AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > March > 31 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHere, there, everywhere at Rose Bowl Field
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Scattershooting from Tech’s fifth spring practice …
OL A.J. Smith, who has been working at G, left practice. Don’t know if he’s sick or injured. More later.
LB Shane Bowen, a projected starter, is out for the duration of spring practice after shoulder surgery. But he’s here today, in pads, working on the side with one of those can’t-miss red vests on.
RB Tyler Evans is out with a likely dislocated left shoulder, suffered Saturday. He’s working alongside Bowen, but with no shoulder pads.
A-back/PR Andrew Smith (illness) is back after missing all of last week.
Tony Clark working LB rather than DB, though there’s no way to be sure that will stay just from watching.
Jackets just finished a mini-scrimmage situation. Nesbitt and Jamaal Evans each broke long runs. Booker struggling with some footwork. Multiple players struggling with some pitches and catches. Nesbitt missed a wide-open receiver deep.
Now, in passing drills, defense working on dime. Current alignment: CBs: Word-Daniels and Butler; Ss White and Reese; dime backs: Tarrant and Burnett.
Nesbitt just connected waaaaay deep right with walk-on WR Kevin Cone (St. Pius) with Martin Frierson covering, and then deep left with freshman Tyler Melton on a very nice over-the-shoulder catch. Tarrant covering.
Booker just connected for 35 yards right to redshirt freshman walk-on WR R.B. Clyburn.
I’m curious … the talk about increasing mental toughness, is that standard for a new coach? Ever hear a coach say, “We’re tough enough; we’re just not fast enough or strong enough?”
This is definitely a mental thing, as Paul Johnson said last week. So how might one coach and his staff be better at coaching that than another?
Therein lies a question for which I don’t have an answer, like why are Atlanta’s streets so bad (they finally pave a street after finishing the sewer line on that street only to tear holes in it again within months), or why aren’t the traffic lights in this very big (and very fast-growing) metropolitan area timed?
My experience from coaching changes is they work more often to positive effect in the short-term. When covering the Falcons, I noted a big pickup in Jim Mora’s first year and it wasn’t because of big roster changes (Rod Coleman was the only significant pickup in 2004). It was new energy, and oh yeah, Michael Vick didn’t have a broken leg.
Random example: Look at Minnesota’s basketball team this year. The Gophers were horrible last season, just attrocious. Tubby Smith didn’t overhaul the roster, but he overhauled the attitude. And the Gophers won 20 (or more). He did the same thing years earlier at Georgia, and kept the Pitino verve alive at Kentucky before petering out. The key? For him, at least, cut bait and run at the right time (or a year or two too late from Kentucky).
Maybe I’m nuts, but Josh Nesbitt looks a bit leaner. Jonathan Dwyer does not. He’s a project, which is saying something. Skill is not the issue. It’s about intensity. My two cents: he needs to shed about 10-12 pounds.
Got some recruits out here today, same as Saturday. Don’t know names at this point. Might be able to find out later.
I wonder, too (and will ask), about the slotting of some positions. There are some guys working with the top OL units, like Jason Hill and David Brown, who did not make marks last summer or season while some others who did (most notably Clyde Yandell, and to a lesser degree Nick Claytor) are working with backup units.
Perhaps because both offensive line coaches are new, and there is no keen in-house first-hand knowledge of the players at those positions, the coaches just go on a combination of the obvious (like Gardner, Voss, Dunmon and Smith working high because they played a lot last year) and then a deferment to years (Hill and Brown are upperclassmen and Yandell/Claytor/Gilbert) are redshirt freshmen. Then, let players work it out.
I don’t care what kind of blocking scheme this runs, if I had to make a bet, I’d put Yandell’s name on the line if asked who might start or play a lot on the OL this year that last year did not. He had a good summer before redshirting. He moves well, has good size, etc.
More later.
I’m going to write for tomorrow morning about DEs, and a little bit about some philosophical changes in the D-line.
Matt
Comments
By Ted
March 31, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
Tony Clark is a great ST’s player, but can’t seem to find a permanent position on D. Seems like a perfect fit for a Rover. Why does Dwyer need to lose 10-12lbs? Does he look sluggish? Maybe Brown & Hill are a better fit for the new offense than the old one. I agree about Yandell. He’s gonna be pancaking people for the next 3-4 yrs.
