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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > August > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTech’s success will be later rather than sooner with Johnson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the long run, Georgia Tech will be just fine with Paul Johnson as its head football coach. You’ll continue to see bowl games for the Yellow Jackets, but more along the lines of the Gator instead of the Emerald. You’ll see division titles and maybe even an ACC championship or three.
You know those things are in the Jackets’ future, because the equivalents to those things were in Johnson’s past. There were his two Division I-AA championship teams at Georgia Southern, and then there were his six seasons of making Navy relevant again for the first time in decades.
As for the short run involving Johnson at Tech, well, uh, hmmmm.
That’s a tough one.
The Jackets are exactly a week from opening their Johnson era at home against Jacksonville State, and they’ll have only a few certainties. They’ll have a magnificent defensive line. They’ll have as many as 15 freshmen and sophomores among their 22 starters. They’ll have Johnson’s rarely used triple-option offense that may scare Tech players more often in the beginning than their foes. They’ll also have new uniforms.
This means what for Tech? Nobody knows, not even Johnson.
“I think I have a feel for what the team is athletically, but how we’re going to react in situations, and how we’re going to do things, I think those things are still in the flow and in the mix,” said Johnson on Wednesday from his office beyond the north end zone at Bobby Dodd Stadium. “We’re not going to find out much until we get thrown into that mix. Once the bullets start flying, the leaders will emerge, and then we’ll have a better idea of all of that stuff.”
Stuff like whether the Jackets have a grasp of Johnson’s triple-option offense that gave them fits in the spring. It always will be about that offense this season.
During the spring, by the way, players were going left when they were meant to go right, and turnovers were an epidemic. In fact, just getting the quarterbacks to keep from fumbling the snap from center was a major task. That has remained a task, but it has become a minor one. The bobbling also has decreased overall these days.
That said, Saturday’s scrimmage still had a slew of players treating the football as if it was sizzling to the touch.
“Some days, it looks like we’ve got things down, and the next day, it looks like we don’t have a clue,” Johnson said. “The thing about the offense is that we have a large part of the base of it in. And the neat thing about it is, it’s not going to change. We’re going to practice it every day, and we should get better as we go along. We should be better at it in October than we were in September. Hopefully, as they play, they’re going to find little nuances that help them out, and they’ll see different things they can do.”
Until then, the Jackets will struggle on offense to keep from embarrassing themselves, especially early.
After Jacksonville State, Tech will play consecutive ACC road games against Boston College and Virginia Tech. Johnson eased into a smile that suggested he knows something we don’t. “This team could be vastly underestimated or all the pundits could have it right, because the kids who are going to play haven’t played,” Johnson said, before suggesting his smile really was only a smile. “Quite honestly, I don’t know what to expect, either.”
Permalink | Comments (46) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech/ACC
Comments
By Joe
August 20, 2008 7:21 PM | Link to this
Mr.Moore,
You are clueless.
By TDone
August 20, 2008 8:22 PM | Link to this
Terence,
I saw the Spring Game and I thought afterwards the offense was about 33 percent in-place. I saw the scrimmage last Saturday and I thought the offense was about 66 percent in-place. However, I thought the defense is 100 percent in-place.
If we take care of Jacksonville State as we should under game conditions, we should be in good position to go to BC, who lost so many players from last year, then Virginia Tech, which also lost a lot of players from last year to be competitive because our defense will keep us in the games. We just need the offense to hold serve.
By GT class of '91
August 20, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this
I know. I know. Tech should have hired Tyrone Willingham.
By JS
August 20, 2008 9:14 PM | Link to this
That’s why we play the season… GO JACKETS!
By mike
August 20, 2008 9:32 PM | Link to this
my advice to PJ, worry about tech and stop being so pre-occupied with UGA. Also, if he is so thin-skinned with the media like he is now, just wait till he faces some adversity.
By buzzkey
August 20, 2008 9:54 PM | Link to this
Tyrone Willingham, Na, We have a great coach in Johnson
By buzzkey
August 20, 2008 9:55 PM | Link to this
Mike, Paul Johnson has’nt said the first thing about UGA
By GT Ninety
August 20, 2008 10:20 PM | Link to this
Johnson smiles because he knows in the end, we’ll be fine. A few bumps and bruises along the way but w/ our defense, we’ll be to afford a few turn overs here and there until they become comfortable. If we go 4-6 this year, so be it. As long as we go 5-5 the next 6-4, 8-2, and so on. If we expect to be mediocre, we’ll continue to be mediocre. And that’s what I like about Johnson. He’s done nothing but win, expects to win, and will win. But Terrance is right. How soon??? How knows but in the end…we’ll be just fine.
