On Paul Johnson’s poor early choice and Tech’s lack of fans
OK, so this was not the happiest of days for the men of Georgia Tech. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
This post is an adjunct to the Georgia Tech column off today’s game, which can be found here.
1. Paul Johnson’s first tactical error came before the game began. Georgia Tech won the coin toss and chose to defer its choice until the second half. This is, we must note, standard coaching procedure. But this was not a standard game. The Yellow Jackets’ only hope rested on their offense and its capacity to steal an early lead and then play keep-away. Instead Johnson chose to put his special teams and his defense on the field first. Malcolm Mitchell returned the kickoff past midfield. Georgia led 7-0 after 63 seconds. When finally Tech exercised its option at the start of the third quarter, it trailed 28-3. Asked about his decision to defer, Johnson said: “Pick your half. They’re going to get it sometime.”
2. Time of possession can be the world’s most misleading statistic. The Jackets held the ball for 21 minutes and 22 seconds of the first half but were outscored by 25 points. The Jackets’ offense did not punt in the first half; neither did it score a touchdown. It mustered 238 first-half yards, which is pretty darn good, but only three points, which was deficient to requirements on a day when Georgia was scoring four touchdowns in five first-half tries. A fumble — actually Bacarri Rambo’s snatch of the ball from Robert Godhigh — defused Tech’s first drive, and an intercepted Vad Lee pass snuffed the third. The half ended, fittingly, with a missed field goal.
3. There were surely fewer visiting fans on hand Saturday than for any Tech-Georgia game since … maybe ever. It was a source of great Bulldog glee that the Jackets returned nearly one-quarter of their allotment of 8,000 tickets, and apparently more than a few of those seats sold by Tech fell into enemy hands. Not counting the Tech band, there couldn’t have been 2,000 folks wearing gold in Sanford Stadium at the opening kickoff. It’s possible some Tech backers came incognito. If so, they made a wise decision.
By Mark Bradley
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261 comments Add your comment
headley lamar
November 25th, 2012
11:31 am
“Hope you guys enjoy the fish this weekend”
- Paul Johnson
Coffee Bluff DAWG
November 25th, 2012
11:32 am
T – monkey, To be a fan of Tech, you generally need get into Georgia Tech – really did you just make that up.
BTW, nice screen name – monkey.
Joey
November 25th, 2012
11:34 am
Well, congrats on all that, Tidomonkey.
Oh and I’d like to submit a name for your ongoing DC search:
Willie Martinez. He has lots of experience – especially with 40-points-allowed games . . .
dawgfan
November 25th, 2012
11:35 am
If you need to get in to Tech to be a fan of Georgia Tech why does your half azzed joke athletic department run full page ads in the AJC every August begging the general public to come see your piece of crap football team play?
I’m starting to think Tech fans actually enjoy the punishment. Its the only explanation for the painfully stupid crap that comes out of their mouhs.
Georgia Tech= JOKE
biggtfan
November 25th, 2012
11:43 am
Georgia has 9/10 NFL guys tech has none and recruiting doesn’t matter.give me break .this third defense coordinator and results are the same, special team suck it’s because the athletes your bringing in cant play on this level.your program is awful cpj and you need to be fired
Joey
November 25th, 2012
11:43 am
State of Georgia rankings 2012:
1) UGA
2) Georgia Southern
3) Ga Tech
Buddy Landel
November 25th, 2012
11:44 am
Joey
November 25th, 2012
11:09 am
Just for laughs, Chip, I wish you would list the posting names of these techies who comment under numerous names, usually changing to some version of UGA’s next opponent. Please Chip
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Wrong blog. The Goober blog is elsewhere.
