GT vs MTSU Highlights

GT - Starting Line Up Vid

I was sitting in the stands about 15 min before kick last Thursday... but I must have missed this. Per the YouTube description, "The song is done by Jullian Burnett's brother, and he calls it the Georgia Tech Anthem."
Opinions on the song?

Georgia Tech vs Western Carolina - Part II

I thought I'd chime in on the WCU game along with some things I took away from around the college football world from over the weekend.

Tech vs. WCU

• Overall I was very happy with our performance on O and D. Special Teams is a different story. I now we have at least one kicker on scholarship and still can't kick it into the end-zone on kickoffs. I watched the Auburn kicker actually put it through the up rights on kickoff. Also, the coverage was awful. We got to shore this up or it will come back to haunt us, specially in the VaTech and UGA games, both of which have great return men.

• CPJ might have finally succumbed to the idea that a passing game is required, or at least the threat of one. It was obvious that without the feeling from opposing D's that BayBay could take it to the house at anytime, they would just stack the box and force us to throw. The VaTech game last year showed that when forced to come from behind in a 2 min drill fashion... we were ill-equipped. I doubt we'll drop the bread and butter rushing to take on more passing, but I think CPJ saw the opportunity to get more live game experience passing the ball Thursday night and he took it.

• I think the A-backs might finally be what I always hoped they could be. The pitch and short passing threat. Loaded here. B-back I think will be productive, I just don't have a real feel for them yet... although the fact that Sims went from 4th string to starter says something.

• D was aggressive and we have some young players who I'm really excited about. Julian Burnett, Isiah Johnson, oh my.

• Best line of the night? "False Start, entire offensive line" WCU of course. Sounded like something out of a movie.

• Most points ever scored by a Tech team in an opener.

• Much larger test this weekend. MTSU is not a team to overlook. They barely lost to Purdue, 24-27. With a 7pm kick it should be a fun game. It's about a 4 hour drive from Atlanta if you can make it.

• Gold on White. Could you read the numbers? For the record I really like the all white and gold look, up close or on TV. But for the most part it seems few could read the players numbers from the stands. Rumor is the home jerseys this year are Gold on White and the away jerseys were Blue on White. I expect to see us wear the away jerseys from here on. If you want to only use 2 colors you have to take a cue from the Texas playbook and go dark gold.


Rest of College Football

• Maryland is the real deal. For some reason I've had a feeling all off season that Maryland would be a team to watch. The game here in Atlanta will be a battle, and I will not be surprised to see them leave with a W. If I had to guess, I'm saying they end up in the Chick-Fil-A bowl.

• USF beat ND, BYU beat OleMiss. Always happy to see any SEC team or ND lose. Also have to tip my hat to the Baylor Bears!

• Auburn is in for a long year. Utah State had that game. Also proud of the way ECU played.

• LSU was the most impressive I saw... maybe Les isn't an idiot after all. If he is an idiot... he's still the luckiest SOB I've ever seen. I usually find myself saying that at the end of every LSU game.

• The ACC looked pretty good. We'll ignore Duke and BC. NC, Maryland, Miami, FSU and VaTech are not teams to overlook. If this league can finally start to win out of conference and bowl games we might be able to turn this ship around in terms of public perception.

• The Dogs and The Broncos. I said on Twitter that UGA looked like a bunch of Ketchup Popsicles. I stand by that. Although, the helmets were not bad. Overall I was surprised by the game as I really thought UGA would win. We'll know more Sat... if you care.

• Conference realignment? Texas to the ACC? Most of it is rumor, but it could get crazy very fast, smoke = fire. More thoughts later.

Georgia Tech vs Western Carolina

The first game of the year is now in the books and the book just got a bit thicker if you add the stats from the game. It was about at successful an offensive game as Tech has had and we can chalk that up to a good passing game. I actually think that this was the first game where the passing actually was better than the running game, and that's saying something.

If I remember my stats, Tech passed the ball for 363 yards and rant the ball for roughly 250. They were actually efficient in passing the ball with Washington doing a better job than expected. The one glaring issue with the passing game was his accuracy. Washington isn't the "throw it up in the air and see who catches it" type of passer **coughReggieBallcough** but he does need to work on leader the receiver. Some of his throws made the receiver wait a bit too long for the ball to get there which can kill things against a better defense.

One positive was that Washington gets the ball out faster than Nesbitt. I didn't stopwatch it or anything but it appears his throwing motion is quicker with helped generate a lot of yards on those quick outs.

Number 13, I don't know if you read this blog, but I was really impressed with your play. Keep it up!

Onto the Defense! The defense played with a TON of speed and aggression for the first quarter and in the second half. From what I can tell, the offense was scoring so fast, the defense got tired fast which can happen. The expelled a lot of energy running to the ball and knocking people down. It was a thing of beauty. I want to say that Julian Burnett (#40) played fantastic! He has 12 tackles, 8 solo with one being a great leaping tackle from behind. Just tremendous.

I decided not to be hard on the team because they are young and will get better. If they can continue the energy, that will go a long way to having a successful season.

Oh and Georgia lost. Good weekend.

Georgia Tech in the News (for a Good Reason!)

I thought about covering the NCAA sanctions against Georgia Tech but although there appears to be an appeal going through, the football community itself seems to have moved on. I guess we are all taking a page from the CPJ Book of "Acknowledge and Move On". I will admit that I am very ignorant about the violations but it appears that the NCAA is doing all it can to show how tough of an institution it is. Personally, I think the Ohio State case made them look foolish and now they want to flash their badge and rain down heckfire on any program, regardless of the level or severity of the violation.

Oh well. Acknowledge and Move On.

So instead of focusing on that topic, I want to move forward and write about the upcoming season. And really, isn't that all that matters to fans? D received the season tickets in the mail not too long ago and it just made everything seem better. I haven't gotten to see them yet as he is hoarding them. I will just imagine the shiny surface and cool design as it takes me to my happy place.

I seem to have gotten off track. My apologizes.

Tech has been in the news a bit as we move closer to the first game of the season. I have read some nice comments about the physicality of the practices and how the team is coming along nicely. I wanted to share these with you because I am a giver.

