By ArkyTech

September 16, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this

Big 10. Easy W’s, and for some reason even the media will be impressed!

By DogStuckAtUM

September 16, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this

GT’s SEC schedule doesn’t start until 2009…Mississippi State plays like a Sun Belt team.

Fire Croom! Fire McCorvey!

By Phildo

September 16, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

Forget this article. The real article today is Paul Johnson calling the TV announcers morons. Man, am I starting to like this guy. He could not be more right. TV announcers are usually nothing but self-centered egotists (yeah, I know that’s redundant). I often find myself having to watch a game with the volume on mute because of these jerks. Way to go, Johnson!

By Chris

September 16, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this

PUT TENNESSEE ON THE SCHEDULE!!!!!!

By mike

September 16, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this

PJ needs some polishing. But, come to think about it he is right where he needs to be. Why should he care what a tv announcer says. Is he that thin-skinned. You would think he would have enough to do other that watch the replay of the game and listen to the freaking announcers. How about game film. maybe he just wanted to see himself in those geeky shades. You cannot make chicken salad out of chicken _ _ _ _

By gtforever

September 16, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this

I like the idea of playing all SEC teams for my non conference games. There should be NO more Gardner Web, J States, or any crap like that. We need to play legitimate D1 teams, let the Big 10 schools play the App States. The better quality teams the better quality team we will have. Chris, I think the Jackets would fare quit well playing the Volunteers. Bring it ON! As a long time GT fan, I dream of maybe someday getting back into the SEC, I know its a dream, but I still insist that GT football went down hill ever since we left the conference.

By The Legacyx4

September 16, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

Paul Johnson is a badass. Plain and simple. He’ll call you out in front of everyone and just watch you get ridiculed.

By RAMBLE ON!!!

September 16, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

Maybe he’s had to endure Keith Olberman and Chris Collingsworth like we did/do, and that was the straw the broke the camels back.

Plus, moron is not as harsh as idiot which is what he probably wanted to say.

2016 Paul Johnson for President!!!! I want at least 8 years on the flats from him first.

By RAMBLE ON!!!

September 16, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this

gtforever, you’re right. We should have never left.

By Jack G

September 16, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this

I like PJ, but he needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut.

TV anouncers are not morons, and disagreeing with a bad call is what they do.

I didn’t think it was a particular great call but i understand that PJ knows a hell of a lot more about football and his team than i do. Aint hindsight wonderful.

S having said that, PJ just shut up and coach.

By whowont

September 16, 2008 10:35 AM | Link to this

gtforever - that’s asinine, what about our team’s depth makes you think that is a good idea? Next year, we go on the road to Miss. St. and Vandy so you’ll complain about only having 6 home games. What about the SEC schedules makes you think that we’d have legitimate D1 teams if we re-joined? They schedule more patsies than anyone.

It will be interesting to see how our offense works against a strong defense 3 weeks in a row.

Next year, we get to go to Nashville which is a fun town. Vandy is on the upswing, so that’s interesting enough for me game.

Ole Miss… The grove. More than interesting.

Bama. Definitely, especially w/ the talent Saban has been bringing in.

I love playing Auburn and Columbia should be a short road trip.

Syracuse and Pitt are the only two that don’t really do it for me.

Overall, I have no problem with Tech’s opponents. ND the last 2 years and Auburn before that. Not too shabby.

By ga_tech_92

September 16, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

Jack, “PJ just shut up and coach” is the sort of thing Chan would do. PJ is not that vanilla Politically Correct dude..>THANK GOD< PC is what’s wrong with this country. CPJ and telling it like you really think, is what’s missing in the world. The appeal of CPJ is he is hard nosed and will not sugar coat it for you or anyone else…what a concept…telling someone what you really think…it’s almost unheard of anymore…pathetic. We all walk around on egg shells, trying not to ‘offend’ anyone…to the point where now we can barely have a productive conversation. If you can’t say what you really mean, then you can’t have a truely productive conversation.

