How players will remember CPJ ...

takethepoints

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I've already outlined what I'll miss with Paul gone. I think many here - you know who you are - never understood his leadership style, wanted some "excitement" at games and couldn't, for some reason, get that with 40 yard runs, and thought that some kind of secret sauce we could hire would lead Tech back into the MNC picture. So, of course, they played up every negative they could think about Paul because they wanted a change, any change. That our recruiting was pretty good and we had very bad luck - Ratliff, Mills, Jordan, Benson, a bunch of OLs, and the 2015 injury tsunami - didn't cut any ice with them. I think one reason Paul left was that he found these attitudes unfair and downright silly from a football standpoint; that made the game less fun. Combine that with the vast hole our football program got put into by He Who Must Not Be Named and Paul left.

Well, Coach seems to have his head on straight about most of this and may prove to be a winner at Tech, despite some really stupid scheduling choices over the next few years. I think TStan is behind him and that Coach has some strategic sense about program direction. What we see on the field and what we pony up will tell the tale. I'll really miss watching the spread option - I had a great time watching the Armed Forces Bowl and look forward to the Motown Bowl - but I think we will have continued success going forward. So good luck to Paul and thanks for the memories. And good luck to Coach on creating new ones.
 

Skeptic

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takethepoints said:
I've already outlined what I'll miss with Paul gone. I think many here - you know who you are - never understood his leadership style, wanted some "excitement" at games and couldn't, for some reason, get that with 40 yard runs, and thought that some kind of secret sauce we could hire would lead Tech back into the MNC picture. So, of course, they played up every negative they could think about Paul because they wanted a change, any change. That our recruiting was pretty good and we had very bad luck - Ratliff, Mills, Jordan, Benson, a bunch of OLs, and the 2015 injury tsunami - didn't cut any ice with them. I think one reason Paul left was that he found these attitudes unfair and downright silly from a football standpoint; that made the game less fun. Combine that with the vast hole our football program got put into by He Who Must Not Be Named and Paul left.

Well, Coach seems to have his head on straight about most of this and may prove to be a winner at Tech, despite some really stupid scheduling choices over the next few years. I think TStan is behind him and that Coach has some strategic sense about program direction. What we see on the field and what we pony up will tell the tale. I'll really miss watching the spread option - I had a great time watching the Armed Forces Bowl and look forward to the Motown Bowl - but I think we will have continued success going forward. So good luck to Paul and thanks for the memories. And good luck to Coach on creating new ones.
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Don't you think that after a year, maybe before, Johnson will be coaching somewhere? Let's face it: had he had any success recruiting QBs, and not been snakebit by DCs -- how many DCs does it take to teach tackling? -- that good GT record might have been terrific. I don't think it will be a P5 school, but he's not done. As for Tech, I have my fingers crossed though I am no fan of the RPO or its permutations. And an "NFL based" offense is code talk for dull and boring.
 

GSOJacket

Jolly Good Fellow
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249
ATL1 said:
I can only imagine what that wrath felt like.
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Not at all. Following is from Ken's article:

At the end of the meeting, Stansbury said, Jackets players honored him with a standing ovation.

Stansbury said that he has been in a number of similar meetings where a head coach has departed for one reason or another, “and I can honestly say I’ve never been in a team meeting like that one I was in (Wednesday). Very emotional. You could definitely see the bond between head coach and his team.”
 
Stinger90

Stinger90

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tmhunter52 said:
Like so many important figures in your life, you don’t fully appreciate them until some time passes and you have had the opportunity to truly reflect.
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Gratitude for Georgia Tech football coach
I would like to commend Coach Paul Johnson for his many years of mentoring young men. He has been a very successful coach at Georgia Southern, Navy and Georgia Tech. As Coach Johnson takes his departure from Georgia Tech, coaching his last game today, I will tell a story of why Coach Johnson is special to my family.
My mother-in-law and father-in-law, Pat and John Huskisson, were very loyal Georgia Tech fans. Their den was decorated with Tech memorabilia. They would watch any Tech sporting event that was on TV. During Tech football games, they would take the phone off the hook so as not to be disturbed while watching. Nothing was more important to them than Georgia Tech.
In 2010, at the age of 86, John’s health started declining. I thought that I would try to have Coach Johnson call my father-in-law and wish him the best. On a Tuesday, I called a friend in administration at Georgia Tech to see what could be done. That same morning, John got a call from Coach Johnson. They carried on a great conversation and Coach Johnson wished John well. The following Saturday, our family had dinner together for the last time. John died a happy man on Sunday.
Sometimes coaching college is not just about winning every game. It is also about helping others and being an example. Thank you Coach Paul Johnson.
Tommy Swinford, Savannah
 

65Jacket

GT Athlete
Messages
1,168
I will always remember CPJ and the 3O. I came to really love that offense and can't understand how so many people would find it boring. A 40 yard run will always beat a 60 yard pass play to me. It always irked me when some of the anti-CPJ crowd would call him snarky,or too lazy to recruit, and too rough on his players after they made a mistake. In fact, his players loved him as you are told in the AJC article. I don't get it why the former players resented him so badly. The players and fans at Ga Southern and Navy worshiped him. A large portion of our fan base, always uninformed but knowing it all, led to his early retirement with their constant criticism.
 
deeeznutz

deeeznutz

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takethepoints said:
I've already outlined what I'll miss with Paul gone. I think many here - you know who you are - never understood his leadership style, wanted some "excitement" at games and couldn't, for some reason, get that with 40 yard runs, and thought that some kind of secret sauce we could hire would lead Tech back into the MNC picture. So, of course, they played up every negative they could think about Paul because they wanted a change, any change. That our recruiting was pretty good and we had very bad luck - Ratliff, Mills, Jordan, Benson, a bunch of OLs, and the 2015 injury tsunami - didn't cut any ice with them. I think one reason Paul left was that he found these attitudes unfair and downright silly from a football standpoint; that made the game less fun. Combine that with the vast hole our football program got put into by He Who Must Not Be Named and Paul left.

