Tech’s spring game does nothing to change its QB rotation
Paul Johnson in a festive Friday mood. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Georgia Tech wrapped it in a nice new package — a spring football game on a Friday night in the big city — but inside was still a spring football game. There was live music (and not just the pep-band stuff) before and after, and there were postgame fireworks, and an announced crowd of 18,125 was on hand to see …
Spring football. Which meant nothing much was revealed.
If you’re a Tech fan and you were hoping for a quarterback to unseat incumbent Tevin Washington, you left disappointed. If you’re a Washington fan and you were rooting for your man to lap the field, you didn’t get your wish. The QB situation at GT remained SQ (status quo): Washington is surely the starter unless/until Synjyn Days or Vad Lee snatches the job from him, and it’s unthinkable that any such theft will occur before the Jackets open at Virginia Tech on Labor Day night.
Let’s be honest: Days, who’ll be a redshirt sophomore, has played little, and Lee, who’ll be a redshirt freshman, hasn’t played in a game — unless you count this episode of Friday Night Lights, which you shouldn’t — since high school. To start either against the Hokies would be foolish, and if there’s one thing Paul Johnson isn’t, it’s a fool.
It isn’t that Days and Lee are untalented. Days is a better runner than Washington, and Lee is a better passer. But the quarterback in Johnson’s offense doesn’t just have to play the game — he has to read it and respond accordingly. The option is predicated, duh, on having options. On familiarity alone, a quarterback who has started 17 collegiate games (winning nine) will surely trump challengers who haven’t proved they know when to keep and when to pitch.
The White led the Gold 3-0 at the half, the three points coming on a 42-yard field goal by David Scully on the final play of the second quarter. (See what happens when you hire a special teams coordinator?) The drive was led by Days, and before then there hadn’t been much driving for either hue.
The second half began with Days changing jerseys — you only get this stuff in a spring game, folks — and fumbling the ball. Corey Dennis returned it for a touchdown to give the White side a 10-0 lead. To that point, the spring game’s real winner had been defensive coordinator Al Groh, who’s no spring chicken.
Washington finally led the White to a touchdown, which was probably best for all concerned. A head coach who prides himself on offensive scheming wouldn’t have been in the mood to appreciate fireworks after a spring game that ended 10-0. And Johnson, as we’ve seen, takes an even more hands-on role on these occasions.
For spring games, PJ stations himself in the middle of the field and call plays for both squads. (On this night he wore blue shorts and a gray hoodie, making him look like Bill Belichick at the beach. Not that Bill Belichick is ever a day at the beach.) In the first half, Johnson used his prime perch to upbraid two offensive linemen who’d missed blocks.
Having migrated from Gold to White, Lee presided over two scoring drives of his own. The White, comprised mostly of the first-string offense, would win 31-7, and it scored while being led by three different quarterbacks. Which meant nothing changed.
If Tech had to play a real game tomorrow, Johnson said Washington would be the starter: “He has the most experience and the best understanding of the offense.” And Days and Lee? “They’re situational players right now. The idea is to make them not be situational players.”
It’s possible to imagine Lee, who does have a nice arm, becoming the Tech quarterback when the Jackets trail by 14 points with five minutes left. It’s also possible to envision Days as a change-of-pace guy. What’s not possible is to imagine either being the No. 1 quarterback come September. That’s still Tevin Washington’s job.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
223 comments Add your comment
Erk R
April 22nd, 2012
10:33 am
Be competitive with UGA? How about beating them?!!! Tired of this competitive crap. Let’s kick there butt every year!
HighTech
April 22nd, 2012
10:42 am
Paul Johnson’s contract is through 2016. Any renewal or extension needs to be based on results on the field. It does not need to be based on recruiting rankings, the number of players in the NFL, preseason polls, merchandise sales, concession sales, or any of the other superfluous things CPJ haters bring up as reasons to fire him. Approximately 18,000 people came to BDS to see a practice game. Yellow Jacket fans must have some reason to be optimistic. If there is no improvement or a losing trend starts, then the GTAA should look for a new coach towards the end of the contract. I am optimistic despite what all the negative nancies, chicken littles, dwag trolls, Tech haters, unibombers, retards, or Walmart workers have to say on this blog.
I am willing to let it continue to develop before I call for the head of the winningest football coach at Tech since Bobby Dodd.
Erk R
April 22nd, 2012
10:53 am
Amen High Tech. PJ is a heck of a lot better coach than Gailey. Give him time!
