PT for Lucas Johnson

[Techster]

It wasn't just one hit. Vad got the hell beat out of him all year because our line was terrible. What drove Lee off was being told after the Duke game that it wasn't the right way to win, and then getting his bell rung time and time again.

You're correct in that our OL was not very good that year. Remember, JeT got knocked out of the game from a blind side hit against Miami that season. CPJ specifically said that year that part of the problem with our base offense was that our OL just couldn't execute our blocking schemes, but somehow Vad got a lot of the blame. Guess that comes with the territory of being QB. If the team is winning, the QB gets most of the good press and pretty coeds. Don't win enough, and QB is a pariah and easy target. People often forget Joe Hamilton was the butt of a lot of jokes his first year...but he stuck with it and the rest is history

That said, even with the "experiment" CPJ had in the first half of the year with the diamond/pistol/shotgun formations, we still had an offensive FEI ranking of 39 when the season ended.

 

[takethepoints]

I don't know why people are so down on Vad's time here. Yeah, things didn't work out the way we thought in 2013, but when he was backing up Tevin in 2012, the guy looked like the second coming. It's not like he was horrible in 2013 either. One of his better games was at UGA...man, I thought we were gonna run away from them that night before halftime.

Me either. After the 2013 Ugag game - I was badly disappointed - I figured that with Vad coming back Tech would look like Coach's Hawaii teams. You know, 450 yards total with 250 rush and 200 pass or better. He did pretty well for a first year starter and, I think, he would have run the O with sufficient brio, big hits or not, if he had stayed.

But it was not to be and he moved on to a productive career elsewhere. Good for him and, ultimately, good for Tech.

 

[augustabuzz]

Yeah, typical Tech prevent or prevent-style defense. However, that was just one score; we quit scoring ourselves in the 2nd half, and you know damn well the mutt defense didn't improve that much over halftime.

That game was a microcosm of the series since the '70s. In a typical season, we don't have the depth to make it through November. UGa does not have the same problem. Our OL was playing without backup almost all last year.

 

[bravejason]

Sure, I can. So, in the past eleven games(2007-2017), this is how the turnovers have stacked up.
...
So the averages are: GT: 2.18, Ugag: 1.18.

Thanks. It's not as bad what I thought. Still, a whole turnover difference. The ballpark value of a turnover is 4 points and the ballpark value of home field advantage is 3 points. So, when GT plays at uga, GT is effectively trailing by 7 points at kickoff. Ouch.

 

[InsideLB]

When Vad was QB JT got series. When TW was QB Vad got series.

I expect LJ to get series in the same manner.

 

[RamblinWreck92]

Yeah, like multiple 20 point meltdowns. The Georgia Southern game in 2014 was close to being added to that list. That was one of the worse meltdowns I’ve seen, only to narrowly escape with a win because of a gift bad pitch. Don’t get me wrong, it counts...but sheesh have we laid some eggs with big leads

Yep and while the D always gets the lion's share of the blame for these collapses, it's not like the offense is out there sustaining drives and scoring pts. That Southern loss is a good example - we were boat-racing 'em and CPJ just called the dogs off for unknown reasons. If you've got a weak D, the last thing you want is a bunch of 3 & outs by your offense!!

 

[RamblinWreck92]

VT. Won the game, but we had a 12 point lead that we gave up before we scored our last TD to go ahead for good.

Anyways, I see this argument as the sister argument to the one about how our offense isn't built to come from behind. It's not really that sizable in either case and the biggest advantage/disadvantage is whether we have to significantly change our offense or not in certain circumstances. When we have a 10 point lead with 5 minutes left, we can run our base stuff while other teams change their offense. However when we are behind by 10 with 5 minutes left we have to change our offense while other teams can stay more or less in base stuff.

problem is, when we are down 10 with 5 minutes left, we DON'T change our offense. We do not have a 2-minute offense nor a formation that could be used as such (*cough* shotgun!). We don't throw sideline passes. We don't "hurry-up" nor do we "no-huddle". CPJ's insistence on running in plays each time really limits our ability to score quickly and we've got some of the worst 2-minute-clock-mgmt in all of college football. Running QB Keepers and throwing desperation bomb passes isn't the type of offense that you need in that situation yet it's pretty much what we do.