Al Groh shares his thoughts on the State of the Defense Report. READ IT!
CBS Sports Rapid Reports page is a nice, quick way to learn more about the team, READ IT!
The Macon Telegraph gives a mixed review from the last scrimmage, READ IT!
And lastly, my favorite article about the work on a true passing game, READ IT!

I think there is many a Tech fan that is looking forward to see what kind of team we will have this season. Is it a young team with a lot of speed and potential but will that talent be successful? If I could break out the crystal ball and tell what I hope will happen, it would be to see a team that plays with intensity and focus.

Georgia Tech and the APR

Ok, I wasn't sure what to make of this article from CBS Sports but it appears that someone took the time to crunch numbers to identify the top and bottom academic progress schools for college football. Normally, this kind of stuff does little for me. If you read my last post (and you better have!), I was more jacked up about incoming freshmen being the size of Herman Munster than the idea of them being even halfway intelligent.

So after reading the article (READ IT!), I realized that I should appreciate Georgia Tech on more than just one front. Oh sure, football games are a blast, but there are far more important things!

For example, in the CBS Sports articles, Georgia Tech ranks as 4th in Academic Progress Rankings. Now these rankings are from 2003 - 2010 so we can thank both Paul Johnson AND Chan Gailey for getting their players to be good scholars as well as good athletes.

I also want to throw out a congrats to Clemson's Dabo Swinney. He is the top coach in the APR rankings. We all know that Clemson and Tech are not the closest of friends but I think we should extend a high five over the aisle and congratulate Clemson on being a quality academic program.

The ACC also wins for the conference with the best APR ranking. I would imagine having the number 1 and 4 coaches would help with that but it is impressive nonetheless.

Oh sure, there are a lot of people who think the APR is meaningless, kind of like preseason rankings, but who cares. If schools are doing their job and producing good scholars who happen to be good football players, then they are to be celebrated. Chances are if you don't like the APR, your team didn't get a good score.

God I Love College Football

If this doesn't get you stoked for the season, nothing will.

I especially like the 1:30 second mark and major props on the music choice!

2012 Recruiting News

Well, it has been a while since a post was made to this site and I think the lack of news has something to do with this. I don't think either Daron or I have any interest in covering the NCAA, Ohio State, USC, Tennessee or Auburn. Besides, all that news seems to show the negative aspects of college football and we want to simply bask in the glow of Saturdays.

So let's focus on some recruiting news. Georgia Tech has been on fire recently, picking up several commitments for the 2012 season. I visited the Rivals site to check out the players who have committed to the Flats.

1. Pat Gamble (DT)
2. Francis Kallon (DE)
3. Chase Roberts (OL)
4. Tyler Stargel (LB)
5. Junion Gnonkonde (DE)

You can check out the page on the Rivals site if you like (READ IT!). What I am impressed with is the attention to the Offensive and Defensive lines. In recent years, Tech has not seemed to address these lines with as much depth as fans would like. Chances are, the coaching staff know a lot more about the quality of players they have and the depth behind them, but it is good to see them attack these areas with the new class.

Another thing I like is the sizes of the players coming into the fold. The average height of these players is 6'5" with a starting weight of 250lbs. We are new drafting some good strong players and these are FRESHMEN!! I hope that these players enjoy their time at the Flats and that we enjoy watching them play.

More later!

Anyone Else Seeing a Pattern?

A couple of years ago, a relatively little known football coach was brought in to take over for Chan Gailey. Oh, sure he was a winner at a small football school in Georgia but on the national scene, he was a blip. A coach that uses and "trick" or "old" offense and that coached at a military institution. He wasn't sexy or young/hot up and coming coach. What he was was a consistent winner that maximized the potential of his players. Tech fans were a mixture of outrage and confusion. "Who is this guy?" or "Why didn't we hire X coach (generally some huge name that Tech couldn't afford)" or "Well, D Rad has let us down" were common posts on message boards.

I will admit that I fell into the first category. I had no idea who CPJ was. I didn't even know he coached at Georgia Southern. Sorry, Georgia Southern fans, I had no idea who he was. All I did know after a Google search or two was that he was a solid winner.

So now the Tech basketball program has a new coach that fits the same mold. What do we see on AJC posts and other website message boards? The exact same comments and criticisms. I am not surprised but then again I fell into the first category again. I have no idea who Brian Gregory is or what he has done. Had it not been for an article on the AJC, I would still not know who he was. From their website, all I know is this:

He was a winning basketball coach at Dayton

He learned under Tom Izzo

The AJC seems to enjoy showing pictures of this guy with his mouth open.

Seriously, check out the article. READ IT! I am going to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. He has the credibility and pedigree to be a strong and solid basketball coach. What Tech fans WANT is often way over what can be produced. What Tech fans SHOULD WANT is a strong program that posts winning seasons, challenges for an ACC crown and represents itself well in March Madness. I think this guy could get us closer to those goals. In the era of short time college players, solid built programs will always be competitive. So a guy who has a winning background and is a solid coach has been hired. I see a pattern and that is a good pattern to follow.

Letting go of the hate

It's been ages since I've posted and when I finally have something to say in a moment I come out and post something that in the end will likely be controversial among Tech fans. Some Tech fans will agree with me, some might not agree but they will at least understand where I'm coming from and then some will hate me and call me a turncoat. But after awhile you have to look around and decide if something is benefiting you, or worse is it dragging you down? Maybe it's time to let it go, in this case, my hate.

I've had a good amount of "Clean Old Fashioned Hate" for UGA for awhile. It's part of being a Tech fan. It's in the fight song and part of our chant. I had been witness and recipient to the verbal bashing that comes from wearing Tech apparel in the wrong company, or just simply having a Tech hat on while buying milk at the store. We all know UGA fans are the best at always having something to say. I'd wrinkle my nose as if something smells bad everytime a car would drive by with a big G on their tag. I'd pull as hard for a UGA loss on Sat as I would for GT win. And here is our problem.

Background.
I had no reason to hate UGA aside from being a Tech fan. I have no historical or current link to either school. I attended neither, graduated from neither. I do have friends and family that have attended and/or graduated from both. And if it matters, I do not necessarily work in technology, meaning I'm not an engineer or computer guru. My largest investment in Tech is as a season ticket holder. That's it. So, for those of you who are alums and put in the blood sweat and tears to graduate you will likely have a different opinion based on your experience. But I thought some background might help for some perspective.

