Why should we really expect to be good????

[dressedcheeseside]

I'll also add that if CPJ is confident then we should all be confident. The man knows what he's doing.

CPJ: "Eh, it is what it is, I think we'll be ok..."

translation: "Holy **** we're gonna be lights out unstoppable this year, I can't hardly wait."

 

[tech_wreck47]

CPJ: "Eh, it is what it is, I think we'll be ok..."

translation: "Holy **** we're gonna be lights out unstoppable this year, I can't hardly wait."

lol that's not what I was talking about CPJ saying lol.

 

[alagold]

All those stats are great, but they mean nothing if you aren't putting up points on the board.

a WILD example of that was Citadel vs unc--C got 344 yds rushing/29 passing and SEVEN pts--losing 41-7 with 4 TOs

 

[alagold]

Not sure how to convince anyone of this, or if it matters, BUT I AM NOT A TROLL. I'm a Tech Alum (1984) and much more than a casual fan. I asked these questions (in my original post) with hope that someone could convince me 'why we should think we are going to be good' because a few of the 'offense only' video's I recently watched from last year's games indicated to me that our oline can be porous and look confused on blocking schemes at times depending on the defense. So it raises those 3 questions to me that I asked in my original post especially 'why don't other teams play us the way N. Carolina did?' Again, I'm not a DWAG or a trol, but a serious fan and huge supporter of all things GT.

I too watched a bunch of those plays and my reaction--I was amazed we got as many yds as we do with so many seeming missed obvious assignments and blocks

 

[Coloradojacket]

I've been watching some youtube video of only our offensive plays in several games last year. Video that shows only our offensive plays back to back for the entire game. I was surprised how often we look chaotic and how often our offensive line looks porous, especially in the North Carolina game last year in which we lost 48-20. I'm a big TECH fan, huge fan of of the Triple Option and CPJ but I have some honest questions of you guys:
1. Why was NC able to make us look so bad offensively?
2. Why won't other teams expect to have the same success defensively against us as did NC?
3. Why should we really expect to be better this year?

Ok, Techman, so to answer your initial question. And the UNC game is no barometer.
1. If MJ is the Qback, which I believe he will be, CPJ is going to run the Tech offense like Ken N of Navy did last year. Use the A backs as offset to running heavy B back and mid line. And don't fool yourselves, MJ can throw and he has some wheels.
2. The O-line is one of the best CPJ has had. When you consider he can bring in 390lb Devine to clean out for a 5 yard B back dive.
3. What CPJ is not telling you is probably what he is thinking about his team and that is his defense is going to be better. We have some big guys up front and some good LBs. The secondary should be very good.

If the D can get just 2 more stops a game then CPJ with his offense can run the table. Never doubt what this man can do.

 

[lv20gt]

To the OP, it's the summertime so expect fans of all fanbases to pretty much gloss over weaknesses and over-hype strengths. The only real exception are the fanbases that have turned on their coaching staffs.

Anyways, 1) UNC had success last year because they mostly forced us to have long drawn out drives that ended poorly for us. We had the following drives

8 plays - 69 yards - FG
10 plays - 61 yards - missed FG
12 plays 50 yards - FG
10 plays - 62 yards - fumble
11 plays - 57 yards - turnover on downs.

That is a total of 51 plays and 299 yards to get 6 points. We death marched ourselves to death. Finish those drives and we win or are much closer. There was a similar issue against Kentucky which is why the game was still one score late in the fourth despite us overall playing much better, but fortunately we had a defensive TD, a punt block setting up a short field, and the defense pretty much stuffed kentucky until the fourth quarter.

2) It was less that UNC had a plan to copy, and more with our own stuff that game. IMO we'll see more of that style next year between a new QB, the loss of Marshall along with Mills' running style, and the tendency for Jordan to call his own number. We'll likely see several games like the UNC one in terms of several long drives. Whether they can be converted to 7 or not is the real issue.