 

[GTpdm]

Thanks. It's not as bad what I thought. Still, a whole turnover difference. The ballpark value of a turnover is 4 points and the ballpark value of home field advantage is 3 points. So, when GT plays at uga, GT is effectively trailing by 7 points at kickoff. Ouch.

More, if you factor in the SEC refs...

 

[tmhunter52]

When Vad was QB JT got series. When TW was QB Vad got series.

I expect LJ to get series in the same manner.

Then how do you explain last year?

 

[dressedcheeseside]

My take on the qb position is you always play the guy you think gives us the best chance to win. You never jeopardize the outcome of a game just to give the backup game experience. There's another important reason to keep the starter in with a good lead and that's to work on plays he's not particularly good at. Live repping is the best way to improve and we want a starting qb with a firm grasp of as much of the playbook as possible.

 

[InsideLB]

Then how do you explain last year?

Drop off between starter and back up was likely too large last year (i.e. what DCS says above...can't blow the game just to give experience).

This year I am guessing the drop off between 1 & 2will be much less. But I could be wrong....maybe LJ won't play except in garbage time.

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

Drop off between starter and back up was likely too large last year (i.e. what DCS says above...can't blow the game just to give experience).

This year I am guessing the drop off between 1 & 2will be much less. But I could be wrong....maybe LJ won't play except in garbage time.

I agree with what you've said, but I find it funny that there was such a big drop off between 1 and 2 when this time last summer CPJ was saying we have 4 guys at QB that are all good enough to start for us.

 

[stech81]

I agree with what you've said, but I find it funny that there was such a big drop off between 1 and 2 when this time last summer CPJ was saying we have 4 guys at QB that are all good enough to start for us.

But then you start fall practice and injuries and other things come into account and you get separation.

 

[LongforDodd]

Anyone looking for the Vad hit against UNC that changed everything, here it is at exactly 30 seconds in.

Oh...what could have been!

 

[g0lftime]

You could really hear that hit on Vad in the stands. I was on the 30 in West and I don't think I have ever heard a louder hit. If I remember correctly it was squarely in his chest. Can understand how he became shy on the option after that.

 

[InsideLB]

I agree with what you've said, but I find it funny that there was such a big drop off between 1 and 2 when this time last summer CPJ was saying we have 4 guys at QB that are all good enough to start for us.

Having 4 QBs that have a chance of winning the job is different than having the ideal set up to get a back up QB some reps.

When JT and Vad got reps they were rotating in for a seasoned starter. Last year we didnt have a seasoned starter.

This year it's a better situation to get LJ some series. You have an experienced vet to take back the tiller if LJ flounders, and you are less interrupting TM's learning/flow. Further, LJ will have developed/be more ready with another year in the system.

In my opinion it is just a better time to start grooming an heir. We'll see!

 

[jacketup]

All this talk about the QB.....

Here's the assessment of FTRS of our projected starting LT:

LT - 6’2, 277, Junior. started six games as a true freshman and nine games last season. He brings good athleticism to the tackle position and shows good ability to slip to the second level and block in space. He struggles in pass protection, the Wake Forest game in 2017 being a good example. Expect him to get better with another year under his belt.

Some of the highest paid players in the NFL are left tackles. They protect right handed QBs. Don't blame Marshall for a 36% passing percentage, and don't expect anyone else to do better. Don't blame this player for being slotted at LT at his size and being expected to effectively pass block. You would never see a LT of this size in Friedgen's offense. It is what it is.

 

[ilovetheoption]

I agree... I think Tobias may win the #2 spot, if LJ were going to be the starter it would have happened by now.

Wait, what?

Is your argument that if LJ was ever going to be a starter, it would have happened by the time he was a redshirt freshman?

 

[GTFootball2018]

Wait, what?

Is your argument that if LJ was ever going to be a starter, it would have happened by the time he was a redshirt freshman?

Wait, what?

Is your argument that if LJ was ever going to be a starter, it would have happened by the time he was a redshirt freshman?

 

[GTFootball2018]

Lucas is definitely #2...vying for #1. Tobias is a good runner, but doesn’t have the passing technique down...I hope we see Lucas as early as the 1st game. He definitely has what it takes...just needs the experience of a real game.