AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > October > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USIt’s up to Tech coaches to get Calvin the ball
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Stop me if I’m wrong. Tim Brown was pretty good. The same goes for Raghib “Rocket” Ismail. My point is that defensive coordinators invented ways to stifle their prowess in college, but it didn’t matter. With help from Notre Dame coaches, those all-everything receivers did the old Al Davis by taking what they wanted instead of what opponents gave them.
This message is for Georgia Tech coaches who keep dropkicking logic by claiming they just can’t get the ball to the great Calvin Johnson on occasion. Former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz chuckled over his cellphone, before saying with his famous lisp, “We felt the opposing team could not intercept a snap from center, nor could they bat it down. So if we could get the snap, and if we had a Tim Brown or a Rocket Ismail, we were going to find a way to get the ball to that sucker. Whether it be with screens, reverses, handoffs.”
Added Holtz, who now is a college football analyst for ESPN, “The great ones for us had to touch the ball at least 15 times per game. That’s your obligation as a coach to see that that happens. We never tolerated saying, ‘Well, they covered him.’ No, no, no. We’ve got to get him the ball, because you’ve always got to get the ball into the hands of your playmaker.”
So this is ridiculous: Four times. That’s how often the ball was thrown last Saturday at Clemson in the vicinity of Johnson, owner of the most explosive game in college football this side of Troy Smith. Worse, Johnson had zero catches for the first time during his three years at Tech. Not surprisingly, his previously lively team was buried in Death Valley.
It isn’t as if this Johnson silliness hasn’t happened before. Remember the Notre Dame fiasco? After the quicker, taller and faster Johnson obliterated the Irish’s smallish secondary in the first half of the season opener, he vanished from the game plan, and the Jackets lost a game they should have won. Then, as now, excuses reigned, from citing double teams on Johnson to offering nothing at all. Tech coach Chan Gailey even banned offensive coordinator Patrick Nix and Johnson from speaking after the Clemson game.
Then again, what can you say when you know you blew it?
“I’m not criticizing the people at Georgia Tech. All I’m talking about is what we have done with our great receivers in the past,” said Holtz, who nevertheless admitted he was as baffled by Johnson’s game at Clemson as much as everybody else, especially since Johnson was open on several occasions. And, no, the Reggie Ball excuse doesn’t fly, either. Ball has a four-year history of erratic throws, and he also played against Clemson on a gimpy leg. Holtz laughed, saying, “Tony Rice was our quarterback when we had the Rocket, and Tony couldn’t hit the ground sometime. Still, we knew that [The Rocket] had to get his touches.”
Heard of the middle screen? Well, Holtz invented the thing to help The Rocket with those touches. Then there was Brown, a Heisman Trophy winner, smothered as much by defenders as any receiver ever. “There were times where you’d say, ‘OK, we’re going to have maximum protection, and we’re just going to tell him to go get it and just get open.’ That’s also what Notre Dame did last week against UCLA.”
In particular, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis called a play for Jeff Samardzija, the Irish’s latest Brown and Rocket, in the final seconds with no timeouts left and Notre Dame at the UCLA 45. Samardzija was covered by a slew of defenders, but he still caught the ball, and he still weaved 30 yards for the game-winner.
Are you listening, Chan Gailey and Patrick Nix?
Permalink | Comments (64) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech / ACC, Terence Moore
Comments
By gtne80
October 26, 2006 07:00 PM | Link to this
Thanks Terence.
It only takes a little creativity to think of ways to get Calvin the ball.
Slip screens, middle screens, reverses… Putting him in motion and running some crossing patterns doesn’t require a lot of imagination. I believe some teams with creative Offensive Coordinators have even come up with schemes where they have actually lined up some uniquely talented receivers in the backfield just to keep the Defense honest.
There’s also this notion that he has to be wide open to get him the ball. I think that we’ve all seen him go up in the middle of traffic and pull down some pretty amazing catches. When he’s downfield one-on-one with a DB how about letting him use his height and his vertical leap to make some more spectacular grabs?
Instead, it seems that the coaching staff has convinced Reggie to chunk it out of bounds and try again later.
Why not change the mentality by going back to believing that Reggie and Calvin can use their athletic skills to MAKE plays?
By Captain Truth
October 26, 2006 07:45 PM | Link to this
Reggie Ball is incapable of getting the ball to CJ (the great one) because: Reggie is too stupid. Reggie is too short. Reggie is too busy thinking of what kind of trash he is going to talk after the play-something NO other respectable quarterback has done like Reggie does.