By 3 Rivers jacket
March 31, 2008 4:58 PM | Link to this
thanks for the info. If Dwyer is voerwieght that is something that needs to be cured. I hope he is of the mind set that he will not get the ball 30 times a ame like Tashard did. The ball will be shared by several in the new scheme. it will work well as lonmg as everyone understands thier roles. Do you remember Tech having this many really good and esperienced d linemen. The up front guys whould be as good as any in football next year. i also think there is a lot of talent on the o line if they can adjust to thenew blocking scheme and they should. it is still football and not quite rocket science. There is raw talent at the DB position. Whether or not they can play is a question but Willie White and Morgan Burnett are athletes. Do you hear anything about Donley. Would love to see him on D and spotted on O. He is a play maker.
By GA Tech Insider
March 31, 2008 5:23 PM | Link to this
3 Rivers jacket, according to some recent reports, DJ has decided to transfer to Purdue University.
Purdue Link for DJ
I haven’t seen anything official from the University, or seen or heard anything official from the family, but think it is probably true.
By matt Winkeljohn
March 31, 2008 5:33 PM | Link to this
More news atop this blog, fresh from practice.
By Matt Winkeljohn
March 31, 2008 5:35 PM | Link to this
Lo and behold, Yandell has worked some reps at RT with the first unit.
Also, in the absence of A.J. Smith, and with Jason Hill limping, Gilbert has worked some at RG with the 1s.
Also, after making a nice catch down the seam, Austin Barrick came up limping. He seems to be back at it, though.
By RAMBLE ON!
March 31, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
Matt you have never lived or driven around the New England area, especially Boston.
Those are some bad roads. You don’t know how good we got it here.
I think the lights are timed, they need to be radared (if that’s a word).
By Matt Winkeljohn
March 31, 2008 5:51 PM | Link to this
Grew up in Ohio, driven in Boston, New York, Philly, Detroit (horrible). The roads in Atlanta are awful for a southern city. Awful. And it has nothing to do, or very little to do, with winter-driven potholes.
It’s about tearing crap up, and not repairing it properly. Or waiting forever to repair it. And when crossing west to east/or east to west through many parts of Midtown, the hump you hit when crossing the north/southbound roads is ridiculous. If you don’t slow down, you’ll rattle the wheels off your car.
As for the lights, if they’re timed, I’m Greg Oden.
Every day, I sit at a red light for a minute, it turns green and I see a green light one block ahead. But by the time I get there, it’s red. Over and over and over this happens, and not just on a few roads. Terrible.
I love Atlanta, although it’s grown too fast for my preference, but the roads and lights are awful. And we’re not so good about picking up trash and cutting weeds and so forth, either.
And where have property taxes skyrocketed like they have here in the past 12 years or so? Add on a meteoric uptick in water/sewer rates because of the federally-mandated improvements, tack on the effects of inflation in every sector (groceries for example), and then factor in gasoline prices, and hey, my wallet’s shrinking fast.
