way you’d think. The losses these past two weeks haven’t been examples of a gifted team losing to its inferiors; they’ve been cases of a team that, on talent, shouldn’t have been 6-0.
Yet 6-0 Tech was, ranked No. 12 the land as late as eight days ago. Now it’s 6-2 and perhaps bound for 7-5 and another holiday in Shreveport. Which is another way of saying: Water seeks its own level.
We see now that Tech isn’t very good, and the schedule, which seemed to have done it a favor, might not have been so favorable after all. Had Tech lost a couple of games early, it might have had cause to deploy Vad Lee, the freshman quarterback who might be the most talented player on this roster, as opposed to letting him sit out as a redshirt.
Who makes major changes when a team’s 6-0 and climbing in the polls? Nobody. But now, his team climbing no more, Paul Johnson was asked Saturday if there was a chance Lee would play this season. “Probably not,” Johnson said.
What happened here Saturday wasn’t a failure of effort, as had been partially the case at Virginia the week before. The inspired Cavaliers hit Tech hard at the start and held on. Miami didn’t seem long on either inspiration or execution, managing just 262 yards and two offensive touchdowns, both of those on mini-drives of 46 yards. But Tech, which gained 768 yards against Kansas in Week 3, was held to 211 in Week 8 — by a team that entered with the nation’s 81st-ranked defense.
“I think our kids played hard,” Johnson said. “It’s just frustrating we couldn’t find anything to do on offense.”
What worked earlier this season against lesser opposition — the pitchouts to the A-backs, the downfield throws off play-action — works no longer. The plays are the same; it’s the size and speed of the opponent that has changed. Where’d the wide stuff go? Said Johnson: “We can’t get to the perimeter.”
Does that mean quarterback Tevin Washington, whose efficiency has diminished in recent weeks, is making the wrong reads and keeping or handing to the B-back when he should pitch? Johnson: “He’s making the right reads. We’ve got five blocking four, and the four are winning.”
That’s not scheme. That’s talent, or the lack thereof. And it’s a huge deal. In 2008 B-back Jonathan Dwyer had nine 100-yard games; in 2009 he had seven; last season Anthony Allen, Dwyer’s successor, had six. Know how many 100-yard games David Sims, the new B-back, has had this season? None.
The much-lampooned defense hasn’t been so laughable. It yielded no second-half points last week, three this time. But a Johnson-designed team can’t win if it doesn’t score, and over the past two second halves the Jackets, in comeback mode both times, have managed one touchdown.
“We can’t overcome bad plays,” Johnson said, “because we’re not hitting big plays.”
Yet again, gaffes in the kicking game undid Tech. Freshman Zach Laskey waved teammates away from a bouncing punt, then tried to field it himself and saw Miami wind up with the ball in the end zone. And then, with a minute left before halftime and Tech having just gone 92 yards in 20 plays to halve Miami’s lead, a squib kick spawned a crushing Hurricanes touchdown. And get this: “It was supposed to be a deep kickoff,” Johnson said.
Not for the first time, we need ask: Why does a man as clever as Johnson not hire a special-teams coordinator? Instead, the kicking game is left to various Tech coaches to oversee piecemeal, and the result has been an ongoing farce. “We couldn’t overcome the special teams today,” Johnson said, “and that’s a reflection on me. Something we’re doing ain’t right.”
And now you wonder: Is there time — with a schedule that includes Clemson, Virginia Tech and Georgia — for Tech not to finish with five losses in the final six games? Is there any way to salvage a season that got so far ahead of itself?
Said Johnson, speaking of Washington: “We just have to find something he can do.”
At this late date, all the stuff Tech can’t do outnumbers the things it can. This is a team of limited means. Limited means, and not much time.
By Mark Bradley
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498 comments Add your comment
Tech Man
October 23rd, 2011
12:14 pm
We are a sorry excuse for a Div 1A team. CPJ needs to recognize if he wants to run the 3d option he better have a quarterback who is fast is lightening and can occasionally complete a pass. Don’t pull the red shirt off Lee now. This season has gone to far. CPJ should name Lee the starting quarterback as soon as the season is over. That’s a given. TW is no division 1 QB. I’m not giving up on this team because it is very young and with Lee at the helm I think things are going to bet better. I will hang in there until next year, but if it doesn’t get any better then it will be time for a change.
dawgfan
October 23rd, 2011
12:20 pm
Another sobering truth that Mrs. Mark Bradley-Johnson needs to come to terms with is that Paul Johnson is a great offensive play caller but only a slightly above average head coach. The Paul Johnson Fan Club often has a hard time with this concept.
