My only concern...

M

Mr. Truth

Guest
for the future of TECH football under Johnson is the defense.

We know Johnson can coach offense - and get the players to fit the system, etc...

Yes, I know defensive recruiting has gone fairly well so far this year.

Yet, I just wonder why a quality defensive recruit (who has pro aspirations - which about half of the recruits do) would want to come to TECH to practice against the Triple Option 65% of the time (or whatever).

I am sure that Johnson tells these kids that they'll practice against the typical college spread offenses and "pro-style" offenses, and I am sure they do.

Believe me, I hope my fears do not come true.

Yet, I don't see Johnson changing his system (that easily - if ever) to adapt to the recruits who are looking at becoming a pro.

And make no mistake about it - you need the best (3-star / 4-star recruits) coming to TECH to compete - AND WIN!

I hope that "winning" will lure the recruits here...

We won't know for sure - time will tell.

Your thoughts welcomed.
 
Welcome

I notice you are a poster from New Jersey...perhaps interested in the activity around Andre Civil?

anyway...

I can tell you a big difference in the entire football team...both sides of the ball...is that practicing with a team that runs PJ's style of offense forces you to be an aggressive defender. I have noticed a HUGE difference in the speed and level of hitting going on this year in games. A lot of people are attributing this to the focus in practice on stopping the run...which makes for sure tacklers and defenders that know how to shed blocks...all of which the NFL covets.
When a defender knows he can stop the run...that provides a tremendous level of confidence.

Since we are among the top scoring defenses in the nation...and number one in the ACC...all in Paul Johnson/Dave Wommack's first year...then they must know how to prepare a defense to play pro-set's, spread's, etc.

We have a long history of putting defenders in the NFL, but even over the past few years we have put in Daryl Smith (LB-Jags), James Butler (FS- Giants), Gerris Wilkinson (LB- Giants), Gary Guyton (LB- Pats), Philip Wheeler (LB-Colts), Eric Henderson DE/LB- Bengals), Keyaron Fox (LB- Steelers), Chris Reis (DB- Saints)....among many others already in the NFL.

From our defense this year will we have a first round pick in DE Michael Johnson, first/second round pick in DT Vance Walker, second-fourth round pick in DT Daryl Richard.
Next year you will see FS Morgan Burnett compete for the Jim Thorpe award (he leads nation in INT's this year) and he will likely leave for the NFL early as a projected first round pick.

GT has a long history of great defense with coordinators like George O'Leary, Randy Edsall, Jon Tenuta...and now Dave Wommack. We have had big names like Pat Swilling, Marco Coleman, and Keith Brooking play long successful NFL careeers. This will not change.

In summary....this years defensive performance shows what you get when a defence is forced to shed blocks and hit someone every day in practice. You get a stifling defense amongst the tops in scoring defense in the country...and you develop top round NFL draft picks.

As far as recruiting goes....this year we already have more talented players wanting to commit than we have spots for. We already have defensive commits from Jemea Thomas, Roderick Sweeting, Emmanuel Dieke, Brandon Watts. J.C. Lanier, and Chris Crenshaw....and we anticipate positive news very soon from Izaan Cross, Darren Myles, and Jonathan Davis among many others. We alos expect to get the top DT in the southeast for the Class of 2010 in Denzel McCoy. We will have a Top 25 class this year...our second in the past three years.

Hope this is helpful.
 
Personally I dont think your argument holds much weight. Our D is just fine this year practicing against this offense. If anything I think practicing against this O will help our defense become much more disciplined and tough as concrete. This is a O that throws a sucker punch on every play and it takes a tough gritty D to stand up to them.

As far as bringing in recruits... Our defense performing well in games will take care of that. Also, with Giff on staff, defensive recruiting will never lag.
 
The defense practices against a scout team offense like at every other school. Maybe during the spring they go against the triple option offense but that's it. I doubt a kid is going to not go somewhere because he doesn't want to face a option offense for 3 weeks in the spring.
 
The way to the NFL is to play for a program that gets noticed. How do you get noticed? You win. How do you win? You start with good players.

I think the whole line of reasoning about running a certain type of system affecting an athlete's ability to play in the NFL is just a "poison the well" tactic used by programs trying to lure the player to their school.

Defending against the option is still about blocking, tackling, pass defense and rushing defense.

And the NFL will always have a place for anyone who can do those things well. Especially if they had the opportunity to showcase their skills at a top program. Like the one we are building right here, right now.
 
