Coach Paul Johnson's Contract

A tip of the hat to USA Today for getting a copy of Paul Johnson's contract, which can be seen here:

http://i.usatoday.net/sports/graphics/2009/coaches-contracts/pdf/johnson_georgiatech.pdf

I'll let you all take a gander for yourselves, but here are some of the highlights:

- Contract expires December 31, 2015.
- Paul Johnson can buy out his contract for $1,000,000 before Jan 1, 2010. It gets reduced to $750,000 after that date.
- His 2.3 million dollar salary is broken down as follows:
- $325,000 salary
- $150,000 for apparel
- $1,300,000 for radio & TV (Hey CPJ, would it kill you to buy us a beer at Fox Sports Grill?)
- $525,000 for twenty personal appearances
- Incentives he has reached:
- $75,000 for a bowl game.
- $10,000 for getting GT in the Top 25
- Incentives he can attain:
- $125,000 for a 70% graduation rate
- $25,000 if the APR rates are over 930 and $75,000 if the APR rates are over 950.
- $200,000 if he beats Duke and the ACC Championship game.
- An extra $125,000 for a BCS game, which is 2 wins away as well.
- $50,000 for a bowl win
- $25,000 if he is ACC coach of the year by a media outlet listed in his contract
- $50,000 if he is National coach of the year by a media outlet listed in his contract
- An extra $15,000 if GT is in the Top 25 in the final poll, or an extra $40,000 if they finish in the Top 10.
- Other perks:
- A skybox
- 20 season tickets; 12 tickets to all away games
- 6 basketball season tickets
- Golf membership
- Two courtesy cars
- The facilities for his summer camp

Worth. Every. Penny.

Offensive Genius

To paraphrase Roddy Piper, just when you think you know all the answers, Paul Johnson changes the questions.

Mickey Andrews has 75 minutes during the lightning delay to go over everyone's assignments, what they've seen, and how it can be covered. First play for the GT offense after the delay, down 14-7.

- 1st and 10, ball on the right hash mark.
- Trips formation - left side. Roddy Jones at left A-Back. Anthony Allen in the slot and starts in motion to the right
- The Florida State safety, #20, lets him go because he's instructed that he'll either come back to him or block for the mid-line option with Josh Nesbitt. He stays on the left side of the field.
- The only problem is that Anthony Allen isn't coming back to him or blocking for the mid-line option. Anthony Allen is in full speed on the right side.
- 3 blockers on one defender equals a 60 yard run for Anthony Allen.

As Bob Davie said after the play. Wow.

A** Kicking

As I watched the U score touchdown after touchdown and saw defensive ends tackling Josh, Roddy et. al. six yards in the backfield, I was reminded of Little Bill beating the crap out of English Bob in Unforgiven.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2sf70d0-FM&feature=related

My observations:

- 3 Offensive TD’s against BCS opponents since UGA.

- If you have the game on DVR, Miami’s defensive line was so dialed in that he was a half step before the snap count all night long. Georgia Tech was tipping the snap count.

- Eight fault start penalties. Eight.

- Derrick Morgan and Morgan Burnett. You’re GT’s two best defensive players. You haven’t made a play in six quarters. That's 4 1/2 hours! Got to start making plays.

- Brad Jefferson and Cedric Griffin. You haven’t made a play against a BCS opponent in twelve quarters. That's nine hours!! Really got to start making plays.

- UNC coming in next week. After that, Mississippi State in Starkville, FSU in Tallahassee, home to VT. 2-5 is just as possible as 5-2.

- How bad of an offensive coordinator is Patrick Nix?

One week to go

The summer is over. The Red Sox have gotten me throught the summer. Good to be blogging again for another football season.


Because of my work schedule, I'll probably be blogging on Friday nights, Saturday mornings and Sunday mornings during the football season. My plan is to link to articles during the week for the Jackets and their upcoming opponent. I'll try to throw in some football stats that I think are interesting as well.


One week to the first exhibition game, 12 days to Clemson. Let's get started.