PJ says what he thinks, as best I can tell, and I respect the HELL out of him for it.

LET”S GO JACKET!

By ji

September 16, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

the sec is overrated; auburn is not good, tenn got beat by a bad ucla team, both miss schools are bad; just wait until the season is over and the sec will see. sc, vandy, ky???

By bb

September 16, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this

Mike,

I would be willing to bet that PJ doesn’t care what the TV announcers think. He only made the remark because he was asked/questioned about that specific play in the press conference. I think it is the perfect response to the ‘second-guessing’, ‘arm-chair quarterbacking’ media. If the people asking those questions had any clue about football they would be sitting on the other side of the table answering moronic questions from the media, instead of asking them.

By jabster

September 16, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this

Look who’s #3 in the country in scheduling BCS teams for their OOC games over the last 10 years…behind Half @$$ U and the Rubbers…

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=formidable/080905

Also note that the ACC schedules more BCS teams for OOC games than any other BCS conference.

By BullDawg Rick

September 16, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this

Granted the “West Dawgs” are not the UGA Dawgs… Tech had better strap it on vs MSU. They are very physical and you’ll know you’ve been in a dawgfight when the clock strikes 00:00 in the 4th 1/4…

That being said, I believe it has to be “tongue in cheek” when some on this blog says UGA & the SEC are overrated…

Has UGA Yech beated UGA this century???
It’ll be 8 in a row this November!!

As for CPJ saying the announcers are morons… PJ is stating the obvious. More coaches want/need to call the “arm chair QB’s” out. Good for him to do so. He will have Tech playing as a Top 15 - 20 team in 2 - 3 years. You found a diamond in the rough with him…

By GT45

September 16, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this

Scheduling Div I out of conference games=more tv=more esposure=beter athletes. Bring a west coast team in. That will be broadcast across the country. As for CPJ’s comment about the announcers, he is like Palin-ain’t here to make friends with the media, just to do his job. He does it his way, and that is how he gets paid. Obviously, he has confidence in his O to do the job. Doesn’t that send a helluva a message to them? That game was the best “loss” I’ve watched from Tech in a long time. I’ll take comfort in that! Go Jackets-

By GT45

September 16, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this

Please excuse all the misspelled words-too big a hurry-

By Ramblin Wrecker

September 16, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

I like the nonconf schedule that GT has in the future. Keep it competitive is what I say. In fact, give USC a call and let’s see them defend the option based spread. I’m not saying GT would win, but let’s see how good USC is against an unconventional offense. No reason for GT to duck anybody. I say adopt the Fresno State mantra of “anybody, anyplace, anytime!!”

As for PJ’s critique of TV announcers, he’s right. Why punt in that situation? There is less than 3 minutes left, and from where GT was on the field a punt is not going to put VT in a dangerous field position to force them into ultra conservative play calling. Not to mention the fact that VT wasn’t going to turn around and hand the ball off 3 times, they would have had Tyrod keep it and that’s what GT couldn’t stop in the first place, so how would they have defended it better then? The only real option is to try to win the game at that point, since there was no guarantee that GT would get the ball back. And as for going for 2, once again PJ is right. You’ve just scored to make it 17-15. For all those TV announcers who are math majors, that means GT could win the game with a field goal if the 2pt conversion failed. But kicking a PAT doesn’t improve your position whatsoever, but getting the 2pt conversion ties the game and doesn’t allow VT to just squat on the ball, they would have to try to score and if not for a poor 15 yard helmet to helmet penalty, VT would have had to punt away giving GT a chance to move the ball for a go ahead field goal or TD. TV announcers are so programmed to criticize that they rarely slow down long enough to do the math and figure out what actually is the right move.

