All year we’ve talked about the success of ACC Football this season. At the moment there are 4 ranked ACC teams, 3 in the top 10, and a major showcase top 5 match up upcoming with Clemson and Florida State set to battle on October 19. Miami is ranked 10th, and Virginia Tech broke into the top 20 this week. I think Syracuse and Pittsburgh have had credible first seasons in the ACC. Things are not sunny everywhere though. Last week we discussed the sad state of ACC football in the state of North Carolina. Mike London at Virginia is on the hotseat there, and things are not good at Georgia Tech.
Following Saturday’s largely noncompetitive performance against BYU in a 38-20 loss, you have to ask how did a team that in 2008-2009 won 20 games, won at Georgia, and won an ACC title declined so rapidly?
There is one simple answer…. recruiting. Paul Johnson has not recruited well and now he and Georgia Tech are paying for it. How have the Yellow Jackets recruited since Johnson’s arrival in 2008 according to Scout with the record that year.
2008 – #37 9-4
2009 – #32 11-3
2010 – #41 6-7
2011 – #46 8-5
2012 – #59 7-7
2013 – #72 3-3
That’s a clear gradual decline in recruiting, and record. As Chan Gailey’s recruits moved out of the program at the beginning of Johnson’s tenure to now when it’s exclusively Johnson’s players. Look back at Ralph Friedgen’s career trajectory as he won 30+ games in his first 3 years at Maryland, then saw a gradual decline that saw 4 losing seasons in his next 7 years. I think Friedgen is an apt comparison to Johnson. In my opinion both are solid offensive minds, and good gameday coaches. Neither is known as a personable coache and both are not noted as elite recruiters.
In last year’s NFL draft how many Georgia Tech players were drafted? There were none as in 0. One player Jeremiah Attaochou made the first team 2013 preseason All-ACC team. One player Omoregie Uzzi made the 2012 All-ACC team. Uzzi was the only player in 2011 as well. This was after having 6 first team All-ACC players in 2009. That is an unmistakable decline in talent.
In some defense of Johnson, Georgia Tech is not easiest place to recruit to. Georgia Tech is primarily an engineering school with tough academic standards. That said no one expects the Jackets to pull in top 10 classes and recruit at an Alabama level, but shouldn’t have Johnson produced at least 1 top 30 class since here’s been there?
Georgia Tech has made some changes to try and recruit more nationally, and the recruiting ranking has improved to #36. Still not a single 4 star or better player is committed. We all understand recruiting doesn’t define success, but I’ll take a team of elite players over a bunch of sleepers any day.
Is the issue because Paul Johnson runs the Triple Option that recruiting has suffered? Honestly it doesn’t matter. He get’s paid over 2 Million dollars a year to figure that little problem out.
Become a fan of the ACC on Facebook and follow the ACC on Twitter.
