Am I The Only One Worried That Next Year Might Be Worse?

GTLiebs

GTLiebs

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It just seems like we've peaked for the most part on offense. With so many people returning I don't see how we get that much better unless Paul Johnson has a lot more up his sleeve than I think. It's not like a lot of our players will suddenly get faster and stronger or anything, only thing that might improve is technique.

I could just be pessimistic, but it seems like the only big changes that will occur is that we will have new starters on the defensive line and it will now be viewed as an accomplishment to beat GT next season, effectively putting a big target on our back for all those edge of good teams like UVa, Miami and Vanderbilt to shoot for.

Any opinions or am I just a crazy idiot who listens to too many GT students from the state below us who are fans of a certain reptile and have split loyalties?
 
Yeah, you're pretty much alone on this. In this offense, precision and technique are everything.
 
While I think its good to keep one's expectations in check, I can't imagine that we won't improve on offense.

Last year in spring practice, we were a complete disaster on offense - cave men trying to run a nuclear reactor. Contrast that with our performance against Mississippi State (game 4).

Now, add 9 games of experience, another spring practice, Anthony Allen, Richard Watson, Uzzi, Hall and a bevy of other fine redshirt freshmen, a wiser CPJ for the CFA experience and much, much more and I think that's a recipe for a Georgia Tech Wrecking Crew the likes of which haven't been seen in a long time. Oh, don't forget to add some run and shoot to the offense in anticipation of people loading the box against us.

The only possible offsets that I can see is that we won't surprise anybody in 2009. Teams will prepare much harder for us than they did in 2008. Also, some of the teams on our schedule will improve from 2008 to 2009 - Miami, Florida State, Clemson, UNC to name a few. One other thing is that we are overly dependent on Nesbitt to run the offense. We need to allocate some major resources to narrowing the gap between Nesbitt and the #2 and #3 spots on the QB depth chart.

Its fine to get better where you are already good. But we have a few "weakest link" areas that need focused attention.
 
"Repetition is the mother of skill."
-Anthony Robbins
Watch the improvement!
 
No, we should be much better on offense next year.

1. We will be better at running the plays we used this year due to repetition. Look at how much more smoothly Navy's O looked in games.

2. Our offense is going to get better at making the right corrections for defensive alignments. Right now if VT tries something new on defense, our offense probably hasn't seen it. Next year though, if Miami tries to copy what VT did, then our O will have seen the adjustment before. Our O will know how to counter the defense without having to wait until halftime.

3. We should have some kind of passing game. We just couldn't hit a pass this year to save our lives. We never really got it installed on offense. The team obviously spent a lot of time practicing it for the bowl. But it was still new, and we looked like a team playing our first game on offense. Next year will will probably get up to that 12 passes per game that I think CPJ wants. He is probably looking for at least a 60% completion rate. Not the 45% or so we had this year (or 30% we've had in the last few games).

4. Not really 2009, but in 2010 and 2011 we will actually have the kind of personel to run this offense. This is especially important on the O-line. We did have some great fits at the skill positions, but no depth this year.
 
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Here's a thread I've been waiting on. Not surprisingly, by the person I expected to see it made by. Can't wait to see the next one.
 
If Josh doesn't improve on his read/hold/pull skills then I for one don't think the offense will improve. Jaybo was a much better TRUE option quarterback, and if you notice, he runs the ball a higher percentage than Josh accordingly. The QB is supposed to get the most carries, but Josh really decides to hand it off to JD pretty early.

I've been wondering if there was any thruth to the "Josh wants to throw more to improve his future NFL skills" because honestly I haven't seen any improvement with his read skills. Besides the offensive line work, this is the single most important issue with the option.
 
I think that we have a real football coach who will help Nesbitt improve the mechanics of his passing in the next 8 months. Nesbitt passed for alot in high school and the tools are there. He just needs to find the accuracy and timing required for the run and shoot. If Stephen Hill has hands that could also help.
 