By Jack G

September 16, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this

GT 92 Armchair quaterbacking is a time honored institution.(i’m Sure that you do a little of it also. The TV anouncers disagreed with his call and they didnt say that PJ was stupid or a Moron. PJ’s response was thin skinned and out of line. PJ resorted to name calling as if the anouncers were his players.

By Jack G

September 16, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this

GT 92 Also i am not a PC person—-i pretty much say what i think but i dont call PC aholes, aholes even when i think it

By RougeHen

September 16, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

We should schedule Southern Cal.

By mowreck

September 16, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this

Bring on them Vols … since my daughter went to school there. I just try to make sure her son (my grandson) has more Ga. Tech stuff in his closet than Tenn. stuff. HeHeHe. GOOOOOOO JACKETS!

By RAMBLE ON!!!

September 16, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this

BullDawg Rick, it will be sooner than you think. Some folks are beginning to take notice.

Miss St. can’t score, period. Auburn has a good defense, but I’m not ready to say it’s better than GT, especially up front.

The only scores, if they do, will be from their defense.

Hopefully, no fumbles this week.

Clempson, UNC, and UGAg are the only concerns left on the schedule…maybe FSU. I see us winning at least two of those. That’s being conservative.

By reebok

September 16, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this

Regarding scheduling, remember that Tech was supposed to play Army this year and Army backed out…I don’t like having 2 Divisio 1-AA schools in one season, but we were stuck.

Teams tech should try to schedule…Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. Keep playing SEC schools if you ever expect to get to SEC caliber. IMHO, of course.

By Born2Buzz

September 16, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this

I like the idea of a rotation of the old SEC rivals, Bama, UT, SC, Auburn, even FLA. But there is a reason to have one cupcake on the schedule every year. We have VT, Clemson & Miami on the schedule every year and when you draw FSU & BC the same year that’s a tough conference schedule. Hell, even Carolina might be good. Add UGA and another SEC team and that’s a helluva schedule.

And BTW, for all you folks saying we should never have left the SEC, well in hindsight of course that is right. But at the time we were the national power bringing in the most bowl revenue in the conference. Coach Dodd thought we should be like Notre Dame and be able to keep all of that money for ourselves. One of the few things Coach Dodd was wrong about.

Oh well, the ACC is still a solid power conference and serves TECH well in all sports, not just football.

By NY Jacket

September 16, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this

Toughen up the schedule. Take the Fresno State approach - play anyone anywhere!

Glad to see us pick up Alambama again.

Maybe DRad can get LSU on the schedule?

If we want the ACC to get more respect we have to stop playing cupcakes.

And, playing the best will help recruiting and attendance.

By Mike

September 16, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

I like the idea of beating (er, I mean playing) the Big Ten schools. They are cannon fodder for Johnson’s offense, with our speed compared to theirs, and it would make more of a national impression.

UGa is a regional power, it would be nice for Tech to become a national power under CPJ.

By AlabamaRamblinwreck

September 16, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this

I agree with the comment that we should attempt to add some Big 10 schools to our OOC schedule. They are very slow, and if we beat them, the national press will think we really did something. (LOL)

Bring Penn St., Purdue or Wisconsin down here. They do play smash-mouth, but the quicker, Southern teams usually win out in these type of matchups.

GO JACKETS!!

By the other dogs

September 16, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this

MSU 10 GT 6

By I-DOG

September 16, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this

tech is farther along than I thought they would be at this time of the year. They are going to be a tough opponent for each team on their schedule.

I still think Georgia wins again this year, but if I were a tech fan… I would certainly like what I’m seeing from your new coach.

By jabster

September 16, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this

Avoid scheduling D-1AA schools, period. If you absolutely have to, stick to the SoCon, and no more than 1 per season. Man up and put Ga. Southern on.

If you want cupcakes, raid the non-BCS D-1A conferences, preferably C-USA. Maybe bring O’Leary back with UCF (although no one in the GTAA wants that game), or play a “geek bowl” with Rice—we have 2 home-and-homes (4 games) with Tulane coming up-not to mention that GT-Tulane was popular when both were in the SEC and later as independents. Stay away from the MAC and Sun Belt (except Troy and MTSU).

