AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > December > 13 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USWell-traveled coach anchors at Tech
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
This is the Paul Johnson you don’t know. Mountain boy. Born and bred in the Blue Ridge. Hometown Newland, North Carolina, population 645 in his day, just about the same today.
One traffic light, a drug store, a supermarket, filling station and the Avery County courthouse. “We lived in the middle of town and I walked a block and a half to school,” he said. In his heart, he had his mind set on being a pro athlete. “By the time I was in high school I knew I wasn’t good enough, so after that I aimed at being a coach.”
His inspiration was close at hand, the coach at Avery County High School, an old-timer named Elmer Aldridge. As he looks back on it today, he reckons that Elmer Aldridge had as much to do with what he has become as anybody. He played football for Elmer, walked to and from the practice field to home. After high school, he went on to Western Carolina, across the mountains at Cullowhee.
He never went out for football, and when he tried his hand at basketball, he never made the team. That’s when he got on with the ambition he had set for himself. Coaching. Like Elmer Aldridge.
After college, he went back home to Newland to become Elmer’s assistant at Avery County High, then got a job at Lees-McRae Junior College, and at the same time worked on his master’s at Appalachian State, just a few miles away in Boone. Then he got aboard the carousel and the coaching merry-go-round was on.
By now, the year was 1983, and Erk Russell came calling from Georgia Southern. Johnson was a perfect choice for the Eagles. He didn’t cost much and they didn’t pay a lot. He was Erk’s offensive coordinator, and during one of Georgia Southern’s national championship games, Bob Wagner, about to become head coach at Hawaii, liked Johnson’s offense so much he hired him. From Statesboro to Honolulu … man, was that mountain kid from Avery County moving up in the world.
He spent seven seasons on Oahu, then Navy recruited him to coach the offense, and by this time, the kid whose playing career topped out at Avery County High was moving along. At last count, I came up with three Division I-A head coaches who never played college ball, Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, Mark Mangino at Kansas, and Paul Johnson. There was another, but at the moment, Dennis Franchione is adrift.
Well, the rest of the story is pretty well documented. After one season at Navy, he went back to Georgia Southern, and there won some national championships himself. Now, Navy discovered it couldn’t live without him and called him to save the ship. The devastating blow heard around the seas was delivered by Georgia Tech, oddly enough, when the heartless George O’Leary ran up a score of 70 points on the poor Middies, worst beating in the history of the academy. It was brutal.
Now, a coach has to have courage to walk into one of the academies, where recruiting is severely restrictive, and where the team’s previous two seasons had bottomed out at 1-20 — and that’s not an interstate.
“I knew you could win at Navy. I was going around in circles, to Georgia Southern and back again. I’d done all I could do at Statesboro, and since I’d been there before, I knew something about coaching at the academies,” he said.
He showed up at Annapolis with a show of bravado. “There is no excuse for not playing winning football at the Naval Academy. Recruiting is different. You have to work within the system, but it can be done,” and he proved it. He won the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award, took his Middies to bowl games, and “Anchors Aweigh” rang out across the seas with a new vigor.
That was the highlight of his career. Now he has another. He has the job that Dodd once had. He’s the new coach at Georgia Tech, and he may revive the vigor in “Ramblin’ Wreck.”
“I just wish Coach Eldridge were still alive to see something he played a part in,” he said. “I don’t try to pattern myself after any other coach, I just try to be myself, something I learned from Coach Elmer. That’s all I can do.”
Stand by for further developments. It ain’t going to be dull.
Permalink | Comments (76) | Post your comment | Categories: Furman Bisher, Tech / ACC
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By Yeah_Boy
December 13, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
Nice biography. I like a guy that chased his dream.
No doubt. A good hire. Tech fans are pumped to get our offense going again.
Since we don’t recruit the 300+ lb athletes, we have to rely on a good offense. PJ can do it.
By Yeah_Boy
December 13, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
Nice biography. I like a guy that chased his dream.
No doubt. A good hire. Tech fans are pumped to get our offense going again.
Since we don’t recruit the 300+ lb athletes, we have to rely on a good offense. PJ can do it.