By GTGreg
October 26, 2006 08:24 PM | Link to this
Blah blah blah yackety schmackety. They’ll get him the bloody ball this weekend… keep your pants on, Tech fans. Ga fans, on the other hand, can commence whine-jobs about how if Calvin had gone to the dark side, he could be a pro-bowler as a sophomore in college after winning the Heisman twice. Just try to keep yourselves respectable against UF… I don’t want to read any more articles about our governor embarassing himself.
By smitty
October 26, 2006 08:32 PM | Link to this
imagination, creativity, motion, schemes, screens, options, etc, etc, etc……gailey’s offense has been a freakin broken record….GT fans have been wondering for five long years when the above might show up in GT’s offense….with nix becoming OC this year it looked as though something different might happen on offense this year and for awhile it seemed so……maybe chan didn’t want nix in front of the press because he didn’t want nix to let on that chan took over the playcalling last week….who knows?…..but its not the first time we’ve seen CJ left completely out of the action……its truly unbelievable…….it is inexcusable…..and i just dont have a good feeling about this week against a ‘weaker’ miami team unless GT’s offense can bust out and take some of the pressure off the defense and hopefully miami’s lame offense will cooperate with a poor game
By Ga_Tech_92
October 26, 2006 08:46 PM | Link to this
Good blog Terence.
I think it’s possible that things are changing for the better over-all, yet we got beaten by a better team in Clemson.
Our odds of beating Miami are directly proportional to the team’s mental focus and determination, in my opinion.
Clemson exposed us and it hurt, but no need to panic guys. Better recruits than in many years…this team feels better than in a while…things over-all are improving and after-all……………….Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Get CJ the ball, yes, absolutely :)
By David
October 26, 2006 09:01 PM | Link to this
Terence Moore is right about everything but one thing. The quarterback is small, and he can’t see receiver routes develop. His best short and medium throws are go somewhere, stop, and wait for the throw to get there. Top echelon teams figure that out, and passing turns ugly. Based on what Gailey said in another article he still seems confused. He said he wouldn’t change quarterbacks, no matter what happens. He’s not in the pros, and college quarterbacks are like any other player. If they don’t perform, you give other players a chance. Maybe Chan wants to get fired, because his logic will take him in that direction.
By Ga_Tech_92
October 26, 2006 09:15 PM | Link to this
I completely agree with the common notion that RB is not going to be confused with a prototype QB; however, he steps up with every once of desire anyone could ever ask for. I think RB will have a great game against Miami. RB, go grab the ACC title, one game at a time and you can have the last laugh!
By KL
October 26, 2006 09:45 PM | Link to this
Chan is too stubborn to admit when he is wrong and won’t change anything. Reggie’s leg could fall off on Saturday and Chan won’t take him out. He can’t bring himself to admit he made a mistake making him the starter as a freshman. Boy Genius has done nothing as a quarterback coach but he played at Auburn so people love him anyway.
By Thank You
October 26, 2006 10:04 PM | Link to this
Thank you, thank you, thank you T. Maybe somebody on the team will read this article. Fortunately, I do think the coaches get it. Unfortunately, I don’t think Reggie Ball gets it. **Somebody PLEASE tell Ball that CJ can help him gain better stats. This is a terrible analogy, but they could be just like Jordan and Pippen were….Champions. The question is….Does Reggie have the self-confidence to give CJ the ball and the spotlight? We’ll see….
By Ralph
October 26, 2006 10:10 PM | Link to this
Before Calvin gets the ball, the following must occur:
We have to have the ball.
We have to have a good center/quarterback exchange (either under center or in the shotgun).
The line has to protect.
Calvin has to be open.
Reggie has to see him.
The defensive back must not in position to intercept or bat the ball down.
As Chan stated, you can’t ask the quarterback to throw into double coverage.
The best way to get Calvin the ball is to have an effective running game, for the other receivers to step up, and for Reggie to have time to throw. We tried all of these Saturday night, but outside of James Johnson, I did not see any of these the other night.
So there…
Go Jackets!!!
By And....
October 26, 2006 10:40 PM | Link to this
Ralph….you forgot to explain why Reggie didn’t even look in CJ’s direction on SEVERAL occasions in Clemson game. Please, continue to share your wealth of “expert” knowledge…
By Jacket hope
October 26, 2006 11:08 PM | Link to this
This is the best article Terrence Moore has ever written in my opionion.
Because of CJ’s God given talent I almost feel like it is sinful not to get CJ the ball at least 10-12 every game no matter what. 15 times would be ideal.
Thank Terrence Moore.
