Middle Tennessee 49, Georgia Tech 28: What’s left to say?
These are the Blue Raiders. They won. By 21 points. On the road. (AP photo by Rich Addicks)
Were Georgia Tech outrageously lucky, all its fans would be as circumspect as Dave Miller of Atlanta. Miller, a 1977 Tech grad, sat above the South end zone as Middle Tennessee was driving to Points No. 43-49 on Saturday, whereupon he rose without ceremony and moved toward the exit.
“We’re just young,” Miller said. “We had some injuries on defense. And Middle Tennessee is a good team.”
Miller’s summation: “We’ll get better.”
Not 20 feet away, another Tech fan watched the same game end and drew a different conclusion. “This was ugly,” said Jerry Kenney, also of Atlanta. “No pass rush, no tackling. I’m sure Clemson [Tech's next opponent] will be licking its chops.”
Kenney was asked if this had just been a bad day for the home team. “It’s not one bad day,” he said. “It’s two bad days in the week [the first being the overtime loss to Miami], and hope is going out the window.”
Here we offer the boilerplate disclaimer: In sports, things are rarely as bad (or as good, for that matter) as they seem. Indeed, that’s a pet phrase of Paul Johnson’s. That said …
Favored by 27 points, Paul Johnson’s team lost to Middle Tennessee. By 21. At home.
“Probably the worst,” Johnson said, speaking of losses his teams have suffered. But this coach only arrived in December 2007, and this was the worst defeat Georgia Tech has known since Sept. 17, 1983, when Bill Curry’s Jackets lost to Furman 17-14. (Three years later, another Curry team would be tied by the Paladins.)
Yes, Middle Tennessee is a Sun Belt team, and yes, the Sun Belt is an FBS conference. But still: On Aug. 30, the Blue Raiders opened their season by losing at home to McNeese State.
“Embarrassing,” Johnson said. “I don’t think there’s any other way to describe it.”
Chan Gailey’s teams were infamous for alternating stunning victories and stump-the-band losses, but Gailey never lost to Middle Tennessee. (Did lose to Duke, though.) Heck, even Bill Lewis — known around Tech as He Whose Name Must Never Be Mentioned — never lost one like this. (Did lose to Duke, though.)
It would have been bad enough to lose to Middle by a point on a 65-yard field goal that glanced off a pigeon and bounced through the uprights. But Tech lost to Middle on a day when it led the 27-point underdog for all of five minutes, nine seconds. A week after yielding 42 points and 609 yards to Miami, the Jackets were gashed for 49 and 510 by the Blue Raiders.
Said Johnson: “As bad a game tackling as I’ve ever seen.”
Said linebacker Quayshawn Nealy: “In the first half we missed 25 tackles.”
Johnson again: “It was like we were running in mud.”
Tech has played five games, losing three. It already has lost twice at home, marking the first time the Jackets have lost on consecutive weekends at historic Grant Field/Bobby Dodd Stadium since 1988, which was Bobby Ross’ second season. And now we have to ask What This All Means for this abashed coach and this humbled program.
Check the schedule, and you’ll see more than a handful of winnable games remaining. But Miami looked winnable, and Middle Tennessee was deemed a given. By losing both, Tech has fallen to 2-3 with games at Clemson and Georgia to come. By losing both and looking helpless on defense, it makes us wonder if Tech has either the scheme or the personnel necessary to prosper in the ACC, a conference it ruled not so long ago.
Will defensive coordinator Al Groh be in place tomorrow? (For this game, he was moved upstairs to the press box, and those 49 points and 510 yards suggest that perspective isn’t the issue.) Middle’s first five touchdown drives spanned 75, 78, 88, 68 and 75 yards, and here we have to pause to ponder the first part of the sentence.
Middle’s first five touchdown drives. The first five of seven. On the road. On a day when it was a four-touchdown underdog. Against an opponent from a Big Six conference that has graced a bowl for 16 seasons running and was the ACC champ (since vacated) in 2009.
