Witness the first un-doctored photograph of Paul Johnson actually -- gasp! -- smiling.
Maybe the photo was snapped this week after Johnson took a look at what Clemson has at linebacker.
As we noted earlier this week and will continue to note, the Tigers' current plight at the position creates a truly scary situation when facing all the stuff that Johnson does -- and can do.
But upon taking a deeper look at Georgia Tech's offensive numbers, I'm a little less pessimistic about Clemson's chances of stopping the Yellow Jackets on Saturday. Emphasis on "a little."
If you look beyond the impressive 328 rushing yards per game (second nationally) and the 31.9 points per game, you see evidence of an offense that often has not been able to get out of its own way this season.
Johnson's offense is built on precision and execution. When pitches and exchanges are not crisp and precise, the ball is on the ground. When the offensive line is getting dominated, and wingbacks and receivers are missing their blocks, the Johnson machine falls apart. That's how you get a near loss to Gardner-Webb (2008), a loss to Kansas (2010), and smackings against Miami and Iowa (2009).
We're going to take a look at some of Georgia Tech's numbers through seven games this season and compare them to what the Yellow Jackets put up last year.
They're still compiling a large number of big plays. Johnson's offense often gets labeled as a scheme that's boring or does not produce enough big plays, and that's hogwash.
Last year, the Jackets averaged 4.78 plays of 20 yards or more per game.
This year, it's 5.28.
(Clemson, by comparison, is averaging 4.3 plays of 20 yards or more per game. Last year, the Tigers averaged 4.21.)
The one difference this year is, they're getting few big plays out out of the passing game without Demaryius Thomas. They had 11 passes of 50 yards or longer in 2009, and they have just one this year. And that was a 50-yarder to B-back Anthony Allen.
Last year, Georgia Tech averaged 22.7 yards per completion. This year, it's 17.5.
Thomas averaged 25.1 yards per catch, the highest clip in ACC history. This year, the Jackets' supposed stud receiver (Stephen Hill) has 11 catches for 161 yards. That's a 14.6-yard average, and his longest reception is for 40 yards.
Josh -- excuse me, Joshua -- Nesbitt's completion percentage has gone down from 46.3 last year to 39.8 this year. His completions per game have dropped from 5.35 to 4.71.
Taking a close look at Georgia Tech's drive charts this season, you see lengthy periods where the offense is just not effective.
In the opener against S.C. State, the Jackets had a four-possession stretch that went fumble, fumble, interception, punt.
In the loss at Kansas, the Jackets had four punts, a fumble, and three turnovers on downs.
At North Carolina, the Jackets' first three drives went like this: 3 plays, 80 yards, TD; 5 plays, 63 yards, TD; 20 plays, 87 yards, FG. Their next three drives went fumble, punt, turnover on downs.
Against N.C. State, their first five drives went like this: 3 plays, 3 yards, punt; seven plays, 33 yards, fumble; three plays, 1 yard, punt; three plays, 3 yards, punt; five plays, 18 yards, fumble.
Against Wake Forest's awful defense, they punted five times. Three of those punts came on three successive third-quarter possessions that totaled 6 yards. But then they turned around and totaled 192 yards and 17 points on their last three drives and won the game.
Against Virginia, they moved the ball consistently from start to finish. But they still had two punts, an interception, a fumble and a turnover on downs.
Against Middle Tennessee, they had five punts, two lost fumbles and one turnover on downs. They had three straight punts in the second quarter, but then three straight drives for touchdowns in the third quarter.
Here are three telling stats:
-- Last year, the Jackets compiled a 52-percent clip on third-down conversions. This year, it's down to 39 percent.
-- Last year, the Jackets fumbled 2.42 times per game and lost less than 1 per game. This year, they're fumbling 3.28 times per game and are losing 1.42 per game.
-- Last year, they punted 2.64 times per game (37 total). They're punting 3.28 times per game this year (23 total).
So while the Jackets have increased their rushing average from 295 yards per game to 328 yards per game, a closer look reveals an offense that has encountered far more chokes and sputters this season.
It should be noted, however, that Johnson's attack really didn't get rolling in 2009 until the second half of the season.
After five games, the Yellow Jackets largely had been shut down for two quarters in one game (Clemson), shut down the entire game in another (Miami), and produced a pedestrian 213 rushing yards in another (Mississippi State).
But then came 401 yards on the ground against Florida State. Then 309 yards against Virginia Tech. And, of course, the 333 yards in the ACC title game against Clemson.
It's still astounding that the Jackets went 22 quarters without punting, a stretch that included games against Georgia and Clemson.
And for all the folks who buy into the notion that repeated exposure to this offense can help "figure it out," Butch Davis and North Carolina might beg to differ after giving up a total of 689 yards on the ground in the teams' last two meetings.
This is a scary matchup for Clemson, and it always will be as long as Johnson is running the show in Atlanta. And the linebacker issues make it a lot scarier.
But Saturday's game will be a lot more manageable if the Jackets continue the inconsistency that's taken place this season.
On to a few Thursday links...
This AJC article says special teams is going to have to be special for Georgia Tech in this key three-game stretch (Clemson, at Virginia Tech, Miami).
Looks like Christian Ponder is a little clanged up.
Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder will not practice until Saturday because of swelling in his right elbow. FSU has a bye this weekend.
Ponder sustained a bursa sac injury in his right elbow early in the game Saturday, but said he was feeling better Tuesday.
``Still a little swollen, still a little sore, but I went and saw a specialist [Monday] and did some work,'' Ponder said. ``Since then, the swelling has gone down a lot.''
Ponder said his goal is to return Saturday and begin preparations for FSU's Oct. 28 matchup with North Carolina State.
Bobby Bowden's retirement slogan: "I don't care and I don't have to."
Example: His thoughts on recruiting.
"You know the one thing about recruiting now?" Bowden asked. "I don't care and I don't have to."
Bowden, whose first game as FSU's head coach in 1976 was a 21-12 loss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium to the then-Memphis State, said he does miss connecting with his players and coaches, but that's about it.
"When I got out of coaching in January, you could feel the weight just leave your shoulders," said Bowden, who has been on the road promoting his new book, "Called to Coach," as well as doing his usual Christian witnessing at various churches. "All of a sudden, I didn't have to worry about the (players') grades. All of I sudden I didn't have to worry about a 2 o'clock phone call (involving one of his players). All of a sudden, I don't have to worry about a kid's girlfriend.
"When I look back, I wonder how I lasted as long as I did."
You're not the only one, Bobby.
Speaking of old coaches, Boston College offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill (age: 70) reflects on his offense's progress -- or lack thereof.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation where I’ve started from scratch like this two years in a row,’’ Tranquill said yesterday, as he sat in his office putting together Saturday’s game plan for BC’s home game against Maryland.
Some ACC basketball talk in Charlotte. The ACC Sports Journal's Jim Young has some notable quotes here and here.
Fascinating matchup between LSU and the Figthing Cam Newtons. Les Miles ponders the notion of putting a spy on Sir Cameron.
"It becomes a very difficult situation to put one guy on Cam Newton. It just doesn't seem to pay any dividends to me."
When asked how he would defend Newton otherwise, Miles respnded, "If I could have a spy no one could see, a guy on the field that didn't count, that would be a great answer."
LW
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