By Yeah_Boy
December 13, 2007 8:59 PM | Link to this
Nice biography. I like a guy that chased his dream.
No doubt. A good hire. Tech fans are pumped to get our offense going again.
Since we don’t recruit the 300+ lb athletes, we have to rely on a good offense. PJ can do it.
By Ramblin Gamblin Wreck
December 13, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this
Coach J: Welcome to the White & Gold.
Furman, stand back, cause the scoreboard at Bobby Dodd Stadium is going to get hot!
By Joe
December 13, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this
Go Tech!
The man has ingenuity, a helluva engineer!
Passionate yet calm, a true leader.
By GT76
December 13, 2007 9:10 PM | Link to this
Furman, I was at the game in Annapolis when Tech won 70-7. O’Leary did not “run up the score”. If I recall it was 56-0 in the 3rd quarter. Besides Navy would do the same thing if they could have. They were helpless, but as a Tech fan I would not have wanted it any other way. I expect Coach Johnson to play his team hard for 60 minutes and score every chance they get. If they beat someone 70-7 so be it. As long as it’s the 2nd-3rd string as it was on that day. I think Chan Gailey was too conservative, too many times and that gets into the players veins and brains and they don’t give all they have. There is only one way to get to the top and stay there and that is by trying to score every time you have the ball.
By MisterT
December 13, 2007 9:19 PM | Link to this
I really hate to bring this one up, but didn’t we learn that George O’Leary never actually played at New Hampshire like his resume had previsously stated? I imagine his resume has been updated by now.
Paul just goes to show that you don’t even pretend that you did.
I already like this guy.
Go Jackets!
By Vic
December 13, 2007 9:36 PM | Link to this
I was also at that Navy-GT game & O’Leary did not run up the score. He had his 2nd & 3rd stringers in the second quarter & most of his plays were runs. Navy just couldn’t stop Tech. They were awful. Johnson did a great job of turning them around & I’m glad he is at Tech.
By TechCrybaby
December 13, 2007 9:59 PM | Link to this
The way you sketched out Johnson’s biography for us, Furman, I can see Bobby Dodd in him. That, despite Ole Dodge’s having been a superstar at Tennessee, and Johnson’s lack of any collegiate play.
I justlikethese smart, yet personable, small-town Southern boys who know how to get it done. And Johnson, like Dodd, is one of those. He’ll win friends, and games.
By GTRobert
December 13, 2007 10:01 PM | Link to this
Mike Leach of Texas Tech never played college football. BYU grad, I believe.
By Blah
December 13, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
…blah, blah, blah… It’s VERY INSIGHTFUL that many of the seats in Jacksonville were occupied by Tech fans…you know disguised as EMPTY SEATS. Looks like a WORLD of interest in the ACC!!!!
By Reality BITES
December 13, 2007 10:13 PM | Link to this
IMO, Tech missed a great opportunity to just disband this perpetually underachieving football program. Having the FALCONS in town is bad enough. Why have TWO?
By NYJacket
December 13, 2007 10:19 PM | Link to this
Furman,
Dodd was from Galax, Virginia just a few miles north of Boone, NC. However, Dodd did have an outstanding college career at Tenn. as a single wing tailback. Come to think of it, the double wing set that PJ uses has some of the deception of the single wing. And, I’ll bet that there aren’t many defensive coaches in the game today that know how to stop the single wing.
By Agent Zero
December 13, 2007 10:24 PM | Link to this
My client, who shall remain unnamed at this point, is disillusioned at Arkansas and wonders if the Tech HC job is still available. If so, and if he/she is interested, Tech would not have to pay any moving expenses. Please call 555-ZERO.
By I agree
December 13, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this
BLAH,BLAH, BLAHHHH
By ga_tech_92
December 13, 2007 11:21 PM | Link to this
Nice write up on Coach Johnson, thanks :)
ping for Bisher
By Tech Forever
December 13, 2007 11:40 PM | Link to this
Well I knew a few nad sniffers would post over here.
Face it boys, Paul Johnson is THE ONE available coach none of you wanted Tech to hire. You know it, we know it, and most importantly your defensive staff already knows it and is preparing for it.
