34 - 10 It shouldn’t have ended this way for future HOF coach Paul Johnson, but it did. Georgia Tech was poorly prepared, played sloppy, and without any urgency in Paul Johnson’s final game as head coach.
Minnesota is not a very good team. The Gophers were a wildly inconsistent 6-6 team. Today they were better, far better than Georgia Tech though.
The final was disappointing 34-10 blowout for the Yellow Jackets and it ensures Georgia Tech fans will now be united welcoming and many thrilled with the arrival of new coach Geoff Collins.
On display Wednesday, was where Georgia Tech had become stagnate under Paul Johnson. Physically they were over-matched by the Gophers. Minnesota O-Linemen seemed to just swallow up Georgia Tech’s defensive front. The option offense when it works is great, but when it doesn’t leaves Johnson no offensive alternatives to go to.
His legacy will remain in tact. He was one of Georgia Tech’s best coaches post-Dodd. Bowls, ACC Titles, Coastal Division Titles, and Orange Bowl appearances dot his resume. He went 3-3 in Athens which is no easy task, but Wednesday was just an awful all-around performance.
There no point to discuss what Johnson must do in the future. He’s the past and Geoff Collins is the future. Collins is no slam dunk to exceed Johnson’s record at Georgia Tech, but one thing he will do is recruit better.
Georgia Tech doesn’t have much next level talent, and if Johnson couldn’t out-scheme teams he rarely couldn’t out-talent them. This was especially evident along the defensive front, where the Jackets have struggled for years being undersized. Facing nearly any offensive line with adequate size was a no win situation.
This will be the task of Geoff Collins – to increase the size of the defensive line, and improve the overall talent level. I think there are enough decent playmakers on offense that Collins can work around the lack of true WR’s, but defensively is where the most immediate help is needed.
Georgia Tech is good enough to reach a bowl next year, but whether Collins wins big in Atlanta will depend on his ability to recruit. He’s a noted recruiter and kept this year’s class largely in-tact, but that will tell the story of how well he will eventually do at Georgia Tech.
