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
dry dirt road
November 25th, 2012
7:41 am
I think Tech should quit playing Georgia, or maybe play them earlier in the year as any other game. It’s embarrasing to think we can hang with them. We can’t hang out with them. We can’t hang around. We also might want to skip some years. We aren’t competitive with them, and it’s not entertaining to watch the games as some sort of in state rivalry. There is no rivalry if their is no competition. It’s like Georgia playing a Div 1A team and not a Div 1 team. Tech always plays varied teams and has no particular rival.
dry dirt road
November 25th, 2012
7:42 am
there
Jodie M.
November 25th, 2012
7:43 am
With Tech’s abilities, how do they get into a play-off game. I understand the Miami situation, etc., but it’s unfortunate that this is the best the ACC has to offer. Maybe they shouldn’t do play-off games. Tech is substandard to UGA on all levels — including academic achievements.
Vampire Bill
November 25th, 2012
7:44 am
Maybe Paul Johnson will punch someone or call some teenager a idiot? Real classy guy
Buzzman
November 25th, 2012
7:52 am
Coach CPJ, please do our fan base a favor, when we lose against Florida State, and then after the game, those bowl scouts come up to you wanted GT to play on blue astroturf, or another High School bowl, please do not accept a bowl bid. The GT fans have had it and we are completly embarrassed for the season. Don’t pour salt into our wounds anymore. Lets just call the 2012 football season over after next week. Thank you.
pioneer
November 25th, 2012
7:56 am
“High school offense is foolish.” Are you kidding me?! High schools more than a decade ago had figured out the new game: put your best athlete at QB, wildcat him the fall, let him run, after the TD he chest bumps his friends. All of this used to be 12 year olds on the playground, now it’s colleges and who knows – NFL in ten years? Johnson has no choice; Tech is able to cheat a little in the admissions office but can’t take the same number of slashers and rutabagas as the football factories.
Sierra Dawg
November 25th, 2012
8:01 am
Yeah, 426 yards for Tech’ offense – all between the 20-yard lines. When crunch time came, that high school offense couldn’t get it done. One sloppy TD in mop-up time against the scrubs. Lowest GT point production of the year. And even as bad as its been the past couple of generations or so for Tech fans, it really should have been worse. You all know that if instant replay had been around longer, UGA would have two more victories.
This rivalry just doesn’t mean much any longer. The game was a footnote on most scoreboards yesterday while they concentrated time on rivalry games that featured two teams that were relevant. As much as I enjoy beating NATS, it’s not good for the state to have such a one-sided series. Georgia blue-chippers just don’t even consider Tech as an option. If they’re not going to UGA, then it’s off to Bama, Tennessee, Auburn, FSU, or any number of other schools outside the state. Sadly, I don’t see Tech overcoming that any time soon.
The other problem is the fan base. I recall a time when, thought not balanced against UGA, Tech had a reasonably large presence in Atlanta. You might recall that Grant Field used to hold a much higher capacity before the renovation that pared it down to it’s current (embarrassing) level. Now you can’t even fill that up, and the traveling fans are woefully inadequate. How do you think that looks to a recruit on Saturdays? Then they visit UGA or Bama or FSU and see 90,000-100,000 in the stands. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out.
In short, Tech needs a major program make-over and the world’s biggest PR campaign in order to have even a faint hope of competing at the level you want.
Techfan
November 25th, 2012
8:02 am
Weak schedule? 4 teams with winning records? (throw out the FCS) One was us 6-5. Next Vandy, then an 8 point win and 35-7 beatdown against the 2 decent teams on the schedule. College coaches all over the country wake up on Christmas morning wishing, “Please let Vanderbilt be the third strongest team we’ll face next year.” Last year Richt got his wish. UGA had won 9 games before the season ever started.
Techfan
November 25th, 2012
8:05 am
“How do you think that looks to a recruit on Saturdays? Then they visit UGA or Bama or FSU and see 90,000-100,000 in the stands. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out.” Yeah, they can’t get that Turfgrass Management degree at Tech.
Vince
November 25th, 2012
8:08 am
…at least Tech played pretty good for a quarter and a half against the JV team.
BgTimeTECHFan
November 25th, 2012
8:08 am
OSU verses Notre Dame for National title. should be a good one. NCAA has to waiver some teams, do the right thing and give the waiver to OSU, Nation want to see two best teams in the title game
I'm not delusional
November 25th, 2012
8:08 am
Wow you tekies are pathetic. All this talk about – “it’s not the offense it’s the defense” blows my mind. GT scored THREE POINTS against the Bulldog starters – THREE POINTS – THREE POINTS – good grief.
Now I will sit here and wait for the GT rebuttal – we ran for a gazillion yards – we gave the game away – shoulda coulda woulda.
All GT needs to do is coach-em up – good grief.
