One thing that I have learned the hard way in life is that no matter how good you are, or think you are, you should always be prepared for the possibility of failure. It sometimes is outside the realm of our understanding why something doesn't end up working... almost as if the universe just ordained it so. Either that, or you just didn't have it in you to succeed.
Since the day Paul Johnson was hired, it never occurred to me, and I bet a lot of others, that there might be a chance he might not succeed here. Then and still now, I think he's the smartest x's and o's coach in college football. When it comes to football genius, PJ has it. But there is so much more than just that goes into building a successful program, as we all know. Recruiting, motivation, parenting... there are a 100 more intangibles in college football than pro.
Here's where we are right now at GT: PJ has been pretty successful here so far, and achieved almost as much as we wanted out of him when we hired him. The problem is, going forward, we don't know where we are headed. Quite honestly, I'd be downright shocked if we didn't end up 7-5 by the end of the regular season. We might have an outside shot of beating VT if we get some breaks, but there is no way in hell we beat either Clemson or UGA with our offense as is, with Tevin as its leader.
Tevin's done as the starting qb of this team. Sure, PJ might trot him out there for the rest of the season, but you're kidding yourself if you think that's what he really wants. I saw a defeated man on the sidelines and press conference after the game. He knows he screwed up royally by not hedging his bets and playing Vad earlier. He gambled, and lost everything. Now he doesn't want to burn Vad's redshirt, but he doesn't want to put Tevin back out there.
And that's where the crossroads come in. We can't afford to lose to Georgia again. PJ can't fall to 1-3 against 3 consecutively mediocre or less UGA teams. Your remember when David Pollack said we were irrelevant under Gailey? Yeah... we were angry cause we knew he was right. And if we lose 3 in a row to to those underachievers, then we are right back to where we started.
Now that doesn't mean if we do lose to UGA this year that we are doomed. Maybe Vad will be the real deal and take us over the top next year. We really aren't that far way, in my opinion. The first 4 games were proof of that, albeit against subpar teams. I've come to accept that while the OLine will probably/hopefully get better under PJ, they are not going to dominate anyone. The QB is going to have to make up for deficiencies elsewhere in this offense. But if Vad can't do that, we are probably genuinely in trouble.
We have talent elsewhere coming in, and long term, I'm comfortable with what Al Groh is doing with the D, but we need a playmaking QB. We haven't come close to that in the first 4 years. Sure, Nesbitt could bull his way through defenders, but beyond that, not really much else. I don't think we will fall into a string of losing seasons under PJ, but there is a chance we could be no better than 8-4, 7-5 every year.
And it comes back to the highest roller at the table. We are 6-2, and could still have a great season. But it's gonna require Vad to be the special player everyone hoped. Tevin's done, Synjyn's not much better, and we are going to finish 7-5 as is, at best. With Vad, it's also possible we finish 6-6, or maybe 9-3. Who knows. But this is when the biggest gamblers come to play, and lay it on the line.
Since the day Paul Johnson was hired, it never occurred to me, and I bet a lot of others, that there might be a chance he might not succeed here. Then and still now, I think he's the smartest x's and o's coach in college football. When it comes to football genius, PJ has it. But there is so much more than just that goes into building a successful program, as we all know. Recruiting, motivation, parenting... there are a 100 more intangibles in college football than pro.
Here's where we are right now at GT: PJ has been pretty successful here so far, and achieved almost as much as we wanted out of him when we hired him. The problem is, going forward, we don't know where we are headed. Quite honestly, I'd be downright shocked if we didn't end up 7-5 by the end of the regular season. We might have an outside shot of beating VT if we get some breaks, but there is no way in hell we beat either Clemson or UGA with our offense as is, with Tevin as its leader.
Tevin's done as the starting qb of this team. Sure, PJ might trot him out there for the rest of the season, but you're kidding yourself if you think that's what he really wants. I saw a defeated man on the sidelines and press conference after the game. He knows he screwed up royally by not hedging his bets and playing Vad earlier. He gambled, and lost everything. Now he doesn't want to burn Vad's redshirt, but he doesn't want to put Tevin back out there.
And that's where the crossroads come in. We can't afford to lose to Georgia again. PJ can't fall to 1-3 against 3 consecutively mediocre or less UGA teams. Your remember when David Pollack said we were irrelevant under Gailey? Yeah... we were angry cause we knew he was right. And if we lose 3 in a row to to those underachievers, then we are right back to where we started.
Now that doesn't mean if we do lose to UGA this year that we are doomed. Maybe Vad will be the real deal and take us over the top next year. We really aren't that far way, in my opinion. The first 4 games were proof of that, albeit against subpar teams. I've come to accept that while the OLine will probably/hopefully get better under PJ, they are not going to dominate anyone. The QB is going to have to make up for deficiencies elsewhere in this offense. But if Vad can't do that, we are probably genuinely in trouble.
We have talent elsewhere coming in, and long term, I'm comfortable with what Al Groh is doing with the D, but we need a playmaking QB. We haven't come close to that in the first 4 years. Sure, Nesbitt could bull his way through defenders, but beyond that, not really much else. I don't think we will fall into a string of losing seasons under PJ, but there is a chance we could be no better than 8-4, 7-5 every year.
And it comes back to the highest roller at the table. We are 6-2, and could still have a great season. But it's gonna require Vad to be the special player everyone hoped. Tevin's done, Synjyn's not much better, and we are going to finish 7-5 as is, at best. With Vad, it's also possible we finish 6-6, or maybe 9-3. Who knows. But this is when the biggest gamblers come to play, and lay it on the line.