Several years ago, days after Tech took the 51 point beat down to UGA I was walking into Publix and had a chance encounter with a man that I didn't understand the significance of until years later. As I was strolling in, I ran into a semi-elderly gentlemen wearing a Tech hat. Upon seeing my Tech sweatshirt he threw me a quick "Go Jackets!" and I responded in kind. After walking into the store we parted ways to do our shopping. A bit later we ran into each other once again at checkout. We chatted a bit more. The cashier was a young kid and a UGA fan so a little good natured jabbing was expected. Both the man and I gave the kid a hard time for being a UGA fan, he gave us a hard time for losing again, this time with 51 points on the scoreboard.

As we walked out we struck up a conversation that continued out into the parking lot. This man was an alum, still wearing his class ring. Retired engineer and long time season ticket holder. He was battle worn, years and years of the emotional ride that is college football had taken it's toll. He had witnessed many Tech/UGA games over his life including ones with Bobby Dodd on the sidelines. He had seen The Institute, the fanbase, and the teams change as the years went by. He had friends and family grow up and attend both schools, pull for both schools and watch games in both stadiums. He was wise, I was young. All of 20 something and full of piss and vinegar. As we talked I was bent out of shape over the loss, expressing my rage against all things UGA and my disappointment over another year of being reminded. Before we parted ways I was struck by something he said. "I learned long ago that eventually you just have to let go of the hate." No never, how could he. You must hate UGA. Little did I know, he was right.

I've found this to be the case with the Tech Nation in some ways. Older Tech fans seem to have let it go, they have either developed an indifference or even a small level of fandom as they have followed UGA over the years. Sons, daughters and friends have grown up to attend UGA, so they lose the hate and learn to accept the differences between the schools as an unchanging reality. Younger Tech fans drive forward, refueling the rivalry year in and out with renewed hate. All of which is healthy of a saga that has been continuous for close to 120 years. I find myself now somewhere in the middle. I've grown weary of the angry little brother syndrome that seems to infect many Tech fans. It's odd to me that so many posts on a Tech message board relate to UGA and UGA only, that some Tech fans say we can lose 11 games a year as long as the 12th game is a win over UGA, that we chant "To Hell with Georgia" in the stands while playing North Carolina.


Things are what they are. As a Tech fan I will continue to purchase season tickets and cheer loud and proud for the Jackets. As for UGA, I simply don't care anymore. I'm indifferent and have decided to not waste anymore energy on hate for them. It's as simple as that. As far as the Tech Nation goes, I'd like to see many of us move past this little brother syndrome. It's really time to move on and stop constantly linking our fate to UGA.

Paul Hewitt's Tenure at Tech is Done

I am sure that there are plenty of other websites and forums where many a Tech fan is busily typing away talking about how great news this is or about how Tech can now return to being a Top 10 program. I respect all Tech fans' opinions and I do believe that it was time for Hewitt to go. While he had done a lot of good for Tech basketball, there never seemed to be any real fire about the program. Even when we had good recruiting classes or high quality players, Tech rarely was in the sports news. It has become an afterthought.

I think that is what Tech fans were truly upset about. You never heard bad things said about Hewitt with regards to recruiting, shouting matches with boosters or his players doing tons of stupid things. All you got was the sense that there was a huge chunk missing from the program. Say what you want about Hewitt, he did things the right way. He recruited well, his players liked him, there were no reports of wrong-doings or NCAA violations. Barely a ripple.

I got my one close encounter with Hewitt outside of the basketball court on a flight to Memphis from Atlanta. I was sitting in coach and there was Mr. Hewitt, sitting by himself, just a few rows in front of me. He had a window seat and sat there reading a book. Here was a head coach from a major university, getting paid great money and he sat in coach. For some reason, that resonated with me. Would Jon Calipari or Bruce Pearl sit in coach? Doubt it.

So Paul Hewitt is now gone and Tech faces a decision to make. Should we go and try to land a big name or go after a great but unknown coach. I will say this for UGA, they found a gem in Fox. He is building something strong there. My opinion is that Tech follows the same path, hire a young coach with tons of energy and provide them with a solid coaching staff and build. Georgia has a ton of quality high school players so there is no doubt that a turnaround can be done.

I want to thank Paul Hewitt for his efforts and hard work. Even though it got bad at the end, he showed class till the end. I wish him and his family the best.

Tech Releases Its 2011 Schedule

Just to make sure that I don't step on anyone's toes, I got this from the Atlanta Journal Constitution and if you want to check out their column, go here. READ IT!

Sept. 1: WESTERN CAROLINA
Sept. 10: Middle Tennessee State
Sept. 17: KANSAS
Sept. 24: NORTH CAROLINA
Oct. 1: NC State
Oct. 8: MARYLAND
Oct. 15: Virginia
Oct. 22: Miami
Oct. 29: CLEMSON
Nov. 5: OPEN
Nov. 10: VIRGINIA TECH (Thursday), ESPN, 8 pm
Nov. 19: Duke
Nov. 26: GEORGIA

Daron pointed out to me (well, cuz he is the smart one here) that the increase in pricing for season tickets might have gone up due to the additional home game. Tech had only 6 home games last season (none of them world beaters) so the better home schedule could account for the increase.

There are some really good games this season and I am looking forward to Clemson, VT and (of course) Georgia. Do I have any idea or predictions of how good the Tech season will be? None. I am going to hold off doing my predictions things until I hear how the new recruits and current players are doing in practice and the spring scrimmages.

So, what do you guys think of the schedule?

Basketball Fever - Catch It! or Don't! It's Up to You.

Over the weekend, the MOTG Crew (well, there are only two of us but the word "crew" sounds cooler) went to the Georgia Tech vs. Clemson basketball game. This was especially important to me in that I had never been to a GT basketball game. I wanted to see the court, the players, the building and get a feel for the program. I can't say that I was impressed. Did I have fun? Sure! Did I enjoy the product on the court? Not particularly, but I do have some observations:

1. We paid $40 each for good tickets, not GREAT tickets but GOOD tickets. With all the discussion about renovations and the future of the program, the one thing that really struck me was the cost of seats. No wonder the place was nowhere near capacity. It is hard to justify paying that amount when the product on the court is not good.

