AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2008 > April > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTech’s Johnson: “We may surprise some folks.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m planning my ACC Spring Football Wrap-up for next week but yesterday I had a chance to be on a conference call with the league’s 12 coaches. Here are some of the more interesting tidbits from that call.
1. Georgia Tech is going to be fine: New coach Paul Johnson said folks shouldn’t read too much into last Saturday’s spring game, which was fairly sloppy on the offensive side of the ball.
“When you first come in to a new situation it’s a change of the culture almost,” Johnson said. “That doesn’t make it right or wrong. We’re just doing things differently than the previous staff. Our quarterbacks were (playing) live this spring. You’re not going to become real efficient right away when you’re putting in a new offense. There are going to be growing pains no matter what you do.”
Johnson was asked what would constitute success in his first year on The Flats. “We want to win the first game (against Jacksonville State). Then I want to win the second game (at Boston College),” he said. “If we do that, who knows? We may surprise some folks.”
2. The bulls-eye is off Bowden: It seems that Tommy Bowden has been perpetually on the hot seat since he got to Clemson nine years ago. But this season, Bowden said, the heat is going to be shared with his very talented team. With all of the stars returning on offense (QB Cullen Harper of Alpharetta, RB James Davis of Atlanta, WR Aaron Kelly of Marietta) and a defense that is really underrated, Clemson will be the preseason favorite to win its first ACC championship since 1991. “It’ll be a lot better because the bull’s-eye won’t be on me. That will be a different angle,” Bowden said. Now this is not to say that Bowden won’t hear about it if the Tigers stumble out of the gate against Alabama on Aug. 30 at the Georgia Dome. But the reality is that in the off-season he got a contract extension through 2014 that includes a $4 million buyout. Bowden is pretty secure.
3. The quarterback job at FSU is still open: Senior starter Drew Weatherford missed most of the spring with a slight knee injury, but that has opened the door for red-shirt sophomores Christian Ponder and D’Vontrey Richardson (of Leesburg). Both showed that they can make things happen with their ability to scramble and make big plays.
“These guys just need some at-bats to show what they can do,” head coach Bobby Bowden said. “We’re hoping they can close the gap (with Weatherford).”
The word that I get from Tallahassee is that the gap between these two guys and Weatherford has already been closed. If the Seminoles had to play this Saturday, OC Jimbo Fisher would use two quarterbacks.
4. North Carolina missed T.J. Yates: North Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates of Marietta (Pope High School), missed the entire spring as he recovered from shoulder surgery. Coach Butch Davis wishes the sophomore, who completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 2,655 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, could have been on the field so that he would have had a chance to get better. “We would have loved to see how much he could have moved the needle during spring practice,” Davis said. He did note that Yates’ absence gave more snaps to red-shirt freshman Mike Paulus, one of the top quarterback prospects in the country in 2007, and junior Cameron Sexton. So the Tar Heels will have a proven backup if Yates struggles. Look for North Carolina (4-8 in 2007) to be the most improved team in the ACC in 2008.
5. Why the Falcons should draft Matt Ryan: I asked Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski to pretend he was in the Falcons’ war room on Saturday and make the case for drafting BC quarterback Matt Ryan. “He’s got all the intangibles that you would ever want with a quarterback,” Jagodzinski said of Ryan, who led the Eagles to the ACC championship game last season while throwing for 4,507 yards and 31 touchdowns. “And all he does is win. He’s proven it over and over again.”
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By new and better
April 23, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this
Sure wish Tech opened with Aubarn-always nice to start with a win. Right ED?
By Dan
April 23, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this
First, I think the Jackets will surprise some people, because I think Paul Johnson is a very good coach, who is hungry to compete against the best week-in-week-out opponents he’s ever faced.
Second, what’s the deal with the AJC’s Falcons coverage? Yes, I know we don’t have Mortenson or Pasquarelli anymore, but dang. Miami makes a move yesterday that seriously affects the flippin’ draft and what does the AJC do in response – the same AP story they posted Tuesday afternoon. Pathetic.
By SugarHillDawg
April 23, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this
Hey Dan,when I read that Johnson wanted to compete against the best I was and am confused. He’s in the ACC and they aren’t anywhere near the best. You guys are down there with the Big 10!!!
