Roll with me here for a minute. I’m beginning to think that the biggest beneficiary of Paul Johnson’s recruiting track record in this state isn’t Mark Richt… but James Franklin. Take a look at this:
Last Friday, we pointed out that the Commodores had already gathered four commitments for the class of 2013. Another player has jumped onboard since then. According to Rivals.com, Vandy currently has two 4-star commits and three 4-star commits in line. Four come from Georgia, one from Florida. [Emphasis added.]
Think about it. Tech runs a quirky offense under a head coach who, whatever else you might think about him, doesn’t exactly possess a dynamic personality. Add that to Tech’s academics (which are more accurately about curriculum) and the inability to find a suitable replacement for Giff Smith on the recruiting front and you get a program with certain vulnerabilities waiting to be exploited by somebody else.
From Franklin’s perspective, it’s an ideal situation. Vanderbilt fishes in the same academic waters as Tech. Nashville isn’t as big a city as Atlanta, but it’s big enough. Vandy’s offense falls far more inside the norm than does Tech’s. Franklin’s pettiness with other coaches aside, it’s not much of a stretch to see how his personality might appeal to recruits more than Johnson’s does.
If Franklin’s thought all that through – and I’m guessing he has – you have to be impressed with his calculations. Best of all for him, he’s established a beachhead in Georgia that may prove tough from which to move him unless Johnson figures out a way to step up his game here. What we don’t know is whether that will have any long-term implications for Mark Richt. I hope not. Saban and Smart are already big enough pains in that department.
Get The Picture 
CPJ has reached his peak. Techies (and the AJC) need to face this fact. He is an 8 win guy at a mid level ACC school – that’s it. I wouldn’t be surprised if his days aren’t numbered (2 more years, maybe?). He’ll likely finish his career somewhere in Conference USA like a Middle Tenn or the like. No recruiting = No Jimmys and Joes = Failure. It doesn’t matter what system you run.The shine is most assuredly off the jewel we know as CPJ.
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Jewel? I think you meant to type “tool”.
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Georgia, Auburn, and Alabama seem to have first dibs on the talent in Georgia, speaking in the most general of terms, with some involvement from Florida State and Florida, too, especially in south Georgia. Well, Tech was often fourth or fifth in that pecking order for top-flight in state talent. I think it’s a good argument that Vandy can slide into their spot.
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if georgia starts winning it’ll have first dibs on in state talent. Yes, even ahead of Bama, Auburn, and UF. In that scenario the 3 schools mentioned would get UGA’s leftovers and vandy and tech the leftovers of that. Oh, and we need to stop chronically undersigning that would help, a lot.
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Franklin will not be at Auburn long. Look for him to take Junior’s spot at USC in 2 years when Junior jumps to the NFL. Yes, I just typed that.
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He was there so short, in fact, that he took the job at Vanderbilt without eve coaching a down at Auburn. 😉
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Yeah, had me looking hard to sort out the Franklins. We don’t have to worry about UGAs targets. As has been shown this year, Vandy Franklin has to worry about us snatching his targets. Dawson might know some of the recruits he is coptering about to impress and let them know how you rate in Franklin’s eyes when you turn him down. And it will bite Franklin right in the ass.
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Think you hit the nail on the head, Senator. I give Johnson 2 more seasons-maybe 3 if the Tech people can’t bear to face the implications of what Johnson’s failure means.
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As a Hog fan, Vandy’s recruiting is perplexing. They took a couple of guys we wanted last year.
While Franklin is getting some good kids, I think in the long run he won’t be able to create the depth needed to compete in the SEC East. Then again, there is Joker and Dooley (which sounds disturbingly like new TNT series)….so I guess he’s got a chance for 4th.
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Paul Johnson = Pepper Rodgers 2.0
Pepper came in with a splash, beat UGA in Athens on a miserable rainy day to cap off his first season, piled up tons of offense…and then what? Ended up junking his wishbone offense because he couldnt find a QB. Couldnt beat UGA again (except in 77, when we were down to our 6th string QB. Yes, I said 6TH STRING). Plus, Pepper was a Tech guy. He was a Bobby Dodd disciple. He won them an Orange Bowl as a player. He had success as a head coach at Kansas and UCLA(!) prior to coming home to save his beloved alma mater from the doldrums. Tech people trumpted his arrival. “Pepper’s Put The Sting Back In!”
that lasted about 4 years, and they turned on him so fast it probably uncurled his perm. He was fired, and then had to sue the cheap bastards to get the payout on the balance of his contract (you can look it up: Georgia Tech Athletic Assoc. v. Franklin Rodgers, Georgia Court of Appeals 1982).
PJ has less personality, no alumni standing, and he already got them spanked by the NCAA for interfering with an investigation. He’s living on borrowed time, and when UGA spanks them again this year, look out below.
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I vote that we drag it out this year and keep ole’ Paul around longer. It lingers their pain during and after the game. It’s win/win for Dear Ole Georgia.
By the way, I’m thinking of starting a site/ petition to get their name changed to Atlanta Tech. They have used our name long enough. Atlanta School of Scientists and Holistics would be even better. ASSHols, indeed!
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