2021 Strength of Schedule

[Augusta_Jacket]

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.

This has probably been my biggest issue with him. Passion is great, but passionate people can get caught up in it at the wrong times and allow it to override their judgement. You are absolutely correct that his passion and personality are critical to rebranding GT and reshaping recruiting, but he is going to have to either learn to temper his passion on the sidelines or lean heavily on coordinators. I still think he gets a pass in 2021 and 2022 is the real litmus test for this program.

Also, there are proven and successful coaches in this mold: Dabo Swinney for one...

 

[crl85]

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

Agreed. Not seeing them as world beaters.

 

[crl85]

I’m very excited to see both lines next year. Thinking they could be greatly improved.

The secondary last season was horrendous. However iwilling to give them a covid pass bc no other explanation makes any sense. We have a great DB coach with Collins. We have legit talent in the secondary - both proven on the field and recognized by the recruiting services. Im hoping last year was not indicative of next year.

obviously we need patenaude to develop Sims. But no reason to think that won’t happen.

The big thing is special teams. If we have a kicker who can nail 40-50 yarders consistently, that’s a massive deal.

I see 11 to 12 wins.

 

[IM79]

I’m very excited to see both lines next year. Thinking they could be greatly improved.

The secondary last season was horrendous. However iwilling to give them a covid pass bc no other explanation makes any sense. We have a great DB coach with Collins. We have legit talent in the secondary - both proven on the field and recognized by the recruiting services. Im hoping last year was not indicative of next year.

obviously we need patenaude to develop Sims. But no reason to think that won’t happen.

The big thing is special teams. If we have a kicker who can nail 40-50 yarders consistently, that’s a massive deal.

I see 11 to 12 wins.

I love me some optimism. Waiter, I'll have what he's having.

 

[GCdaJuiceMan]

I’m very excited to see both lines next year. Thinking they could be greatly improved.

The secondary last season was horrendous. However iwilling to give them a covid pass bc no other explanation makes any sense. We have a great DB coach with Collins. We have legit talent in the secondary - both proven on the field and recognized by the recruiting services. Im hoping last year was not indicative of next year.

obviously we need patenaude to develop Sims. But no reason to think that won’t happen.

The big thing is special teams. If we have a kicker who can nail 40-50 yarders consistently, that’s a massive deal.

I see 11 to 12 wins.

Mind right.

 

[augustabuzz]

I’m very excited to see both lines next year. Thinking they could be greatly improved.

The secondary last season was horrendous. However iwilling to give them a covid pass bc no other explanation makes any sense. We have a great DB coach with Collins. We have legit talent in the secondary - both proven on the field and recognized by the recruiting services. Im hoping last year was not indicative of next year.

obviously we need patenaude to develop Sims. But no reason to think that won’t happen.

The big thing is special teams. If we have a kicker who can nail 40-50 yarders consistently, that’s a massive deal.

I see 11 to 12 wins.

Injuries hampered the secondary last year.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Agreed. Not seeing them as world beaters.

The problem is you don't have to be a world beater when you're playing us. I mean, we got blown out by Syracuse. I think we are a year or two away from being good again. We have a lot of the tools, but they are young. If we are patient and give the coaches the time they need to develop this team, I think we will be happy.

 

[Ibeeballin]

The problem is you don't have to be a world beater when you're playing us. I mean, we got blown out by Syracuse. I think we are a year or two away from being good again. We have a lot of the tools, but they are young. If we are patient and give the coaches the time they need to develop this team, I think we will be happy.

Syracuse was more bad luck than a blowout

 

[Ibeeballin]

We return 8-9 starters on offense & 9-10 on defense with talented depth behind it and we already have people seeing no improvement

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Syracuse was more bad luck than a blowout

Maybe so, but my greater point still stands. We are a young team that has yet to prove it has learned how to win games. That's somewhat to be expected given the circumstances. ND is reloading, sure, but they are still ahead of us in that process so I am not counting them as a win until this team proves otherwise. This is NOT an indictment on who we are, but an admission that have most likely not gotten to where we need to be yet. I still have faith CGC can get this team there.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

We return 8-9 starters on offense & 9-10 on defense with talented depth behind it and we already have people seeing no improvement

I think we will see lots of improvement next year. I just don't know that it will translate to wins yet. I said 3 wins this year and had plenty of people tell me I was nuts. We were a much improved team from last year but improved doesn't always mean winning games.

 

[tmhunter52]

“Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.” Vince Lombardi

 

[lv20gt]

“Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.” Vince Lombardi

For every cliché there is an equal and opposite cliché.