Georgia Southern would beat GT if they played next week.
Vince
November 25th, 2012
8:12 am
Georgia 42 Tech 10
Florida 37 FSU 26
South Carolina 27 Clemson 17
Vanderbilt 55 Wake Forest 21
OUCH!
MT
November 25th, 2012
8:17 am
There is no rivalry if their is no competition
Yeah I wonder how many people in Texas would love to see Texas and AM play this year.
I can imagine there is still alot of thrash talk going on out there right now, and it will not be long before that game is restored. It would be like that here. If GA and Tech quit playing, it wouldn’t take long for the cry to restore it would start back up.Probably the first time Tech fielded a proven top ten team.I can hear the Techies now, Boy I sure wish we could have a crack at Georgia this year.
Georgia went through this in the years from 1949 -1956. Dawgs lost eight straight to Tech. In 1957 “The man that brought the drought”, Theron Sapp scored the only TD of the game,and Georgia won 7-0. Georgia has had struggles with Florida since 1990 going 3-17 till 2010. Gators forgot there was football before 1990,with Georgia going 18-7-2 from the time Vince Dooly arrived until Ray Goff’s first year.
MT
November 25th, 2012
8:24 am
OSU verses Notre Dame for National title. should be a good one. NCAA has to waiver some teams, do the right thing and give the waiver to OSU, Nation want to see two best teams in the title game
No waiver for OSU,shouldn’t have done the things to get sanctions and probations in the first place.
Innocent people sometimes have to pay for the sins of others.Does Penn St get a pass, next year or so if they make the NC landscape?It’s a reason that its call punishment.
Vince
November 25th, 2012
8:24 am
@BgTime Tech Fan….Only a Tech fan would glorify a team that has the 46th ranked defense in the NCAA as one of the “two best teams in the country.”
Standawg
November 25th, 2012
8:33 am
Used to be the biggest nail biter of the year for both teams. Oh how I remember that Jasper Sanks TD that was called back. Man, those were the days…poor Tech.
Moleman
November 25th, 2012
8:33 am
It seemed like CPJ was blaming the players. Who recruits the players, decides what plays to call, etc.? Look in the mirror, if he’s not fired then he needs to change. We’ll see what the new AD does. Well at least we have basketball to look forward to.
Sierra Dawg
November 25th, 2012
8:35 am
Techfan, look at the top,of the page. This is a football blog, not an academic mine-is-bigger-than-yours contest. And crowing about the quality of a Tech degree in engineering has virtually zero application to your football team. Not a lot of aerospace engineering majors in your locker room. When you can get your football team off the bottom of the ACC list of graduation stats, let us know. Till then it’s all smoke and mirrors, with a healthy dose of sour grapes.
TechRon
November 25th, 2012
8:36 am
Johnson needs to be shown the door today. Anyone could coach that team better than he can. Anyone. I read Schultz prediction a couple of days ago. He said that UGA had to win and he based his pick on the fact that UGA had better players at EVERY single position on offense and defense. Now, whose fault would that be? Hey, I have been a Tech man all my life and my Dad before me, but I gave up on going to games a long time ago. They suck. The whole program is an embarrassment. I blame the idiots who hired Johnson and who stick with him. They are the real culprits. Johnson would only be good at a lower level where everyone gets the same talent (Furman, Ga. Southern, W. Carolina). His offense might work there, where the opponent is no bigger and no faster than you are. Not at Div. 1.
Dawg fans who post here are for the most part rude scum who have nothing better to do than kick somebody while they are down. Basically they are immature. Who needs to go to someone else’s blog to rub salt in an open wound? Still, their comments and critcisms are correct.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 25th, 2012
8:36 am
Tech Played terrible.
We knew it would take a Great game to win, but we just don’t have the D to compete right now.
We have missed on recruiting some much need Defensive players but MAYBE we can get a Good D coach/recruiter to turn it around.
Didn’t expect much from WAKE but Vandy killed them more than I thought.
FSU was really disappointing. FLORIDA shows how good a team can be with an Average O but a Great D. TECH has to really work on the D side of the ball.
CLEMSON was a let down too. They couldn’t play D either.
Cdpridg
November 25th, 2012
8:37 am
What yall thinking about them Dawgs!!!
Double Secret Probation
November 25th, 2012
8:38 am
Bamajacket, you think FSU is better than Georgia? What are you smoking? FSU is easily the best team in your pitiful conference, but please show some proper respect. You may hate UGA but FSU is going to be the champ of a conference that went 0-4 yesterday against the SEC. FSU is as talented as UGA maybe, but better than UGA? Not this year. Or the last several years.
RedandBlackDAWG
November 25th, 2012
8:39 am
Techfan
November 25th, 2012
8:02 am
Another bitter tech. fan. It is always somebody else’ fault and not the lack of a good coach, players or even supportive fans at Tech.
