How Good Was Coach Johnson at Tech?

Heisman's Ghost

Helluva Engineer
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Location
Albany Georgia
Georgia Tech Coaches by Wins
1 Bobby Dodd 165
2 William Alexander 134
3 John Heisman 102
4 Paul Johnson 83
5 George O'Leary 52
6 Chan Gailey 44
7 Pepper Rodgers 34
8 Bobby Ross 31
9 Bill Curry 31
10 Bud Carson 27

Georgia Tech Coaches by Wins %

John Heisman
.764
Bobby Dodd .713
George O'Leary .612
Paul Johnson .585
William Alexander .580
Chan Gailey .579
Bobby Ross .543
Bill Fulcher .543
Pepper Rodgers .522
Bud Carson .500

The hardest job in college football is to be the poor soul who follows a legend. Do you remember the guy who replaced Bear Bryant? Ray Perkins was a two time All SEC receiver and All American for the Bear. He had a stellar pro career. He even coached in the pro ranks with the New York Jets. Even with all that he was run out of town quicker than you can say Joe Namath. Similarly, the successors to legends as varied as Bo Schembelcher, Woody Hayes, Joe Paterno, Lou Holtz, Robert Neyland, Charlie McClendon and others came to grief in one way or another in spite of the best intentions and sterling resumes. Poor old Bud Carson had the unenviable task of replacing Coach Dodd. You see his wins and percentage at the bottom. Curry, Carson, Ross and Rogers were hamstrung by poor facilities, an apathetic fan base, and ridiculous academic restrictions.

From Heisman through Dodd was a span of time covering two world wars, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, the Roaring Twenties a span covering more than 60 years. During all that time and tumult, we only had three coaches: Heisman, Alexander and Dodd. All three won national championships and all of them are in the Hall of Fame. Remarkable.

Today, we are experiencing a new transition. We are, for better or worse, on the cusp of a new era. Coach Collins has yet to conduct a practice, coach a game, or visit the Varsity but he has already signaled his intention to completely shake up the image of Georgia Tech as a recruiting backwater by brazenly attempting to poach a player from Grayson (whose name escapes me) that is verbally committed to Texas. Imagine the temerity of a Tech coach attempting to steal a four star committed to a factory. Sakes Alive! Doesn't the man realize that sort of thing is not permitted by the ACC or The Hill? As to Coach Johnson, he did the best he could with the hand he was dealt. A future Hall of Fame coach but an even better person. "Well done, thy good and faithful servant".
 
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Bibb Stinger

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
16
These comparisons of who was better by, win percentage, average wins per season, etc. don't come close to telling the story.

No one has mentioned, O'Leary was only good when Ralph was his OC. By any measure. That very well may be true for Ross also, we can't know.

After Curry, Tech employed offensive genius on the sidelines 3 times, Friedgen twice and Johnson. Some heads will explode over the term genius, but watching Tech on offense with those 2, you knew they were a step ahead of the defense. Chess versus checkers.

The further down the road we go, the more Johnson will be appreciated.

Johnson was a superior in game coach, we may not see the like again.
 
Messages
2,034
These comparisons of who was better by, win percentage, average wins per season, etc. don't come close to telling the story.

No one has mentioned, O'Leary was only good when Ralph was his OC. By any measure. That very well may be true for Ross also, we can't know.

After Curry, Tech employed offensive genius on the sidelines 3 times, Friedgen twice and Johnson. Some heads will explode over the term genius, but watching Tech on offense with those 2, you knew they were a step ahead of the defense. Chess versus checkers.

The further down the road we go, the more Johnson will be appreciated.

Johnson was a superior in game coach, we may not see the like again.

Or we just might, some where else.....I don't think he is done. I wish Tech was his last stop but I am not so sure.
 

swarmer

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
699
Quick Glance of what CPJ has done compared to other Coaches at Tech from 1980 on....