 

[Jmonty71]

This has probably been my biggest issue with him. Passion is great, but passionate people can get caught up in it at the wrong times and allow it to override their judgement. You are absolutely correct that his passion and personality are critical to rebranding GT and reshaping recruiting, but he is going to have to either learn to temper his passion on the sidelines or lean heavily on coordinators. I still think he gets a pass in 2021 and 2022 is the real litmus test for this program.

Also, there are proven and successful coaches in this mold: Dabo Swinney for one...

I agree passion, motivation and the ability to come up with mantras is great. Dan Quinn did all of that, yet failed. Somewhere you have to be able to do the X's and O's. You have to be able to coach, plan and manage the game. Recruiting is just the 1st step of a 12 step program. You have to excel on all the steps, not just the first few. I said this many times. I don't think Collins is a good game manager. I don't think he, nor his staff can make adjustments on the fly. If they can... I sure haven't seen it. We play a half, go in...do some adjustments and then go back out. Often by the time half time comes, the game is already decided. At some point you have to stop talking the talk... you have to walk the walk... I am waiting to see that walk.

 

[stech81]

I agree passion, motivation and the ability to come up with mantras is great. Dan Quinn did all of that, yet failed. Somewhere you have to be able to do the X's and O's. You have to be able to coach, plan and manage the game. Recruiting is just the 1st step of a 12 step program. You have to excel on all the steps, not just the first few. I said this many times. I don't think Collins is a good game manager. I don't think he, nor his staff can make adjustments on the fly. If they can... I sure haven't seen it. We play a half, go in...do some adjustments and then go back out. Often by the time half time comes, the game is already decided. At some point you have to stop talking the talk... you have to walk the walk... I am waiting to see that walk.

you have to crawl before you walk, the good news by 3 years old you should be able to walk pretty good . and by 4 years old they can run and you can't keep up with them.

 

[Techster]

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

This. I pointed it out on the "Expectations" thread. Not only ND, but other teams as well.

People keep acting like we haven't gotten better with some key additions (OL Cochrane, DE White, DB Watson, LB Ely, DT Scott), more experience with our younger guys who are extremely talented (QB Sims, RB Gibbs, OT Williams, LB Jackson, entire DE room, DBs), and talented guys returning from injury (DT Chimedza), and talented freshmen coming in which a few will most likely be good enough to contribute on Day 1.

My expectations are the same: GT should have 4 games we should be favored, 3 other 50/50 chances games, and games like ND/UNC/Miami where we'll be an underdog but have a chance to win if we don't shoot ourselves in the foot, and 2 games (Clemson/UGA) where the talent disparity is overwhelming and it'll be a big hill to climb to win.

Outside of the 2008-2009, and 2014 teams...the 2021 roster will be the most talented roster we've had in over a decade.

I see us getting 6 wins at minimum. Like I said, if we can't get six wins, I'll have doubts about this coaching staff. The talent is there.

 

[bobongo]

For every cliché there is an equal and opposite cliché.

It isn't whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.

 

[Techster]

I agree passion, motivation and the ability to come up with mantras is great. Dan Quinn did all of that, yet failed.

Depends on your definition of "failed". 6 seasons, 2 playoff appearances, 1 Super Bowl appearance. 43-42 overall record....which is better than a LOT of coaches have had.

Outside of 2020 and 2017, he never finished lower than 2nd in the NFC South...but in 2017 he won 10 games and made the playoffs.

I wouldn't say he "failed" as much as I'd say he never recovered from losing key coordinators. 2020 the wheels definitely came completely off for him.

 

[GTrob21]

Brutal schedule for sure, but I am of the opinion that you are going to see a much better GT team. I think we will go bowling, barely, next year, and in two years, if Collins make it that long, be an 8-10 win team that occasionally fights for our spot in the ACC championship. If we can win one or two of those, and our recruiting takes another jump up, watch out.

 

[LibertyTurns]

We return 8-9 starters on offense & 9-10 on defense with talented depth behind it and we already have people seeing no improvement

Crazy to think we won’t improve. Frankly, I think a lot of people are flat out BS’ing on here thinking if they can convince others 3 wins is the ceiling next year then CGC won’t get criticized if he craps the bed. If he pulls off more than 3 wins they can gloat about what an amazing turnaround he’s engineered.

We’ve averaged 7.5 wins per year for over 2 decades. That’s the bar. Below 7 wins is below average and over 8 is above average. It really isn’t more complicated than that.