AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > December > 31 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USJohnson pledges ‘fresh start’ with Jackets
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Boise, Idaho — For Georgia Tech football players, especially those who’ll return next season in search of prominence under a new coaching regime, Paul Johnson spent Monday inside the freezer that was Bronco Stadium as the invisible man, just the way he wanted it.
Like others, Calvin Booker responded to the news of Johnson’s presence with wide eyes after a valiant but futile comeback by the Yellow Jackets against Fresno State in the Humanitarian Bowl evolved into a 40-28 loss.
“No, I didn’t even know [Johnson] was there,” said Booker, Tech’s junior backup quarterback, whose brilliance down the stretch nearly helped the Jackets overcome the second of two 20-point deficits.
Johnson was there, all right. He really was, which caused raised eyebrows from freshman running back Jonathan Dwyer, another reason for Tech’s mighty spurt near the end. “This is news to me, because I didn’t know,” Dwyer said. “I’ve only seen him long enough [at Tech since his hire earlier this month] to say, ‘Hi.’ “
Booker. Dwyer. If you throw in a few nice moments from returning safety Morgan Burnett, wide receiver D.J. Donley and several other Tech players, the view was lovely for Johnson from the upper deck of the stadium. Above, you had an Idaho sky as blue as Boise State’s famous playing surface. Across the way, you had a rolling portion of the Rocky Mountains dressed with fresh snow. Below, you had the Tech team he was inheriting after the game doing all sorts of nice things.
Then crazy things.
Finally, there were a bunch of losing things for the Jackets under interim coach Jon Tenuta and his staff before some encouraging things from Booker, Dwyer and the rest. Through it all, Johnson braved the temperatures in the low 20s from his spot in the stands just like everybody else among the shivering 27,062.
Unlike everybody else, Johnson studied the action on the field more than he watched it, but only to a point.
“All of these guys will have a fresh start with me, and I’ll look at them and base my opinions on what I see in front of me,” said Johnson, taking a break at halftime, with Tech’s colors represented by his blue sweater and gold shirt under his heavy black coat. “I’m not going to go off what I’m seeing out there today. What I do want to see is guys compete.”
No problem for Johnson in the second half, when Booker delivered more than a few clutch plays while completing 7 of 15 passes for 116 yards and a spectacular touchdown. Then there was Dwyer, who relieved injured star Tashard Choice and carried 12 times for 62 yards and two touchdowns.
“I didn’t know who I was looking at — Jonathan Dwyer or Walter Payton or somebody,” said Booker, laughing, after resembling a pro star himself while improvising on a 20-yard pass to Donley between two defenders in the end zone. How about Montana to Rice?
There also was Burnett doing his Deion Sanders routine. Once, he flew out of nowhere on his freshman legs to knock away a pass that was destined for a Fresno State long gainer or worse.
Johnson would settle for a bunch of college guys who fit his system.
“For me, they’re going to find out that it’s all about the team. I’m more into the team than I’m into the individual,” said Johnson, owner of a 107-39 record after head coaching stints with Navy and Georgia Southern. “We’ll have plenty of opportunity over the next three or four months to have them show me what they can do. The big thing is, I just want to get our staff in and start to get our program installed.”
There was the meantime, when Johnson tried so hard to stay away from the Jackets through Monday’s game that he purposely didn’t fly into town until late Sunday night. He wanted those who remained from Chan Gailey’s regime to have their time. “That’s commendable, and it showed that he had enough respect for the coaches and our seniors to sit back and let us do what we were doing,” Booker said. “His time is here now, and we’re going to follow his program.”
Hopefully, for Tech’s sake, that program won’t lead back to this scenic but chilly setting. Translated: A better bowl.
Permalink | Comments (57) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech / ACC, Terence Moore
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By Jamal
December 31, 2007 8:35 PM | Link to this
26,000 fans….ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? No wonder we can’t get recruits to come!! We can’t ever get our own fans to come support us.
