AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September > 08 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USUpdating the injuries
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In case you’re wondering why it’s hard for coaches, players and fans to celebrate A Big Win for very long, blame the reality of Next Up. And that usually starts with injuries.
Linebacker Brad Jefferson, who sat out Saturday’s game along with Anthony Barnes, will not play in the Virginia Tech game, either, with an arm/wrist injury. Coach Paul Johnson said Jefferson will be out at least a couple weeks.
Barnes, Johnson said, will be a day-to-day decision with his shoulder injury for this week’s practices, which start this afternoon. Guard A.J. Smith, who missed the B.C. game because he was sick, is expected to return to practice. Smith would have rotated with the interior linemen had he been able to play, but since he wasn’t, every offensive lineman played every offensive snap, Johnson said.
Wide receiver Correy Earls, who missed the first two games with a hamstring pull, may return, also, but is also day-to-day.
Johnson said prior to the game that the onus was on the offensive line against Boston College, which has one of the best defensive lines in the country. Despite the win, Johnson wasn’t terribly impressed with the line’s play.
“We were awful on Saturday,” he said. “The first game, there was good and bad. We had some plays Saturday, but we weren’t very good. As bad as we were up front, it’s hard to do anything.”
Finally, in case you missed it, here’s Johnson on what the 14 votes in the Associated Press poll meant to him:
“Nothing. It really doesn’t. I guess that’s good that they acknowledged that we won on the road, but it really doesn’t mean anything. Those things take care of themselves.”
Permalink | Comments (24) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
Comments
By T-Bone
September 8, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
Win this weekend and we are on our way to a good season. Lose and we will simply be average. But even average is not bad with a new coach, new system, and a very young team.
By KC Kid
September 8, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this
The more of Johnson’s comments I read, the more I like him. No sugar coating with him. Straight shooter. If they stink, he’ll say they stink. Good things are in store for GT football. There’s good reason to believe GT may escape football mediocrity in the near future. Looking more and more like a great hire.
Go Jackets!
By inveniojacket
September 8, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this
WOW. It is so refreshing to have a coach that thinks we played AWFUL even though we won. It really shows that this guy is concerned about continued improvement and isn’t just happy with a “just-enough” attitude. Impressive things are in store for GT football in the years to come. I can see this as the beginning of our rise to becoming a perrenial NC contender.
GO JACKETS!!! THWG!!!
By RAMBLE ON!!!
September 8, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
Is it too early to give CPJ a raise?
By BobbyDodd
September 8, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
Coach Johnson Sucks and he will never win at Tech, with that high school Offense he runs!!!
By The Real Bobby Dodd
September 8, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this
Coach Johnson already won at Tech, BobbyDodd. So your argument has already been refuted.
By Rick James
September 8, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this
Coach Paul Johnson looks like the real deal, because well, he coaches… He stole 3 points in the first half, made all the necessary adjustments at halftime to erase a 3 turnover deficit, and managed the clock at the end of the game. None of these “WTF; run up the middle on 3rd and 15?!” moments that were oh so common a year ago.
In the end what’s most exciting is the potential of this team. With the offense really only clicking on a handful of plays against BC it is obvious this year is going to be a roller coaster ride. But once that light comes on and these freshman and sophomores are juniors and seniors hold on; Dwyer is capable of trumping “The Run” and Nesbitt has all the tools. National Championship? Agree to disagree…
By inveniojacket
September 8, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this
Well it would appear that his “high school offense” is winning games so far!
And get a new name loser…you disgrace a legend.
By Paddy
September 8, 2008 3:53 PM | Link to this
Bobby Dodd… You need to be able to prove you have seen a football game before you comment on a football game. As of now, you are on the outside hoping to get in. Contact us next year, good luck.
By surfrider
September 8, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this
What’s interesting internally is we only had 245 yards offense and had 3 turnovers yet still controlled the clock 26 minutes with poor offensive line play according to the coach. Throw in playing a year after year tough team BC on the road and you still win with two of your best linebackers out and erractic kicking until more experience in games and things are looking up. Personally, I still think we need to develop a little passing game of 15 to 25 a game if our completions are there. It does’nt do the team any good to throw 40 times a game if you have 20 to 25 incompletions as it puts more pressure on the defense with the clock. Now if we can just win this next one.
By The Real BobbyDodd
September 8, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this
O that’s right he beat Jax State and Boston College, four more wins against nobody teams and you guys will be playing on a blue turf again. HA HA Good luck with your mickey mouse offense. YOU GUYS SUCK. I have converted to the best program in the state…..I AM A DAWG!!! I’m embarrassed to have ever coached at Georgia Tech.
