Rivals.com Q&A: Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson

[CuseJacket]

Interview with Rob Cassidy at Rivals.

https://n.rivals.com/news/rivals-com-q-a-georgia-tech-coach-paul-johnson

Rivals.com: The way that Georgia Tech is set up academically, how much does that impact the kind of guys you can recruit there?

PJ: It certainly has an effect. It’s a world-class education here. So, first of all, you have to find guys that are interested in that type of thing. You have to find guys that can stay here. Then, you have to find guys that can stay here. More so than getting them in … I mean, if you bring guys in that can’t handle the workload and can’t do the schoolwork, they’re going to make you miserable. With APR the way it is now, in the last 10 to 15 years they added APR, which changes everything. You pretty much have to have guys that can do the work. Then, we have kind of a limited curriculum, but there are things that people can study if they want to come and play here in Atlanta and get a world-class education.

 

[OldJacketFan]

I was just about to post this @CuseJacket! You beat me to it I hope folks will read the ENTIRE interview!

 

[stech81]

Thanks everyone needs to read this and know the truth.

 

[Vespidae]

Nice read. Ironically, you could have read an interview with William Alexander 90 years ago and it would have probably read the same. We recruit smarter than average guys to attend a much better than average school to study harder subjects ... all the while putting on athletic performance that competes.

When I was really active in business, the debate was always lower cost vs. quality. "Mr X, we can't deliver the quality expectations without increasing cost." Well, you have to do both. Low cost AND high quality. Custom design AND fast turnaround. etc.

I think the problems a lot of folks have is trying to run fit the program of a Top 5 FBS school into Tech. It won't fit. Square peg, very round hole. But Tech excels at problem-solving .. so solve for X.

My brother in law is a big Bama booster. He will always concede ... "Damn, you guys are pretty good considering the academic load." There are kids who love that. We need to find them.

That is one of the biggest differences I see in say, Auburn and GT. (Someone mentioned Auburn, so I'll use them as an example.) There are whole groups of Auburn alumni that know every high school in Alabama, every coach, and every player. Their teachers. Their grades. And they do it for free. They don't get involved in the recruiting, but indirectly, they do. They know the details. Coaches know they can get the scoop without driving 100,000 miles in a year.

We have 167 counties in Georgia. How many touches has GT had on each school in the state? How many star players do we know about, track, evaluate? How many alumni volunteers are there to help? We have to be careful of the regs, but that's what I mean by infrastructure. I'd volunteer. I think it would be fun!

Still, good read. Georgia Tech still makes a mark on anyone associated with it.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I was just about to post this @CuseJacket! You beat me to it I hope folks will read the ENTIRE interview!

I hope everyone will LISTEN to the entire interview on the podcast. The Johnson segment starts at the 23:50 point. EXCELLENT interview, and it shows how good an interview Johnson can give when the person doing the interview has even a smidgen of intelligence.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

." There are kids who love that. We need to find them.

I get your point, but it is easy to say. It's like the military academies saying there are great athletes that want to get shot at after they finish playing CFB. Bottom line - the academic side needs to make allowances for the athlete if you expect to compete with the Miamis, FSU s, Dwags, and Clemson s of this world. Look at our record against the dawgs, and tell me we are doing it right. I have yet had someone tell me on Sunday morning, "We beat y'all, but y'all are doing things the right way!"

 

[Vespidae]

I see your point. But here's mine.

My high school was (is) a Catholic high school with (very) limited resources. For years, we lost every game in football. But most of our kids (like me) went on to academically respected colleges (like Tech) and ultimately professions.

One day, the alumni had had enough. They donated money and hired a coach. A real football guy. And we asked, "What will it take for us to win?"

He didn't say "More talented players". He didn't say "An indoor practice facility". He didn't say "A sold out stadium".

What he did say was "We are going to play a game appropriate for the type of student who chooses to come here. And we will play error-free football in the achievement of that objective."

They are now a Top 20 ranked (national) program. Same kids. Same academics. Same facilities.

We will NOT beat UGA playing UGA style ball. But ... imagine this a week before Thanksgiving when one UGA player tells another, "I hate playing Tech. I never know what they are going to do and damn, it is tough to prepare for them. I hate playing them."

Bear Bryant hated playing Tech. He said he had no idea how to prepare against Bobby Dodd.

In short ... we are not doing it right. We are doing it average. There is the rest of the game yet to be filled in.

 

[babuka]

And doing it differently does not mean running a unique scheme on offense. I like the triple option, but it is not the only way. With a high academic athlete Georgia Tech should be able to run offenses that adapt week to week based on the opponents strength and weaknesses and have excellent fundamentals and lead the league in fewest penalties and missed assignments. So often under the current coach, missed assignments, turnovers, or penalties are the reason for the L. I do wish with the media and PR reasons coach was a little more like David Shaw.

 

[SidewalkJacket]

We will NOT beat UGA playing UGA style ball. But ... imagine this a week before Thanksgiving when one UGA player tells another, "I hate playing Tech. I never know what they are going to do and damn, it is tough to prepare for them. I hate playing them."

I actually think most teams feel this way now.

 

[Vespidae]

Do they?

I read an account of Bama playing Tech in the early 60's. Bama had won the NC the prior year. Bear Bryant was staying at the Georgian Terrace Hotel and noticed that it was starting to rain.

