It's a busy week all around but if you get a few minutes sit on down and check out these links from around the blogosphere.
Georgia Tech Football
Middle Georgia’s Jackets optimistic for future - Coley Harvey
Julian Burnett’s moment came when he played early and often in the ACC championship. For Jemea Thomas, it was a bone-crushing blow he dealt against rival Georgia. The defining memories of their true freshman season might be vastly different for these two native Middle Georgia sons, but each of them played an integral role in telling a larger story.
The best thing I saw all year: Bowden, lightning and a theft | Mark Bradley
Mark Bradley of the AJC says the Georgia Tech-Florida State game, which featured Josh Nesbitt's steal of a recovered fumble, was the highlight of the year.
Scout team star ready to be a Yellow Jacket | ajc.com
There are not many Georgia Tech practices remaining where Emmanuel Dieke has to be a Hawkeye or a Tiger or -- gasp -- a Bulldog. The freshman defensive end has been part of the Look Squad this season, the scout team that mirrors the opponent and he’s had enough.
Iowa
Hawkeyes begin preparation for Yellow Jackets | The Daily Iowan
After two grueling weeks consisting of practices, contact drills, and final exams, the No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes have now fully turned their attention to the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl, where they will face the No. 9 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. On the defensive side of the football, the players have been hearing for the past couple of weeks about Georgia Tech’s “spread option attack.” On Sunday, they got a chance to not only examine it more closely on film, but even go up against it in practice.
Paul Johnson: A New Definition of Football Genius - Black Heart Gold Pants
Paul Johnson has always been a human calculator, a beautiful mind, and upon reading his first coaching textbook he was intrigued. "I was at a friend's house when I was 10 or 11 years old," explains Johnson, "and his dad was a volunteer assistant football coach at the local junior high school. On their coffee table was this massive old Paul Brown coaching football book and I've been able to speed read since I was three or four, so I looked at it and 3 minute and 34 seconds later I was hooked."
GT Changes Offensive Scheme - Black Heart Gold Pants
In their preparation for the upcoming Orange Bowl vs. the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have decided to completely overhaul their offensive system. While the Yellow Jackets (11-3), are feared in the ACC with their vaunted triple-option attack, head coach Paul Johnson decided that the team needed more spark on the offensive side of the ball.
Miscellaneous
The FedEx Orange Bowl Doesn’t Tickle Mike Tirico’s Fancy: Souvenir City
Souvenir City puts Mike Tirico in his place.
Kuiper’s 3-Pointer: FSU-Georgia Tech: ACC Sports Journal
What a difference compared to the UNC-Texas game. In that game both teams were scoring at will, while in this game scoring a basket was like pulling teeth. It looked more like a Big Ten game than an ACC game. As a former coach, I thoroughly enjoyed the game. While it was not pretty and smooth, I thought both teams competed very hard and played outstanding defense. Both teams are very big, and made it very difficult for the opponent to score, especially on the inside. Both teams rely mostly on their man-to-man defense, with Florida State sprinkling in some zone, and Georgia Tech throwing in some pressing.