Technical Tidbits 9/19

A torn ACL is to football what Tommy John surgery is to baseball. Season after season, countless players tear that critical knee ligament, ending their season and in some cases their career. Last season for the Jackets, linebacker Anthony Harrell was among the players who met that disappointing and discouraging end to his season, in his case on special teams during the 56-0 blowout of Syracuse. Now healthy this season, Harrell hoped to pick up where he left off prior to his injury last season, and that is exactly what he has done; the linebacker has truly been a bright spot on what has been a frustrating Tech defense. If he can stay healthy, I'd expect him to be an integral part of Ted Roof's gameplan moving forward.

This week's matchup with the Virginia Tech Hokies will carry a bit of unfamiliarity with it for most Tech fans -- it will be the first meeting between the two teams on a Saturday since 2009. That meeting ended with a 28-23 win for the real Tech (and a field-storming in Atlanta, if I remember correctly) and will hopefully propel the Jackets to another win this Saturday. Momentum has a shelf life of six years, right? That game is probably still fresh in the minds of... someone, somewhere? Yeah, we'll go with that. I just hope that we don't get a repeat of the exciting 6-3 Tech win in 1990. I don't think my heart could handle 9 combined points in a game.

Well, Jameis Winston almost made it through a full week without ruining his image once again. This latest incident, which involved Jameis screaming some totally mature and not at all eighth grade-esque vulgarity, will cost the Heisman winner the first half of the Florida State game against Clemson this weekend. It is just the latest installment in the hectic and immature life of Winston, and you have to begin to wonder when the Florida State AD will start to feel a little bit... crabby (yes, I went there) with the star QB. If I'm an NFL executive, he is now off my draft board; that behavior absolutely has to improve if he wants to be successful at the next level.

I just couldn't resist including this beautiful montage of Paul Johnson's career as the head coach at Georgia Southern. Sure, the pictures were taken in the 1980's, but that doesn't make the images any less cool to see (funny to see). I actually saw a National Geographic documentary recently, and I'm pretty sure they dug up that tie he has on in the first picture somewhere in Statesboro. And the sweater-vest. And the computer. And his offense. What do all of those items have in common? They are all ancient and only Paul Johnson can make them work in 2014.

What impact do you expect Anthony Harrell to have this season?

Have a great weekend!