By 71Jacket
October 26, 2006 11:14 PM | Link to this
Did you see the VT-Clemson game tonight. Now that was a coaching job. Oh well- we can dream. We have the athletes. We don’t even come close to having a competitive coaching staff. How long must we wait until we can get a head coach?
By Surfrider
October 26, 2006 11:24 PM | Link to this
Thanks twice Terrence. Gailey has taken an outstanding talented program to mediocrity and got rewarded with it. How? He obliterated any offensive explosiveness potential we had. He plays not to loose or that is the mindset. It’s old school and yes defense can and does win games a lot. But it’s offense that scores and sells. With a Reggie Ball and this system we just have to play more sandlot ball. Meaning Calvin just run down 30 yards and turn around and we are throwing a jump ball up at the sideline, etc…This guys will be phenom in the pros and Gailey is hardly using the guy. The QB situation is also a problem since it would help if we could pass the ball better. It’s not all Reggie’s fault but a lot is at the coaching staff’s feet particularly Gailey.
By Ty
October 26, 2006 11:27 PM | Link to this
TM….nothing new in today’s entry…. real simple….. average QB and mediocre Coach…… (I am SO tired of folks analyzing “how” to get the ball to Calvin…. the answer is “go in the 1st round to the NFL or PRAY that next year you have a college coach who has the guts to change a failing QB…..)
Sad to say, but ya’ll remember this one… “Who was the last team to hold Terrell Davis under 100 yards….. Ray Goff and the Georgia Bulldogs”
Looks like it’s about to be replaced by, “Who was the last team to hold Calvin Johnson under 4 catches and 100 yards in a game?….. Chan Gailey & Reggie Ball of Georgia Tech….(what a dynamic duo….)
By Ty
October 26, 2006 11:32 PM | Link to this
Hey, And….
You forgot to ask Ralph when RB EVER followed rule #6 (and, more importantly, when Chan EVER asked RB to throw into double coverage… he manages to throw directly to defensive backs in SINGLE coverage 1-2 times each game!!)
Yeah, I know, grousing on my part (but I keep hanging onto this foolish belief that Gailey may actually LEARN HOW TO COACH A COLLEGE TEAM after 5 years and TRY another approach….can you say TAYLOR BENNETTTTTTTTTTT??????)
By TDH
October 26, 2006 11:52 PM | Link to this
Man… Clemson must have caught the bug that Tech had last Saturday! They just got spanked by Va Tech 24 - 7. As flat as Tech looked Sat., Clemson looked just as bad. Proctor was abysmal and Davis and Spiller were non-factors. To go from having over 300 yds rushing in a game to less than 100 yds in less than a week, go figure. Just shows how you can go from doing no wrong one week to doing everything wrong the next. Clemson is still a very good team and clearly was better than Tech last Saturday, but like I’ve said all along, they weren’t that much better and I think tonight proves it. Tech showed up very flat and Clemson was amped from the atmosphere at Death Valley. That’s always a recipe for disaster in my opinion! I think the team can now see last Saturday at Clemson for what it was and move on! I think the guys will be ready to roll this Saturday against the Canes and want to put away any doubts that they’re a good team this year. I think Tech struggles a little early but then starts to pull away in the second half. Let’s all show up Saturday, give the Canes a proper welcome to the Flats, and show the team that we’re still behind them 100%. Go Jackets and to Hell with Georgia!
By Harrison
October 27, 2006 12:17 AM | Link to this
Amen, TDH. I hear ya.. go JACKETS!! BEAT THUG U!
By BigEd
October 27, 2006 12:22 AM | Link to this
I agree with you Terence. Calvin must get the ball. The problem is Reggie Ball. Tech needs a quarterback who can at least throw the ball in the right direction. Virginia Tech did unto Clemson what GT should have done and they did it with a lessor cast. But, their quarterback thew the ball instead of trying to be a running back!
By Billy
October 27, 2006 12:30 AM | Link to this
Blame that game on Tenuta. Clemson is all about running the football and we let them. Proctor is not an effective passer, so we had to stack the line and stop the run like VT did tonight. On offense we kept running the ball when Clemson was daring us to pass it. Clemson is a running team and we are a passing team so how did our coaching staff get this backwards? Miami by 10 Saturday.
By mtraininjax
October 27, 2006 12:49 AM | Link to this
The problem is not CJ, its Ball. Nuff said.
