Tech

By Mike

October 13, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this

Just put the best 5 out there.

By T-Bone

October 13, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

Who knows? How could they be so much better against BC, Va Tech & Miss State, and then be so bad against GW? The only difference is the quarterback. Let’s get Josh & Jaybo back for this weekend and we’ll see. I think that plus a week of practices driven by PJ’s memory of this loss, and we’ll see a different team on Saturday.

Saturday’s game should be interesting. Clemson has its back up against the wall and we are coming off an embarrassing performance. The next 6 games will prove what kind of team we really have. If we go 3-3 the season will be a success, based on a new coach and a new scheme.

By Rob

October 13, 2008 8:51 AM | Link to this

some of the bloom is off the rose.

By GT45

October 13, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this

So much doom and gloom! People, please! Voss said the D line was diving in the holes, stopping up the plays. You can’t block that unless you are quicker and get lower. I haven’t looked, but I bet GW had a smaller and quicker D line. CPJ will find a way to adjust the game plan to other teams who try that, I’m sure. Keep the faith, guys! Go Jackets-

By GTA

October 13, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

It’s Andrew Folkner, Larry, not Nick Folkner.

By GT76

October 13, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this

1990, the year we won the national championship we had a tie with UNC whom we should have creamed, and we beat VT 6-3. If the internet and blogging had been a reality then we all would have been screaming bloody murder then too!

By BuzzFactor

October 13, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this

I agree, with Shaw and Nesbitt available we should see things back to normal. A few ajustments to the line maybe, but i think they have it in them. With Nesbitt back, it takes away from the O-Lines problems and gives additional run threat. I disagree on 3-3 over the next 6 games. 4-2 is acceptable and 5-1 or 6-0 will be a success. 3-3 would be somewhat a disappoinment. We should be favored against UVA, FSU & Miami. All at home. Clemson, UNC, and UGA will be favored when we go on the road.

By GT79

October 13, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

First, GW is not that bad. Secondly, I think they picked up a tell. They guess right way too often. Third, I don’t want to read anymore junk about the O-Line needing to get lower. They were constantly cut blocking. The coaches need to let them stay on their feet and hold a block. Lastly, QBs do make a difference. You have to be able to read and check off.

By RAMBLE ON!!!

October 13, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

Since Miss State beat the best team in the SEC East Vanderbilt (Conference standing, facts are facts), I think that means GT would easily be in fist place in the Biggest Baddest Conference in all of College Athletics.

We won and having the toughest week of pratice for the players heading into the Clempson game is a very good thing.

No trouble with Clempson Saturday. GT 31 Clempson 13.

…Standby for my fleabag imposter to post, unfortunately. When I think about it, someone impersonating a blogger, kind of gives me the creeps. What a loser.

By T-Bone

October 13, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this

BuzzFactor, I think we would be disapponted with 3-3 now that we have tasted what this team and PJ can do. But we still need to remember that he is still a first year coach with a brand new scheme and players that are not his recruits. We have certainly far exceded expectations, but 8-4 would not be a bad start to the Paul Johnson era. I hope that PJ stays here for the next 20 years and turns us into us into a contender every year. Let’s make sure and give him the time to do it.

By BuzzFactor

October 13, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this

GT45, I agree too much doom and gloom. Yeah the game sucked but it was a win and will soon be forgotten. We can beat Clemson. Same as before, execute, keep turnovers under 2, play good D. And seriously, CPJ was thinking about the big picture. Even before Saturday, we have no real chance at an ACC team playing in the NC, so that leaves the ACC title as the major goal. risking a non ACC game to have both QB1 and QB2 ready for the next ACC game is what it boiled down to. if we lost to G-W that would have done nothing to our standing in the ACC, but bringing in either QB1 or QB2 and getting them hurt was risking being just 1 injury away from being sunk at Clemson. And 1 more loss in the Conf takes any chance of the ACC title game away. It was an ugly Saturday, but see the light people!

By BuzzFactor

October 13, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this

Oh I agree T-Bone, he has earned time to do it. And he will. Maybe I used the wrong wording, but 8-4 would be a good start over all, Especially if one of those 8 came in late November! I am still convinced CPJ is the man. I just think this team is very capable of 9-3 or better… Anyway, here I am doing what I always say we shouldn’t do, look ahead. Should only be one game in sight right now, going for a win in Clemson. Go Jackets!! …it’s gonna be a fight, but a fight we can win!

By jabster

October 13, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this

As someone posted yesterday, Sedric’s seizure had to have had an effect. A tighter-knit team is going to worry a lot more about that kind of stuff. Hope he gets better, stat.