2. Where are the students??? Here it was on a lovely Saturday afternoon and there where barely enough students to fill the stands behind the hoops. I compare it to the Cameron Crazies where there is a monster section just pumped with energy regardless of opponent. The Tech students that were there seemed more interested in hanging out than anything else.

3. Could they switch the mascot game for the real game? This halftime spectacle was far more enjoyable and, hard to believe, better quality basketball. Ok, I am kidding a bit. The audience was really into watching the mascots go at it. What started out a just something fun got competitive and even slightly hostile. Buzz's tackle of the Aaron Rent to Own Dog was classic! The crowd cheered each time Buzz made a basket as well.

4. Now to the Team: They should be called "Iman and the Imanettes". There was no flow to the offense and they made so few shots. Their big lead in the first half was simply due to Clemson constantly turning the ball over. Once Clemson got cleaned up and played better, Tech couldn't do squat. Our Center never goes near the basket and the rest of the team just waits around and looks to Iman to do something. I can see why this team is 10-13 and falling fast.

More soon!

Tech's Class Complete - Vad the Impaler

As of now Tech's pulling in 22. Lost a few in the last few days but still pulled in a good class.

Vad the Impaler
Yep, that's what I'm calling him. Feasts on the blood of opposing defenses. Impales line backers by the stake. Defense coordinators beware. Chicks dig vampires. Gonna go get my t-shirt made now. This kid was born to run the TO.

Concerns
Did we sign one single DL? Let's hope we can fill this void, it all doesn't end today.

Here's your rundown.
Zach Laskey, RB 6-2, 210
Darren Waller, S 6-5, 204
Kyle Travis, LB 6-3, 225
Jabari Hunt-Days, LB 6-3, 226
Vad Lee, QB 6-2, 200
Sean Tobin, SN/LB 6-3, 220
Errin Joe, OL 6-4, 285
Demontevious Smith, Athlete 6-2, 187
Nick Menocal, OLB 6-3, 235
Anthony Harrell, LB 6-2, 220
Chris Milton, Athlete 6-0, 175
Trey Braun, OL 6-5, 275
Chaz Cheeks, LB 6-3, 220
Broderick Snoddy, RB 5-9, 190
Jeff Greene, WR 6-6, 200
Tremayne McNair, LB 6-2, 225
Bryan Chamberlain, OL 6-4, 280
Jamal Golden, Athlete 6-0, 180
Tyler Marcordes, LB 6-4, 231
Shaquille Mason, OL 6-2, 305
Corey Dennis, Athlete 6-2, 205
Domonique Noble, DB 6-2, 187

LINK - AJC
LINK - MACON.com
LINK - RAMBLINWRECK.com with highlight Video of each player!

Don't forget to follow the MOTG Twitter feed.

MOTG - Twitter

What we can't post here, ends up there!

Hello. My Name is Johnathan and I am a Slacker

I can't believe it has been over two months since I last posted an entry on MOTG. If Daron was my boss, he would have fired me and I would have deserved it! I don't think that there is anything more frustrating that going to your favorite blog and not seeing updates. I apologize profusely for my lack of initiative and diligence and I intend to start making up for it.

Look for a blitzkrieg of blog entries from me within the week as I have a lot to say about the year that was and the year to come.

MOTG - now on Twitter

OK, I'll admit I've been a lousy blogger this year. Honestly without Johnathan picking up the blogging slack we may as well have dropped off the interweb. I will say that between working full time, being in school nearly full time and trying to renovate a house. Finding the time to post well researched and at least half decently written posts just hasn't been in the cards for me. Not that I'm making excuses. I do remember Jeff from the old Ramblin' Racket before hanging up his keyboard said that, "Blogging is basically a non-paying part-time job." Or something like that. Let me say, to do this right, never have truer words been spoken.

So... In an effort to try and push out info MOTG will now be bringing you nuggets of useless info 140 characters at the time. This coming from a guy who fought social media/networking for a long time. Didn't ever want a MySpace page, then I caved. Said I'd never get a Facebook page, then I gave in. Swore I never could see why people would bother with Twitter, and here we are.

I will say that I have become fond of Twitter personally. I use it a lot of school and work. It's a great way to get information. And unlike Facebook it's largely noise free. Meaning no Farmville.

So, follow us, join in the discussion and let's see where this experiment takes us. It might crash and burn, or it might breathe new life into MOTG, we shall see.

MOTG - Twitter

You can also find mine and Steve's personal Twitters on the right side bar.

Ten reasons the come to the game tomorrow.

Can't find anything to do on a Sat? Here are ten reasons you should come spend some time at BDS @ HGF tomorrow.

10. Nice Weather - It's November
9. The Silver Wings Jump Team parachuting in to Bobby Dodd Stadium
8. Heck, it's not a noon game.
7. Duke wideout Conner Vernon leads the ACC with 61 catches
6.
5. Jerrard Tarrant could have a big game. Duke throws the rock a lot and QB Sean Renfree has been picked off 15 times.
4. Lots of scoring. Endzone type of scoring.
3. Warm nuts out of the warm nut machine under the West Stands
2. A chance to say Thank You to the seniors
1. Make that place crazy loud when they introduce #9

Don't forget to follow the MOTG Twitter feed.

MOTG - Twitter

What we can't post here, ends up there!

Too Funny

Davis GameDay Experience - Thank You

I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you all who helped make this years GameDay Experience possible. We hope everyone had a good time regardless of the outcome of the game. And for those blog readers who stopped by to say hello, it was nice to meet you.

In 6 years of doing the GameDay Experience it is the first time we didn't cheer the team to victory.
We only do the big tailgate once a year, all the other tailgates are a small group with a cooler and a sub sandwich, but you are always welcome and feel free to stop by anytime.

GT vs University of Miami

I thought about making this entry into a referendum on poor officiating but as the game continued, it dawned on me that the referees did their job, the Tech team did not. The team just did not show up, not in the "we were tired" but more like the "we got off on the wrong bus stop" kind of of not show up. At no point in this game did Tech even come close to creating any bit of momentum or forward movement to speak of.