Well, Coach seems to have his head on straight about most of this and may prove to be a winner at Tech, despite some really stupid scheduling choices over the next few years. I think TStan is behind him and that Coach has some strategic sense about program direction. What we see on the field and what we pony up will tell the tale. I'll really miss watching the spread option - I had a great time watching the Armed Forces Bowl and look forward to the Motown Bowl - but I think we will have continued success going forward. So good luck to Paul and thanks for the memories. And good luck to Coach on creating new ones.
Click to expand...

Well said. I’m both excited and sad to watch the 3-O one last time at Tech (I think I’m gonna be watching the 2014 Orange Bowl video today too, and maybe check out GTBob’s channel for some other classic games from the era). If he decides to pick the baton back up after a year or two away, I’ll have a new 2nd favorite team (whatever team that is will probably get a whole lot of “ilovetheoptions” from the GT fan base).
 

takethepoints

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Skeptic said:
Don't you think that after a year, maybe before, Johnson will be coaching somewhere? Let's face it: had he had any success recruiting QBs, and not been snakebit by DCs -- how many DCs does it take to teach tackling? -- that good GT record might have been terrific. I don't think it will be a P5 school, but he's not done. As for Tech, I have my fingers crossed though I am no fan of the RPO or its permutations. And an "NFL based" offense is code talk for dull and boring.
Click to expand...
Could be. It's up to him. If it works for Urban Meyer, why not for Paul?

One thing, however; I think we had good success recruiting QBs. What we didn't have is good luck enough to get them onto the field and keep them there. The injuries at this position - most of them not even contact related - have been a major factor in our success or lack of it. If the fates had decreed it, Ratliff would probably be our QB in the bowl game this year and we'd be coming off (if Mills had stayed) two 9 - 10 win seasons. This is a major source of discontent with me since people are always saying our recruiting was so-so under Paul by ignoring the players we got into Tech then couldn't get onto the field for sustained periods. But you can't expect haters to be generous.

And, yes, unless we are careful, we are going to see some really boring (though not necessarily unsuccessful) football around Grant Field in the near future. But that's up to Coach. My guess = he wants us to be cheering for the D. I can live with that.
 
COJacket

COJacket

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Stinger90 said:
Gratitude for Georgia Tech football coach
I would like to commend Coach Paul Johnson for his many years of mentoring young men. He has been a very successful coach at Georgia Southern, Navy and Georgia Tech. As Coach Johnson takes his departure from Georgia Tech, coaching his last game today, I will tell a story of why Coach Johnson is special to my family.
My mother-in-law and father-in-law, Pat and John Huskisson, were very loyal Georgia Tech fans. Their den was decorated with Tech memorabilia. They would watch any Tech sporting event that was on TV. During Tech football games, they would take the phone off the hook so as not to be disturbed while watching. Nothing was more important to them than Georgia Tech.
In 2010, at the age of 86, John’s health started declining. I thought that I would try to have Coach Johnson call my father-in-law and wish him the best. On a Tuesday, I called a friend in administration at Georgia Tech to see what could be done. That same morning, John got a call from Coach Johnson. They carried on a great conversation and Coach Johnson wished John well. The following Saturday, our family had dinner together for the last time. John died a happy man on Sunday.
Sometimes coaching college is not just about winning every game. It is also about helping others and being an example. Thank you Coach Paul Johnson.
Tommy Swinford, Savannah
Click to expand...
Time and time again these types of stories show the “character of the man” CPJ did it his way and his way had nothing but integrity showing every step of the way
 
Stinger90

Stinger90

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COJacket said:
I also meant to say thanks Stinger for sharing this story. Without people like you sharing we would never see the “whole person” of CPJ. Thanks!
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I had the pleasure in meeting CPJ at the 2008 North Carolina Coaches Association and Clinic in Greensboro. With everything going on, he made time to talk with me during his break. I wasn't hard to see because I was the only person wearing a GT polo and hat on. It really meant so much and one of the fond memories I will have, that, and the Pre-Game pass for the Pitt game last year.
 

Skeptic

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GSOJacket said:
Not at all. Following is from Ken's article:

At the end of the meeting, Stansbury said, Jackets players honored him with a standing ovation.

Stansbury said that he has been in a number of similar meetings where a head coach has departed for one reason or another, “and I can honestly say I’ve never been in a team meeting like that one I was in (Wednesday). Very emotional. You could definitely see the bond between head coach and his team.”
Click to expand...
They'd better stand or he would rip their lungs out.
 
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