By surfrider
March 31, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the update. As for Donley and the others I’m sorry they have transferred or thinking about it. As time goes on they may wish they have stayed. There are a lot of misconceptions about option football. Ken Whisenhunt came in as a QB under Curry then eventually played H-back in the pros, and Curry had the option as part of his package. Peek could have fit in as an H-back type like Barrick and Cox and some others might. This offense will pass but how depends on many criteria. If you’re scoring 80 yard td runs who needs to pass every down, but if you’re being stuffed then air it out. As for the pro potential, the NFL does’nt like softies, one has to be tough. Pepper Rodgers ran the Wishbone at Tech before players really could throw the ball that well. Many of his players went on to have good/decent NFL careers if memory is not mistaken. Db’s…Don Bessileau (Dolphins), Lowe (Cowboys), Lb’s Sanford (Bills), Richardson (Falcons), Dl …Blanton ? , Simmons (Dolphins?), OL Kent Hill (Rams), others, Rb’s David Sims (Seattle), Eddie Lee Ivery (Packers), and get this the Wr’s had long careers could it be because they could block as well as catch …Robinson (Giants), Hill (Rams), Raible ? (Seattle)…
By surfrider
March 31, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the update. As for Donley and the others I’m sorry they have transferred or thinking about it. As time goes on they may wish they have stayed. There are a lot of misconceptions about option football. Ken Whisenhunt came in as a QB under Curry then eventually played H-back in the pros, and Curry had the option as part of his package. Peek could have fit in as an H-back type like Barrick and Cox and some others might. This offense will pass but how depends on many criteria. If you’re scoring 80 yard td runs who needs to pass every down, but if you’re being stuffed then air it out. As for the pro potential, the NFL does’nt like softies, one has to be tough. Pepper Rodgers ran the Wishbone at Tech before players really could throw the ball that well. Many of his players went on to have good/decent NFL careers if memory is not mistaken. Db’s…Don Bessileau (Dolphins), Lowe (Cowboys), Lb’s Sanford (Bills), Richardson (Falcons), Dl …Blanton ? , Simmons (Dolphins?), OL Kent Hill (Rams), others, Rb’s David Sims (Seattle), Eddie Lee Ivery (Packers), and get this the Wr’s had long careers could it be because they could block as well as catch …Robinson (Giants), Hill (Rams), Raible ? (Seattle)…
By GTFan
March 31, 2008 6:55 PM | Link to this
Matt, Three reasons why this coaching change will work: 1) We gained another Coach (Gailey Managed - PJ Coaches) 2) We gained a motivator (ditto - PJ Motivates) 3) We gained a coach who realizes that while all games are important, some are more important than others (Gailey was too professional for college ball)
By DawgFan
March 31, 2008 7:14 PM | Link to this
What’s this I hear about Jaybo Shaw getting srrested????
By m
March 31, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this
Hiring Chan Gailey was the second stupidest decision in Tech history. Keeping him for 6 LONG years was the absolute stupidest thing in history. Thank God we have a real college football coach now. And thank GOD AND GREYHOUND that GAILEY IS GONE FOREVER!! Hallleeeedamlooooyah!!
By Matt Winkeljohn
March 31, 2008 8:23 PM | Link to this
A couple things:
AJ Smith aggravated his right elbow. Don’t know the severity. Coach said he thinks Smith is fine.
Secondly, I don’t think Donley has made a decision to go to Purdue. And I read the link. I would be surprised if, when he makes a decision, it is to go to Purdue.
Matt
By quaildawg
March 31, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this
Since there seems to be a keen interest in the street conditions of Atlanta versus football on this site maybe I should go back to the Dawg site and see if Chip is discussing the possibilities of the Fair Tax program.
By jda
March 31, 2008 10:08 PM | Link to this
Matt
33jacket’s practice report #2 (3-27-08)as posted on several forums says “JD looks to be a rock, in great shape.” You think “…he needs to shed 10-12 pounds.” In the practice session today, was he playing A-back, or B-back?
A team’s mental and physical toughness are necessary if any new coach is to meet the “new standard” of filling the stadium seats, having consistent winning record seasons (and I don’t mean 7-5, 7-6, etc), conference championships, a possible national championship, and certainly, beating the most hated rival. From your reports, as well as those of Mike Knobler, Chris Boggs, 33jacket, and numerous other GT fans who have attended spring practices, Paul Johnson is exactly what GT needs at this time to meet the “new standard.”
Keep up the good work! It’s gratifying to see the ajc give more coverage to Tech practices than to Georgia.
By WPinAZ
April 1, 2008 2:27 AM | Link to this
Any word on Jason Peters, red shirt frosh from LA? Is he still with the team? Transfer? Whaa????
By GT4Ever
April 1, 2008 7:56 AM | Link to this
I don’t think DJ really knows where he’s going to end up. First it was USC, then rumors he’s back talking to CPJ and GT and now it’s Purdue. I guess we’ll see. As for JD, reports are to the contrary. He’s looks great. Chiseled and running hard. Nesbitt also has looked good in practice but still has issues with his reads. That will come. I’m excited and can’t wait until the opener. What about 150 days left?
By Moondogmange
April 1, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this
Matt, thanks for the updates. How is Dunmon looking in practice since he missed a few days at the beginning? Did I see that Robert Hall was still injured? Trying to keep up with the Hawkinsville boys.