Paul Johnson’s diplomacy

Say what you will, Paul Johnson is one confident son-of-a-gun:

… Paul Johnson has a simple answer for why the triple-option offense can work at Georgia Tech.

Actually, it’s a question first that gets us to his answer: What has Oklahoma done lately?

“Bob Stoops has done a great job, but they haven’t been near as successful as when Coach (Barry) Switzer was running the option,” Johnson said.

Well, yes, but Stoops does have that national championship and five Big 12 titles to go along with six BCS bowls. That’s not exactly slacking.

A point is a point, and Johnson isn’t about to slow down.

“Alabama hasn’t been near as successful (since it ran the option),” he said. “Auburn hasn’t been near as successful. It took Texas forever.”

The thing is, if there’s one place on the planet that can bring a cocky coach back down to earth, it’s the Flats. Besides Columbia, I mean.

I will say that Johnson does give us the perfect epitaph for the Chan Gailey era, though:

“If something wasn’t wrong, if what they were doing was so great, we wouldn’t be here.”

“It’s not like we’re coming in here and dismantling this high-powered machine that was lighting everybody up.”

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UPDATE: Groo may have delivered the ultimate kiss of death.

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Dawgy love from the World Wide Leader

Nice piece on Georgia’s preseason from ESPN’s Mark Schlabach.

Listen, and you may find out why Ohio State keeps losing to SEC teams in the BCS title game.

Breaking the law is so stooopid.

Especially when you’re with a program boasting a questionable APR.

Of course, that can give a coach the excuse to look thoughtful and deliberate:

Speronis said a team’s academic progress rate (APR), the NCAA’s new academic measuring stick, also has forced coaches to be more deliberate in making disciplinary decisions.

Teams lose a retention point by dismissing a player in the middle of the school year, and they could lose a scholarship if the player is academically ineligible at the time and the team is below the minimum threshold, as the Gamecocks are currently.

“That’s not an excuse. But that has to figure in,” Speronis said. “That is taking the holistic approach in discipline.”

“Holistic”?  Is that the same thing as “forgiving when you need the kid on the field”?

Box score stories

Anybody curious as to which box score stats from last season most closely correlated to Georgia’s wins and losses? (Bueller? Bueller?)

Well, the heck with it, I went and looked anyway. I matched up the Dawgs’ performance in nine categories – 1st downs; 3rd down efficiency; total yards; yards per pass; yards per rush; fewest penalties; turnover margin; time of possession; first to score – against their 11-2 record to see which of them most closely tracked the game results.

The closest correlation between stat and record was yards per rush, which inaccurately matched the result in one game (Alabama) and was a wash in one other (South Carolina). Almost as close was yards per pass, at two misses and one wash.

Here’s the complete breakdown:

1. Yards per run: 11-1-1.
2. Yards per pass: 10-2-1.
3. 3rd down efficiency: 10-3.
3. Total yards: 10-3.
3. Turnover margin: 10-3.
3. Score first: 10-3.
7. 1st Downs: 8-4-1.
8. Time of possession: 8-5.
9. Fewest penalties: 3-5-5.

Interestingly enough, the game in which the statistical story was most consistent with the outcome was the first one of the year, against Oklahoma State. Georgia led in every category except penalties, which were a wash. The Tennessee game was almost the same story, unfortunately: Georgia lost every statistical battle in that game except for penalties.

The game with the least degree of correlation between stats and outcome? Troy. Georgia won the battles for yards per rush and turnover margin, but came up short in the other seven. Call it the Trojans’ moral victory against the Dawgs’ third string defense.

Spring football one liners

Quick summaries of the good, bad and ugly right now:

• Houston Nutt is tanned, rested and ready.
• Percy Harvin: time wounds all heels.
• Maybe Georgia Tech football is driving Jaybo Shaw to drink.
• Ben Jones is one bad mother… shut your mouth.
• Dumb and dumber: Spurrier has APR worries.
• Ryan Perrilloux is still Mr. Unfinished Business at LSU.

Sure he is.

CFN’s Pete Fiutak has some startling news for the Dawgnation “on this most happiest of April Fool’s Days”.  Rejoice!