By Buzz Belle
August 20, 2008 10:22 PM | Link to this
mike - PJ isn’t worried about UGA - he will cross that bridge when he gets there. Me on the other hand - well, I don’t worry about UGA either because to be honest, UT, Auburn, and Fla will have their number long before we get our shot. One game at a time - that’s all we have to do. GO JACKETS. THWG!
By Less Concerned Jacket
August 20, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this
Hard to find much more success in life than what PJ’s enjoyed to this point. Remember, the ACC is still down. FSU and Miami have a long way to go. Va Tech is top shelf, Clemson is good this year, but GT usually beats Clemson, and the rest are middle or lower level in most other conferences. With that said, Tech has time to learn and time to overcome struggles.
In year one, 5 is likely, 7 is a bowl, and 8 or more will scare Dawg nation to death. Tech’s defense and Southern’s offense a couple of years ago dominate UGA between the hedges. Tech is better than Southern right now, stronger, faster, and smarter athletes.
GT will be fine for many years to come.
By Johnny Ringo
August 20, 2008 10:57 PM | Link to this
Johnson may turn out to be successful (relatively speaking, of course) at Tech, but one thing is for sure. He talks like a rube and he looks like a dweeb.
By average subscriber
August 20, 2008 11:23 PM | Link to this
Nice Job Terrance, pretty middle of the road for an editorial. Has the AJC discussed the buy out with you. Don’t put GT on the same level your newspaper is on.
By Terence Moore
August 20, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this
TDone,
I think you have it exactly right about the offense and defense.
By northwestgeorgiadawg
August 20, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this
isn’t ga. tech and football some sort of word association like an oxymoron
By LongBeachJacket
August 21, 2008 12:04 AM | Link to this
Terence - Nice take. Pretty accurate. Very fair. One thing is for sure, this year will not be boring. I agree with you that the future appears bright on The Flats. GO JACKETS!!!
By who cares
August 21, 2008 12:50 AM | Link to this
tdone, how sad is it to think that your high school offense is only 66% in place. That is sad, considering you think the defense is 100% in place working against a pathetic offense.Face facts, ga. tech has a high school offense that is trying to reach it’s potential, and tech has a defense that tech fans think is great, but the only problem is that they are playing against an offense that couldn’t score against the wind, much less a decent defense. Tech fans will except anything that is positive, even when they have a suspect defense now that Tenuta is gone, getting high praise when they go up against an offense that has no clue as to what they are doing. Good luck tech fans and the tech program. You are taking a step backwards with this new coaching staff, and it’s mickey mouse offense, and who knows what kind of defense you have now. Anyone with any kind of knowledge about college football can easily see that tech’s program is in the worst shape that it’s been in for the past 10 years, and that there is no light at the end of the tunnel.The new athetic director has no clue, and he has proven that by hiring a coach from navy, and by extending the contract of his shoe salesman basketball coach. A coach who has no clue what he is doing on game day, and can only win with Bobby C’s left over players. Face the facts tech fans, your program has been dominated by UGA sports in every sport for many years, and until you losers get an athetic director that was trying to save his job from an SEC school of all places, you will continue to be a class b or c program. Good luck with your high school football program, one that has now hired a head coach from ga southern, and a defensive coordinator from ga southern. That says alot about the state of your program and where it is headed. You can only hope that tech leaves the ACC and goes back to division 2 where it’s coaches can actually win. You deserve that as tech fans. And it is very close to what you have been accustomed to the last 3 or 4 years. Go Ga. Southern, I mean go Ga. Tech, but what is the difference now.
By JSUTECHGA
August 21, 2008 1:03 AM | Link to this
JSU will give Tech a run for their money and also give them a good game. Ryan or NO Ryan, JSU would have come to play anyway.
Oh yeah….JSU’s band is the best in the country…A lot of people will go just to see their band.
By NotMike
August 21, 2008 1:20 AM | Link to this
What?
By ShutUpMutt
August 21, 2008 1:25 AM | Link to this
Mike, PJ has said one thing this season about GA: “to hell with georgia.” Aside from that, he’s getting ready for the Jax st. game. And don’t tell me about adversity. PJ took a 2-10 Navy team to a 10-2 navy team in 2 years. Mark Richt has it easy compared to PJ.
By Tokyo jacket
August 21, 2008 2:21 AM | Link to this
At first it was all dark and scary with fumbles, miscommunication and depth issues. Some of the press is even switching to talking about how our depth, though young, is fairly close in talent to the starters. This team could and will surprise someone. Write it down. However, I think we’ll actually surprise a couple of teams.
