His Jackets pull a no-show, and Paul Johnson is not pleased
This one picture is worth a couple of hundred thousand words, give or take. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Athens – There were two snippets of good news for Georgia Tech on an otherwise wretched Saturday: The Jackets still get to play for the ACC Championship, and the Georgia Bulldogs will be occupied elsewhere.
Other than that, this was a wipeout of epic dimensions. It wasn’t quite as bad as the 51-7 loss here in 2002, but at least that drubbing came in Year 1 under a new coach. This one arrived in Year 5 under Paul Johnson, who seemed the anti-Chan Gailey. Meaning: A man who could hold his own against the hated mutts. (Gailey went for 0-for-6.) But now Johnson, after stunning the Bulldogs on his first try, has lost four in a row to Georgia, and the series has again gone lopsided.
And Johnson, who on taking this job ordered that the slogan “Beat Georgia” be displayed on Tech’s practice field, was not pleased. Afterward his voice could be heard — at great volume and great length — railing at his players through the metal door of the visitors’ locker room, and his subsequent press briefing was sardonic even by Johnson’s standards.
When a reporter mentioned that early turnovers might have compromised Tech’s chance of winning, Johnson said: “Were you watching the game? Do you think it mattered where (the Bulldogs) got the ball?”
Speaking of which: “(Georgia) averaged 14 yards a play the first half.” (Actually only 10.6. But it seemed like 14.)
When another reporter noted that Georgia had the ball for only 8 1/2 minutes en route to 28 first-half points, Johnson said: “Good thing, huh?”
This is the same Paul Johnson who said in 2009, when his Jackets were about to play for (and win, at least on the field) the ACC title, who blithely said his program “had bigger fish to fry” than Georgia; the same Paul Johnson who has said repeatedly that he came to Tech “to win championships.” Technically, he still can claim the 2012 championship of his middling league, but the mythical state title is gone yet again. And, given that Tech’s 42-10 loss Saturday was its worst against Georgia under this coach, it wouldn’t appear the gap is narrowing.
Said Tevin Washington, Tech’s senior quarterback: “The only way we’re going to get it going the other way is to beat them.”
Whenever Tech loses — and it has lost half its games this regular season — the knee-jerk reaction is to label Johnson’s stylized offense as high-schoolish. But here again we saw that the option is all that distinguishes Tech as a program of worth. The defense, now on its third coordinator under Johnson, remains terrible. Special teams are again a calamity. If not for the Jackets’ capacity to run the ball, they’d be Vanderbilt before James Franklin. They’d be, in a word, hopeless.
But here’s the thing: The rest of Tech football has grown so feeble that it can no longer prop up the stylized offense, and on a day when the offense gets yards — Tech outgained the Bulldogs 426 yards to 379 — but not points, it has no chance. Said Johnson: “We couldn’t match them score for score,” and that has become the only way the Jackets can hope to beat anyone halfway decent.
This was the sixth time this season the Jackets have yielded 40 or more points. The wonder isn’t that they lost five of those games; the wonder is that they won even one. (At North Carolina 68-50.)
A big-time program cannot long subsist as a one-trick pony, and we’re seeing the limits of Johnson as a program builder. (As opposed to an offensive schemer.) He hasn’t recruited as well as he needs to recruit to sustain the successes achieved with Gailey’s holdovers. That Tech will play Florida State in Charlotte for the ACC title says more about the flimsy state of the conference than it does about Tech. The only time these Jackets look like a real team is when they have the ball.
The Jackets saw early Saturday what a real team looks like when it doesn’t have the ball. Tech back Robert Godhigh burst inside the Georgia 5 on the Jackets’ first series, and for a moment it seemed the game — Georgia had seized a 7-0 lead after 63 seconds — was about to be joined. But no. Safety Bacarri Rambo wrested the ball from Godhigh’s grasp, and that was essentially that.
Asked if it would be difficult to rouse his men to play Florida State after such a beating, Johnson said: “I look at it as another opportunity. We’ll see how they respond.”
It must be noted that Johnson did not give the impression of a coach living in fervent hope. True, a different opponent and a different venue could yield a different result. But it’s hard to imagine any game involving the Bulldogs turning out well for Tech anytime soon.
Further reading: On Paul Johnson’s poor early choice and Tech’s lack of fans.
