How Coach Johnson Stacks up among former YellowJacket Coaches!

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

At the air force game. We looked abissmal.

Seasons have same number of games in dodd verses johnson era?;

In 16 we could be really good - then compare to dodd

Never compare to Dodd. The comparison is not possible. There is Dodd, and then, all the rest.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Never compare to Dodd. The comparison is not possible. There is Dodd, and then, all the rest.

And it was a different time in football in every way. Most all schools back then had higher academic requirements, it was rare that players came from failing schools or had poor academic backgrounds, fewer players were getting paid under the table to attend certain schools, Tech was virtually the only game in town when it came to Atlanta sports and did not have to compete for entertainment dollars, and the differences in athletic ability were not as great meaning that great coaching was far more important than stockpiling semi-pro players. Just a different era all together. All of this is why we will never see another Dodd. I have always contended that he retired when he did because he wanted to go out on top and he could see what the future was bringing. He fought it as long as he could.

 

[Skeptic]

And it was a different time in football in every way. Most all schools back then had higher academic requirements, it was rare that players came from failing schools or had poor academic backgrounds, fewer players were getting paid under the table to attend certain schools, Tech was virtually the only game in town when it came to Atlanta sports and did not have to compete for entertainment dollars, and the differences in athletic ability were not as great meaning that great coaching was far more important than stockpiling semi-pro players. Just a different era all together. All of this is why we will never see another Dodd. I have always contended that he retired when he did because he wanted to go out on top and he could see what the future was bringing. He fought it as long as he could.

Based only on what I have read about Dodd, and that is a lot, and from what I have read and seen in Johnson I would compare them in three areas. On is expecting the unexpected offensively. With Dodd it may have been the "One Pass Rhino" thing or quick kicks by running backs from inside his own 20 on second or third down and hand the game to his defense; with Johnson it might be a reverse, or a neat little throwback to Snoddy against the defensive flow, or even that sublimely executed 70 or 80 yard wheel route on the game's first play to Zenon ... who started at Bback vs. Middle Tennessee. I actually felt sorry for the MLB when Zenon turned the sideline route up field and made decent coverage into no coverage at all. (If anybody has that and knows how to link it I'd love to see it again. Lost mine when the VCR blew up on overload, I guess.) Then a willingness of both to play out of the box. Dodd installed the belly series when nobody except some West Coast schools ever heard of it, and Johnson has his spread option that scares the bejessus out of coaches. It would scare me. The other is competitiveness. Everything I ever read about Dodd is about how he wanted to win every time at every thing, including shooting pool against Lothridge when he was recruiting him. Johnson wants to hit you in the mouth. The rest I wouldn't feel qualified to judge.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Here

 

[Skeptic]

Here

That is glorious. I owe you one. I just cracked up all over again ... and then twice more. Thanks.

 

[awbuzz]

I'll take CPJ over Bill Lewis anyday.....

Wish I could "multi-like" thus [emoji3]

 

[GTHomer]

And it was a different time in football in every way. Most all schools back then had higher academic requirements, it was rare that players came from failing schools or had poor academic backgrounds, fewer players were getting paid under the table to attend certain schools, Tech was virtually the only game in town when it came to Atlanta sports and did not have to compete for entertainment dollars, and the differences in athletic ability were not as great meaning that great coaching was far more important than stockpiling semi-pro players. Just a different era all together. All of this is why we will never see another Dodd. I have always contended that he retired when he did because he wanted to go out on top and he could see what the future was bringing. He fought it as long as he could.

I agree it was a different game, especially prior to the black athlete playing for major colleges however I disagree regarding with your comment regarding that era not have problems with illegal/ineligible players and under the table payments. Remember they did not have social media back then.

 

[Skeptic]

I agree it was a different game, especially prior to the black athlete playing for major colleges however I disagree regarding with your comment regarding that era not have problems with illegal/ineligible players and under the table payments. Remember they did not have social media back then.

As long as there has been football there have been illegal and ineligible and paid players. My wife's great-great-uncle (I think I have it right) played for three different Ivy League schools in the late '20s and early '30s under three different names, never attended a class and when he "finished" could barely spell his name. Family was flattered it had an Ivy League player. Great at selling potato chips, though.

 

[danny daniel]

I do not think you can fairly compare coaches today against coaches from the distant past. Old time coaches had to be perceived as tough (Bryant) or smart (Dodd) and be in charge . Todays coaches are managers and businessmen and have to deal with much more sophisticated Xs and Os, have a lawyer on retainer, avoid the PC police, pander to the media or be very media savvy, and deal with "entitled " players and parents, not to mention what is in their closet is instant news, real or distorted. Yesterdays football savvy "good ole boy" can no longer survive as a head coach, or even be employable.

 

[Skeptic]

I do not think you can fairly compare coaches today against coaches from the distant past. Old time coaches had to be perceived as tough (Bryant) or smart (Dodd) and be in charge . Todays coaches are managers and businessmen and have to deal with much more sophisticated Xs and Os, have a lawyer on retainer, avoid the PC police, pander to the media or be very media savvy, and deal with "entitled " players and parents, not to mention what is in their closet is instant news, real or distorted. Yesterdays football savvy "good ole boy" can no longer survive as a head coach, or even be employable.

Pretty sure that Frank Howard could have done his good old boy routine in any era. Where you might be on to something though is social media and entitlement. I was really struck at a shot from the Belmont, into the grandstand, with just about everybody if not all of the huge crowd, with their cell phones. Taking a picture of their big day at the races. A selfie.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I agree it was a different game, especially prior to the black athlete playing for major colleges however I disagree regarding with your comment regarding that era not have problems with illegal/ineligible players and under the table payments. Remember they did not have social media back then.

So you think paying players was just as wide spread back then as it is now. Huh. I guess we will have to disagree. It would be naive to think this has not always gone on but I think it is even more naive to think today's corruption is not any worse. Dodd fought it in his day but saw the hand writing on the wall. Today's bagmen are all kinds of sophisticated in how they handle things.

 

[GTHomer]

So you think paying players was just as wide spread back then as it is now. Huh. I guess we will have to disagree. It would be naive to think this has not always gone on but I think it is even more naive to think today's corruption is not any worse. Dodd fought it in his day but saw the hand writing on the wall. Today's bagmen are all kinds of sophisticated in how they handle things.

I based that on the fact that many of the rules and regulations put in place over the years were to address known problems in the game. For instance, why do you think limits exist on the kinds of jobs athletes can have in the offseason? I knew of many that had 'made up' jobs, working for a well to do alumni and/or supporter of the program. I also knew some that spoke about $10-$20 handshakes after games (back in the 60's and 70's. I'm sure inflation has increased the payouts).

If social media existed back then, you would be surprised what we would know about those times.

 

[GTech63]

I based that on the fact that many of the rules and regulations put in place over the years were to address known problems in the game. For instance, why do you think limits exist on the kinds of jobs athletes can have in the offseason? I knew of many that had 'made up' jobs, working for a well to do alumni and/or supporter of the program. I also knew some that spoke about $10-$20 handshakes after games (back in the 60's and 70's. I'm sure inflation has increased the payouts).

If social media existed back then, you would be surprised what we would know about those times.

I have to agree. In the 1950s I became good friend of 6'10" Basketball player who after two years at USC Trojans transferred to my small NAIA school trying to do what Gonzaga has finally done. He knew he was not going to be a starter at USC. It was under table money that got him to transfer. His stories of the Alumni network at USC and how they took care of their stars was pretty amazing.