Whatever was working for this program works no longer. Johnson’s prized offense can’t score enough to override his defense, which looked stout at Virginia Tech on Labor Day night but has fallen to pieces. And the excuse made after the Miami game — that Georgia Tech was two plays from being 4-0 — no longer holds currency. There are no excuses when you lose by 21 points at home to Middle Tennessee.
Said Jerry Kenney, the Tech fan: “There was a basketball player named Micheal Ray Richardson, and he once said, ‘The ship be sinking.’ ” He nodded toward the field.
By Mark Bradley
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561 comments Add your comment
son_sir
September 30th, 2012
8:03 am
Worst defense I’ve seen in a long time at GT. The scheme doesn’t fit the personel and the personel would fit on your average FCS team. Worst of all, there is no heart and no intensity. I have, for the most part, defended CPJ from detractors. After yesterday, there is no defense (no pun intended). I don’t think Tech can afford to fire CPJ. Therefore, he will have to make some major changes and Groh will have to go. Yesterday was inexcusable. Yes Mark, this had the look and feel of the Bill Lewis days.
My advice to CPJ. ….. you’d better get focused on recruiting FBS players and playing defense. All of your focus has been on proving the naysayers wrong about your offense. Lose the pompous attitude, get your a$$ in gear, and remember where you came from. If not, you’ll be back there soon.
Michael
September 30th, 2012
8:04 am
So, when are you GT fans ordering your rings memorializing your loss to Middle Tennessee State Womens College?
Straight Jacket
September 30th, 2012
8:08 am
Can’t win big without Gailey’s players! It will never work big time again with Johnson!
Jacket Fan
September 30th, 2012
8:11 am
In our three recent overtime losses, we lead each inside the last minute, and then could not score at all in overtime. How many 27 point favorites have ever had to go for it on 4th-and-12? We have.
Destin Dawg
September 30th, 2012
8:13 am
Groh’s been fired last 2 or 3 jobs ?? he got what he wanted at age 63… that was 3/4 years of $600++ K.. in to retirement… Grampa Groh took down Paul Johnson… who really does belong at Ga. So.
Billyboy
September 30th, 2012
8:13 am
As a Virginia grad, I remember watching years of tackling like this. I think the defense has learned the Groh tackling method well.
Fred
September 30th, 2012
8:17 am
Yesterday was just a poor effort by the players.
The real problem is obvious….quality of the athletes….not coaching. GT cannot compete with the lesser academic institutions like UGA, Alabama, UF, etc…for quality recruits. This really has nothing to do with the Triple Option. Until the NCAA modifies its requirements or GT changes its curriculum, GT will continue to lose to the better athletic teams.
J in Alpharetta
September 30th, 2012
8:21 am
Of all the games I’ve seen since PJ got here, this had so many WTF moments it was pitiful.
Groh’s gotta go. A three man front is only worth it if they can penetrate, and they can’t.
Washington just hasn’t got it this year. Give Vad the start next week – he certainly can’t do worse.
And for God’s sake stop going for it on 4th and whatever, especially when you’re in easy field goal range with a decent kicker this year.
Burgess
September 30th, 2012
8:22 am
Congratulations Fred, that is the dumbest post of all time. Please explain to us what the hell it means. It’s easier to get in Tech than it is UGA. That’s the truth. So, the NCAA is responsible for GT not getting quality recruits ???? Funny how Gailey could get them but Johnson can’t. You have heard of Calvin Johnson, right ?
De'Rick Dooley
September 30th, 2012
8:23 am
Why are you complaining about the players quitting? The gtu fans are quitting too and not supporting the coaches.
son_sir
September 30th, 2012
8:30 am
The “requirements” and “curriculum” excuse is worn out Fred. I hear the player interviews. In general, their IQ’s seem to be about the same as everybody else out there. Somehow they manage to stay enrolled at Tech.