PigIron
October 23rd, 2011
12:22 pm
The team is very young. I don’t think any of the players are over 25 years old.
Yankee
October 23rd, 2011
12:26 pm
When these maggots were 6-0, ajc scribblers led the pimp parade. Now that patsy-victories have been exposed, ajc scribblers excoriate these stinging maggots. The only way GT has a winning season is to cheat.
St. Richt
October 23rd, 2011
12:33 pm
Tevin sucked and can’t hit the broadside of a barn or run for that matter. Paul Johnson sucked and continues to get worse with his playcalling.. Enough with the dive, dive and then follow with Tevin. Poole sucked and has all year. Laskey has SHOWN NOTHING all year. All special teams are hapless. This team sucks. We’ve been exposed.
Defense played well, thats about all you can say. Paul Johnson quit and so did his team. Really starting to second guess our strategy or lack thereof.. For all the Tevin lovers out there that couldn’t see he was playing well against weak competition early in the year, your boy has been exposed for what he is- a 3rd string QB.
PAUL JOHNSON GET BIGGER PLAYERS,PLEASE?
October 23rd, 2011
12:36 pm
GET BIGGER
St. Richt
October 23rd, 2011
12:38 pm
Been a big supporter of Coach Johnson- but I’d really like to ask him why he seemed to quit yesterday. He’s got to evolve his system and have something else to throw at teams when his standard set of 4 plays isn’t working. I’m not sure how much longer I can watch this team run the dive play or having Twinkle Toes Tevin run the rock.
Mel
October 23rd, 2011
12:39 pm
You know what, Bradley? Neither is UGA. Time for you to get off their payroll.
Smyrna Gold
October 23rd, 2011
12:46 pm
Young team?? That excuse is getting old. Tech seems to always have a “young team” My concern is lack of improvement. CPJ is in his 4th year and continues the downward spiral. What has happened to the old cliche “Wail until he recruits players for his system?” Keep in mind this is the 4th year of his recruiting and the only thing that has changed is more consistent failure. That being said, I would rather lose with GT than win with that group of losers in Athens. Football success does not improve their behavior and status in life.
phil
October 23rd, 2011
12:47 pm
Well, well, well….
Tech plays a few real teams and look what happens…
It gets its head handed to it.
Just like my boys in Athens…we can beat poor teams, some just barely, but give us a sound opponent and down we go.
Glad the endless bull about Tech has been silenced. About time.
Reality Stinks
October 23rd, 2011
12:47 pm
Im Paul The Great Johnson I am I am
Reality Stinks
October 23rd, 2011
12:49 pm
Guess who’s not ranked no more……..?
Thats right
The Drunken Wreck from North Ave
BLAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
phil
October 23rd, 2011
12:50 pm
Forgot one thing…
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Beat someone next time, Tech, before you start up with the trash talk.
ATL Sports Fan
October 23rd, 2011
12:53 pm
Vad Lee is not going to play this year, unless there is an injury. If the kid is as advertised you do not have him lose potentially 4 years eligibility for 4 or games. Would you rather have him for 52 games or 44, assuming he doesn’t leave early for the NFL and Tech makes it to a bowl game every year. The choice is an easy one.
SEC Fan
October 23rd, 2011
12:53 pm
Johnson & Richt…..both losers.
Reality Stinks
October 23rd, 2011
12:57 pm
We will beat LSU or ALABAMA
booaahahahahaaaa
North ave. faithful
October 23rd, 2011
12:58 pm
Hey Hard truth, Listen up dip @#$%, we dont rank ourselves you idiot. Believe me theyre were plenty of us who knew full well that we had no business being ranked at all.Just like your team,after sqeaking by the mighty commodores with such class and poise.Enjoy yourself this weekend leg humpers. And take about 6 or 7 steps back,get a good running start,and jump up my @#$. GO JACKETS!!
Reality Stinks
October 23rd, 2011
12:59 pm
OOOOOOHHH
We are the Drunken Wreck From Georgia Tech and we are Sanitation Engineers!!!!!
blahahahahahaa
Neverno
October 23rd, 2011
1:02 pm
Where are all the a$$wipe Tech fans that blasted UGA? I guess they went back into Mommy’s basement. I thought you guys from Tech were supposed to be smart? Did you really think your high-school offense and mediocre players could compete in modern-era college football? No wonder everyone thinks you guys are delusional, arrogant a$$holes.