"Damn", he said. "That Bobby Dodd is going to do something to win the game. We haven't kicked off yet, and we've already lost."

Tech did win, 7-6.

 

[SidewalkJacket]

Do they?

I read an account of Bama playing Tech in the early 60's. Bama had won the NC the prior year. Bear Bryant was staying at the Georgian Terrace Hotel and noticed that it was starting to rain.

"Damn", he said. "That Bobby Dodd is going to do something to win the game. We haven't kicked off yet, and we've already lost."

Tech did win, 7-6.

I get it. Dodd was a tactical master.

What do you think GT football could do to better make themselves harder to prepare for than what we are currently doing?

 

[Vespidae]

We never play for field position these days. Oh we talk about it, but it's not part of the game plan.

Here's a stat. A team that starts inside the 10 yard line has less than a 10% chance of scoring. You can completely neutralize a superior opponent if they can't use their athleticism.

I wish we had a QB that could punt. Dodd used to say that a punt is an "offensive" tactic. It is not to be confused with giving up. It is designed to move the ball downfield.

When was the last time you saw that?

 

[SidewalkJacket]

We never play for field position these days. Oh we talk about it, but it's not part of the game plan.

Here's a stat. A team that starts inside the 10 yard line has less than a 10% chance of scoring. You can completely neutralize a superior opponent if they can't use their athleticism.

I wish we had a QB that could punt. Dodd used to say that a punt is an "offensive" tactic. It is not to be confused with giving up. It is designed to move the ball downfield.

When was the last time you saw that?

I really have enjoyed your contributions to the board lately, but are you seriously suggesting we start quick-kicking on 3rd down and expecting to try and win games 7-3?

 

[Vespidae]

Yes. I am.

I play a lot of Texas No Limit Hold 'em. You can completely neutralize position and chip count with a properly played All In. Tactics work.

Dodd used to say that the general principles of football have never changed. Oh the players are bigger and stronger, sure. But the basics are still there.

When was the last time you heard an opposing coach say, "I hate that Paul Johnson. That guy is the best sideline coach I every coached against. I swear I would rather eat paint than play against Paul."

When that happens, you know we are doing ok.

 

[SidewalkJacket]

Yes. I am.

I play a lot of Texas No Limit Hold 'em. You can completely neutralize position and chip count with a properly played All In. Tactics work.

Dodd used to say that the general principles of football have never changed. Oh the players are bigger and stronger, sure. But the basics are still there.

When was the last time you heard an opposing coach say, "I hate that Paul Johnson. That guy is the best sideline coach I every coached against. I swear I would rather eat paint than play against Paul."

When that happens, you know we are doing ok.

Ok, I'm out of this one.

Keep posting, because I do respect your thoughts, but... you just jumped the shark on that one.

 

[Vespidae]

Maybe. I'm old.

I think you have to be a bit unpredictable. I love it when I see a play like that and hear "G^%$it" from the other side.

 

[takethepoints]

It's actually 157 counties. Your point is correct, of course.

 

[Vespidae]

By the way, it's really interesting to me ...

I see fans at Tennessee games rate the game against Neyland's Precepts. You don't need to evaluate 500 metrics. Neyland had I think, 38 rules which the Vols have boiled down to Seven. And Dodd down to Five.

Do those consistently ... and you win. Don't do those ... and you never have enough talent.

 

[Vespidae]

It's actually 157 counties. Your point is correct, of course.

I did a quick evaluation of programs and Tech is not that far off. The big gap is in non-tix revenue as I recall. And the infrastructure. Bama for example, has a Red Elephant Club in every major geography of Alabama ... raising money, promoting the university .. all free to the University.

Organization. A key part of winning.

 

[alagold]

Nice read. Ironically, you could have read an interview with William Alexander 90 years ago and it would have probably read the same. We recruit smarter than average guys to attend a much better than average school to study harder subjects ... all the while putting on athletic performance that competes.

When I was really active in business, the debate was always lower cost vs. quality. "Mr X, we can't deliver the quality expectations without increasing cost." Well, you have to do both. Low cost AND high quality. Custom design AND fast turnaround. etc.

I think the problems a lot of folks have is trying to run fit the program of a Top 5 FBS school into Tech. It won't fit. Square peg, very round hole. But Tech excels at problem-solving .. so solve for X.

My brother in law is a big Bama booster. He will always concede ... "Damn, you guys are pretty good considering the academic load." There are kids who love that. We need to find them.

That is one of the biggest differences I see in say, Auburn and GT. (Someone mentioned Auburn, so I'll use them as an example.) There are whole groups of Auburn alumni that know every high school in Alabama, every coach, and every player. Their teachers. Their grades. And they do it for free. They don't get involved in the recruiting, but indirectly, they do. They know the details. Coaches know they can get the scoop without driving 100,000 miles in a year.

We have 167 counties in Georgia. How many touches has GT had on each school in the state? How many star players do we know about, track, evaluate? How many alumni volunteers are there to help? We have to be careful of the regs, but that's what I mean by infrastructure. I'd volunteer. I think it would be fun!

Still, good read. Georgia Tech still makes a mark on anyone associated with it.

V,
Having ears in the hitherlands only helps if they are used.I referred Reggie Ragland ,the '15 All-Am LB at UAla, to Tech when he was in the eight grade(I coached him and I knew he would play Pro even then).To my knowledge,nothing ever came of that.