Wow you step away for a few days and miss out on all kinds of great news. In regards to last year's recruiting class, I had mentioned how Paul Johnson is building a monster program down at Georgia Tech. He's getting players now that are far above the caliber of those he has ever had at any of his coaching stops. The three latest commits are going to elevate his program even further. Just looking at offer sheets, you can tell PJ has to be smiling right now.
The first verbal is 6'4 285 OL Antonio Foster from Valdosta. Foster is ranked 3 stars by Rivals and decommited from Tennessee after Phil Fulmer announced his resignation. Foster has listed offers from South Carolina, Tennessee and South Florida. It looks like Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and Arkansas were all trying to acquire his services after the Fulmer announcement. Foster joins 6'4 280 lb Will Jackson (3 star) and 6'1 278 C Raymond Beno (3 star) as OL recruits in this class. Its also likely that 6'4 255 lb Jay Finch (3 star) will also end up on the OL.
Georgia Tech also got a verbal from 6'0 190 lb RB Orwin Smith of Phenix City, AL. Smith is a 3 star that had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Southern Miss, Vandy and UAB. Smith projects to the A-Back in Paul Johnson's offense.
Lastly, 6'4 190 three-star (4 stars by Scout) WR Stephen Hill of Lithonia also committed. Hill had offers from Miss State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Boston College among others. Georgia was also showing very heavy interest.
Building a monster...
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Youth Movement
I think outsiders generally have no idea what kind of transition Georgia Tech is making this year and what kind of circumstances that Paul Johnson is winning under. No, this isn't Navy of 2000. I've discussed at length the scholarship reductions, injuries, radical transformation, winning with West Coast Offense players etc. But really what stands out to me is what Paul Johnson is doing with one of the youngest teams in the country. Yesterday, 15 freshmen or sophomores started. It was true freshman safety Cooper Taylor that laid the hit on FSU's Marcus Sims forcing a fumble on the goalline. It was freshman Rashaad Reid who recovered it in the end zone. Of course, GT would likely have not been in that position if Josh Nesbitt hadn't left the game late in the 3rd quarter with an ankle sprain.
A tough game at North Carolina is on deck. Nesbitt's ankle injury is worrisome-this is one of those games that he must play in, in order for GT to win. Without him-forget it.
I was texting back and forth with a friend during the game and discussing how Paul Johnson was coaching circles around longtime FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews and the FSU defense, which was ranked 1st in the ACC coming into yesterday's game. I apparently wasn't the only one that saw that.
FSU can't prepare
FSU pounded by GT offense
Other news bits and pieces:
GT News and Notes
A tough game at North Carolina is on deck. Nesbitt's ankle injury is worrisome-this is one of those games that he must play in, in order for GT to win. Without him-forget it.
I was texting back and forth with a friend during the game and discussing how Paul Johnson was coaching circles around longtime FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews and the FSU defense, which was ranked 1st in the ACC coming into yesterday's game. I apparently wasn't the only one that saw that.
FSU can't prepare
FSU pounded by GT offense
Other news bits and pieces:
GT News and Notes
Saturday, November 1, 2008
WOW
After a miserable loss to Virginia last week, the fighting Paul Johnson's survived a furious rally by Florida State to salvage their season. I'm still shocked right now because it looked like such a bleak situation. The GT defense, on their heels, forced a miraculous fumble in the end zone to stave off FSU and keep their ACC title hopes alive. It wasn't a close game until Josh Nesbitt went out of the game with an ankle injury.
More notes later but this was the first win for Georgia Tech over Florida State in 33 years. GT now sits atop the Atlantic division of the ACC at 4-2 because Virginia lost to Miami. The schedule will get tougher and lets hope Nesbitt will be back soon.
More notes later but this was the first win for Georgia Tech over Florida State in 33 years. GT now sits atop the Atlantic division of the ACC at 4-2 because Virginia lost to Miami. The schedule will get tougher and lets hope Nesbitt will be back soon.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Not so fast my friend
Wow what a strange day in college football and especially the ACC. Right now as I type this, not only is Texas stomping a new ass in those pansies from Columbia, but Virginia somehow managed to eek out an OT victory over North Carolina. I am amazed at what Al Groh has done after looking like the worst team in college football up until a few weeks ago. Glad the game is at Bobby Dodd next week.
Virginia Tech is losing at halftime to Boston College-if this continues it really opens up the path for Georgia Tech, although they do have some tough games left on the schedule.
Oh and Georgia Tech is almost guaranteed to be ranked tomorrow now that North Carolina, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and Michigan State all went down.
Virginia Tech is losing at halftime to Boston College-if this continues it really opens up the path for Georgia Tech, although they do have some tough games left on the schedule.
Oh and Georgia Tech is almost guaranteed to be ranked tomorrow now that North Carolina, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and Michigan State all went down.
Updating
I've been away from the blog (and pretty much everything else) because of a family medical emergency that happened last Friday. With things looking better, I've been able to catch up on all the college football around the country.
Last week was no doubt, ugly for Georgia Tech as they went down to the wire and held off a very poor Gardner-Webb team. As I tried to follow the game online, I could only surmise that third string QB Calvin Booker was not meant to run this offense in any way shape or form. Think Beau Davis running the triple option. That being said, after today's win on the road at Clemson, Paul Johnson has his young and transitioning team at 6-1 and right in the thick of the ACC race. We must have a Boston College win over VT tonight to really get into this thing and keep the conference hopes alive.
I said at the beginning of the season that there would be many games just like the one today against a Tommy Bowden-less Clemson team. It's not pretty but as Mark May said today on ESPN, its a W and we'll take it. With games ahead against North Carolina and Florida State, we're going to see a few more just like this. The weak link on this team is clearly the offensive line. Not only are they West Coast offense type, but they aren't very good either. The defense continues to play very well-there is a toughness about this team that allows them to persevere when the chips are against them. Down 17-14 late in the 4th quarter, the Tech defense held serve and allowed Nesbitt and company to score the winning TD on a pretty pass to BeBe Thomas.
This team should handle Virginia next week at home and then be 7-1 heading into a huge showdown against Butch Davis and North Carolina. Both teams should be ranked at that time and it should be the first of many classic games between Johnson and Davis.
One other thought comes to mind right now-if the voting took place for national Coach of the Year at this time, Paul Johnson would certainly be at or near the top of the list. Again, wait until he gets his own players in.
Last week was no doubt, ugly for Georgia Tech as they went down to the wire and held off a very poor Gardner-Webb team. As I tried to follow the game online, I could only surmise that third string QB Calvin Booker was not meant to run this offense in any way shape or form. Think Beau Davis running the triple option. That being said, after today's win on the road at Clemson, Paul Johnson has his young and transitioning team at 6-1 and right in the thick of the ACC race. We must have a Boston College win over VT tonight to really get into this thing and keep the conference hopes alive.
