Paul Davis Penalty

[awbuzz]

My goodness, imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth had we not come out passing in the 2nd half. People would have said we wasted an opportunity to practice pass protection and running routes.
If we would have completed those passes i.e. executed the plays well, CPJ would be deemed a genius.

 

[alaguy]

y

It's not the first time that a personal foul at a crucial time has caused the entire team to collapse and a meltdown to ensue. Remember Attaochu's foul on Logan Thomas? We had that game won, but the foul caused Tech to just give up and allow VT to come back and win. There is something that has always been extremely fragile psychologically about Johnson's teams. They have always been flaky, weak-willed, moody and neurotic. O'Leary's teams by comparison were unflappable, cold-blooded, businesslike, and mentally as sound as the gut-rock of Stone Mountain. That's coaching, my friends. That's what coaches get paid for.

yep, also that is recruiting or lack of it on DEF, but we do have SIX,count them ,six SR running backs

 

[Atomic Jacket]

But look at the number of times he has done just that and lost (Utah, Miami, Georgia), or had to struggle to recover and win (yesterday). I say if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I would argue the problem is more intangible than technical. You're pointing to a specific strategy to change the play calling tendencies once ahead as being unsound, whereas I would argue that strategy is not only sound, but smart. I think the problem is more abstract than that, and goes to the character and mindset of the team as a whole. And I blame the coach for that. I think he doesn't know how to connect with his players. He doesn't know how to inspire. He himself is an intense person, but he doesn't know how to translate that intensity to his players. There is a gap, a firewall of communication, between the coach and his players, and they have a tendency to go adrift in the middle of the game. Maybe it's a difference in age, culture, philosophy on life, or a combination of all of those things. But it's not in the technicalities. Johnson's play calling is fine.

 

[alaguy]

But look at the number of times he has done just that and lost (Utah, Miami, Georgia), or had to struggle to recover and win (yesterday). I say if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

GREAT call, the time I remem ber is uM game 2 yrs ago when he didn't put in Vad with a 17 pt lead to stomp them and TW was too tired at end to get TD

 

[GTNavyNuke]

GREAT call, the time I remem ber is uM game 2 yrs ago when he didn't put in Vad with a 17 pt lead to stomp them and TW was too tired at end to get TD

My point exactly in another thread. Post 14 of http://gtswarm.com/threads/killer-instinct.3759/

And everyone should note that Atomic said good things about CPJ' strategy, he does that occasionally.

Finally, yesterday we passed for 24 times. This is the first time since CPJ has been here (about 82 games I think) that we have passed for 24 times and WON! The four previous times we have lost. http://www.cfbstats.com/2014/team/255/passing/offense/gamelog.html

 

[alaguy]

First of all, let me say that I am NOT a CPJ hater. I like him as a man and as our coach. But for me what changed the game yesterday was not the bizarre penalty against Davis, it was Tech's first offensive series in the second half. Why did we come out passing after cramming it down GSU's throat on the ground in the first half with just enough passes thrown in to confuse the Eagles? Coming out passing for no apparent reason with a 25 point lead reminds me way too much of the Utah Sun Bowl, the 2012 Miami game, and, most recently, the 2013 Georgia game. It APPEARS to me that Johnson doesn't know how to handle a big lead. Instead of continuing with what works, he starts playing games, and invariably that has backfired on him. We were fortunate to win yesterday, and I am happy with that win, but I really feel like if we had come out in attack mode at the top of the second half, none of what in fact followed would have. Johnson often blames these things on a failure to execute, but there's no way of saying that about the first offensive series of the second half, when what he did was call plays that he hadn't been calling in the first half and IMO didn't need to be calling when he did. He needs to get a killer instinct and just keep pounding and pounding with what obviously works. When it stops working, then and only then is there a need to try something different. That's just my 2 cents worth.

EXACTLY my thought at time.Come out and hit them in the mouth on a power rollout NOT a weak flare ,not even to smelter.IT set the tone for the half..