Georgia Tech


Collegefootballnews.com has the best previews for each team. Here is the preview for the Jackets:

http://cfn.scout.com/2/859852.html

AJC's Doug Roberson talks about what is expected of Izaan Cross, Julian Burnett, and Jemea Thomas http://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/3-strong-georgia-tech-124668.html. It also appears that Chandler Anderson appears to be the punter to start the season.

Demaryius Thomas feature by Ray Glier of the AJC. It is also learned that Tyler Melton is out for 2 to 4 weeks http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2009/08/29/sports/doc4a98aefbe66cc150082214.txt?FORM=ZZNR7.

Clemson

Collegefootballnews.com preview of the Tigers:

http://cfn.scout.com/2/859844.html

An article on how Dabo Sweeney and his 30 year old offensive coordinator Billy Napier http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/aug/27/tigers-better-play-calling-better-be-good/.

An article about Willy Korn rooting for freshman Kyle Parker to fail http://www.upstatetoday.com/news/2009/aug/27/tigers-korn-not-giving-qb-job/.

Dabo Sweeney article http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2009/08/29/sports/doc4a98aefbe66cc150082214.txt?FORM=ZZNR7.

I watched the ESPN college football preview show. Robert Smith and Kirk Herbstreit pick Georgia Tech to win the ACC. Lou Holtz and Lee Corso pick FSU.

Youtube clip of the day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyGQ_lyd83E

Duke-VT Moneyline

According to Vegasinsider.com, you would win $450 if you put $100 down on Duke to win. At the moment, the odds of GT going to Tampa is currently 9-2. Unbelievable.

Game Day

AJC's Larry Hartstein says Josh Nesbitt will start:
http://www.ajc.com/gatech/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/20/nesbitt_starts_jackets.html

It'll be a cold game night in Atlanta, and the 'Canes aren't to thrilled about it as the Miami Herald explains:
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/colleges/um/story/779473.html

The Miami Herald also has their injury report:
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/colleges/um/story/778043.html

The Sun Sentinel says that the players, but wah-wah the writers won't like it:
http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_college_hurricanes/2008/11/cold-weather-wi.html

St. Petersburg Times game preview:
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/article909861.ece

Tony Barnhart says the key to the game is the Miami QBs:
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/cfb/entries/2008/11/20/can_georgia_tec.html

Florida Today wonders if we can make it 4 in a row:
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20081119/SPORTS/811190327/1006/news01

AJC's Tim Tucker tells how UGA starts to prepare for the triple option:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2008/11/19/georgia_bulldogs_football.html

Macon.com's game preview, courtesy of Coley Harvey:
http://www.macon.com/169/story/531060.html

GT-Miami Links

A little more than 24 hours before Thursday's big matchup against the 'Canes.





Georgia Tech's depth chart:


http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/geot/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/depth-chart





Miami's depth chart:

http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/mifl/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/mifl-footbl-08-gamenotes-gt

Good article from Macon.com's Coley Harvey about if there are increased chances of injuries in Paul Johnson's offense, including quotes from the Navy QB with 75 letters in his last name:

http://www.macon.com/169/story/525927.html

I'll post all the links I can find tonight.

2-Deeps for tomorrow's game

Georgia Tech:
http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/geot/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/depth-chart

North Carolina (see page 8):
http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/unc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/weekly-release

11-06-08 Evening Links

AJC's Larry Hartstein talks about possible bowl scenarios:
http://www.ajc.com/gatech/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/06/georgia_tech_bowl_projection.html

Another article from Larry Hartstein about Jaybo Shaw and how plans to bounce back:
http://www.ajc.com/gatech/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/06/georgia_tech_jaybo_shaw.html

Third article (cut down on the Red Bull, Larry) about GT's kickoff return coverage:
http://www.ajc.com/gatech/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/06/georgia_tech_kickoff_return.html

Wes Durham gave some comments at the Macon Touchdown Club. Michael Lough writes for Macon.com:
http://www.macon.com/169/story/513949.htmlhttp://