I said at the beginning of the season that there would be many games just like the one today against a Tommy Bowden-less Clemson team. It's not pretty but as Mark May said today on ESPN, its a W and we'll take it. With games ahead against North Carolina and Florida State, we're going to see a few more just like this. The weak link on this team is clearly the offensive line. Not only are they West Coast offense type, but they aren't very good either. The defense continues to play very well-there is a toughness about this team that allows them to persevere when the chips are against them. Down 17-14 late in the 4th quarter, the Tech defense held serve and allowed Nesbitt and company to score the winning TD on a pretty pass to BeBe Thomas.
This team should handle Virginia next week at home and then be 7-1 heading into a huge showdown against Butch Davis and North Carolina. Both teams should be ranked at that time and it should be the first of many classic games between Johnson and Davis.
One other thought comes to mind right now-if the voting took place for national Coach of the Year at this time, Paul Johnson would certainly be at or near the top of the list. Again, wait until he gets his own players in.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
My Favorite Video
Yeah, we'd never want to run an offense like this at Nebraska. A collection of Paul Johnson coached offenses at Georgia Southern, Hawaii and Navy. By the way, isn't that Adrian Peterson run towards the end just amazing?
Monday, October 6, 2008
Respect for Bo
Even after a crushing loss on Saturday night, I earned a good deal of respect for Pelini. Yes, the team played terrible and there are some obvious issues with this team right now. But unlike Callahan, who regularly shifted blame for losses to his players, Pelini stood up and was sincere about putting the responsibility on his shoulders. There was nothing phony about his post game press conference and I applaud him for accepting responsibility for the loss. Its a big step and something positive to take away from a nightmarish night. Pelini looked like one of the Husker fans that were devastated by the result of the Missouri loss. Hang in there coach.
Tony Barnhart: GT offense is "Relentless"
Respected CFB writer Tony Barnhart shares his impressions on GT:
2. Michael Johnson’s not blowing smoke: Young Johnson said that the only team that could beat Georgia Tech is Georgia Tech. It sounds like bulletin board material but let’s look at that. Georgia Tech beat a very sound Duke team 27-0 on Saturday . Trust me when I tell you that the game was not that close. Georgia Tech dominated the game in the first half and had only three points to show for it. But the Georgia Tech offense is just relentless. It just wears out opponents both physically and mentally. And Coach Paul Johnson showed yet again on Saturday that he will do whatever it takes to win. You want to put eight guys up there to stop the option? He’ll use a true freshman quarterback (Jaybo Shaw) to throw nine passes to Bay-Bay Thomas. But Georgia Tech has a chance to win every game it plays because Johnson has never had a defense this good to back up his offense.
Also, Boston Globe writer Mark Bladschun says Georgia Tech has a shot at winning the ACC
"Then there is Georgia Tech, with first-year coach Paul Johnson, sitting at 4-1 in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. The Yellow Jackets knocked off Duke, which already has won three games this season, 27-0 Saturday."
2. Michael Johnson’s not blowing smoke: Young Johnson said that the only team that could beat Georgia Tech is Georgia Tech. It sounds like bulletin board material but let’s look at that. Georgia Tech beat a very sound Duke team 27-0 on Saturday . Trust me when I tell you that the game was not that close. Georgia Tech dominated the game in the first half and had only three points to show for it. But the Georgia Tech offense is just relentless. It just wears out opponents both physically and mentally. And Coach Paul Johnson showed yet again on Saturday that he will do whatever it takes to win. You want to put eight guys up there to stop the option? He’ll use a true freshman quarterback (Jaybo Shaw) to throw nine passes to Bay-Bay Thomas. But Georgia Tech has a chance to win every game it plays because Johnson has never had a defense this good to back up his offense.
Also, Boston Globe writer Mark Bladschun says Georgia Tech has a shot at winning the ACC
"Then there is Georgia Tech, with first-year coach Paul Johnson, sitting at 4-1 in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. The Yellow Jackets knocked off Duke, which already has won three games this season, 27-0 Saturday."
Sunday, October 5, 2008
More GT Stuff
This from the Sporting News' Matt Hayes:
On the outside
On the outside
Georgia Tech: You laugh at the funky flexbone offense, but understand this: No coach wants to game-plan for it. It's a logistical nightmare. 'Jackets are three key turnovers away (vs. Virginia Tech) from being unbeaten.
Also, Larry Hartstein tells us what we learned about GT Saturday.
One thing is for sure-Paul Johnson just simply outsmarts every defensive coordinator that tries to stop his offense.
--------------------------------------------------
Until Nebraska fans, administrators, boosters and everyone else starts listening to what I'm saying, the Husker program is going to continue to be mired in mediocrity. Again, to reiterate my point from a week ago, please start the search for a new offensive coordinator immediately and start recruiting accordingly. It was a terrible miscalculation to keep Shawn Watson and the leftovers of this stupid Callahan offense. Its pure garbage and doesn't belong at Nebraska.
Please run the damn flexbone offense that Paul Johnson runs and scares the crap out of teams with. Go reclaim the Husker identity. Yeah, you didn't hire PJ and yeah we're going to be kicking ourselves for a long time. You have a 2nd opportunity-hire his offensive coordinator. Pay him whatever it takes. Go to this site and find a few QBs that can run the flexbone. And watch the success of this program get reclaimed. Time is ticking.
http://www.flexboneassociation.com/directory/directory.htm
This About Sums it up for Nebraska
This one goes to you Bo. Good luck-you're going to need it the rest of the year.
Jackets beat Duke 27-0
Some initial thoughts regarding GT's 27-0 victory over Duke.
-After a slow start, the Jackets were able to methodically wear down a game Duke defense and get their first shutout since 2006 and 2nd since 2000. It was the passing of Jaybo Shaw and the receiving of Daymarius Thomas that really made the difference in this game. Thomas was, at times, wide open because Duke was so intent on stopping the flexbone. Teams will quickly realize that Paul Johnson's offense is not as "one dimensional" as its made out to be.
-ESPN showed a stat during the game that talked about Jaybo Shaw and the fact he is one of 4 true freshmen in the country that start at QB. Love Jaybo, but its clear that Nesbitt needs to get healed up ASAP. Jaybo just doesn't have the physical tools or experience right now to make this offense work perfectly and it looked like Paul had scaled down the offense knowing he had no backup behind Shaw.