Also, while Booker will surely be a success at whatever he does in life (as long as it’s not football), he couldn’t beat out Taylor Bennett, who couldn’t beat out Reggie Ball. Do the math. I hate to harsh on such a good person, but it is what it is.

I still wonder why CPJ left him in so long. I can’t believe that Shaw and Nesbitt were still that iffy. Maybe he was trying to sandbag for Clemson. Maybe he wanted CB to clean up his own mess.

One last thing—there’s some intangibles here. G-W, win or lose, had no bearing on bowl eligibility (W gets you nada after Jax State) or the ACC race. If there were ever a game to look past, this is it.

Which ACC bowl we go to would be up to the folks in Greensboro (and Charlotte, in the case of the Meineke, which has had something against Tech—maybe it’s that ATL-CLT rivalry). A loss to G-W would have very little to do with that selection. Lose to G-W and win out in the conference (assuming we stay stymied out of Seegar City by VT), and it’s the Gator Bowl.

A loss WOULD have an effect on the polls and (I’m really dreaming now, but that is part of my point) the BCS as an at-large stymied behind VT, but the polls would have taken care of themselves 2-3 FBS wins later and a BCS at-large would still be a longshot even if we gave G-W the Cumberland treatment and blanked the rest of our sked 30-0.

I’m still sticking with a loss to either UNC or FSU, and one to UGA. Although all of these teams are beatable.

We won’t be favored against Clemson, but we should be able to win that game.

By fred

October 13, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this

Bad day—-IT HAPPENS.

Good players—-GETTING BETTER>

Great coach—-VERY FORTUNATE.

GooooooJackets!!! THWG!

By Army Jacket

October 13, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

What is wrong with some of you? Who honestly thought we’d be 5-1? Who isn’t more excited about this team/coach than Chan?

We won ugly on Saturday, and I saw a lot to be angry about, but it’s still my team, and I’m damn proud of what they’ve done. I want to slap all of you chicken littles for running on about this and giving these UGA fans exactly what they want. I’m way more angry about this disloyalty than our team’s performance, so if you want to whine, please keep it to yourself. If you are a jacket, get behind the team. If you want to complain, make it constructive. If you can’t do that, find another team.

By BuzzFactor

October 13, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this

Damn jabster you stole my thunder… I like the way you’re thinking

By weather forecast

October 13, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this

supposed to rain Sat…just rain. No lightning/thunder.

Question- if/when the opposite D dives, should you pass over them? Would not the middle likely be open? Some of you football coach (wannabees) should know.

By Carolina Jacket

October 13, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this

For those who are screaming that Coach should have brought in Nesbitt. So if he does and we win by two more tds, big deal. But what if does and Nesbitt is reinjured and lost for the Clemson game, or even more. It was ugly, it was nasty, but it was a W and we still have Nesbitt. I still have faith in Coach Johnson.

By Wreck'EmTech

October 13, 2008 11:24 AM | Link to this

I’m with ArmyJacket. 5-1 has been an awesome first half, and we should be thankful. We should also have some more faith in Paul Johnson and those players. They all know what they need to do this week, and starting this morning they’re working their tails off fixing it all.

Another plus for this week, by the way? Players are on their academic Fall Break until Wednesday, so no pesky assignments to take their minds off football until then. And midterms are over now (that could have been a factor this weekend too, come to think of it).

No whining. The ACC stretch is going to be INTENSE!! Go Jackets! THWG!

By Taco

October 13, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this

You freaking geeks kill me! U love Ga Tech and I am sticking with CPJ. Brian Bohannon is a man I have known since a he was a child and with CPJ’s help they will find a way to fix the problem. One little bobble and all you goobers are jumping ship. I sickened by your cowardice and lack of faith. Did we win the game this past week? It is a “W” and they do not draw pictures in the record books. Just win Baby! Any of you sissies want out now, I will buy your tickets. Our boys have heart and pride and they will do their best every week. CPJ has the knowledge and the work ethic to find a way to guide our ship through these troubled waters. We shall prevail.

By Taco

October 13, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

You freaking geeks kill me! U love Ga Tech and I am sticking with CPJ. Brian Bohannon is a man I have known since a he was a child and with CPJ’s help they will find a way to fix the problem. One little bobble and all you goobers are jumping ship. I sickened by your cowardice and lack of faith. Did we win the game this past week? It is a “W” and they do not draw pictures in the record books. Just win Baby! Any of you sissies want out now, I will buy your tickets. Our boys have heart and pride and they will do their best every week. CPJ has the knowledge and the work ethic to find a way to guide our ship through these troubled waters. We shall prevail.