By Mark Bradley
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519 comments Add your comment
William Casey
November 24th, 2012
5:32 pm
@BAMAJACKET: You obviously aren’t watching FSU vs. UF. UGA is better than FSU.
Dacusville Bill
November 24th, 2012
5:32 pm
I hate to repeat myself—-BUT—Fire Pitiful Paul TODAY, and give Joker Phillips the job on a game by game basis–
Chalupa Batman
November 24th, 2012
5:33 pm
Btw kudos to you, gtbob. Only tech fan brave enuff to stay on these blogs after the beat down. Unlike st simons et al.
But you still root for a loser program.
jerry
November 24th, 2012
5:33 pm
It is the talent pool. Each has a different one. We know that, don’t we? I guess some people like to beat a dead horse.
GTBob
November 24th, 2012
5:34 pm
PJ was given the courses he wanted two years ago. The academic argument was never valid anyway.
Oh really? What courses was he given?
Mike Lum
November 24th, 2012
5:34 pm
Vad Lee didn’t get enough playing time this season to be competitive against UGA’s defense. But oh Lee continues to throw off his back foot, the Tech offense will not improve next year.
Walter
November 24th, 2012
5:34 pm
yeah Fsu looks so much better losing to the gators 13-3, the acc is terrible GT should bow out of the championship game. 6-6 should not give you a chance for any kind of championship
Bamajacket
November 24th, 2012
5:35 pm
Hey, do we REALLY believe our team enjoys getting embarrassed every week? I don’t think so. Georgia certainly had the better players, and it showed today. But, the bigger picture: Does Miami have better players? VaTech? MTSU? BYU? I could go on. Utah? Air Force? At some point poor play=poor coaching.You can only blame the players so long.
Dacusville Bill
November 24th, 2012
5:35 pm
Tech should be the first in the nation with a “Coach for a Week” until we find the right one–
quick fix
November 24th, 2012
5:36 pm
re Tech D…dogs could win by not throwing a pass or they could win by not running…Tech D is that
bad.
ps…Johnson sure looks like a (______) when he “talks” to his players when they come off the field.
Michael
November 24th, 2012
5:36 pm
You guys kill me about the cut block. As if your team never uses it ever. I no this is hard to believe but NFL teams even use it. Lets just stop blocking and tackeling below the waist so no one gets hurt.
David S.
November 24th, 2012
5:36 pm
Hey GTBob, than just shut the damn program down then… A decision has to be made, this level, or go to IVY league status, if the academics mean that much… Maybe thats the road to travel… No doubt TECH is more difficult, due to all the CALC classes, but, good smart recruiting is the first key here to success, and CPJ doesn’t have a clue as to how to do it……………
FrustratedTechGrad
November 24th, 2012
5:39 pm
All this talk about a “high school” offense is irrelevant. GT can move the ball on just about any defense; the option offense is enough different that GT can succeed even with 3-star players. The problem is that games include two other elements–defense & special teams. That’s where GT’s lack of talent gets exposed. Like “Rob of Naples”, I fear that CPJ’s acerbic attitude doesn’t play well in living rooms with high school recruits.
Rufus
November 24th, 2012
5:39 pm
I wonder if we could compete in the Sun Belt Conference.
Sad GT Fan
November 24th, 2012
5:40 pm
We going in the wrong direction..down not up. Fire PAUL JOHNSON.
Jorge O'leary
November 24th, 2012
5:41 pm
How f”ing hard can defense be when your offense holds the ball 40 minutes a game??
heeldawg
November 24th, 2012
5:41 pm
1. CPJ cannot recruit. That’s just it. And you cannot use academics as an excuse–Stanford beat the number one team in America last weekend, and Notre Dame’s number one right now, and they are both quite solid academic programs. It’’s just that no passing QB wants to play in this offense, and Paul Johnson is an a$$ who players don’t want to play for. With no players and mediocre defensiev coaching, you’re not going to beat a top-level program.
2. FSU is not as good as Georgia. Their gaudy stats are the way they are because they are in the ACC. In the SEC, FSU would be at least a two-game loser. Want objective data? Tech hung 68 points on UNC last week–and the Tech O was held to three points by Georgia’s first team D this week. And Florida, who Georgia beat, leads FSU by 10 in the second half right now in Tallahassee.