UGA would prefer, I am sure not even scheduling your team, even though it is almost a guarantee of an easy win, but the Georgia State Senate has made it a mandatory game each year. It is beyond laughable anymore. Tech. can’t compete with UGA, and it has more to do with problems in recruiting. Think about the location, the campus, and the lack of talent as multiple reasons they aren’t good enough.
Honey boy
November 25th, 2012
8:43 am
Dry dirt road… Helmets would’ve made a difference?? Riiiggghtt!!!!
Those guys need to wear their helmets all the time…. And ride the short bus…..
Sierra Dawg
November 25th, 2012
8:49 am
TechRon, “someone else’s blog”? Really? I thought this was a blog about the UGA-Tech game? And do you not read all the “rude” Tech posters on true UGA blogs? GTBob could take your advice. Forty-eight hours ago the Tech bloggers couldn’t talk enough dismissive trash about UGA. Now it’s kicking a fan when they’re down when it’s crow-eating time?!
You have two choices after this game and season: curl up in a corner, suck your thumb, and moan about how unfair it all is, or accept the facts, get engaged, and try to re-invigorate your program. I see which path you’re taking. Similar to the one most of the Tech team took yesterday. It just proves my point that one of the biggest liabilities of Tech’s program is its fan base.
Rod
November 25th, 2012
8:53 am
It’s harder to put a good team on the field when they have to be smart.
If a player can say “duh”, UGA will sign them!
Go Jackets
November 25th, 2012
9:03 am
We have one more year. After next the buyout/firing wont be as bad. We will have a new AD (hopefully someone who knows how to hire) and he/she will want his/her own people. CPJ is too old and too prideful to change. His offense has become predictable, and he has NO concern for defense. At D1 he is a GOOD OC at best. Im sure he will land on his feet at a mid major or directional school to spend his remaining days.
DC DOG
November 25th, 2012
9:07 am
Tech Players….Quick but SMALL. Ga Southern had bigger players and put up a better FIGHT vs. UGA. How many GT fans will travel next week…..not many outside of players family. YOU WILL NEVER GET THE PLAYERS , NEEDED, to be a threat with this offense… After watching Fla -FSU and Clemson-SC….the ACC stinks
nwdnanny
November 25th, 2012
9:12 am
First…IT’S GREAT TO BE A GEORGIA BULLDAWG.
Second…Recruiting is the key and your doors have double deadbolts on them. You sure don’t want to take recruits to the stadium that is half full AT BEST. But then you could stroll them around the North Ave. campus. Just make sure you do it during the day time so they don’t get mugged or killed.
Third…face it bugs, you will never be a winning football school so go back to your computer games and try to compete with the Harvards, Yales, Princetons and other Ivy League teams.
Snack Shack
November 25th, 2012
9:12 am
It appeared there were less than 3,000 Georgia Tech fans in Sanford Stadium yesterday, and that included the Tech Band (who beat most fans in exiting the stadium after the game).
Incoming Tide
November 25th, 2012
9:14 am
Back to bitter reality: Alabama 38, Georgia 13
GTJACKET
November 25th, 2012
9:19 am
Congratulations to the Dawgnation on a big win and a great upcoming opportunity.
I for one decided to stop going to games in Athens because of the poor hospitality of the fans there. Not all of them, but many, are just plain rude to the visiting teams fans. This is especially true when it comes to GT fans. They are not good losers or winners. I hear this from every school that has to go up there so it is not just sour grapes from a Tech fan. I will not go back up there again, and haven’t been since O’leary beat them up there.
53½ arrests in four years
November 25th, 2012
9:20 am
As much as I would love beating Georgia, the reality is that a school like GT with its very high academic requirements is usually going to lose on the football field against schools like Georgia that admit players who can barely read and write, and are prone to being arrested for all manner of criminal acts, including drug use, driving while drunk, beating up women, and urinating in public places, just to name a few of their crimes. Not so long ago, it was schools like Miami and FSU who were infamous for this kind of behavior, but with 53 arrests in the last four years, and a Fulmer Cup win, it’s Georgia and Mark Richt who have become the NCAA’s poster child for everything that’s wrong with college athletics.
Georgia Tech proved in 1990 that it’s possible to win championships with players who are intelligent and have a strong moral and ethical character. Unfortunately, since that time, the rise of football factories like Georgia have made it much more difficult for quality schools like Tech to overcome the inherent advantages that these win-at-all-costs factory schools have.
As long as there are coaches like Mark Richt who will do anything to keep his fat paychecks coming in, the situation will only worsen, especially since the school’s administration and fans have abandoned any semblance of demanding excellence both on and off the field. Winning is the only thing that matters now, and the fact that most of their players are functionally illiterate no longer upsets anyone.