Reality Stinks
October 23rd, 2011
1:06 pm
Our SAT scores are the best in the nation
I thought high SAT scores would lead to championships
blahahahahahahahaha
vince
October 23rd, 2011
1:07 pm
Guess who is out of the latest USA today Top 25. Guess who is in it?
dawgfan
October 23rd, 2011
1:09 pm
Oh here we go. Their team gets its overrated azz handed to it so the Techies respond the only way the know how by trashing the character and intelligence of a bunch of 20 year olds on UGA’s football team.
Is there a bigger disgrace in all of the land than a sore loser crybaby Tech fan? These people are just pathetic.
trey
October 23rd, 2011
1:19 pm
How bout them Canes!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA
North ave. faithful
October 23rd, 2011
1:19 pm
I was talking about your coach, I think he is older than 20. Oh by the way, the right rear on your house is a little low.
BreakingNews
October 23rd, 2011
1:21 pm
Get used to the “L”s Techies…you’ll be getting 3 more pretty soon!
North ave. faithful
October 23rd, 2011
1:28 pm
Nothing like good old GT-UGA hate,god I love it!
Defense
October 23rd, 2011
1:31 pm
Football is not that complicated. Its easy to figure out. Any one who has ever played it understands the basic of it. Generally, who ever has the the fasted, strongest players is able to dominate the other team. Its as simple as that.
Tech generally doesn’t get the huge players on offense of defense. The 5 star kids generally go to Football type schools. Everyone knows why great football players don’t come to Tech. If Tech wants to compete in big boy football they are going to have to have more degrees that the average 5 star athlete will feel comfortable with.
Sometimes I think that CPJ thinks that his offense can’t be stopped. That is why he generally never gave a scholarship to punters and place kickers. Coach needs to realize that bigger faster, stronger players will stop his offense every time. CPJ will have to have a quarterback that can pass accurately before his style offense will work. Most star quarterbacks in high school won’t want to come play his style offense.
Tech needs to get bigger, faster and stronger before they will be able to has a fair chance against like talent.
Reality Stinks
October 23rd, 2011
1:32 pm
North ave. faithful
By the way back to your day job Paul Blart campus safety officer.
You really should concentrate on keeping the students from being victims of crime in that Trash Dump you call North Ave
No wonder why more and more foreigners are attending Tech now than Americans.
American Parents dont wont their little Johnny or Suzy to be another victim of the North Thug Ave crime wave.
So they send them elsewhere and I dont blame them
DawgNole
October 23rd, 2011
1:35 pm
Bee Happy: “The last team that won a NC using the triple o? Anyone?”
Probably Switzer at Oklahoma–and that was a looooooong time ago.
Hey techmites!!
October 23rd, 2011
1:38 pm
Will the techmites have rings made with there football record on them for this year?
dawgfan
October 23rd, 2011
1:38 pm
Oh, you were talking about our coach? You mean the coach that has experienced a loss to the Joke By Coke only ONE time in a coaching career that spans over two decades? THAT coach? LMAO.
Georgia Tech=JOKE.
macrotech
October 23rd, 2011
1:47 pm
I stated last week that the miami game would prove this teams resolve…not good! NOW, we’re relying on CPJ’s ability to work a miracle….if you are one to pray….get to praying! GO TECH!!!
AlabamaRamblinwreck
October 23rd, 2011
1:48 pm
Folks, it is as simple as this:
Tevin is not a division 1 QB, and Synjyn may not be either.
This offense, more than others, requires a special person to run it, and we are all hoping VAD is that special person. If not, we are in trouble next year also. As many of you did, I let my expectations get out of hand after we rolled some inferior opponents. But, I realized after the Maryland game (which we won) that the end of this season was going to be very rough. I wish that VAD had been allowed to play early on, and maybe against NCSt and Maryland to see if he was “ready enough” to take over, but I agree with PJ, and I think he is reserved to the fact, that this year is going to be what this year is going to be, and that ain’t too pretty. He is going to hold Vad back now for sure, since it is so late in the season. I really wish that our schedule would have been such to spread out the harder games, and in that case, I think PJ would have been able to see VERY early on, he needed to use VAD.
Oh well, Go Jackets and beat UGAG!!!
The Alpha Male
October 23rd, 2011
1:53 pm
This is the greatest article ever written in the history of sports…… if Bradley doesn’t win the Pulitzer for this, they should abolish the honor.
DeProf
October 23rd, 2011
1:54 pm
Thought TW was pretty good in thrashing of Have-Nots. He is not because:
not an accurate passer
hogs the ball. This was successful with J. Nesbitt.
not a good ball handler. He does not help with play deception as he looks immed. to where he handed ball off.
Agree with above special teams criticism. Look at all top teams kicking is not an afterthought.
