Addressing the Vad Lee situation

[IronJacket7]

Bottom line, Johnson has seriously mismanaged this situation... and I expect more from the coach at GT. Where are the Dodd boys? Where is the outcry from people demanding we be better? That we conduct ourselves in the highest possible manner?

Weren't these the values Dodd instilled?

It seems to me like we have a donkey for a head coach who continually tries to prove he doesn't care about anybody, but really deep down inside he cares deeply.

So deeply that he is stubbornly set in his ways and playcalling, trying to prove those people wrong that He tries so hard not to care about.

I have been done with Johnson for a while now, but this is getting ridiculous. He should be removed.

+1

 

[gtdrew]

Because I believe CPJ wanted to open things up w Vad. To use the same analogy I used earlier, if I tell my kid he can drive himself to school every day, and then he gets a bunch of tickets and wrecks his car, and I have to start driving him, did I intentionally mislead my kid about that? No. My kid's choices render what I said invalid. I fully believe if Vad were more capable of executing the passing element of this offense, we would've thrown more. Why recruit a passing qb otherwise?

 

[Eric]

other players will soon be leaving too right?

I thought I heard bostic, we know of bailey leaving the sport (although not sure if confirmed)...does anyone know anything else on BJ or is that a rumor

I was told 2-4 would leave...Lee was one.

Bailey has not left yet.

Zenon or Bostic havent done anything yet.

CPJ will sit down with each player starting next week...that is when things will start to happen.

 

[Eric]

Johnson is on vacation until the weekend, so nobody knows for sure. But there are expected to be "2 or 3" more transfers, according to the same person who let me know that Vad had quit on New Year's Eve. Personally, I think it's going to be Bostic & Zenon. Plus, the coaches are indeed trying to get Bailey to take a medical hardship so that he doesn't count against the scholly limit. They all said the kid is really talented but just cannot stay healthy and they think it's best for both sides if he is able to give up the hope of playing.

Players return back to school this weekend as well, so I think we will hear more on Monday or Tuesday.

This is correct.

 

[UgaBlows]

Simply put this is the best moves for both GT and Vad Lee.

I honestly don't think Vad ever truly bought into the system.

I've been good friends with Vad going back to his Junior season in HS and he is a great kid...I wish him well moving forward.

As for GT..I think this isn't as bad as people make it out to be. We can now get back to a identity on offense and hopefully get the option back looking smooth.

Justin has a high ceiling and I think highly of him...he isn't the biggest guy but he runs with good pad level which is key...he will now get a ton of reps and its up to CPJ and CBC to get him ready.

Agee 100%

 

[Jacket Bracket]

I wish Vad the best. As far as Tech is concerned, this is a very good thing. Vad averaged 2.8 yards per carry this year.....This offense will NOT work with run production from your QB like that. Georgia basically dared Vad to run (taking away the pitch and dive). We need to get the third option (QB runs) back. The Spring game will be fun to watch, I'm interested to see what Mathew Jordan brings to the table before we automatically put in JT as the starter.

 

[gtyj18jr]

Here is why, John.

He is in the wrong offense. I am sure you have heard that on here.

Think about it like this... Do you think Peyton Manning would be more effective throwing from a pass oriented offense or a run heavy scheme - flexbone?

We shouldn't have passed more. You are correct. We should have never lied to a recruit to get him here and watch him self destruct in an offense he is not suited to.

CPJ is at fault not Vad.

Andrew Luck seemed to fine in a run heavy heavy scheme.

 

[Techster]

Because I believe CPJ wanted to open things up w Vad. To use the same analogy I used earlier, if I tell my kid he can drive himself to school every day, and then he gets a bunch of tickets and wrecks his car, and I have to start driving him, did I intentionally mislead my kid about that? No. My kid's choices render what I said invalid. I fully believe if Vad were more capable of executing the passing element of this offense, we would've thrown more. Why recruit a passing qb otherwise?

