Once again: Georgia Tech lacks a ’special’ brand of expertise
"Well, my kickers might not be very good, but at least I've got a cool hat." (AP photo)
Back in October, this correspondent suggested Paul Johnson and Georgia Tech would be wise to hire a full-time special teams coordinator. Being Paul Johnson, he wadded up the advice and hurled it toward yonder trashcan.
This was PJ, speaking the day after the outrageous suggestion saw print:
The whole thing is ridiculous. Guys calling for special teams coordinators don’t have any idea. You know how many teams in the ACC, SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten have special teams coordinators that don’t coach another position?
Six. You know who it is in our league? Boston College – which is helping them a lot – and N.C. State. And the Big Ten, it’s Purdue. In the Big 12, it’s Kansas State. I think it’s coach [Bill] Snyder’s son. Most staffs are set up the same as ours.
Coach Charles Kelly is quote-unquote the special teams coordinator, which means he collects and puts things together for the book. He has the punt team [and] punt return team. Other coaches are assigned areas of special teams. It’s been that way everywhere I’ve ever coached for 32 years. Sometimes, you’re better than others. It’s like Coach Kelly. I asked him today: Are you coaching the punt team any different than you did with [2007 second-team All-American punter] Durant Brooks? “No, coaching ‘em the same.”
Update: Georgia Tech lost the Sun Bowl to Utah in overtime after missing three field goals, yielding a 68-yard kickoff return (that didn’t hurt) and a 31-yard punt return (that engineered the Utes’ tying touchdown).
If you’re keeping score, that made two losses, Miami being the first, traceable to failures by Tech’s special teams. Yes, the defense yielded two late touchdowns to Utah, and no, Johnson’s offense couldn’t make a first down when one first down might have sealed the deal, but the offense gained 448 yards and the D held the Utes to 339 (and that’s counting overtime). Those units weren’t awful. Yet again, special teams were.
The only category pertaining to special teams at which Tech excelled this season was punt return defense. (Right up until its final punt of the year, anyway.) It entered the Sun Bowl ranked 50th nationally in kickoff return defense, 55th in net punting, 63rd in punt returns, 109th in kickoff returns. It finished 11 of 18 on field goals and didn’t make one longer than 41 yards. It had two blocked. It managed eight touchbacks on 80 kickoffs.
This wasn’t it just been a seasonal aberration. An incisive October post from Coaches By The Numbers illustrated the difference between the special teams of other prominent coaches — Nick Saban, Bob Stoops, Frank Beamer and especially Les Miles — and Johnson’s. And that difference, it would appear, translates to a game or two a year. At the highest level of college football, that’s a major gap.
Tech finished 8-5. Flip the two games undone by special teams – of Miami’s three touchdowns, two came on a muffed punt and after a long kickoff runback near the end of the first half — and Georgia Tech would have been 10-3. That’s Top 25 territory, probably Top 15.
OK, and now you’re saying: Saban and Stoops and Beamer don’t have designated special teams coordinators, either. Neither do they employ Johnson’s stylized offense, which doesn’t keep him from doing it. (And please note that LSU, which is unbeaten in large measure because of its special teams, does have a designated coordinator.)
Me, I’d suggest Tech take one of its two offensive line coaches and make that position a special teams coordinator. (Don’t coaches — some coaches, anyway — say that special teams are one-third of football? Should that one-third be allocated piecemeal?) But that’s just me, and I’m guessing PJ would say I’m being ridiculous again.
By Mark Bradley
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166 comments Add your comment
Paul's Gone
January 2nd, 2012
9:22 am
johnson’s offense doesn’t work against good defenses—it’s time for Tech to bring in a coach who runs a traditional offense instead of this high school option. It’s time for pj to go!
Tech Man
January 2nd, 2012
9:23 am
Bradley, other than special teams, what else would you recommend? Surely a man of your intellectual capital can deliver on more than just one. Looking forward to others.
Jerry
January 2nd, 2012
9:39 am
How many of you geniuses are making $2.4 Million a year? I’d say Paul Johnson has done more with his talents and abilities than 100% of his critics. Opinions are like rectums everybody has one and most of them stink. So rail on into the night on nothingness. Only your fellow cyber crybabies are listening.
Go ahead express your opinion which matters not. Paul Johnson will continue to Coach the way he sees fit. So far it has made him a wealthy man.
