Since someone below requested an Orange Bowl summary here it is:
Not too much to say about that one. After all it's not hard to decipher why Iowa won the Orange Bowl and GT lost. Iowa simply loaded up the box, dared Nesbitt to beat them through the air and whipped GT at the point of attack. Not to say it was all bad-GT actually still had a chance to tie or win with about 3 minutes left in the game, even as poorly as they executed on offense most of the game. The first half was much like the VT game earlier this year. Paul Johnson made adjustments at halftime and we actually moved the ball well a few series in the second half. The defense played okay but this wasn't a great Iowa offense. Obviously, those issues are being addressed.
I sort of hinted this might happen in my post below about Navy vs. Missouri. Again, GT does not execute this offense near as well as Navy does. I told an Iowa fan after the game that if GT has Ricky Dobbs instead of Josh Nesbitt they probably win this game. If they have Ricky Dobbs and the Navy OL they almost certainly win the game.
Leading into next year I think you'll see a few things. You are certainly going to see the redshirting OL on the field and battling in the spring. I think CPJ likes Phil Smith (who didn't play in the Orange Bowl because of a broken leg). I think he likes Bedford, although he isn't the ideal center. Gilbert should be relegated to a backup role next year and Barrick. The rest-meh. But as much as we need to upgrade the OL, we perhaps need to upgrade another position even more-the QB. God Bless Nesbitt-he's a warrior and not many players in the country are tougher. But the option runs and develops slow with him. That will cut it against most teams but not against the very elite defenses. His passing is atrocious most of the time but he is what he is. For comparison sake, I posted a vintage video of some clips from throughout Paul Johnson's career. We're going to get there but it won't happen until the OL is fixed and the QB is running the offense at the level of a Kaipo, Dobbs or Tracy Hamm. I hope next year CPJ will start to get some of his younger QBs some game time. Jordan Luallen is up to about 220 right now and is supposedly an excellent passer. David Sims is also redshirting and it sounds like we still may take Ohio star Dominique Brown as he is deciding between Cincy and GT. Plus Synjyn Days is on his way in but I'm guessing he is headed for a RS year barring something unforseen. I also love Dwyer and his competitiveness but part of me wishes he'd move on because I am not sure he is the ideal. I mean at this point you have to ask who you would rather see in the backfield-Kyle Eckel or Dwyer? Part of me says lets see what else we have back there (i.e, Drummond).
Think we execute like this? Not yet.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Sounds like a Done Deal
Rumors everywhere that Al Groh is coming on board as DC. That is one hell of a hire by Paul Johnson, if true. How many other schools in the country have an assistant coach with 38 years of coaching experience, a Super Bowl ring, 2 conference coach of the year honors and someone that has coached under Bill Belichik and Bill Parcells. Parcells was apparently trying to lure Groh back to the NFL to coach with the Dolphins. This guy is a master of the 3-4 defense and is often given the label "defensive genius." Groh may not have been a great head coach but I have a feeling that giving him half of the team to work with and pairing him with PJ's offense is going to be a nightmare for opposing teams. Will wait for confirmation.
Wommack is Out
Maybe a little surprising that DC Dave Wommack was let go but then again, it says volumes about Paul Johnson and the fact that he will not settle for just winning 11 games a year.
There were tons of injuries this year to the defense but injuries are going to happen every year and you have to work through them. I believe that the issues on defense caused CPJ to call his plays different and manage games differently this year than he would with a serviceable defense.
As for Nebraska, Shawn Watson's offense this year ranked 102nd in the country. Dave Wommack's defense ranked 54th. Bo Pelini is only delaying the inevitable by keeping Watson around, as he has proven to be as mediocre as it gets in terms of playcalling and execution. For every good game the offense has, it has 3 or 4 bad games and that is a consistent pattern. Remember as well, Watson was kept here to make sure there were as few interruptions as possible to the offense.
So who will replace Wommack? Al Groh's name is mentioned prominently, since he and Paul Johnson are good friends. I'd be very enthused with Groh running the defense, except for the fact that we would be exclusively a 3-4 team. That is what Groh knows and that's the defense he runs.
Mark Bradley says Tech is close to a deal with Groh.
But Footballcoachscoop.com says Groh will NOT be the guy and has been contacted by Bill Parcells in Miami.
Stay tuned...
There were tons of injuries this year to the defense but injuries are going to happen every year and you have to work through them. I believe that the issues on defense caused CPJ to call his plays different and manage games differently this year than he would with a serviceable defense.