Fred
September 30th, 2012
8:31 am
Burgess = Bulldog Troll….I’ll take fries with my burgass..
jfreak13713
September 30th, 2012
8:31 am
At some point you will have to replace Paul Johnson and that will take a few years to repair! I say in a season that is lost why not fire him and defense cord. and begin the healing process. I like Johnson and this offense was really cool when it was also talented but it isn’t cool anymore.
Tao
September 30th, 2012
8:32 am
In the famous words of Jim mora–We didnt run the ball, we didnt try to run the ball, we didnt complete a pass, we didnt try to complete a pass. We suck!! Defense is terrible right now! Well lets regroup and go upset clemson in death valley to restore the possibility of saving the season! Go Jackets!
GT
September 30th, 2012
8:33 am
We have truly witnessed one of the mysteries of modern college football. It would be up there with App. State, Michigan only that was a contest this was a 12 year old boy knocking out the Heavyweight Champion of the World in the first minute of the fight.
Maybe Al is just too old; he looked almost senile sitting up in that box. I notice the Tennessee defensive co last night on the sideline of the Georgia game, cussing in pure madness, charging players and coaches when they put 9 men on the field and had to call a time out. Tennessee has a horrible defense too, but they are improving, they have ambition, I think old Al is just looking for a place to lie down. Even that, I can’t imagine any man alive that could coach a division one team to tackle that poorly, some coaching from high school or just being better athletics would have to fall into this mix somewhere. To be that bad must have taken a Herculean effort. And these are better athletics the theory last week that we are not recruiting is out the window. This was Al Groh being schooled at some advanced age by an inferior team that had an extra week. A week off not to watch Paul Johnson’s offense or special teams but to lick their chops at the banana republic defense that surrendered after the first play. Curry can retire in peace his unforgiveable loss to Furman has not been whipped from memory by this odor.
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
8:35 am
What were Radakovich’s postgame comments? I googled it every which way and couldn’t find it.
Mr. Hankey
September 30th, 2012
8:37 am
Some guy up several comments ago mentioned Kirby Smart as a replacement coach. Seriously, while I am awash stil from my last beer at about 3:00 am when I got home from Athens let me state the following truths. Bigfoot will win Dancing wilh Stars before Kirby Smart wastes his talents on Techwood Homes. Remember, they won’t let you carry a gun on campus so the job is simply too risky. Joan Rivers will have a baby and look hot doing it before Kirby Smart sets foot on your ghetto ridden campus. Hell, the local gangstas will stop robbing you sissy lollygagging scientists and find “Jesus” befre Kirby Smart even reads an article about your school in the sports section while attending to his morning sitdown. Simply put, I’M LOVING IT. GTH!!!! Please, please, please get rid of that archaic, nasty, scowling, stick in the mud CPJ. He looks waaaay too much like Deputy Dog to be a corch. (See Corrine Brown’s speech.) Go Gata! You have the bestess fence in da nashun.
sammiamm
September 30th, 2012
8:41 am
Stanford educates and wins. Northwestern also. Joke By the Coke is clearly no Stanford or Northwestern, but just sayin’…
SKB
September 30th, 2012
8:45 am
Johnson is a good coach. The defense on the other hand….
son_sir
September 30th, 2012
8:46 am
GT, You do have a point. Most successful college DC’s are more than a little spirited. I don’t doubt that Groh’s knows his stuff. But if you can’t get the players motivated it won’t get done. As a Tech fan, I hate to use this analogy, but compare Groh’s demeanor to Todd Grantham’s. Think about Erk Russell or Mickey Andrews in their prime. I hate to be age biased, but it’s hard to motivate kids between swigs of Metamucil. If you ain’t got the energy, go swing a golf club or wet a hook and talk about your career with your old coaching buddies. There’s nothing wrong with that.
dubious
September 30th, 2012
8:47 am
Groh’s gotta goh. Maybe Gregory can put a competitive team on the court this year.