Nativebird
April 22nd, 2012
11:08 am
CPJ won an ACC with another coaches players and a particular weak conference year. Take off the blinders Jacket fans. Truth hurts. but none-the-less is required if progress is to be made. Are they lousy? No. congratulations.
Ghost
April 22nd, 2012
11:21 am
ErkR, he was a coordinator at Hawaii, they achieved nothing of significance, Southern was a power built by Erk, and Navy was Navy , beating a 3-9 Notre Dame team was his signature win.His 10 wins season at Navy came against 1 team with a winning record (Deleware).I say tech should give him the Hewitt deal.The Tech people I know aren’t as patient as High Tech.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
12:08 pm
Ghost, all the Tech people I know love CPJ
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
12:09 pm
The only negative comments I EVER hear about CPJ are on these blogs. The people I know in Augusta, and elsewhere, and the people around me at the games have no doubts whatsoever in his abilities or the promise he brings for success.
Ghost
April 22nd, 2012
12:20 pm
Super , i knew that was an imposter, I admire your loyalty to pj.
Jacket Man
April 22nd, 2012
12:43 pm
Good grief, how many “handles” has WnE come up with now so that he can talk to himself so he can clog the blog? I count at least four, perhaps as many as six. Why do you keep engaging this person who claims to be a Jacket fan but is clearly nothing more than someone who is an instigator who likes to rile you guys up for his own satisfaction, and when you respond like Pavloc’s dogs, it gives him a chance to pontificate with all of his “handles” even more. STOP FEEDING THE TROLL – UNCLOG THE BLOG.
HighTech
April 22nd, 2012
12:47 pm
Pavlov’s Dawgs would be a great blog handle for a troll.
albert
April 22nd, 2012
12:51 pm
I would not bet my tuition money on beating UGA this year.
GTR
April 22nd, 2012
12:51 pm
folks, it’s a spring game!! Get over yourselves.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
12:54 pm
@ Ghost…..thanks. I saw that fake post but it was so old by the time I saw it that I didn’t see any need in pointing it out. My friends on here know how I stand and can easily spot the fakes. I’m glad you can too.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
12:57 pm
@ Jacket Man….many of the posts you see with WnE’s name on it are from those of us who figured him out a long time ago and like to make fun of him—-dwagfan also. I don’t engage in that practice, but I think some of the posts are funny as hell. And after being disgusted by the drivel he always spouts, it’s fun to read something attributed to him that provides a good laugh. That’s why we have come to frequently refer to him as Gollum, and his supposed Tech class ring as his preciousss. Just laugh along with the rest of us.
GT fan
April 22nd, 2012
1:11 pm
Ghost ….
Do your research on Erk’s empire at GSU ….
He built it with PJ’s offense you mental midget. PJ was a defensive coach the first season (’83 I believe) then was moved to offense the next season. PJ convinced ER to let him run the TO. And the foundation for “Erk’s Empire” was laid …. by PJ!
Just for S’s & giggles, why don’t you also checkout who between those 2 had the better winning pct.
Birmingham Jacket
April 22nd, 2012
1:13 pm
@HighTech
I’ve always liked Terry Bowden. The guy is a winner.
GT fan
April 22nd, 2012
1:23 pm
And Ghost, in regards to GT & UGA’s oppents the past 2 seasons, your argument is moot.
One day you’ll beat your chest like King Kong about how good (and much better) UGA’s recruiting is (than GT’s). Then you’ll turn around and say GT, with “high-school” talent, should be ashamed that they are 14-12 over the past 2 seasons, while your might dawgs are 16-11 over the same span. An accomplishment for the dawgs b/c they play in the SEC!
Newsflash for you, mental midget, UGA’s SEC schedule in 2011 was arguably the weakest in the school’s history. UGA played 2 good/consistent SEC opponents in 2011 (USC & LSU) and went 0-2. Go lookup the records of GA’s SEC opponents that they beat in 2011. Just like a cliche I’ve read on GT’s blogs many times before … UGA beating those SEC opps in 2011 was like “being the tallest midget”
Ghost
April 22nd, 2012
1:50 pm
Listen GTfan, Calling me a mental midget and you want to comoare Georgia anf techs schedulkes, Tech wouldn’t have won 4 games playing Georgias Schedule. and as far as winning pct between Erk and PJ at Southern, Erk started the program from scratch dumbass. I never beat my chest. Go look up everyone one in the SEC’s opponents winning pct. all were similar to georgias. Funny how you want to trash a program that tech has only 15 wins against since Eisenhower was president.14-12 against Who. 5 teams tech beat in 2011 had 10 wins between them. I have been around more college football than you will ever witness , don’t like my opinion don’t read it.