By Dan
April 23, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
I’m not a Jacket, but an Eagle. That said, I am a fan of my former coach and will be rooting for the Jackets, along with the Eagles and Dawgs. Surely you understood I meant the competition is stiffer than that in the Southern Conference and Navy’s. You just wanted to get your dig in at Tech and the ACC. How nice for you.
By m
April 23, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this
Paul Johnson’s biggest job is to slowly wake Tech up from the GAILEY COMA. Unfortunately, over the last 6 wasted years under the worst coach in the history of the NCAA, Chan Gailey, Tech’s entire team (and fans) developed this comatose attitude that has literally killed our program. Paul Johnson is in the process of awakening this program from the coma. He WILL be successful, but he must purge anyone that still has the Gailey attitude. It is somewhat understandable that some of the players are slow to change from the Gailey malaise, but the pathetic thing is the Tech fans (mainly Hivers) that still make lame excuses for Gailey’s destruction of our program. Shame on Gailey and his supporters. Thank God and Greyhound that he is gone forever. And thank God we now have a REAL college football coach.
By Haywood Jablowme
April 23, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
Who is Tech going to surprise if they continue to turn the ball over 10 plus times every practice? With that kind of ball control, the only thing that will surprise people is how many opponents DON’T hang 40-plus on GT every week.
By br
April 23, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
Tech may surprise some folks? LOL! Yeah, they’d surprise me if they won 6 games this year!
On that note, the ACC is going to be God-awful this year. In fact, out of the 6 BCS conferences, I would have them at #6…it’s that bad. How bad? So bad that retooling Miami might be the best team in that conference! BC lost too many people, Clemson always has the hype but never delivers, FSU still has QB issues, WF is mediocre at best, VaTech has a good defense but how much retooling can they handle this year? GaTech is at least 2-3 years away from being relevent, UNC could be a sleeper, NCState, Maryland, Virginia will win their usual 5-6 games, and Duke is abysmal. Add it all up and this could be a very UGLY year for the ACC!
By Roswell Ed
April 23, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this
I’d love to play Tech every year.
Clemson- we recruit the old fasion way. We paaaaay them.
Is this kid soooo dumb that he doesn’t know not to take a picture holding up thousands of dollars?
It reminds of the kids who used to let people take a picture of them holding up a joint. I mean how stupid can you be(see MV7 another ACC alum)?
I can understand the weed but what’s with the gun?
If they want to carry guns so bad why not send them to Iraq?
They can get all the guns they want there!!
YAWN! I don’t think I’ve heard of any of these guys and Pope is 7 miles from my house.
LINEMEN!! We need linemen. You can win in the NFL with an average QB. You can not win without an O or D line.
Dorsey or Long or Ellis would be fine with me.
By Wozzo the Wonder Dog
April 23, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this
You’re still 6 and 5. Surprise.
By RAMBLE ON!
April 23, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
I miss beating Awbarn to start the season too.
By mike
April 23, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this
winning 8-9 games with that schedule is not going to surprise any fan with any f-ball knowledge. The ACC is a complete joke. If Clemson is the best it can offer up, good grief! The ACC is and will always be a basketball conference. GT better be glad they got out of the SEC yrs ago. Lets see PJ and his high-school offense go to baton rouge and jax back to back.
By Miles
April 23, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this
After having added Florida State (1991), Miami (2004), Virginia Tech (2004), and Boston College (2005), the ACC is the second best conference in the country. In addition to the Clemson vs. Alabama game, there are a few other noteworthy non-conference games: Maryland vs. California, Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State, Miami @ Florida, Miami @ Texas A&M, Virginia vs. USC, and Virginia Tech @ Nebraska. Of course, Boston College and North Carolina play Notre Dame. We should anticipate a hard hitting and competitive ACC this year.
By Roswell Ed
April 23, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this
Why do my numbers never come out right?
I blog a lot from my PDA and the numbers come out wrong and I thought it was because of the PDA.
This is from a PC. Can anyon tell me why it came out
one one one two one
and not
one two three four five?
By RAMBLE ON!
April 23, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this
Yes Roswell eDIOT, “I’ve said it a million times if I’ve said it once”
that’s all you do is say the samething over and over and over and over….
