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3. When Paul Johnson was hired to replace Chan Gailey a year ago, he was reminded that beating Georgia, which hadn’t happened since 2000, needed to be near the top of his to-do list in Atlanta. Johnson knew it. Heck, he’d spent the last few seasons coaching in Annapolis, so the importance of a rivalry game didn’t escape him.
On Saturday, the rookie head coach engineered a statement upset of Georgia that will resonate throughout the state, especially during recruiting time. Hey, the Dawgs still have the edge in these parts, but the Yellow Jackets’ 45-42 victory in Athens sent a resounding message that the pendulum has slowly begun to shift. For teenagers in the region, going to Georgia Tech no longer means choosing a Plan B, especially if you’re a multi-dimensional quarterback or a bruising B-back. The other truth coming out of Atlanta is that you can win in the ACC—or the SEC—by running the option. Over the last two weeks, the Yellow Jackets have gashed Miami and Georgia, a pair of pretty good defenses, for 881 yards rushing and 86 points. Oh, and also two important wins that could be launching points into the bowl season and beyond.
When Coach of the Year discussions pop up, Johnson’s name gets drowned out by the likes of Nick Saban, Mike Leach, Joe Paterno, and others. Too bad. He’s done a marvelous job of inheriting less-than-ideal players for his system, and quickly molding them into a dynamite ground game and a nine-win team.