Bamajacket
November 24th, 2012
5:41 pm
@ William Casey:
Yeah, I got a little exuberent there. No slight meant to GA. We’re going to get killed and embarrassed next week.
KBP
November 24th, 2012
5:42 pm
Mark, I am a Dawg fan and only a Tech hater when we play them. But come on, the only time this offense looks like a real offense is when it is not 3rd and 6 or worse. Eventually you will have 3rd and long and you have to be able to pass. CPJ’s unwillingness to develop a passing game will continue to kill Tech. Sure, Tech needs better talent on both sides of the ball, but the lack of a passing game makes the offense worthless when they get behind. If Aaron Murray had completed his 63rd pass of the season in the 12th game, he would not be effective when it counts either.
Sad GT Fan
November 24th, 2012
5:42 pm
Moderation for what? Blog is as bad as Johnson.
Dogfan F/K/A St. Simons
November 24th, 2012
5:42 pm
1. Ga. Southern was a tougher opponent than Tech and scored more points on UGA. That’s something Technerds can hold with pride.
2. Bammerjacket, FSU is not much better than UGA, just mush better than GT. FSU has played a bunch of ACC patsies and has beaten none. FSU will lose to UF today.
3. 42-10 Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jorge O'leary
November 24th, 2012
5:43 pm
And Florida, who Georgia beat, leads FSU by 10 in the second half right now in Tallahassee.
The same Gators who gave 6 gifts to Georgia so the dogs could win a squeaker??
Sad GT Fan
November 24th, 2012
5:44 pm
God bless ajc…
If do right, no can defense
November 24th, 2012
5:44 pm
And Mr. Bradley, you have been spot on over the past couple of seasons, that we simply don’t have the talent to beat uga.
I know recruiting rankings out of high-school are hit-and-miss, and I’m fully aware of the numerous success stories in the NFL coming out of nowhere. But when it’s so lopsided across-the-board, you have to admit it’s a tall order against the powerhouse teams like uga.
QB: Tech – Washington (**) / Lee (****) / Days (***)
QB: uga – Murray (*****) / LeMay (****)
BB/FB: Tech – Sims (***) / Laskey (**)
RB: uga – Gurley (****) / Marshall (*****)
I could go on and on… especially on defense, and in the trenches. We need better players, and fast.
GT71
November 24th, 2012
5:46 pm
OK, FIRE HIM! He can’t seem to think of ANYTHING except his precious offense. Defense sux, special teams, aren’t…hell, they aren’t even 1/2 decent.
This has got to stop.
Sure, UGAG has it’s 25th annual top 10 recruits and this year they are playing like it – finally. Blind hogs. Mark Rickety doesn’t beat Tech: their players are better in every facet, every year. But then with so many ‘majors’ and known as a pretty fair party school with revolving-door jails, why the hi-schoolers in the southeast just drool to go to Athens.
Maybe no one else can make Tech a winner again, but this Johnson guy s too stubborn, ego-driven, blinder-ed to be a head coach in FBS football. Either fire his butt or drop down a notch…but don’t schedule MTSU.
Sad GT Fan
November 24th, 2012
5:47 pm
Mark whats going on with this moderation crap…you ate one blog that had nothing bad in it.
Bamajacket
November 24th, 2012
5:47 pm
KBP, you nailed it. You just cannot win against good teams with a one trick offense. I’ve been saying it for 2-3 years myself. When you have one tool in your toolbox, you are going to lose against a team with more tools.
FalconUGAFan
November 24th, 2012
5:47 pm
When a reporter mentioned that early turnovers might have compromised Tech’s chance of winning, Johnson said: “Were you watching the game? Do you think it mattered where (the Bulldogs) got the ball?”
At least HE is willing to be honest about the loss.
Highly Respected Southern Troll
November 24th, 2012
5:47 pm
Just go ahead and say it, Mr. Bradley. Johnson needs to go. He’s completely out of excuses. Johnson had his chance to turn the Georgia series around in 2009 & 2010…win those games and Richt would have been gone. He blew it.
Johnson’s playcalling against UGA has been suspect four years running. The defense is worse than it was when Groh was fired. The Jackets just not only lost to their arch-rival for the eleventh time in twelve years, they now face a beatdown of epic proportions against FSU. Hell, they lost to MTSU earlier this year!
