Live from Miami: Is Georgia Tech about to pack it in or what?
Miami's Lamar Miller against Tech last season. You'll hear his name again today. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Miami – Two schools of thought on this one. One is that the schedule is about to catch up with Georgia Tech and that the Jackets will do well to win two more games. (Duke being the gimme, and even that’s in Durham.) The glass-half-full outlook is to proclaim Tech’s loss at Virginia a raging blip that augurs nothing much at all.
I’m kind of split. I do think the schedule is toughening. (Don’t think anybody would disagree.) I don’t, however, think Tech is incapable of finishing strong and winning the ACC Coastal. I think Tech will beat Miami today, which would make the Jackets 7-1 and would render the next two games — both at Bobby Dodd Stadium — hugely huge.
I say this largely because I can’t tell what sort of team Miami is. Here’s its season: Lose to Maryland, beat Ohio State, lose to Kansas State, beat (but get outgained by) Bethune-Cookman, lose close at Virginia Tech, win at North Carolina. See a pattern therein? Me, neither.
Miami folks insist the ‘Canes are about to embark on a run that could leave them atop the Coastal Division, and I do think Al Golden is a good enough coach to make that happen — someday. Just not yet. I’m still not sure Miami can coalesce around a new coach with all that has happened around the program. (I refer to Nevin Shapiro’s allegations of pay-for-play, among other things.)
The Jackets, on the other hand, are stable enough to learn from their Virginia experience and ensure that it won’t happen again. I say this with great confidence — as of 1:37 p.m., roughly two hours before kickoff. By 4 o’clock, I may have been offered reason to rethink.
But that’s why they play the game, as we genius sports writers like to say, and that’s why I”ll be here until the game is done. I implore you to join the festivities, and I thank you in advance.
By Mark Bradley
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1,303 comments Add your comment
Dawg48
October 22nd, 2011
5:03 pm
Are you serious?!!
Charleston Jacket
October 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
how pathetic. can’t get out of our own way today
Mark Bradley
October 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
Wow. Tech goes 92 yards in nine minutes. Miami answers in 40 seconds
IL Jacket
October 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
You have for to be kidding me!!!!
Tampa Wreck
October 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
Just awfull.
45ACP
October 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
The U made that look easy…
GT Fan...
October 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
ALMOST int turns into TD …. nice job Groh.
Would someone tell Bob Davie that the GAME clock NEVER started running!
Doc
October 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
hope we can bow up a bit more on both sides of the ball.
bkd
October 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
Enough for me. I’m out of here. Still say we are 0 or the rest of the year.
BS Patrol
October 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
Blocks in the back galore on the return by the U.
Paddy
October 22nd, 2011
5:05 pm
Don’t think GT has aspecial teams coach? Do they?
GT-UT
October 22nd, 2011
5:05 pm
There are so many injuries on Maimi, that are recruiting high school players next door and still looks like they will beat Tech. Wife is not back yet.
Gtjohn
October 22nd, 2011
5:05 pm
Glad i ws in school for the Dodd years with Kim and co,
This is pathetic
Caligula
October 22nd, 2011
5:05 pm
Clemson will indeed shred this Tech D. Clemtech has a porous defense, however, that will give up a lot of points – especially to Tech’s unique running attack and crafty play action. If you are a gambler, go with the over next week. Lock of the year fo sure.
Biff Pocoroba
October 22nd, 2011
5:05 pm
CPJ needs to coach in the arena league where you don’t kick. His lack of concern about special teams just won’t cut it here.
south
October 22nd, 2011
5:05 pm
is it just me…or does this team play with NO heart and desire????
GT Fan...
October 22nd, 2011
5:05 pm
GT is an embarassing team right now!
Watch UM show GT how to prevent a quick score
Cmon man
October 22nd, 2011
5:06 pm
3 plays 28 seconds? Lol
Mark Bradley
October 22nd, 2011
5:06 pm
Back to a two-score game.
Time of drive: Thirty-seven seconds.
OldSchoolTechFanatic
October 22nd, 2011
5:06 pm
Maybe we need to start playing some of our first stringers on special teams. I say we should not hold anything back anymore. Do what ever it takes to win or we are gonna loose a lot of recruits again this year just like we did last year.
bajbuzz
October 22nd, 2011
5:06 pm
this defense and special teams has redefined bad.
GT-UT
October 22nd, 2011
5:06 pm
BS Patrol.
Sure there were blocks in the back. It’s my team so the refs won’t call it!
Biff Pocoroba
October 22nd, 2011
5:06 pm
CPJ is the special teams coach. He is too cocky to hire someone and think that he can’t do it
Dawg48
October 22nd, 2011
5:07 pm
Bob Davie puts me to sleep!
I met him in new Orleans on new years eve when the dawgs went to the sugar bowl. We sat at hooters together he was boring that night to!
GT Kings of the All CLown Conference
October 22nd, 2011
5:07 pm
You would think that tech d would understand how to defend the run, since that is all they see in practice…..
Chris Miller
October 22nd, 2011
5:07 pm
firealgroh.com is available if anyone is interested. Apparently it’s a holdover from his Virginia days.