3) The reasons for optimism are we have experience returning on the OL and at the skill positions which should lead to fairly consistent blocking. There's also a good chance that our D will take a step forward. We also have some pretty good recruits coming in at the positions of need, specifically the punter and place kicker. I still think it's a bit silly to expect to be better. Losing Thomas is absolutely killer, more so than people are acting like, and the loss of Marshall is also being overlooked. Also, while we have some good recruits, you have to expect some dropoff with the losses of Butker and Rodwell. Also, while I believe the defense should continue to improve, we do lose a good bit of the front 7. Unfortunately with the way other teams are shaping up I feel that we'll run into more teams testing us in the middle rather than our secondary, which is our strength. IMO this year will feature growing pains for both the offense and special teams, and the defense won't make enough of a stride to prevent a bit of a regression. IMO 6-8 wins is a reasonable expectation this year, and I think 2018, and maybe 2019 depending on QB situation, are more likely to be our next "peaks".

 

[Sideways]

If we don't fumble twice and get 2 more stops we win that game. The owner of this thread said that UNC stopped us that day. My point being they didn't even come close.

The funny thing about that game was I never thought we were truly out of it until that blasted second turnover. I don't think it was a question of them stonewalling us, so much as we did not stop them. When your defense is not getting stops, you better play perfect on offense and special teams. We did't and paid the price.

 

[Sideways]

To the OP, it's the summertime so expect fans of all fanbases to pretty much gloss over weaknesses and over-hype strengths. The only real exception are the fanbases that have turned on their coaching staffs.

Anyways, 1) UNC had success last year because they mostly forced us to have long drawn out drives that ended poorly for us. We had the following drives

8 plays - 69 yards - FG
10 plays - 61 yards - missed FG
12 plays 50 yards - FG
10 plays - 62 yards - fumble
11 plays - 57 yards - turnover on downs.

That is a total of 51 plays and 299 yards to get 6 points. We death marched ourselves to death. Finish those drives and we win or are much closer. There was a similar issue against Kentucky which is why the game was still one score late in the fourth despite us overall playing much better, but fortunately we had a defensive TD, a punt block setting up a short field, and the defense pretty much stuffed kentucky until the fourth quarter.

2) It was less that UNC had a plan to copy, and more with our own stuff that game. IMO we'll see more of that style next year between a new QB, the loss of Marshall along with Mills' running style, and the tendency for Jordan to call his own number. We'll likely see several games like the UNC one in terms of several long drives. Whether they can be converted to 7 or not is the real issue.

3) The reasons for optimism are we have experience returning on the OL and at the skill positions which should lead to fairly consistent blocking. There's also a good chance that our D will take a step forward. We also have some pretty good recruits coming in at the positions of need, specifically the punter and place kicker. I still think it's a bit silly to expect to be better. Losing Thomas is absolutely killer, more so than people are acting like, and the loss of Marshall is also being overlooked. Also, while we have some good recruits, you have to expect some dropoff with the losses of Butker and Rodwell. Also, while I believe the defense should continue to improve, we do lose a good bit of the front 7. Unfortunately with the way other teams are shaping up I feel that we'll run into more teams testing us in the middle rather than our secondary, which is our strength. IMO this year will feature growing pains for both the offense and special teams, and the defense won't make enough of a stride to prevent a bit of a regression. IMO 6-8 wins is a reasonable expectation this year, and I think 2018, and maybe 2019 depending on QB situation, are more likely to be our next "peaks".

This man makes so much sense in point 3 that he must be a troll. Am I doing this right?

 

[MidtownJacket]

haha @Sideways

I agree with a lot of what @lv20gt said, one thing I don't though is that Jordan has a tendency to call his own number. I don't think we have seen enough of him play to say that given that we know he was told to limit the plays previously. I think a fair amount of the keep it bug was coach in his ear. Time will tell though.

 

[Longestday]

Navy's top defense from 2016 had a QB who "called" his own number by design and by defense play.

 

[Sideways]

haha @Sideways

I agree with a lot of what @lv20gt said, one thing I don't though is that Jordan has a tendency to call his own number. I don't think we have seen enough of him play to say that given that we know he was told to limit the plays previously. I think a fair amount of the keep it bug was coach in his ear. Time will tell though.