-This defense is NASTY and getting better each week. We all knew the front 4 would be wicked but yesterday it was the hard hitting secondary and linebackers that stood out. This defense is just flat out tough both mentally and physically. They play with a confidence and swagger and enthusiasm that matches any other team I've seen in college football this year. I wonder if it has to do with practicing against a physical smashmouth offense nearly everyday. Run the ball and stop the run-do those and you will win a bunch of games. Also it certainly helps that the Jackets are finally getting healthy.
-Gardner Webb will be one last chance to fine tune things before a huge game October 11th at Clemson.
-After a slow start, the Jackets were able to methodically wear down a game Duke defense and get their first shutout since 2006 and 2nd since 2000. It was the passing of Jaybo Shaw and the receiving of Daymarius Thomas that really made the difference in this game. Thomas was, at times, wide open because Duke was so intent on stopping the flexbone. Teams will quickly realize that Paul Johnson's offense is not as "one dimensional" as its made out to be.
-ESPN showed a stat during the game that talked about Jaybo Shaw and the fact he is one of 4 true freshmen in the country that start at QB. Love Jaybo, but its clear that Nesbitt needs to get healed up ASAP. Jaybo just doesn't have the physical tools or experience right now to make this offense work perfectly and it looked like Paul had scaled down the offense knowing he had no backup behind Shaw.
-This defense is NASTY and getting better each week. We all knew the front 4 would be wicked but yesterday it was the hard hitting secondary and linebackers that stood out. This defense is just flat out tough both mentally and physically. They play with a confidence and swagger and enthusiasm that matches any other team I've seen in college football this year. I wonder if it has to do with practicing against a physical smashmouth offense nearly everyday. Run the ball and stop the run-do those and you will win a bunch of games. Also it certainly helps that the Jackets are finally getting healthy.
-Gardner Webb will be one last chance to fine tune things before a huge game October 11th at Clemson.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
My new call for changes at Nebraska
I've stated repeatedly that I dislike the WCO in any form-whether it be Bill Callahan's or Shawn Watson's. I want it gone from Nebraska FOREVER. Rushing for a pitiful 55 yards last night (or whatever miserable number it was) is no recipe for success. Run the ball and stop the run and you win a lot of games in college football. So what if they stacked the LOS with 8 players. Teams regularly did that against Nebraska for the better part of 30 years but the system we ran couldn't be stopped. Teams do it against Paul Johnson-style offenses all the time. They still find success.
My call now is since we didn't get Paul Johnson at Nebraska, we can get the next best thing-one of his assistants to resurrect our offense reclaim our identity. My preference would be either Mike Sewak, the current GT OL coach or Brian Bohannon, the QB and B back coach, who PJ brought with him from Navy. Sewak has extensive HC experience but as a graduate of Virginia, I wonder if he won't be in line for the soon to be open position to replace Al Groh. Bohannon has been with PJ for 12 years. He knows this offense inside and out. Bill Snyder had a bunch of great coaches develop off his tree.
Speaking of Bohannon, found an interesting read from a Booster Club appearance last February, after LOI day. Hat tip to the Georgia Tech Sports Blog. Pay parituclar attention to the philosophy, especially about recruiting.
A Hive member gave a very interesting report on a "Griffin Exchange Club" visit by new assistant coach Brian Bohannon. Bohannon is of course our new QB/B-Backs coach - and of course is also a Georgia grad and former football player. His job is crucial in this offense. Quite frankly it is this QB/BBack relationship that determines so much of the success of the triple option.
http://gtsports.blogspot.com/2008/02/football-brian-bohannon-speaks.html
Send Shawn Watson and this garbage offense packing.
My call now is since we didn't get Paul Johnson at Nebraska, we can get the next best thing-one of his assistants to resurrect our offense reclaim our identity. My preference would be either Mike Sewak, the current GT OL coach or Brian Bohannon, the QB and B back coach, who PJ brought with him from Navy. Sewak has extensive HC experience but as a graduate of Virginia, I wonder if he won't be in line for the soon to be open position to replace Al Groh. Bohannon has been with PJ for 12 years. He knows this offense inside and out. Bill Snyder had a bunch of great coaches develop off his tree.
Speaking of Bohannon, found an interesting read from a Booster Club appearance last February, after LOI day. Hat tip to the Georgia Tech Sports Blog. Pay parituclar attention to the philosophy, especially about recruiting.
A Hive member gave a very interesting report on a "Griffin Exchange Club" visit by new assistant coach Brian Bohannon. Bohannon is of course our new QB/B-Backs coach - and of course is also a Georgia grad and former football player. His job is crucial in this offense. Quite frankly it is this QB/BBack relationship that determines so much of the success of the triple option.
You can read the whole thing from the link above, but here are some of the more interesting points for me:
- Talking the talk....... got the crowd going by saying "we would beat Georgia", and something to the effect of - that's why we're here and the old coaching regime is not. We get it................ of course all that talk is great now.........
- Voluntary workouts have started
- First workouts started at 6:00am to get player's attention and make a point - if you are not interested in discipline and focus, then find somewhere else to play. Said they won at Navy because of player attitudes, not just execution of a gameplan. The right attitude leads to the right focus which leads to the right execution. Attitude first. The best players don't win games. The best teams do.
- PJ more concerned with the attitude than X's / O's at this point.
- Everybody starts with a clean slate. They will put the best 22 players on the field - no matter what age or experience.
- Said Morgan Burnett might be the best athlete on the team and they might even look at him at QB if he's interested
- Felt very good about recruiting - that they got what they were after - great kids, athletes, attitudes. PJ and staff have been very impressed with the quality & character of the kids in this program - which rivals Navy.
- Team success will hinge on the "middle 3" - center, QB, B-Back.
- Quote - "We'll throw plenty of passes....... most of them will just be in the pregame warmups (obviously tongue-in-cheek, although anyone who thinks we will pass more than Chan Gailey's teams did is crazy).
- Said we will probably pass 20-25 times per game, but get more yardage per pass because of the way defenses are forced to defend the run. "Not unusual to see a WR catch a pass with nobody within 20 yards of him".
- No easy practices. No special jerseys for the QB's. No half-speed drills. Can't learn this offense at half-speed - will be game-speed so it becomes instinctive.
- Not unusual to end a Friday afternoon practice with a 50-play "scrimmage", then wake up and run a 130-play "scrimmage" 14 hours later.
- We will get a lot of kids at QB that other schools want at other positions.
- If a kid cares about how many stars he has, he doesn't belong here.
- PJ doesn't care a lick about Rivals.com or Scout.com rankings. The formula is: fit-the-system + character + attitude = we want him here.
- Josh Nesbitt - amazing talent but a complete unknown as an option QB. Has a future at many potential positions
- Jaybo Shaw - coach's son, knows the offense
- Tevin Washington - great athlete, could play many different positions
- Richard Watson - prototypical B-Back, can't wait to get him on the field
- Will likely see more OL recruits with burst off the line. That means probably fewer 6'7" 320lb guys.
