This game was one of the hardest to watch of the bowl season. Ole Miss is a little bit more talented, and the coaching was just a little less inept, but make no mistake neither coaching staff should be applauded for that effort. That said I’d rather win ugly vs lose pretty anyday. Ole Miss got the victory 25-17. The Rebels will take that win and enjoy it as they should, but here I want to talk about Georgia Tech.
I’ve been hesitant to put Paul Johnson on the hotseat, but I really believe he is now on it entering the 2014 season.
With Georgia Tech down 23-17 late in the 4th qtr, he called a bizarre reverse play pass with a player in Corey Dennis that hadn’t touched the ball the entire day. It was low percentage risky play inside your own 20 yard line. It resulted in a safety and effectively ended the game. That’s the kind of call that get’s coaches fired. He won’t be fired this year, but that’s the kind.
He’s now 1-5 in bowl games, and 1-5 against arch rival Georgia. Since 2010 he is 1-15 against his biggest rivals, UGA, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Clemson.
His last four years have been 6-7, 8-5, 7-7, and 7-6. Even the 8-5 season was with a 2-5 finish to the year. The recent recruiting classes haven’t inspired hope. Paul Johnson is running out of time. The Georgia Tech program is running in neutral.
He’s been at Georgia Tech 7 years. Chan Gailey only got 6. I think next season is very critical for Paul Johnson. The expectations are not all that high at Georgia Tech. Beat Georgia once every 3 or 4 years, win 8-9 games, win every other bowl game, and maybe every 3-4 years win 10+ games. If there is a 6 or 7 win season from time to time, no one will call for your head.
I believe next season one of three things will need to happen for Georgia Tech to continue with Johnson. He needs to beat Georgia, or win 9 games, or win a bowl game. This was a senior laden team. A 7-6 season while also losing 3 of your last 4 games just won’t sit well Georgia Tech fans.
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