I am quite certain that MJ was told by Coach Johnson to keep the ball more often than not. MJ is a different breed of cat from what we are used to seeing with JT5 , Vlad, and Tevin. He is kind of like a poor man's JN. He may or may not be a better passer. Similarly, his reads may be different. One thing is for sure, the days of "slow playing" the option that was so adroitly done by JT5 are gone. MJ is going to be decisive and probably will tend to make a decision a trifle quicker. Whether that is good or bad remains to be seen.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I am quite certain that MJ was told by Coach Johnson to keep the ball more often than not. MJ is a different breed of cat from what we are used to seeing with JT5 , Vlad, and Tevin. He is kind of like a poor man's JN. He may or may not be a better passer. Similarly, his reads may be different. One thing is for sure, the days of "slow playing" the option that was so adroitly done by JT5 are gone. MJ is going to be decisive and probably will tend to make a decision a trifle quicker. Whether that is good or bad remains to be seen.

With MJ, I expect to be in a lot more 3rd and shorts than we've had with JT. JT is likely better at converting the 3rd and longs, but I imagine we'll have less of them with MJ. MJ is gonna take what the defense is giving and get something on every play unless somebody comes free on a drop back. He's hard to tackle and is gonna run through arms and drag defenders for an extra yard or two. With he and Dedrick chewing up the inside, the second and third level defenders are all gonna have their eyes and instincts training in that direction. That opens up the edge and top (pass) big time. Can't wait!!!

 

[lv20gt]

I agree with a lot of what @lv20gt said, one thing I don't though is that Jordan has a tendency to call his own number. I don't think we have seen enough of him play to say that given that we know he was told to limit the plays previously. I think a fair amount of the keep it bug was coach in his ear. Time will tell though.

He carried the ball 28 and 32 times against 2015 miami and 2016 VT respectively and in neither game was the keep consistently effective, 2.1 ypc against miami, and 3.8 against VT (and from a consistency standpoint that number is skewed high by one big positive outlier). 32 I believe is the most a QB has rushed for us under Johnson, although I think both Nesbitt and Washington also had 32 carry games. 28 is also extraordinarily high. Being told to limit plays doesn't really explain that amount of carries, especially when the total amount of carries was just 58. People have been using that game to justify all sorts of claims, but if you can't come away with him having a tendency to call his own number from those two games, then you really can't use those games to justify anything.

. MJ is a different breed of cat from what we are used to seeing with JT5 , Vlad, and Tevin. He is kind of like a poor man's JN.

I think Jordan is way closer to Tevin than he is to Nesbitt.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I think Jordan is way closer to Tevin than he is to Nesbitt.

I'll take that any day of the week. I don't think it's a very accurate comparison, however. Tevin, in his final year, was a master of the offense, he almost never missed a read and always got the ball in the right person's hands. I don't remember defenses slow playing the pitch as much as they did with JT.

I think MJ has a better arm, faster wheels and is a tougher runner, but not on the same level of offensive mastery.

Tevin was a tougher runner than most give him credit for. The reason he broke the record for td's for a GT qb was his effectiveness keeping in goal line play. He surely wasn't afraid to stick his nose in there and he was bigger than most remember 6'0'', 2o5. (For reference, MJ is 6'2", 208).

 

[Sideways]

He carried the ball 28 and 32 times against 2015 miami and 2016 VT respectively and in neither game was the keep consistently effective, 2.1 ypc against miami, and 3.8 against VT (and from a consistency standpoint that number is skewed high by one big positive outlier). 32 I believe is the most a QB has rushed for us under Johnson, although I think both Nesbitt and Washington also had 32 carry games. 28 is also extraordinarily high. Being told to limit plays doesn't really explain that amount of carries, especially when the total amount of carries was just 58. People have been using that game to justify all sorts of claims, but if you can't come away with him having a tendency to call his own number from those two games, then you really can't use those games to justify anything.



I think Jordan is way closer to Tevin than he is to Nesbitt.

Could be but he is faster and more apt to put his head down

 

[GTech63]

To the OP, it's the summertime so expect fans of all fanbases to pretty much gloss over weaknesses and over-hype strengths. The only real exception are the fanbases that have turned on their coaching staffs.

Anyways, 1) UNC had success last year because they mostly forced us to have long drawn out drives that ended poorly for us. We had the following drives

8 plays - 69 yards - FG
10 plays - 61 yards - missed FG
12 plays 50 yards - FG
10 plays - 62 yards - fumble
11 plays - 57 yards - turnover on downs.