Ghost
April 22nd, 2012
1:51 pm
Perhaps we can meet and you can make the mental midget comment to my face , bold one.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
1:58 pm
Ghost, obvoiusly we will never know, but I would think that if Tech had played UGA’s regular season schedule last year, we would have lost to Boise State and USC, as you did, and possibly Florida. I think Tech would have won the rest. And of course, if Tech had played Tech in the last game, Tech would have won…..LOL At any rate, leaving out the season ending game, IMHO, Tech would have been 9-2 or 8-3, whereas, UGA was 9-2. I feel pretty damn confident in that. Tell us the games you think Tech would have lost in that schedule.
HighTech
April 22nd, 2012
2:07 pm
Since we’re dealing in hypotheticals, UGA may have struggled last year against VPISU, Clemson, Miami, UNC, and possibly would have lost to a couple of those teams. UGA was fortunate after they turned things around in the Coastal Carolina game to win the next three. UGA could have easily lost to Ole Miss, Miss St., or Vanderbilt. The Vandy game was very much a close call for the Bulldogs.
Ghost
April 22nd, 2012
2:09 pm
Super, Auburn,Florida, South Carolina, Vandy, Miss. State, Boise and. Tennessee in Knoxville if Bray was Qb. just MHO. no flame intended.
HighTech
April 22nd, 2012
2:13 pm
Georgia Tech could win all of those games. Not saying they would, but they could. IMHO.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
2:21 pm
Ghost, I already say Boise, USC, and possibly Fl. The only other one of those games that would even be in question would be the Vandy game. Tenn was TERRIBLE, as was Auburn. Hell, Tech ALWAYS beats Auburn.
Ghost
April 22nd, 2012
2:22 pm
High tech, the only thing that kept those games you mentioned close was Blair Walshs melt down.the Ole MIss and Miss State games weren’t close.Miss. state was 24-3 going into 4 th quarter. Ole Miss had 183 total yards offense and Miss State had 213 . Vandy had a pretty good team last year.4 of Miss states losses were to teams that finished in the top 10. Miss. State only trialed LSu and Bama by 3 points going into 4th quarter. I don;t think Georgia would have struggled with anyone other than VT.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
2:24 pm
Ghost, not being mean here, but I think you are a little too full of the SEC to face reality. Miss State was nothing, never has been, never will be. There were 2 great teams in the SEC last year (Bama and LSU), and 2 good teams (Arky and USC). Georgia was at the top of the 3rd tier, but in that 3rd tier nonetheless.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
2:25 pm
Ghost, you would have struggled with the Clemson team that played Tech, but definitely not the Clemson team that played USC and WVU. They fell apart after the Tech game.
Ghost
April 22nd, 2012
2:27 pm
Auburn didn’t look so terrible against Virginia, Tenn was horrible when their starting Qb got hurt.Ask 10-3 Cincinatti how bad tenn was. And High Tech I agree tech could have beaten some of those teams, I think on any given Saturday most anyone can beat anyone.
Ghost
April 22nd, 2012
2:44 pm
Super, So a team that takes the #1 and #2 teams in the nation into the 4th quarter only trailing by 3 points is nothing? In 2010 Miss State finished in the top 15 in the country. Vandy and Miss state both beat wake who was the runner up to Clemson and almost won the Atlantic division. Vandy 41- wake 7 Miss State 31 Wake 23.
HighTech
April 22nd, 2012
2:57 pm
I think on any given Saturday most anyone can beat anyone.
——————————
Very true. Auburn didn’t fare so well against Clemson. Florida lost to FSU.