 

[Atomic Jacket]

My point exactly in another thread. Post 14 of http://gtswarm.com/threads/killer-instinct.3759/

And everyone should note that Atomic said good things about CPJ' strategy, he does that occasionally.

Finally, yesterday we passed for 24 times. This is the first time since CPJ has been here (about 82 games I think) that we have passed for 24 times and WON! The four previous times we have lost. http://www.cfbstats.com/2014/team/255/passing/offense/gamelog.html

You say that as if it comes as a shock that I would agree with something Johnson has done. I am not some caricature of a fan on an agenda to run down the coach. Look, I live in a reality-based world. I call things as I see them. The good and the bad. That is sometimes unpopular. I say the thing that some people are thinking but don't want to say out of fear of being out-of-sync with their fellow Tech fans. I don't care if I'm out of sync with popular opinion because I'm going to state the thing that best reflects reality. I happen to like Paul Johnson's ability to analyze opponents's weakness and attack and exploit them. I like that he knows you are supposed to pass when people think you're going to run, and run when they think you're going to pass. I like that he's willing to call a screen pass when backed up into near your own goal-line. I like that he frequently goes for it on 4th down. I like that he tries to draw people off-sides, and then calls a timeout, and then does it again, but this time runs the play. When things like this don't work, I don't blame the decision, because I believe doing the unexpected is the right thing to do when you're trying to win. My problems with Johnson are in different areas, abstract areas, that people don't talk about much, because technical issues tend to be the things most fans focus on.

 

[Animal02]

The passing on the first series after halftime did not bother me one bit. Not at all. I think it was pretty apparent that GSU came out in the 2nd half determined to stop the run (did we rush for much yardage in the 2nd half? Nope) and that CPJ took one look and knew the passes would be open. Justin made a poor throw to a wide open Smelter on 1st down, and according to CPJ on the 3rd down play (after a run went nowhere) we had the FB WIDE open, and JT threw it to the wrong guy.

It is all about execution, and I for one prefer that we continue working on the passing game so we can be seen as a team that can do both. Do you really think VPI&SU will have trouble shutting down our run game if they feel we cannot pass it effectively?

I think much of what people consider bad play calling is PJ seeing a weakness, a player or two flubs and the play is a wreck, or the D adjusts correctly, etc. etc. That is why football is such a great sport......yes it is a team......but it also relies on each member of the team individually acting correcting

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Nope.

Very interesting.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

You say that as if it comes as a shock that I would agree with something Johnson has done. I am not some caricature of a fan on an agenda to run down the coach. Look, I live in a reality-based world. I call things as I see them. The good and the bad. That is sometimes unpopular. ....................................... My problems with Johnson are in different areas, abstract areas, that people don't talk about much, because technical issues tend to be the things most fans focus on.

I've noticed you're positive sometimes and not a troll. Your comment a while ago about the large amount of player attrition this year possibly being related to dissatisfaction with the program was one of the things that made me look at attrition and it's causes. Of course there is no smoking gun since people won't say that was the reason, but I didn't really find evidence that supported dissatisfaction being a primary cause. It is good to question things because no one is right all the time.

 

[Leonard Larramore]

Thanks LL. I don't know enough to know if you're right or wrong about the DB technique coaching. I appreciate how central it is for you since you make it in almost all your posts.

I do know that a team or a unit which begins to think it knows better than its coach is rarely successful.[/QUMy during all my years of coaching a successful coach will sometimes ask a player "What do you see?" Its not a kid telling a coach what to do, it is a kid telling a coach what he sees. When I was a rookie it was a way for the coach to find out what I was thinking or how was I viewing the field. He would then proceed to make corrections. Now don't get me wrong I got chewed out sometimes but coach had a balanced approach. Sometimes he just calmed me down and encouraged me. I address the DB because I converse with several of the guys. Stemming back to Jemea Thomas. So I just pin point this position because I know the heart of these guys. I could also discuss the technique the D lineman are using. I would love to see a more aggressive attack. More Swim, bull, and rip techniques. Instead our guys are on skates. I really feel we are a talented team. Just like we tell them to continue to fight. We must continue to support.