By Jealous
October 27, 2006 01:24 AM | Link to this
Heard from a member of the team that Ball was envious of C.J. and wanted to prove that he could win without him. Four years now and Ball has lead Tech to nothing but meaningless Bowl games. He is too inconsistent and just seems to lack the awareness of the former Jacket QB’s. Probally more the lack of Friedgen not being around hurt his development. All that being said, Saturday he could put Tech in a position to acheive the unthinkable, get to the ACC Championship and beating VT and Miami in the same season. At Tech, he would be an instant legend because lets be real, those teams will reload and it could be another 10 years before Tech finds itself in this position again. But to do that, CJ must shine and Ball has to play way above his usual average, selfish, self.
By WFC
October 27, 2006 06:19 AM | Link to this
Football is an emotional game. The GT-Clemson and VT-Clemson games prove that. Everyone seems to forget that the much maligned Reggie Ball had GT up 38-13 against VT at Blacksburg (and won) just three weeks ago. VT looked like a top ten team last night and absolutely destroyed Clemson. How does that happen? Yes, GT needs to get Calvin the ball more often. My favorite solution is to let him return kickoffs. My criticism of Chan/Nix is two-fold: failure to throw over the middle because of fear of turnovers and unwillingness to hrow to the TE. How about lining CJ up a TE sometimes and add a little variety?
By GTman
October 27, 2006 07:44 AM | Link to this
Yes you can throw into double coverage when you have a receiver like CJ! Give him the opportunity to make plays. Gailey and Nix are missing out on using the best talent they have ever coached and possibly ever will coach - what a shame. I’m glad to see recruiting going well. However,if you were a superstar athlete and watching how Gailey/Nix are under utilizing CJ, would you want to come to Tech? The lack of creativity with play calling in general and especially getting the ball to CJ is pathetic. Nix better start doing his job or start looking for a new one. We have already seen his lack of ability to develop the QB position. Not only has RB not improved since his first game against Auburn (and he still runs his mouth), we apparently do not have any of our backups ready to perform.
By coach
October 27, 2006 07:54 AM | Link to this
GT can’t throw over the middle because Ball is only 5’11” tall and that is probably a stretch. With today’s linesmen averaging 6’4” with arms adding another 2 - 3 feet, a 5’11” QB is not going to cut it. The VT quarterback is 6’4”. Doug Flutie was a great QB. R. Ball doesn’t even come close. The only reason Flutie didn’t make it big time was his height. Gailey has had 5 years to develop a QB with the physical attributes to perform at the highest level and he hasn’t done it.
If you have a quarterback who has what is considered one of the top recievers in the history of the game and you can’t find a way to get him envolved in the offense - OH Well.
By Terry
October 27, 2006 08:03 AM | Link to this
If you are a professional and are getting paid 1M a year and can’t figure out a way to get the ball to the teams offensive playmaker, that should be embarrassing.
Why not try Taylor Bennett, especially in the 4th quarter, especially when you have had your brains beat out? And I don’t mean putting him in for the last series with the second team offense. Give him a crack with the first team including CJ. Next year, we will be in the same situation as UGA if he does not get some playing time.
After seeing how VT handled Clemsum, it confirms that the GT offensive game plan was amateur. Also, the defensive game plan should be able to adjust and sometimes try schemes similar to VT’s when our normal scheme is not getting the job done.
Like VT, Miami has their back against the wall and will come in here breathing fire. I hope that we can find the fire that we had against VT and take care of business.
Go Jackets!
By Dr. Jacket
October 27, 2006 08:17 AM | Link to this
Thanks Terrence. You and Holtz are right on here……..period! Gailey and Nix…….2 conservatives that are afraid to make a decison to pull RB last week. Too conservative to open up the offense against N.D. which cost us the game.
Tech has the talent to win Saturday if the coaches do their part!
By size matters
October 27, 2006 08:27 AM | Link to this
for years I’ve wondered….why was a (really) short guy ever issued a scholarship as a QB? Tech has the prototypical size QB on the team…but we do not know his ability…has not been seen in games enough.
a puzzle…Tech beats VT soundly. Clemson beats Tech soundly. Then VT beats Clemson soundly. VT did exactly what I thought Tech would do to Clemson. What happened???Hope Coach T watched what VT did last night to shut down the run!
By Tech Fan 1
October 27, 2006 08:59 AM | Link to this
Ralph, Please enlighten us some more with your lack of sense.
Calvin is going to be doubled by every team we play, but as you say, we aren’t supposed to pass into double. You don’t know much about football. Star recievers always draw a lot of attention, but you don’t stop throwing their way.
Please learn something about football.
