2021 Strength of Schedule

[Coloradojacket]

Strength of schedule is a relative thing. It depends on what the other team has and what you have.
Tech, not a good team with 2 years of losing football.
With the exception of NIU and Duke, everybody else on our schedule right now is better than us and has a better record over the last 2 years. KSU is the mystery as they won 10 games 2 years ago and did not play this last year.

As I have not done an extensive study of some of these teams and who they have returning I can only look at the relative strength. Also our success will be determined by when we play these teams. Right now I can pretty much say we lose the last 2 games in November, ND and UGA.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I like the attitude of Bobby Bowden. Play anyone, anytime, anywhere. (Or something to that effect). After taking over a 4-29 FSU program. Now that’s a rebuild.

Now back to transfers.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Looking at the coastal, I see it a bit differently:
UNC - definitely good, but losing 2 majorly talented RBs and I think their top WR.
VIPSU - hemorrhaging players and Fuente got the public "vote of confidence" from the AD earlier this year. I'd say they're below pretty good.
Pitt - QB returning, but unless they're bringing back much of their defense, not sure where they're at.
Miami - a great QB, but very beatable. We have a 2 game win streak against them.
BC - probably on the upswing, will definitely be tough, but at least it's a home game. If it's early in the year and hot, it might be better for us.
Duke - down bad, likely returning to late 2000s levels.

I have hope that we will be much better in 2021. OL improving with transfers and experience, 4 very talented RBs backed up by more solid RBs. Good young WRs that will hopefully have a full summer to work with Sims. TEs remain a question, CDP doesn't seem to prioritize them in pass plays that much.

The problem is that all of them with the exception of Duke, are better than we are right now. IIWII

 

[forensicbuzz]

So the Minnesota team that the Michigan team that “sucks” embarrassed, will be better than Michigan. Interesting. I think some of you just aren’t looking at it objectively.

Yes, absolutely! Michigan is a hot mess. You should hear the discussions regarding Michigan up here where people follow the B1G like they follow the SEC in the Southeast.

I think some of us might have a deeper understanding and aren't relying on reputation.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Strength of schedule is a relative thing. It depends on what the other team has and what you have.
Tech, not a good team with 2 years of losing football.
With the exception of NIU and Duke, everybody else on our schedule right now is better than us and has a better record over the last 2 years. KSU is the mystery as they won 10 games 2 years ago and did not play this last year.

As I have not done an extensive study of some of these teams and who they have returning I can only look at the relative strength. Also our success will be determined by when we play these teams. Right now I can pretty much say we lose the last 2 games in November, ND and UGA.

There is no excuse, none, to lose to Duke, NIU, or Kennesaw State. That is three wins right there. Admittedly, UGA, Clemson, Notre Dame, and UNC are probably out of reach that still leaves five games that can be won and some would argue should be won if this team dedicates itself to being better. They can't get much worse.

 

[JacketOff]

Yes, absolutely! Michigan is a hot mess. You should hear the discussions regarding Michigan up here where people follow the B1G like they follow the SEC in the Southeast.

I think some of us might have a deeper understanding and aren't relying on reputation.

Living in an area where people are discussing teams doesn’t really provide a deeper understanding of said teams. The vast majority of people on this board don’t really have a deep understanding of what is going on at Georgia Tech, much less any other teams. That’s not bad-mouthing members on here, myself included. It’s just a fact. Unless you’re involved with the program, or have an inside source who is, odds are everything you think you know about a program is just a belief.

There were many people on this board saying the same thing about Miami being a hot mess that you are about Michigan. Now over the course of one year Miami is now some powerhouse program on LSU’s level. There were many here that predicted Tech would beat Miami in the preseason. Michigan is a team loaded with talent, and Harbaugh is a good coach. They’ll be competitive, they just may not be competitive with Ohio State, which is why the heat is on Harbaugh anyway. After Alabama’s “down year” in 2019, many suggested their dynasty was coming to an end. But they turned around and completed one of the most dominant seasons in modern history.