Score a touchdown? Now turn around and let the other team score on the first play from scrimmage. Run a couple of good plays for positive yardage? Follow that up with a nice fumble. Stop them on 1st and 2nd down? Ok, now let them get about 20 yards on 3rd.

It just kept adding up until it was over.

Less Videos, Better Play

I do want to say that I liked the videos, specially the one about the Georgia Tech weight room. It was inspirational but with a great punchline. It was really well done. Maybe Daron can find it online, I can't seem to.

What I did find disjointed was the number of videos. It seemed that nearly every football player had a video going at one point or the other. Whether it was the desperate call for us to chant "Defense!" or just ones to play while waiting through a timeout, there seemed no end to them. They kept asking us to yell and scream and support our team. Listen Tech players, I will always support my team. I will always cheer for them whether they be 1-11 or 11-1. I will wear my Tech gear with pride. I will get others to join the cause.

However, if you want me to roar during the games, then you better give me something to roar about! Give me a defense that knocks people down and challenges them to get up and try again. Give me an offense that runs the other team over. Show me the heart and and the determination that I know you guys have. So what did I see against Miami? No fire, falling down from ankle swipes, slumped shoulders, defense being pushed around. More of that and you will have to turn up the volume on the video board to resemble crowd noise.

Defense is Painful to Watch

I think the defense has made gains this year. Young players in a new system takes time and there will be issues. No one expects there to be miracles performed. We saw, on this particular day, the inconsistency that is beginning to define this team. Many of us hoped that the effort at Virginia Tech would give this defense more confidence to go out and put on a show. That did not happen. What made this even more apparent is that during the special ceremony celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the National Championship. They played a great video showing their accomplishments. In that video, we saw a dominant defense playing with aggression and intensity. Compare that with the Miami effort and it was evident that there is a significant drop off.

I don't want to come across as negative but I see a defense that is always playing backwards. The defensive line is being pushed back, the linebackers play side to side never forward and the secondary leads the team in tackles. I honestly believe that this team has the talent and ability to be a tremendous defense but I don't think we will see it this year.

The two good things that did come out of that day were UGA losing and Low Country Boil. I will let Daron talk about that one.

Davis GameDay Experience - TOMORROW

It's that time of the season again. The 6th Annual Davis GameDay Experience is tomorrow.

We'll be set up in our normal spot near the Campanile for a pre-game breakfast tailgate, then back for the big low country boil after the game.

Feel free to stop by, say hello and have a plate of crawfish with a cold adult beverage.

Follow MOTG on Twitter for live updates.

Joshua Nesbitt - Thank You

Joshua Nesbitt's career at Georgia Tech has come to an end.

I have to say, I knew one day I would have to write those words, but I had hoped it would come after an Orange Bowl victory in his senior year. Sadly it ends too early and not the way any of us would have wanted. On what will amount to one of those freakishly unlucky plays, in an attempt to tackle a VaTech defensive back, Nesbitt breaks his forearm. Done for the season. Not too long after breaking a run for a TD that gives him the record for the most rushing yards by a QB in ACC history.

It's been a joy watching Nesbitt play over these last four years. The guy was clutch and he leaves us with some amazing memories.

Joshua, you will be missed. Thank you for all you've done and for being a great representative for The Institute.

Post your favorite Nesbitt moment in the comment section.











Thoughts on last nights game.

I have to say that I went in to this game expecting a full on blowout. I had a feeling we'd lose by 3 TDs. Call me a pessimist, but I just hadn't seen anything from this team so far this year that would have lead me to believe otherwise. Last night they proved me wrong. Rarely have I felt so good after a loss, and a loss that ended the career of one of Tech's all time greats. But, for the first time this year I can see the future, and it is good.

Hats Off
Last night you saw the Al Groh effect. The defense played very well and Groh's calls kept VaTech guessing all night. More than once I saw VaTech's offensive coordinator shaking his head and throwing up his hands in pure frustration. And I believe Groh had a lot to do with it. With more time to recruit the players needed for his system I have faith in what we'll see from the defense in coming seasons.

Tevin Washington, you gave it your all. Under very tough circumstances you where thrown into the fire. Played with moxie and made some good throws. Nesbitt leaves big shoes to fill and I have no idea if Washington will ultimately be that guy, but I was impressed by what I saw.

Cons
Special Teams - enough said.

Officiating. Now I'm not one to overly cry about officials. But the pass interference call that obvious incidental contact and set up the TD for VaTech to tie up the game was one of the worst calls I've seen in awhile. And I'm not sure how VaTech's O-line can hold that much over the course of the entire game and it never gets called.

Rest of the season
It's not over. Sure, we are out of the ACC race. But there is a still a bowl out there to play for and the UGA game. I'm hoping that maybe this team can regroup and come out in the last three games and play the way they did the first half of last night. IF Nesbitt doesn't go down at the end of the second quarter last night, we win that game.

Come on guys, you can do this. The pressure of the ACC race is off. Now just go out there and have fun. Lay the wood on Miami, Duke and UGA. And lets hope we can see Joshua one last time in a bowl game.

Rarely have I felt so good after a loss. The future is still bright.

Being the Little Brother

There are a lot of us who are little brothers, growing up in our big brother's shadow. If you are lucky, your older sibling was several years older so there wasn't as much of a link to you. However, if you are like me, your older brother is a couple of years older, so there is not much escaping to be done. Our actions are often judged by others in the perspective of, "what would their older brother have done?" or "his older brother wouldn't have done that". If you are really lucky (sarcasm), your will never escape being reminded that you are the little brother. The big brother goes on to great things and no matter how successful you are, your achievements will never surpass big brother.

So what I am writing about this? It's simple: Georgia Tech needs to stop thinking and acting like they are the younger brother. We seem to spend more time comparing ourselves against UGA as validation of what we are doing or proof that what we are doing is going wrong. Even our fight song has "To Hell With Georgia!". I don't remember UGA's fight song having one mention of Tech. Even in football, if the team is 11-1 with its only loss to Georgia, we still scream about how the season wasn't great. Seriously? Are we that misguided?

