The 2011 Football Season Is All About Expectations For The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

by Winfield Featherston on Aug 2, 2011 8:30 AM EDT in Georgia Tech Football

I was staring at my blank computer screen last night with an equally blank mind, trying to put something together that brings out good discussion and commentary. I stretched my back in my chair and I saw the headline to the AJC on November 30, 2008.

"STOP THE REIGN"

Jackets defeat their historic rivals for the first time since 2000 and vow this won't be a fluke..."

Mark Bradley: "In a tough spot, Bulldogs wilted"

Jeff Schultz: "Jackets are back and plan to stay"

What followed that victory was an eventual bid to the Chick fil A bowl to close out the season, a 2009 ACC Championship (whatever, I was there, I saw it) and a berth in the Orange Bowl in 2009.

Suddenly 2010 happened. Balls didn't drop our way, there was no wide receiver that scared defenses, and our lines were shattered. Whatever was expected in 2010 was turned upside down and no one really knew what to think.What was expected, success, championships, winning, was gone.

2011 now presents itself as a surely definable year for Paul the Paul Johnson regime. What can we expect? What should we expect? After a 6-7 season what is a practice expectation?

Expectations are always high at the beginning of the season. We expect to see em come back with a chip on their shoulders, we expect to get back to 2008/2009 levels. We always expect to win, and win soundly.

Over the rest of the week, we'll be discussing the offensive, defensive, special teams expectations. What are your overall expectations? I expect:

A-backs: Improved abilities to catch a fumble

Quarterbacks: I expect to see passing completion sub-50%

B-backs: Consistency. Another 1300 yard rusher.

Wide Receivers: CATCH.THE.BALL

Defense: Understand Al Groh's defense. I expect improvement

Special Teams: I expect you to catch punts

Give us your expectations for the 2011 football season. Be it broad or detailed, your expectations will help define this week's content as we address your expectations.

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I am no math whiz but the odds against Tech seem daunting on paper.

It seems to me that the problem Tech faces is that there are eight, count ’em, eight major questions marks. You listed most of them, giving some of those questions marks a positive prediction. You left off of course major questions with the offensive line, likewise, the lack of a proven nose tackle. Then there is the matter of an entirely new starting secondary.

I know I am repeating myself but here is what I struggle with. I can come up with a reasonably positive outcome for each of the question mark areas. But here is the problem. Though each of these areas could, in a vacuum, be solved by the middle of the season, what are the odds of any team, Tech, Michigan, Boise State, Alabama, any team, actually solving eight major question marks in one season?

If Tech does that then Coach Johnson deserves to be Coach of the Year.

Nice tribute to throw in there for Jesse28.

by Atlanta's original team on Aug 2, 2011 11:10 AM EDT reply actions

HOO-mf'ing-RAH!

"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.

by Jesse28 on Aug 10, 2011 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Receivers

Block better than any Receivers in CFB, and catch enough to take the pressure off the run.

Elst-wise we become 1 dimensional and stoppable (yeah, I was at the Orange Bowl).

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Aug 2, 2011 11:11 AM EDT reply actions

OL/DL...

both have a few questions that need to be answered. While we will be bigger at center and both guards, we need to have a tackle step up on the left side opposite Phil Smith, possibly redshirt freshman Morgan Bailey. Considering the success that CPJ was able to achieve with undersized linemen his first three years, now that the bigger players are starting to come up through the recruting ranks, the triple option should be even better this fall.

On the DL it’s time for TJ Barnes to make his presence known as a force at NT especially on running downs. He has the size to control the middle, now he has to step up his play as an anchor for the front seven. I see him getting extensive playing time this season and helping the 3/4 to improve tremendously.

by cuttysark on Aug 2, 2011 5:03 PM EDT reply actions