Dwyer back on track

Dwyer finally bounced back with a big game Saturday, rushing for 158 yards on 19 carries against UNC. That's 8.3 yards a carry, kiddies.

That brings his season totals to:

Rushes - 49
Yards - 326
Avg. - 6.7
YPG - 81.5
TD - 2

Slow Starts in '08 and '09

Check out Dwyer's stats through 3 games last year and this year:

2008: 250 yards, 6.4 yards a carry, 3 touchdowns

2009: 168 yards, 5.6 yards a carry, 2 touchdowns

JD's basically played in two games this year since he only had 5 carries before leaving the Miami game, and he's hardly down from last season, which ended with 1,395 yards and the ACC Player of the Year award.

It's not too late for JD to come back from his injury and make some noise this season.

Dwyer back in practice

From the AJC:

Jonathan Dwyer returned to practice after sitting out Sunday’s drills due to the stinger he sustained in last week’s 33-17 loss to Miami.

Dwyer is averaging 5.6 yards a carry but has yet to generate a 100-yard performance in three consecutive games, the longest stint of his career. He has rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns this season, one of those scores a 74-yard run against Jacksonville State. He rushed for 1,395 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

Dwyer said after Monday practice that he’s not worried that he doesn’t have more yards or scored more touchdowns.

“Those big plays will come,” Dwyer said. “I have to be patient and not get frustrated. Sooner or later it’ll happen. Everybody will feed off me and I’ll feed off everybody else, too.”

Dwyer expected to play against UNC

From macon.com:

The Yellow Jackets said goodbye to B-back Jonathan Dwyer in the second half of last week’s game after he suffered a stinger before halftime. Usually some kind of pinched nerve injury, stingers are a common football injury that affects a person’s nervous system. According to Tech officials, he was fit enough to return to action last Thursday but didn’t as precaution. Besides (and this is your beat writer speaking), the Yellow Jackets were down and their momentum had completely left them by the point Dwyer was taken out of the game. He was being stopped (had just 7 yards on five carries), and didn’t seem to be a factor. So whether he was in the game or not, Tech was still probably going to lose the game.

The injury appears to have been somewhat serious, though, as Dwyer was sporting a red injured player jersey during practice Sunday afternoon. After the workout, head coach Paul Johnson said he wasn’t sure how many practices Dwyer would miss but that the team “expected him to be back” for the North Carolina game this Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

We're out of Dwyer Brigade shirts!

There are now 72 Dwyer Brigade shirts floating around somewhere.

We would like to order more, but since we aren't allowed to sell them, we can't cover the cost of more. If you would like to help out by donating or ordering more shirts, we can have them printed.

Please send us an email at contact@dwyerbrigade.com or click the donate link to the left.

Thanks for all of your support!

Rough night for Dwyer and the Jackets

Jonathan Dwyer only had 5 carries for 7 yards before hurting his shoulder and missing the rest of the game.

Heal quickly, JD!

Miami's got one thing right

"We got to take out Dwyer,'' UM defensive line coach Clint Hurtt said. "He's the best back in the country, in our opinion -- between him and the guy at Cal [Jahvid Best]. You've just got to be able to stop that kid.''

Read the whole article about Miami attempting to slow down Dwyer here:
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/colleges/um/story/1235296.html

Go Jackets! Beat Miami!

From an ESPN Insiders article:

3. Coping with the Ramblin' Wreck

Few sights were as awesome as the way Georgia Tech's triple-option attack pulverized Miami last season during a Thursday night spotlight game. Tech rolled up 472 rushing yards, the second-highest total that Miami had allowed in school history.

Both teams come into Thursday's spotlight game with ACC title hopes and maybe even bigger dreams. Tech has beaten Miami four times in a row. Ending that streak presents a major hurdle for a program coming off the rousing Labor Day performance against FSU by QB Jacory Harris and the rebuilt Canes offense. Plus, FSU struggled against Jacksonville State last week, and now some think Miami's victory wasn't quite as impressive as it had seemed at first. If the Hurricanes beat the No. 14-ranked team in the country, that would go a long way toward helping their national reputation.