To Hell With Georgia gives their analysis of the FSU game:
http://whiteandgold.wordpress.com/2008/11/05/thoughts-on-the-fsu-game/

ACC teleconferences from Macon.com's Coley Harvey
http://www.macon.com/techtalk/?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a83033061-8e5f-4406-b8c9-7104c5b74798Post%3a504e5f86-3699-47e8-9bfe-de815da340ff&sid=pluck.macon.com

11-06-08 Links and 11-03-08 CPJ Press Conference Notes

Notes from Paul Johnson's press conference on Monday (available on iTunes):

- 16 of 22 starters this week will be freshman or sophomores, not including the kicker.
- 13 scholarship seniors, 12 scholarship juniors.
- CPJ thought it may be a blessing. Easier to change the culture of the program.
- CPJ has been able to hold out the nucleus of true freshman lineman this year. He thinks that some of those redshirts may start next year, even though the incumbent may return.
- 4 Offensive lineman and 3 defensive lineman are committed for next year's recruiting class.
- Emery Peebles and Domonique Reese are both expected back for Saturday
- CPJ thought Michael Peterson played very well
- GT played more nickel than base against Florida State. He would expect more base defense this week.

Paul Johnson press conference.
http://georgiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=872462

Terence Moore writes about the change of culture on the Flats:
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2008/11/06/moore.html

It looks like Josh Nesbitt will play, Jahi Word-Daniels is out as Larry Hartstein writes:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/05/georgia_tech_injuries.html

Another A-Back on board for next year's class. Carver-Atlanta tailback Demond Dennis
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/shared-blogs/ajc/cfbrecruit/entries/2008/11/05/carver_rb_demon_1.html

Butch Davis post-practice comments from Wednesday from Greg Barnes at Inside Carolina
http://clemson.scout.com/a.z?s=46&p=2&c=808692

Ken Segiura talks about how banged up GT is, plus the advantages UNC has because of their off week.
http://www.ajc.com/gatech/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/05/georgia_tech_football.html

Greg Barnes at Inside Carolina gives Butch Davis teleconference
http://northcarolinastate.scout.com/a.z?s=178&p=2&c=808552

ACC Referee Crews

I thought you might like to know which ACC Referee crews have worked GT games so far this year:

Keith Auden - Boston College
Mike Webster - Virginia, Virginia Tech
Jeff Flannagan - Duke
Jack Childress - Clemson, Florida State

Generally speaking, I think we would like to see a crew that has seen how GT's offensive line has been blocking and is familiar with cut blocking.

GT is 0-2 in games refereed by Mike Webster's crew. Coincidence??

Afternoon Links 11/3/08

For all you Doc Walker fans, Saturday's UNC-Georgia Tech will be a Raycom game at noon.
http://www.ajc.com/gatech/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/03/georgia_tech_football_tv.html

Larry Hartstein of the AJC gives his two cents on the game here:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/02/georgia_tech_college_rankings.html

Macon.com's Coley Harvey tells about how proud Paul Johnson is about what this team has accomplished so far:
http://www.macon.com/169/story/512782.html

As of Monday afternoon, the casinos in Las Vegas have not set a line on the GT-UNC game.

More Links 11/02/08

A play that we will likely forget that was a huge play. Scott Blair running down Michael Garvin at the GT33 down 7-3. Garvin was gone. It saved four points.

Georgia Tech accomplished some things yesterday against Mickey Andrew's defense that haven't been seen in a while. Miami Herald's Ira Schoffel explains:

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/colleges/fsu/story/752287.html

A game report with a 'Noles perspective from the Palm Beach Journal:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2008/11/01/1101fsu.html

Here are the links to Atlanta Journal Constitution stories:

Furman Bisher column:

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/bisher/entries/2008/11/01/emotions_rise_fall_in_techs_na.html

Game notes, including Josh Nesbitt injury info:

http://http://www.ajc.com/gatech/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/01/tech_nesbitt_ankle_injury.html

Some great photos by Mash on the gas:

http://mashonthegas.blogspot.com/

Finally, another fine performance by Roddy Jones. Two huge kickoff returns. A profile from Macon.com here:

http://http://www.macon.com/169/story/510710.html

GT 31 FSU 28

Wow. Georgia Tech defeated Florida State 31-28 in what was probably the best game in Bobby Dodd Stadium since defeated UGA 51-48 in 1999 (ironically, a game decided on a fumble in the end zone).