00Burdell said:
The way to the NFL is to play for a program that gets noticed. How do you get noticed? You win. How do you win? You start with good players.

I think the whole line of reasoning about running a certain type of system affecting an athlete's ability to play in the NFL is just a "poison the well" tactic used by programs trying to lure the player to their school.

Defending against the option is still about blocking, tackling, pass defense and rushing defense.

And the NFL will always have a place for anyone who can do those things well. Especially if they had the opportunity to showcase their skills at a top program. Like the one we are building right here, right now.
Click to expand...

+infinity
 
Nebraska had a pretty good defense in the 80's and 90's and they ran the triple option.

If you send me your name the next time I exchange e-mails with Tom Osborne I'll tell him you don't think the Nebraska defenses were talented. I don't think he'll take kindly to your question.
 
I understand the concern and do believe that other schools will recruit against us by telling defensive players they don't want to practice against "the perfect option".

However, last time we ran an option attack, these players were on our defense:
Lucius Sanford
Reggie Wilkes
Don Bessillou
Tony Daykin

Each played all or most of their college career on an option oriented team. Each had a fine NFL career
 
Andre Civil...

Just looked him up - says he has verbally committed to Rutgers.

He lives in Brooklyn.

BTW - I am tucked in the upper right hand corner of New Jersey - about 4 miles from the NY state line. Architecture Grad 1984.

Tech rarely, if ever, recruits up this way. When Bobby Ross was coach he recruited Long Island.

Even with Rutgers success a few years ago - this area is dead when it comes to college sports in general. This is a "pro sports" area. Very little sports talk on the radio / no rivalries / minimal write-ups.

Also, Tech has only been on ESPN (Clemson) or ABC (FSU) - otherwise you need special packages for ESPN 360 / ESPN Game Plan / ESPNU. Stinks!

I was hoping to go see the Army game this year (about 30 miles from me), but we know what happened to that unfortunately.

Go Tech - beat the Rams (real nickname of UNC - not Tar Heels).
 
Mr. Truth said:
Andre Civil...

Just looked him up - says he has verbally committed to Rutgers.

He lives in Brooklyn.

BTW - I am tucked in the upper right hand corner of New Jersey - about 4 miles from the NY state line. Architecture Grad 1984.

Tech rarely, if ever, recruits up this way. When Bobby Ross was coach he recruited Long Island.

Even with Rutgers success a few years ago - this area is dead when it comes to college sports in general. This is a "pro sports" area. Very little sports talk on the radio / no rivalries / minimal write-ups.

Also, Tech has only been on ESPN (Clemson) or ABC (FSU) - otherwise you need special packages for ESPN 360 / ESPN Game Plan / ESPNU. Stinks!

I was hoping to go see the Army game this year (about 30 miles from me), but we know what happened to that unfortunately.

Go Tech - beat the Rams (real nickname of UNC - not Tar Heels).
Click to expand...

HA! True that. Maybe goats actually. Welcome to the neighborhood!
 
Mr. Truth said:
Andre Civil...

Just looked him up - says he has verbally committed to Rutgers.

He lives in Brooklyn.
Click to expand...

Andre Civil, DE, is committed to Rutgers but wants to visit GT December 12.

We definitely have not hit that area hard under Gailey...and not likely to under Johnson. The Ross/Lewis/O'Leary staffs did:

Since 95, (one current) Jersey player(s) at GT
Omar Cassidy (Lewis/O'Leary)
Al Jackson (O'Leary)
Kamal Balogun (O'Leary)
Guenter Kryszon (O'Leary)
Charlie Rogers (O'Leary)
Cory Collins (O'Leary)
Dennis Davis (O'Leary/Gailey)
Dan Voss (Gailey/Johnson)

Since 95, From NYC & surrounding area (no upstate):
Pete Maiello (Lewis/O'Leary)
Ken Celaj (Lewis/O'Leary)
Mel Bowers (O'Leary)
Pat Ashley (O'Leary)
Curtis Holloman (O'Leary)
Bill Madigan (O'Leary)
Mike Sheridan (O'Leary)
Abe Fernandez (O'Leary)
J.P. Foschi (O'Leary)
IPerfection Harris (O'Leary/Gailey)
 
Dan Voss was considered a PA recruit as he went to school in Philadelphia but lived across the river in NJ. PA was one of Coach D's, (a native of Pittsburgh) recruiting area

NJ is highly recruited by Rutgers, Notre Dame & Penn State
 
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