AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2007 > December > 19 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBring on the Poinsettia Bowl!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The bowl season starts Thursday and, except for LSU and Ohio State in the BCS championship game, these match-ups are about setting the table for next season. Coaches want to win their bowl games in order to send their players into the off-season workouts with a positive memory and their coaches on the recruiting trail with something good to sell.
With that in mind, here are my top five story lines among the non-BCS, non-New Years Day games. I’ll come back with the best BCS and NYD story lines after Christmas.
1. Bring on the Poinsettia Bowl!: Thursday’s Poinsettia Bowl between Navy and Utah just picked up a lot of new viewers: Georgia Tech fans who want to get a glimpse of what life will be like under Paul Johnson, the Yellow Jackets’ new coach. Now Georgia Tech’s offense won’t be exactly like the triple option you’ll see in the Thursday’s bowl game, but some of the principles will be the same. This team has led the nation in rushing four of the last five seasons. You’ll also see that Navy is a well-coached team from top to bottom. Then you’ll imagine what Johnson could do with ACC caliber athletes.
2. Auburn and the spread offense: You have to give Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville credit for this: He is not afraid to think outside the box. Offensive coordinator Al Borges is nudged out the door and he hires Tony Franklin, a spread offense guru from Troy. And Tuberville’s not waiting until spring practice to begin installing the new offense. He’s doing it while getting ready for the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Clemson on Dec. 31. Franklin won’t be the OC for the bowl game, but knowing Tuberville he’ll want to try some things out against Clemson in order to be able to hit the ground running next spring.
3. Kevin Smith versus an SEC defense: Kevin Smith of UCF, the nation’s leading rusher, has announced that he’ll return for his senior season. He should have gotten more support for the Heisman Trophy in 2007 but by the time he reached everybody’s radar this season it was too late. He’ll get a chance to start next season in the Heisman discussion if he puts up some good numbers against Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 29. The Bulldogs were No. 8 in the SEC in stopping the run (159.0 ypg) but it is an SEC defense and that is what potential voters will remember.
4. Will Florida State get embarrassed? Reports out of Tallahassee reveal that as many as 25 Florida State players could miss the Music City Bowl against Kentucky because of an academic cheating scandal. The last thing Bobby Bowden’s program needed was a week of bad PR leading up to the bowl game. If this team is uninspired and gets blown out by Kentucky, it will be a very unpleasant off-season for Bowden and the calls for him to retire will increase.
5. How interested is Georgia Tech in Boise? When an interim coach is running the show for the bowl game, a team usually goes one of two ways. Either it plays with reckless abandon and has a lot of fun or the guys just pack it in due to a lack of interest. My sense is that this Georgia Tech team will do the former under Jon Tenuta in the Humanitarian Bowl against Fresno State. You might as well play hard because there is nothing to lose and for some of the seniors on this team, this will be the last football game they will ever play. But this has been a hard team to read.
Comments
By Bobby Burton
December 19, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this
Tony, not sure if you know me or not but I’m the editor of Rivals.com.
Wanted to send this link on to you.
I dare say the boys in Bristol aren’t touching this.
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=752776
Thanks, Bobby
By tickle me elmer
December 19, 2007 9:23 AM | Link to this
I think GT will get waxed in Boise. But I do think they will have one giant tickle pile to send the senior off. I’m tickled to death just thinking about it.
By baloney
December 19, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this
What does that link have to do with the price of rice in China. Or for that matter what does it have to do with a Tech tickle pile?
By baloney
December 19, 2007 10:31 AM | Link to this
Is it just me or does it bother anyone else that stupid dawg fans pull for their team? How pathetic!
By baloney
December 19, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
Hey, don’t be using my name on here. Be creative and use something else.
By GT
December 19, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this
I think George O’ has found the pot of gold at Central Florida. He has Bowden clinging to a sinking ship, he won’t let go until Joe Pa, with another vice grip, let’s go of his, and Miami dealing with a crime wave month in and month out. He has South Florida to contend with but they kind of entered the stage at the same time so they have an even playing field and there is only so many players the Florida gators can take from the richest football state in the country.
By Stafford
December 19, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this
LMAO Tony.
No one cares about any of these games. I laugh at the thought of Tech losing another crappy bowl game against a nobody. Tech, we are looking forward to your weakbone offense and whoopin’ Paul Johnson’s arse for years to come! If we didnt take a mercy knee on you guys this year it would have been a 3 td beatdown. You will always be the stepchild of the state. Good luck and well see you in Athens next year when the beatdown will be severely worse than this past one. Go Dawgs!