Don’t get caught lookin ahead to November 2008…..Hawaii will git-cha. What am I saying…..Hawaii is going to win the game anyway.
By 1990 Champ
December 13, 2007 11:43 PM | Link to this
Has anyone heard about the status of Tenuta? This is the biggest mystery of all. Everyone is hush hush about the subject.
By GT76
December 13, 2007 11:52 PM | Link to this
About Tenuta…I’m wondering the same but my guess is nothing will come out till after the new year.
By Keno
December 13, 2007 11:55 PM | Link to this
Another interesting & insightful article by Furman Bisher. You’re the best, and I go back to the days of your Sunday TV programs with the old coach Harry Mehre & Jesse Outlar. Those were great. Thanks for such wonderful work over the years. PS: Welcome to Tech Coach Johnson.
By Keno
December 14, 2007 12:01 AM | Link to this
How about John Bond. I’m curious about his status especially since he’s only been at Tech a year. I’m curious to know if his natural inclinations were repressed working under Chan Gailey’s command. Can he work in Johnson’s offensive schemes? I think the game in Boise will be very interesting.
By surfrider
December 14, 2007 2:47 AM | Link to this
Good article Furman. For some reason it use to seem the best coaches really were’nt the college or pro stars eventhough I’m sure there are some out there. I looke at Bill Walsh at San Fran and Billichik at New England and can’t remember any great playing days there eventhough they may have been some. More locally George O’leary was New Hampshire player I believe. Bobby Ross was what VMI. I’m excited about this coach as the best fit for Tech. The recruiting base is what starts it in the experience in Ga. and the national contacts at Navy. Then when one looks at the regiment of Navy Tech has to be a lot easier to bring players in comparison, eventhough still harder than most places. Then the offense of an option based, scoring machine. I’m not worried about not being able to pass the ball as that will come and will have to come. Just today was watching part of the Tech 1991 game with Ga. Bobby Ross had a 4th down and two yards to go at the Ga. 9 yard line and Tech was behind by 15-8. He went for it and Jimmy Lincoln made a great catch of a rollout pass by Shawn Jones. That’s the kind of offense that has been lacking at Tech really since the rout of Navy in 2001.
By Curt Moore
December 14, 2007 3:16 AM | Link to this
Furman Thanks for an insightful look at our new HC. Paul is the perfect “fit” for GT. Congrats to DR and the search committee. I’m already getting fired up for next fall.
By addicted
December 14, 2007 4:23 AM | Link to this
Great Job Mr. Bisher. You are indeed an oasis of wisdom in the AJC sportswriting ranks.
I am also extremely concerned about Tenuta. I think he has basically decided he will be going to bed with Les Miles. Whether Miles stays at LSU or goes to Mich. (Now thats a whole another wonderful discussion! The UM coaching search seems to quiet for them to not have already picked Miles).
I really hope CJT stays at least another year. His all out blitzing defense is gonna look even more spectacular now that his players will actually have some rest before going back to the field.
By Assistants
December 14, 2007 5:56 AM | Link to this
Has there been any news on the assistant coaches
By razorjacket
December 14, 2007 6:23 AM | Link to this
Yeah_Boy, GT does recruit 30o lb O-linemen, and does have solid division 1 talent. And, we can recruit more. I am sick of the attitude and excuse that GT can’t recruit athletes. It’s just wrong.
By GA Tech insider
December 14, 2007 6:49 AM | Link to this
1990 Champ; I know there are ongoing discussions with Jon Tenuta, Giff Smith and Brian Jean-Mary (LB Coach)…stay tuned.
By Tokyo Jacket
December 14, 2007 6:57 AM | Link to this
Razor, you’re right on. GT has had some pretty good linemen recruits the past couple of years. We’ve also had some other good recruits at other positions.
Gailey used to not be able to recruit, but seriously upcoached. Then, he could recruit, but not upcoach. I want a recruiter and a teacher, proven. Johnson is that guy. Tenuta is that guy too. Let’s see if we can keep Tenuta and get some great things going.