Mark Bradley
October 22nd, 2011
5:07 pm
Well, let’s look on the bright side: Tech still gets the ball to start the half.
GT66
October 22nd, 2011
5:07 pm
Hate to blame everything on Washington – but time-out before TD has to be on him not getting everyone in huddle and call the play before play clock ran down – did not have to wait for play from sideline – everyone knew it was going to be a QB sneak -
Biff Pocoroba
October 22nd, 2011
5:08 pm
CPJ is the special teams coach. He is too arrogant to hire someone because he thinks that he can do everything himself like Tevin does.
Mark Bradley
October 22nd, 2011
5:08 pm
Clock was stopped on first-and-goal. Peeples got knocked out of bounds.
GT Kings of the All CLown Conference
October 22nd, 2011
5:08 pm
Taking a knee since they do not have a deep threat……
GT Fan...
October 22nd, 2011
5:08 pm
2 special teams TDs by Miami … GT is done in this game b/c they now have to have TWO equalizers
Yes it’s a ST td when you do that with 1:02 to play in the half.
Gtjohn
October 22nd, 2011
5:08 pm
Has a coach ever been fired at half time?
Biff Pocoroba
October 22nd, 2011
5:08 pm
The D was probably tired at the end from that nine minute rest they had
GT-UT
October 22nd, 2011
5:08 pm
7 points is pathetic!
whatsgoingon
October 22nd, 2011
5:09 pm
What?? GT has no special teams coach?? What major college program – who takes themselves seriously – doesn’t have a coach for this?? And it shows to – because GT ST sux.
When I played football (many years ago) we learned that a solid football team was 1/3 offense, 1/3 defense, and 1/3 special teams. Tech seems to be missing at least 2/3rds of a team.
Ol'JacketFan
October 22nd, 2011
5:09 pm
D plays their butts off, special teams cough up the ball and can’t get a kick by the 20 yard line.
45ACP
October 22nd, 2011
5:09 pm
It must be a Georgia thing. My Dawgs have Awful Teams instead of Special Teams also.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 22nd, 2011
5:09 pm
Biff, he can’t hire a special teams coach. He has to assign those duties to somebody already on the staff—-coaching number limitation. But that doesn’t mean he can’t replace an existing asst coach with one who can coach the special teams. And he obviously needs to do that
Doc
October 22nd, 2011
5:10 pm
cant even type it up on an iphone quick enough to keep up with this team.
still holdng out hope mark?
Gorilla Biscuit
October 22nd, 2011
5:10 pm
I was thinking this would be a boring Saturday. To quote a famous guy “What in the h*11 is going on out here?”
Tojo
October 22nd, 2011
5:10 pm
What a waste of an afternoon. I have never ever seen a team digress this much over the course of a season. Lack of execution, stupid, stupid, stupid plays. Finally score, and what does this bonehead coach do? Tell a so-so kicker to squib it, which was poorly done, end result the ball goes directly to their best returner in about a split second. No time for the coverage to get downfield.
As long as this guy is coach, a 3-0, 4-0, 6-0 start means nothing. His teams are not built well, and will ALWAYS have a fall-apart game, or two, or five. In this case, I see this team finishing 7-5 with a trip to one of the toilet bowls, after a 6-0 start. They will be LAUGHED out of the top 25 this week, as they should be. Disgusting. Blowing leaves will be more entertaining.
Biff Pocoroba
October 22nd, 2011
5:10 pm
How many Clemson fans do you think will be at the game next week? I think they will fill at least 35% of the stadium. After this loss, a lot of Tech fans aren’t going to want to sit in the cold and watch a slaughter and Clemson fans are fired up now.
Jacket Dad
October 22nd, 2011
5:11 pm
This team is flat out embarrassing. Not saying we can’t come back and pull this out, but it looks very doubtful. Poor coaching. TERRIBLE special teams that year after year cause us to implode.
Baby Ruth
October 22nd, 2011
5:11 pm
CPJ…Your special teams stink! your recruiting stinks! Your coaching stinks!
macrotech
October 22nd, 2011
5:11 pm
I’m thinking we MIGHT want to cover the MIDDLE of the field, too….JUST a thought. Hopin’ for some BIG second half adjustments!!! GO TECH!!!
bkd
October 22nd, 2011
5:12 pm
Face it folks. We are a 6 or 7 win team most years. Just so happens we got all of them in a row this year.
If do right, no can defense
October 22nd, 2011
5:12 pm
Just like last week… I won’t rule out a comeback, but it’s highly unlikely. Washington has never led us to victory from a half-time deficit. Hope he breaks the jinx this game, but it’s not looking good.
Mayberry
October 22nd, 2011
5:13 pm
This team is done. Can you say 7 and 6 & that may be a stretch. Absolutely embarrassing performance and not prepared to play yet again. I give PJ one more year and we will be starting from scratch once again. Anybody need Clemson tickets?
GT Kings of the All CLown Conference
October 22nd, 2011
5:13 pm
Everyone will want to come the Clemson game! Maybe there should be free FOs instead of the hot dog and Coke?