By Barry
December 31, 2007 8:41 PM | Link to this
Booker’s comments are representative of a very strong leader. I am certain he will get a shot to lead the team on the field next year. If others have the same attitude (Dwyer, Evans, Jones, Johnson, et al), we are already better with Johnson.
By Dean
December 31, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
Also, I assure that at large bowl BCS bowl bids will NEVER take place with support like that. Our fans are too busy being OBSESSED with ugay than to worry about supporting their own team and our problems!
By BumbleMumble
December 31, 2007 8:54 PM | Link to this
Wasn’t this fire and brimstone Tenuta guy supposed to light these guys up? What happened? Is he still going to LSU? Miles might rethink that.
By The Midtown Men's Club
December 31, 2007 8:57 PM | Link to this
Tech will always suck, but they do have a johnson now.
By stings to lose
December 31, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this
Hated the D today-where were they?
By Jack Sprat
December 31, 2007 9:13 PM | Link to this
Look at it this way there were 27,062 in attendance for the Ty-D-Bowl. That means that there were 62 nerd fans who made the trip to the land of Ore-Ida to support their tradition rich program in it’s continued dedication to mediocrity. That storied tradition of Yaller Jerkit football really intimidated Fresno State, just like it intimidated Utah, and West VA. Of course the calculus tests at half time, and the negative AJC newspaper articles contributed and let’s not forget the biased cheating officials and the weatherman who let it get cold. Why, with the Institutes storied tradition the team should have been invited to Miami for the Orange Bowl no matter what the record. I mean, after all, don’t those red necks from Fresno know that Heisman, Alexander, and Dodd coached at the Institute? They should have laid down and let the Nerds roll up a 50-0 victory. After all NATS has all this tradition and used to be a really good football program about 50 years ago. I just don’t understand why these upstart schools like Fresno, UGA, Wake, VTech, etc don’t show more respect for the tradition to say nothing of the calculus. Obviously the game was rigged, a Tenuta coached defense with his one trick pony scheme could never be torched for almost 500 yards by a nobody school from a nobody conference in a nobody bowl game. I demand a replay on a neutral field, preferably Grants Tomb in Atlanta.
By techie81
December 31, 2007 9:21 PM | Link to this
No one really goes to the H-Bowl, that would be insane. It is a TV bowl, pure and simple. It’s cold. It’s inaccessible. It’s blue turf. C’mon. Tech fans support the team fine. We just don’t have a GA fan base like UGA. Tech grads go the world over, UGA fans tend to work their asphalt laying jobs on local roads, making them available for Saturday beer parties at Samford Stadium.
By Jack
December 31, 2007 9:45 PM | Link to this
Uh, Techie81- what about the Gator Bowl and ACC champ. game last year? It had one of the lowest attended games in their history. Your argument doesn’t hold water!
By Honolulu Lulu
December 31, 2007 9:45 PM | Link to this
That nothing conference will hump the crotch sniffers tomorrow night. All hail the “Mighty Colt”.
By AlabamaRamblinwreck
December 31, 2007 9:50 PM | Link to this
Looked like the defense was much more stagnant and uninspired than normal. Maybe it was because they knew that Tenuta was gone no matter how they played.
Anyway, CPJ is here, and I am very excited. I know that the brand of football will be entertaining. I know the results may or may not be there early, but I am willing to give CPJ the time to get his players and his system working.
Go Jackets!!
By Chan got Canned
December 31, 2007 9:54 PM | Link to this
Tenuta … nice audition for a HC. Another embarrassing showing by Tech … At ease Tech Nation - Paul Johnson WILL “right the ship” and Tech will NOT play a bowl game west of the Mississippi as long as he is running the show. (If you couldn’t see that in his expressions as he watched this pathetic showing, you must be wanting UGA to win tomorrow.) Rest assured … this time next year Tech Nation will be celebrating New Year’s Eve BEFORE the Jackets take the field for their bowl game.
By 2 Big Techsticles
December 31, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this
Officially now, WELCOME PAUL. Take over TOMORROW! Thanks for all the cast off coaches and everything you’ve contributed as well as the senior class who finalized their careers today.