- Trying to break habits of the current OLine - getting them to move forward at snap - not side-to-side. Quickness + footwork are key.
http://gtsports.blogspot.com/2008/02/football-brian-bohannon-speaks.html
Send Shawn Watson and this garbage offense packing.
Huskers, Navy and a Wild Week of CFB
Thoughts on Nebraska's 35-30 loss to Virginia Tech last night:
-I am actually a little surprised by the outcome of this game. I thought it would be too much for a young Virginia Tech team to go on the road and pull out a victory in Lincoln. However, Nebraska's lack of an identity on offense and inability to run the football are the biggest reasons why I think the outcome was as it was.
-Nebraska doesn't have an identity on offense. And if you can't run the football at least somewhat effectively, you won't win many football games against quality opponents. Period.
-I make no secret that I'm not a fan of this style of offense that Nebraska plays. Call it the WCO or a pro style offense or whatever you want to. Right now we're not really good at any particular facet of executing it. What's more disturbing is that the offense hasn't really changed-these players and this offensive line know this system well, as its a watered down version of Callahan's offense. However, Callahan's teams ran the ball far more effectively than what I've seen thus far this year.
-Shawn Watson was highly criticized by Colorado fans during the latter stages of his tenure there. Could it be that the dope smoking CU fans actually got it right, for once??
-It gets much much tougher from here on out. Missouri's defense isn't great and we should put some points up on them. But again, if we can't play ball control and run the football, Chase Daniel will hang a half hundy on this this team.
-Congrats to the Middies of Navy and new Coach N for their signature win yesterday at Wake Forest. This was the first time since 1985 that Navy got a win over a ranked opponent. The Mids jumped all over Wake and led 17-0 at halftime. However, the offense started to get stalled when Kaipo went down with a hamstring injury. I haven't watched the film yet but a W is a W.
-Duke and new Coach David Cutcliffe will be a formidable opponent for Georgia Tech this week. The Blue Devils are now 3-1 after trouncing a hapless Virginia team yesterday in Durham. I expect GT to win and PJ will not allow this team to be overlooked. Duke's only loss was a close 24-21 loss to unbeaten Northwestern. They also beat Navy 41-31. It shou.ld be an interesting game-especially if Nesbitt is held out to heal his hamstring.
-Clemson now looks to be in full collapse and might be a winnable game in a few weeks. After yesterday's meltdown to Maryland, I'm wondering if Tommy Bowden's team, chalk full of talent, is ready to mail it in for the year.
-I am actually a little surprised by the outcome of this game. I thought it would be too much for a young Virginia Tech team to go on the road and pull out a victory in Lincoln. However, Nebraska's lack of an identity on offense and inability to run the football are the biggest reasons why I think the outcome was as it was.
-Nebraska doesn't have an identity on offense. And if you can't run the football at least somewhat effectively, you won't win many football games against quality opponents. Period.
-I make no secret that I'm not a fan of this style of offense that Nebraska plays. Call it the WCO or a pro style offense or whatever you want to. Right now we're not really good at any particular facet of executing it. What's more disturbing is that the offense hasn't really changed-these players and this offensive line know this system well, as its a watered down version of Callahan's offense. However, Callahan's teams ran the ball far more effectively than what I've seen thus far this year.
-Shawn Watson was highly criticized by Colorado fans during the latter stages of his tenure there. Could it be that the dope smoking CU fans actually got it right, for once??
-It gets much much tougher from here on out. Missouri's defense isn't great and we should put some points up on them. But again, if we can't play ball control and run the football, Chase Daniel will hang a half hundy on this this team.
-Congrats to the Middies of Navy and new Coach N for their signature win yesterday at Wake Forest. This was the first time since 1985 that Navy got a win over a ranked opponent. The Mids jumped all over Wake and led 17-0 at halftime. However, the offense started to get stalled when Kaipo went down with a hamstring injury. I haven't watched the film yet but a W is a W.
-Duke and new Coach David Cutcliffe will be a formidable opponent for Georgia Tech this week. The Blue Devils are now 3-1 after trouncing a hapless Virginia team yesterday in Durham. I expect GT to win and PJ will not allow this team to be overlooked. Duke's only loss was a close 24-21 loss to unbeaten Northwestern. They also beat Navy 41-31. It shou.ld be an interesting game-especially if Nesbitt is held out to heal his hamstring.
-Clemson now looks to be in full collapse and might be a winnable game in a few weeks. After yesterday's meltdown to Maryland, I'm wondering if Tommy Bowden's team, chalk full of talent, is ready to mail it in for the year.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
So with the week off
With the Georgia Tech bye week there's still plenty of activity around the program:
ESPN weighs in on exactly what I talked about in a post following the Mississippi State game. Johnson's offense works and works against anyone. Anywhere.
Meanwhile, Paul Johnson and his staff have used the off week to "teach."
A sports betting website calls Paul Johnson's team "scary."
Also, Johnson's ex team Navy, has caused Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe a ton of headaches in preparation for their game this weekend. What an offense.
ESPN weighs in on exactly what I talked about in a post following the Mississippi State game. Johnson's offense works and works against anyone. Anywhere.
Meanwhile, Paul Johnson and his staff have used the off week to "teach."
A sports betting website calls Paul Johnson's team "scary."
Also, Johnson's ex team Navy, has caused Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe a ton of headaches in preparation for their game this weekend. What an offense.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Comments are Welcome...Again
I turned off comments last fall. But now you can feel free to post on my entries again. Spread the word about my site!
Some More Misc Miss State Notes
Plenty of records will be broken very soon.
-PJ got his 110th career victory, tying Amos Alonzo Stagg for the eighth-most wins in the first 12 seasons of a college coaching career.
-Georgia Tech recorded the fifth-highest single game rushing total in school history with 438 yards on the ground.
-Tech’s 438 yards rushing were the most since 1978.
-Jonathan Dwyer’s Record-Breaking 88-Yard Run In The Third Quarter was the longest run from scrimmage in school history, breaking the previous record of 87 yard by Bob McCoy vs. The Citadel in 1948.
-PJ got his 110th career victory, tying Amos Alonzo Stagg for the eighth-most wins in the first 12 seasons of a college coaching career.
-Georgia Tech recorded the fifth-highest single game rushing total in school history with 438 yards on the ground.
-Tech’s 438 yards rushing were the most since 1978.
-Jonathan Dwyer’s Record-Breaking 88-Yard Run In The Third Quarter was the longest run from scrimmage in school history, breaking the previous record of 87 yard by Bob McCoy vs. The Citadel in 1948.