HighTech
April 22nd, 2012
3:03 pm
Tech beat both Vandy and Miss St. the last time they played in 2009.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
3:03 pm
Ghost, if Miss State were in any other conference besides the SEC, I doubt they would have been ranked that high at the end of the season. Wake finished 2nd to Clemson, but they were still not a particularly impressive team. I don’t discredit Vandy, and, in fact, you guys had better be ready for them this year, but I just wasn’t all that impressed with Miss State.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
3:05 pm
This is fun, guys, but I need a Sunday afternoon nap…..LOL Have fun
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
3:08 pm
I just checked the ACC Golf tournament scores. UVA had closed the gap on the Jackets, but we are back up now by 11 strokes. Hope they keep it up for their 6h (maybe 7th) consecutive ACC tournament win. NOW, I’m off for my nap
Imramblinrecluse
April 22nd, 2012
3:18 pm
Well I read 4 comment pages and saw no mention of how often the new shotgun was used. All I saw was descriptions of each player and how Tech usually depends on how each player is treated, if bad calls by refs occur, thus casing players to quit playing with the same intensity and boycott the rest of the game. Tech is not concerned about each player’s ego, they want a winning team. They want to thwart Logan Thomas on qb sneaks on Labor Day night as a goal to achieve. Beat Clemson and Georgia and Miami, not in order, just beat all of them. What Tech might could try if one player is better at running and the other is better at passing is to shuffle the qbs in and out for those expertise plays. Don’t keep the same qb in for every play. And I as Tech grad would like to see the first year CPJ Tech unis again because I believe they helped the team alot and the Tech fans and alums identified with them b/c of the old gold. Every year since PJ’s first, the unis have gone downhill. I don’t dig black, end of season, cold weather high stockings, or beginning of season warm weather low black socks, or any powder puff pink, not even for breastcancer awareness, particularly at a former all male school that Ga Tech was and still is mostly. I don’t dig thick, wide, solid black side stripes on white pants. And when I went to Tech we had a team w/white helmets for two years. Why not wear them half the season, and wear the gold ones the other half, for random games?
BLOG O' ROOTER
April 22nd, 2012
4:28 pm
Call me for all your clogged blog needs. LOL
GTBob
April 22nd, 2012
4:32 pm
Guys I’m tellin’ ya. I was there Friday night and I know impressive young men when I see them. We will beat UGA this year. No more close games or moral victories-we WILL win this game!
Sugar Shane
April 22nd, 2012
4:42 pm
Only reason Johnson didn’t get fired is cause of the Clemson game which was not much of a win anyhow considering Kevin Steele couldn’t figure out to load the box and force the option inside. GT ain’t gonna beat you passing but Steele was too stupid to figure that out. Thank God for the Orange Bowl b/c Steele is gone and Clemson is gonna beat that GT high school team into the dirt. GT is gonna be playing a Ostrich playbook against Clemson. Burying their heads in the dirt.
BLT
April 22nd, 2012
4:46 pm
Thanks Sugar Shane.
Sugar Shane
April 22nd, 2012
4:46 pm
UGA losing to Boise St. was a disgrace to the SEC and the south in general, especially the southeast. UGA fans have no room to brag about anything.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
4:50 pm
@ Sugar Shane, there was no possibility at all that Johnson would have gotten fired last year
Ghost
April 22nd, 2012
5:06 pm
High Tech. Both Vandy and Miss State are vastly improved from 2009.
HighTech
April 22nd, 2012
5:07 pm
Here’s a video of Sugar Shane…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WBmrrRKg-c
HighTech
April 22nd, 2012
5:12 pm
Vastly improved? Ok Ghost.
Sugar Shane
April 22nd, 2012
5:14 pm
@HighTech how did you know that was me? I actually like GT I just dislike PJ’s cheap offense.
Here is a pic of High Tech at a Rambling Redneck mud jump
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=336778066432&set=a.438214056432.236060.336777676432&type=3
Sugar Shane
April 22nd, 2012
5:18 pm
For some reason my previous posts didn’t post. But I said that I actually liked GT just not PJ’s offense. I always pull for any southeast team (sec or acc) over other conferences especially the Big10 and Pac10/12. I do get annoyed by SEC fans with their “We won because a SEC team won” mantra. I’m ready for the entire ACC to get back to being good.
Sugar Shane
April 22nd, 2012
5:20 pm
and USC would have spanked GT into the dirt last year. The Gamecocks would not have fallen for that Prep BS and GT wouldn’t have crossed the 50yd line. The Cocks would’ve hung 50 on GT last year.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
5:20 pm
CPJ’s “cheap offense” sure seems to work well against the tiggers from Clems son.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
5:21 pm
I think that’s dwagfan’s pic, Shane.
Supersize that order, mutt
April 22nd, 2012
5:23 pm
Tech just won the ACC golf tournament AGAIN