243 days til kickoff. Let’s Go Jackets!
By GT FAN
December 31, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this
Its a new year in couple hours and a new start at GT. Coach Johnson will change the history of GT FOOTBALL. I can’t wait. HAPPY NEW YEAR.
By 45Auto
December 31, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this
What we saw in the bowl game is the very reason Gailey needed to go. The team just was not tough enough to do what had to be done to win.
By in_id
December 31, 2007 11:08 PM | Link to this
What an ignorant group of posters- sure, only 27,062 attended, but the stadium only holds 30,000. Those there (I was) got to watch a great game in a great city- sorry that the smart rednecks lost.
By The Hanedizzle
December 31, 2007 11:43 PM | Link to this
I saw a bunch of crap today. No defense and T. Bennett had happy feet in the pocket and aims the ball instead of throws it. The first drive was money but that’s usually how it’s been for Tech lately. What we need is a real QB coach who will teach and enforce the fundamentals. AJ Suggs, Ball, and Bennett were all suspect players with very poor coaching. I’m pretty sure my son will understand the importance of footwork and follow through when making a pass. I was impressed with Booker but he needs work too. Hopefully with the new QB coach our QB’s can pass for more than a 49% completion rate…totally unacceptable…a QB that plays that poor for one full season should ask for the clipboard… 21 will be an All ACC player. Defense was brutal, 4 was a puss all day getting blocked every play. 1 is a gem…he’ll be gone in 2 years. 89 finally showed up which was nice. Not much else to say except we lost to Fresno State on a blue field somewhere in the west. ACC teams with 4 national championships shouldn’t be playing in these bowl games. If we can get a quarterback that can play well, we can get back to playing on New Years Day. I’m not fond of the Triple Option. This isn’t Navy or Air Force. In order to run this offense you have a lot of guys cut blocking at the line and down field. This isn’t going to help recruit the type of talent required to compete at the BCS level. We can win 8-9 games a year but well coached teams with talent will run the score up and then we have to fight to come back with a run first offense. If you can’t pass in the ACC you can’t play on New Year’s day or later. I think our AD made the right move by canning Gailey but our offense better have a draw for talented recruits or we will be losing the big games more than we win and the program will continue to struggle due to lacking support from alumni and former players….
By Grady
December 31, 2007 11:49 PM | Link to this
I like how all these people are posting about no support and Tech will always suck. I don’t blame anyone for not going to Boise. It’s not exactly the easiest to get to and right after Christmas, it’s expensive to fly. I also remember that it wasn’t long ago that Tech was killing other teams when we had a good coaching staff. We were a top 10 offense for a good 4 years. Recruits don’t care about how many fans show up, as long as the spotlight is on, and it is at least 3 times a year at Tech, they’ll come. UGA suffered through a stretch of five or so years that they sucked bad. Now look where they are. I’m dissappointed with the game today, but that falls a lot on the moron tenuta. Give the program a break.
By Buzz45
January 1, 2008 12:51 AM | Link to this
Hey Grady - “MORON” Tenuta? Yeah…sure.
Our D did not do well today, but Tenuta’s D is the only reason we didn’t have 9 losses each of the last several years. He will go get a $500,000 job, b/c people who actually know football value him highly.
Is he perfect? No. Has he done well, well enough that people like Les Miles and others in that stratosphere value him? YES. You show your ignorance when you insult him like that. Sad…for you.
By m
January 1, 2008 1:28 AM | Link to this
THANK GOD THAT THE GAILEY ERROR IS OVER. Gailey is and was the worst college football coach in history. Thank God he is gone. And all the other coaches should be gone too. We need a fresh start.
By Mark
January 1, 2008 1:33 AM | Link to this
Parity in college football gets better each year. This is the time of year where the playing field gets leveled. All the Fresno States of the world is asking for is a chance to show that they do indeed belong on the same field with the big boys. When the Bulldogs get the opportunity to play a bcs school, nine times out of ten it’s in their crib. Are the big conference to afraid to schedule home and homes with the mid majors? The answer is YES. What a bunch of money grabbing wussies you are.