By savgt
October 27, 2006 09:03 AM | Link to this
I agree, but I think a lot of it was on Reggie Ball and bad protection(or good pass rush).Anyway, he has to touch the ball a lot this week. Go Jackets!!!!!!!!!!!!
By GT80
October 27, 2006 09:27 AM | Link to this
If the ball doesn’t get thrown to Calvin at least 12 times Saturday then Gailey and Nix are idiots and should be fired. If everyone in America can figure this out why can’t they?
When I read TM’s headline the only response was “duh..no Sh*T”. It’s pretty simple folks. Get the ball to # 21. We will see on Saturday.
By LadyT
October 27, 2006 09:44 AM | Link to this
I am really loving this conversation. This is the first one that I have read that really made sense.
I will repeat what I have said previously about GT this year. The Reggie is average, I have not been overly impressed with him. I do like his spirit to try to get out of the pocket and throw or run with the ball; but sorry Reggie, this passed weekend proved to me that you must have some issues with Calvin. There is no way in the world that you cannot get him the ball.
With the offensive play calls, there might as well have been only one receiver on the field, because he was able to get the ball. Since the run was working, then quick passes across the middle, options any type of short yardage play could have contributed to more first downs. The offensive play calling against Clemson lacked any time of creativity.
But what I was most surprised about was the way the defensive line was blown away. With the holes that Clemson’s line were opening for their running game, the second string may as well have been on the field. I thought Moses was out their parting the line, the holes were so wide.
I will reiterate what others have stated in this blog. GA Tech, you got your buts kicked really bad for a prime time Saturday night football game, but shack it off, and go tear up some Canes this Saturday. You have got to redeem yourselves and Reggie, go over yourself, honey, because Calvin and the other receivers and really help your stats. It doesn’t matter that you can throw, but someone has to be on the other end to catch. So throw the ball to someone who can catch it, it sideline catches don’t count.
Hint: Although D.J. Shockley did not play much behind David Greene, he produced when he did play. But what helped him get into the pros was the fact that he lead his team to a BOWL game and HE WON IT. You can’t win by yourself, Reggie. Be a team player!!!!
Coaches, you may as well sit on the sidelines and just let the boys play, if you are going to continue to call games like the Clemson game. That messed up my Saturday night!!!!! Regards
By EJB
October 27, 2006 09:46 AM | Link to this
Dear Chan - Nix. Your failure to use the tight ends as crediable receviers means the defense can pretty much foreget about covering them and focus on shutting down the ground game and double teaming CJ. It find it hard to believe that none of our tight ends can catch the ball.
By Wrecker 1
October 27, 2006 09:56 AM | Link to this
Hey size matters, you’re exactly right. I never did figure out why Joe Hamilton at 5’10” was given a scholarship. Even after TECH gave him that scholarship he should have sat on the bench for 4-5 years b/c there were other guys with the appropriate size available. Shaw and later Godsey were both in the 6’2” range and should have been on the field. Reggie Ball’s height has nothing to do with him finding receivers. If people want to say he doesn’t read coverages well or he doesn’t want to throw to Johnson that’s fine. But there have been plenty of QB’s at less than 6 feet tall that have excelled throwing the ball. Plenty of teams have a receiver that gets doubled every week and they find ways to get the ball to that guy. It’s a matter of devising routes to beat the double coverage and coaching up the QB. It has very little to do with the other receivers stepping up. Just remember against Maryland Johnson caught 10 out of the 12 completed passes. A lot of TECH’s problems is the refusal to use the whole field (seldom throw over the middle) or to use all the weapons available. Our TE position is rarely thrown to. We very rarely throw real true screens to our backs even though we claim to have very athletic linemen that should be able to get out in front of screens. We might as well play without a fullback. He catches about 5 passes a year and hasn’t run the ball in the last year and a half. Check the stats. Our fullback position hasn’t run the ball since the ‘04 season even though teams like Ugag and ND use their fullbacks effectively in short yardage and goal line situations. I’m sure TECH’s staff knows more football than I do but guys let’s not make it more complicated than it really is.
By Chris
October 27, 2006 10:06 AM | Link to this
Nix keep the ball and take time off the clock anyway you can and keep the D-FENCE off the field as much as you can. We win with D-FENCE but if you ask them to play all game then they get tired and cannot keep up their speed and intesity. 3 yards and a cloud of dust the get it to Johnson & Johnson + Dunlap. Watch the tape of the Va. Tech/ Clemson game LOOK-LISTEN-LEARN.