By Haywood Jablowme
April 23, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
Roswell Ed, how come you don’t understand having the loaded .45 in the car? Of course he needed the gun. How else was he going to guard his stash?
By dawgfacedboy
April 23, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
He has all the intangibles?? He played in the weak a$$ ACC and he doesn’t have a strong arm. He’ll learn under Chris Redman as well. What part of that, exactly, sounds appealing?? Draft Chris Long and some big boys up front. Save your QB pick for Stafford next year!!
By reservoirDAWG
April 23, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this
With all due respect for coach Johnson, Tech won’t surprise many people this season. His system is good but to hard to install. Give him a couple years.
By JB
April 23, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this
Hum…..If the Dawgs were opening next year without a QB with game experience and a new coaching staff, there would be calls to give up football! Geez. Being in the ACC, they’ll win 6-7 games. In the SEC, maybe 3. Give me a break. Yes, Nerds will be better in time, but I say they can’t/won’t throw the ball. ( navy avg 11 passes a game while he was there). I say DAWGS very fast, athletic Defense crowds up to stop the run…and they will…… And Nerds lose again !
By PTC Dawg
April 23, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this
IF GT plays in a Bowl game, it will be WEST of the Big Muddy.
As to the rest of the ACC, can you say weak? I look for Va Tech or Clempson to win that thing. With Camden County a close 3rd.
By virtueandvice
April 23, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
Tech still finishes no higher than 3rd in the ACC Coastal no matter how big a suprise they are.
Clemson will blow it’s season as it does every year by losing to someone like Maryland or N.C. State. Mark my words on this one.
Doesn’t matter who the quarterback is at FSU. Bowden will play all of them instead of one of them and FSU will have no consistency on offense and will finish .500 again.
This kid is going to be good. Bet Bowden wishes he had him.
YOU NEVER DRAFT A QUARTERBACK IN THE TOP 5 UNLESS HE IS THE NEXT JOHN ELWAY OR PEYTON MANNING Last I checked Matt Ryan is neither and Tom Brady (6th rounder) has won 4 AFC Championships and 3 Super Bowls. Dimitroff should be fired on the spot if he uses a top 5 pick on Ryan. Winning in college doesn’t mean ** in the NFL. Last I checked, Flordia quarterbacks won a ton of games in college and none of them have busted a grape in the NFL.
By Ptc Dawg
April 23, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
Hey JB, you made your point. Enough already. Can you not read?
By virtueandvice
April 23, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this
Tech still finishes no higher than 3rd in the ACC Coastal no matter how big a suprise they are.
Clemson will blow it’s season as it does every year by losing to someone like Maryland or N.C. State. Mark my words on this one.
Doesn’t matter who the quarterback is at FSU. Bowden will play all of them instead of one of them and FSU will have no consistency on offense and will finish .500 again.
This kid is going to be good. Bet Bowden wishes he had him.
YOU NEVER DRAFT A QUARTERBACK IN THE TOP 5 UNLESS HE IS THE NEXT JOHN ELWAY OR PEYTON MANNING Last I checked Matt Ryan is neither and Tom Brady (6th rounder) has won 4 AFC Championships and 3 Super Bowls. Dimitroff should be fired on the spot if he uses a top 5 pick on Ryan. Winning in college doesn’t mean ** in the NFL. Last I checked, Flordia quarterbacks won a ton of games in college and none of them have busted a grape in the NFL.
By JB
April 23, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
No experienced QB, New coach’s, no passing game. ACC will allow Tech 6 or so wins and another trip to the Blue Carpet and 5 degree’s. At least Coach PJ had to buy a coat last year for that kind of Bowl game. It’ll be worse this year when he has to attend the Rib Cook out for the teams in that weather. playing in the SEC , they might win 1 conference game. I like the Dawgs chances this year. We’ll only use 2 DB’s. We will play 5 on the line and 4 LB’s…. Bring it on TECH.
By CarolinaJacket
April 23, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
You’ve made your point JB.
By br
April 23, 2008 11:01 AM | Link to this
Miles,
Thanks for the laugh…I needed that! Second best? More like second from WORST…including the MAC, WAC, C-USA, MWC, and SunBelt. It’s really THAT bad!