I love a good rivalry just as much as the next guy but this mentality of always comparing what the team has done versus UGA is just silly. So I am proposing changing the mentality of Tech and remove all references to UGA. Changing the words we speak will lead to changing the way we think, go ahead, ask Tony Robbins, he will tell you the same thing.

Here are a couple of suggestions for changing some of our most beloved mottos:
What's the Good Word? - "Ramblin' Wreck!" or "Mash On The Gas!" (my favorite) or "To Hell With (insert opponents name here)!"

To Hell With Georgia! (fight song) - "Buzz is the Greatest!" Ok, so that one is lame, I am no lyricist.

Are you starting to see my point? Tech will never been seen in the same light as UGA if the students and fans continue to compare themselves against them. Are the schools in the same state? Of course. Is there a long history of animosity? Sure thing. Do they play each other every year? Yep! Are they in the same conference? Nope.

Look at other big time schools in the same state. Michigan and Michigan State. State is often thought of the little brother but they are doing what they need to do to move into their own identity as a powerhouse school both academically and athletically. What not Tech?

If you agree with me (and you don't have to), what are your suggestions on how Tech can move past the "Little Brother" syndrome?

Good song, Good game.

Highlights. Song is on the tailgate iPod.

Bad Hands and Bad Calls

I like to preface any column I write with an umbrella statement regarding my sincere respect for all the coaches and players of the Georgia Tech football team. These individuals work hard and the players attempt to balance the demands of the team with the workload of being students at a tough academic school. The coaches work consistently to not only put together a winning program for this year but the years to come and try to bring in players who will represent the Georgia Institute of Technology in honorable ways. Any negative statements I make come from fan's perspective and do not reflect my respect for the team and the university.

That having been said, I want to go over some details that I observed in the game versus Middle Tennessee State University:

Tech has no real passing game and it appeared that the game versus MTSU was an attempt to work on the passing game in a real world situation. Nesbitt passed the ball more in this game that any others as of late, especially in the first quarter. I was pleased to see an increase in this aspect of the offense but it showed one glaring issue that plagues this team: they cannot catch the ball. Obviously, this is a blanket statement, as several really good catches were made, but on the whole the passing game is on a high school level. Three surefire touchdowns were left on the field as the receiver either lost focus or didn't even TRY to catch the ball.

I do expect the young receivers to get better but now you can feel the fans hold their breath every time a pass is attempted, waiting to see if it is either dropped or fumbled.

The other part of the game that really made the entire stadium scratch their heads was the officiating. It is in fashion to blame the officials for terrible calls or having a team lose a game. I am not saying either of those things here. What I do want to point out what that the officials seemed take forever to make a call and then there was a sense of confusion as to what the call was going to be once the flag was thrown. I counted four times where a play was already dead and THEN a flag was thrown. The officials made some truly questionable calls and appeared to be really confused about what was happening.

It even appeared on one occasion that none of them was willing to go over and talk to CPJ to explain why the call was made. If you are afraid to go over and talk to the coach, then there is a problem.

On a lighter note, I was asked a simple question from another fan. She asked, "Why do they say, "Before the snap, false start"? Isn't that a given that it happened before the snap? Can you have a false start AFTER the snap?" It's funny cause it's true.

And now, after great demand, yet another AJC UGA Ridiculous Vent of the Week!
"UGA VIII is just a dog. It doesn't care if a team wins or loses. It just wants to eat, sleep, go potty and make other dogs." Spoken like a true dog lover!

Music City Bowl???

I decided to wait and read reports and columns around the Internet before I made my observations regarding Tech and last weekend's game. The one article that caught my eye was located on CBS Sports and is a projected Bowl match-ups. It is hard to believe that we are only 6 games into the season and the experts are already looking at how the season will end. If you are interested in knowing what Bowl Tech might be playing and who they might be facing, click here. READ IT!

I have never been a big believer in forecasting (as my financial portfolio will demonstrate) and especially so in sports. Tech is now 4-2 with a 3-1 record in the conference. If you just look at the record, it is hard to think that Tech is not getting any respect around the league. Isn't Florida 4-2 as well? I think the reason that the sports community isn't ready to buy Tech's stock is how they are playing overall. They are 3rd in the Nation in Rushing but 117th in Passing (seriously?) and the defense has been just as questionable as they are 65th in Rushing Defense and 47th in Passing Defense.

Essentially, we are running well and barely passing and not doing fantastic job at stopping the offense. Over the last two games, the defense has been coming along and I hope that they continue that streak this weekend but time will tell.

Tech vs. Virginia

I had the pleasure of being at this game and was impressed at the improvements that the team is exhibiting. The defense, other than missing some tackles and assignments, played well and hard throughout the game. There was a sense of urgency and aggression that the coaches have been demanding. The linebackers played better than expected as well. Overall, I am pleased.

The offense is also coming along nicely except for fumbles. For a rushing team, ball security continues to be a real issue. They were lucky on a couple of them but I always hold my breath on the pitches to either side. I do want to congratulate Anthony Allen for his monster game last week. His 25 carries for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns was an amazing feat and his is getting recognized across the country for his efforts. I want to tell him (if he reads this blog) that I appreciated his actions once he crossed the goal line more than anything else. This year has not gone as well for Allen as he or the team had hoped but in his breakout game, he did not go nuts with celebrations. He acted as if he had been there before. Kudos Anthony!

Tell us your end of season predictions!

Tech vs Wake Forest!

I know all of you have been waiting patiently for me to write my next post and now your patience has been rewarded. I was fortunate this time in being able to watch a good deal of the Wake Forest game at my local orange short location. I had no idea that the UGA was not being televised so I had to only deal with listening to Florida and Alabama fans, which aren't nearly so annoying.

As part of my reporting duties, I thought it would be better to make notes as the game progressed to give you an idea of my thoughts. In order to save you valuable time, they are here in a bulleted listing:

• Run, JoshUA, run! Can anyone else carry the ball???
• Yet again, no passing accuracy
• Wow, another long range pass that didn't work! Who knew??
• More Missed Assignments on Defense
• Woah, is that David Pollock doing commentary on the game? Vince Dooley not available?
• Another game, another fumble...or two.....or three
• A completed pass! Awesome!
• Bostic is almost as fast as The Flash
• The offensive line cannot pass block or just block
• They have only 69 yards rushing by the second quarter? For shame!
• Anyone else notice the Defense just kind of standing around?
• A short pass! Hey everyone, a short pass!
• Was that intended to be a screen pass? Who cares? Big gain.
• Thank you, Scott Blair!

