North Carolina State University Athletics
Tony Haynes: Containing Johnson A Tall Order
11/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. When he walked off of Grant Field in Atlanta last year, NC State head coach Chuck Amato thought his star-studded defense had done a decent job of containing Georgia Tech All-America receiver Calvin Johnson. Moments later, he changed his mind after taking a glance at the stat sheet. The 6-5 Johnson actually finished with 10 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown.
But perhaps Amato’s perception was influenced by the catch Johnson didn’t make at the end of the game. With the Yellow Jackets trailing 17-14 in the final seconds, Johnson went airborne in the end zone to snag Reggie Ball’s quick pass over the middle. But just as he got his hands on the football, Johnson was undercut by Wolfpack corner Marcus Hudson, a hit that jarred the ball loose and into the hands of safety Garland Heath for a game-clinching interception.
Ballgame.
“After seeing all the crazy grabs he made the year before and in that game, I was very surprised he didn’t [make the catch],” recalls NC State defensive end Martrel Brown.
Once again on Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium, the Wolfpack (3-5, 2-3) will have the unenviable task of trying to deal with a player Amato calls “probably the best player in the country.” Johnson’s dominance, not to mention just his undeniable presence, have helped to put Georgia Tech (6-2, 4-1) in the drivers seat in the chase for the ACC’s Coastal Division crown. The Jackets, who have conference games remaining against NC State, North Carolina and Duke, need two league victories to clinch a spot in the ACC Championship Game December 2nd in
Despite being the focal point of every defense that tries to box him in each week, and despite actually being shutout by Clemson a few weeks ago, the junior still leads the ACC in receptions (40), receiving yards (78.9 per game) and T.D. receptions (9).
“He’s a problem out there,” Amato said. “He’s big and fast and his quarterback can get the ball to him. The thing that you add to it is that the quarterback does an awful lot of running on his own. The whole thing becomes tough to stop. They’ve got a running back that runs North and South pretty good. You have to mix it up. You’ve got to really study everything they do and see if we can come up with something to help us.”
Quarterback Reggie Ball is a four-year starter who is averaging 195 yards of total offense per game and leads the ACC in touchdown passes with 13. Tailback Tashard Choice is third in the league with 657 rushing yards.
When it thrashed Tech 31-7 back on October 21, the Tigers did the unthinkable by holding Johnson without a catch. Bracketing the college player of the year candidate with corners, linebackers and safeties, Clemson tried to make someone else beat them. That someone never emerged.
In nearly three full seasons of college football season, it figures that Johnson has seen just about every coverage imaginable, but then again....
“I keep thinking that, but all of a sudden here comes something new that people have tried,” said Georgia Tech head coach Chan Gailey. “It’s been various and sundry things that people have done. Some people have done a nice job on him and other people have let him get out a few times. Obviously, everybody knows he’s one of the premiere players in the country, so you have to do whatever it takes to try to slow him down. We’re seeing a lot of different things.”
Like most great wide receivers, Johnson is fast and has good hands. What sets him apart is a 6-5, 235-pound frame that makes him look more like a defensive end.
And even when he’s not putting up huge numbers in a particular game, his mere presence alone makes the Georgia Tech offense more effective that it might be otherwise.
“Because of his presence you have to do things that you don’t want to do,” Amato said. “If you put two on that big guy and you’re playing nine on the other 10 and their quarterback runs like he does, it becomes a problem. He is a force. I remember the catch he made two years ago at Carter-Finley Stadium. That was an unbelievable catch.”
Two years ago in
“I’ve never seen a catch like that,” said Martrel Brown. “His body was moving one way and he’s going back the other way to get the ball. I’ve never see that in my life.”
And while Johnson is perhaps NC State biggest concern on Saturday, he’s just one of the obstacles that stand in the Wolfpack’s way. On defense, the Jackets still create chaos and indecision with coordinator John Tenuta’s unpredictable zone blitz schemes.
NC State also has to overcome NC State. In losses to
Amato’s theme this week has been “score more points.” As elementary as that might sound, it’s also true. The Pack’s lone touchdown in last week’s 14-7 loss at
In the midst of a three-game losing streak, the Wolfpack now needs to win three of its last four games to become bowl eligible.
“It’s frustrating knowing that we are a good team and that we could be playing better than we are right now,” Brown said. “Basically, it’s been penalties and mistakes.
Getting there will be a tall order, almost as difficult as defending Calvin Johnson.