By the way, I notice most of you internet dimwits re-hash the same crap over and over. Do you just have things stored on you hard drive and copy and paste them after each game? At least try some creativity and constructive criticism.
Tech Man
January 2nd, 2012
9:40 am
Pretty odd that we call Johnson “arrogant” and praise Richt. Isn’t Richt the one with the plantation mentality? Where is Wayshaun? King? What is the arrest record? Where does the Fulmer Cup reside annually? What happens to former Dawgs? What meaning do they achieve post football? And Richt is a leader? Hardly. He is a user. He returns nothing to those who play for him. Nothing.
Aiken Jacket
January 2nd, 2012
9:46 am
I lay this loss squarely on the shoulders of the Coaches. After getting ahead by two touchdowns, we played not to lose instead of playing to win.
Technically Correct
January 2nd, 2012
9:48 am
Ironically, CPJ only needs five quality recruits to see marked improvement: A dual threat QB, three pass rushing madmen on the D-line and a reliable kicker.
Smyrna Gold
January 2nd, 2012
9:53 am
I think CPJ has set this program back 10 years. Don’t think it will ever survive and I, for one, am depressed as hell.
Ted M
January 2nd, 2012
10:01 am
I’m not to happy Johnson’s performance. But I don’t think they should fire him. That could change though in a couple of years.
If Johnson should be fired in a couple of years, I don’t think GT will be able to b/c of his contract buyout.
Ted M
January 2nd, 2012
10:03 am
TC – I don’t think Johnson puts much importance or effort into recruiting.
Albert
January 2nd, 2012
10:05 am
Where is SuperSize? We miss his daily drivel.
BananaJacket
January 2nd, 2012
10:17 am
Douglas-don’t really understand your point about “try playing in the SEC”. And, I am not trying to be argumentative. We did once play in the SEC and did quite well (yes, that is old history but…). And, yes, UGA is better than Tech at present; the SEC is better (overall) than the ACC. Still don’t get what that has to do with my simple original observations. I would also mention to all those who continue to say that Gailey was so much better at recruiting. It has been shown many times that he had ONE stellar recruiting year and PJ’s have been as good or better the other years. That being said, neither did, or have, sustained really good recruiting classes. Some of Tech’s excuses for this are relevant, but not acceptable as a whole. Happy New Year and good luck tonigt.
BananaJacket
January 2nd, 2012
10:18 am
Enter your comments here
Coach Fish Fry
January 2nd, 2012
10:18 am
Come on Mark…..don’t waffle…..Johnson is still a better coach than Richt…..I thought the headline of this piece would be “Tech Loses But Paul Johnson Still Outcoaches Mark Richt”.
Wild Bill
January 2nd, 2012
10:23 am
Hmmmmm – what was wrong with my post concerning the real embarrassment to the State of Georgia being its educational system to which UGA deserves the credit?
Wild Bill
January 2nd, 2012
10:41 am
I am not ready to fire Coach Johnson or Coach Groh, I think both have the athletes’ best interest at heart and try to get the best performance out of each one.
@Mama says – thanks for bringing up the excellent points about the injuries to key players just before and during the game. I think losing Julian Burnett hurt the most, particularly in the fourth quarter and over time.
UGA will always have a better opportunity to recruit good players than Tech will, just look at the ratio of male students to female students.
Although Tech alumni may not fill the seats at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Grant Field our alumni are ranked as the most generous in donations to our alma mater.
Inferiority complex
January 2nd, 2012
11:09 am
Looks like CPJ must have gotten under Bradley’s skin somewhere along the line.
If Sculley hits the long field goal at the end of regulation…CPJ is a genius. As fate would have it, Sculley is wide right, so CPJ is a dunce.
Come on Bradley, grow up.
Coach Fish Fry
January 2nd, 2012
11:12 am
Come on guys, I am a PE major from Western Carolina and the smartest man in the world….do not question me about my decisions or I will call you retarded or punch you in the face. I have bigger fish to fry, namely recruiting A-Backs and B-Backs…..i gotta get ready for Middle Tennessee State so we can rush for 700 yards to boost our per game rushing average……I have a triple chin and I am an arrogant, rude, jerk who yells at sideline reporters…..I am coach Fish Fry
William Casey
January 2nd, 2012
11:12 am
THIRD TRY AT POSTING. LOL
William Casey
January 2nd, 2012
11:15 am
Gentlemen. Some observations without rancor.