By The Real BobbyDodd
September 8, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this
I WISH I NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH TECH. GOD, I APOLOGIZE TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR BEING A LOSER MY WHOLE LIFE
By GT45
September 8, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
T-bone, I got to disagree with you, man. I kind of expect to win at VT, which is really wrong of me, in a way. But what has me thinking this is what we have seen so far-the tangibles and intans. There is plenty of football left to play, and, when compared to the last few years, there won’t be a single thing average about it!
By NY Jacket
September 8, 2008 4:58 PM | Link to this
Bobby Dodd,
Are you really “M”? And, now you want to start on Coach Johnson?
By NY Jacket
September 8, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this
When the players don’t quit:
When the clock has to be run down and no one (No One) comes even close to running out of bounds;
When every second of the clock is run down before a snap;
When adjustments are made on defense to stuff a pretty good team;
When a time out is used with seconds left in the half to try to upset the rhythm of a field goal kicker;
When the team pops an option to the outside to win the game;
That is real coaching.
Does execution need to be improved? You bet. Will this coaching staff make improvement weekly with a bunch of kids who believe they will win? You bet.
Will Beamer have VT working their tails off getting ready for GT? You bet.
Will VT take GT for granted? No way!!
By Vince Dooley
September 8, 2008 5:33 PM | Link to this
As a real DAWG, I apologize for the loser pretending to be Bobby Dodd. We’ve never had a coach at UGA who even deserved to sniff the real Bobby Dodd’s jock strap.
By CarolinaJacket
September 8, 2008 6:30 PM | Link to this
I realize that the o-line keeps getting put down badly, and it certainly is the weakest part of the team (not counting pk), but give the guys credit. They played the whole game against a gigantic dline. they may not be the most talented group but they sure have grit.
By Vero Beach Jacket
September 8, 2008 6:32 PM | Link to this
For what its worth…the opening line .has VT favored by 10. Not a bad bet…
Unfortunately, the books had GT had over/under of 5.5 games. I should have bet but I’ve never done that online before …I digress.
Nesbitt reminds me of W. Dantzler. I always appreciated that talent.
GO JACKETS.
By Larry Hartstein
September 8, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this
Couple of updates:
The Sept. 20 home game against Miss. St. will be at noon (on Raycom Sports) or 3:30 p.m. (on ABC). Of course, TV decides, and we’ll know by Sunday.
Practice update: Guard A.J. Smith was back after being sick last week. LB Anthony Barnes (shoulder) and WR Correy Earls (hamstring) did not practice.
By Max Sizemore
September 8, 2008 7:08 PM | Link to this
Went back and looked at the tape of Saturday’s game. I’m not sure anyone has mentioned the great block by Cox on the corner to spring Dwyer on the TD. Second, QB play was the difference in the game. Their guy was terrible. Thirdly, and most importantly, Tech isn’t really running the centerpiece of their offense, the triple option. Nebitt’s handing to the fullback on the dive — HE’S NOT READING ANYBODY. It’s all pre-determined. That can’t last, and Johnson knows it. Anyone who watched Navy against Bowling Green could see that Navy’s offense is so much quicker; Tech is almost standing still by comparison. Lastly, Tech is asking an awful lot of the weakside guard to reach-block the tackle in the A gap (while the center gets the LB).
By GT76
September 8, 2008 8:26 PM | Link to this
I know this is knit picking but regarding the “polls”….Tech received 14 “points”, not votes. If one writer put us 12th on his/her ballot we get 14 points. If 14 writers put us 25th we get 14 points.
If we could beat VT two years ago up there with the team we had and the team they had, we can sure as hell beat them this year with the team we have and the team they have. I would hope it will be a similar game to last week with our defense keeping them down. We will probably win if we avoid a kicking game snafu and keep them from playing Beamer ball.
GO HELL WITH GEORGIA!
By Larry Hartstein
September 8, 2008 9:48 PM | Link to this
Max - You are absolutely right about Cox; he also had a couple big blocks, almost open-field pancakes, in the opener.
GT76 - Point well taken (pun intended).
By GT Ninety
September 8, 2008 10:13 PM | Link to this
Line was BC +7. The odds and the great Phil Steel have VT +9. W/ our defense and their QB problems, I’ll take that bet all day long. Not that I bet…..
The big thing to note here is the loud crowd versus the lame atmosphere at BC. Our kids really have to concentrate this time around b/c we won’t be able to jump out to a 21-0 lead this time around. At least I don’t think so. Could happen the way our secondary is racking up INTS.
By WillieD
September 11, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this
Often those loud hostile crowds just fire our guys up - makes them want to put some silence in the seats.
Beamer Ball Defense is all about eleven guys running to the ball. Ole Bud will have to shift gears this week or we`ll break about a dozen bootlegs and/or neckid reverses.
Can you guys just imagine this team when we get that O humming like a Ferrari at LeMans, and that D is holding teams to 120 YPG TOTAL OFFENSE? [see second half BC game].
Better make them Tampa reservations.