We are a program that has underachieved the past couple years.
By Clemman
December 14, 2007 6:59 AM | Link to this
Paul Johnson makes Steve Spurrier look humble. Good luck with those positive media relations your AD wanted.
By Tokyo Jacket
December 14, 2007 7:00 AM | Link to this
Insider, I hope you’re right. I’d love to see us give Tenuta the type of contract we gave the Fridge. Make him the highest paid coordinator in college football since we don’t have to spend money on an OC. Doesn’t that make sense when you want to keep a guy? It worked with Fridge for a few years of incredibly exciting football.
By UGA sugz
December 14, 2007 7:41 AM | Link to this
UGA -whine-whine-whine. Hawaii 56 UGA 3
By JR
December 14, 2007 7:44 AM | Link to this
Yes, Paul Johnson is a good man and a wonderful coach. Y’all down there in Ga are lucky to have him. I hope he and the team win a number of national championships. We with sons and daughters at Navy were sad to see him go, but wish him all the best.
Now, to names. The Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy are not called “Middies.” Not by themselves, not by the officers, teachers, administration or by anyone who has had the pleasure and distinct honor to get to know them, even a little. You may call them Midshipmen or Mids, but “Middies” is too cute and a little dismissive for these amazing young people who will, in a few short years, be serving our country. Some of them already have been in harm’s way. You just don’t call a formerly enlisted Marine with a purple heart a “Middie.”
Thank you, and go Jackets! JR, a Tarheel parent of a Mid
By GA Tech insider
December 14, 2007 8:08 AM | Link to this
Tokyo Jacket, it is being worked on, I just don’t know how it will come out. The ball is really in Tenuta’s court right now.
The coach I really feel for is John Bond. He came down last year as Tech’s Offensive Coordinator and was handcuffed by Chan Gailey…wasn’t allowed to run the show. He is a good man and has some good football coaching skills. He deserves better. I really hope GA Tech treats him right.
By braveswin
December 14, 2007 8:10 AM | Link to this
Even as a UGA fan I applaud Ga Tech on the hire of Coach Johnson.Liked him at Ga Southern, liked him at Navy,and I’ll like him at Tech.He will bring an exciting brand of football to the flats and Tech fans should be proud to have him.I have to admit I’ll (gulp) even pull for a PJ coached Tech team 11 times a year.It may or may not take a few years but this rivalry will get white hot again.I, for one am looking forward to it.
By GA Tech insider
December 14, 2007 8:33 AM | Link to this
braveswin, it is refreshing to see a UGA fan on a post that is not bashing GA Tech. I commend your maturity and look forward to your future comments.
By gt45
December 14, 2007 8:40 AM | Link to this
Does anyone know if Johnson has asked Tenuta to stay? If that is not the case, the point is probably mute. If he has, I would like to know if there is a website to offer support for Tenuta staying-a petition, if you will.
By GT99
December 14, 2007 8:48 AM | Link to this
Georgia Tech’s last score in the 70-7 game was a naked bootleg with 30 seconds left in the game. Yes, O’Leary ran it up.
By GA Tech insider
December 14, 2007 8:53 AM | Link to this
gt45, as I stated earlier in this blog, there are ongoing talks with Jon Tenuta, Giff Smith and Brian Jean-Mary (LB Coach).
Coach Tenuta is well aware that a vast majority of the Tech faithful want him to stay, and there are financial, and other, incentives to do so. The ball is now in his court.
By VR
December 14, 2007 8:54 AM | Link to this
CAN ANYONE AT AJC PIN DOWN JON TENUTA TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON, WE NEED HIM
By Staff
December 14, 2007 9:07 AM | Link to this
I would think most if not all of the offensive staff would be gone. As for the defensive staff, Tenuta and Smith are #1 priorities right now. I hope we can keep them around.
On a different subject, what is this I hear about possible transfers from some of our WR and/or TE’s? It is not like Gailey was slinging the ball around, they should be even more happy with the hire. I guarantee we throw the ball more now, and definitely score more points, I think that is a safe assumption.
