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
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:26 am
I agree Mark…but our offensive line was also over powered by better stronger players…holy crap from MTSU players who lost to McNeese ST.
son_sir
September 30th, 2012
9:27 am
I don’t see many excuses on here. A few but not many. What you see is venting. Venting and speculation as to what the problem is and how to fix it. I think the overwhelming majority of Tech fans are pretty much in agreement that the Jackets suck bad right now.
I don’t think Tech can budget the firing of Johnson. Financial reality is just that. But I’m not looking at the numbers DRad has at his disposal.
In my years of playing and watching football, I have come to realize one thing. BEWARE of coaches who are married to a system. I’ve seen it do too much damage to a number of programs on all levels. I will say I was a staunch supporter of the CPJ hire. I have had second thoughts long before yesterday. This offense is a beauty to watch when it is clicking. But at what cost ?
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:28 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!!!
Excuse Makers
September 30th, 2012
9:29 am
You uniforms are bad,your coaches are bad,your players are pathetic and your fans are big babies that make excuses all the time and cry. Come on give me a break!!!
WillGT
September 30th, 2012
9:30 am
We need to put Vlad Lee in for a full game to see if he can spark something on the offense, there is just no spark with Washington, never has never will be. Give the D more rest and it might actually help them, its shown in previous games. I don’t know why people think Tech can be a big recruiting powerhouse, they really have never been. When you look at schools like Georgia, recruits will go there just for football, can you really say that about Tech, or is it more about the education. The team just needs some good momentum to survive the rest of the season
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:30 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!!!
!
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:31 am
HouseDivided – MTSU crammed right down our throat when they were only trying to run out the clock and everyone on Tech’s defense new what was coming.
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:31 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!!
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:32 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!!!
!!
Excuse Makers
September 30th, 2012
9:34 am
son sir your venting and speculation of you techies remind me of your head coach. Neither of you know what you are talking about.It is evident, you excuse making nerds. You probably never picked up a football in your life. You techies know about football from what you have witnessed on the tube. Which is very evident. Little or none at all.
Excuse Makers
September 30th, 2012
9:36 am
Lee cant help you,your defense $ucks,give it up techies.
For Real
September 30th, 2012
9:38 am
LOOK FOR ANOTHER BEAT DOWN COME NOVEMBER. REMEMBER I TOLD YOU. YOU MIGHT WANT TO CANCEL THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!!
For Real
September 30th, 2012
9:39 am
We will put 70 on the bugs this year!!!!!
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:39 am
There is no reason why GT can’t recruit like Stanford & Notre Dame… or Paul Hewitt for that matter.
Our football program is kinda like the opposite of the basketball program under Hewitt.
Hewitt great recruiter who could not anything with great players. Johnson won with someone else’s great player but can’t recruit a decent player to save his live.
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:39 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!!!!!
COACH JOHNSON
September 30th, 2012
9:40 am
Please give me a week to make some adjustments,we are on a roll. Where is the excuse making GTbob
Ted M
September 30th, 2012
9:42 am
“We will put 70 on the bugs this year!!!!!”
Only because UGA will have the 5th string in by the end of the first quarter otherwise I’d say 127.
son_sir
September 30th, 2012
9:42 am
Yeah .. right EM . Whatever you say ….. I know a little something about the game, tackling, and defense, as I had over 400 tackles in college and have two Div. 1AA NC rings. But whatever you say……..
COACH JOHNSON
September 30th, 2012
9:46 am
ted m they are not going to commit to the bugs when they can go to athens and play for a real team!!!! Rumor is shamire devine is flip flopping to the DAWGS if they will take him.
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:49 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!!!!!!
COACH JOHNSON
September 30th, 2012
9:49 am
son sir all you tackled was a water bucket. I had some like you on my football team. People like you toted us water and kept us real players hydrated!!!!
For Real
September 30th, 2012
9:52 am
Tech needs to give up football and stick with baseball.
Go Jackets
September 30th, 2012
9:52 am
I’m no Al Groh apologist. I think we all know what we get when we hire a recently FIRED coach. But, Groh cant call blitzes when that leaves his undermanned DB’s man to man. Sweeting has been burned 3x minimum every game we have played. He was the victim on the tying drive in the VT game. He was eaten alive on all the deep plays by Miami, and we saw what happened yesterday. I think Groh would be more aggressive if he had a better defensive backfield. But that comes with recruiting, which we dont do. Listen to CPJ speak at his weekly news conference…..its like going to an all nite dentist.
son_sir
September 30th, 2012
9:52 am
I’ll just ignore all the stuff on this wall in front of me then…….
For Real
September 30th, 2012
9:53 am
At least you dont get embarassed with baseball
COACH JOHNSON
September 30th, 2012
9:55 am
I WAS A BLOCK WALL SON SIR. DIVISION 11
Howdy Doody
September 30th, 2012
9:56 am
The triple option is outdated. GT and Ga Southern are the only two teams I know of who run it. GT is unable to recruit the top tier skilled positions players; i.e., QB, WR, RB, etc., because the triple option doesn’t help those with aspirations of playing at the next level. Any team with a good defense is going to shut it down. You live with the run and you die with the run. You only have to look at GA Southern in the playoffs last year against North Dakota State. North Dakota State had a great defense and completely shut down GA Southern’s triple option. Its an outdated offense and the only way of get rid of it……is can CPJ.
