Paul Johnson's job

33jacket

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DCS beat me to it. Jujitsu is a very simple martial art. I can learn how to use an arm bar, a guillotine choke, rear naked choke etc...I can learn all those fundamentals. And when I face a Gracie on the mat I'm still screwed.

But when u r the coach u r not screwed. Easy is easy hoss. We have bad coaches. Our talent gap is not comparable to u vs gracie. Lets be real.
 

4shotB

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I think the writer captures the thinking of most rational Tech fans. However, it is always a bit unsettling (imo) to have the idea debated "out in public" so to speak. the appearance of articles like this is a bit of a canary in the coal mine scenario.
 

YlJacket

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It is a bit unsettling to see it debated in public. But it also leads to other questions about whether the current regime is doing everything they can to close on recruits, how the current HC and his system is perceived by the HS players/coaches, and whether a new face and more traditional system could do better with the recruiting pool that can get into Tech. I don't claim to know the answer and it would take an AD plugged into the community and objectively seeing how the current staff "makes the sausage" so to speak.

Given the contract we have no decision to make after this season. Firing is not an option. That option is available starting after next season. Gives the new AD a year to see if indeed CPJ is the best we can do or not. Or that there is a pathway to help him be better. At this point all we can do is try to enjoy the ride.
 

GTRX7

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We can do a WHOLE lot worse than Paul Johnson but we can do better too.

Does anybody disagree with this? I am still a pretty big Johnson supporter and I, of course, agree with this. The real question is, money aside (which is a real thing), what are the chances the next coach would do better? If you told me that we could repeat the last 8 years in the next 8 (3ACC championship game appearances, 2 orange bowl appearances, winning ACC record, 4 mediocre seasons, 1 terrible season), I would take that again in a heartbeat (the UGA record being my only real complaint). I actually think odds are low another coach would do that (though it is possible). The question for me is, can Johnson repeat that. Maybe, maybe not. I was hoping for a little better this year, but the year is not over. If he gets this back to 7 wins, I don't see any reason we can't have a 9-10 win season in the next couple of years.
 

GTHOSCHTON

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FWIW...guys like Art Briles, Mike Leach, Chip Kelly, Gus Malzahn and our own CPJ are on record pretty much saying that exact thing (CPJ voices this on that intro video he did with Wes back in 2008). Guys who have their own system that people revere, they understand that football stripped down and easy to digest for players is the best approach. In fact, I believe only Briles may be the only coach of the bunch who really has a play book for their guys.

Football isn't hard, people make it hard. The stuff they do on the NFL level isn't much different than what HS teams do, it's just coaches make it verbose and overwhelming as if it makes them a genius to do it. If you haven't already, watch Hard Knocks this season with the Rams. Watch how much Jared Goff struggles with the plays. Having a play that's similar to reading a paragraph is silly.


Have you ever coached football??
 

CobbTech

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Does anybody disagree with this? I am still a pretty big Johnson supporter and I, of course, agree with this. The real question is, money aside (which is a real thing), what are the chances the next coach would do better? If you told me that we could repeat the last 8 years in the next 8 (3ACC championship game appearances, 2 orange bowl appearances, winning ACC record, 4 mediocre seasons, 1 terrible season), I would take that again in a heartbeat (the UGA record being my only real complaint). I actually think odds are low another coach would do that (though it is possible). The question for me is, can Johnson repeat that. Maybe, maybe not. I was hoping for a little better this year, but the year is not over. If he gets this back to 7 wins, I don't see any reason we can't have a 9-10 win season in the next couple of years.

We don't know if the next coach would do better. That's the risk you take. It took Tennessee a few cracks at it, Miami a couple coaching changes, and it took UGA after Dooley to find their guy. I'm sure if you went through every other school stuck on mediocrity, it probably took them a couple of times and in most cases I'm sure it got worse before it got better.

I appreciate Paul Johnson for what he's done here at Georgia Tech. 2008, 2009 and 2014 were special and even in some of the mediocre/bad seasons, there were great moments. But since 2012, the first year the entire roster was entirely his recruits, we are 21-28 against power 5 opponents. Just so people don't accuse me of cherry picking, 27-18 was the record for the first four years, which brings him to 48-46. Georgia Tech can't do better than that?

I like the offense. It doesn't come without its flaws and negatives but we've been fairly consistent on offense, outside of 2015 and 2013. It's put up some duds in some big spots against good defenses and it seems like we haven't gotten better at all with our passing game (not counting 2014) but we score and we're a nuisance to teams. But the defense has been dreadful for 8 years, for the most part. We've had three DC's and every defense since 2009 has pretty much looked the same and there's been one constant in the entire process.

I've always liked Paul Johnson. I don't hate him or think he's an idiot or calling for his head. I'm willing to see what happens this year. But more than likely, it's going to be 6-6 type season and it's possible we miss another bowl game. We're 3-3 now and have three games against teams that will be favored (UNC, VT, UGA) by at least a touchdown more than likely and maybe a couple of them being double digit favorites. I'm not willing to call GSU an automatic win after seeing our game against them a couple of years ago and them having a lot of those guys back. Not to mention we've lost to Duke two years in a row. We'll see what happens.
 

Techster

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LOL uh not really...but those games are fun to play and easy to understand

I get where ya coming from.

Example, do you remember the the picture that was floating around of Al Groh's playbook on social Media when he was still at GT? That thing was the size of a Calculus book. What did the players get out of that? From the results of it, nothing. Charles Kelley simplified what Al Groh was trying to do and broke the defense down to the basics (what CPJ told Groh to do all season before he got fired) and our results were better. We almost beat FSU in the ACCCG.