As for Nebraska, Shawn Watson's offense this year ranked 102nd in the country. Dave Wommack's defense ranked 54th. Bo Pelini is only delaying the inevitable by keeping Watson around, as he has proven to be as mediocre as it gets in terms of playcalling and execution. For every good game the offense has, it has 3 or 4 bad games and that is a consistent pattern. Remember as well, Watson was kept here to make sure there were as few interruptions as possible to the offense.
So who will replace Wommack? Al Groh's name is mentioned prominently, since he and Paul Johnson are good friends. I'd be very enthused with Groh running the defense, except for the fact that we would be exclusively a 3-4 team. That is what Groh knows and that's the defense he runs.
Mark Bradley says Tech is close to a deal with Groh.
But Footballcoachscoop.com says Groh will NOT be the guy and has been contacted by Bill Parcells in Miami.
Stay tuned...
Sunday, January 3, 2010
I'm Vindicated Already
I have a lot of friends that are aware of my admiration for Paul Johnson as a head coach and the system he employs. It's not hard to figure out why-I grew up watching a chessmaster of a coach that simply outschemed and outmaneuvered opposing defenses. Tom Osborne was a genius calling plays and he always did more with lesser players who were tougher than almost everyone they played. So Paul Johnson is a throwback to an era where basketball on grass didn't exist and football was a man's sport. Paul Johnson is a throwback to an era where teams feared playing Nebraska because they got the living crap kicked out of them, physically and mentally.
So a lot of my friends like to text and email me to try to rub it in when Georgia Tech loses. They'll say the same pathetic things I've blogged about before i.e, "see that offense will never work."
I'm sure I'll get the same things should Iowa win Tuesday night. In a way though this game is meaningless, other than taking some national glory and setting up a run for next year. Sure it would be nice to win because it would be a landmark for a program that has very little experience at this level of college football. But there are no more questions about whether this system will work against major college opponents. That's been proven over the past two years. It was further proven on Thursday when Navy took big bad Missouri and their 12th ranked rushing defense behind the woodshed. Navy's defense also played lights out, shutting down that pass happy Missouri offense. Navy is 8 years into their experiment. Georgia Tech is barely 2 into theirs. At some point, when his OL and defense get the right personnel, Paul Johnson will have Georgia Tech executing at a level like Navy did the other day. Only they'll do it with players who are much bigger, stronger and faster. I personally think this thing hits another level starting next year, as Navy had a breakthrough 10 win season in Paul Johnson's third season there. The average fan simply has no idea how far from reaching max performance this team really is but I think they operate at about 65% of the execution level of Navy right now. Wait until the O linemen up front understand the offense enough to let CPJ make his in-game blocking scheme adjustments-from play to play.
It's unreal actually to think back about 2 years ago when Paul Johnson was hired away from Navy. I correctly predicted he would have them in the BCS within 2 seasons and here we sit just a couple days away from playing on that big stage. They will have a national audience all to themselves, with CPJ and his team on full display for everyone to see how far they've come. It's final exam time.
So a lot of my friends like to text and email me to try to rub it in when Georgia Tech loses. They'll say the same pathetic things I've blogged about before i.e, "see that offense will never work."
I'm sure I'll get the same things should Iowa win Tuesday night. In a way though this game is meaningless, other than taking some national glory and setting up a run for next year. Sure it would be nice to win because it would be a landmark for a program that has very little experience at this level of college football. But there are no more questions about whether this system will work against major college opponents. That's been proven over the past two years. It was further proven on Thursday when Navy took big bad Missouri and their 12th ranked rushing defense behind the woodshed. Navy's defense also played lights out, shutting down that pass happy Missouri offense. Navy is 8 years into their experiment. Georgia Tech is barely 2 into theirs. At some point, when his OL and defense get the right personnel, Paul Johnson will have Georgia Tech executing at a level like Navy did the other day. Only they'll do it with players who are much bigger, stronger and faster. I personally think this thing hits another level starting next year, as Navy had a breakthrough 10 win season in Paul Johnson's third season there. The average fan simply has no idea how far from reaching max performance this team really is but I think they operate at about 65% of the execution level of Navy right now. Wait until the O linemen up front understand the offense enough to let CPJ make his in-game blocking scheme adjustments-from play to play.
