Johnson says call was right one

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he hasn't second-guessed his decision to go for it on fourth-and-inches in overtime of Saturday's game against Wake Forest.

Of course, when it works, as it did in the 30-27 win, life is good.

Johnson said it would have been easy to send out Scott Blair to kick a field goal to tie the game and let the two teams go at it again in the next overtime.

But, Johnson said he puts the odds of winning the game at 50-50 with a field goal, and much better than that if they got a few inches for the first down.

"To me, it was the way to go," Johnson said.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe, whom Johnson will match wits against in their noon game on Saturday in Durham, said he's not sure many coaches could have made the same decision.

"Pretty gutsy," Cutcliffe said. "It's going to go one way or the other and it went the right way for them."

Johnson said he couldn't recall having to make a similar decision in a similar circumstance at either Navy or Georgia Southern.

For the season, Tech (9-1, 6-1) is converting 59 percent of its fourth downs.

Injury update

Offensive tackle Austin Barrick is likely out for the rest of the season with an injured ankle. Barrick, a 6-3, 250-pound redshirt junior, started the season's first eight games. Phil Smith started in place of Barrick against Wake.

Defense

Johnson said he was as happy with the defensive play in the second half of Saturday's win as he's been in quite a while.

After Wake totaled 170 yards and 17 points in the first half, the Jackets switched coverage schemes in the second half and the Deacons were able to generate just 121 yards and 10 points in the last two quarters and overtime.

Johnson said the difference in the results against Wake, and those that came in the second half of wins against Vanderbilt and Virginia, was that this time the Jackets didn't rely on good fortune.

"We forced the guy to make tough throws, we didn't turn anyone loose," Johnson said. "We made them get off the field. They didn't screw it up."

Etc.

The personal foul on Osahon Tongo that moved Wake to Tech's 11-yard line in the fourth quarter came because Tongo retaliated by punching a player who hit him after the whistle, an unhappy Johnson said.

The flag came from way down the field, and from the other side of the action. Television replays didn't show what had happened.

"I don't care how many times you get hit after the whistle you've got to be more disciplined than that," Johnson said. …

Safety Mario Edwards definitely earned some more playing time after making eight tackles against Wake in his first start of the season. Johnson said he was very pleased with Edwards' performance. …

Johnson said he exchanged a few texts with Navy's coaches after the Middies defeated Notre Dame on Saturday. Johnson coached at Navy from 2002-07, and led them to a 46-44 win in 2007 to snap a 43-game losing streak to the Irish.