Telling Words
From the NE Mississippi Journal:
MSU knew coming in that this rarely seen brand of offense - Bulldogs coach Sylvester Croom called it a "wingbone" because of its wishbone and wing-T elements - would be tough to defend. They said they felt prepared, but it's one thing to prepare for it and another to actually stop it.
"We ran the option offense in high school, and you've got to read your keys every play," said free safety Derek Pegues. "If one man slips up, you've seen it out there, it can be a touchdown any time."
Pegues said too many missed assignments hurt, but strong downfield blocking was a big factor, too.
In the end, Shaw and the rest of them were too much for MSU to handle.
MSU knew coming in that this rarely seen brand of offense - Bulldogs coach Sylvester Croom called it a "wingbone" because of its wishbone and wing-T elements - would be tough to defend. They said they felt prepared, but it's one thing to prepare for it and another to actually stop it.
"We ran the option offense in high school, and you've got to read your keys every play," said free safety Derek Pegues. "If one man slips up, you've seen it out there, it can be a touchdown any time."
Pegues said too many missed assignments hurt, but strong downfield blocking was a big factor, too.
In the end, Shaw and the rest of them were too much for MSU to handle.
Some Stats
After 4 games, three of them against BCS teams with pretty salty defenses, the young and rapidly improving Paul Johnson offense is 3rd in the country in rushing yards per game, at nearly 307 yards per game. This is behind his former team-Navy-the national leader; and Oklahoma State. The Jackets are also averaging nearly 6.5 yards per carry. When you consider the youth on this offense and the fact we're only 4 games into the PJ era-pretty amazing. Look at who the key players on offense are:
QB Josh Nesbitt-Soph
QB Jaybo Shaw-true freshman
RB Embry Peebles-true freshman
RB Jonathan Dwayer-Soph
RB Lucas Cox-Soph
RB Quincy Kelly-Soph
RB Roddy Jones-RS Fr
RB Greg Smith-Jr
WR Tyler Melton-true freshman
WR Damaryius Thomas-Soph
OL Joseph Gilbert-RS Fr
OL Zach Krish-Soph
That means Paul Johnson will have nearly every statistical element of his offense around for the two seasons after this one. The defense, outside of the DL, is nearly as young. Can you say BCS? Or maybe more. And don't forget Louisville transfer Anthony Allen, who may allow Dwyer to slide over to the A back posistion like he did a few times yesterday. Scary.
Also wanted to mention that 71 players (nearly everyone on the sideline) got into the game yesterday. Even walk-on QB Bryce Dykes and Calvin Booker got snaps.
I don't know-just watching GT yesterday reminded me so much of what Tom Osborne's teams used to do. Run roughshod over a team powerless to stop you and then get a bunch of backups into the game to build up depth and experience.
QB Josh Nesbitt-Soph
QB Jaybo Shaw-true freshman
RB Embry Peebles-true freshman
RB Jonathan Dwayer-Soph
RB Lucas Cox-Soph
RB Quincy Kelly-Soph
RB Roddy Jones-RS Fr
RB Greg Smith-Jr
WR Tyler Melton-true freshman
WR Damaryius Thomas-Soph
OL Joseph Gilbert-RS Fr
OL Zach Krish-Soph
That means Paul Johnson will have nearly every statistical element of his offense around for the two seasons after this one. The defense, outside of the DL, is nearly as young. Can you say BCS? Or maybe more. And don't forget Louisville transfer Anthony Allen, who may allow Dwyer to slide over to the A back posistion like he did a few times yesterday. Scary.
Also wanted to mention that 71 players (nearly everyone on the sideline) got into the game yesterday. Even walk-on QB Bryce Dykes and Calvin Booker got snaps.
I don't know-just watching GT yesterday reminded me so much of what Tom Osborne's teams used to do. Run roughshod over a team powerless to stop you and then get a bunch of backups into the game to build up depth and experience.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Great Job Today
Will post more later but just some initial thoughts on GT's 38-7 spanking of Mississippi State today:
-Yeah Mississippi State isn't great. But GT dominated an SEC team that was at least serviceable on defense. The Jackets rolled up over 400 yards on the ground and played subs most of the 4th quarter.
-Oh and for those that didn't follow the game...they mashed Mississippi State without Josh Nesbitt, who left with a pulled hamstring on the 1st possession of the game. Enter true freshman Jaybo Shaw, who runs this system like a veteran. He should though since he ran the same offense for his father at Flowery Branch HS. Shaw is more than a capable backup as his command of the offense was on full display today. Sure he's still a true freshman and will make mistakes but it shows you how even a young player can contribute in this offense.
-I've watched every GT game this year and they get better every game. This is a staple of a Paul Johnson coached team. They will always be better at the end of the year than the beginning. Period.
-So much for the "will this offense work against teams from a BCS conference?" It was a stupid question for the media and anyone else to ever ask. After beating BC, rushing for nearly 300 on VT last week and going for 400 today, its pretty clear that it works against anybody. And lest we forget, we're just 4 games into the PJ era and he's got perhaps the youngest offensive team in the country. Paul Johnson's offense works against any team and he proved that at Navy playing against BCS teams that always had a size, speed and talent advantage. Ask Auburn, who scored a measley FG against Mississippi State last week, whose offense they'd rather have right now.
-Despite months and months of preparation (dating to last spring) and having a head coach who knows option football inside and out, Mississippi State was shredded and powerless to stop anything GT did today. As this article in the Clarion Ledger points out:
To that end, Croom prepped his team specifically for this opponent in preseason practice.
-Paul Johnson, in a matter of months, eclipsed 4 years of work done by Sylvester Croom. Think maybe Mississippi State would trade their coach in a heartbeat?
-GT has a bye week to rest and get healed up and it couldn't come at a better time. Starting C Dan Voss gutted out the game, despite injuring his shoulder early on. Nesbitt will need the rest to get his hamstring back to normal. With upcoming games against Duke and Gardner-Webb, I fully expect GT to be 5-1 heading into Death Valley at Clemson on October 18th.
-Yeah Mississippi State isn't great. But GT dominated an SEC team that was at least serviceable on defense. The Jackets rolled up over 400 yards on the ground and played subs most of the 4th quarter.
-Oh and for those that didn't follow the game...they mashed Mississippi State without Josh Nesbitt, who left with a pulled hamstring on the 1st possession of the game. Enter true freshman Jaybo Shaw, who runs this system like a veteran. He should though since he ran the same offense for his father at Flowery Branch HS. Shaw is more than a capable backup as his command of the offense was on full display today. Sure he's still a true freshman and will make mistakes but it shows you how even a young player can contribute in this offense.
-I've watched every GT game this year and they get better every game. This is a staple of a Paul Johnson coached team. They will always be better at the end of the year than the beginning. Period.