An example on the NFL level. Tim Tebow with the Denver Broncos. Tebow could not run the pro offense he was drafted into. Because of injuries, they were force to use Tebow his second year. What did John Fox do? He implemented option concepts into the offense and pared the rest down to what Tebow could do. It took them to the 2nd round of the playoffs (granted, it took a big effort on both sides of the ball).

I know people like to get exotic with concepts and mixing schemes and it sounds really great, but at the end of the day football doesn't need to be complex. People make football complex.
 

33jacket

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Have you ever coached football??

WRs...

and played. Its not that hard.

Playbooks are all variations. There are standard sets you remember and variant off of them. Its not that freaking hard folks

When fridge was here we had like 60 formations. But literally 15 plays (exaggerating a bit...). The variations are alignments...lining up as paul would call it.

Zone blocking for running play is the same whether 21, 11, 10 etc. Its all the same assignments. Center gets MLB after doubles the 3tech until next level etc etc etc. It really not that complicated. A lb blitzes A gap C comes off double gets that zone otherwise next level.

there are only so many routes you can run. The x lines up on the numbers, etc. All formations, plays and alignments are based off the numbers and hashes. All DL are based off head up or offset. All OL are based off of DL fronts and gaps. Its ALL THE SAME scheme to scheme. The variants and style you employ change coach to coach. Only so many routes in a route tree.

CB plays inside tech...no matter the D, 2 deep, man, etc, if he plays inside tech the S help isn't going to be there, you try to cross his face in a slant option. It doesn't matter where you are in the world of football...this is the same. If you are a cb lining up inside the number playing inside tech, you better not let that wr cross your face and gain inside leverage (we suck at this under roof)

The assignments, plays etc are all REALLY similar.

This is like anything. If I said to you tell me how to play Cuse's 2-3 zone. You would be like, ok I know what a 2-3 zone is...but then I said tell me their philosophy on baseline defense in the 2-3. you may not know. Sure of course you may not know their trapping philosophy. But its really easy...it would take a total of 10 minutes for the base concept and then you learn the variants.

Guys, we do 4th order physics problems. Not sure what everyone acts like football is hard.
 
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Vespidae

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I don't think this piece is worth very much.

First, Tech and Georgia are at opposite ends of the expectations spectrum. UGA wants to be the next Alabama and a perennial Top 5 team. Tech wants to be a Top 5 STEM school and support it with a competitive football program.

Second, he could have made the exact same argument about Mark Richt. Why change from a guy who won consistently and the winningest coach since Dooley?

Third, UGA isn't crushing it out of the park. If you look at the ESPN team efficiency ratings, UGA is at 52.7 O, 74.8 D, 21.5 ST and 60.3 Overall. Tech, in comparison, is 58.9 O, 36.8 D, 72.1 ST, and 51.9 Overall. Alabama is 93.5 Overall.

So, Tech has some work to do to field an ACC competitive team. UGA has some work, in fact a lot of work, to field a competitive SEC team.

Personally, I like Tech's chances to win a future ACC title over UGA's chances to win an SEC. Tech needs to improve fund-raising and get some dough to spend. UGA already has that. Who's the bigger failure? UGA.

This is just red meat to a UGA hungry crowd.
 

Vespidae

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The assignments, plays etc are all REALLY similar.

I agree with this. The actual plays are very similar, only adjusting based on the alignment. I think Tech has 6 basic plays, but it can look wildly different.

However, the college game is totally different than the NFL. The college game still emphasizes the running game, snaps from center, and less reading the defense. The NFL emphasized the passing game, the shotgun, is all about reading and adjusting and far more skill development.

I enjoy both and prefer college ball. But I think they are fundamentally different games in their approach.
 

33jacket

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I agree with this. The actual plays are very similar, only adjusting based on the alignment. I think Tech has 6 basic plays, but it can look wildly different.

However, the college game is totally different than the NFL. The college game still emphasizes the running game, snaps from center, and less reading the defense. The NFL emphasized the passing game, the shotgun, is all about reading and adjusting and far more skill development.

I enjoy both and prefer college ball. But I think they are fundamentally different games in their approach.

well for sure the NFL expands on this...they do half field stuff, more complicated relationship combo routes. But down to the position level...its still the same.

you can only run so many ways....you can only block so many ways...in nfl play calling is so long because they get into detailing each positions specific role per play...and they call the two options off a route in the same play depending on the D called. But at the end of the day...its the same.
 

VolJacket

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I don't think this piece is worth very much.

First, Tech and Georgia are at opposite ends of the expectations spectrum. UGA wants to be the next Alabama and a perennial Top 5 team. Tech wants to be a Top 5 STEM school and support it with a competitive football program.

Second, he could have made the exact same argument about Mark Richt. Why change from a guy who won consistently and the winningest coach since Dooley?

Third, UGA isn't crushing it out of the park. If you look at the ESPN team efficiency ratings, UGA is at 52.7 O, 74.8 D, 21.5 ST and 60.3 Overall. Tech, in comparison, is 58.9 O, 36.8 D, 72.1 ST, and 51.9 Overall. Alabama is 93.5 Overall.

So, Tech has some work to do to field an ACC competitive team. UGA has some work, in fact a lot of work, to field a competitive SEC team.

Personally, I like Tech's chances to win a future ACC title over UGA's chances to win an SEC. Tech needs to improve fund-raising and get some dough to spend. UGA already has that. Who's the bigger failure? UGA.

This is just red meat to a UGA hungry crowd.
Georgia isn't even going to be best in the SEC East because Tennessee is overtaking them and Florida will overtake UGAG also. I hope the delusional Dawg fans enjoy being 3rd in the SEC East.
 
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