 

[Boomergump]

While watching the game live, I wondered why we threw as much as we did in half 2 with the big lead, especially on the early downs. However, when watching the film, all I saw was 9 in the box and 2 CBs on an island against big physical receivers. We have to be able to convert those back shoulder throws. Just have to. JT is perfectly capable of doing it. He just didn't this time.

 

[jason]

I had no problem with the passing guys where open Justin just over thru most of the time. I didn't understand why he dont just run with it with the ball when nothing is their. He could do a lot of damage against some teams later on in the season by running when people are covered. I can't stand just throwing it up in hope one of our guys get it.

 

[GTech63]

Even if the play calling wasn't great, that doesn't excuse the players from not executing the plays that were called. As Boomer says, we were not focused. We were just missing on just about everything by just a little bit - blocking angles especially.

Defensively the same thing, we had players there to stop many plays in the 2nd half . They missed tackles, didn't fight off blocks, wrong attack angles. Several plays on 3rd down could have been stopped had we made the tackle that was there. But they had player skills also that helped cause misses.

One thing, toward the end of the first half not discussed, is the fact GS was beginning to figure us out. That should have enabled a half time discussion to warn and jack up the team to be ready; they are starting to get to you and have you figured out.

This could be a blessing disguise. If we had a 2nd half like the first we might have gone into Blacksburg over confident. That
shouldn't be a problem now. GS has some fast players and good athletes. In watching VT against OSU and ECU I don't see any that seemed faster or better. VT is beatable. This game is a good stepping stone .

Lastly we drove ball 70 plus yards in crunch time to win after forcing a turn over. That is a plus in my book. JT is going to be great.

I wonder what the injury situation looks like hope we have Perkins back.

 

[augustabuzz]

I wonder what the injury situation looks like hope we have Perkins back.

Perkins looked as if he twisted his ankle. I hope he can rest it this week.

 

[LongforDodd]

Perkins looked as if he twisted his ankle. I hope he can rest it this week.

Good thing is he walked off the field without assistance, IIRC.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

re play calling. It is awful easy, and often erroneous, to say a play call was bad when it wasn't executed properly.
We have to be able to pass on first down occasionally...have to. When the D loads the box and puts corners on islands...we have to attack that with passes some...have to.
It's hard not to Monday mornin QB the game plan. Hindsight is 20/20. When the plays were called they were good play calls.
When the road gets rough CPJ reverts to our strength.

 

[Lexjacket]

I would argue the problem is more intangible than technical. You're pointing to a specific strategy to change the play calling tendencies once ahead as being unsound, whereas I would argue that strategy is not only sound, but smart. I think the problem is more abstract than that, and goes to the character and mindset of the team as a whole. And I blame the coach for that. I think he doesn't know how to connect with his players. He doesn't know how to inspire. He himself is an intense person, but he doesn't know how to translate that intensity to his players. There is a gap, a firewall of communication, between the coach and his players, and they have a tendency to go adrift in the middle of the game. Maybe it's a difference in age, culture, philosophy on life, or a combination of all of those things. But it's not in the technicalities. Johnson's play calling is fine.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

re play calling. It is awful easy, and often erroneous, to say a play call was bad when it wasn't executed properly.
We have to be able to pass on first down occasionally...have to. When the D loads the box and puts corners on islands...we have to attack that with passes some...have to.
It's hard not to Monday mornin QB the game plan. Hindsight is 20/20. When the plays were called they were good play calls.
When the road gets rough CPJ reverts to our strength.

love the cliches. I'm ready to run into a brick wall now!

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

@cheese....I can point you in the right direction if you'd like...lol

Cliches or no...do you disagree?