Sincerely, Matt Stafford
By old gold engineer
December 19, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this
Tony, Is there any chance the NCAA will step in and move the timing of the coaching carousel until after the bowl games? As a GT alum, I’m concerned about our interim coaching staff spending more time working on their resumes than on the game plan. That is one reason I lobbied for Tenuta to become the head coach. I’m sure LSU fans aren’t thrilled to be playing for the National Championship without their DC. And I’d be really upset if I were a West Virginia fan. Their team may be playing in its biggest bowl game ever without the head coach and key coaches on the staff. Same goes for Navy. If I could change one thing about college football, I would prohibit hiring of other school’s coaches until after bowl games were complete. They would have to shift recruiting time frames to make the change and I trust you can explain how that could be done. Keep up the good work.
By woof
December 19, 2007 11:58 AM | Link to this
Leave it to the “Criminoles”… Leopards don’t change their spots…
By TDone
December 19, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this
To Mr. Stafford,
The only reason Muttland won the game against Tech this year was TOUCHBACKS!
You know it and so does the rest of the world.
People believe what they want to believe.
By shane #1
December 19, 2007 12:48 PM | Link to this
1-no comment,i can’t spell poinsettia,and i don’t worry about bowls with over seven letters in their name. 2-auburn-clemson should be a hell of a game,au’s defense will be strong no matter if the o runs a single wing! 3-ucf and south fl are really making some noise,watch uf,fsu,and miami start dodging them.this kid may deserve a heisman,but he doesn’t play in the”right”place. 4-according to my fsu friends bowden is hc in name only now.let the old man retire in peace. 5-how intrested can any team be in boise?nobody else cares,why should they?
By Chuck
December 19, 2007 12:53 PM | Link to this
And in other news….Brian VanGorder is leaving the Falcons to be the defensive coordinator for Steve Spurrier at South Carolina.
I wanted Dawg fans to read it here first.
By 3volpaul
December 19, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this
Anyone want Phil? He’s alone in Knoxville.
By Afterthought
December 19, 2007 1:26 PM | Link to this
UCF wasn’t even an afterthought in the state of Florida football teams until Genius George O’Liary arrived with his under the table recruiting practices. I wonder how many of the UCF players would be ineligible if they played for any coach other than O’Liary. Even money on UCF drawing a big probation as soon as Georgie Boy moves on to another school and leaves UCF in the same mess he left GT.
By shane #1
December 19, 2007 1:44 PM | Link to this
t-bone,if i recall correctly tech gave up a sure td on one touchback because your guy got careless with the ball before crossing the goal line.moreno hustled after flubbing the lateral and ran him down from behind,knocking the ball loose.that is called a heads up play.tech should try making a few of those sometimes!
By War Eagle
December 19, 2007 1:52 PM | Link to this
Nice article, CTT had to make a move with the offense. Although Auburn has won 40 plus games last four years its not CTT standard. I would say Auburn is on the road to a National championship game in 2009 or 2010.The reason officating has declined because of the NCAA keeps adding “political incorrect rules”, too much to watch for in a game. Florida State finds cheaters in Sept and prosecutes at Christmas>>They should have gone to The Protection Bowl.
By Wah wah wah
December 19, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this
TDone, surely being the good teknerd that you are you can come up with a better whine than the old touchback excuse. Try the classic Ned Herd excuse, we was robbed, the officials were biased and let the othe team score more points than us and that is why we lost, oh also we had to take a calculus final during halftime and our admission standards are so high that no fans can qualify for admittance to Grant Field and that is why it is always empty except for the visiting fans who don’t have to meet our lofty standards and don’t speak a single word of Klingon or have a clue on the intricate strategy of Dungeons & Dragons. The paper always writes something negative about the Institute teams and that is another big reason why we lose. Oh poor pitiful us, why is everybody always picking on us.
By BullDawg Rick
December 19, 2007 3:05 PM | Link to this
Wake me when the real bowl season begins…
These other half empty, freebie ticket give away, muffler, flower head bowl games are the reason a playoff is needed..
If there was a playoff these venues wouldbe PACKED & many would be glued to the TV and advertisers would really get their $$’s worth…
Is UGA Tech playing in SF or I-da-ho or memphis??
By BullDawg Rick
December 19, 2007 3:15 PM | Link to this
Mr. Stafford…
I have to agree with you on UGA (owns) Tech!!
They have more excuses for losing than a teenager (or Teckkie Nerd) has zips on their grill..
They are insignificant in the State it grinds on them… We carry flyswatters just for NATS
By Tdog
December 19, 2007 3:39 PM | Link to this
Dawgs win Dawgs win Dawgs win! Get used to it tech geeks.
