What does Paul Johnson Bring to the Table?

[John]

Is there anything stopping CPJ from changing the offense to look more like what Malzaun has done at Auburn?

The offense has evolved more than I expected this season than in the past few seasons. We've run a lot more plays out of pistol formation earlier in the season even when we were not behind. I think if the offense did really "spark" just because we were running more pistol/gun stuff, CPJ would have called more of those plays and stuck with them.

Is there anything stopping CPJ from coaching more stand-up pass-blocking to both the OL's and the RB's?

Our OL does not cut block for pass protection. Surprisingly, one of David's pass blocks that people were complaining about yesterday, he tried to block standing up and anticipated an inside move when the defender went outside.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

The offense has evolved more than I expected this season than in the past few seasons. We've run a lot more plays out of pistol formation earlier in the season even when we were not behind. I think if the offense did really "spark" just because we were running more pistol/gun stuff, CPJ would have called more of those plays and stuck with them.
Our OL does not cut block for pass protection. Surprisingly, one of David's pass blocks that people were complaining about yesterday, he tried to block standing up and anticipated an inside move when the defender went outside.

I agree with all you say, John, but I am talking about fundamental changes in the offense (at least from a starting perspective), not just some "tweaks" that we put in occasionally. I believe to overcome the recruiting negativity will mean "drastic" changes, and either they come from the current coach or a new coach, and I had rather them come from PJ.

 

[KlausMikaelsonTheOriginal]

Here is my answer:

IF, and IF isn't happening, he could recruit players to about 70-75% of the talent level of the factories, his system would probably give us a chance in every game against any opponent, but unfortunately, I don't think he can recruit to that level with the academic rigor, restrictions and his own system's negative perception.

He seems to be trying now to overcome a talent gap of 40-50% against the better BCS teams, which is too much, even for his system. I will agree that the gap with VPISU is less than this, but Bud Foster kind of makes up for that.

That is my answer...Just my opinion though.

At some point we need to stop with the Academics excuses.

I am willing to bet that in a bad year for Ga. HS talent we can Recruit 60 of the Top-100 HS players in Ga. and get them admitted to GT as a scholly FB player, in a good yr. for Ga. HS talent I estimate that we can recruit 75 of the Top-100 Hs players in Ga. and get them admitted, and Ga. HS FB is #4 for producing BCS level players and #4 for sending players to the NFL.

Those numbers tell me that we can recruit a lot closer to the factories, than what we are led to believe by those that claim that Academics hold us back.

The problem with getting the academic qualifiers from Ga. HSs to choose GT is CPJ's offense and the fact that a lot of good FB programs are within a 4-hour drive, and those things have nothing to do with the Hill or Academics.

The problem is that GT FB is not as desirable as a FB destination for many recruits that can play at a high level and graduate from GT.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

At some point we need to stop with the Academics excuses.

I am willing to bet that in a bad year for Ga. HS talent we can Recruit 60 of the Top-100 HS players in Ga. and get them admitted to GT as a scholly FB player, in a good yr. for Ga. HS talent I estimate that we can recruit 75 of the Top-100 Hs players in Ga. and get them admitted, and Ga. HS FB is #4 for producing BCS level players and #4 for sending players to the NFL.

Those numbers tell me that we can recruit a lot closer to the factories, than what we are led to believe by those that claim that Academics hold us back.

The problem with getting the academic qualifiers from Ga. HSs to choose GT is CPJ's offense and the fact that a lot of good FB programs are within a 4-hour drive, and those things have nothing to do with the Hill or Academics.

The problem is that GT FB is not as desirable as a FB destination for many recruits that can play at a high level and graduate from GT.

I agree, but they do exist, but here is the key part you chose not to include in your response that I believe is the actual difference at this point:

"and his own system's negative perception."

I was saying that this has added another level to the recruiting difficulty, IMO.

 

[takethepoints]

He wins.

This has been another in a series of simple answers to simple questions.

 

[Mack]

I agree with all you say, John, but I am talking about fundamental changes in the offense (at least from a starting perspective), not just some "tweaks" that we put in occasionally. I believe to overcome the recruiting negativity will mean "drastic" changes, and either they come from the current coach or a new coach, and I had rather them come from PJ.

I agree totally.When we figured PJ was in the mix for the HC position he never said directly he would run the option.Now he came from a gun and shoot offense in Hawalli and we knew cause we watched him at Southern that if he could find a qb to throw we would be fine.Well we are at the beginning point.We still get 500yds vs Mercy of The Blind but yesterday all we got was 151. It is evident that we throw the ball if for nothing else to make the game more interesting but we do little of this.We are getting good athletes but it seems they are square pegs in round holes.JD and JN were the exception and we didnt recruit them under PJ.I hope Paul has some answers since we are getting very predictable in the offense and folks are getting used to our dive play and option.Use the Spread ! Use the Wing T ! use something to shake things up.....enough is enough !

 

[91Wreck]

After six seasons, both Gailey and Johnson have lost 32 ballgames (note: Gailey did not coach the bowl game his last season so I did not count that loss against him). Johnson has won 48, Gailey won 44. However, Johnson has seven wins versus FCS schools, while Gailey only had three.

The record shows he doesn't bring much more to the table than his predecessor. At the end of six years, the only thing that separates the two coaches is the ACC championship and the lone victory of UGA. Do those two wins make up for the additional $4+ million dollars we have paid Johnson over Gailey?