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
9:57 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!!!!!!!
GT 55
September 30th, 2012
9:57 am
Tech fan sine 1955. It is down times but I’m 100% behind CPJ he deserves one more year to right the ship. Don’t over-react!!!!
COACH JOHNSON
September 30th, 2012
9:57 am
son sir the only difference is i was a block wall in division 1 football boy.All state
son_sir
September 30th, 2012
10:03 am
You mean you went to college and still can’t write a coherent sentence ? Divison 1 players are selected to “all-state” teams ? Interesting. I’m done with you son. Blogs are not meant to be pi$$ing contests.
Facts
September 30th, 2012
10:03 am
GT 55 your ship has sunk buddy. Get you a life vest and bail with the rest of your Buddys. All johnson deserves to coach is a high school team at best. Cant coach with the big boys. I have some one that was alumni at tech that works with me and has given up tickets,every one is bailing. He has been with them longer than you. Bail before november,it will get ugly.
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
10:04 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!!!!!!!
!!
JDPonzi
September 30th, 2012
10:04 am
UGA needs to replace Tech on the schedule…We are playing enough patsies…We Run This State !!
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
September 30th, 2012
10:04 am
If PJ’s buyout is really 12 million then GT football is dead in the water. The guy can’t recruit whether it is the academic standards ,his offense , or his person that fact is he can’t recruit. I guess it’s a good thing you have Furman Bisher and Bobby Dodd to fallback on for the goodtimes. You need some of those old mean old Bear Bryant stories in times like these. Those dark days in the SEC were really tuff right?
Recruiting is to blame
September 30th, 2012
10:05 am
GT’s poor recruiting is the reason that GT is being humiliated. Blame the messiah coach Paul (hit em in their mouth) Johnson. He has failed to recognize what it takes to win at this level mediocre as that level is.
Go Dogs!
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
10:05 am
GT 55
Im sure glad you and many others are behind Coach Know it all please sign him to a 15 year extension
COACH JOHNSON
September 30th, 2012
10:05 am
Boy all state in high school before i went to college. Water Boy
COACH JOHNSON
September 30th, 2012
10:08 am
We support Coach Johnson,give him an extension.
LakeDawg
September 30th, 2012
10:11 am
I truly feel bad for my GT compatriots. Tech’s biggest problem, other than a team that has quit on its coaches 5 games in to the season, is that they have D 1-AA talent. Least talented Tech team I’ve ever seen and I’ve been following college football since 1971.
COACH JOHNSON
September 30th, 2012
10:13 am
you may be able to sign joker phillips. A great deal better than what you have. Maybe DOOLEY if you let him wear the bright orange pants. Maybe tech can start over with different colors and coach
Paul Has A Small Johnson
September 30th, 2012
10:13 am
Hey Tech
You might ought to go back to cheating since thats the only way you can and were able to win a conference championship
blahahahahahahahahaha
Peter
September 30th, 2012
10:14 am
Well you play high school football and that is what you get….. Dumb offense and hard head coach !
confused
September 30th, 2012
10:14 am
Hope you get it turned around in the next 50 years
Tombo
September 30th, 2012
10:18 am
Dawg fan but kid at Tech. Defense a problem, but think about their ability to prepare for opposing offenses. Tech D practices against triple option type team or scout team. So they don’t see the types of plays other teams use with as much frequency or with starting caliber players. This happens for weeks and months of practices/season. It has to put your defense at a disadvantage compared to schools that practice against one of the more prevalent offensive schemes. I really think this hurts Tech. Not saying that the DC is great, but think any DC will face the same challenge. Think about it. Opposing teams generally fare well when extra time to prepare for triple option because the defenses have time to practice against an atypical offense like triple option. Tech’s D doesn’t really get to practice against a more common offense…just against a triple option that they are unlikely to face regularly in games.
michael
September 30th, 2012
10:20 am
revoke all scholarships and fire groh and his staff. heck, virginia did. bring back ted roof and give o’leary a second chance. we are watching ga. southern
dry dirt road
September 30th, 2012
10:21 am
When you lose to a team that lost to McNeese State and you are Ga Tech, that’s when the Tech coach should be on the verge of getting fired, along with the staff he hired. Radikovich still has confidence in CPJ, and he needs to be fired also. The Tech Athletic Assn, can fire Radikovich. That org is composed of profs, coaches of other sports such as basketball and baseball, and the Prez of Tech, and maybe the Dean of Students and the Prez of the Alum Assn.
dry dirt road
September 30th, 2012
10:23 am
After getting bowled over by Cunningham the human bowling ball, Tech might want to go back to the pink socks and wristbands of two years ago.
dry dirt road
September 30th, 2012
10:28 am
CPJ kept trying the trip opt off when it was clear MT would shut it down. He passed from there, and MT was already in the backfield around TW by that time. Finally he switched to the pistol, but TW allowed himself to get tackled, I think. He is a good peripheral vision scrambler, and he could have avoided sacks. A wildcat formation would have provided a blocker on both sides of TW to avoid sacks.
non partisan observer
September 30th, 2012
10:30 am
Dead Man boobs jiggling