It's unreal actually to think back about 2 years ago when Paul Johnson was hired away from Navy. I correctly predicted he would have them in the BCS within 2 seasons and here we sit just a couple days away from playing on that big stage. They will have a national audience all to themselves, with CPJ and his team on full display for everyone to see how far they've come. It's final exam time.
Nesbitt the Warrior
The most in-depth article I've ever read on the toughest SOB in college football, Josh Nesbitt.
Coaches have tried to draw him out a little more, to build on the vocal aspect of leadership. But, "I feel that's just not me," he said. "I've had people I've looked up to in the past where they did a lot of talking and not enough action on the field. I didn't want to be one of those people who did all talking and never went on the field and did it."
Coaches have tried to draw him out a little more, to build on the vocal aspect of leadership. But, "I feel that's just not me," he said. "I've had people I've looked up to in the past where they did a lot of talking and not enough action on the field. I didn't want to be one of those people who did all talking and never went on the field and did it."
Pre-Orange Bowl Reads
A columnist from the Augusta Chronicle takes a shot at Spurrier and Holtz, saying South Carolina needs to follow Paul Johnson's lead. Couldn't have summed it up better:
Which is why teams need to start poaching Johnson's staff. After a Texas Bowl trouncing, Missouri can attest to how well Navy is doing with Johnson's system under Johnson protege Ken Niumatalolo. Georgia Southern is so eager to reestablish its good ol' days that it became the first to pilfer a piece of Johnson's Georgia Tech staff when it hired Jeff Monken last month.
But Braine and Gailey are gone. Braine retired, which led to Tech hiring Dan Radakovich, who fired Gailey and hired Paul Johnson, who simply rejects mediocrity and excuses. In just two years under Johnson, the Yellow Jackets already have exceeded Braine’s modest expectations. They followed a nine-win season in 2008 with an 11-2 record this season and a berth in the Orange Bowl as the ACC champs.
From the Iowa perspective, this is a good article with longtime Defensive Coordinator Norm Parker in a video segment.
And even more from the Iowa side.
Which is why teams need to start poaching Johnson's staff. After a Texas Bowl trouncing, Missouri can attest to how well Navy is doing with Johnson's system under Johnson protege Ken Niumatalolo. Georgia Southern is so eager to reestablish its good ol' days that it became the first to pilfer a piece of Johnson's Georgia Tech staff when it hired Jeff Monken last month.
Other programs should soon follow suit. The Gamecocks should start scouting out their own Johnson guys right now. Now that Steve Spurrier is following the Paul Dietzel/Lou Holtz pattern of mediocrity, the big-name hiring playbook needs to be retired.
They'll never get to compete with the same deck of players with Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.
Meanwhile, another columnist says confidence will keep GT winning:But Braine and Gailey are gone. Braine retired, which led to Tech hiring Dan Radakovich, who fired Gailey and hired Paul Johnson, who simply rejects mediocrity and excuses. In just two years under Johnson, the Yellow Jackets already have exceeded Braine’s modest expectations. They followed a nine-win season in 2008 with an 11-2 record this season and a berth in the Orange Bowl as the ACC champs.
From the Iowa perspective, this is a good article with longtime Defensive Coordinator Norm Parker in a video segment.
And even more from the Iowa side.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Thoughts on Navy vs. Mizzou
The Middies made my day yesterday with a 35-13 pasting of Gary Pinkel's mouthy Missouri Tigers. Combined with Air Force's lopsided win over favored Houston, it was power option teams 2, finesse pass happy spread teams 0.
Even with almost a month to prepare for the "triple option," Missouri was run over and through by a Navy team that was simply tougher, more prepared and executed better. So much for the theory that if you have a month to prepare you can magically slow down this spread option offense.
Some interesting analysis from a blogger from the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Good article from the Houston Chron
Postgame quotes:
Missouri LB Sean Weatherspoon
"They take your instinct away. I was trying to slow-play (read instead of react to) the quarterback and the next thing I knew he stepped back and went 23 yards. It's stuff like that where you think you can do one thing and obviously you should be doing exactly what you've been coached to do."
"You really don't know until the games, the speed of it," Weatherspoon said. "And it's all about doing your assignment, and we had several plays where guys didn't take the quarterback, myself included, and that will kill you."
Missouri tackle Jerome Baston said he'd never seen anything like it. "They just kept coming," he said, noting he wasn't concerned about it (cut blocking) being illegal as Notre Dame coaches said earlier this season. "If the refs don't call it, then it's not a problem."