By Bryan G
April 23, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this
I’m going to try to put a rational perspective on this Paul Johnson mess.
He’s a good coach who has won everywhere he’s been. However, Tech doesn’t have the personnel to run his scheme right now. Also, the triple option is very difficult to run and to master. It’s going to take a lot longer than just a Spring practice to run it.
But let’s also just be honest: if Tech masters his system, they will absolutely murder the bottom half of the ACC. I mean, Katie bar the door when UNC and Duke come to Atlanta.
Beyond that, no one really knows. Do I think it’ll work against UGA, FSU, and Va Tech? No. Do I know? No. Do Tech fans know that it will work? No, but I think the Dannell Ellebere’s and Rennie Curran’s of the world are too big and too fast for that crap.
As I said before, all I can point to is the fact that Navy never beat a BCS school worth a crap while Johnson was there.
He should get better players at Tech, but will he get better results on a tougher schedule?
They should beat Duke, UNC, Jacksonville State, and Gardner Webb. They likely will not beat UGA, FSU, Va Tech, and Clemson. The other four games could break either way with BC, Miss State, Miami, and Virginia left. So 6-6 is about par for Tech this year. 7-5 is a successful year in year one if you are honest with yourself and look at it rationally….which college football fans rarely do.
By mcdawg
April 23, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this
at least we will have auburn under our belt prior to facing GT spread-score early and often and then the spread is not particularly effective
By Halberstram
April 23, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this
Apologize if most of these points have already been made, I didn’t want to read all of the posts.
I understand it’s difficult to install such a different offense in a small amount of time, but what would you expect Johnson to say after the spring game? The team looked awful, but he’s got to maintain a positive attitude. All in all there will be significant growing pains I imagaine, but it will be very interesting to see how his offense does.
I don’t mean to take Bowden’s comments too literally, but the spotlight is still on him. He can’t just defer everything to the team, he’s still the head coach. He must maintain control or they will read the press clippings and underperform as has been in the past.
I really hope the Falcons aren’t forced into drafting Ryan. I understand that he’s the logical choice if Dorsey is taken, but I sure hope the dt falls to the Birds.
By Danman
April 23, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
Not really sure how I feel about Tech. Offensively I think they will surprise some folks since it’s a diffucult offense to prepare for in a week’s time. I think defense is what the Jackets need to worry about, b/c they have lost some talent on that side of the ball.
Clemson has a history of choking. They will show flashes of brilliance here and there, but they remind me of UGA during the Jim Donnan days, lots of talent but they underachive.And I don’t think Tommy Bowden is the answer.
Speaking of Bowden’s, FSU is a mess and I don’t see that program turning around anytime in the next 2-3 years.
I agree about UNC. They’re not a very talented football team but I like the way Butch Davis has his team competing. I think they will make a bowl game this year.
I think Matt Ryan’s a decent QB, but he’d be a bad fit for the Falcons. I think if Ryan lands with the right team he’d be alright. I can see him as kind of a Chris Chandler type, a good QB who can play in the league for a few years, but he isn’t the type of guy you build your franchise around. It wouldn’t surprise me if he dropped later in the first round ala Brady Quinn.
By shane #1
April 23, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this
1-Tech will suprise some people. i like the toughness that Johnson is showing towards His team in workouts and practice. 2-If Clemson doesn’t produce this year, with this talent, the bullseye will be on Bowden’s back again. Buyout or no buyout. 3-I hope Richardson takes advantage of His shot at the big-time. I always want the home town boys to do well. 4-Davis has made some noise with His recruiting. Not easy to do with Tar Heel football. 5-So Ryan has all the intangibles. What about the tangibles? A qb drafted at #3 will tie up a ton of salary cap room and may not see the field for two years, if at all. The Falcons have too many needs to take a chance at drafting a qb with Their first pick, trade for Mcfadden and another second round pick. Pick up a qb in the second round, and a lot of linemen! Mcfadden can play now, and is a gamebreaker!
By John
April 23, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
6-6 about par? lol. We won 7 games every year with awful Gailey. We will definitely win more with Johnson. I loved the vent also that said for Tech fans to relax becuase we had to endure 6 years with Gailey, and I thought, ‘it was only 6 years!?’ Arrgh! Felt like 15. Amen to the comment about the Greyhound bus that took him out of here. Johnson impresses me so much in his demeanor, work ethic and approach. That, and the fact that he made a big point to mention he plans to beat UGA every year makes me a big fan!
