Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he’s saddened that the NCAA took the 2009 ACC championship as part of penalties from a 20-month investigation into the football and basketball programs. However, he will use this to teach his players the importance of accountability.
The NCAA announced that Tech would be stripped of the title Thursday after it determined that Tech officials misled investigators during an inquiry regarding Demaryius Thomas and Morgan Burnett. Tech President G.P. “Bud” Peterson said he’s concerned that Tech must forfeit the title it won when it defeated Clemson in Tampa. He said Tech is considering appealing parts of the punishment, which also included four years’ probation.
ACC commissioner John Swofford said Tech must return the trophy and that no champion will be declared for the 2009 season.
“It’s disappointing that the guys that played so hard in that game doesn’t get to see the fruits of their labor,” Johnson said. “But you use it as a learning experience. It’s a valuable lesson that we talk about a lot: What you do and how you represent yourself carries over to everybody in that room and everyone on that coaching staff.”
Wearing a blue blazer and a yellow shirt, a relaxed Johnson said this was his first involvement in a major inquiry in 32 years of coaching. He wasn’t involved in many parts of the investigative process, other than when athletic director Dan Radakovich told him about the inquiry in November 2009.
Johnson then spoke with Burnett about a pending interview with an NCAA investigator, something Radakovich didn’t tell him he couldn’t do. The NCAA said Radakovich shouldn’t have told Johnson. By doing so, he compromised the investigation. According to Tech’s 53-page response, Johnson couldn’t remember many of the details of the conversation he had with Burnett, other than to tell him to tell the truth.
Johnson said he had no idea the investigation was so serious until a hearing in April 2010.
“I thought at that time ‘These guys are out for blood,’” he said. “That’s the time I realized the seriousness. I still had no idea it would be as serious as it was.”
Johnson said the news doesn’t affect his desire to remain at Tech. He said he trusts Radakovich, who hired him before the 2008 season, and Peterson and believes they acted honestly during the investigation.
Johnson met with his players this week, describing them as frustrated by the punishment. The good news, Johnson said, is Tech begins the 2011 season with a clean slate.
“It doesn’t affect our football team moving forward: No postseason ban, no scholarship limitations, no loss of anything that way so it doesn’t affect the guys that are here,” he said.
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