Well, the comments went on like that but got a bit better when Tech started the rally. I was much too absorbed in the game to make any more written comments, but you can imagine that they were solidly in the "Holy Crap" category.

I think Wake Forest should thank Georgia Tech because if there was ever a defense that could make your offense look good, it's this one. A lot of people have said that it is because of the new 3-4 system and the adjustment to it that is making the defense ineffective. I can agree with that to a degree. However, I think that this line of thinking could be a crutch. Look at Stanford, for example. I know, they got killed by Oregon but who hasn't lately?

Stanford had 4-3 last year and this year there is a new coach from the NFL as defensive coordinator who brings a new system to players recruited to play in a 4-3. So what happens? The defense actually got better, minus the Oregon game. Stanford has been able to quickly adapt to the 3-4 and is now a highly effective defense that does a lot of cool blitz schemes. So why not Tech?

Don't give the adage that Tech can't recruit like a Stanford or a UGA. Both of those schools have high standards as well and yet they can get athletes who are fast, big and strong. I don't see why we can't recruit some big linebackers and even bigger linemen.

What do you think?

Well, that was.....

Before I delve into my opinions and analysis of the game against NCSU, I am going to offer a couple of observations:

1. The "White-Out" really only looks good at a night game. People seem to forget that we are in Georgia and that 95 degrees is not uncommon at the end of September, so wearing white while sitting in the sun is considered smart. So instead of looking like a stadium of Tech supporters, we just looked like people trying not to pass out due to heat exhaustion.

2. A noon game is just not fun. I know games are scheduled based on rankings, popularity, etc. but to have a game where you can get, maybe, 2-3 decent hours of tailgating is hardly worth the effort. Add in the normal traffic delays and other Atlanta events, you got a half-full stadium at kickoff.

3. Tailgating spot claims are just not respected any more. The MOTG team has had the same spot for four years and there is always some group that keeps inching its way into our space. I know we don't own the spot nor do we have a legal claim but, come on, this spot was chosen for a reason. Just respect the space people.

4. Dear Event Staff,

I know that you are following rules but we wanted to make sure that you are aware that some things are fine the way they were. Case in point, let people lean on the walkway facing the field. They aren't blocking anyone and the same people have been there as long as we have had our seats. Getting a representative to yell at them and make them move and then not follow us sends a bad message. Also, after the initial distribution, don't just walk away and forget about the other part of your job in keeping people from leaning over railings and blocking paths to seats. In other words, you did the reverse of what you needed to do. Just work on that, Ok?

Thanks!

Now onto the game.

By now, if you have read the recaps and watched the highlights of the game, there isn't much I can tell you. You saw what we saw. However, if you are totally in the dark outside of the box score, let me help you out.

First, the offense was completely inept except for one or two drives. It seems like the systematic marching down the field of the past two years is gone. This team lives and dies by the big play. they seem to be waiting for Nesbit or Allen to make a huge play to save the game. The strategy seemed to be: run, run, deep pass, run. Yet, the most successful play of the game was a short pass to Allen that he turned into a huge gain. I could see why most of the pass plays failed, they want to go the deep route (which takes time) and the offensive line cannot protect that long. The remedy? A couple of more short passes.

The backs didn't make that option too workable because of dropped passes and lack of focus. The team seemed to do its best to remove two of the three options each play. We are now simple "The Option".

The defense did come out on fire, getting a fumble recovery and two sacks. You had the feeling that they would be the catalyst for a win, if they didn't start to stink halfway through the game. Like the offense, there is no sense of urgency or aggression that makes a defense scary. In many of the passing plays, the defensive backs would almost stop to wait for the receiver to catch the ball and turn before they attempted to stop them. The defensive line, which put some good pressure on the quarterback, just stalled and got pushed around. The linebackers seemed to be out of place or just plain confused on a lot of their assignments.

Some fans will tell you that Tech had the same 1-1 record last year and then went on a winning streak that secured them an ACC Championship berth. Could any of us say that we expect the same thing this year?

It's that time again...

I finally feel like the season is really starting. Time to get pumped.
Be there tomorrow. Wear White.



Notice the Death March drive in the video below from the NC game. I'll take one a quarter please with a side of Russell Wilson on his ass for the remainder.

And now a prayer to the Defense gods. Please shine upon our men in white tomorrow.



And now I leave you with moments (good and bad) from GT - NCST history. Enjoy.

The Universe Was Put Right

Like some of you out there, I didn't have my hopes high for Saturday. Tech was playing North Carolina a team that almost beat LSU even while missing a lot of starters. Tech was on the road, again, and there was the thought that they would not have recovered from the Kansas game. All signs pointed to a close loss and going 0-1 in the ACC.

So let me set up for you my view of the game. Sitting at my local Hooters, I was surrounded by UGA fans, eight TV's showing the UGA game and the UGA game being broadcast over the restaurant's sound system. The two TV's that were showing the Tech game had signal problems where I could catch a glimpse of the game every five minutes made the realize that something bad was going to happen. Had it not been for a surprisingly good grilled cheese sandwich and the fact that my waitress was really into me (What? She was! Seriously! They don't treat every guy like that, do they?), I would have stormed out and spent the rest of the game trying to get it on the radio.

Luckily, I was able to watch a decent percentage of the game and I was impressed by what I saw. Not overwhelmed or brought to tears, but impressed. Tech did several things that they neglected to do in the first two games:

1. Get Anthony Allen the ball! He has a monster game and showed why he was an important piece of the offense. He may not have breakaway speed but he always gets positive yardage.

2. Nesbit did not run the ball a 1000 times. He kept his options open (get it?) and ran only when necessary. He trusted Allen and the other backs more and this made it harder to stop the offense.

3. The defense is getting better, slowly, but it is getting better. There weren't a ton of blown coverages and they played pretty darn fast. I always try to remember that this is a new season and these are young players. My guess is that by mid-season, they will be an improved unit.