GT
September 30th, 2012
8:49 am
A dead man could coach this defense better. I mean it had to take some input to be this bad. If eleven men had gone out on that field without a coach, these eleven that were despite all descriptions still better recruits than Middle Tenn. gets, would have had better results. We have witnessed a freak show, a world wide mystery. No matter how bad Tech ever gets we will be able to say we were there September 2012 when we witnessed the epic depression of the program. Bill Curry may be the only Tech man happy to see this, he now is a forgotten man, even he couldn’t have topped this one.
GAILEY
September 30th, 2012
8:53 am
I lOVE WATCHING EVERY ONE BEAT THE BUGS DOWN. THEY SHOULD HAVE KEPT ME
Dawgs
September 30th, 2012
8:55 am
You yellow flies will get a beat down come november. One you will never forget.
Tony Batulis
September 30th, 2012
8:55 am
Paul Johnson = over-rated triple option coach. His time is just about up.
Tech'sDay
September 30th, 2012
9:00 am
If I’m Georgia Tech AD, my first 2 calls looking for a new coach go to Dan Mullen and Kirby Smart. Both of these guys can recruit.
T-man
September 30th, 2012
9:01 am
Why would anybody anywhere who gives a flip about Georgia Tech football not admit that the program is in serious trouble? If CPJ is such a great coach (as many would have us believe) then how did a fifth year coach with all the players being ones he recruited loose like he did yesterday? If the players aren’t responding to him or his coaches (as seems to be the consensus of those that saw the game) then DRad needs to get off his haunch and figure out why? Certainly CPJ or CAG can’t and won’t figure it out or it wouldn’t have happened in the first place. And another thing… hopefully the next head coach will at least understand a little something about Tech tradition and quit messing with the uniforms. What’s with that anyway?
BILL FULCHER
September 30th, 2012
9:01 am
I am embarrassed !
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:01 am
uh GT, I guess you mean Bill Lewis because Bill Curry was a great Ga Tech coach.
GAILEY
September 30th, 2012
9:04 am
All you tech fans do is hunt excuses,bottom line you are no good and never will be. Dont blame it on groh,paul johnson is the problem along with your pansy football team. You are the laughing stock of the state georgia. Georgia southern will kill you if you played them. Our my coworkers at work just make excuses too. You nerds are pathetic!!!!!
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:05 am
What did Drad say after the game?
Someone earlier in this blog said Drad said some stupid stuff but didn’t say what.
Loser alert
September 30th, 2012
9:06 am
We are going to start losing recruits after this season. Why would a good prospect go to GT when we all are praying that our coaches will be fired? UGa is on a roll and the local talent is deciding to stay at home and play for them. Our future is very dim.
Sadbuzz
September 30th, 2012
9:06 am
I do not understand why CPJ does not let Vad Lee start and play the rest of the remaining games.If Vad is going to be the starting QB for next season, why not let him get some experience even if we do not win another game this season.I think it is too predictable QB Washington choosing to keep the ball and run with it does not fool other defenses. Groh needs to go
Van Gorders Stache
September 30th, 2012
9:07 am
You can’t recruit with an offense that hurts your pro prospects, and D-1 players ALL think they are going pro. What chance does the D have when all they see in practice is wishbone quarterbacks and receivers? Linemen that cut block instead of pass block? It doesn’t matter who coaches the D, it is Johnsons system that is killing it all. CPJ is loyal first to his option system and second to Tech.
Big Dawg
September 30th, 2012
9:09 am
I love seeing you techies in turmoil. You are one weak team and weak minded bunch to think TECH will ever win. You bugs are a joke!!!! I bet you loose that one line man to georgia if they DECIDE to take him. This helps UGA recruiting big time in this state!!! REMEMBER WE OWN THIS STATE!!!