By Chris
October 27, 2006 10:13 AM | Link to this
Va. Tech made Clemson look bad we made Va. Tech look bad and Clemson made us look bad. Get it FIXED and keep the season going. The tightend ststement is a valid one. I have watched UGA use and kiil other teams with a tightend drag in the middle of the field for so so so many yards why can’t we do the same. it also opens up the deeper pass and the QB draw.
By techaholic
October 27, 2006 10:33 AM | Link to this
Chan and his cohorts recruited Calvin, it his HIS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITY to have a QB in place who can actually get the ball to him and any other receiver!
How many years are we going to talk about the lack of QB development at GT before someone realizes this is a coaching problem and always has been! Chan made the decision to go with Reggie 4 years ago … he’s done nothing in the 4 years when Reggie was less than adequate to change that in recruiting a good QB and then developing someone else!
The buck stops with the coaches and Chan being the Head Coach should take the heat! Calvin is a wasted All-American at GTech and that’s a damn shame!
By red92s
October 27, 2006 10:36 AM | Link to this
TRUE STORY:
Calvin Johson’s license plate reads Catch 21
I wonder if he even gets the joke?
By russell sorrells
October 27, 2006 10:47 AM | Link to this
Gailey, Nix and Ball apparently have Mad Cow disease. Gailey has now lost all credibility and needs to go to pasture.
By Jerry Kendall
October 27, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this
It is already time to wait until next year. At least Reggie Ball will be gone. Since Chan seems to have no idea of how to use another quarterback, maybe our prayers will be answered and he will go with him. The fish stinks from the head. No matter how good the athletes are that we recruit, as long as Chan Gailey is there it will not produce great results. I hope, for his welfare, that Calvin enters the draft this year. He deserves better and it will not happen as long as Gailey is there.
By Go Jackets!
October 27, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this
I’m just as p** as everyone else on this blog about CJ not getting looks or touches, but lets all rally behind GT and be the 12th man they need to beat the Thugs! GO JACKETS!!!
By Ty
October 27, 2006 11:40 AM | Link to this
Reading through the blog this morning (kudos to everyone on this one…it’s actually stayed ‘on topic’…. I guess that’s because the Dawgs are laying low before facing the Gator onslaught….)
One rebuttal to Wrecker 1’s comment about Joe Hamilton. Joe was an overwhelming success (and hero to the Jacket-nation) for several reasons (none of which are displayed in the current undersized QB).
He figured out HOW to throw across the middle (he developed the ability to throw a strong ‘jump-pass’ over the line of scrimmage).
He had possibly the ‘greatest’ Offensive Coordinator in all of football. It was said in those days that Tech ran the 3rd most complex offense in the NFL. Game day was a thrill to see “What Ralph & Joe would come up with next to stymie the other team”.
Joe had the best “football smarts” of any QB Tech has had in the last 30 years. He seemed to ALWAYS be able to sense the play in progress and make smart decisions (run when you must, improvise as you go, make something positive happen on every play).
Most importantly, Joe had the ability to ‘see’ the entire field and take advantage of the situation on each play. This means checking off on 2-3 receivers (vs. ‘locking in’ at the snap on the guy you want to throw to and then running if he is covered (or you can’t see him)).
So, in summary, I don’t think being ‘short’ constitutes the inability to excel at QB. It just means you have to adapt your skills to take advantage of this limitation. (one could probably apply the above 4 points to Flutie, as well…… but I don’t think we’ll ever be able to say that about RB after four years)….
Later…..
By robber
October 27, 2006 12:07 PM | Link to this
roll Reggie out of the pocket and throw if he is too short. this blog sucks. same old crap. ball sucks…CJ is being ignored….
Come one. We are still in first place in Coastal and control our own destiny. Not too shabby. No thanks to Clemson who screwed us twice in 5 days, we just have to continue to win.
By coach
October 27, 2006 12:07 PM | Link to this
Ty,
I agree with your comments about Joe Hamilton. However, Ball is not Joe.
When Ball is healthy and able to go 100% he is dangerous as a runner even if he is at best a less than average passing QB. And, it is his running game that breaks open the passing game. But when he is less than 100% he hurts the team.
All players want to play all the time - it is their competitive make up. If they didn’t have it they would not be starting. However, starters hurt the team when they can’t go 100%. During the Dodd era if a starter didn’t signal when he was less than 100%, it might be the last game he ever started. Chan are you reading?
By Wrecker 1
October 27, 2006 12:16 PM | Link to this
Ty, my feelings exactly. Joe was a sucess not b/c he was short or tall but because he was a QB that knew how to play the game. My response was tongue in cheek to the assertion that prototype QB’s are in the wings and should be playing just b/c they have the size. I just don’t think Reggie “sees” the field from a mental stand point not a vision problem. By the way I definately don’t recall any “jump pass” that Joe may have used.
