DEL.ICIO.USGa. Tech recruits still wary of Johnson’s offense
Yellow Jackets target of negative recruiting
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, September 11, 2008
When Courtney Dalcourt talks to college recruiters, they don’t always give glowing reviews of Georgia Tech’s offense.
“They say how they don’t pass as much, and stuff like that,” said Dalcourt, a highly-regarded quarterback from Franklin, Ky.
Dalcourt, who has been offered scholarships by Stanford, Kentucky, Louisville, Tech and others, said it’s something he’d like to know more about as his recruitment continues.
The Yellow Jackets have already had recruiting success for the Class of 2009, but some players are taking a wait-and-see attitude toward coach Paul Johnson’s offense. It is why exposure — Tech’s game Saturday against Virginia Tech will be televised regionally by ABC; next week’s game against Mississippi State could also be on ABC — is critical.
“A little bit on the offensive side, there tends to be a little bit of negative recruiting against us, of people making this offense to be something it’s not,” said Tech recruiting coordinator Giff Smith. “More exposure and the success that we hope to have on offense will make recruiting a lot easier.”
Particularly given Johnson’s methods at Navy, where the team last season threw the ball one out of about every seven offensive plays, competing recruiters have ammunition.
“They try to make it like we’re going to run it every down and three yards and a cloud of dust,” Smith said. “1950’s ball and all that.”
While his offense will never be mistaken for Steve Spurrier’s, Johnson’s run-pass ratio at Tech thus far is a more balanced 3-to-1. (Last year, the Jackets ran 2.5 times for every pass.)
Still, given that Tech’s offense is unlike most others, it is understandable that recruits want to see the product.
“My team, we’re more of a spread team, a lot of [shotgun] and spread out the field,” said Dalcourt, who visited campus in August and wants to come to return for the Miami game Nov. 20. “We’re not up under center, running triple options and stuff like that.”
Jamal Patterson, a wide receiver from Henry County and an AJC Super 11 selection, had suspicions when he came to watch the opener against Jacksonville State.
“Everybody thought it was going to be, ‘Run the ball every play,’ but I went and they still threw it,” said Patterson, who is committed to Stanford but is still interested in Tech.
Orwin Smith, a running back from Phenix City, Ala. and Tech’s No. 1 target at A-back, said he plans to watch the Tech-Mississippi State game next week. He also intends to be in front of the TV Saturday.
“I want to see how the offense flows,” said Smith, who added his top three choices are Alabama, Clemson and Tech. “I want to see how many times different backs touch the ball.”
Tech has received commitments from quarterback Jordan Luallen (Greenwood, Ind.), wide receiver Jeremy Moore (Austin, Texas) and running back Daniel Drummond of Flowery Branch High School. Johnson said the team has received more commitments from offensive players than defensive.
“I think we’re fine,” Johnson said. “I don’t think it’s going to be much of an issue.”
That’s what Giff Smith hopes.
Said Smith, “We tell ‘em straight up: Watch it, make your own decision, and don’t let somebody else try to tell you what to think or what’s going on.”
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