Al Groh fired: Georgia Tech switching defensive coordinators midseason

The idea of Paul Johnson and Al Groh not getting along is a very easy one to accept. The former Virginia coach has a Super Bowl ring and came up under noted all-universe curmudgeon Bill Parcells, while Johnson might be the college coach least likely to budge on anything ever. Especially if “anything” includes fielding a defense so bad it costs his offense games.

Groh is now commenting on the arrangement, which ended after a 2-4 start by the Jackets that include three straight losses in which Johnson’s offense scored 28 or more:

Groh’s defense has been struggling mightily thus far in 2012, ranking 89th in points allowed (30.2) and 90th in yards allowed with 431 per contest. Coach Paul Johnson explained why he felt it was time for a change, per From The Rumble Seat:

“This morning, I took some time and watched the game tape and went over it. There’s no question Al knows defense, but the communication part wasn’t transcending to the field. Lots of errors, struggles getting lined up, errors that kept repeating themselves. As I said a couple weeks ago, I don’t think he forgot everything he knows about defense.”

Georgia Tech has fired defensive coordinator Al Groh after his two and a half rocky seasons in Atlanta. The Jackets currently rank No. 92 in total defense, with lowly regarded Middle Tennessee among their four losses on the year, and finished No. 43 and No. 64 the previous two years.

In their last three games, the Yellow Jackets have given up 42, 49 and 47 points, continuing a spate of bad performances reaching back to last year. On Sunday after the latest loss, by 16 points to Clemson, coach Paul Johnson lamented that his offense has to score so many points every week.