-So much for the "will this offense work against teams from a BCS conference?" It was a stupid question for the media and anyone else to ever ask. After beating BC, rushing for nearly 300 on VT last week and going for 400 today, its pretty clear that it works against anybody. And lest we forget, we're just 4 games into the PJ era and he's got perhaps the youngest offensive team in the country. Paul Johnson's offense works against any team and he proved that at Navy playing against BCS teams that always had a size, speed and talent advantage. Ask Auburn, who scored a measley FG against Mississippi State last week, whose offense they'd rather have right now.
-Despite months and months of preparation (dating to last spring) and having a head coach who knows option football inside and out, Mississippi State was shredded and powerless to stop anything GT did today. As this article in the Clarion Ledger points out:
To that end, Croom prepped his team specifically for this opponent in preseason practice.
A period per day (usually, practices have about 15 periods, give or take) was dedicated just to defending the option. Croom spoke with other coaches who have had to defend it.
Since the start of the season, he has watched video not only of Tech but also of first-year coach Paul Johnson's six-season tenure at Navy.
If Tech's triple option rips State to shreds today on what promises to be a picture-perfect fall Saturday afternoon, it won't be because the Bulldogs weren't prepared.
-Paul Johnson, in a matter of months, eclipsed 4 years of work done by Sylvester Croom. Think maybe Mississippi State would trade their coach in a heartbeat?
-GT has a bye week to rest and get healed up and it couldn't come at a better time. Starting C Dan Voss gutted out the game, despite injuring his shoulder early on. Nesbitt will need the rest to get his hamstring back to normal. With upcoming games against Duke and Gardner-Webb, I fully expect GT to be 5-1 heading into Death Valley at Clemson on October 18th.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
By the way
Those of my Husker ilk insinuating that I "threw away my loyalty" to Nebraska when Bo was hired and Johnson wasn't, must be drinking too much of the Pelini Punch. I'm still a graduate of the University of Nebraska. I'm still a lifelong fan and always will be. I still watch and follow the games. I am though, less enamored than ever with this watered down Bill Callahan WCO because I didn't grow up watching it and watched 4 years of misery and ineptitude related to trying to run something that belongs in the NFL. I wanted all remenants of his tenure gone forever. But if because I also choose to follow a team with a coach I admire; and who runs an offense that reminds me of past days of Husker glory; and who I think would have been the best possible choice to turn Nebraska back into the feared program it once was-if that makes me a "traitor" then so be it. I don't dislike Bo-I dislike the process that led to him being named head coach. I dislike those that don't do any research and arm themselves with information. I dislike those that claim Paul Johnson wasn't interested in the NU job (he interviewed at SMU for god sake-he would have WALKED across the country to coach at Nebraska).
I hope both Nebraska and GT win all their games they ever play. There's no "see I told you so" that will come from me in two years when Johnson has his team in the BCS. But if the power brokers at Nebraska do in fact, because of their lack of research, turn us into Alabama (took them a very long time to get back), I'm sure I won't be quiet on the situation.
I hope both Nebraska and GT win all their games they ever play. There's no "see I told you so" that will come from me in two years when Johnson has his team in the BCS. But if the power brokers at Nebraska do in fact, because of their lack of research, turn us into Alabama (took them a very long time to get back), I'm sure I won't be quiet on the situation.
The Good in the Bad
I stated last week that I didn't think a young GT team with numerous injuries could go into a hostile environment in Blacksburg and win like they did the previous week against BC. Despite a blood and guts performance from Josh Nesbitt (who by the way is growing up before our eyes), the game was ultimately lost on a 2nd Q turnover, that allowed VT to drive down the field and score a touchdown before halftime.
There's a lot of good to take away from this game. The VT defense, despite being young, is as athletic and talented as GT will see this year and the type of defense that people said Paul Johnson's offense wouldn't work against. This was the best PJ's offense has looked in three games and they moved the ball at will during times of this game. The offense generated 278 rushing yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. The unheralded sophomore Lucas Cox looked great in relief of Dwyer and could be a real weapon as the season progresses. Its not hard to imagine that as players get more experience, 17 points will turn into 30 and 40 points.
A great article this week by former Navy QB Chris Candeto, who compares the first season at Navy to the current GT team.
Chris Boggs of the AJC sums up my thoughts on the game, exactly.
Some other observations:
-Don't know if it would have made a difference but not having Daymarius Thomas, certainly didn't help GT's cause. Hopefully he'll return from the mild concussion he's suffering because he's clearly the best WR on the team.
-The horrible "helmet to helmet" contact late in the game probably sealed GT's fate. Cooper Taylor was called for the penalty and even the ABC game announcers thought it was a terrible call. VT would have been forced to put and who knows what happens then...
-So up next for the Hokies are Bo Pelini's Skers. A friend texted me yesterday and said how bad it would have looked had GT beaten VT and Nebraska lost to them. I told him that comparing Nebraska and GT right now is comparing apples and oranges. Paul Johnson is flipping the culture, installing a radically different offense. His team has a roster made up almost exclusively of freshmen and sophomores and he is dealing with self-imposed scholarship reductions from the previous staff's NCAA infractions. Pelini's job involves fixing the psyche of the defense, but otherwise the offensive philosophy was kept intact with Shawn Watson. I think provided Nebraska can keep Tyrod Taylor in check, it will be a young VT team that will have trouble coming into hostile Lincoln and escaping with a win.
I said what matters to me is what happens in 2-3 years. When you look at GTs roster, you see that nobody will want to play them starting next year. It could be that Dwyer isn't even the starter with Louisville sophomore transfer Anthony Allen in the mix. All reports I've seen are that Allen, who is redshirting this year due to the transfer rule, is simply a man among boys.
-VT coach Frank Beamer, during his post game interview with ABC, called GT a great team and said the Hokies were very fortunate to win. "They do some stuff that...messes with you."
Next week Mississippi State comes to Atlanta. The Bulldogs lost to Auburn yesterday 3-2. Maybe their defense is okay but at home, GT should be able to get it done. I'd look for the Jackets to be 5-1 heading into Clemson next month.
There's a lot of good to take away from this game. The VT defense, despite being young, is as athletic and talented as GT will see this year and the type of defense that people said Paul Johnson's offense wouldn't work against. This was the best PJ's offense has looked in three games and they moved the ball at will during times of this game. The offense generated 278 rushing yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. The unheralded sophomore Lucas Cox looked great in relief of Dwyer and could be a real weapon as the season progresses. Its not hard to imagine that as players get more experience, 17 points will turn into 30 and 40 points.
A great article this week by former Navy QB Chris Candeto, who compares the first season at Navy to the current GT team.