By Jim 70
December 14, 2007 9:09 AM | Link to this
i believe Tenuta is the highest paid coordinator in the ACC - or was, not sure about Jimbo.
Great hire - I’ve been blogging about him for months. Also good comments thus far.
My concern is Paul being the OC - he has been successful thus far, but there is going to be a lot more on his plate than he had at Navy. Having a son graduate from there and play sports, the discipline is much tougher than any non-military school, especially in the academics. A few coaches in the past have overlooked this and gotten burnt. And that is the last thing we can afford.
I am sure nothing will be said about Tenuta and Bonds until after the bowl game - unless of coarse Tenuta gets a head coaching position. Even then at this late stage he could stay. As somebody pointed out, Navy’s offensive coaching staff would merge well with Tech’s defensive staff.
GO TECH! (and hopefully my son will forgive me for GT taking their coach)
By BB
December 14, 2007 9:34 AM | Link to this
Would have rather had Chris Hatcher and kept the kid from Arizona. Tech’s best qb recruit since I have been alive (a long time) and we hire a coach that we know the kid won’t want to play for. Hopefully Nesbitt can keep the fumbles under three a game next year.
By BuzzFactor
December 14, 2007 9:34 AM | Link to this
Nice Bio on Johnson. He’s a great fit.
I do hope Tenuta will stay, but as quiet as the whole situation has been, I supect he’ll jump ship, pardon the pun. But I do still have a tiny bit of hope left. As was stated in earlier blogs, the 3 offensive assistants rumored to be coming will be a big plus, and throw in some of our defensive coaches(hopefully Tenuta as well) and the Golden Tornado name might be brought back to life.
By Dr. Phil
December 14, 2007 9:53 AM | Link to this
From the volume of responses here, it appears that many readers are pleased to see something positive about sports. I hope this coach works out for Tech. Team sports at all levels are going to self destruct if there is not an infusion of character, particularly at the coaching level. Integrity has to start there, and maybe owners and college presidents would catch on. Players will go where the coaches lead them.
By fred
December 14, 2007 10:01 AM | Link to this
A great article by a great guy.
Programs of any type do not hinge on a coach or a recruit.The cemetaries are filled with folks who were, at one time, irreplaceable.
I live only a few miles from CPJ’s hometown here in the NC mountains.Johnson will build a solid, exciting program, surrounding himself with capable coaches and very good student-athletes.
Tech can attract these guys because we know we can. Anything less is an excuse.
Give ‘em hell, Jackets!!!
By GE
December 14, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this
I am not a Tech or Dawg fan but I have a prediction. Paul Johson will be gone in less than five years because he cannot beat Georgia. Academics will kill him unless Tech gets an Urban Studies major like Auburn. Great(better than good)football players are not necessarily great scholars. Just keeping it real.
By yellowblood
December 14, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this
I agree with Furman. Football at the Institute is fun again. Already Tickle Piles have taken on new enthusiasm and next fall should be exciting. I long for the day when we can all be in a good mood and Tickle Piles will be held in numerous places on campus and through out Atlanta.
By 40-Dan
December 14, 2007 10:17 AM | Link to this
GE, you’ve got to be kidding me. Academics at Tech will not provide a more difficult situation than he faced a Navy. Just remember, we played Reggie Ball for FOUR YEARS, and he’s as dumb as a sack of hammers.
By Buzz Belle
December 14, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this
Mr. Bisher - Thank you sir for your article. I am so excited about Coach Johnson! To Coach Johnson and your family - welcome to Ga. Tech! I am also concerned about Tentuta. If we could make him the highest paid assistant coach and let him keep the title assitant head coach, maybe that would be enough. After the Petrino fiasco, it might be that Tenuta may have second thoughts about the responsibilities head coaches have with the press and decides he is exactly where he wants to be (most coaches want the “head” coach job so I am assuming here). Tech Insider - thank you for you insights, it calms the nerves.
We have a bright future ahead of us -starting now. I think Coach Johnson will even get the recruiting fired up now! Go Jackets and THWG!
By GT Ticket Holder
December 14, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this
I have enjoyed reading your articles since my days at Tech in the 70’s Mr. Bisher. I still do.
