Johnson likes where Jackets are at

[GlennW]

Paul Johnson has his Georgia Tech football team right where he wants it.

Working its way through a schedule that has become progressively more difficult, Georgia Tech is 4-0 for just the fourth time in 44 years. After close wins over Georgia Southern and Virginia Tech, the Yellow Jackets are off this week and will begin preparations Wednesday for their Oct. 4 meeting with 2-2 Miami, which will be a prime-time battle televised nationally on ESPN2.


Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2014/09/22/3321879_johnson-likes-where-jackets-are.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

 

[jwsavhGT]

Thanks for the link.

 

[Mack]

Paul Johnson has his Georgia Tech football team right where he wants it.

Working its way through a schedule that has become progressively more difficult, Georgia Tech is 4-0 for just the fourth time in 44 years. After close wins over Georgia Southern and Virginia Tech, the Yellow Jackets are off this week and will begin preparations Wednesday for their Oct. 4 meeting with 2-2 Miami, which will be a prime-time battle televised nationally on ESPN2.


Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2014/09/22/3321879_johnson-likes-where-jackets-are.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Yeah his hot seat has cooled considerable.....he will win at least eight and keep his job.....only thing would be a meltdown vs a NCS etc.

 

[swampsting]

Man, somebody needs to talk to the copy editors at the Smellagram. By week instead of bye week in the segment about Searcy?
Letting "which was decided by a 24-yard field goal by Harrison Butker" through?

 

[slugboy]

He seems to coach better when he's uncomfortable.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

He seems to coach better when he's uncomfortable.

I think his coaching has been consistent but the psychology of the team has been inconsistent. Two examples of how it feels different with the team this year just from the VT post-game interviews:

1) CPJ has really said some completely over-the-top or even out of character things in praise of Justin Thomas. N.b., I don't mean over-the-top in being inaccurate but that he has rarely heaped on praise for a specific kid to this degree as he did in his post-game comments at VT. He clearly thinks he can afford to do that in the sense that it will not go to JT's head, inflate his ego, make him feel privileged and shirk his work or relax effort. I think that JT is noticeably improving in his decision making from game to game which speaks to pure effort and film study. So CPJ is rewarding him both in play calling but also in actual praise in the media because he sees it will just further boost his confidence and propel him forward.

For all the blatherskite about what CPJ may or may not have said in a former recruit's living room, the relationship between CPJ and JT started from that same general location. That is all I have to say on that issue.

2) The post-game quote by Smelter really sticks out to me. I wish I could find a replay of the radio-audio on it to get the quote exact but Waters asked STTE "In the offense you can go a stretch without getting the ball thrown your way, or like early on today the QB might not be crisp in his throws, but you really need to stay focused and be ready on every play to make the catch, right?" Smelter responded by immediately attacking the entire premise that a wide receiver is just some ball hog prima donna who is just there to catch a pass by saying STTE: "We totally believe in this offensive system. We have to be in there making our blocks and running our routes on every play and it doesn't matter if it is a pass play. I have to be ready on each snap to execute my assignment and be focused and in the game."

Smelter is going to make an NFL team proud. He really seems to have the same attitude and buy-in that Demaryius Thomas developed. Having that takes humility and not all skill position players are endowed with that virtue to go along with their physical gifts. That Smelter achieved this in only a little over a year playing for CPJ is really fantastic. Makes him a great role model for the younger players along with JT and ZL.

 

[Eastman]

Certainly agree with all you said except Smelter "achieving this in a little over a year" . I think you would agree that this comes out of selfless character developed before Tech, although Tech can help grow character. There is such a difference between the Jameis Winston (it is all about me) type athletes and the "the team comes first" type. Truly believe that overall, Tech tends to have higher character players and I hope it stays that way.

 

[Js-showman]

Working its way through a schedule that has become progressively more difficult, Georgia Tech is 4-0 for just the fourth time in 44 years.

1990,2011,2014

What was the 4th year?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Certainly agree with all you said except Smelter "achieving this in a little over a year" . I think you would agree that this comes out of selfless character developed before Tech, although Tech can help grow character. There is such a difference between the Jameis Winston (it is all about me) type athletes and the "the team comes first" type. Truly believe that overall, Tech tends to have higher character players and I hope it stays that way.

Good amendment. The referent of "this" in my statement is too imprecise as you are right, character doesn't just form suddenly in a year. I should have been more specific that I think his buy-in to CPJ's offensive system in just a year is fantastic. I loved his arguing with Waters' premise by shunting aside any negative thought that one could form to prejudge this offense as far as development of WRs. Smelter basically blew that off and said "look, if you trust in the system and what we are doing as a team and you take pride in every block, route, decoy, and pass attempt then we will succeed and I will succeed and reach my goals as an athlete right along with the team."

So I am specifically impressed with his trust in CPJ as his offensive coach in such a short time-span. It is fair to recall that Smelter was concerned that given his shoulder issues his professional prospects in baseball were looking grim. So he wanted to try his athletic skills in football to see if that gave him a better chance of achieving his personal goal of playing a sport professionally. That is not a "selfish" goal, it is "self-interested" (like any personal dream or goal). The key insight into Smelter's character is that he came to football with that personal goal in mind and yet has had no issues at all being coached and buying in and trusting that CPJ and staff would not let him down but rather help him to achieve his personal goal in his final 2 years as a college athlete and all he has to do is go all out for his team.

To the extent that this is based on Smelter's character I absolutely agree that it was shaped long before he decided to come over and tryout the spring before last.

Smelter, Synjyn, Laskey . . . all three of these seniors (and others as well!) are doing themselves and Tech proud this year.

 

[TechnicalPossum]

Working its way through a schedule that has become progressively more difficult, Georgia Tech is 4-0 for just the fourth time in 44 years.

1990,2011,2014

What was the 4th year?

1970

 

[cyptomcat]

Working its way through a schedule that has become progressively more difficult, Georgia Tech is 4-0 for just the fourth time in 44 years.

1990,2011,2014

What was the 4th year?

1970

Wins over South Carolina, FSU, Miami and Clemson

Finished 9-3 with a win over uga and Texas Tech (bowl game).

 

[Nook Su Kow]

Man, somebody needs to talk to the copy editors at the Smellagram. By week instead of bye week in the segment about Searcy?
Letting "which was decided by a 24-yard field goal by Harrison Butker" through?

They suck. Techs coverage is pathetic. Really miss Coley Harvey covering us.

 

[slugboy]

Man, somebody needs to talk to the copy editors at the Smellagram. By week instead of bye week in the segment about Searcy?
Letting "which was decided by a 24-yard field goal by Harrison Butker" through?

I don't know how many copy editors they have any longer--that was one of the deep cuts years ago, and a lot of newspapers have little to no copy editing these days. The AJC might have no copy editors at all.

 

[BainbridgeJacket]

I am unreasonably excited by the Searcy news.

 

[Techster]

1970

Wins over South Carolina, FSU, Miami and Clemson

Finished 9-3 with a win over uga and Texas Tech (bowl game).

I can live with 9-3 this year...especially that win over UGA.

 

[orientalnc]

I don't know how many copy editors they have any longer--that was one of the deep cuts years ago, and a lot of newspapers have little to no copy editing these days. The AJC might have no copy editors at all.

I know one ABC copy editor, but she doesn't work in Sports.