By reservoirDAWG
April 23, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this
He may plan to beat UGA every year, but UGA plans to beat every team on their schedule every year. It doesn’t always work out that way. Maybe CPJ should take that approach.
By 1eyedJack
April 23, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this
Coach Johnson might surprise some folks by getting his team to beat the teams they are SUPPOSED to beat.
By scooter11
April 23, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this
John: Keep encouraging ‘m’ to use the Greyhound bus story. He’s coming up on a thousand references to it, and it certainly bears repeatingrepeatingrepeating.
By AltamahaDawg
April 23, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this
Interesting how when the spring game doesnt go well for some, its really no big deal, meaningless, but when UF ran a few plays , they were “sending a message”.
By Rabun Dawg
April 23, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this
Miles, those games that you mentioned, I think the ACC will be hard pressed to win any of them! I do not like Saban, but you can bet he will have the Tide ready for Clemson, and that could be an omen for Bowden and the rest of the ACC.Coach Johnson will do well at Tech, and it will take time as mentioned before,but that conference does not put fear in anyone now.Just look what LSU did to Va.Tech last year! Maybe in a few years, but not this season for the ACC!
By Dawg Fud
April 23, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this
Paul Johnson is a good coach and will have his team ready to play, regardless of perceived personnel issues.
Tommy Bowden will always have a target on his back until he wins an ACC Championship and leads Clemson to a BCS game. Trust me. I married into a very involved, die hard Clemson family and they grip about Bowden all the time.
GO DAWGS!
By 1eyedJack
April 23, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
With Jake Long gone to the Dolphins and if the Rams take Dorsey, then I would rather see the Falcons take Howie’s kid over Matt Ryan. I know DE is not a position of need, but Abraham is prone to injury and I am not that impressed with Anderson. What better pedigree than the kid of a HOFer and a solid DE for the next 8-10years? We can then fill our needs with the 5 picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.
By tom
April 23, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this
Surprise some folks? This is a major college team playing in a major college conference. Where’s the surprise?
By Bravesfan79
April 23, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this
You would think a guy who liked the BCS wouldnt be a ACC fan. I think Tony is secretly a Ohio State fan, no one else could possibly be dumb enough to wanna “vote” on who goes to the championship. Guess what Tony….GT will NEVER be “voted” into a title game. Same goes for any other 1 loss ACC team not named FSU or Miami!!
Me….i like to cheer for sports and teams that actually have a shot at the title. In all honesty, if your name isnt Ohio State, USC, OU, or UGA your wasting your time even playing.
Why yall fools go to all these meaningless games ill never know.
Your just giving pple like Tony a lame excuse to say “the game is fine, we dont need changes, just look at all the fans at the games”
By roswell ed is an idiot
April 23, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
get your facts straight about kenneth page.
By KneeJerk
April 23, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
If the Rams take Dorsey at #2, the Falcons should trade down to #6 with the Jets who would love to get McFadden before the Raiders take him.
By shane #1
April 23, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this
So Johnson plans to beat UGA every year. Big deal! All coaches “plan” to win every game, but do They have a team with the talent and drive to carry out their “plans”? Tony, re the Saban rule blog: Zook has made a couple of comments lately that made sense to Me. Which means that either His IQ has increased greatly since leaving Fla, {it happens!}, or I am in the earlty stages of dementia. Anyway, Zook pointed out that the recruiting services will have acess to the recruits while the HCs do not. This will give a program that aligns itself with a particular recruiting guru an advantage, opening the door for corruption. As if the recruiting process wasn’t corrupt enough now. One well know recruiting expert has been pushing Notre Dame on prospects for years. Lorenzo Booker and other FSU and Gator recruits have gone public about His tactics. He also talked Allen into going soft with His commitment to UGA. Do You Techies, Gamecocks, Dawgs, and Tigers want Tom Lemming and others talking to Your recruits when Your Head Coach can’t?
By Greg
April 23, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this
Joey Harrington has all the intangibles as well… Its the lack of tangibles where the problem lies.