I especially like the comment about the wry smile. I think GT might be a little more of a match-up for teams like VT and BC than originally anticipated. When was the last time BC’s QB took a snap? VT doesn’t have a RB or WR who has touched the ball 10 times in his career. Is there really a reason we can’t beat them? Because we’re composed of Freshmen? How’d that work out for the Michigan basketball team a few years back (save the infamous timeout)?
By Meeker
August 21, 2008 2:38 AM | Link to this
Gosh Terence,
You are so smart. Let’s go back to your super predictions of any of the last ten Notre Dame seasons. You are an Irish fan! Act like it, and shut up!!! Anyone that does not acknowledge an SEC bias in this paper with Schalbaaaa!!! and Moore (plus Winkeljohn—-that poor little seventh grader) were obviously born in the cesspool known as Athens!!!!
Tech Will Win!!! It starts next Thursday…
You know nothing!!!!
By Once again
August 21, 2008 2:39 AM | Link to this
Mr. Moore, I know you are an opinion guy, but how many scrimmages and practices have you been to? Who cares what you think.
By son_sir
August 21, 2008 4:24 AM | Link to this
“Better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football.” John Heisman
Turnovers are the biggest issue facing the Jackets early on. If GT can protect the ball, there’s no reason why we can’t be in all these early games.
Whatever we see next Thursday will get better. I’m just hoping our starting point is enough to keep winning now.
GO JACKETS !
By Ramble On
August 21, 2008 7:35 AM | Link to this
07 Days 11 Hours 54 Minutes 02 Seconds till we welcome Jax State to the Ghetto
By Observer
August 21, 2008 7:49 AM | Link to this
I don’t think Johnson is thin skinned with the media, I just think he’s sick and tired of answering the same stupid questions about his offense day in and day out.
The reality is this will be a transition year for Tech. We’ll win one or two we probably shouldn’t have and we’ll lose one or two we shouldn’t have. All the while, our young players will be growing more mature in this new system.
Long term - be patient and consistency will come.
Wait, did I just agree with Terrence Moore? I need a shower.
By MT
August 21, 2008 7:55 AM | Link to this
Hey mike, when was uga mentioned in this article?
By reebok
August 21, 2008 8:03 AM | Link to this
I think we are going to be bad this year. Like really bad. Like 4-8 bad. But by Coach Johnson’s 3rd season, we will be really really good. And maybe by then Russell will have given us unis that are Old Gold instead of mustard yellow.
By troutman34
August 21, 2008 8:07 AM | Link to this
Mike, you might need to worry about the bail bonds companies is Athens. It has been almost two weeks without having to get a player out of jail. They maybe a little low on funds. Oh, nevermind,they made enough $$$ this offseason, thanks to those dawgs.
By JB
August 21, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this
From a Dawg fan: Tech will be better coached, better mentally, better conditioned, but still lacking the type player to win in the ACC. It will come. I see better players coming to Tech. BUT……..The top 25 teams will still give them fits, as they do ALL teams. I’m still not sold on this offense going against 4 and 5 star players on a top 20 team. gonna be tough. When they line up and KNOW they aren’t going to lose with the pass, most top 25 teams will hold that offense “IN CHECK”…..We’ll see.
By 82DAWG
August 21, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this
There is a reason why the triple-option offense is little used in Division 1 football. It is outdated. Good luck with it.
By bm
August 21, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
My advice to Mike: Worry about UGA and not PJ. But you’re right about handling adversity. For a guy that’s won close to 75 % of his games as a head coach, he hasn’t had much adversity. I don’t think it will be much different at Tech.
By T-Bone
August 21, 2008 8:16 AM | Link to this
The defense will keep us in most ball games. The offense will be a work-in-process. But you have to like PJ’s attitude and confidence. If that can carry over to the players and into recruiting, then we should be fine. But Terrence is right; it will be later rather than sooner.
By BuzzFactor
August 21, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this
blah blah blah… no story here. nothing worth while, Terence
By Old GT Nut
August 21, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
Moore:
I can only hope you’re also cleaning out your desk at the AJC.
I still have a copy of the December 2001 article where you P-R-A-I-S-E-D the arrival of Chan Gailey, and, IN PARTICULAR, praised Gailey’s EXPERT ability at QB play and development.
Pitiful. Absolutely pitiful.
By Seriously?
August 21, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
mike, I’m sorry, but don’t see where Moore mentioned anything about UGA. Seems like maybe a UGA fan should not be so concerned with PJ and Tech. And “thin-skinned?” Seems to me he speaks his mind at every opportunity. If his feelings are that the media shouldn’t ask the same question every single time they see him, then so be it.