There are also some folks on here that like to completely discount the quality teams that are in the PAC-12 for one reason or another. I’m not sure I understand why, but they do. That’s a bias that comes into play when talking about scheduling. Like it or not, Washington and Stanford are on the same level as UNC and Miami. 247’s talent composite would agree. Utah is just as good if not better than Pitt, VT, or UVA.

I don’t really care if people think Tech has the toughest schedule in the country or the weakest. All that’s going to matter at the end of the day is whether they win the games that are on the schedule. I’m done talking about it. The games will play out on the field, not in preseason biases or rankings.

 

[4shotB]

. All that’s going to matter at the end of the day is whether they win the games that are on the schedule. I’m done talking about it. The games will play out on the field, not in preseason biases or rankings.

I am conflicted with this statement. While I agree with it 100% in my heart, it's bad for business. It's a conflict between my heart and pocketbook as part of my compensation package here is based on volume. Giving up is taking food off my family's table. Might I suggest you wade back into the fray and keep fighting the good fight my friend? The baby needs new shoes and the middle one needs her prescription refilled. Don't even mention the braces for the triplets.

So, upon further reflection, I totally disagree with everything you have posted. Now get your rear end back out there and prove me wrong.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

The focus of the 2021 football season will be squarely on Coach Collins. Period. He’s great at marketing and has been a huge improvement in recruiting. But we all know his game day coaching has been an adventure. I’ve blown it off because these first two years were about getting players and building paths to GT that have long been neglected. He’s accomplished a lot in those regards. Now, it’s about getting them prepared and executing on the field. We could all detail plays that we’ve never seen a legit team do (spiking it at goal line with a minute and a half on the clock). That last game against Pitt was every bit as pitiful a coaching preparedness issue as the Citadel game. We let their nobody RB look like he was all ACC. And once again we let a slow QB outrun our defenders on critical third down plays.

I gotta believe Coach Collins realizes at this point that his skillset isn’t a strength during the heat of the moment. I can only wish I could listen to Key and Choices rants on the phone to their spouse on the ride home from the games. I gotta believe Key used the South Carolina saga to talk some realism to Collins. I believe Collins can be a highly successful coach at GT if he can set ego aside and know his weaknesses. His strengths are awesome, but he needs a nerd type who can whisper in his ear during games. For instance, outside of Gibbs (who should never return another kickoff outside of a championship type game), we should simply take the 25 yard line like every other team does. That’s just one thing that’s an easy fix.

 

[TheTechGuy]

unc just got a SR running back transfer. name? missed that

Ty Chandler from Tennessee. Good player. Ranked fifth in UT history in all-purpose yards - a lot on kickoffs.

 

[LibertyTurns]

So we start the year with 3 losses in the bag (Clemp, Mutt & Domers). It appears the consensus is we win the 2 gimmes and can only muster 1 or 2 of the 9 other winnable games so we either go 3-9 or 4-8? That’s Dook & 1 other win. Really, that’s all we’re capable of next year?

I believe we will win the 2 gimmes and AT LEAST 3 of the other 6 at a minimum. We’ve allegedly upgraded nearly every position, brought in a crap ton of transfers (better than anyone else in the nation did in some minds). How could we be possibly so inept as to only pull off 4 wins?

 

[tmhunter52]

So we start the year with 3 losses in the bag (Clemp, Mutt & Domers). It appears the consensus is we win the 2 gimmes and can only muster 1 or 2 of the 9 other winnable games so we either go 3-9 or 4-8? That’s Dook & 1 other win. Really, that’s all we’re capable of next year?

I believe we will win the 2 gimmes and AT LEAST 3 of the other 6 at a minimum. We’ve allegedly upgraded nearly every position, brought in a crap ton of transfers (better than anyone else in the nation did in some minds). How could we be possibly so inept as to only pull off 4 wins?

We’re Georgia Tech! We can do that! (LOL! Thanks for the set up!)

