Isaiah Johnson

[Alexlongstride]

From Kelly Quinlan, Isaiah wants to redshirt this year return for the 2014 season.

 

[OldJacketFan]

Dean Buchanan at Tech has confirmed Isiah will redshirt for the 2013 season

 

[BainbridgeJacket]

Not surprising, but is frustrating on a couple levels.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I think this is best for Isiah and for GT. If he's not comfortable going hard on his knee yet, he'll be a liability out there and may get hurt trying not to get hurt. If he pushes off a year, he's got to fight to get playing time again (not a bad thing), and he'll be 100% recovered. It's tough with Milton and Golden both being injured against UNC, but I'd rather put someone out there that's not thinking about whether his knee's going to give out every time he goes to cut. It may be physical, it may be psychological, but either way, it's bad for GT. Get healthy, come back as a 5th Year senior and lead the defensive backfield next year. We lose Thomas and Young for sure this year: it'd be nice to have senior leadership back there next year. I know Golden will be a senior next year too and Milton will be a redshirt junior. With DJ White as a Junior and Lynn Griffin as a RS Sophomore, we'll still have plenty of experience in the D backfield.

 

[IronJacket7]

Eric,
What do you feel this does for our secondary going into next year. IJ would more than likely be the starter at FS next season. So, it makes me wonder who moves where....? Milton, Golden, or Noble to CB full time?

 

[John]

I think this is best for Isiah and for GT.

I agree so I hope it was a mutual decision by Coach Johnson and Isaiah. I'm assuming that he'll continue to practice with the defense rest of the season. I think everyone would agree he's got a lot of athletic ability, hope CTR can help get him in the right positions and thinking the right things to make plays.

Speaking of safeties, I still can't believe that Fred Holton left (kicked off) the team with less than three weeks to opening kickoff. With all these injuries, I'd imagine he could have gotten a ton of playing time.

 

[awbuzz]

Realistically it's probably best that he red-shirts and plays next year instead of pushing for playing this year. Just my opinion. Also allows him to work towards his degree.

 

[AE 87]

He graduates in December. He may go ahead and get an NFL draft analysis. If he projects to get drafted in the first 4 or 5 rounds, he might go. Why risk further injury? "Red Shirt" as a way of keeping the scholarship, keeping access to facilities for working out etc. Then, if he's projected as not getting drafted, he can come back and play next year. It makes sense to me.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I cannot image any Pro team drafting him in the top 5 rounds based on his past performance. He was electric as a freshman, but got lost in Groh's defense. Too much thinking, not enough playing. He started coming back on at the end of last year, showing flashes of the brilliance he showed as a freshman, but I don't think that was enough to get him top 5 rounds. He needed this year to shine. Now he'll need next year to shine. Love the kid, just don't think the pros do yet.

 

[AE 87]

Measurables and core skills can often be a bigger deal than game performance. You can't coach size, hip flexibility, speed, etc

 

[Bruce Wayne]

He would have to demonstrate to the pro scouts that he is fully healed and confident in his knee and would have to test very well. I can't remember but the combine is scheduled in such a way that a potential draftee has to irreversibly declared for the draft to participate right? So he would only have private workouts as a means to demonstrate he is ready unless he stays through next season. Therefore, I think it most likely that he is here through next season. He could be a real linchpin and leader for the defense next year.

 

[John]

I think this depends on whether or not he wants to stay at Tech. We have definitely seen former players declare for the draft just because they could even with a not very good draft evaluation.