Why keep Johnson?
realist
November 24th, 2012
5:47 pm
Paul Johnson’s time is up, but we can’t afford to get rid of him.
GT Football is entering a long period of darkness.
UGA = Yawn
November 24th, 2012
5:50 pm
Florida does NOT lead FSU by 10. It is 3. And UGA beat UF only because UF had 6 turnovers! Bama had 42 by end of 1st half. If I were Georgia fans, I’d be a bit more toned down in the amount of boasting until next Saturday night.
Mouthing is all GT geeks have
November 24th, 2012
5:52 pm
Stomped was GT. stomped. Had CMR kept his O in the game, UGA could gave scored another, easy,easy 28 points. GT got lucky on 3rd 17 and scored.
Half of the men in my family graduated from GT, including my grandfather. I the seeing GT such a laughing stock. If GT were to hire a guy that can recruit and run the spread, hire a solid D coach, they could compete with most of the good teams. Till then, HIT EM IN THE MOUTH, is your guy.
I love whupping GT.
Go Dogs. CMR OWNS FISH FRY.
Paul in NH
November 24th, 2012
5:54 pm
Georgia has a team full of talented players and they were well prepared and motivated for what turned out to be a well deserved victory. I am disappointed to read that Johnson was berating the players immediately after the game – what good does that do. There will be plenty of time watching the review of the game to point out mistakes and problems. In my opinion, a rant in the visitors’ locker room immediately after a blow out loss to your biggest rival says more about the coach than the players.
Bamajacket
November 24th, 2012
5:54 pm
What bugs me the most about CPJ is his obvious lack of leadership. I’m old, been around a while. But leaders never change. Alabama players in the 60s-70s never lost one game. Not one. Their coach did. He said so, too many times to count. The players won every game the team won. Can’t remember the guy’s name right now, but he was a pretty good coach. Johnson might go read his book.
Tmgotech
November 24th, 2012
5:54 pm
Good thing we didn’t play the Gamecocks. THEY would have beaten us by 60 points!!
UGA = Yawn
November 24th, 2012
5:56 pm
Florida is not beating FSU by 10. they are LOSING!
UGA = Yawn
November 24th, 2012
5:58 pm
Bama up 49-0. Phew. Looks like another long day for UGA next Saturday.
BehindEnemyLines
November 24th, 2012
5:58 pm
Paul in NH — berating those “players” is the very least they deserved. Most should have been left at the stadium & told to find their own way home … along with the “coaching” staff. They’re all lucky they haven’t been arrested on fraud charges, for impersonating D1 players and coaches. It’s not even a good impersonation at this point.
63-39-5
November 24th, 2012
5:59 pm
63-39-5
YellowJacket
November 24th, 2012
5:59 pm
The offense is fine. Just need to work on the defense.
Aubie
November 24th, 2012
6:01 pm
Wow Dawgs will be a no show next week. Them Bama boys know how to really put on a beatdown…..
JB
November 24th, 2012
6:08 pm
Uh oh. Muschamp can’t beat Dawgs or Noles. Who’s next for Gators job
Flagboy
November 24th, 2012
6:08 pm
Paul Johnson is the most awesome coach that has ever coached at Tech! Do not ever impugn this wonderful, brilliant man or my school again mark bradley!!!
Gorilla Biscuit
November 24th, 2012
6:11 pm
That’s what I call GOrilla stomped!! We were merciful.
UGA = Yawn
November 24th, 2012
6:12 pm
Why can’t we get a field goal kicker like the one on FSU????
Bill
November 24th, 2012
6:12 pm
FSU beating UF in 3rd ..20-13..
KBP
November 24th, 2012
6:13 pm
Does Tech have tougher academic standards under CPJ than under Gailey?
JB
November 24th, 2012
6:14 pm
FSU will kill Tech
Tmgotech
November 24th, 2012
6:15 pm
Goof thing we were not playing the Gamecocks. THEY would have beaten us by 60!
Go ‘Bama!!!
Glory Between the Hedges
November 24th, 2012
6:16 pm
Whoever believes alabama is going to run the dawgs over should not be taken serious. Georgia has a handful of guys who are going to be drafted just in the first round. I believe the Dawgs are just better than Bama. We have been waiting a long time for this..Bama is going to be.in the wrong place at the wrong time.