It’s a shameful and disgusting situation at UGA, and I have no doubt that the school’s earlier ethical coaches like Wallace Butts and Harry Mehre are spinning in their graves at the thought of what shameful self-serving coaches like Mark Richt have done to their school.
B'dawg
November 25th, 2012
9:22 am
Thats it Tech. Join the Ivy League. Maybe you can compete Brown.
Jock
November 25th, 2012
9:22 am
Lottery Pups, do it again. We were for running Mark off earlier in the year.
“Go Lottery Pups”
DC DOG
November 25th, 2012
9:27 am
I say KEEP CPJ……. and leave the ACC like Maryland did and PAID to do it. ACC fans … Basketball is HERE and Baseball right around the corner… CHEER UP.. ” It’s Great to be a Georgia Bull Dog”
The SEC wins The 2012 ACC Championship
November 25th, 2012
9:31 am
GTBob
The SEC is way overrated
Thats why FSU lost; Clempson lost; Wake lost; and well Tech lost
Fear the mighty ACC
blahahahahahahahaha
Triple Option Fan
November 25th, 2012
9:32 am
OK to all those who blame the lack of recruiting on Coach Johnson. I must admit, that is definitely evident on the field right now, and he needs to fix that right away if he wants a chance at beating Georgia ever again. However, to those that want him fired I have this to ask. Has GT ever scored 68 points against anybody under any of its previous coaches? or has GT ever led the nation in any offensive category before??? If you see the success the Oregon and Ohio State is having currently with a version of the option, you realize that it is a great equalizer and it at least gives you a chance against teams with greater talent like UGA. Could you imagine running a typical pro style offense with 4 star recruits vs. 5 star recruits??? Did anyone notice Georgia Southern was the only team to score 21 points and the most yards against Alabama last year with that same type of offense?
Does CPJ need to recruit better? absolutely. But will he or any other coach ever get as many 5 star recruits as UGA? are you kidding me??? I think CPJ gives us the best chance of winning, if of course he does a better job of recruiting talent.
take it from me.
November 25th, 2012
9:34 am
Fire CPJ the hillbilly!
SEC!
November 25th, 2012
9:38 am
WOW! UGA beats Tech, South Carolina Beats Clemson, and Florida beats Florida State. SEC OWNS the ACC. If UGA were to beat ‘Bama, UGA could be the SEC/ACC champ. Tech and Florida State will be playing in the ACC 4th place game.
take it from me.
November 25th, 2012
9:38 am
Maybe tech should get out of divison 1 football ,untill they hire a coach that can compete!
hit a single
November 25th, 2012
9:40 am
College football is as weak as it has ever been. Ohio St. goes undefeated with a team that even Meyer says is not that good. Fundamentals are a lost art. Worse tackling I have ever seen. It is a try to knock them down instead of face mask on the numbers and lock up. I am as big a Dawg fan as anybody but I am not impressed with our tackling. We are still a sling them down team. We will not beat Bama with that technique. That is why we couldn’t tackle Lattimore and believe me Lacy will be tough also. So Dawgs let wrap up and get it done.
Defense
November 25th, 2012
9:54 am
Whom should tech get as a defensive coordinator? Any suggestions?
BullDogMike
November 25th, 2012
9:55 am
It was very obvious after all the games played out over the weekend, that the ACC is just not able to match up with SEC opponents. I saw an FSU team that was ranked # 10 Look as hapless as any team could look. If they were tenth best team something is bad wrong with these pollsters. I seriously believe FSU and Clemson both would struggle against Vandy. And as for GT, they need to drop down to Division 2.
Keep Paul Johnson forever!!!
November 25th, 2012
9:55 am
Sign CPJ to a lifetime contract, PLEEEEEEASE!!!!!!!
– Bulldog Nation
michael
November 25th, 2012
9:58 am
hey tech? notre dame of the south….faculty/adm. if they can do it why can’t we??????????
WillGT
November 25th, 2012
9:58 am
Under PJ we have had some good games and good seasons I still feel he can get it done with the proper players, look at the 2009 season, and the following season, the huge upset against VT at home, the big Clemson upset last year. Would a new coach that plays pro style really change recruiting that much? Tech has always gotten the leftovers from the region. Im just not convinced either way that PJ has a solution or even if a new coach would be the solution.
michael
November 25th, 2012
10:01 am
spend the damn money you sit on to enhance kids wanting to come to tech. why are there crimes on campus. beef-up and smile, make ALL students feel safe and happy, relax and those non-student athlets will also help the thugs that need a helping hand. change with the times. dame has FINALLY. give a little..
George P Burdell
November 25th, 2012
10:02 am
Of course..UGA is the Harvard of the south. Look it up..UGA offers a degree in Geography!!! Seriously!! Why do so many UGA fans literally worship the school when they went to college nowhere.