For Tech, a win could be another step toward emerging as a legit top-five-caliber team. A win might even catapult RB Jon Dwyer into the Heisman candidacy mix.

Miami will return promising safety Vaughn Telemaque, a projected starter who missed the season opener with a shoulder injury. It'll be interesting to see how much he plays, considering he has yet to see real college action. Do you really want to throw a guy against the triple option to start him off?

Dwyer still 7th on SI's Heisman list

Despite the slow start to the season (statistically), SI includes Dwyer on its Heisman hopefulls list:

7. RB Jonathan Dwyer, Jr., Georgia Tech

Last week: 18 rushes, 66 yards in a 30-27 victory over Clemson

Season: 25 rushes, 161 yards, 2 TDs

Heisman-o-meter: Clemson seemed to always have two tacklers on Dwyer whenever he tested the middle of the line, and perhaps that attention is why Dwyer's teammates had more success running the ball. On one play, Dwyer had an opening, but went down at the line on a shoestring tackle and pounded the ball in frustration, knowing he had missed an opportunity. Of course, Dwyer ranks 52nd in nation in rushing, and C.J. Spiller, who had a better all-around game, may deserve this spot on the list instead, but The Watch will stick with the Ramblin' Wrecker for at least one more week. He's just too good.

Up next: Saturday at No. 20 Miami

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/gene_menez/09/14/week-3/1.html#ixzz0R8TmTa8f

Dwyer on SI's College Football Page

Sports Illustrated has JD on its site linking to an article about Paul Johnson's option attack.

Clemson holds Dwyer to 66 yards

Clemson focused their defense on containing Jonathan Dwyer, which allowed other Tech players to be more involved, but limited our stud to 66 yards on 18 carries for a 3.7 yards/carry average.

This brings his 2-game totals to:

25 carries
161 yards
6.4 ypc
80.5 ypg
2 TD

Off to a slow start, but I'm sure bigger games are ahead.

Dwyer Brigade shirts update

Due to the whiteout and the Clemson game being on a weeknight, we will begin giving shirts away at our tailgate at the North Carolina game on September 26. More details to follow.

Some people have asked about still having one shipped to them, and we are more than happy to do so. We just ask that you pay shipping ($3, via Paypal). Email us at contact@dwyerbrigade.com if you'd like one. We have sizes S-XL. And since we can't sell them, donations are more than welcome.

Also, in the works is a second order to give more shirts away to students, so if you would be interested in paying to produce some, we will take care of giving them away to the students to spread the cause.

Go Jackets! And don't forget to wear white Thursday! And then your Dwyer Brigade t-shirts thereafter.

EDIT: You can now order your free shirt and pay your $3 shipping to the left. And if you want to pay more to help us out with production costs, there's a donations link, too. Thanks!

Know Your Yellow Jackets: Jonathan Dwyer

Dwyer jumps to #4 on ESPN's Heisman watch list

4. Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech: If Best is on this list, there's no reason not to include Dwyer. Take their opening-day performances: Best scored Cal's first touchdown on a 73-yard run. Dwyer scored the Jackets' first touchdown on a 74-yard run. Best averaged 13.7 yards per carry and had two touchdowns. Dwyer averaged 13.6 yards per carry and had two touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets are a legitimate contender to win the ACC title this year, and Dwyer, the reigning ACC Player of the Year, should get some credit for it.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/heisman09/index

Dwyer Brigade spreads to Athens

No, not this one:


The good one:

Dwyer runs for 95 in one half of play

First play in the much improved new unis

Game 1 is in the books, and Tech didn't need Dwyer in the second half. JD ran for 95 on just 7 carries in the first half, including a 74-yard touchdown on the game's first play.