Coach Johnson

11 years...83 wins... avg 7.5 wins per year
Finished top 25 three times (2008, 2009, 2014)
1 Acc Title
3 Coastal Champs (2008,2009, 2012,2014)
2 Orange Bowls (1 win -2014)
1 Peach Bowl
2 Eleven win seasons (2009, 2014)
5 Eight win Seasons (2008, 2009, 2011,2014,2016)
3 wins vs Georgia

Coach Gailey
6 years...44 wins... avg 7.3 wins per year
1 Coastal Champs (2006)
1 Eight win Seasons (2006)
Never finished in Top 25
Zero ACC Titles
Zero Double digit win seasons
Zero wins vs Georgia

Coach O'leary
7 years...55 wins... avg 7.4 wins per year
Finished top 25 five times (1997-2001)
1 Acc Title
1 Peach Bowl
1 Ten win seasons (1998)
3 Eight win Seasons (1998-2000)
3 wins vs Georgia

Coach Ross
5 years...31 wins... avg 6.2 wins per year
Finished top 25 one times (1990)
1 Natty
1 Acc Title
1 Ten win seasons (1998)
2 Eight win Seasons (1990-1991)
2 wins vs Georgia

Coach Curry
7 years...31 wins... avg 4.4 wins per year
Finished top 25 one times (1985)
Zero ACC Titles
Zero Double digit win seasons
1 Eight win Seasons (1985)
2 wins vs Georgia

O'Leary years were definitely the most consistent in terms of success. He also left the program much better than he inherited it. Gailey and CPJ left the program in roughly the same shape as what they walked into.
 

alagold

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,501
Location
Huntsville,Al
PJ was a good coach but he was moving against the current with his Offense and it might have been getting worse..It was hard to stop but also hard to perfect and hard to recruit into these days as fewer guys want or couldn't play in it.Also his DEF suffered to SOME degree by practicing vs his Offense.(just by looking at results over time) BUT-also-PJ got some fine academic results.
 

TheTechGuy

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
922
These comparisons of who was better by, win percentage, average wins per season, etc. don't come close to telling the story.

No one has mentioned, O'Leary was only good when Ralph was his OC. By any measure. That very well may be true for Ross also, we can't know.

After Curry, Tech employed offensive genius on the sidelines 3 times, Friedgen twice and Johnson. Some heads will explode over the term genius, but watching Tech on offense with those 2, you knew they were a step ahead of the defense. Chess versus checkers.

The further down the road we go, the more Johnson will be appreciated.

Johnson was a superior in game coach, we may not see the like again.
Another example of how blanket statistics do not tell the whole story:

Geoff Collins record as a head coach against teams with winning records: 4-7 . Geoff Collins record against FCS teams as a head coach: 1-1.

Hope these numbers get better next year as 5 of 7 teams in the Coastal finished with winning records, and we play an FCS team.
 

UgaBlows

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,351
PJ was a good coach but he was moving against the current with his Offense and it might have been getting worse..It was hard to stop but also hard to perfect and hard to recruit into these days as fewer guys want or couldn't play in it.Also his DEF suffered to SOME degree by practicing vs his Offense.(just by looking at results over time) BUT-also-PJ got some fine academic results.

The blocking rules changes didn’t help any either
 

jacketup

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,529
I was happy to see Gailey move on.

I am happy to see Johnson move on.

But I don't see the merit in debating who was the best coach ever at Tech.

The best coach is Geoff Collins. He's here now, and until he proves otherwise, he is Tech's best coach.
 

coldbeer

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
628
Success moving forward, in my eyes, is consistent 8 win seasons.

That would mean winning Tobacco Rd games (UNC, Duke),
3 of 4 from the rest of the Coastal (Miami, VPI, UVa, Pitt),
All your Non Conference games (minus UGA)
And then splitting Clemson & UGA (2 Current Top 5 programs).

Can it be done consistently in the modern era, given Tech' s limited academic offerings and fan support? As CPJ said, Time will tell....

Hope everyone who didn't like CPJ and the Option are lining up new season tix purchases and A-T Fund donations for 2019.... Coach Collins is going to need it!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,916
Coach Bear Byant wasnt a big stat guy. He complimented Auburn coac Shug Jordan by saying He could take his-in and beat your-in AND he could take your- in and beat his-in.

I wish we had givin him a top 25 recruiting call 3 years running.
 
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