Chris Boggs of the AJC sums up my thoughts on the game, exactly.
Some other observations:
-Don't know if it would have made a difference but not having Daymarius Thomas, certainly didn't help GT's cause. Hopefully he'll return from the mild concussion he's suffering because he's clearly the best WR on the team.
-The horrible "helmet to helmet" contact late in the game probably sealed GT's fate. Cooper Taylor was called for the penalty and even the ABC game announcers thought it was a terrible call. VT would have been forced to put and who knows what happens then...
-So up next for the Hokies are Bo Pelini's Skers. A friend texted me yesterday and said how bad it would have looked had GT beaten VT and Nebraska lost to them. I told him that comparing Nebraska and GT right now is comparing apples and oranges. Paul Johnson is flipping the culture, installing a radically different offense. His team has a roster made up almost exclusively of freshmen and sophomores and he is dealing with self-imposed scholarship reductions from the previous staff's NCAA infractions. Pelini's job involves fixing the psyche of the defense, but otherwise the offensive philosophy was kept intact with Shawn Watson. I think provided Nebraska can keep Tyrod Taylor in check, it will be a young VT team that will have trouble coming into hostile Lincoln and escaping with a win.
I said what matters to me is what happens in 2-3 years. When you look at GTs roster, you see that nobody will want to play them starting next year. It could be that Dwyer isn't even the starter with Louisville sophomore transfer Anthony Allen in the mix. All reports I've seen are that Allen, who is redshirting this year due to the transfer rule, is simply a man among boys.
-VT coach Frank Beamer, during his post game interview with ABC, called GT a great team and said the Hokies were very fortunate to win. "They do some stuff that...messes with you."
Next week Mississippi State comes to Atlanta. The Bulldogs lost to Auburn yesterday 3-2. Maybe their defense is okay but at home, GT should be able to get it done. I'd look for the Jackets to be 5-1 heading into Clemson next month.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Georgia Tech Thoughts and Musings
I'll try to keep this blog updated on a week by week basis throughout the rest of this season. I didn't feel the need to post any thoughts after Georgia Tech and new Coach Paul Johnson played a meaningless, glorified scrimmage against Jacksonville State to start the season a week ago.
Congratulations to Coach Johnson on his signature victory over Boston College today. Its a signature win, because PJ became the first GT head coach to ever win his initial ACC game. '
A couple of observations:
1.) This one was won by the defense, something Johnson didn't always have at Navy. While PJ's young and inexperienced offense struggled to move the ball against the brick wall BC defense (in particular the DL), the Georgia Tech defense was equally as dominant against Boston College, forcing turnovers and harassing BC QB Chris Crane all day. There will likely be more low-scoring, down to the wire games just like this throughout the year. But regardless of anything else, Johnson proved again that he just simply knows how to win games.
2.) Its one game. I'm of the opinion that this is a 3-4 year project to flip the GT culture and to see the full effect of Paul Johnson. He clearly doesn't have what he wants up front on the OL-one could make the argument that his Navy OL, despite being physically inferior, is better (at executing his offense) than his GT line . This is also a very very young team as 14 or 15 of the starters are either freshmen or sophomores. By my count 26 of the players listed on the two-deep are freshmen or sophomores. And it should also be noted that Georgia Tech has only 76 scholarship players because of NCAA violations from the previous regime. In any case, PJ took a young team, transitioning to his system, with a MASH unit of linebackers (due to injuries) and went on the road to beat a quality opponent. Beating VT next week on the road in Blacksburg might be too much to ask for but we'll see.
3.) Nesbitt reminds me so much of Michael Vick. His line didn't give him any help today but he was able to make some incredible plays with his feet. He needs to improve his throwing accuracy but its difficult when you have to run for your life on nearly every play.
4.) A couple of things struck me regarding PJ and his coaching philosophy/style. As GT was trying to run the clock out to end the game, PJ was shown laughing and joking with his players in a huddle during a timeout. This was after they tried to draw BC offsides on a 4th down call. I couldn't help but smile, as that's not something you see everyday during the heat of the battle.
Also immediately after the win Johnson showed as much emotion and excitement about the victory as you would ever see. He was high fiving and fist pumping and congratulating his players. You could tell it was a big win. The great thing to see was his players seemed just as excited. This man is a winner, pure and simple. He knows this was just one step in the grand scheme of the process, but a big step nonetheless.
Congratulations to Coach Johnson on his signature victory over Boston College today. Its a signature win, because PJ became the first GT head coach to ever win his initial ACC game. '
A couple of observations:
1.) This one was won by the defense, something Johnson didn't always have at Navy. While PJ's young and inexperienced offense struggled to move the ball against the brick wall BC defense (in particular the DL), the Georgia Tech defense was equally as dominant against Boston College, forcing turnovers and harassing BC QB Chris Crane all day. There will likely be more low-scoring, down to the wire games just like this throughout the year. But regardless of anything else, Johnson proved again that he just simply knows how to win games.
2.) Its one game. I'm of the opinion that this is a 3-4 year project to flip the GT culture and to see the full effect of Paul Johnson. He clearly doesn't have what he wants up front on the OL-one could make the argument that his Navy OL, despite being physically inferior, is better (at executing his offense) than his GT line . This is also a very very young team as 14 or 15 of the starters are either freshmen or sophomores. By my count 26 of the players listed on the two-deep are freshmen or sophomores. And it should also be noted that Georgia Tech has only 76 scholarship players because of NCAA violations from the previous regime. In any case, PJ took a young team, transitioning to his system, with a MASH unit of linebackers (due to injuries) and went on the road to beat a quality opponent. Beating VT next week on the road in Blacksburg might be too much to ask for but we'll see.
3.) Nesbitt reminds me so much of Michael Vick. His line didn't give him any help today but he was able to make some incredible plays with his feet. He needs to improve his throwing accuracy but its difficult when you have to run for your life on nearly every play.
4.) A couple of things struck me regarding PJ and his coaching philosophy/style. As GT was trying to run the clock out to end the game, PJ was shown laughing and joking with his players in a huddle during a timeout. This was after they tried to draw BC offsides on a 4th down call. I couldn't help but smile, as that's not something you see everyday during the heat of the battle.
Also immediately after the win Johnson showed as much emotion and excitement about the victory as you would ever see. He was high fiving and fist pumping and congratulating his players. You could tell it was a big win. The great thing to see was his players seemed just as excited. This man is a winner, pure and simple. He knows this was just one step in the grand scheme of the process, but a big step nonetheless.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Nesbitt on the Verge of Stardom
I said Paul Johnson would make Josh Nesbitt a star. After sitting out much of the spring with injuries, Nesbitt has really started to make the transition. He is making big plays in practice with his arm and his feet. In fact, the entire offense has started to click-and this is against one of the elite defensive lines in all of college football.