Buddy Landel
November 25th, 2012
11:48 am
Least likely to ever appear on Jeapordy
1) Joey
2) Honey Boo-Boo
3) Leon Spinks
24KT
November 25th, 2012
11:52 am
Been a GT fan for years and contributor to the athletic program. I suggest just removing UGA from our schedule and replace with Georgia Southern or Georgia State. Georgia Tch is not a NFL farm team and never will be. The rivalry is dead, and we would not have to listen to the UGA trailer trash.
jacketdad
November 25th, 2012
11:54 am
I have been a Tech fan during the four years in which my son has been a football player at the Institute. During that time period I have attended two UGA-Tech games in Athens and found that they UGA fans are, in general, no worse or better than the fans at any other SEC venue. There are the always going to be some rude or obnoxious fans anywhere you go but the fans in Athens are basically OK. I really think that the Tech fans complaints about the conditions at Sanford stadium is a cop-out to cover for their overall lukewarm support of their football team.
headley lamar
November 25th, 2012
12:02 pm
“Somebody pass the tarter sauce”
- Paul Johnson
Gorilla Biscuit
November 25th, 2012
12:10 pm
Excuses are like a**holes, and GT has a bunch of ‘em.
To Be Honest
November 25th, 2012
12:33 pm
I’ve been to many gt/uga games at both places. The uga fans are extremely rude and downright hostile. I’ve even had a friend uga fan and woman who went one time and sat with a gt woman in the gt section and she was alarmed and embarrassed the way she and her friend were treated.
Maybe that is what uga wants is for no fans to come, and if that is the case, the antics of their fans leads directly to that outcome.
THWG’s fans!
Supersize that order, mutt
November 25th, 2012
12:56 pm
I have been to away Tech games all over the country — South Bend, Los Angeles, Birmingham (when Bama played their big games there), Auburn, Clemson, Chapel Hill, Blacksburg, etc. In ALL of those places, I was either treated with respect or just ignored. In Athens I was cussed at, belittled, and once even spat on. That’s why I never go to Athens anymore, and haven’t been since 2000. I wouldn’t go back there if Tech were a 4 TD favorite.
Rooty Tooty
November 25th, 2012
12:58 pm
I’m glad this is just a game and means nothing in real life. If all you have to look forward to is beating a pittiful GT team, which by the way isn’t much worse than the others on your schedule, then you need to get a life. UGA had good players on the field. GT had some good players, maybe not a many. The playing field is not always equal. If UGA and GT never played, it would not bother me. Matter of fact, who would care???
dawgfan
November 25th, 2012
1:11 pm
Complaints of rude fan behavior are at best over-exaggerations or at worst bold faced lies. I’ve never seen any evidence to back it up. Notice how we only ever hear about this out of Tech fans. Anything they say should be taken with a massive grain of salt. After all, these are the same people who have been caught on live national television throwing things on the field during football games. Talk about pot calling the kettle black.
God it must suck to be a Tech fan. I couldn’t even imagine.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 25th, 2012
1:15 pm
@ dawgfan…what rock have you been hiding under? Fans of EVERY school who go to Athens have the same complaints.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 25th, 2012
1:17 pm
Even a fan of lowly Augusta State, who played a basketball game against the mutts in the Stegosaurus 3 or 4 years ago said he had never seen such foul behavior at a game before. And, in addition to being an Augusta State fan, he is also a UGA fan. So he had never believed what I told him till he experienced it himself first hand.
dawgfan
November 25th, 2012
1:18 pm
LOL @ the sore loser sour grapes. This just NEVER gets old.
Long live the Joke By Coke!!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
November 25th, 2012
1:19 pm
dawgfan……Nobody’s making excuses for the game. The better team won. But your fans are scum of the earth.
dawgfan
November 25th, 2012
1:28 pm
So says the guy who calls himself “Supersize that Order mutt.”. No, you don’t have an agenda at all. Of course not. What was I thinking? I’m sure you are very objective and not biased in any way. LMAO.
Tech fans are beyond pathetic. 11 and 12 and counting nerds. Have fun pretending it doesn’t hurt like hell. Its very entertaining for the rest of us.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 25th, 2012
1:37 pm
@ dawgfan……and why do you think I chose a name like that? DUHHH, it’s because you guys are low-rent trailer trash who are beneath contempt. If you had any class at all, I would have a chosen a name that would not provoke the hatred that you so obviously have towards me for calling it like it is. You’re just part of the scum that floats on the cesspool.