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:09 am
no one is making excuses, the final score could have easily been 70-21. And it is all Johnson’s fault that arrogant fool pretty much thinks recruiting doesn’t matter…only his precious offense matters to him.
cloudodust
September 30th, 2012
9:12 am
App State’d. Don’t feel too bad GT. You ain’t the first and you won’t be the last. You’re now a member of the club that can simply say, chyt happens. Shoot, your brothers-in-state over in Athens are still silently reeling over their loss to Central Florida circa 2010. How the team responds will be interesting to watch.
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:13 am
Tech Fans Please Re-read Van Gorders Stache 9:07 post 1000 times
I posted that same statement on your blog 2 years ago but you guys dont listen
I really thought a Tech education made you smart; obviously it makes you just plain dumb
Glad to read that Tech fans left the stadium making excuses
cant wait for many more years of victory’s against coach Know it all Turkey Neck Johnson
GAILEY
September 30th, 2012
9:14 am
Quit making excuses,you bugs have never had the quality team GEORGIA does and never will. I am in florida winning,wish central florida played tech this year. I would give you bugs a beat down for letting me go.
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:15 am
Tech Fans Please Re-read Van Gorders Stache 9:07 post 1000 times
I posted that same statement on your blog 2 years ago but you guys dont listent
I really thought a Tech education made you smart; obviously it makes you just plain dumb
Glad to read that Tech fans left the stadium making excuses cant wait for many more years of victory’s against coach Know it all Turkey Neck Johnson!
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:15 am
Tech Fans Please Re-read Van Gorders Stache 9:07 post 1000 times
I posted that same statement on your blog 2 years ago but you guys dont listen
I really thought a Tech education made you smart; obviously it makes you just plain dumb
Glad to read that Tech fans left the stadium making excuses cant wait for many more years of victory’s against coach Know it all Turkey Neck Johnson!
tech fan for life
September 30th, 2012
9:18 am
with the no class uniforms, i guess the MTSU game is the only thing worst than the uniforms.
NO CLASS UNIFORMS = NO CLASS.
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:18 am
OldSchool – Its time to spell what did Drad say?
GAILEY
September 30th, 2012
9:19 am
cloudodust do not mention the bugs in the same sentence with the DAWGS. YOU BUGS ARE A JOKE AND ALWAYS WILL BE. YOU NERDS MAKE EXCUSES AND CRY TO EACH OTHER. MAN UP,YOU ARE NO GOOD AND NEVER WILL BE. I WOULD NOT EVEN SAY ANY THING OTHER THAN WHAT I MENTIONED IF I WERE YOU. BOTTOM LINE YOU ARE A CRAPPY TEAM AND ALWAYS WILL BE
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:20 am
I like their new unies. unfortunately they are the only good thing about this season
Mark
September 30th, 2012
9:21 am
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that this team has no talent on defense, You could have Buddy Ryan coaching this defense and they would be mediocre. Tech is not recruiting well under Johnson. Don’t blame Al Groh because no one wants to play for a grumpy old man who always blames his players and never blames himself.
Bug Squasher
September 30th, 2012
9:23 am
tech fan for life. Come to ATHENS and see some real football nerd.
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:23 am
hahaha… spill not spell
Excuse Makers
September 30th, 2012
9:25 am
Quit crying about your defense,your offense is no good either.
HouseDivided
September 30th, 2012
9:25 am
Sitting at the game yesterday and watching the debacle, I noticed how vanilla Groh’s defense is. The team stood like wooden Indians before every play and then we rarely blitzed or changed up defensive coverages. Contrast that with our offense with its motion and many options after the play starts. The Falcons defense has less talent than the offense, just like the Jackets. But the defense won the game against the Broncos a couple of weeks ago by disguising what was to come by bouncing in and out and standing up and disguising coverages. Fun for the players and fans. CPJ’s offensive philosophy gets points–just need the ability to switch into a spread option with our talented backs out as receivers when we need to play catch-up or the option is being stuffed. The Jackets need to apply that same mindset to defense.