Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech 45, Georgia 42)

[NYC Duke Fan]

This is in no way to diminish what Coach Cutliffe has done this year at Duke, but Paul Johnson has done one fabulous job at Georgia Tech. I don't know if he was ever a serious candidate for Duke or not,but if he was Duke should have grabbed him right away.

I believe that Tech is playing with a lot of Sophs and freshman , and if that is the case look for them to be close to a National Championship soon especially with Johnson as their coach. He is one of the best there is.

[throatybeard]

He was. He got a better offer.

[FireOgilvie]

Beating Georgia is not that impressive. Rich (UGA coach) is terrible when the game actually matters. Georgia was 2-3 against ranked competition and was blown out against Florida and Alabama. They were the preseason number 1.

Cutcliffe would have gone undefeated at Ga. Tech.

[AtlDuke72]

Beating Georgia is not that impressive. Rich (UGA coach) is terrible when the game actually matters. Georgia was 2-3 against ranked competition and was blown out against Florida and Alabama. They were the preseason number 1.

Cutcliffe would have gone undefeated at Ga. Tech.

Wow - undefeated!!! Seriously, losing to Alabama and Florida is not grounds for labelling Richt as terrible. Last time I checked they were ranked number 1 and 4 and Florida is probably going to win it all. Also hard to say the ACC is better when the SEC has those two teams. From there down the ACC may be better. Of course, the SEC is probably better in basketball if you throw out the Heels and the Devils.

[ugadevil]

Wow - undefeated!!! Seriously, losing to Alabama and Florida is not grounds for labelling Richt as terrible. Last time I checked they were ranked number 1 and 4 and Florida is probably going to win it all.

The previous poster didn't actually label Mark RICHT as terrible, instead calling Coach Rich terrible. If someone is going to rip a program and coach (with a winning percentage that is excellent & shows a level of character that is unquestionable), get your facts straight.

[calltheobvious]

The previous poster didn't actually label Mark RICHT as terrible, instead calling Coach Rich terrible. If someone is going to rip a program and coach (with a winning percentage that is excellent & shows a level of character that is unquestionable), get your facts straight.

What you said.

Beyond being the classiest major-program coach in the country (in a conference that tends to chew up and spit out nice guys), Richt faced not only devastating injuries to key players, but also one of the toughest schedules anyone's ever seen. Nobody on the Georgia team has ANYTHING to be ashamed of this season. Georgia lost three games. Nobody in the country could have played their schedule and lost fewer than two, and I'm frankly not sure anyone would have bested the Bulldogs' performance.

[ugadevil]

What you said.

Beyond being the classiest major-program coach in the country (in a conference that tends to chew up and spit out nice guys), Richt faced not only devastating injuries to key players, but also one of the toughest schedules anyone's ever seen. Nobody on the Georgia team has ANYTHING to be ashamed of this season. Georgia lost three games. Nobody in the country could have played their schedule and lost fewer than two, and I'm frankly not sure anyone would have bested the Bulldogs' performance.

After reading that post about Coach Rich, I decided to look up the history on Mark Richt's tenure at UGA. I won't list the results because it's not worth my time but the man has brought the Georgia program to a point where they are consistently strong. His winning percentage is excellent, his record against ranked teams is solid, and his record in away games is unbelievable. And as I said before, UGA and the Athens community could not have a better representative.

[calltheobvious]

After reading that post about Coach Rich, I decided to look up the history on Mark Richt's tenure at UGA. I won't list the results because it's not worth my time but the man has brought the Georgia program to a point where they are consistently strong. His winning percentage is excellent, his record against ranked teams is solid, and his record in away games is unbelievable. And as I said before, UGA and the Athens community could not have a better representative.

Honestly, we've both already spent too much time responding to that tripe. Anybody with any doubts about Richt as a football coach or a man has more dollars than sense.

[dkbaseball]

Honestly, we've both already spent too much time responding to that tripe. Anybody with any doubts about Richt as a football coach or a man has more dollars than sense.