Buzzzed
November 25th, 2012
1:40 pm
CPJ’s responses to the reporters tell me that he thought under no scenario would Tech be able to win that game.
dawgfan
November 25th, 2012
1:42 pm
Scum of the earth? Yowser. Next thing you know Tech fans will start blaming UGA fans for the bad economy and terrorism. Everything is our fault. UGA fans are evil and make me cry. Where’s my mommy? The excuses and finger pointing are reaching epic proportions. Tech fans are in full meltdown mode. We’ve obviously seen Tech fans in pathetic states of despair before, but this year might take the taco.
Good luck in the All Crap Conference title game nerds. I really hope you win. We need another ACC CHUMPionship trophy to put in the urinals for laughs.
Georgia Tech=JOKE
roughrider
November 25th, 2012
1:44 pm
Jabo : I think this article is about the UGA-Tech game . Obviously you are disappointed and have some resentment built up about UGA. I would like to remind you that this is simply a game that is played every year. The UGA-Ala game is also just a game. Starting next season, it too will be played on a yearly basis. These games will not your future or quality of life so let go of the bitterness that does affect your life and future. Might I suggest a new hobby for you instead of watching football games?
Buzzzed
November 25th, 2012
1:45 pm
Why can’t tech have a combined degree with with Georgia State? The football players, if they want, could take most or all of their classes at Georgia State and play for Tech. Not sure if they would get an actual Tech or GSU degree. I wish Georgia state would have pursued this route instead of starting their own program.
11 of 12 supersize
November 25th, 2012
1:46 pm
Dude, I am sorry those things happened to you. Wrong. Don’t kid yourself though that I haven’t been harassed at tech. At the 2007 game in Atlanta my wife and sat in the new section (upper level end zone) which isn’t nice and okay view) on our way out there was a group of drunk, smoking, and cussing tech fans harassing all UGA fans that left early as we did when the game was no longer in doubt (4thqtr). They camped out at the bottom of the stairs and challeneged every male UGA fan to a fight that walked by. So it goes both ways pal and I am tired of hearing from tech fans about how bad UGA fans are. Graduated in 2001 from UGA and been to more GT/UGA games than I can remember but it always brings out the worst exchanges between both sets of fans and i have seen plenty of tech fans cause problems.
Booze Hound
November 25th, 2012
1:51 pm
Georgia Tech should hire George O’Leary (you know, the guy who’s beat UGA four-of-the-last-five times he played them) as AD. O’Leary is a great administrator and he’d get this mess cleaned-up. And step one would be to fire putrid Paul.
11 of 12 supersize
November 25th, 2012
1:53 pm
I think u r angry about the game and frustrated which is understandable but your rants about UGA fans r ridiculous and off base. Chill a little dude and good luck next Saturday evening in Charlotte. Enjoy one more weekend of championship football and your game.
Rick
November 25th, 2012
2:06 pm
GT Letterwinner: Congrats on your many contributions to the state. And many of you are quite capable. But I think the subject in this column is football.
Booze Hound
November 25th, 2012
2:16 pm
When the best reason to keep a coach is that you can’t afford to fire him, it’s over. Paul Johnson is finished at Georgia Tech, it’s just a matter of when he’ll be let go and under what circumstances.
Here’s Johnson’s record against the meat of Georgia Tech’s schedule:
1-4 vs. UGA
1-4 vs. VT
4-2 vs. Clemson (lost 2 of last 3; one win vacated)
1-4 vs. Miami
0-4 vs. bowl opponents (doubtless soon to be 0-5)
That’ll be 7-19 at the end of this year. Throw-in his record against Florida State after next week’s pummeling and it’ll be 9-20.