Now to the meat: NEVER be afraid to play a good team. I’d like to see us add Tennessee and Florida, two long-running SEC series. I’d like to see us play a home-and-home SEC rotation of Auburn, Bama, UT, South Carolina, Vandy, and Florida. We should have AT LEAST one SEC team on the sked every year besides UGA.

Don’t play anyone in the Mountain or Pacific time zone unless it’s a choice opponent like a Southern Cal.

Avoid Big East teams, since too many ACC bowl tie-ins have us matched with the Big Easy.

Don’t be afraid of making the sked too tough. To be the best, you gotta beat the best.

By GTville

September 16, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this

Schedule Tennessee.

I would rather be 8-3 and play some big name teams than 9-2 and play this years schedule. Especially if buying season tickets.

By jabster

September 16, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this

I-Dog:

I agree. The series this year will be 8 in a row. The series next year will be 1 in a row. :)

By GT

September 16, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this

We should definitely get the rivalry going with UT again.

By tjs

September 16, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this

I watched PJ’s teams at Navy, and was duly impressed…If he can win at Navy with one star talent, he can win at Tech…Calling out announcers is another thing, their job is to report what they see as unbiased as they can….Paul just have your team ready for Miss State, the rest will take care of it’s self….

By 1Jacket7

September 16, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this

I think we should put ND back on the schedule Permantely. There is no other team that gets the national exposure like ND. I mean Regis talks about them for 5 to 10 minutes every Monday. Our next game should be from the SEC because that is the conference we fight with for the new talent. The third game needs to be either the Big 12 or Big 10. (Texas, OSU, OKLA, MICH). This is how you get your school exposure. The middle of the road schools, pose a problem because you never know whether they will be hot or cold the year you play them. CPJ said today that he never watched the game and so he never heard them say what they said. But, hid did call them morons. I thought it was funny and good for CPJ. We all have said that while listening to some commentators comment on thing they know nothing about. Shoot, they have enough problems seeing and commenting on what is actually going on in the game. MSU will be ready on defense and we need to jump on them early on Defense. Our growth on offense will start getting us some more points. There were at least two occasions that we missed our reads which would have resulted in scores or huge plays. That was confirmed by CPJ at this mornings press conference. We just need to get healthy and go out there and play our game. Scoring 20 to 30 points will win 90% of our games or more. Our defense is getting better too. Go Jackets!!!

By PJ needs to get a grip

September 16, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

Regarding PJ’s name calling: He showed he needs to grow up some. Announcers are paid to second guess coaches’ decisions and offer different points of view (not that they’re always right, of course). Calling announcers “morons” in a conference call just makes him look bad. Does he think that’s going to help him in a future telecast?

I think PJ was the right hire for Tech, but when he starts name calling announcers, then HE looks like the moron.

BTW, in this case, it looks like the announcers were right. PJ showed that he didn’t have a lot of confidence in his defense by making that call. It may have cost him the game. Who’s the moron?

By BobbyDodd

September 16, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

Tennessee has a great history with Tech over the years. Florida would be another good addition. Tech has recruited Louisiana well in the past so why not LSU! Shoot I’d travel to Baton Rouge to watch Tech play a night game out there!!! Other teams of interents…Cumberland University (he he he…) or Georgia State since they are apparently serious about starting up a FCS team. Oh yeah…and Georgia Southern since by 2020 surely they will be Div. 1 since Mid Tenn St, Troy, and the Louisiana teams seem to be doing alright at this level. (If North Carolina can support 5 Div 1 teams with that states high school talent surely Georgia can support three. Failing Georgia Southern…come on Valdosta State - somebody move up!!!!