By curtrob
October 27, 2006 12:22 PM | Link to this
first of all i am tired of all the Reggie Ball haters out there. Now i am hearing every excuse of why he didnt play well last saturday. “Oh he’s too short to play QB, and he cant see over that line”, thats bull. i recall a certain QB at Ohio State (Troy Smith, an obivous future heisman winner)who is 6’ and Reggie is 5’11 WOW a wopping 1 inch taller, now i am not comparing their skill level, but i am comparing their physical attributes. Everyone on the field besides the HB’s are taller than them and they have both had success. we easy we forget the Big wins Reggie has had over the last four years. Two wins against top ranked Auburn, a win at the Orange Bowl in Miami, and the win in Blacksburg a few weeks ago. Now its obvious that RB was hurt last week and not 100%. So please stop the name calling and the verbal abuse towards him, he still played hard and gave it his all. Lets get behind him and the rest of the team Saturday against a very dangerous Miami squad with dreams of recooperation and revenge on their mind. i am not worried about Calvin getting the ball. i have questioned the play calling in the past,but i have no reason to believe that Patrick Nix wont do everything in his power to get Cj the dam ball. the defense will play better and the offense will produce and keep their defense off the field. Its homecoming my fellow techies, lets get behind OUR Team and Our School, show up pumped up and run those hurricanes back to Miami.
By Joe
October 27, 2006 12:27 PM | Link to this
Ball runs too much when he should be looking for Calvin. He’s not the only guy on the field and he can’t do it all himself. Instead of taking a quick glance and running, he needs to look downfield.
By B. J.
October 27, 2006 01:00 PM | Link to this
CJ….Beware of the Green Eyed Monster!
Your friends at APS, The Macon Telegraph, Delta and Sacramento, Calif.
GO JACKETS
By size matters
October 27, 2006 01:00 PM | Link to this
Mr wrecker, did not indicate we should be playing a larger QB…just was curious about signing a player (four years ago) to a position that normally utilizies larger stature. Joe was surely an exception. Did you ever see Billy L. play?
By JB
October 27, 2006 02:23 PM | Link to this
The man is 6’5” and has a 43” verticle leap. Put the ball in the air he will catch it or he will draw a flag. Reggie needs to practice his touch instead of rehearsing what he is going to jaw about after a play.
By The Man
October 27, 2006 02:49 PM | Link to this
CRIMINAL U WILL THROTTLE NERD U!!!
THEN THE DAWGS AWAIT!!!
THE DAWGS WILL DISMANTLE THE NERDS!!!
NERDS!!! NERDS!!! NERDS!!!
I AM THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By mart
October 27, 2006 02:51 PM | Link to this
Just for the record, and I assume this will be further confirmed at the NFL Combine, Calvin Johnson does NOT run a sub-4.4 forty and does not have a 40+ inch vertical leap. Can’t a player be great w/o having exaggerated statistics said about him.
By gdawginkalamazoo
October 27, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this
And….
That was my question too. I don’t think RB knew CJ was even in the stadium from the looks of it. When you have the best receiver in the nation you throw him the damn ball. I don’t know why but like some of you mentioned RB might be jealous. Can’t he understand that every catch and yard that CJ earns goes into his record book too. CJ will wear down the defenders, he will go up and get the ball and when he does he will get both the tough and easy yards. Good luck Saturday Bees!
By fsk
October 27, 2006 03:37 PM | Link to this
mart:
You are definitely wrong. The ramblingwreck.com website has a video that actually shows Johnson posting over a 40” vertical with the standard apparatus they use at combines.
By Kenny
October 27, 2006 03:38 PM | Link to this
Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball. Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball.Get Calvin the ball……Win.
By jb4gatech
October 27, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this
Terrence predictably picked someone with NO credibility to continue his can-Chan campaign.
I was in the Orange Bowl stands in 1988 when Lou Holtz failed to “get the ball” to his Heisman WINNER Tim Brown except a couple of times against Miami. When he did there was such a crowd that Brown was smothered and was a total “non-factor”. Get real all you blogger beanheads in Bulldog clothing, one WR, not matter how gifted, does NOT win a championship. Solid DEFENSE and a tough, kick-butt-minded Offensive Line win championships. How soon you all forget the manner in which Gailey “got the ball to CJ” last year against UM. How many of you were on this blog giving Chan the credit then?