Stalin's Ghost
November 25th, 2012
3:13 pm
why should any sane GT fan go to that game? the team has quit, the AD literally quit, the coach is inept, and the fanbase’s ignorant fringe (not all to be sure) make the experience uncomfortable?
the smart fans are the ones who voted with their wallets and don’t support the trainwreck of CPJs program. unless you had a family member playing or free tickets, only a fool would have gone to that game
TDone
November 25th, 2012
3:30 pm
I hope Mark Bradley actually reads this. For the record, I am a Tech fan and I was at the game. For the record, there were not a lot of Georgia fans missing at the game too. However, from a Tech perspective, I have been to Athens to watch Tech play six times in my life. Tech is 3-3 in those games. However, I doubt I ever will again. It’s not the obnoxiousness of the fans, Tech has some of those too. The problem is that it’s a hassle and a half to get up to Athens and back. We left yesterday and 9 a.m. from Tucker and were in our seats at 11:20. We stayed for all but the final minute of the game, say 3:15 p.m. and were back home by 6:15. It was the least favorite commute of my life. If you go to a game at Bobby Dodd, I can leave my hous at 3 p.m. and be at in my seat by 3:40. Trust me, I have done it. Plus, the game experience at Tech is far better overall. There are more concessions, you are closer to the game, and you get back home in a reasonable time. A lot of Tech folks I know refuse to to go Athens for a lot of reasons. I have decided to join them. Even if Tech wins, it’s not worth it in time, effort, and resurces. I know Mark Bradley and the Bulldung Nation will think my take is bogus. If so, so be it. However, it’s the truth.
Smilnjac
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
We used to charter a bus and take 40 or so fans over to Athens. UGA officials saw fit to park us so far away our older folks couldn’t make the hike. As for rude fans I had one jerk try to spit on my wife and a 65+ year old member of our group was jumped in the bathroom. By 3 “Bulldog” fans, he was struck in the head and knocked to the ground. The campus police wanted to take our man to jail until a decent UGA fan who was a witness came forward and told the cops the truth. I don’t mind some good natured support of your team but Ga fans are considered the worst by everyone. Ask any of their visitors I am sure all schools have a few bad fans but UGA has been. Lesser with way more than there share
List Mama » Instant analysis: Georgia 42, Ga. Tech 10 – ESPN (blog)
November 25th, 2012
4:02 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
gtbuzz32
November 25th, 2012
4:14 pm
SAT, I said the same thing, I would rather have a degree from GT in EE (That’s Electrical Engineering for those ga fans that don’t understand) than go to a school that takes any ‘rif’-raff’ that walks in off the street just so they have a good football team. And yes, Ga fans are obnoxious sober, but drunk, they really show their ignorance..
buzz
November 25th, 2012
4:26 pm
I will say what the rest of the Tech fans will not, the reason we do not come to Athens is because you are a bunch of horses asses. No fanbase in the entire country is less fun to be around than yours.
In light of the holiday season, you can all rot in hell.
Dawgfan '91
November 25th, 2012
4:27 pm
Tech fans want to complain about the way that they are treated… in Athens or wherever. Maybe if you all didn’t run your mouths all year long about Tech’s superiority as an academic institution, and run down UGA for anything and everything that you can think of whether it is legitimate or not you wouldn’t get your inferiority at football shoved in your face in the most obnoxious way possible.
In recent years Tech’s wins over UGA have been so few and far between you are just as insufferable when you win as any redneck UGA fan… and when you whine about all the reasons that you lose… just as insufferable… Own your losses just like everybody playing big boy football.
You guys may run your mouths with a little more social refinement that many of UGA’s fans but you guys never miss a chance to run your mouths about something. You are all dying for UGA to fall on its face to Bama this coming weekend… for all of you smart people there at Tech you don’t seem to understand that if UGA succeeds the entire Georgia State College System succeeds… by the way as much as you all hate to admit it… you are a part of that too.
I can’t remember what movie its from but the quote seems appropriate… “If you don’t start none… there won’t be none.”
Jackets81
November 25th, 2012
5:08 pm
Dawgfan 91, you sound like a 12 year old. C’mom man. Grow up. You really want to compare UGA fans to Tech fans? You’re an idiot. You and your UGA brethren all brag how good your team is ALL YEAR LONG! That’s why Tech fans hate UGA and your fans. Win with class! Don’t be a horse’s ass. If you don’t like us talking about our superior academics then stop talking about your superior football team and shoving it down our face. Just sayin
Discount DoubleDawg
November 25th, 2012
6:46 pm
The reason any fan base does not like another is really pretty simple (with a few exceptions)… If one team regularly loses to another team, the team on the losing end will usually complain about how bad the other teams fans are. The other reason is location. If you also happen to live, work, play around the team which beats you it only adds fuel to the fire…Most fans act the same way based on how their team is doing. If you win a lot, you have more confidence when discussing football. When you lose consistently you find other things besides football to talk about and are generally speaking more tolerable.