By Coach Paul Johnson
August 21, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
Wayull, hidee hidee ho, boys!!! Me and muh dumarse high school offense are gonna run ovuh everybody this year!!! I mean, it’s gone be just like at Southern and thuh A-cad-uh-meee, right? Oh, wait a second, we gottuh play real teams, now??? Oh sheeyet.
By Tpdaman
August 21, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
Hey WHO CARES - thanks for something more ignorant than even Mark Bradley could come up with. It must be pretty hot in your trailer nowadays. Let the kids back on the “libary” computer.
By brock
August 21, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this
Wow, by someone who uses the name “who cares” you really contradicted yourself with that paragraph of b******. Go away retard. Your thoughts have no substance and no meaning. All you wanted to do was make derogatory comments about Tech so you could go upstairs and brag to your mom about how you showed those nerds! Post something worth reading and move on. Sorry I took the bait from this a-hole fellow Jackets and to the juvenile, do all your fellow dog fans a favor and shut the f*@K up fool. What an embarrassment.
Observer, I totally agree. PJ is tired of the same damn questions day in and day out. He will do his answering on the field. I mean, we haven’t even played a down. Everyone that says anything about how this season turns out is purely speculating. Tech may not win 1 game but until I see it ON THE FIELD I will trust that he knows what he’s doing.
GO JACKETS and THWG!!!
By Doc Holliday
August 21, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
Why, Johnny Ringo, you sound like somebody just walked over your grave. Paul Johnson’s the best coach since ol’ Bear, they say. I don’t know about that, but he is going to win at least 10 games in years two, three and four. You can take that to Wells Fargo and deposit it.
By Glenn
August 21, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
Very nice column, Terence. Of all the ink spilled over the new offense and when it will start to click, I think you got to the rub of the issue much better than most commentators.
By underestimated
August 21, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
I don’t understand all of the stuff we are hearing about this team clicking later rather than sooner.
We have three NFL draft picks on the defensive line. We have the best QB and two of the best running backs in Georgia coming out of high school in 2007 running the offense.
If Gailey never had less than 7 wins his entire time here, just imagine what we can do with a real college coach. I’ve seen the scrimmages, I look at our schedule, and I just don’t see us missing a bowl game this year, and we just might win the division.
By Ramblin Wrecker
August 21, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this
I think the key here is holding on to the football. Based on all I’ve read, the offense works, as in scrimmages there have been lots of long plays, 40,50,60 or more yards at a time, both on the ground and thru the air. That is totally contrary to the Gailey era where long plays were hard to come by, except by CJ, but even he never had plays longer than 50 yards. And the main complaint (outside of fumbles) of the offense has been the difficulty in getting plays off and pass protecting against the #1 defensive line. But duh? Normal offenses in the ACC will have trouble with this d-line. But despite that trouble, the offense has been able to do what this offense is known for, big plays and huge chunks of yardage gained. So the main thing this team has to guard against is turnovers, because no matter how many yards they gain, one turnover can negate the gain as well as change the momentum and attitude of the game.
If they minimize the turnovers, it won’t matter that this offense is in it’s first year or that most of the guys running it are underclassmen. I think maybe not BC, but VT will be shocked by GT.
By west coast
August 22, 2008 4:10 PM | Link to this
We have won in the past with defense and will win this year with defense. All we have to do offensefively is not give it away. Look forward to some excitement on offense. These kids are smart enough to execute any system. The last time I looked, execution is a main factor in winning.
By GT74
August 22, 2008 4:21 PM | Link to this
To: WHO CARES
You sure wrote a lengthy comment for someone who is pretending not to care. We know the natives are worried in Athens, when they spend so much time on our blog.
By northwestgeorgiadawg
August 23, 2008 7:48 AM | Link to this
rw it will shock the world if tech beats anyone with a winning record the biggest shock would be if you beat georgia but that won’t happen even if we are out of the top 100 in the rankings by november its amazing how little minded you tech fans think that beating bc or vt is a shock like these teams are some powerhouses tech is a losing program because of this mentality hopefully ya’ll can handle gardner-webb and duke
By ReckedTeckie
August 24, 2008 8:29 PM | Link to this
STUPID AGAIN-I gotta quit putting UM in with the rest of the ACC-you and i know that miami just joined the ACC 2 yrs ago.Boy ifi could put ND in with the ACC records then we teckies could say we were better than UGA in putting more players in the NFL.UM and Ohio were #1 and # 2 ahead of UGA #3.