By Ty
January 1, 2008 2:21 AM | Link to this
Okay, gang, it’s over and done…time to move on and start the Johnson era. I was surprised (and disappointed) in the D-play today. The only bright spot most of the year was quite dismal (I’m not sure the secondary ever did cover anyone).
Alas, it’s now all over and time to focus on the future. Fresh start, new system, and new attitude. I, for one, WILL be at the next Tech bowl game (and am assuming it will be on New Year’s Day) in 2009!!
By surfrider
January 1, 2008 2:59 AM | Link to this
Well it was commendable we made a comeback in the second half to make a game out of it but a lot welcome the change that is coming. It looked like the same in many of our losses to me…hard time covering a good passing team without a strong rush, the same running plays off left and right tackles and the same vertical passing plays (where we just don’t have the execution to complete the pass most of the time). I kept thinking of Ross’s offense of the pro set, the option, the draws, the screens, the short and long passes and the QB making plays. And then how Fridge took it to greatness. I’m looking forward to Johnsons offense and how that could set us up longer term for a better scoring machine with better passing opportunities that mean something. These players and staff have been through a lot and need appreciation.
By 1990 Champ
January 1, 2008 4:27 AM | Link to this
I agree w/ the comment that our players need to be apppreciated. Even though we lost, I saw a team that didn’t give up and battled until the end. What I also saw was a defense that didn’t have the benefit of their leader up in the press box to make adjustments. I expected a let down b/c the program is going through a major change and every single mind on that team was wondering. But they did not give up and the young guns showed alot of promise.
One more note: Bennett should ask for permission to be released and transfer for his senior season. Its apparent that he’s taken his last snap in gold and white. But thanks for your hard work and dedication Taylor. We appreciate every one of you. And good luck to you seniors.
By TDone
January 1, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this
I have no problems going to a bowl game west of the Mississippi, but it better be in Dallas, Pasadena, or Tempe.
I am not a Tech grad, but a loyal Tech fan. I attended 11 of our 13 games this year and had tickets for Miami, but did not go. I would go to Boise for a vacation, but not for this game.
Besides Gailey, I am glad that Tenuta is gone too. He was a blessing and a curse. If you live by the jump shot, you die by the jump shot. If you live by the blitz, you die by the blitz.
I look forward to the possibilities under Paul Johnson.
By hiveredtech
January 1, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this
The problem with Boise is the lack of major airlines going there. From where I live in Florida I can fly almost anywhere in the country for under $300-$400 on a 14-day advance…including ATL for $150. However, for Boise..and a 21-day advance…the tickets were $900 apiece! For a family of four that is $3,600 before you add in a few nights at a hotel, a rental car, and food. That takes you above $5,000 easy. I typically attend all GT bowl games…but this one is too remote to get to apparently. btw…unfortunately the Emerald Bowl in San Jose also sports pricey airfare into the surrounding airports. LA is cheap to get to…just something about the northwest I suppose.
By GT80
January 1, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
Bad ending to a bad era for Tech football. Thanks to TMoore for putting a positive spin on things, even if his usual hyperbole was over the top.
We can put this all behind us and look forward to next season starting today when Coach J announces his new staff.
By WFC
January 1, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this
I appreciate the effort given by the GT players to come back and make a game of it. Given the circumstances, that was difficult.
It was obvious that having Tenuta on the sidelines as head coach hurt our defense… but so it goes. The Jackets have a good talent base and should be OK next year. Does anyone out there realize how difficult it is to do what Booker did?
It’s time to move on and we will.
By Phildo
January 1, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this
Out like the losers they are. Johnson’s got a huge task ahead of him to shape up this bunch of quitters. Good luck to him.
By Alabama Jack
January 1, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
Damn. If Terrence was in Boise, why didn’t someone swipe his return ticket.