1. GT was an extremely young football team this year with little margin for error. In the larger scheme of things, the team’s personnel losses for the bowl game were the underlying reason for the loss. However, the game was still winnable.
2. CPJ has forgotten more football than I ever knew in spite of the fact that I coached quite a bit at the high school level. However, I disagree with him on the need for a true special teams coach. It promotes accountability for the players. Hire an “up-and-coming” young guy looking to break into college football coaching and give him absolute final say concerning special teams. In spite of the denigration of high school and small college football seen on GT blogs, there are a lot of smart guys out there who would love such an opportunity. If $ is a problem, I’ll donate $100. Are there 1000 other GT fans willing to do so? If not, we should give up football.
3. OFFENSE: Lost in our disappointment is the fact that our young and thin OL played remarkably well against a solid defense until they simply wore down. And that was WITHOUT our best OL.
4. QB: We all know that Tevin Washington has limitations, most importantly, the ability to get the tough 1-2 yards at crucial times as Nesbitt did. Tevin played well against Utah. He’s just not good enough to be a game changer at this level. Hopefully, he’ll accept the role as mentor to Vad Lee next year, ready to step in if Vad’s not ready. An option team always needs two QB’s. I don’t know what to make of the Days situation.
5. The use of the shotgun (limited) shows me that CPJ has an open mind.
Technically Correct
January 2nd, 2012
11:23 am
Since it is universally agreed that recruiting is a major key to college football success, and since some coaches are better at recruiting than others, maybe CPJ should look into hiring the best recruiting coordinator out there to improve our results.
There is a Reason Giff Smith Left
January 2nd, 2012
11:30 am
Giff Smith was an excellent recruiter, but he chose to coach under Chan Gailey in lovely Buffalo, NY rather than stay in the frozen tundra of Atlanta, GA with Coach Paul Johnson. Johnson is a rude jerk who is not likeable and could not keep the most important coach on his staff.
There is a Reason Giff Smith Left
January 2nd, 2012
11:32 am
Technically….. Johnson had a great recruiting coordinator in Giff Smith. Giff did not like Johnson and went to coach under Chan Gailey in balmy Buffalo, NY.
William Casey
January 2nd, 2012
11:48 am
MORE:
6. DEFENSE: We obviously need a big, mean guy in the middle of the DL who requires double-teaming on occasion.
7. OVERALL: GT is not that far from being a good football team, not SEC West good, but good. We are three years away from being in “panic” mode. There are many people here who don’t like CPJ for personal reasons (hence the dumb comments about his appearance.) I get that. NOT a reason to fire a competent coach. WHO do we get to replace him? I’d like to see a “short list” from those calling for a change. GT is a different kind of institution, hasn’t changed much since I attended 40+ years ago. Keep that in mind. Let’s see if CPJ can fix our obvious problems.
Wild Bill
January 2nd, 2012
12:14 pm
@ William Casey – I totally agree, we were probably walking up the Hill together at some point, I got out in 1970. People who did not attend Tech just do not understand the difficulties involved and I think it is probably harder today than in the late ’60’s. If I were a student now I would have to pack heat because there were many late nights spent in the architecture building. Of course, some of my friends and I would also probably spend some nights roving the streets looking for hoodlums.
We just need to be patient, Coach Johnson and Groh are not perfect but they want to win just as much as we do, probably more after letting the Utah game get away.
this dawg want hunt!!
January 2nd, 2012
12:21 pm
MB, stop sugar coating the loss, and put the blame where it should be. That is on Tech’s pathetic defense. Even in overtime, Tech couldn’t stop a run up the middle for a T.D., nor could it stop a pitiful passing team from converting a T.D. to tie the game on 4th down. Tech will never win against a good offense. Tech can’t stop the run, and their secondary is awful. Bottomline, until your favorite coach can recruit good defensive players, Tech will never beat a good team with a good offense. To all you arrogant Tech fans, get accustomed to getting your asses handed to you by UGA or anyother good offense. CPJ is a joke, and so is his buddy M.B.
William Casey
January 2nd, 2012
12:59 pm
@WILD BILL: I well remember sometimes parking over in the “projects” (Techwood Homes?) and trudging up the hill. Campus looks a lot better today but I’d be much more careful than I was back-in-the-day.