By Taco

October 13, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

You freaking geeks kill me! U love Ga Tech and I am sticking with CPJ. Brian Bohannon is a man I have known since a he was a child and with CPJ’s help they will find a way to fix the problem. One little bobble and all you goobers are jumping ship. I sickened by your cowardice and lack of faith. Did we win the game this past week? It is a “W” and they do not draw pictures in the record books. Just win Baby! Any of you sissies want out now, I will buy your tickets. Our boys have heart and pride and they will do their best every week. CPJ has the knowledge and the work ethic to find a way to guide our ship through these troubled waters. We shall prevail.

By jabster

October 13, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this

Only a 20% chance for rain this Sat. in Clemson…good FB weather.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/homeandgarden/home/tenday/USSC0059?from=36hrfcst10DayLinkhome

By TDone

October 13, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

My Take:

1. I love service acadamies, but I hate playing them. Why? They don’t know when to quit.

2. Though I understand the need to play FCS teams (1-AA), I would have rather gone on the road to play Southern Cal vice playing such teams. You gain nothing by doing so.

3. I was number after the game. But upon further review, I think it was good we got through the game. We learned a lot about ourselves and got to go to the pay window to boot.

4. In the long run, I think G-W will turn out to be the most important game of the season based on how we deal with it.

5. Look at all the series of events that came into play Saturday:

a. Army pulling out of the game.

b. G-W taking their place and challenging out manhood.

c. We won ugly, but we won.

Go Jackets!!!

By RAMBLE ON!!!

October 13, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this

Carolina Jacket is correct.

m’s favorite coach Chan played a non 100% T. Choice against Duke last year only to pull his hammy again.

He was never 100% for the rest of the year.

By Not a beeliever - yet

October 13, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this

Infusing some realism…

1. If anyone had told me going into the season that we would be 5-1 at this point, I’d have said “I’ll take it.” I had us figured for 4-2 at best.

2. The only real surprise win so far has been the win over BC. We got excited over a “quality loss” at VT.

3. The real surprise so far is that we have avoided a “Chan-like” loss. Under our previous HC, losses against BC, Duke, or MSU would not have been atypical.

4. Give me 3-3 for the remainder of the season, and I’ll say it is a successful year. However, I think 3-3 will be tough to accomplish.

5. 8-4 and a bowl in a transition year is better than I would have predicted.

6. Anything better than 3-3 and I’ll personally nominate PJ for ACC Coach of the Year.

7. Going into the year, I had the Clempson game marked down as a “L”. Only after watching us dispatch Duke (better than expected) and watching Clempson struggle against WFU, did I begin to believe that we had a serious chance to go to DV and take them down. After our debacle on Saturday, I’ve gotten out the big black pen and written in an “L.”

8. Our best hopes of a 3-3 finish rest on our ability to win our home games…UVA, Miami and FSU. Road games at Clempson, UNC, and UGA look like prohibitive losses.

9. The Duke/G-W strategy for stuffing our offense will only be overcome by a serious threat of throwing the ball. Does Josh or Jaybo cause any Defensive Coordinator enough concern to make them move one or two players out of the ‘box’? My sense is “NO.” They will continue to stuff the box and make whoever we have at QB prove that they can throw the ball successfully. Whether we have a QB that can burn them or not remains to be seen.

10. So far I grade CPJ’s regime as an A+. If nothing else, he has this team playing as a unit, playing with enthusiasm and joy, and has the fan base (including this skeptic) reenergized. He appears to be a sly poker player. Opposing coaches definitely respect him. That’s more than can be said about our former HC.

11. This offense will get better when CPJ gets his own recruits in there. He needs big, quick linemen. He’s done very well in converting the OL that Chan left him. Those guys were recruited for a pro-style, drop back blocking style. They are still learning. G-W gave them a good lesson on Saturday. I’m betting CPJ has an antidote for the diving into the hole strategy and will be teaching it to an attentive group this week.

By StingerSplash

October 13, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this

Got to get better play out of the center-guard combo, no matter who’s out there.

By BuzzFactor

October 13, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this

ESPN reports bowden has been fired.

By Not a beeliever - yet

October 13, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

At this moment, ESPN is reporting that Bowden has been fired.

By El Gato

October 13, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this

Bad News nerds….Bowden has just been fired at Clumpsin. Chan Gailey could probably take over that program and beat you lousy bums. How ironic would that be? Congrats over the weekend on the win over Gardner-Webb. That should define the program.

By Road Scholar

October 13, 2008 1:02 PM | Link to this

Saturday, I thought that I’d seen Chan Gailey’s ghost. Another time the team was not ready to play, at least the offense!

