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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2009 > February > 04
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Tech’s Johnson makes all the right moves
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Once again, Paul Johnson is doing his Frank Sinatra thing, as in “My Way,” and this is good. This actually is better than that for the rising Georgia Tech football program, especially since its principled head coach solidified the Jackets’ future on Wednesday with those he purposely signed and those he purposely shunned.
The latter was more telling than the former, and consider this: By lunchtime, the former was impressive.
In addition to grabbing the four-star likes of J.C. Lanier and his 330-something pounds among those previously committed to the Jackets, Johnson kept swift wide receiver Stephen Hill of Miller Grove from sprinting at the end to Tech’s Great Satan in Athens. As a result, the Jackets have Hill and a bunch of other three-star entries to complete a 21-signee class.
None was named Dontae Aycock, a possible Joe Hamilton clone. Tech coaches spent a year recruiting the offensive star of Tampa’s Chamberlain High School, and then he committed to the Jackets in the shadows of late January. Soon afterward, he felt the considerable Wrath of Johnson when he spoke of taking an official visit to Auburn despite Johnson’s objection.
“I reiterated that to him, ‘Don’t get on that plane, Dontae,’” said a calmer Johnson, recalling the moment on Wednesday from an Atlantic Station hotel. “His high school coach went and told him, ‘Don’t get on that plane, Dontae,’ and he did. So when he chose to do that, he was telling me he didn’t want to come to Georgia Tech anymore. So we moved on.”
Too bad … for Aycock.
Then again, Aycock was perfect for Johnson’s unique offense. It features the triple option, which means Johnson needs a certain type of player. You also have Johnson’s unique personality, which means he needs a certain type of player, too. It’s the type of player who understands what Aycock didn’t. Which is, you better listen to what Johnson says, because he will be true to his word.
Which means you should to.
No wonder Aycock’s high school coach, Brian Turner, keeps shaking his head. Not over Johnson, but Aycock. “[The Tech coaches] were pretty upfront the whole time,” said Turner, in his seventh season at the same Tampa high school that his father coached long enough to become the winningest football coach in Hillsborough County history. In addition, Chamberlain High has “about 100” coaches recruiting its players each year with many reaching BCS schools and NFL teams.
So this was telling: “Some schools don’t have that many scholarships, but they offer kids left and right, and then they have to end up telling kids they don’t have a scholarship,” Turner said. “But [Tech coaches] were always up front. They were honest the whole time. They always told Dontae where he would fit in and what his role would be. They were down here quite a bit, and every time they were allowed to call, they called.”
Johnson and his coaches had their priorities. They operated with class. They said what they meant, and they meant what they said. They want athletes who do the same. Added Turner, “They can’t have kids thinking it’s OK to make a commitment to them and then go to other places. Because then what does a commitment mean? That’s why I think they have to set a precedent for the program. That if you make us a promise, we expect you to keep it.”
Yep. Just ask Johnson. Better yet, listen to his closing thoughts on Aycock: “If I had to do it all over, I’d do it again. That’s just the way I’m going to do business.”
Good.
Permalink | Comments (64) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech/ACC
UGA should try Tubby, then Bobby
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bob Knight to Georgia as Bulldogs basketball coach? I wouldn’t mind it. In fact, I’d love it, especially since I’ve experienced the real Bob Knight up close and personal through the years.
He never hit me, by the way, either with his fists or his tongue.
I covered many of Knight’s Indiana teams during the late 1970s when I worked for the Cincinnati Enquirer, and the undisputed leader of those teams was Hawks coach Mike Woodson. We’ve talked often about the Knight that most folks don’t see.
It’s the Knight that consistently does and says things in private on a positive level. It’s also the Knight that would bring out the “student” in every student-athlete he coaches at Georgia. Plus, as the owner of 902 victories and three national championships for starters, he would make each of those players significantly better as a basketball player, too.
That said, Knight to the Bulldogs? It won’t happen. It shouldn’t happen, but not for the reasons you think — as in any of those things involving The General and his famously excitable ways.
It shouldn’t happen, because Georgia basketball needs somebody to help it grow into prominence over a course of years, and Knight doesn’t have “years” left as a coach. He is 68. It mostly shouldn’t happen, because, as I typed last week, the Bulldogs need to go back to the future with Tubby Smith, now coaching Minnesota.
For one, Smith is younger than Knight (by 11 years). For another, Smith is pretty great after prolific stops at Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky. And, despite sitting in his second season of turning what was a pitiful Gophers program into its current Top 25 status, I’m guessing that Smith could be persuaded to come back to Georgia.
Smith’s wife, Donna, loves Athens/Atlanta, and as I previously wrote, Smith told me as recently as last season with the Gophers that he dreamed of becoming the Vince Dooley of Georgia basketball.
If Smith says no, then Georgia should go to Plan B.
As in Bobby.
Permalink | Comments (39) | Post your comment | Categories: UGA/SEC