Maybe the most important accomplishment of this win is that we will be going to a bowl. This means that this team will have an additional 15 practices in December, critical with developing a team of freshman and sophomores for 2009 and 2010.

Ken Sugiura gives props to a couple of true freshman here:
http://www.ajc.com/gatch/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/11/01/georgia_tech_florida_state.html

Huskers for Paul Johnson gives their take on the win:
http://huskersforpauljohnson.blogspot.com/2008/11/wow.html

They also give their take on what a truly amazing accomplishment this team has produced:
http://http//huskersforpauljohnson.blogspot.com/2008/11/youth-movement.html

Florida State tries to figure what wrong on defense:
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Sports/Headlines/sptFBC05110208.htm

I'll try to throw a few more posts later today.

Notes for Tomorrow's game

By Lennie Mac

Two things to think about for tomorrow:

- No one will bring more preparation for Paul Johnson's offense than defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani. A little trivia on Frank Spaziani, he was the defensive coordinator for Virginia in 1990 when Shawn Jones and GT got their greatest victory 41-38. He was the interim head coach for BC in the Meineke Car Care Bowl victory over Navy. Navy gave BC the game on a platter when Reggie Campbell fumbled the ball in the last 2 minutes with the lead and BC with no timeouts. Paul Johnson's offense moved the ball that day very well until the last quarter. Paul Johnson's comments after the game:

"They were so big it took away almost everything we wanted to run inside," Navy coach Paul Johnson said. "We had to make it a perimeter game and in the second half they did a good job."
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=263640103&confId=null

Most of those "so big" players on their front 7 are playing in this game as well. I would expect to see a lot of plays run to the perimeter.

- BC plays on the turf at the house that Flutie built, and the rain is slated to start around 4AM. I would expect a lot of slipping and sliding on the turf, as well as a game where we keep 8 in the box and let Chris Crane beat us.

After a long hiatus...

by Lennie Mac

I am back for the new season. After a summer of studying Mike Sewak and Ken Nuimatolo triple option videos and after watching an NBC.com replay of the Navy-Notre Dame several times, I am ready for the upcoming season.

As a refresher to the stats that I provide for each game, they are as follows:

- The Freidgen Formula - Comprised by Ralph Friedgen, this formula holds true in 95% of football games. Take the number of fumbles, interceptions, dropped passes, offensive penalties and sacks and divide it by the total number of plays. If it is under 12%, you will win 90 to 95% of the time. Likewise, if you are over 12%, you will lose 90 to 95% of the time.

- Success Rate - I got this one from Rock M Nation http://www.rockmnation.com/. Here are the rules for a successful play:

1st Down - 50% of necessary yardage
2nd Down - 67% of necessary yardage
3rd and 4th Down - 100% of necessary yardage

Sucess Rate can tell you how a game will flow, and over the long haul can tell you who's winning and who's losing.

- Defensive Success Rate - If it's a sucessful play on defense, then it's an unsuccessful play on offense.

- Line Yards - This measures run blocking (I will follow this one closely). Here are the rules:


- For a play that resulted in negative yards, the O-line is given 120% of the effort (i.e. a 3-yard loss would be a 3.6-yard loss for the O-line).
- For a play that resulted in a 0-4 yard gain, the O-line is granted 100%.
- For a play that resulted in a 5-10 yard gain, the O-line is granted 50% of the yards over 4 (i.e. an 8-yard gain would be a 6-yard gain for the O-line).
- For a play that resulted in a 10+ yard gain, the O-line get no extra credit—by that point, the runner is into the secondary, and the line won’t get much chance to block. Therefore, the most credit an O-line can get is 7 yards.