Larry, during the second half something happened on the Tech bench after/during a time out to asist an injured Tech player on the field. It took a while for the coaches/trainers to “subdue” someone. What was that?

By BuzzFactor

October 13, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this

rest assured Clemson will throw some money at Bobby Johnson, but Vandy will probably match it. be inetersting to see the latest addition to the bumper crop of new ACC coaches. Sooner or later pappa Bowden will be gona as well. Wonder if FSU will go after Richt?

By NYJacket

October 13, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

CPJ and his team won the game. It was ugly and it was embarassing but it was a win.

Get over it and get ready to play this weekend.

It is hard not to have a let down against a team that is not as talented.

This team has determination and has heart.

If they didn’t Morgen would never have made the game saving deflection.

I am damn proud of this team.

By old gold engineer

October 13, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this

Darn, I really liked Bowden as Clemson’s coach. Regarding our offensive line, I thought they performed very well against Mississippi State and had turned the corner. Then, they appeared to regress versus Duke and even looked worse this past Saturday. Sure, a quicker quarterback will help, but he can’t run the offense with defenders tugging on his ankles. We’ve seen this in the VT, Duke, and G-W games. Now the coaches need to make some adjustments. I expect a good game Saturday with the offense back on track.

By El Gato

October 13, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this

Ramble On,

Nice logic you have….by the same logic Yech would lose to East Carolina since they beat VT. Is that how everything works? Maybe for a simpleton like yourself? I say let’s have a playoff system and ditch the beauty contest. Everyone knows USC is going to be in the championship game….only a matter of time. The Pac10 & Big10 are a bunch of pretenders. At least all other major conferences have a championship game to ensure the two best teams in the league at least play each other.

By GT

October 13, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this

We still got game and it is halfway through the season. We played with a quarterback that couldn’t run behind a line that has been training for a running quarterback. We will see night and day difference next Saturday, because we have rested our quarterbacks, not shown any pass plays as such, have both quarterbacks healthy for once, watch how low the line gets blocking Saturday. They can’t do this with a slow or non running quarterback, the defense pens back its ears and rushes and the blockers cannot hold the block long hitting low. Our defense looked great Saturday and will again next Saturday.

By Not a beeliever - yet

October 13, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this

Got to wonder how the Clemson team will respond to the firing.

Will they further implode? Cullen Harper fired off a pretty damning shot by saying that Bowden “got what he deserved.” There have to be some Bowden devotees on the team that won’t like hearing things like that in the press. May result in further dissention.

On the other hand, we’ve all seen teams rally around a popular assistant coach after a HC is fired or quits (anyone remember our bowl game under Mac McWhorter a few years back?). Might the Tigers be energized and pull together after this?

Will it be a distraction for our players? We’ve got our own problems to work on (evident last Saturday). We don’t need our kids believing that they are playing a wounded opponent.

If I was a Clemson fan, I’d be happy to see Bowden go. However, I would wonder about the timing. At 3-3, there’s still a chance to have a decent season. Canning the HC at this point feels like throwing in the towel on this year. The Seniors have got to be feeling somewhat betrayed and frustrated.

It makes it real important for our team to come out on fire and really smack them quickly.

Saturday will be a very interesting day.

By jabster

October 13, 2008 1:51 PM | Link to this

Not A Beeliever-

Not sure why you describe Clemson as a “prohibitive loss”. We have done more with less previously in Death(sic) Valley, and I expect the same Saturday. This continues to go more solidly in the W column for me.

FSU, OTOH, they will be stout as they continue to gel. UNC will also be tough if they don’t continue to get hammered by injuries. I still don’t have a read on UGA, as they have beaten everyone they should have and lost to everyone they should have. UVA will likely be tougher than previously thought but handily beatable at home. Miami continues to founder.

The big question for Clemson is a) does the interim coach fire up the team, as Mac McWhorter did for Tech, or b) is he relegated to mop-up duty, as O’Leary did for Tech after Bill Lewis, who was the worst coach in NCAA history, and thank goodness and Greyhound he is gone. O’Leary lost the last 4 games in 1994 after B—- L——‘s departure.

There sure seems to be a lot of intramural b!+ching and whining at Auburn By The Lake (see http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3641028 ). I think that this situation is a bit on the toxic side, which bodes well for us. It will take more than a week for all of this to settle down.

BTW: Richt is NOT going back to FSU, not unless Jimbo doesn’t work out. That could happen—it never helps to be the guy who follows a legend (see Goff, Carson, many others).

By NYJacket

October 13, 2008 8:02 PM | Link to this

Jabster

You are right on the money. Bill Lewis was the worst coach in Division IA history. Not Chan Gailey as M believes