9 carries, 95 yards, 2 TD

Top '10 draft prospects on offense (CNNSI.com)

Top '10 draft prospects on offense
By Tony Pauline, Special to SI.com, TFYDraft.com

"Running Back

Jonathan Dwyer*/Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets' primary back offers tremendous size and power. He pounds opponents on the inside and occasionally breaks the long run. Dwyer is a top-20 selection and likely the first back selected if he opts for the draft next April.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/09/02/draft.prospects/index.html?eref=sihpT1#ixzz0Q4r362P3"

Heisman watch: Cutting through the preseason hype

by Pete Fiutak - Fox Sports & CFN

On the radar, but the world is looking for more

RB Jonathan Dwyer, Jr. Georgia Tech
This week: Home vs. Jacksonville State.
Last season: 200 carries, 1,395 yards, 12 touchdowns, eight catches, 209 yards, one touchdown.

The sky's the limit for a top back in the Paul Johnson rushing offense. Dwyer isn't just considered a good back in a quirky system; he's a first-round draft pick talent who should be a threat for 2,000 yards now that everyone knows what they're doing. He ran for 100 yards or more in nine games, and while he was held in check by Virginia Tech, Virginia, and LSU, he was steady. He'll have a few jaw-dropping games with 200 yards or more and he should be among the nation's leaders in yards per carry.

LINK

SI.com's Heisman Hopefuls Film Room

LINK - Jonathan Dwyer

The film room is broken out into four sections, Touchdowns,
Running Plays, Receiving Plays and Stats

CNNSI.com Heisman Watch: #4 J. Dwyer

Gene Menez at CNNSI lists Dwyer just behind the QB trio at #4 in his Heisman watch.

"4. RB Jonathan Dwyer, Jr., Georgia Tech

2008 stats: 200 rushes, 1,395 yards, 12 TDs; 8 receptions, 209 yards, 1 TD; 8 kickoff returns, 171 yards

Heisman-o-meter: The most common question The Watch has received in the offseason has been: "Can anyone other than Bradford, McCoy or Tebow win the Heisman?" The answer is a resounding yes. While the top three have built up much credibility with voters, this will not be a three-man race, and Dwyer could be the most likely challenger. At 6-feet, 235 pounds and with excellent speed, he's essentially a Sunday back playing on Saturdays. Now, with one more year in coach Paul Johnson's option offense under his belt, Dwyer should be even more productive in 2009.

Up next: Sept. 5 vs. Jacksonville State

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/gene_menez/08/25/preseason/index.html?eref=sihpT1#ixzz0Pt3LO01Z"

Highlights & Interviews

Nice video on Dwyer, featuring interviews and highlights.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid29586077001?bclid=27948307001&bctid=35233518001

Hype follows Dwyer on to field for junior season

Photo Credit: Josh D. Weiss

LINK - By Coley Harvey - Macon Telegraph

ATLANTA — In a year’s time, Jonathan Dwyer’s lifestyle has become a lot more hectic.

That’s what nearly 1,400 yards rushing and conference player of the year honors as a sophomore will get you.

Since the close of the 2008 season, he has had to pause for the endless stream of interviews, the face time filming NCAA-related television commercials and the signing of autographs for people who had never heard of him a year ago.

Oh, and to top it all off, the Georgia Tech running back somehow has to sneak in schoolwork, football practice and an occasional snack or two or three.

How does he do it?

“He’s managing it pretty well,” said Dwyer’s teammate, A-back Roddy Jones. “To us, he’s the same old guy. He’s the same old Jon.”

He may be, but to the world that exists outside of Bobby Dodd Stadium, he isn’t just an ordinary player. He’s becoming something bigger.

“We’ll tease him every now and again when we’re walking around with him in public,” Jones said. “Especially in front of Tech fans, we’ll be like, ‘Hey, you’re Jon Dwyer!’ Stuff like that. But to us, he’s just the same old guy.”

The accolades have been plenty, and the expectations have been high. But Dwyer isn’t focused on the things people are saying he should be able to do this coming season. He’s more concerned about where Georgia Tech is headed this fall.

“We want an ACC championship, and we want to get into a BCS bowl. That’s our mind-set, and that’s what we’re going to have this upcoming season,” he said.

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