Just to add a talking point re Richt's bona fides as a coach: consider the fate of Bobby Bowden's Fla. St. teams. With Richt on the staff they averaged about one and a half losses per season, in the eight seasons since he left it's gone up to four and a half.

[Bluedog]

He was. He got a better offer.

Better off in prospects (easier to do well at GT than Duke; didn't need to completely resurrect a sad program, facilities, etc.). I'd guess the salary figures were similar, since Johnson gets $1.6M (http://www.coacheshotseat.com/PaulJohnson.htm) at GT while Cutcliffe is pulling in around $1.5M (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3155086). Interesting that Johnson was the highest paid federal employee in the country while at Navy, with a salary of $1M.

Beating Georgia is not that impressive. Rich (UGA coach) is terrible when the game actually matters.

Well, GT had lost the last seven games in a row, so I think it's a pretty big and impressive win for the GT fanbase. I wouldn't consider it an enormous upset, however. But certainly I find it impressive as ESPN analysts would have you believe that it's impossible for a 5-3 ACC team to beat a 6-2 SEC team, the greatest conference in the history of the world.

[sandinmyshoes]

I think Duke and GT both got the coach between the two of them that was the best fit for the personel on hand at each program.

[Exiled_Devil]

Interesting that Johnson was the highest paid federal employee in the country while at Navy, with a salary of $1M.

That makes me sad. It would venture into PPB realm to discuss why, but really, I can think of a lot more people who deserve a salary higher than a football coach.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

That makes me sad. It would venture into PPB realm to discuss why, but really, I can think of a lot more people who deserve a salary higher than a football coach.

Surely you're not suggesting that the President of the United State should paid more than a football coach.

[Indoor66]

Surely you're not suggesting that the President of the United State should make more than a football coach.

Maybe it depends on who has the better year.

[jimsumner]

Oh, an obscure Babe Ruth reference. I love it.

[Highlander]

Until the ACC manages to have someone in serious consideration for the National Championship, they will continue to be seen as a second tier Football conference.

[rockymtn devil]

Until the ACC manages to have someone in serious consideration for the National Championship, they will continue to be seen as a second tier Football conference.

Or win a BCS game, which no ACC team has done since 1999. That win is the conferences only BCS Bowl victory in the system's 10 year existence.

The ACC is a solid league. Nobody's great. Nobody's terrible. But, like Highlander notes, without a national power, it's marginally ahead of the Big East. No one cares that Duke is better than Vanderbilt. All that matters to the CFB world is that Florida is better than VT/BC.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

This is in no way to diminish what Coach Cutliffe has done this year at Duke, but Paul Johnson has done one fabulous job at Georgia Tech. I don't know if he was ever a serious candidate for Duke or not,but if he was Duke should have grabbed him right away.

I believe that Tech is playing with a lot of Sophs and freshman , and if that is the case look for them to be close to a National Championship soon especially with Johnson as their coach. He is one of the best there is.

Coach Cutcliffe is a much better fit for Duke. Had Paul Johnson gotten the job, I believe he would not have stayed long. Coach Cutcliffe's in it for the long haul.

[SupaDave]

GO TECH!! We're going bonkers in Tech Land!!

It's big for a NUMBER of reasons. The reason the last coach is GONE is b/c HE couldn't beat GA. Believe it or not, it is a much bigger rivalry than you think. Our school song has direct references to Georgia and there are traditions that go back decades.

Plus, the SEC in all their football huff seem to be slowly coming back to earth while it looks like the ACC just might be on the rise.

Don't believe me? Just look at the coaching hires - Butch Davis, Cutcliffe, PJ. It's getting serious and I think this was the intention in the first place when the ACC expanded.

Programs like FSU and Miami are on the rise and Virginia Tech and Boston College should remain competitive. With the emergence of Wake Forest the ACC is quietly becoming a power conference.

Oh yeah - Go Tech!!!

[Devilsfan]

Congrats to Tech. Coach Cut has impressed me so much I wouldn't trade him for any other coach in the ACC including your triple option chop blocking Paul. I am glad we finally decided to pay for a football HC and were smart enough to get the right coach!