By firechangailey.com
January 1, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this
Jamal-
The cheapest airfare Atlanta to Boise was $800 and that was right when announced. It was quickly escalated to $1400.
As much as I wanted to be there that’s just too much on a plane ticket during the holidays. We need to earn bowl games closer to home where someone can actually drive or fly cheaply.
By UGa Fan
January 1, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
Lighten up Ga fans…I wouldn’t travel to Boise to watch us in a bowl game either. This bowl will never have a sellout, even if Boise St. plays in it. This bowl game loss means very little. I liked Gailey personally but Johnson will win at Tech and he will beat Georgia, it’s inevitable. It’s also inevitable that Johnson will NOT attract top offensive recruits and that Tech fans will tire at the play calling, much like Clemson towards Hatfield. Tech fans will like the change years 1-5, but will have a delemma: fire Johnson and start again, or accept Johnson’s philosophy and the occasional 9 or 10 win season.
By Tech fan in Boise
January 1, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
I was in Boise, at the 50 yard line in the first row. Was sitting right behind the Tech bench. The players in the first half had no enthusiasm. It was obvious that they didn’t care and it showed in their play. The team did show some fire after Tech came back, so there must have been a good halftime speech. But the game was lost in the first half by a coaching staff that failed to motivate the team. Looking forward to the new regime. Am thinking that it can’t be any worse.
By Golf-1
January 1, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
O.K.T.M. and Corso, When is the blow out going to start? I thought Tech did pretty good considering that they played without their best back Tech dont suck,but t.m. and corso do They both need a new life
By DawgBite
January 1, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
Just how many shots of cheap liquor did Chan Got Canned throw down before his completely delusional post. Tech will always be second rate and third tier. With God as coach you will do no better than Boise or the Emerald Nut Bowl.
By Profit
January 1, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
Hey mutties, Tech has more National Championships then the ugay collective has IQ points. This is good, because it will come as such a shock to ugay when tech wins another National Title, while UGAY tries to lie and cheat its way into only its second. Remember mutts, tech will always block your path to glory, keeping you in your second place hole here in Ga.
By ga_tech_92
January 1, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
First and foremost, I want to send out congratulations to Fresno. They were the better team and deserved to win. Second, yes, UGA has a lot more fans than GT does…the school is almost three times as large and is ‘the big state school’, where as GT is ‘the little specialty institute’. It is what it is, it’s not anyone’s fault. GT alumnus donated more than any other alumni fan base in the top fifty public schools, so it’s not lack of support for the school. GT fans for the most part are fine, as are UGA ones. Nothing to see here. Thirdly, I’m very excited for the future. Johnson is going to change the character of this team for the better. There are a lot of fine Tech men on this football team. Coach Johnson will get more out of them than they ever knew they had. If you don’t have your season tickets yet, go get them and be a FANatic!
Go Jackets!
By Buckheadbill
January 1, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this
It is very funny when Tech “fans” talk about academics. If you would get over that mistaken belief that you have that you’re superior, I could tolerate your crap a little more.
By Roy K
January 1, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this
I remember a conversation I had with Bobby Bowden a few years ago when UGa was humbled under Donnan’s regime of underachievement - and Mark Richt had just announced leaving FSU. It is about expectations for a program - everyone has them and some are realistic and some are not. At that time, when the season began at FSU, fans looked for a run at the National Championship. Look now at FSU. UGa fans have been fortunate to get a coach like Richt - so don’t keep blowing out the bs about how great your school is. Your are one coach away from the mediocrity of Donnan. I remember the suicide hotline overloads of just a few seasons back for UGa fans. For any school, you are always one season/one coach away from mediocrity. Remember that, and it will keep you humble.
By College Football Fan
January 1, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this
Today is the first day of the Georgia Tech Paul Johnson error.
By Dante21
January 1, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this
Wasn’t that long ago there was a half-empty Braves stadium………..the setting for muttville against a Big 10 opponent in the Peach Bowl. 70 miles away and the storied mutt fans stayed away by the tens-of-thousands”
Leave it to a “dumb-a*” mutt to dig his own grave.