In terms of wanting to throw more and "opening" the offense as some recruits and our players have spoken about, I believe CPJ's intentions were geniune. The problem becomes is CPJ a good enough coach outside of he flex option to develop the quarterback to the level Vad expected? And by developing the QB, I mean in the passing phase and not to run our flex option. Recent history says no. Outside of Tevin, who was in his third year, how many of CPJ's past QBs have completed over 50% of their passes? How many of CPJ's QB's have thrown for more than 1200 yards, much less 2,000? I think that's where the disconnect between CPJ and Vad is.

Personally, I think our passing concepts are great and they're used widely by many college and pro teams. Unfortunately, our coaching staff may not be the best at coaching them and developing the talent to utilize them.

 

[IronJacket7]

Andrew Luck seemed to fine in a run heavy heavy scheme.

Totally different run scheme from a flexbone. Good thought though.

 

[AE 87]

@33jacket made a point about the film room that I think bears repeating. After each game you sit with your team or part of it as a coach highlights not only good plays but missed reads and check downs. Vad s a tough kid but this season was, in his words, rough.

 

[daBuzz]

Andrew Luck seemed to fine in a run heavy heavy scheme.

Luck threw the ball 288, 372, and 404 times in his career at Stanford. Vad attempted 56 and 180 passes in comparison. So Luck was throwing the ball at a pace of about 2x what we did.

 

[1974]

I like Vad and wish him nothing but the best. He is doing what is best for him and I am fine with that. I think JT will be a solid player and will run the offense well. As to whether PJ lied to Vad about passing more I don't know. I would assume PJ plans were to be able throw the ball a few more times a game maybe around 15-20, but it is hard to call a pass when the O-line gives the QB less than 3 seconds to make a decision. Why would he call a pass when the last three attempts Vad was throwing from his back? To me it is the same thing with kicking a field goal. If your kicker has missed two kicks in a row inside of 40 yards and you have 4th and 1 from the 20 odds are you go for it on 4th down. I believe the passing situation is all about PJ's confidence in the O-line's protection.

 

[stylee]

So Tevin can throw at +50% but Vad can't because Vad's a more natural passer?

I understand Tevin did this after 2.5 years as a starter. But my point is - if Vad is so overwhelmingly talented, wouldn't we see more evidence of it?

Vad's got a very good arm. That's one ingredient for making a great passer but hardly the only one or the most important. It's just like his running - he's fast, but he averaged less than 3 yards per carry this year. Doesn't mean we didn't feature his talents or anything, it's that his talents didn't feature themselves for whatever reason.

 

[Em_Jae20]

I really dont understand why a lot of ppl think that the sky is falling because of Vad transferring. Granted not many starting QBs, or players for that matter, transfer but this type of attrition happens at every school every year. The only thing that matters is whether or not we win next season. If we win the ACC next year all this Vad stuff will be irrelevant.

 

[daBuzz]

So Tevin can throw at +50% but Vad can't because Vad's a more natural passer?

I understand Tevin did this after 2.5 years as a starter. But my point is - if Vad is so overwhelmingly talented, wouldn't we see more evidence of it?

Vad's got a very good arm. That's one ingredient for making a great passer but hardly the only one or the most important. It's just like his running - he's fast, but he averaged less than 3 yards per carry this year. Doesn't mean we didn't feature his talents or anything, it's that his talents didn't feature themselves for whatever reason.

Looking at passing completion % can be very misleading. Any coach would prefer that his QB throw the ball away rather than throw it into coverage when there is pressure and no open receiver, rather than throw into coverage and risk an interception. I'm not going to sit on here & defend every decision that Vad made this year because he sure did make plenty of mistakes. But to look at the final completion percentage and ignore the number of balls he was forced to throw away because of incredibly poor line play this year is a disservice to the kid.

Will he succeed at a different school? I think he'll be just fine in another offense myself. But I think this move was definitely the best for both parties. Vad has been an incredible representative of all we want our student athletes to be while he was at Tech, including one of our most dedicated recruiters, outspoken leaders, and also a leader in getting our players out into the community doing public service. I hope he has a very successful career wherever life leads him and I wish nothing but the best for him.