Regarding the assistant coaches, the offensive coordinator at Navy was named head coach the morning after Paul Johnson was named HC at Tech. Their quarterbacks coach was named offensive coordinator. And their defensive coordinator is staying. All told most of the assistants (8 out of 11 I believe) are staying at Navy. That leaves the potential for a lot of Tech’s assistants to stay under PJ. There is a definite need to retain Tenuta and maybe even John Bond. Giff Smith and Brian Jean-Mary have both been reported as being interested in staying at Tech. That’s encouraging since they have both coached under PJ before. Giff Smith is responsible for Tech’s rise in recruiting over the last two years.
As a side note Tenuta apparently did not care for Gailey. So Gailey’s firing may be good news for him even though he wasn’t selected HC. We can’t make him the highest paid coordinator in college football since Jimbo Fisher now holds that title at $1M per year. LSU could outbid us for Tenuta’s services if so inclined.
Check out www.capitalonline.com for the Annapolis newspaper’s coverage of Navy football.
By Tech Forever
December 14, 2007 10:43 AM | Link to this
Hey BB,
Please stick to the Lifestyle Section. You appear to know very little about football. Renfree’s recruitment was based on a relationship with a coach….not GEORGIA TECH. With that in mind I wish him well. I would rather have kids who want to be at Tech.
Hey….I hear there’s some good coupons in the Home & Gardens Section too.
By Navy Fan
December 14, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this
Furman, nicely done. I am Navy grad and a native of Atlanta. I grew up going to TECH-GA games and love the rivalry. Like every other Navy fan, I have followed PJ in his time at Navy and can assure the Yellow Jacket fans that he will deliver. He doesn’t accept excuses from himself, his players, or his assistants. He’s very tough, but also a great motivator. Navy has no business competing with Notre Dame any year but PJ convinced Navy that they would win and they did. I see a little bit of Paul Bryant and Bobby Dodd in PJ. That’s strong praise, but sit back and watch. Paul Johnson will return GT to the glory days and GT will start beaing GA.
By GA Tech insider
December 14, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this
Mr. Bisher, I should mention that I fondly remember sitting at the Georgia Tech Athletic Association years ago, chatting with you, Coach Dodd, Al Cirado, and others about the golden years, and I am looking forward to reading more articles from you as Coach Johnson tries reclaim some of those glory years. Thanks for the memories.
By Vince Dooley
December 14, 2007 11:31 AM | Link to this
Hey, here’s an idea! Get the Falcons to hire Chan, Chan can hire Reggie Ball, and they can be reunited again! And since the Falcons are already in shambles, they won’t have to waste time destroying a program. I’m one smart dawggie!
By Buzz Belle
December 14, 2007 11:35 AM | Link to this
Ga Tech Insider - I’m so jealous of you! I have followed and loved Tech since I was about 10 years old and am now 52 - and I’m a mother to three BIG Tech fans - one who is in Iraq now the other two go to the games with me here. My son is hanging onto every line we write about Tech while overseas - and loves it!! Great blog guys - just get Yellowblood off of here for us! GO JACKETS and THWG!
By gt45
December 14, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this
Anybody know if Tenuta has any family, children, or ties that may make staying more attractive? I know in this day and time that it doesn’t matter to alot of guys, but it makes a difference to some.
By dawgone
December 14, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this
So you got the greatest coach available…at least now that’s one thing you won’t have to whine about when the Dogs whip your a* again Nov. 08.
By dawgone
December 14, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this
P.S. What’s the square root of 7 in a row, Nerds?
By GE
December 14, 2007 11:47 AM | Link to this
40-Dan
If you think that Tech can recruit the same quality athletes as Georgia and Auburn, you are dreaming. I believe that George O’Leary realized this and got penalized for trying to cut corners. What super athlete has gone to Navy other than Napolean Caldwell and David Robinson? Also what quality team did Navy beat with its scholar athletes other than Notre Dame(LOL).
Vandy instituted a joint degree program with Peabody College in Nashville in order to attract better athletes who could not cope with its academic program. It was good enough to beat Georgia last year between the hedges. They should have beat them this year also. Tech did not beat Georgia either year..did they?