By desertdawg
December 19, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this
Tdone— We won because we scored more points—isnt that the object? it doesnt matter how/why/what or where WE WON AGAIN !!! cry to your mommy——P.S. thanks for the free pizza
By Halberstram
December 19, 2007 8:11 PM | Link to this
Tony, not saying that Johnson won’t run a tight program at Tech, but one of the main reasons the Navy team is so disciplines is because it’s comprised of Navy Cadets.
By Navigator
December 19, 2007 8:48 PM | Link to this
I’ll draw a parallel to Johnson coming here. When Valvano left NC State, they brought in a successful coach from a 1-AA level school in Tennessee to coach their basketball team. It didn’t carry over, because he was over his head. He left the program in shambles when he finally left coaching. Johnson seems to be bringing a similar resume to Tech. On the brighter side, Bobby C. came to Tech from Appalachian State, and we all know how that turned out.
By War Eagle
December 19, 2007 9:14 PM | Link to this
FSU has moved ahead of the NY Yankees, Alabama football, Kentucky basketball and Atlanta Falcons as the most difficult sports job?
By Angie
December 19, 2007 9:37 PM | Link to this
Hey Tdone - 7 in a row cry-baby,going on 20.
By RODAWG
December 19, 2007 9:59 PM | Link to this
CHEATING AND OR CRAPPY OFFICIATING IS DEFINETLY COLLEGE FOOTBALL ENEMY # 1. ANYBODY WATCHING PENN WAGERS OFFICIATING CREW TRY TO SCREW UGA THROUGH THE FLOOR IN THEIR GAMES AGAINST FLORIDA AND AUBURN OR ANYBODY THAT WATCHED THE BIG EAST REFEREES TRYING TO SAVE WEST VIRGINIA FROM LOSING TO PITT, KNOWS THAT THE SEC AND THE NCAA HAVE TO GET ON TOP OF THIS OUTRAGE. THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY AND IT’S TIME TO GET IT RIGHT.
By baloney
December 19, 2007 10:32 PM | Link to this
Im sorry I get on here and write useless drivel,im only a useless sandwich meat,hams better,turkeys better,even roast beef, im just gay bologna
By yellowblood
December 20, 2007 7:19 AM | Link to this
Will we play with reckless abandon in the Poensetta Bowl? I think we will. Paul Johnson has promised a giant Tickle Pile before spring practice if we do.
By baloney
December 20, 2007 8:51 AM | Link to this
Since you (pretender baloney) get on her using my name and now you confess to being gay, how about lets all just refer to you as GAY. Leave the baloney off. I guess we could just call you queer, or would you prefer f*?
By G8TR
December 20, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this
Will Florida State get embarrassed? Who are you kidding? This is a program and a coach that’s light-years beyond embarrassment already. Remember, this is a program and coach that invented the “Aw shucks they’re just boys…” excuse for every imaginable type of misbehavior over the course of Bobby’s tenure. A better question would be “Will the Media ever get embarrassed?” for their moronic, unquestioning, kid-glove treatment of this guy’s tenure at FSU. Just because he’s a nice guy and a folksy, easy, quotable interview subject, Bowden’s been given a pass for 30 years of inconsequential neglect of discipline at FSU. It would be legit sports journalism if all of the career retrospectives on this guy would ever catalog all of this program’s inactions. Even the six-month lag that it took to re-surface this cheating scandal gets zero reporting, only whatever FSU and Bobby choose to release. It’s baffling why this guy gets a pass….
By Renewed Jacket fan
December 20, 2007 11:34 AM | Link to this
Hawaii is going to kick some mutt butt in the Sugar bowl. Then you can take UGA out of sugar and just say SR to Hawaii. Going to be a bad day for you puppies. Just Like against WV. Remember??? Sr. WV remember??* To H3!! with georgia*
By Good one, yellowblood
December 28, 2007 11:01 PM | Link to this
Thanks for reading the article, yellowblood. Neither Tech nor CPJ are involved in the “Poensetta Bowl”. That tickle pile thing gets funnier every time you post it, though. Keep it up. Maybe with the Hollywood writers on strike, you can find a paying outlet for your piercing sense of humor.
But for those actually reading the articles and following college football, Georgia’s teams have an opportunity to make the WAC 0-4 in their bowl games this year if Tech and UGA can close their respective deals. If it’s not a sign of the end times that both of us, at the end of wildly different seasons, are playing WAC schools in the post-season, I don’t know what is…
Go Jackets! Win one for CJT on his way out. He’s earned this one head-coaching win for his efforts at Tech. Thanks, Coach, and best of luck. It was fun watching your defenses on The Flats.
By tom kat
December 29, 2007 9:23 AM | Link to this
Tech will not win this one and will be below .500 next year.