@This Dawg: I wonder if the Utah RB scores if Burnette was in there. Guess we’ll never know. Being in man coverage on the TD pass was AN AWFUL ERROR. We’ve (anyone who has ever coached) all made them. I remember a game I coached back in 1980… LOL
RambleOn84
January 2nd, 2012
1:38 pm
I completely understand Johnson’s point on the issue…but after all of the special teams woes, why not give it a try?
We don’t employ an offensive coordinator, so why not use that money on a top-notch special teams coach?
With that said, I’m not sure any amount of coaching can help a guy make a field goal.
Technically Correct
January 2nd, 2012
1:52 pm
Tech must recruit from a smaller universe of quality players due to academic considerations. Georgia will always get the 5-star football, but marginal students. Our problem of late is that too many qualified, quality recruits from our typical recuiting areas are going to other great academic institutions, places like Stanford and Notre Dame and, even, Vanderbilt. Get some of those to attend Tech and you will see improvement on the field.
Oldhoopster
January 2nd, 2012
2:25 pm
Forget special teams coaching. The problem is lack of fast athletes. GT has no depth and that really shows up on the special teams and the defensive backfield. The big football schools have stock piles of good athletes who are waiting their turn and playing special teams or being converted to defensive backs. If you are a good athlete with speed at GT you are already playing. This is why GT has been poor on special teams and pass defense since the fifties when GT was a big football school. If GT could recruit more quality athletes the problem would go away.
Mark Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
2:26 pm
Boykin 8, Sparty 0.
Robert Barron
January 2nd, 2012
2:33 pm
Yes PJ makes 2.4 mil and I don’t but as a non grad, I don’t have to contribute to paying him either.
The bowl loss (which one?) was exactly like the Falcons playoff loss to Dallas in 1980.
Whoever called the plays stopped the offense, not Utah or Dallas.
I don’t want to hear any more knocks on Tevin.
He had his best game and hit his receivers in stride.
To stop throwing the ball was as dumb for Tech as it was for the Falcons then.
This was a Paul Johnson choke just like Leeman Bennett choked the Falcons to a loss.
Tevin does not get the credit he deserves.
Without the bad call at the goal that allowed a fumble when offsides should have been called, Tevin leads a blowout win over Clemson.
Tevin had us to a likely tie vs Uga in 2010 until the placekicker missed the extra point.
Tevin has done a good job and it is about time so of u noticed it.
One of the weaknesses at Tech is not at the QB position.
Robert Barron
January 2nd, 2012
2:39 pm
Season ticket holder football 2009, 2010, 2011.
Basketball 2009, 2010.
No more.
PJ is way overpaid.
He just ruined Tevin’s breakout game, refusing to let him win it after he revealed that he can pass the ball well and hit receivers in stride.
Maybe Tech is a dead end job and we can’t get anyone very good.
But I don’t have to pay someone for choking the game away and then failing to man up.
You do it.
Thank you coach Johnson for some “found” money though.
Robert Barron
January 2nd, 2012
2:45 pm
Georgia’s talent is saving their mediocre coaches again.
Robert Barron
January 2nd, 2012
2:52 pm
Jamea Thomas played the ball vs Clemson and got a pick in the endzone.
So he does know how to do it.
Who is coaching him not to look back and knock the ball away?
Scrod
January 2nd, 2012
3:51 pm
Tech may lack a “special” brand, but CPJ does not. His brand is “arrogant loser”. Time for him to go.
UGA = Yawn
January 2nd, 2012
4:22 pm
I log in once a day hoping I will see the headline ‘Johnson fired’ or ‘Johnson steps down’. WTF!? What are they waiting for. The same thing that happened in Hewitt’s last years (empty arena) will start happening next year for football. We hardly sell that many tickets to begin with – next years will probably be even worse.
TechMan90
January 2nd, 2012
5:35 pm
@ Mark- Write up something about CPJ not being able to hire good coaches around him. Also write something about the lack of GT being in the top 25 in recruting(rivals,scout,and Espn)If johnson want to be at GT then he will make the changes that good coaches do.RECRUTING SHOULD BE HIS NO.1 GOAL.
LawDawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
Just like UGA, Tech’s HC thinks “If it is horribly, unbelievably broke, don’t fix it.”