By BobbyDodd

September 16, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this

ND will only play patsy traditional teams like Navy, Purdue, Michigan, USC, Army, etc. every year. They will play Tech periodically because of our past tradition as a southern power but you can forget about this TV juggernaut agreeing to play every year. Shoot we had to play up there twice to get them to come down here once under the last agreement.

By jabster

September 16, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this

BobbyDodd:

When we played ND at home the last time, we had to give them a LOT of the gate—not to mention having to go to South Bend twice. If ND is going to be such a prima donna when it comes to scheduling, forget ‘em.

Speaking of gate, putting SEC teams on the sked will help gate. Granted, it will be a lot of visiting fans, but we’ll make more money off of them than we will off of empty seats (another reason to eschew D1-AA generally).

Big Ten would be interesting—and with more Yankees in ATL than when Sherman came through, that’ll help gate as well. But, I’d rather not turn down an SEC game to schedule the Big Ten.

By Realisticfan

September 16, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this

Can you really say playing the LAST place team in the SEC is a test of ACC and SEC strength. Isn’t Tech supposed to be one of the best teams in the ACC. Miss ST probably couldn’t score if Tech doesn’t come out for the second half.

By surfrider

September 16, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this

Yes mixing it up with SEC and Big East is good. Pitt came to town with Tony Dorsett in the 70’s when they were a powerhouse. Personally, I would like to see some Pac 10 teams. Tech played Southern Cal a few times in early 70’s I think. Economics plays such a role now in traveling cost but intersectional matchups at least one per year is a good thing. I would rather go 7-5 and play two top teams than play two 1-AA teams but that seems to a norm in scheduling at least one of those 1-AA teams.

By GT

September 16, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this

I think PJ is getting to the nut of what screws up the national bowl picture every year. I think there are some guys working in the press that just don’t do their homework, especially on regional television. It is bad enough that we have to listen to the butchered English of some ex jock expert, but to see them mailing it in and be taken serious tears me up. You mix that into an agenda of television ratings where an Ohio State gets invited to the dance over an Auburn or Georgia is stuck playing Hawaii not USC because it may detract from the championship credibility if one of these two teams smacks the other and a third team is named the national championship. Yeh I would say PJ has a point in the moron comment, he could have said a lot more.

By GT RIch

September 16, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this

What about C. Fla or S. Fla? Decent teams, better than a 1AA App State type. Gets recruiting exposure deeper into Florida. Mix the game into the same year’s schedule as a tougher foe like Auburn or Bama. LSU would be a nice one (and a possibility given D-Rad’s ties).

By George P. Burdell

September 16, 2008 5:00 PM | Link to this

Realistic, good to see the SEC homers already trying to discount our game with MSU. I thought everybody in the SEC was supposed to be great and untouchable.

If they played a top 10 team to a 3-2 loss, something has to give. If Tech goes out and clobbers them, then you have to say that maybe one of your top 10 teams really isn’t all it was cracked up to be. Either way, Tech was not projected to do much this year so I don’t know how you can say they are one of the top ACC teams where we have a 1-1 record in the conference. No matter what it is way too early in the season to be saying Tech is one of the ACC’s best and MSU is the SEC’s worst. Let them play some games before you start making your excuses.

By GOTECH610

September 16, 2008 5:00 PM | Link to this

PJ NEEDS TO GET A GRIP:

You must not know much about football, do you?

We weren’t able to stop TT much all day. If there was a hole in our line it was a 1st down every time. It was late in the 4th our D was tired. Would you let them try to 3 and out a QB who ran on us all day??? If you agree with that then you must’ve liked Gailey here. That’s the loser mentality, mediocrity.

You sir, are a mediocre couch QB at best…

I agree with PJ 100%, he made the right call, I also believe that he was correct in calling the announcers morons. Gailey wouldn’t have done it. I think he is doing little things like this to let people know that there is a coach in there that doesn’t take any crap from anybody. I like it!!!!