Gary Pinkel:
“It’s a great offensive scheme and they’re very good at it. Ricky is exceptional. I hugged him and congratulated him after the game. He’s a great kid and just a great player.”
Other thoughts:
How long before Ken N gets hired away from Navy?
Has the passing version of the spread offense reached it's peak? Are we destined to move back to more power running option-based offenses? I'll guarantee you that the upcoming spring coaches clinic at Georgia Tech will be standing room only.
Saw a comment about Barry Switzer saying if he got back into coaching today and had the right QB, he could run the wishbone and score 90 points a game on current college defenses.
Georgia Tech fans should be very excited about the future of the program under CPJ. The success in the first two years has been remarkable considering the most critical element of running this offense successfully-the offensive line-has been a hodgepodge patchwork assembly of converted tight ends, defensive linemen and walk-ons. Next year there will be 15 or 16 scholarship O-linemen on the roster, including the current group of redshirts from Paul Johnson's first full recruiting class. Navy clearly executes their offense better than Georgia Tech right now but GT will get there sooner rather than later. And when they do, they'll be like Navy on steroids.
Does the success of Navy and Air Force in the bowls mean anything in regards to Georgia Tech vs. Iowa? No. Navy is in year 8 of running their offense. Georgia Tech is in year 2. We know at some point that Georgia Tech will run the offense like Navy did yesterday, only with bigger, faster, stronger and more athletic players. It's demonstrated this will work. There are no questions about the validity of the scheme anymore at the highest level of college football. It will work against any defense in the country if the right QB is behind center and the right OL is in place. This offense forces it's will on the opposing defense and forces teams to do what they normally don't want to do. Ask Missouri if you don't believe me.
Even with almost a month to prepare for the "triple option," Missouri was run over and through by a Navy team that was simply tougher, more prepared and executed better. So much for the theory that if you have a month to prepare you can magically slow down this spread option offense.
Some interesting analysis from a blogger from the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Good article from the Houston Chron
Postgame quotes:
Missouri LB Sean Weatherspoon
"They take your instinct away. I was trying to slow-play (read instead of react to) the quarterback and the next thing I knew he stepped back and went 23 yards. It's stuff like that where you think you can do one thing and obviously you should be doing exactly what you've been coached to do."
"You really don't know until the games, the speed of it," Weatherspoon said. "And it's all about doing your assignment, and we had several plays where guys didn't take the quarterback, myself included, and that will kill you."
Missouri tackle Jerome Baston said he'd never seen anything like it. "They just kept coming," he said, noting he wasn't concerned about it (cut blocking) being illegal as Notre Dame coaches said earlier this season. "If the refs don't call it, then it's not a problem."
Gary Pinkel:
“It’s a great offensive scheme and they’re very good at it. Ricky is exceptional. I hugged him and congratulated him after the game. He’s a great kid and just a great player.”
Other thoughts:
How long before Ken N gets hired away from Navy?
Has the passing version of the spread offense reached it's peak? Are we destined to move back to more power running option-based offenses? I'll guarantee you that the upcoming spring coaches clinic at Georgia Tech will be standing room only.
Saw a comment about Barry Switzer saying if he got back into coaching today and had the right QB, he could run the wishbone and score 90 points a game on current college defenses.
Georgia Tech fans should be very excited about the future of the program under CPJ. The success in the first two years has been remarkable considering the most critical element of running this offense successfully-the offensive line-has been a hodgepodge patchwork assembly of converted tight ends, defensive linemen and walk-ons. Next year there will be 15 or 16 scholarship O-linemen on the roster, including the current group of redshirts from Paul Johnson's first full recruiting class. Navy clearly executes their offense better than Georgia Tech right now but GT will get there sooner rather than later. And when they do, they'll be like Navy on steroids.
Does the success of Navy and Air Force in the bowls mean anything in regards to Georgia Tech vs. Iowa? No. Navy is in year 8 of running their offense. Georgia Tech is in year 2. We know at some point that Georgia Tech will run the offense like Navy did yesterday, only with bigger, faster, stronger and more athletic players. It's demonstrated this will work. There are no questions about the validity of the scheme anymore at the highest level of college football. It will work against any defense in the country if the right QB is behind center and the right OL is in place. This offense forces it's will on the opposing defense and forces teams to do what they normally don't want to do. Ask Missouri if you don't believe me.
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