By T-man
January 1, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
Tenuta who? Well I guess that will put to rest the notion that he should have been the HC of the Jackets? Regardless of the fact that the D might have suffered due to his having to be on the sidelines instead of his normal location in the booth is a weak excuse for that poor performance. Give Fresno St. credit though. They had a great game plan and the players to execute it. Typically, Tech’s offense looked dis-jointed and ill prepared. Where the D was is a mystery? Based on their reputation and the time to prepare, JT and the boys blew it. It’s a sad farewell from a coach who did so much for the program. Yeah, I know he and the team were disappointed in the outcome but no more so than us long suffering fans. There was a time when Tech’s W-L bowl record was something to brag about. It doesn’t mean much to go on and on about consecutive bowl appearances if you don’t win more than you lose, especially against inferior opponents. We’re now 5-6 over that much talked about 11 straight bowl stretch, 2-4 of that during the Gailey regime. Coupled with a 3-8 record against Dog U during the same period, has left little to get excited about. No wonder Dawg fans and others take shots at us. Would’ve, could’ve, and should’ve ain’t going to cut it. If Tech is to regain respectability and start filling up Bobby Dodd on a regular basis then it’s got to start by making every game mean something and yes, even the Humanitarian Bowl! Coach Johnson and his staff have a difficult task, none more so than reinstalling a wining attitude. On a positive note, CJ was in attendance yesterday and got to see that his task won’t be an impossible one. With players like Nesbitt, Booker, Dwyer, Burnette, and Donely returning, GT football has the potential to be very good again, even sooner than our detractors think… GO JACKETS!!!
By XXXX
January 1, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this
Since Fresno State is the bulldogs I think UGA should change their name to the twits or maybe the Dawgsqeeze. UGA would never have played this game anywhere other than in their own pasture. Tonight UGA is basically playing on their own field again. MIDTOWN MEN’s CLUB: Is this a f* organization? JACK SPRAT: Grant is not buried in Atlanta.
By JustMe
January 1, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
The comments from the first few posers are obviously ugay fans.
A football team is not measured by the number of fans. Recruits don’t make decisions on where to attend college based on number of fans. Any idiot knows that, but ugay people aren’t just any idiots. They think that stadium size, number of fans, etc. make a football team.
I do agree that bowls should not be allowed to ‘pick’ teams when they have conference affiliations. They should be required to select the next highest ranked team available, period. After all, bowl games are supposed to be rewards for the season’s work, right? IMHO, this should be an NCAA rule - in the meantime, the ACC should require this of all of their bowl affiliations. Otherwise, better teams (Wake, etc.) will slip down to lower bowls in favor of lesser teams (Maryland, etc.) that do have more fans and therefore more $$$ for the bowls. This shouldn’t be about money - otherwise they would allow players to be paid, right?
By John from Baltimore
January 1, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this
Take it from me, a Navy fan. You are very lucky to have gotten Coach Johnson. Within 3 years, your Yellowjackets (if that’s how you spell it) will be nationally ranked and competing for the ACC championship; in 4 to 6 years you’ll be competing for a National Championship. Johnson is good, real good.
By Dean
January 1, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
Like I said, until you “fans” can get over this OBSESSION with the other state team…..
By BugSprayer
January 1, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this
When the bowl announcements were made, we thought that Boise got the vacation and we got the better team to play. Turns out that Boise got the better team to play and we got the vacation (in Boise!) ROTFL at the post that mentioned the Bugs are 0 and 9 against Bulldogs.
By Chris
January 1, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this
Hey Jamal, were you at the game? If not, then stay quiet about the fans not showing up. Do you know how far away Boise is? Sorry mate, I just couldn’t get the time off work to fly across the damn country to watch Tech play. I was, however, at every home game. Were you?
By Thanks for the wipes...
January 1, 2008 5:46 PM | Link to this
Nothing like printing off T. Moore articles on toilet paper and using them to wipe my a$$.