GTLiebs said:
It just seems like we've peaked for the most part on offense. With so many people returning I don't see how we get that much better unless Paul Johnson has a lot more up his sleeve than I think. It's not like a lot of our players will suddenly get faster and stronger or anything, only thing that might improve is technique.

I could just be pessimistic, but it seems like the only big changes that will occur is that we will have new starters on the defensive line and it will now be viewed as an accomplishment to beat GT next season, effectively putting a big target on our back for all those edge of good teams like UVa, Miami and Vanderbilt to shoot for.

Any opinions or am I just a crazy idiot who listens to too many GT students from the state below us who are fans of a certain reptile and have split loyalties?
Click to expand...

I've got news for you...

OUR HEAD COACH IS PAUL FREAKING JOHNSON! 9 WINS IS AS BAD AS WE WILL GET!

ps: see my sig. I've known all along since his hiring, and I was called an idiot.
 
I dont know why he wants to throw more when he only hits 30% in a climate controlled windless environment, most people try to work around their weaknesses haha. All in all there is no where to go but up with this thing. Reps for the O-line is so crucial. Once these boys get up to CPJ standards we will be a machine. Look at Navy's progression, the second year of his tenure is when the program really jumped up. Same at GSU
 
It didn't help that the OL gave Nesbitt no time to pass out of the TO. An athlete like Nesbitt/Dwyer can snake his way out of unblocked defenders, but it's just about impossible to pass with the little margin of error the TO gives.
 
I doubt it is worse.

But...we will not get much better unless Nesbitt can be more accurate with his throws so the passing game is a threat.

We had WR's open in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and the protection was there.

I fully expect that he makes huge improvement from year one to year two as a starter.
 
hiveredtech said:
I doubt it is worse.

But...we will not get much better unless Nesbitt can be more accurate with his throws so the passing game is a threat.

We had WR's open in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and the protection was there.

I fully expect that he makes huge improvement from year one to year two as a starter.
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At least one of the missed passes was not on Josh. The play where Cox was running down the sideline directly at the coverage, Josh threw the ball inside. From my understanding of the run and shoot, that was the right call. Cox did not break off his route and the ball landed in no mans land.

Had Cox caught that ball he would have had at least 8 yards when the ball reached him plus what ever he could have ground out after the catch. Give his size, I think it would have been at least another 4 yards.
 
Georgia Tech will be a better football team in 2009 than in 2008.

What has to be considered is the fact that other teams might be better as well --the ACC has several teams with good young talent.

Also, schedule is going to be a factor: It's good to have Clemson, UNC and VT at home --also WF comes to The Flats on '09, but we're on the road @ FSU, Miami, need I mention UVA ...and Duke.

We also go on the road @ Miss State and Vandy, w/ Jax St and UGA home.

Just a couple of factors to consider.
 
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WracerX said:
At least one of the missed passes was not on Josh. The play where Cox was running down the sideline directly at the coverage, Josh threw the ball inside. From my understanding of the run and shoot, that was the right call. Cox did not break off his route and the ball landed in no mans land.

Had Cox caught that ball he would have had at least 8 yards when the ball reached him plus what ever he could have ground out after the catch. Give his size, I think it would have been at least another 4 yards.
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Sure...and sometimes the WR's are not coming back to the ball aggressive enough.

The two plays that stick out to me in the game was when he just held the ball too long....the quick slant into the endzone in the 4th quarter that was behind the target...and the opening drive where he held the ball too long and allowed the defender to bat away the ball in the endzone.
There were similar instances during the year...such as the overthrow to Roddy against VaTech that was a sure 4th quarter TD as he was easily 5 yards behind the defender.

Josh has the arm strength....and hopefully with more repetition and a full corps of WR's next year he will be better. I would expect the OL to improve as well.

without a doubt though....Josh has to improve upon the 44% completion percentage.
 
hiveredtech said:
There were similar instances during the year...such as the overthrow to Roddy against VaTech that was a sure 4th quarter TD as he was easily 5 yards behind the defender.
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Not to be insulting, but on some of the overthrows this year, I wondered if they needed to test Josh's vision. I wear glasses. Without them, after a certain distance, my depth perception just goes to crap.
 
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