That is a total of 51 plays and 299 yards to get 6 points. We death marched ourselves to death. Finish those drives and we win or are much closer. There was a similar issue against Kentucky which is why the game was still one score late in the fourth despite us overall playing much better, but fortunately we had a defensive TD, a punt block setting up a short field, and the defense pretty much stuffed kentucky until the fourth quarter.

2) It was less that UNC had a plan to copy, and more with our own stuff that game. IMO we'll see more of that style next year between a new QB, the loss of Marshall along with Mills' running style, and the tendency for Jordan to call his own number. We'll likely see several games like the UNC one in terms of several long drives. Whether they can be converted to 7 or not is the real issue.

3) The reasons for optimism are we have experience returning on the OL and at the skill positions which should lead to fairly consistent blocking. There's also a good chance that our D will take a step forward. We also have some pretty good recruits coming in at the positions of need, specifically the punter and place kicker. I still think it's a bit silly to expect to be better. Losing Thomas is absolutely killer, more so than people are acting like, and the loss of Marshall is also being overlooked. Also, while we have some good recruits, you have to expect some dropoff with the losses of Butker and Rodwell. Also, while I believe the defense should continue to improve, we do lose a good bit of the front 7. Unfortunately with the way other teams are shaping up I feel that we'll run into more teams testing us in the middle rather than our secondary, which is our strength. IMO this year will feature growing pains for both the offense and special teams, and the defense won't make enough of a stride to prevent a bit of a regression. IMO 6-8 wins is a reasonable expectation this year, and I think 2018, and maybe 2019 depending on QB situation, are more likely to be our next "peaks".

I hate losing Marshall. He and Mills would have been a devastating 1-2 punch. I have more concern for loss of Davis and Gamble on D than JeT on O.
Your 6-8 prediction was interesting based on your analysis, But even in 2014 and a losing 2015 season most games can be flipped with a couple of plays going the opposite way from how they actually played.
Good teams make the clutch plays. I think we are going to be that kind of team this year.

 

[Sideways]

He carried the ball 28 and 32 times against 2015 miami and 2016 VT respectively and in neither game was the keep consistently effective, 2.1 ypc against miami, and 3.8 against VT (and from a consistency standpoint that number is skewed high by one big positive outlier). 32 I believe is the most a QB has rushed for us under Johnson, although I think both Nesbitt and Washington also had 32 carry games. 28 is also extraordinarily high. Being told to limit plays doesn't really explain that amount of carries, especially when the total amount of carries was just 58. People have been using that game to justify all sorts of claims, but if you can't come away with him having a tendency to call his own number from those two games, then you really can't use those games to justify anything.



I think Jordan is way closer to Tevin than he is to Nesbitt.

I am shocked that he carried the ball that much. If he continues to do that he is not long for this world. MJ must learn to pitch accurately and do a better job on the mesh with Dedrick. If he cannot do those two things get someone else that can. It is that simple.

 

[Techster]

CPJ: "Eh, it is what it is, I think we'll be ok..."

translation: "Holy **** we're gonna be lights out unstoppable this year, I can't hardly wait."

CPJ: "I'm fine with our QB situation. It's the position I worry about the least"

Translation: "ACC, you're f'd. Doesn't matter who's under center."

 

[Sideways]

I hate losing Marshall. He and Mills would have been a devastating 1-2 punch. I have more concern for loss of Davis and Gamble on D than JeT on O.
Your 6-8 prediction was interesting based on your analysis, But even in 2014 and a losing 2015 season most games can be flipped with a couple of plays going the opposite way from how they actually played.
Good teams make the clutch plays. I think we are going to be that kind of team this year.

You should be concerned they were our best two players on the front seven. If we do not dramatically improve on defense this year we are in trouble. For years we have gotten by with out scoring, out scheming, out this that and the other with smoke and mirrors. Time for the defense to step up.

 

[THWG]

I am shocked that he carried the ball that much. If he continues to do that he is not long for this world. MJ must learn to pitch accurately and do a better job on the mesh with Dedrick. If he cannot do those two things get someone else that can. It is that simple.

MJ wasn't able to practice with the first team for either of those games. He will get better at the mesh and reads with more practice time.