There’s a reason Gailey is coaching college football and you all (myself included) are blogging about it… he knows a LOT more about football than Terrence Moore and all of us combined. Even though I played on a state championship football team I don’t claim to be a football expert, but I DO know that a WR, even CJ, isn’t the foundation, he’s the icing on a championship cake. Let’s eat our vegetables first and whip UM / UGA in the line, or else no scheme to “get CJ the ball” is going to work.
By techsmartie
October 27, 2006 04:23 PM | Link to this
Leave Reggie alone! I know him and he and Calvin are close, blame that crappy O-line, who gave him no time to throw in that Clemson game! The man had about half a second before the defenders were in his face! Tech fans are so damn bandwagon it’s ridiculous! If he had a career high game last Sat., yall would have wanted to vote him in for president! The entire team doesn’t rest on the arm of one person! As a football player, Reggie will always wanna go, Chan should have pulled him if it was that big of a problem! Plus what about the running game? reggie isn’t the cause of all of GT’s problems and next year when Bennett is in and yall are 2-5 at this point, you’ll wish Reggie was back! HATERS!
By lovejackets
October 27, 2006 04:27 PM | Link to this
For all of you who like to comment on Reggie getting in people’s faces all the time…It’s football idiots! You go out there with a hit ‘em in the mouth mentality! Just cause he goes 2 tech, doesn’t mean he should wear an ascot and be polite! The adrenaline is pumping, words are exchanged, that’s the game…if you want a more polite sport watch polo or something! And FYI- in the CLemson game, when RB jumped in that guys face, its because the defender, pushed and stepped on his guard, he was defending a teammate! WOW, he should be shot!
By Luvthejackets
October 27, 2006 05:20 PM | Link to this
People, It was one game. I know better than anyone that Reggie Struggles at times, but he has had one bad game all year. We talk as if Reggie has never made a throw. He and Calvin have hooked up over and over all year. You people act like the world is ending after a bad game. Just a week ago it was all praise, Reggie was great Chan was great Nix was great! You can’t write off a team after a single game and you can’t declare them conference champs after a single game unless that game is the conference championship game. Last week was a single bad game in a pretty good season. I think we have to give Chan, Reggie, Nix, and Calvin a chance to regain their form this weekend. They will show up Saturday with a chip on their shoulders and a lot to prove. They will not let us down on Saturday. Miami has not beaten a division1A team with a winning record. Tech wins 21-17 Go Jackets!!! Go Gators!!! “to hell with Georgia”
By And...
October 27, 2006 05:29 PM | Link to this
just a quick clarification….when folks write that RB is too short, I don’t think they mean that he is physically too short. I think they mean he has a chip on his shoulder due to a “little man’s complex”
By Luvthejackets
October 27, 2006 05:40 PM | Link to this
mart, Calvin has a 43 inch vertical. I was in the wieght room when he did it his freshman year. If anything he has improved on that. I also know for a fact that he has been clocked at 4.39 in the 40 on grass! This will all be confirmed at the combine! You really should not smart off about something that you know nothing about!
By Andrew
October 27, 2006 08:35 PM | Link to this
wow. I agree with T Moore. Might be a first. I can’t stand the excuses - well Ball is short - so what! Calvin is tall. Calvin gets double covered - so what! He can leap! Sideline, fade routes, corner routes. Someday, some NFL coach is going to say “we’re throwing the ball to CJ 20 times, every game, no matter what…”
By GINGER
October 27, 2006 08:49 PM | Link to this
WE CAN ONLY PRAY AND HOPE REGGIE WILL THROWN TO CJ IN THE MIAMI GAME ON SATURDAY. REGGIE WANT TO SHINE HIMSELF AND FOWL IT UP EVERYTIME. WE WANT TO WIN NOT LOSE.
THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS MR. MOORE GOD BLESS
By Ralph
October 27, 2006 10:17 PM | Link to this
I can’t believe what I have read from some of you people. First you bash Reggie left and right about what he can’t do, then you tell him, Oh just go ahead and throw into double coverage. What’s up with that?
For those not capable of understanding my take on this matter, let me put it to you one last time. It cuts both ways. Calvin Johnson is indeed all that and a bag of chips. However, we can’t become a one-dimensional team which throws only to him.
We have great players on the offense like Choice, James Johnson, etc.., and we have to and should use them. That will make the defense play us honestly. If we can do that, it makes Calvin all the more valuable.
Folks, get of your Reggie/Chan/Nix bashing stint and realize Clemson took us to the woodshed because they shut everybody down on our offense last Saturday. It was a great scheme and now we have to adjust.
It’s that simple.
Case closed…