 

[stech81]

So we start the year with 3 losses in the bag (Clemp, Mutt & Domers). It appears the consensus is we win the 2 gimmes and can only muster 1 or 2 of the 9 other winnable games so we either go 3-9 or 4-8? That’s Dook & 1 other win. Really, that’s all we’re capable of next year?

I believe we will win the 2 gimmes and AT LEAST 3 of the other 6 at a minimum. We’ve allegedly upgraded nearly every position, brought in a crap ton of transfers (better than anyone else in the nation did in some minds). How could we be possibly so inept as to only pull off 4 wins?

I would hope we could win more than 3or 4 games no matter how hard some think the schedule is and always seems to be year after year. If we only win 3 or 4 games I look for a couple of assistant coaches to leave before they lose their reputation. And if I was CGC and that happens I would find an English major to update my resume

 

[gtrower]

But to go along with my points on LSU, Oregon, and Clemson; LSU and Oregon will be significantly improved next year, while Clemson will probably take a step back. LSU lost a significant portion of their roster in a year with limited practice. Clemson is going to lose basically all of their best players on both sides of the ball.

Clemson is going to experience a drop-off in 2021 like LSU saw in 2020. But Clemson’s 2021 record will likely better better than LSU’s for a variety of reasons. The 2 biggest being a softer schedule and a full off-season to prepare guys to fill holes.

#nailedit

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

The focus of the 2021 football season will be squarely on Coach Collins. Period. He’s great at marketing and has been a huge improvement in recruiting. But we all know his game day coaching has been an adventure. I’ve blown it off because these first two years were about getting players and building paths to GT that have long been neglected. He’s accomplished a lot in those regards. Now, it’s about getting them prepared and executing on the field. We could all detail plays that we’ve never seen a legit team do (spiking it at goal line with a minute and a half on the clock). That last game against Pitt was every bit as pitiful a coaching preparedness issue as the Citadel game. We let their nobody RB look like he was all ACC. And once again we let a slow QB outrun our defenders on critical third down plays.

I gotta believe Coach Collins realizes at this point that his skillset isn’t a strength during the heat of the moment. I can only wish I could listen to Key and Choices rants on the phone to their spouse on the ride home from the games. I gotta believe Key used the South Carolina saga to talk some realism to Collins. I believe Collins can be a highly successful coach at GT if he can set ego aside and know his weaknesses. His strengths are awesome, but he needs a nerd type who can whisper in his ear during games. For instance, outside of Gibbs (who should never return another kickoff outside of a championship type game), we should simply take the 25 yard line like every other team does. That’s just one thing that’s an easy fix.

I wonder if Coach Collins and by extension Georgia Tech would not benefit from having an experienced coach to help him out in these heat of the moment situations and just guide him along to being a better game day coach? When Bill Curry first took on the job of saving the football program circa 1980 he spent Sunday afternoons with Bobby Dodd discussing coaching decisions made on game day and analyzing those decisions. Coach Collins is best suited as a CEO type who concentrates on recruiting, building the culture, and representing the Institute. IMHO

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Yes, absolutely! Michigan is a hot mess. You should hear the discussions regarding Michigan up here where people follow the B1G like they follow the SEC in the Southeast.

I think some of us might have a deeper understanding and aren't relying on reputation.

A "hot mess" is it? We should have such troubles.

 

[Techster]

 

[augustabuzz]

#nailedit

Clemson started 26 different guys over the course of the season last year. All 26 return. I expect that they will have the best defense in the country.

 

[Ibeeballin]

Still wondering how ND gets on the auto loss list with a new QB and replacing 6-7 guys on sides of the ball?

 

[augustabuzz]

Clemson started 26 different guys over the course of the season last year. All 26 return. I expect that they will have the best defense in the country.

That should read "26 guys on defense."

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

These were all losing teams ...... this year.

This describes us. Until we prove we can beat these teams, I'm not counting on it.

That said, I think we win 4-5 games this year and if the ball bounces our way a couple times, maybe even 6-7.