So Tech is now 1-0 in the ACC and that is what counts. The fact that UGA got beat and is not 0-2 didn't exactly hurt my feelings. There is nothing like the sound of 100 UGA fans deflating at the same time.

So what were your opinions of the game? Is Tech headed in the right direction?

Well, That Was...

Now I want to say that I did not watch the Georgia Tech vs Kansas game for one good reason - I had something else to do. I know, that sounds terrible but it was true. I did not even realize that the game was over and done until I got a text message from Daron that put his point of view forth quite clearly. His take? "If we continue to play like that, we won't win another game." Sort of sums it up, huh?

Again, I did not see the game but read several reviews and one thing came across very clear to me. The team seems to be resting on its laurels. They went into Kansas thinking they had it in the bag. They had Nesbit, they had the Triple Option, the 3-4 would be amazing with no effort involved and they got beat by a team that was nearly blanked by North Dakota State. The players even told reporters that the coaching staff told them not to take the Jayhawks lightly. What happened? They read the box score from the last Kansas game and went, "No problem".

And the team's reward for its effort? A drop from the polls. From 16 to nothing, just like that.

I do not want to jump on top of the dogpile that others are putting on the team. I have faith in the coaching staff and the players that they will fix things. I keep one thought in my mind is that this was an out of conference game. This hurt in the polls, sure, but it does not affect the goal of winning the ACC Championship for a 2nd straight time.

*Opinion*
There seems to be a sort of hangover from last year. I can't quite put my finger on it but it seems that the team is still somehow thinking about how last year ended and how they lost those games. There is no real feeling of optimism or swagger with this team and I think that it what it costing it. They don't play defense with a sense of anger or determination. On offense, they seem to think that Joshua will carry the day because, well, that is what he does.

What do you think?

Your 2010 Ramblin' Wreck

This is for those of us who were stuck in line at gate 3 and then gate 4 at the player intro. Enjoy.

Oh How Do I Rate Thee?

The first game of the season has come and gone, so this makes it the perfect time to use what little we saw during that game and make a prognostication about the whole season! Yes, from the South Carolina State game, we can correctly predict the remainder of the Georgia Tech football season.

Here is a brief example:

Joshua Nesbit will be a Heisman candidate because he will rush for 1800 yards, score 36 touchdowns and throw for only 100 yards at the end of the season.

Easy, right? Well, you would think that would be the case based on the team's performance.

Of course I am joking a bit. No one could look at that game and decide how the season will play out, but here are some things that I did take away from the game and the gameday experience.

1. There was a bit of a subdued feeling about the stadium. this was a bit expected because of the first game, the relative cupcake opponent (no offense) and the fact that it started at 1:00pm. The place just felt a bit dead. There was no sense of "Are You Ready for Some Football?!?!?" but more of a "Oh, Hey. It's Football" type of vibe.

2. Nebit can truly dominate a team. He played really well if you don't count passing. I think that is the one thing that you can say for the Spread Option, if you can't throw it well, you can still run them into the ground. Nesbit did just that.

3. I was happy that they took Nesbit out of the game to give Washington some reps. You could tell that he was pumped and made some miscues but he settled down really well and played better than I expected. I think he could be a great player with more experience and time behind center.

4. Passing game? Hello? Are you there??

5. The defense was not good against the run at all but did well where it really counted and prevented points. After all, CPJ's motto is to score and keep the other guys from scoring, so on that mantra, the defense did well. I think everyone in the stadium held its breath every time the other team did a running play. There was some energy from the defense but they seemed to be moving kind of slow. My guess is that the first game in a new system will do that to you. Let's see how well they play in three weeks (when they are back home).

6. CPJ has mastered the "we will talk about how bad you screwed up later" look. How do I know this? Because I saw it after Nesbit's interception when the wide receiver had the ball bounce off his chest into the hands of the cornerback. The WR walked off the field and you just saw CPJ's head turn and his face said it all. I turned to someone and said, "He is going to kill that kid."

7. The South Carolina State band was tremendous. I was sick to death of Michael Jackson medleys but they did a fantastic job. The dancers on the field were awesome and even did the famous Jackson Smooth Criminal "lean". Very cool! Hey, could we borrow your band sometime?

All in all, it was a good outing. One thing stuck out in my head was that both Groh and Johnson were patrolling the sidelines which just seemed a bit weird. Not bad, just weird.

Where you at the game or did you end up watching it on ESPN 8 (The Ocho!). What did you think about the game?

Why I Love Football

It's as simple as this. Welcome to the season.

Will Tech be a Full 44 Team?

In listening to a Sports Radio conversation here in Middle Georgia concerning Tech, the commentators mentioned something that really caught my ear. They talked of Tech and how it is becoming more of a full 44 team instead of just a strong 22.

What does that mean you ask? Well, you are probably not asking that as you have already figured it out. You are a Georgia Tech fan after all. But, in case you haven't, a lot of previous Georgia Tech teams had a strong 22 player roster, meaning good starters but a lacking supporting cast. You may remember how Tech's starters would play well at the beginning of the game but the second cast wouldn't perform quite as well. This lack of depth was most obvious during the Orange Bowl where the O-Line was a patchwork of out of position players.

With an aggressive recruiting policy and bringing in quality, multi-talented players, Tech is becoming more of a two-deep team. As of now, the offensive line has more quality depth to handle injuries than last year. The switch to the 3-4 defense means a greater number of down linemen can play which means fresher players and more consistent pressure. The linebackers will be a very good, very deep bunch as CPJ and his staff have brought in some quality linebackers to add to what is already a good bunch. The secondary will be loaded with players that the coaching staff can use.

So if injuries occur, as they do, Tech can still keep the Ramblin' Wreck rolling!

And if you want some more info about Georgia Tech's potential for this season, check out Scout.com's article - READ IT!

More later.....

Oh, just in case you think I forgot:
The AJC UGA Ridiculous Vent of the Week!
"I smell "FEAR" in Athens, from the visiting team on Nov 27th!"

We were there...

and it was a joy to behold.

Party In The UGA - Revised

They were so embarrassed they made the first video private.
You can run but you can't hide.

Gee... and they call us nerds

This could be the worst crap I've ever watched. I haven't been able to sit through the whole thing yet. Let me know what happens.

Brace for Impact