Now, we move on. JT is an incredible athlete and he's now our starting QB. I hope he can turn out to be all that you and I want him to be as QB for Georgia Tech.

 

[Animal02]

So Tevin can throw at +50% but Vad can't because Vad's a more natural passer?

I understand Tevin did this after 2.5 years as a starter. But my point is - if Vad is so overwhelmingly talented, wouldn't we see more evidence of it?

Vad's got a very good arm. That's one ingredient for making a great passer but hardly the only one or the most important. It's just like his running - he's fast, but he averaged less than 3 yards per carry this year. Doesn't mean we didn't feature his talents or anything, it's that his talents didn't feature themselves for whatever reason.

The key to an effective passing game is having the running game working. Tevin was obviously a student of the option, knew the reads and executed them which in turn opens up the passing game. I would like to have seen what our record would have been with Tevin's offense and this years defense.

I never got the feeling that Vad knew the offense, and now it appears he didn't because he did not want to. I can only imagine what a passing game would have been like had he established himself as a threat running the ball like he did last year, but he never did. You can be the greatest coach in the world, but if a kid doesn't have his heart in it, it is never going to work.

 

[xenoabe]

Looking at passing completion % can be very misleading. Any coach would prefer that his QB throw the ball away rather than throw it into coverage when there is pressure and no open receiver, rather than throw into coverage and risk an interception. I'm not going to sit on here & defend every decision that Vad made this year because he sure did make plenty of mistakes. But to look at the final completion percentage and ignore the number of balls he was forced to throw away because of incredibly poor line play this year is a disservice to the kid.

Will he succeed at a different school? I think he'll be just fine in another offense myself. But I think this move was definitely the best for both parties. Vad has been an incredible representative of all we want our student athletes to be while he was at Tech, including one of our most dedicated recruiters, outspoken leaders, and also a leader in getting our players out into the community doing public service. I hope he has a very successful career wherever life leads him and I wish nothing but the best for him.

Now, we move on. JT is an incredible athlete and he's now our starting QB. I hope he can turn out to be all that you and I want him to be as QB for Georgia Tech.

Well stated sir!

 

[33jacket]

In todays world even if he threw 55percent completion that is a joke. The passing game today is a 60 plus percent game. If you are at 50 its not just talent its a scheme issue too.

Our scheme will never yield a productive passing attack. We dont do it enough for anyone to get into a rhythm. Our protection schemes are archaic. And much of our passing are 9 routes off playaction to hit a big play not to pass to move the ball. Then you add a unique dropback. Lack of passing assets like TE or true 4wr looks (our 4 wr sets are ABs) obviously we have a scheme that makes it difficult to complete at a high percentage.

Bottom line the scheme needs to change for us to be different.

 

[IronJacket7]

In todays world even if he threw 55percent completion that is a joke. The passing game today is a 60 plus percent game. If you are at 50 its not just talent its a scheme issue too.

Our scheme will never yield a productive passing attack. We dont do it enough for anyone to get into a rhythm. Our protection schemes are archaic. And much of our passing are 9 routes off playaction to hit a big play not to pass to move the ball. Then you add a unique dropback. Lack of passing assets like TE or true 4wr looks (our 4 wr sets are ABs) obviously we have a scheme that makes it difficult to complete at a high percentage.

Bottom line the scheme needs to change for us to be different.

Thank you. 33Jacket gets it.

 

[jwsavhGT]

Simply put this is the best moves for both GT and Vad Lee.

I honestly don't think Vad ever truly bought into the system.

I've been good friends with Vad going back to his Junior season in HS and he is a great kid...I wish him well moving forward.

As for GT..I think this isn't as bad as people make it out to be. We can now get back to a identity on offense and hopefully get the option back looking smooth.

Justin has a high ceiling and I think highly of him...he isn't the biggest guy but he runs with good pad level which is key...he will now get a ton of reps and its up to CPJ and CBC to get him ready.

Thanks for the post.