By Joey
January 1, 2008 5:58 PM | Link to this
Hey mutts- get off the blog! At least we have been to more BCS bowls!
By mr nice
January 1, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this
Tech Players: If you like to catch or throw the football, then consider becomming part of the Hatch Attack in Statesboro!!!! Otherwise , practice your cut blocking.
By gtne80
January 1, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this
The ACC - Boise Bowl tie-in must go. It’s a terrible tie-in for all of the reasons already listed (cost-prohibitive airfares, limited flights, not an attractive location for most fans). I dare say that ANY team east of the Mississippi would have a hard time attracting a significantly larger following. If Boise wants a bowl, they need to tie in with the Mountain West, the WAC and the PAC10 to come up with 2 teams.
I’d pony up money to fly to San Francisco, San Diego, or Las Vegas around this time of year but that’s because there are other things in those destinations that are attractive for a tourist. Consequently, they all have bigger airports, more flights and cheaper airfares.
I agree with the earlier post about the ACC needing to be more assertive about holding the bowls that they are tied in with to the order of finish. No way that Maryland (6-7, 3-5) should have gotten location preference over GT (7-5, 4-4). The ACC officials have no stones.
I was disappointed that the team didn’t come out with more fire. Tenuta impressed no one with his head coaching audition. He’s a good DC, but he should have made more out of this opportunity. I remember when O’Leary left. Mac McWhorter who was “interim” head coach had the team playing sky high and loose. Coach T’s reputation will earn him a job somewhere, but he didn’t help himself with that effort yesterday.
By Roy K
January 1, 2008 6:53 PM | Link to this
gtne80 - good comments. I threw my bowl order form away, knowing I wouldn’t go west to snow country. And yes, if the Gator and the Chick-fil-a Bowl can get it right, the other bowls should, too. I don’t think Tenuta had much to gain by the work - I appreciated the look at the other players. Tenuta is still appreciated as his side of the ballgame kept the other side in many times. And I am looking forward to the Johnson era. Maybe he can make us competitive vs UGA. When you lose that game at home, that bites. And I do root for Mark Richt, a damn fine man and coach, regardless of where he is.
By Jack Sprat
January 1, 2008 7:26 PM | Link to this
OK XXXX, you have fooled me. I could swear that Grant is buried at the Institute’s football stadium. That place is usually a quiet as a mausoleum on Saturday afternoons unless Clemson, Auburn, or UGA come to town and bring enough fans to fill up that pitiful little stadium. The nerd herd should have felt like the TY-D-BOWL was a home game with a crowd of less than 28,000. I guess the Fresno red must have thrown them off their “traditional” great game. But when I stop and think about things I should have realized that the real Grant’s Tomb draws lots more visitors than NATS football park, after all Grant was a less mediocre president than the Institute is a sports powerhouse.
By xmann
January 1, 2008 7:31 PM | Link to this
why do uneducated football fans keep commenting about the triple option? Coach Johnson only ran that offense because of the school and the players he had, he is not going to run the triple option at GT. come on use your heads he is going to have better atheletes than he had at Navy& Ga. Southern.
By chibuzz
January 1, 2008 8:11 PM | Link to this
Hey Dean - are you really Chan?? Obessessed about UGAY?? You don’t get it. College football is all about being obsessed with the rivalaries. It is all about the emotion around the game. That’s what separates college from the pros. Ask anyone from Ohio State about Michigan or Washington about Washington State.
Being passionate about our team and about beating UGA is not the problem. Not understanding the difference between the mechanics of football and the emotion of the college game was Chan’s problem and apparently yours.
By mowreck
January 1, 2008 9:51 PM | Link to this
xmann, you don’t know for sure WHAT offense coach Johnson is gonna run. It might be the triple option. Did you watch our bowl game. We would probably have a hard time matching up even with Ga Southern. Personally I am looking forward to the triple option, IF he has someone who can throw the ball as well. Everyone is talking about Josh Nesbitt being the QB next year … I kinda like Jaybo Shaw’s chances IF he does run that triple option.