Ringmaker
October 23rd, 2011
2:00 pm
Pj, Your victory over Kansas rings are ready, would you like to pick them up or have them delivered?
Technically Correct
October 23rd, 2011
2:44 pm
“Just not very good?” Don’t sugar-coat it. “Abysmal” or “pathetic” would be more appropriate. If Coach Johnson wants to salvage even a winning season by beating Duke, here is what he needs to do: (1) just use the same old stuff for Clemson and Virginian Tech (it doesn’t work anyway, so don’t waste time “tweaking it”) and start scheming and preparing now for Duke. That would give us 3 weeks to try to find something new that might work, (2) play the 2nd and 3rd units for Clemson and Virginia Tech to save the 1st string players for the one that counts – Duke, (3) kick all kickoffs out of bounds to limit kickoff coverage breakdowns, (4) put no one back to return punts, to eliminate muffs, (5) hope that all opponents reach the endzone on kickoffs, then down the ball there, (4) quick kick on 3rd and 4 or longer to gain field advantage, (6) since passing isn’t really an option for us, and since teams now know the 3-step defense against us (penetrate, take away the dive and pitch and make the QB carry the ball), move a 250+ DE or LB to play QB and hope he can get 3+ yards a carry. So, there…
IPTAY
October 23rd, 2011
3:03 pm
Hey techie’s do you feel that knot in your stomach? @gtbob you about done with the chest thumpin? What about you go ahead and forfeit this upcoming game. Cause we ain’t givin nothing away but A$$ whoopin’s and bubble gum and we are fresh out of bubble gum
Remember when....
October 23rd, 2011
3:45 pm
I can’t help but harken back to a few years ago when tech fans would brag by saying wait until PJ gets his players in here. They actually bought into the PJ- genuis garbage and thought this guy could win national championships. Well his players have finally arrived and I just fell in the floor laughing about it. The detractors always said wait a few years until all the teams they play get a chance to see this offense, from the 1970’s, a couple of times and it’s over. PJ way over estimated himself and now I think he realizes he is in way over his head. PJ thought his offense to be so great he could overcome a pourus defense and sorry special teams. Now the chicken has come home to roost and I’m loving every minute of it.
Big L
October 23rd, 2011
4:19 pm
Before Tech went on this losing streak, their combined opponents record was 13-16. How is the fact that Tech ain’t that good new to you Mark? You Ben doing this all year and they ain’t paying me to look at the facts.
dap01
October 23rd, 2011
4:20 pm
GA Tech is superior to no one. That QB has to be one of the worst is all of the country,.
Big L
October 23rd, 2011
4:27 pm
Besides , for all the genius that people give ol puggy Paul the credit for being, his play calling goes like this. When CPJ sends his guy in, its either , run it left, run it right or pitch it.
61-39-5
October 23rd, 2011
4:44 pm
yep! 62 is coming
Coach
October 23rd, 2011
4:50 pm
This shows just how important Jay Finch was to the offense. Big loss.
BravesFan79@hotmail.com
October 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
Dont ruin Vlad’s redshirt, that would be dumb! Next year should be better. Id say a 6-0 start isnt exactly bad.
tech done gone
October 23rd, 2011
5:09 pm
tech’s done for the year–they will probably quit on the rest of the season and be lucky to win 6. Look for a Ga blowout. Tech better call shreveport and see if there are rooms in the motel 6.
Bryan
October 23rd, 2011
5:11 pm
My opinion is that Georgia Tech’s offense isn’t as dominating for two reasons:
1. Offensive line- I had been told about how Tech’s OL was going to be a question mark and I think that has a lot to do with the lack of production by the offense. If you can’t block, how do you expect to get production? The line is young and maybe next year they’ll be a lot better…
2. B-back: I have not been impressed with David Sims at all. I know Tech wasn’t expecting him to be as good as Dwyer, but he still hasn’t had a 100–yard game. Defenses don’t respect the run up the middle, because he hasn’t been productive. So in reality, it seems like more of a double-option.
Dawg Time
October 23rd, 2011
5:11 pm
bad conference
mickey mouse offense
small stadium
weak fanbase
hard classes
dangerous campus
why would star players want to play at tech?
Bob
October 23rd, 2011
5:11 pm
As a Dawg fan, I always pull for Tech except the last game, but how can you be really good with a one dimensional offense and no defense? PJ’s teams always start great and finish poorly. Of course, there is always Nieheisel for 2012.
Bryan
October 23rd, 2011
5:13 pm
Oh and though I don’t like Tech, I’ve always respected Nesbitt, because he was a tough, physical runner. It’s hard to lose a guy with his experience and power.