Bodidley
January 2nd, 2012
6:22 pm
Mark,
Not sure we need a special teams coordinator but we sure need to recruit a kicker and punter!
dogearedblutic
January 2nd, 2012
7:38 pm
too obvious to ignore; CPJ is incompetent, if you plan on doing Nothing but running a Rushing Offense then you’d Better Get More Backs, or 2012 will be 5-8 if you’re lucky.
GT Fan
January 2nd, 2012
7:48 pm
TOTALLY agree with MB on this one! PJ is a stubborn SOB when it comes to not employing a special teams coordinator/coach.
It’s not just the bowl game or Miami that special teams killed us on either. Remember the 2 punt fumble in last year’s bowl game? How bout the 90 KO return TD vs VT last year that ended up being the winning score? How bout the 60 yd return by GA’s Boykin to start the 3rd qtr this year. How many crappy punts did they have this season? And on, and on……
MB, I think ALL coaches say it….Three phases of the game:
Offense
Defense
SPECIAL TEAMS
GT Fan
January 2nd, 2012
7:51 pm
And how did Florida beat Ohio State (24-17) in the Gator Bowl????
B/c the Gators had a 99yd KO return TD and a blocked punt returned for a TD.
GT Texas
January 2nd, 2012
9:05 pm
Mark – I was at the Sun Bowl and from what I saw, we started to play what my wife (Tech Grad and also at the game) seemed to be “prevent” offense. We ran Tevin up the middle on a quarterback keeper (3) times and had 4-5 minutes left on the clock. I am not sure if it was the lack of a B-back with Lyons hurt or what, but CPJ looked to be giving it back to the defense to win.
When the defense got back on the field, they were not making as many blitzes as before. There was much more zone in the middle of the field.
Overall, I think we lost the game on conservative play calling. Utah was calling very aggressive plays to win and our coaches got conservative.
Dave from GT
January 3rd, 2012
7:06 am
Parity in college football will probably result in many games being decided by special teams and stupid plays. GT was not the only loser after Monday evening that could say the exact same thing. Good competition exposes weakness in the losers…… extended losing exposes weakness in the coaches.
bob
January 3rd, 2012
10:03 am
My boy was a West Pointer. I watched Johnson kick Armys butt for 4 years. Glad to see him taking some similar losses that he summarily delivered to Army on a yearly basis. Hopefully losing will change his attitude. He does need some help on special teams, but will he take the advice´??
gt4ever
January 3rd, 2012
10:18 am
dogearedblutic,
We don’t play 8 good teams in a season to end up 5 – 8… We still have people that think 8 wins for this season really meant anything… It’s pretty pathetic, actually….
G
January 3rd, 2012
10:46 am
When you have a “One Trick Pony” on offense, and given the time from the end of regular schedule to bowl time, the other team will stop the Triple Option. Tech needs to move to the Div II so they can win. Need another COACH !!!
merril hog
January 3rd, 2012
10:50 am
Bradley, your so smart, why don’t you apply for a coaching job. You are not woth a flip as a journalist.
GT Disgusted
January 3rd, 2012
11:42 am
I am gald to see some of these posts. I was beginning to wonder where are the true Georgia Tech fans and alumni who are sick of losing to Georgia and not winning bowl games? Paul Johnson is an a**hole who is nasty and condescending to the players, and never takes accountability for their losses. That’s not the way you motivate players, genious. If you are a high school player with talent, why would you want to come and play for a coach who can’t win a bowl game? Stand up, Georgia Tech fans and demand change now.
tech
January 3rd, 2012
12:23 pm
Reasons Jonnson has to go!
1. He closed practices cutting off the true fan base! (college football in the south is all about fans!
2. system (players want to play in a system the prepares them for the NFL). They all won’t make it to the league but hey still want a chance.
3. enviorment- It is no fun. For players or fans! He dosen’t care either. (all about him)
4. His coaches are puppets! (scared of him) (NOt Grogh- they never speak)
5. Already going to be years behind when he’s gone!
You had Calvin Johnson and after he left numerous players were wanting to be the next Calvin. Pro style qb’s were even intrested in Tech. What does Drad do? Brings in a guy who turns qb’s and receivers away (no tight ends). All the talk about Navy and Hawaii (are you kidding me) who ever cared about either one of those schools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!