Sure, you can find some exceptions but most fans are really about the same when put in the same circumstances. Think about wins/loses and location and you can figure out pretty quickly who likes/hates who…
acowa
November 25th, 2012
7:19 pm
There were more Tech fans at the game than people who read Mark Bradley’s stupid commentary.
Good Coaching
November 25th, 2012
7:37 pm
I was watching USC/ ND game last night. Watch Brian Kelly coach his freshman QB. When a mistake is made, he calmly goes over to his QB and listens to why he made certain choices, then smiles, then politely coaches the kid as to what to do next time. He also calls the QB over from time to time to ask him his opinion on things….keeping his confidence sky high….now that’s coaching….. CPJ yelling and screaming at kids is old school and out dated. He’ll lose his teams from here on out w/ that strategy.
Good Coaching
November 25th, 2012
7:40 pm
@ Double Dawg- as a GT fan, I would agree with you. I’m smart enough to know GT is not in a position to compete with UGA at this time. No way, no how. Simply not even close. CPJ is a poor recruiter and his system doesn’t benefit his defense in practice,etc. UGA will beat them by 40 every single time. It sucks, but that’s what it is…..
UGA = Yawn
November 25th, 2012
7:50 pm
NC State fires their coach after they win their game Saturday to go 7-5 and we still have ours? Ours who is 6-6. Ours who is 1-4 vs UGA, 1-4 vs VT and 0-5 in bowl games? What up? All these firings in the headlines and none are GT’s??
Dawg1
November 25th, 2012
8:00 pm
I’m sorry – but no…
I’ve had my SUV ‘keyed’ at Tech. I’ve endurred insults at Tech. I’ve seen near fights started by Tech fans/alumni.
Acting as if you are somehow a ‘better class’ of alumni or fan is laughable.
Georgia has it’s fair share of idiots – guess what… – so does Tech…
It’s pretty darn even…
Good luck against FSU…
Supersize THIS !!
November 25th, 2012
8:34 pm
Awwww….Supersize, who would want to spit at you? Lest we get too far off topic here… (((((((((( 42-10 ))))))))))
FORMATION 4 SUCCESS
November 25th, 2012
9:15 pm
Mark, I know you have this column ready to send to print. “UGA GOT TALENT, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO WIN A TITLE”. Listen, I understand the GT badgering. It is well warranted. But, TECH comes in every year with so called less talent and has a chance to win this game, every year. That said, I as a GT letterman that beat UGA and has the NC ring to prove it, believes in the offense that we have, but it may be a challenge to get the players needed to run it successfully. Only because everyone on radio and in the papers say so. When we get a QB that can Pass and Run and bigger backs that like to hit and can make cuts when they carry the ball. And Defensive players (Lineman) finally realize the great opportunity they have to shine by playing on the Flats and in the ACC. A ton of great DL are on the bench in SEC and never make it to the Pros just to say I was on a SEC Team. Last year 38 players were drafted from the SEC and 35 from the ACC. If you are a DL and were smart you could change that number in the ACC to 50. Come next Saturday night the same song will be sung in Athens. No NC this year, How Bout them DAWGS!! TECH has 4 NC and UGA 2 and TECH will get 5 before UGA gets 3. Why? At the end of the day you all are just the same ole mangy mutts!!!
GT Girl
November 25th, 2012
10:23 pm
TDone- you are exactly right! I was at the game too and it took close to 3 hours to get back to Atlanta which is ridiculous. I love going to our stadium, the experience is so much better. Go Jackets!
Tech Man
November 25th, 2012
11:20 pm
I was at the game and I sure wasn’t in disguise!! Any Tech fan that did not come to the game because you thought uga is superior to you should be ashamed of yourself!!! Go Tech and Bama!!!
Jacketattack
November 26th, 2012
1:42 am
Man uga just suckz and the more loser trailer trash on this board makes me want to puke!! Go away trailer trash dogs!