I do not understand your reference to Reggie Ball. Are you saying that he was not intelligent enough to attend Tech? If so, how did he stay on campus for four years. The NCAA might be interested.
By GMan
December 14, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
I too would like to see Tenuta stay. Our prospects already look much brighter with Johnson on board. Everyone at my firm is now excited about Tech football, and many are committeed to buying season tickets for next year. Tech is now on the uptick and I can’t wait to see the glory brought back to the Flats. Dodd would be proud of the hire. I hate that Academy lost him, and that Tech’s gain is at its expense. Hopefully Navy can find a good up and coming man for that post. Why not Hatcher up there? If he’s as good as some say, he can use that as his springboard to another D-1 job, just like PJ did. Go jackets!
By JustMe
December 14, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
Reality BITES, dawgone, and other idiot ugay posters…..
First of all, you display your complete ignorance by saying that Tech has a losing football program? Since when has 11 seasons of winning records been considered a losing program?
Secondly, why do you jerks insist upon coming onto Tech blogs? The only possible explanation as to why you choose to spend your time and energy on here is either because you are concerned/worried about Tech, or you are jealous. Either way, I’m sure that the Tech nation would welcome you if you had some insight and were not so very rude….. otherwise, stay within your dog pin!!!!
By GA Tech insider
December 14, 2007 12:26 PM | Link to this
Buzz Belle, I was blessed to have had the chance to have spent time with Coach Dodd, and one of my fondest moments was spent chatting about some of the players he kept up with after they left the program. He instilled a sense of family with the players and it really gave him pleasure after he quit coaching to stay in touch with them.
My guess is that Coach Dodd would be very pleased with the hire and I am sure he would be proud of the sense of excitement it seems to be generating from most of the fans.
The best part of it is that I believe Coach Johnson will run a program the way Coach Dodd did. It will be a clean program that will have good kids working together as a team, pulling together with one goal.
They will play with honor and integrity, they will play smart, and they will play to win. They will win with grace and lose with dignity. Dan R. did a great job with this hire, and Tech fans should appreciate the hard work he put forth with his efforts.
I would also suggest that the current coaches receive accolades for continuing their efforts and working towards a win later this month. This is a trying time for them, and their families, and they are handling their duties like the professionals they are.
By GT1957
December 14, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this
BB Crawl back under your rock. 1 QB recruit does not a team make and where do you get that we hired a HC the young men won’t want to play for. You must be a mutt in disguise. Wake up PJ has had success at every level and there is no reason to believe it won’t continue at GT.
By GTBALTFAN
December 14, 2007 1:59 PM | Link to this
As a follow up to Buzz Bell and GA Tech Insider, I grew up in Atlanta, became a GT fan when I was about 6 or 7, and watched the GT games replayed every Sunday with Coach Dodd, Mr. Bisher, Coach Mehre and anothe AJC sports guy, Jesse Outlar.(This goes back to the mid 50’s. Furman, how old are you, anyway.) They would rerun most of the plays from saturday’s game in slow mo, showing blocking, tackling and running. Who, in our generation can forget the “belly series”, which, I’m guessing was similar to what we’ll be seeing next year.I also met Coach Dodd a couple of times when I was a kid. My father knew him from when my dad played football for the Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels.(Yes, Oglethorpe had a football team way back then.) I graduated from Tech in 1970 and moved to Maryland shortly thereafter. However I have remained a rabid Tech fan and try to get to 2-3 football games a year. GT has a great tradition and I think Coach Johnson will fit perfectly.(Living in MD has permitted me to follow his career at Navy. He will be great.) Hopefully, twenty years from now, we can all look back on 2007 as the year when GT began the move back to prominence in college football.Go Jackets, THWG and I could not agree with BUzz Bell more — sombody needs to put yellowblood out of his misery. PLEASE, AJC, ban that creep from posting.