 

[awbuzz]

After six seasons, both Gailey and Johnson have lost 32 ballgames (note: Gailey did not coach the bowl game his last season so I did not count that loss against him). Johnson has won 48, Gailey won 44. However, Johnson has seven wins versus FCS schools, while Gailey only had three.

The record shows he doesn't bring much more to the table than his predecessor. At the end of six years, the only thing that separates the two coaches is the ACC championship and the lone victory of UGA. Do those two wins make up for the additional $4+ million dollars we have paid Johnson over Gailey?[/quote]

Nope, sure doesn't... BUT the masses had to be appeased and thus CCG was canned.
I still hold out hope that we see improvement next year with the players that we have coming off of red shirts and injuries.

 

[gtdrew]

T

At some point we need to stop with the Academics excuses.

I am willing to bet that in a bad year for Ga. HS talent we can Recruit 60 of the Top-100 HS players in Ga. and get them admitted to GT as a scholly FB player, in a good yr. for Ga. HS talent I estimate that we can recruit 75 of the Top-100 Hs players in Ga. and get them admitted, and Ga. HS FB is #4 for producing BCS level players and #4 for sending players to the NFL.

Those numbers tell me that we can recruit a lot closer to the factories, than what we are led to believe by those that claim that Academics hold us back.

The problem with getting the academic qualifiers from Ga. HSs to choose GT is CPJ's offense and the fact that a lot of good FB programs are within a 4-hour drive, and those things have nothing to do with the Hill or Academics.

The problem is that GT FB is not as desirable as a FB destination for many recruits that can play at a high level and graduate from GT.

these estimates aren't anywhere close to accurate. If 60 of the top 100 kids in state qualified for gt, then something like 70% of non athlete students would qualify. That's nowhere close, and the hill likes it that way. Despite your agenda, academics play probably the biggest part in any talent issues we face. Give football players more leeway here, and more will come. It's as simple as that...

 

[daBuzz]

He wins.

This has been another in a series of simple answers to simple questions.

At the same rate as Chan Gailey but at twice the cost. And CCG wasn't exactly the paragon of coaching standards for W/L.

 

[91Wreck]

At the same rate as Chan Gailey but at twice the cost. And CCG wasn't exactly the paragon of coaching standards for W/L.

Yes - I mistakenly said earlier we have paid Johnson four million more than Gailey, but it is more like six million.

 

[alaguy]

He brings a BIG ego and an arrogant personality.He knows a interesting Offense that can't pass nor win vs good def teams.He knows little about def except on a very basic level as shown by his teams.
He probably is a good disciplinarian and runs a good program regarding scholastics.
.His recruiting ability is average even given the problems -as seen by the ratings in the last few yrs.
Seems to have gotten more flexible over yrs with adding ST coach,recruiting changes,firing DEF coach in mid-season etc.
A solid coach but not one to rise above inherent problems.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

We have a lot more going against us in recruiting than just the hill. Compare our overall program to the factories. We probably have fairly equivalent practice and training facilities...than god otherwise we'd never rise above the MTSUs of the world.
Now let's look at our fan base and stadium and compare them to our three closest factory rivals (UGA, Clemson, Auburn) we have a 55k stadium we can't fill...sometimes even for the big games. The three I mentioned rarely fail to sellout. Now imagine being a typical high value recruit. Imagine the difference in atmospheres that kid experiences in visits to Tech and those 3 on game days....(try imagining without your gold tinted love for Tech glasses on)
We have to overcome academics and much more to compete in recruiting. Always have and always will. Need coaches best able to overcome these handicaps. O'leary was best IMO and I still believe CPJ might be able to do this. I recognize he is on a timetable of 1 to 2 years to prove it again.

 

[daBuzz]

We have a lot more going against us in recruiting than just the hill. Compare our overall program to the factories. We probably have fairly equivalent practice and training facilities...than god otherwise we'd never rise above the MTSUs of the world.
Now let's look at our fan base and stadium and compare them to our three closest factory rivals (UGA, Clemson, Auburn) we have a 55k stadium we can't fill...sometimes even for the big games. The three I mentioned rarely fail to sellout. Now imagine being a typical high value recruit. Imagine the difference in atmospheres that kid experiences in visits to Tech and those 3 on game days....(try imagining without your gold tinted love for Tech glasses on)
We have to overcome academics and much more to compete in recruiting. Always have and always will. Need coaches best able to overcome these handicaps. O'leary was best IMO and I still believe CPJ might be able to do this. I recognize he is on a timetable of 1 to 2 years to prove it again.

Is this entirely true? I'm not being critical of your statement; I'm asking a serious question.

I watched those videos of Coach Dodd speaking the other day and one of the things that jumped out at me was Bobby Dodd's statement (he actually said it about 3 times in the speech) that "And I had some dumb ones at Georgia Tech. But I graduated every one of em". Perhaps it was tongue in cheek but I remember hearing a few other older-timers who said things along the lines of "Bobby got a few in every year who would never get in if it was anyone else asking."

So I'm asking for real...were things a bit more "relaxed" at the time than they are now?

 

[Rodney Kent]

There is no way I could know this, but Dodd was a gentleman and liked by everyone. I would think those in the academic department would try to help if they could, but I really don't think Dodd would want them to do anything dishonest. He turned in Auburn for cheating on recruiting, and said he would do it anytime he found another coach cheating on recruiting.