This works a lot better for runs than passes since, obviously, the O-line isn't allowed to run down the field and block for receivers until the ball is actually thrown, and in most cases (some screen passes being the obvious exception) the ball is thrown pretty far away from the line.

- Sack Rate - This is used to measure pass blocking. Pretty easy:

Sack Rate = (sacks)/(sacks + passes)

Other things I'll try to put together after each game:

- # of plays by each skill player
- # of defensive players rushing the QB
- # of defensive backs

I'll start doing this for the BC game. Two reasons:

1. The Jacksonville State game is not televised.
2. I only consider games against fellow BCS schools.

Junction Boys, Mat Drills, etc.

by Lennie Mac

The Orlando Sentinel has done some outstanding work on the death of Ereck Plancher of Central Florida. The latest one comes from a couple of days ago:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/apopka/orl-matdrills1808may18,0,3450726.story

Although I graduated before the George O'Leary era, enough people have told me about George O’Leary and the way practices were run at GT, and that O’Leary and his staff are firmly planted in the “fear” style of coaching. What the “fear” style of coaching basically boils down to is to implant the fear of what price a player will have to pay if the player does not perform at the level that the coaches expect of him. Any who read Junction Boys (hands down the best book about college football ever written - although hands down the worst performance by an actor by Tom Berenger as Bear Bryant) knows what I mean. Along with this “fear” approach, one almost always finds coaches that believe that personally demeaning and singling out players in front of their peers is a big part of building a championship football players, and thus a strong football team.

I believe that toughness is as critical as talent to success at the BCS level of college football. Part of the problem over the last season of the Chan Gailey era is the lack of toughness in the face of adversity, specifically mental toughness (a few players excluded). All players back from last year have said how much more have been asked of them physically and mentally.

I think Paul Johnson fits the mold of O'Leary, Ross, etc. and will build championship football players very soon. However, I have three questions that I am curious about:

1. Did George O'Leary use mat drills at GT?
2. Does Paul Johnson use mat drills at GT?
3. Are there equivalent drills that can build physical and mental toughness?

Georgia Tech's Offensive Line Takes Cheap Shots at Knees

by Lennie Mac

You will hear this the very first time a defensive lineman goes down or if we start 2-0, whichever comes first. Check out these quotes:

"It's such a hard job on the inside, people are just nipping at you, and they're always at your feet. It's a nasty game and that's the way Navy likes it. They really try to get you distracted. They cut-block tremendously, probably the best that I've ever seen. You really have to work hard at this stuff."

- Greg Schiano, Rutgers

“It’s probably the most important thing about the game,” Thompson said. “You can’t make any tackles from the ground. They’re really good at cutting players.

“We’ve been working pretty much half of camp and about two weeks now on cut-blocking. Florida State cut a lot, but it’s still no comparison to what Navy does.”

- Jim Grobe, Wake Forest

It will not be long before someone brings up that GT chop blocks. Cut blocking is legal in the NCAA and is designed to knock the defender off his feet.

It also has a psychological effect on defensive lineman and linebackers as well. They start thinking about it all week. If you know that someone is coming at your knees you get timid, thinking about protecting yourself.

Chop blocking is illegal. Under NCAA rules, a chop block is an obviously delayed block anywhere on the field at or below the thigh of an opponent (other than the runner) who is (a) in contact with; (b) in the act of disengaging from; or (c) has just disengaged from but is still confronting a blocker’s teammate. A chop block is delayed if it occurs more than one second after a teammate contacts the opponent. Also, a high/low combination block by two nonadjacent linemen with or without a delay between contacts is a chop block. When in question, an illegal delayed block is at or below the thigh of an opponent and, as such, is a chop block (2-3-3, 9-1-2p).

The one question that I would like asked is how GT is practicing this technique in Spring Practice without getting anyone hurt.