DEL.ICIO.USDE Johnson will stick with defensive duties
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Michael Johnson won’t be quite as special this week.
After playing on several special-teams units last week against Jacksonville State — and then having to leave the game with dehydration — coaches will pull back Johnson’s duties.
Johnny Crawford/jcrawford@ajc.com
Against Jacksonville State, senior defensive end Michale Jonhson played on the kickoff, punt, punt return and extra-point field goal units in addition to starting on defense.
“We can’t expect him to play 40 snaps on special teams and give us 55 snaps on defense,” coach Paul Johnson said. “It’s not going to work.”
Against Jacksonville State, the senior defensive end played on the kickoff, punt, punt return and extra-point field goal units in addition to starting on defense. Johnson, 6 feet 7 and a lean 260 pounds, said his body began cramping up on him as he came out of the locker room after halftime.
Johnson said he was about to take an electrolyte drink when Georgia Tech fumbled away the opening kickoff, requiring Johnson to go back on the field.
“Second play I was out there, my legs started getting in knots,” said Johnson. “Once they get like that, it’s pretty much over.”
Johnson did not return to the game and required an IV treatment. Johnson said that while he drank a gallon of water and eight or nine sports drinks from Wednesday to the Thursday night kickoff, he believes he would have been in better shape had he started hydrating earlier in the week.
Johnson played a big role on special teams last year, also, but was playing significantly fewer snaps on defense.
Johnson said he might turn to hydrating alternatives, including pickle juice, which he drank in high school. Further, former Tech running back Tashard Choice, now with the Dallas Cowboys, said that no less an authority than Emmitt Smith suggested using Pedialyte, a children’s hydration drink.
Johnson said he was told he would play on the field goal and punt teams and possibly on the kickoff unit, as well. He hopes to play more as the season progresses.
“I’ll definitely work my way out there,” he said.
BC using option more
The Jackets are cautiously approaching the Boston College offense. Johnson noted that quarterback Chris Crane ran the option in the Eagles’ season-opening win over Kent State on Saturday. It was a departure from last season, when Matt Ryan, now the Falcons’ starting quarterback, ran a pass-heavy attack.
It’s possible that Boston College did not unveil parts of its offense Saturday against Kent State.
“We’re not sure of which model to get ready for, last year’s model or the first game,” he said. “It presents an interesting challenge for us.”
Missing triple option
Along the same line, Johnson discounted the notion that Tech ran the triple-option, a principal feature of Johnson’s offense, only a handful of times for the same reason. Of Tech’s 61 offensive plays against Jacksonville State, Johnson said the Jackets ran the triple-option eight or nine times.
“I think probably too much is made” of keeping plays under wraps, Johnson said.
After the game, B-back Jonathan Dwyer said he was surprised that the Jackets didn’t run the triple-option more.
“That’s our bread-and-butter play,” he said.
Etc.
Linebacker Anthony Barnes did not practice again Tuesday with a shoulder injury. But linebacker Shane Bowen (quadriceps) returned to practice. Linebacker Brad Jefferson (arm/wrist) has been ruled out of Saturday’s game. … Johnson may not like the ACC bashing that losses by Clemson, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and Virginia have spurred, but he wasn’t going to attempt to defend the conference’s reputation. “Until you beat some folks, whatever they say is true,” he said Tuesday. “As a league, we got some guys that got hit in the mouth and didn’t hit back, bottom line.”
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