By Buzz Belle
December 14, 2007 2:01 PM | Link to this
Insider - you are truly blessed! I do worry about the reminaing coaches and their families as this has to be gut wrneching for them. To GE - you asked what other super athlete has gone to Navy other than Caldwell and Robinson? Does the name Roger Staubach ring a bell or maybe he’s not quite in your time. As I recall he played for the Cowboys for the great Tom Landry (whose discipline sure could be used in both college and pros now), won a Heisman, went to Vietnam after playing for Navy, seems like a few Super bowl gigs in there too. Might want to check it out.
By Buzz Belle
December 14, 2007 2:07 PM | Link to this
and I forgot - THWG
By TechinItEasy
December 14, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this
GE-
Did you just compare recruiting at Navy to recruiting at Tech? I’ll just leave that one alone.
By Bob
December 14, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this
Congrats to the Jackets. As a Dawg fan I think you guys got a first class guy and I fully expect Tech to revive this rivalry. Also, as a fan of the United State Military Academy, I must confess I am glad to see P.J. leave Annapolis. Maybe the Black Knights will at least have a chance in the near future. Paul Johnson is a hell of a good football coach.
By Wes King
December 14, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this
Gotta keep Tenuta…..
By Dave In Tampa
December 14, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this
GT, Kudos for your new hire as head coach. As a Dawg fan I applaud the hire. We need to get our rivalry back on a national front the way it use to be. I grew up in L.A. (not lower Alabama)in the 70’s and remember watching the game out there.
I don’t want to sound like a jerk, but folks there is no reason for your stadium to be full of the opposing teams fans from here on out. Support your team, it will be a good one. I hope both teams always have zero to 2 losses when playing at the end of the year.
I do pull for Tech on every game except for one. Good luck in your Bowl game.
By StingerSplash
December 14, 2007 4:10 PM | Link to this
I think the timeline is a little off, Mr. Bisher. Didn’t Paul spend two years as OC at Navy before going to Georgia Southern? If he left after the 86 championship to go to Hawaii, those seven years would have taken him to 1993, leaving a gap of a couple years.
By Bobby Brown
December 14, 2007 6:01 PM | Link to this
I am very pleased with the Johnson Hire. Now if we can get him to return Tech to their solid gold helmets with all-white and black numbers at home, with the gold pants with the white stripe on the side borderd by two black stripes ~ we may be on our way back. You can even throw in the now out-lawed tear-away jerseys that Jimmy Thompson and George Volkert made famous in 1955-55.
Yes, I am an old time Tech fan that remembers the 50’s and 60’s era.
There is not any reason that Tech cannot return to the traditional nine and ten win teams of those periods. I honestly believe Paul Johnson will do what has to be done offensively to achieve that level again. I don’t believe he is a die-hard, run-only coach.
There is optimism from the old-line Tech fans over this hire. We are with you! Coach Johnson.
By GoFerTech
December 14, 2007 6:17 PM | Link to this
Great Blog and great article! I keep hearing about how Tech can’t compete in recruitment and yet we had a very competitive class last year. We need to build on that with a great coach. Hopefully coach Johnson will retain the leadership involved in recruiting to keep the momentum. Still some mixed feelings about Gailey’s going because we did see such improvement and a great quarterback prospect to boot. Anyway, water over the dam. I’m excited about Coach Johnson. Tech made a great hire! Go Tech!
By jay jarrell
December 14, 2007 7:09 PM | Link to this
Oooooohhhhhhrrrraaaaa,Thank you there is a God,The Helm looks good!Time to Annilate the Red Foe! ROLL WRECK!
By LongBeachJacket
December 14, 2007 8:06 PM | Link to this
Thanks, Furman, for another entertaining and encouraging article. Paul Johnson appears well-positioned to be very successful on The Flats. As with all great endeavors, it may not be a linear exercise but the trend will be positive. I expect us to be in contention for the ACC Championship at least into November every year. That’s the recipe to keeping the excitement level up. Early losses this year (that should have been Wins — UVA and MD) prevented it. Hope the Johnson era will be marked by more consistency and winning the ones we’re supposed to and getting a few we aren’t…that’s the ticket…
By CollegeFootball Trivia
December 15, 2007 2:30 AM | Link to this
Mike Leach at Texas Tech never played D-1 ball either.