From the AJC:
Quarterback Josh Nesbitt seems to be putting distance between himself and the candidates for the No. 2 job. Thursday, his pitches to the backs were as crisp as they have been, and he continues to show his speed and his willingness to take on tacklers head-on.
And a practice observer from Thursday's practice had this to say:
"Wow. Just wow. The offense is starting to click a lot earlier than anyone expected. Its amazing the potential this offense has. Josh Nesbitt has the starting spot locked up. He is playing GREAT. His passing has improved a lot. His pitches couldn't be any better. It was a great practice. When they scrimmaged the offense was moving the ball the best it has since PJ has took over."
I'm Baaaaack
Well here we are just three weeks from the start of the 2008 college football season. While the Huskers have the Bo Pelini era underway, a fascinating transition is taking place down in Atlanta, with Paul Johnson now into his first fall as head coach at Georgia Tech.Meanwhile, nearly every article regarding Johnson is about whether his "triple option" will work against these big bad BCS teams. It appears PJ and Georgia Tech will continue to get these questions until they go out and start pulverizing teams. I'm envious already-imagine Nebraska going back to cut blocking on nearly every play.
No need to tell ACC teams what they're about to be up against-check out these bits from ACC media days (it reminds me of what teams said about Nebraska in the 90s):
From Rivals:
Count Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe as a believer in Paul Johnson's ability to succeed with the option attack at Georgia Tech. Wake Forest gave up 328 rushing yards last season in a 44-24 victory over Johnson-coached Navy.
"We won on the scoreboard, but they went up and down the field against us," Grobe said. "We haven't stopped them yet. They'd still be running it if the horn hadn't blown. …
"You never see it, you never practice it, you can't simulate it in practice. No matter how hard you try to show your kids in practice what it's going to be like, you get in the game and it's 10 times faster than your scout team could ever show in practice. There's just absolutely no way to prepare for it. Its impossible to stop."
Grobe is familiar with the option after working as an assistant at Air Force and experimenting with that type of attack as the coach at Ohio University. Grobe acknowledged Georgia Tech would need time to adjust, but he said the Yellow Jackets could make the transition sooner than many people expect.
"If he comes up with the quarterback who can make pretty good decisions, all those other positions can take care of themselves," Grobe said.
Meanwhile, GT beat writer Matt Winkeljohn weighs in on PJ's swagger
Also, Nebraska gets some mention in this article about the "triple option." Pay close attention to what gets said on page 2 by players and coaches from the ACC. *Sigh* It could have been Nebraska.
"We won on the scoreboard, but they went up and down the field against us," Grobe said. "We haven't stopped them yet. They'd still be running it if the horn hadn't blown. …
"You never see it, you never practice it, you can't simulate it in practice. No matter how hard you try to show your kids in practice what it's going to be like, you get in the game and it's 10 times faster than your scout team could ever show in practice. There's just absolutely no way to prepare for it. Its impossible to stop."
Grobe is familiar with the option after working as an assistant at Air Force and experimenting with that type of attack as the coach at Ohio University. Grobe acknowledged Georgia Tech would need time to adjust, but he said the Yellow Jackets could make the transition sooner than many people expect.
"If he comes up with the quarterback who can make pretty good decisions, all those other positions can take care of themselves," Grobe said.
Meanwhile, GT beat writer Matt Winkeljohn weighs in on PJ's swagger
Also, Nebraska gets some mention in this article about the "triple option." Pay close attention to what gets said on page 2 by players and coaches from the ACC. *Sigh* It could have been Nebraska.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
PJ building a monster at GT
Its been a while since I updated the site but as we wind down recruiting season and turn towards spring football, I thought I'd weigh in on the state of affairs down at Georgia Tech. The first thing I notice about the class Paul Johnson has assembled is the size and quality of the offensive linemen he's recruited. The crown jewel of the OL recruits (and the entire class) is 4-star, US Army AA Omoregie Uzzi. At 6-4 and 298, he had offers from Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Virginia and Clemson. Joining Uzzi as OL recruits in this year's class are 6-5 320 TJ Barnes (Louisville, Auburn offers); 6-4 289 Nick McRae (NC State, Maryland, UCF offers); and 6-5 270 Phillip Smith (Penn State offer). First off, one needs to notice not just the caliber of player being brought in, but the size as well. At Navy, height and weight limitations meant that Paul Johnson worked regularly with starters up front averaging 270 lbs per man. Several times he had a starting tackle weigh in the range of 250 lbs. BCS schools couldn't stop his offense even with huge size and strength advantages in the trenches at Navy. They sure as hell won't be stopping his offense with players of this caliber.
Some other recruits to keep an eye on:
RB/FB Richard Watson from Tallahassee (offers from Ohio State, UCLA, UCF, Arizona State and Boston College)
S Brandon Leslie (former NU recruit with offers from NU, Utah, Washington)
LB BJ Machen from Ohio (Pitt, Stanford, West Virginia, Maryland, Michigan State)
LB Malcolm Munroe from Miami (Louisville, North Carolina, Rutgers, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Auburn, Clemson)
LB Steven Sylvester (Florida State, NC, NC State, Virginia Tech, South Carolina)
DB Jon Lockhart from Florida (Ole Miss, South Florida, UCF)
RB Marcus Wright from Texas (Texas 5A player of the year; senior year=3,374 yards and 45 TDs)
RB Embry Peeples from Florida (Auburn, LSU, West Virginia, Colorado)
Bottom line-there's a huge difference between the players being brought to GT and those Paul Johnson was able to get to Navy. This will be a very fast turnaround and Georgia Tech will win the ACC shortly.
Some other recruits to keep an eye on:
RB/FB Richard Watson from Tallahassee (offers from Ohio State, UCLA, UCF, Arizona State and Boston College)
S Brandon Leslie (former NU recruit with offers from NU, Utah, Washington)
LB BJ Machen from Ohio (Pitt, Stanford, West Virginia, Maryland, Michigan State)
LB Malcolm Munroe from Miami (Louisville, North Carolina, Rutgers, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Auburn, Clemson)
LB Steven Sylvester (Florida State, NC, NC State, Virginia Tech, South Carolina)
DB Jon Lockhart from Florida (Ole Miss, South Florida, UCF)
RB Marcus Wright from Texas (Texas 5A player of the year; senior year=3,374 yards and 45 TDs)
RB Embry Peeples from Florida (Auburn, LSU, West Virginia, Colorado)
Bottom line-there's a huge difference between the players being brought to GT and those Paul Johnson was able to get to Navy. This will be a very fast turnaround and Georgia Tech will win the ACC shortly.
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