By Beesball

September 16, 2008 5:14 PM | Link to this

*By jabster

September 16, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this

Look who’s #3 in the country in scheduling BCS teams for their OOC games over the last 10 years…behind Half @$$ U and the Rubbers…

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=formidable/080905

Also note that the ACC schedules more BCS teams for OOC games than any other BCS conference.*

What is more interesting about this ranking than GT having the 3rd most games vs BCS schools is look how many ACC teams are on the list with GT compared to SEC teams on that same list. Then, go look at the other poll which has the teams with the least amount of games vs BCS opponents and see how many SEC schools are present vs ACC schools. Now, the SEC folks are going to claim that their in conference shedule is so brutal, why take the chance of getting beat up when you don’t have to. The SEC is a better football conference. However, I believe the ACC does not get the respect we deserve for playing teams that will make us better. I personally HATE the SEC, and moreover, its fans, players and coaches.

To Hell With Georgia!

By Drexel Gal

September 16, 2008 5:43 PM | Link to this

Put Syracuse and Nebraska on the schedule: two once-proud programs that have fallen. Easy victories, but the name recongnition will impress the pollsters.

As for an SEC team: Arkansas, because of its longtime connection to Tech alum Frank Broyles.

By Larry Hartstein

September 16, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this

Practice update WR Demaryius Thomas is back and good to go for Miss. State. He actually suffered his concussion in the season opener, but didn’t start feeling the effects until after Boston College.

DT Vance Walker (concussion-like symptoms) did not practice again.

By LongBeachJacket

September 16, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this

Larry - Nice update. D. Thomas was missed last week. Glad he’ll be back. Assume AT Barnes is back also, based on him being at practice.

What about Brad Jefferson?

Scheduling - Playing top tier teams, home & home. GREAT! How about a West Coast Home and Home with CAL or UCLA? Forget Southern Cal for now. If we could ever get them in the post-season (which would mean all dreams of glory had come to pass…that would be great). Like the SEC bias. Good.

I thought Louisville was in the mix somewhere? What happened to that….

Re some comments about Paul Johnson commenting on the commentators. I think Coach Johnson is terrific. I don’t think it’s necessary for him to call out the commentators in that manner. Doesn’t really present him in the best light…..

That said, I can appreciate his dismissiveness of the poor analysis of his decision making by half-baked, underprepared TV analysts.

Coach Johnson has been running this offense with FANTASTIC success for over 20 years. He’s won with it everywhere. His philosophy on down, distance, and situational calls is pretty well proven.

Probably not a down, distance or situation from Saturday’s game that he had not seen before….He knows what to do and knows what should work and what the best call is given all factors. I’ve been tremendously impressed with his in-game calls so far. A strong trend…

Those commentators who make uninsightful insights are to be ignored, but as Coach Johnson has to deal with such foolishness from media types…I can understand his frustrated dismissiveness.

GO JACKETS!!!!

By THWG

September 17, 2008 12:28 AM | Link to this

Those announcers were being very moronic. I’m very pleased that CPJ called them out. There was no benefit in kicking the PAT!! That’s why CPJ is coaching and those announcers aren’t. And I’m damn glad that he’s coaching for us.

By Terry

September 17, 2008 8:03 AM | Link to this

I’d vote for Big Ten. They get a lot of publicity plus that would help our recruiting base. Especially a Michigan or Ohio St team.

I don’t like playing I-AA teams, I would prefer we make the schedule tough.

By wreckmaniac

September 17, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

Lets shut our big mouths and show up at the stadium saturday. Thats what this team needs. Lets have a “Sting-Out”. Johnson fires me up too. What he’s obviously trying to do is get the alumni and Atlanta community into Tech and not just players. Its up to us as much as him. We fans will take a loss if we think the team is well coached and gives 100 % which is what PJ is about and what Tech deserves and demands. I love the idea of playing SEC teams- Bama,Auburn and would love to lock up a Tennessee arrangement.