Athletic Director's Update

[travgt01]

Need to just move on from this argument. It's not going to change anytime soon.

I'm sure the survey of cal class would be pretty easy for everyone on here that has already taken 3 semesters/5 qts of cal.

On the other hand, I'm sure it sounds terrifying to some that barely passed algebra in hs (and probably had a lot of help, structured and unstructured).

With that, we need coaches/recruiters that can sell that it's not as difficult as it seems, that they will have help to get through it, and that they should not run away from a challenge. Also need to make sure the cruits know they don't have to take that class in the fall during the season. Make sure they take it in spring or summer.

 

[Techster]

GT sports exists BECAUSE of GT, GT does NOT exists because of GT sports. I would LOVE for GT to have easier majors in order to help with recruiting and keep SAs eligible, but that's not what GT is about. I know I beat the drum that GT should recruit better, but IMHO, GT is the institution it is because of our high academic standards.

In reality, probably less than 10-15% of the SAs we recruit would be eligible through general admissions. So in a way, GT is already helping recruits out who otherwise would not be able to have access to an elite education.

GT the Institution exists for a higher purpose than sports. Let's not lose sight of that fact.

 

[kg01]

I highly disagree.

Across the street from me is a guy who majored in Parks & Rec at Clemson (a popular major among athletes). He graduated in the spring...of 2017, and still doesn't have a job. According to his parents, they are very frustrated, as he plays video games all day. (I'm sure that's a bit of an exaggeration, but still.)

It DOES dilute the value of the education. If we start adding a few non-rigorous, non-important majors, we'll end up just like Stanford (who describes the way they treat their student-athletes as similar to how they treat special needs kids), or UNCheat (who changed who they are as a college to improve sports), and fill in the blank. Furthermore, its exactly the rigor which makes our students as successful as they are. The persistence, the grit - we get things done. There are tons of smart people at other colleges - the rigor we face at Georgia Tech is one of the things that helps graduate uniquely different people.

I'm all for expanding the curriculum into more STEM type majors (Sports Medicine or whatever) that also churn out highly regarded graduates. (BTW, check out our current suite of majors...its actually quite broad.)

Our brand is being one of the few colleges left that actually focuses on being a college. I don't want to end up like everyone else where we have a bunch of really good majors, and then there's a bunch of garbage over in one corner where some athletes sit. The only thing many of the Clemson players have in common with the general student population is that they both where Orange often.

I understand and get your sentiment, and I don't think anybody who feels that way is a bad person, or short sighted, or anything else. I'm just trying to give you my perspective on it. I hope this makes sense.

Agree with all this, pretty much. Expansion should happen but it should not be driven by football. If it so happens to benefit our football efforts somehow, so be it, but that should not be the 'reason'.

I have no way of knowing this but it's always seemed like the powers-that-be assume expansion thoughts are only focused on adding easy majors. Well, that's not necessarily the case.

 

[Coloradojacket]

And to add, so when I read folks that say we can get those 4 and 5 star recruits that go to bama and UGA.......yea right. And this argument is why I think CPJ is the coach for us and why we will be better off with him and his offense. I read that our upcoming opponent has drills just for getting ready to play us. Do you think they would be doing that if we ran the typical pass happy offense. No

 

[TechCubed]

I don't know if there's a middle ground in this decades-old debate, but it'd be nice to see some sort of concentration within school of business for sports management. Seems like the process to add a major is overly onerous and political.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

Agree with all this, pretty much. Expansion should happen but it should not be driven by football. If it so happens to benefit our football efforts somehow, so be it, but that should not be the 'reason'.

I have no way of knowing this but it's always seemed like the powers-that-be assume expansion thoughts are only focused on adding easy majors. Well, that's not necessarily the case.

Yup. Personally, I think the expansion of majors and size of the student population (its almost doubled since I was there) over time has to deal with just straight up money.

 

[kg01]

And to add, so when I read folks that say we can get those 4 and 5 star recruits that go to bama and UGA.......yea right. And this argument is why I think CPJ is the coach for us and why we will be better off with him and his offense. I read that our upcoming opponent has drills just for getting ready to play us. Do you think they would be doing that if we ran the typical pass happy offense. No

That's a double-edged sword though.

It's almost like we're every team's Super Bowl, in that regard. They prep for us over the spring, summer and every week in the fall. The only other teams that get that kind of attention are the Bamas of the world. Difference is, they have the athletes to overcome a wider margin of error. We have athletes but nowhere near the depth they have so our margin for error becomes something close to 0.

I'm all for being unique so I'm not an anti-CPJ guy. However, I do think he hasn't done as good a job the last few years so I think it's fair for folks to complain about him.

I just hope they understand that, if CPJ is gone, it's not like we're gonna suddenly morph into a football factory because we end up with some passy offense.

 

[jwsavhGT]

https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/...gatech&utm_medium=social&utm_source=gatech_fb

He proceeded to note that the Tech football team has been successful in the past even with the institute’s academic rigor and that he believed that can continue. He added his belief in what he referred to as “our secret sauce” – the professional success that Tech athletes have enjoyed five and 10 years after graduation. Part of Stansbury’s vision is to incorporate that post-sports success into Tech’s recruiting message.

“I definitely would not be interested in messing with that in any way, because in my mind, that is one of the things that we are recruiting to, and a lot of that has to do with the kind of majors that we have and the rigor of the program,” he said.

 

[Lavoisier]

If you aren't a blue blood you have to stand out in the marketplace somehow. If our pitch to recruits is that you can take the same classes you would at Auburn or Clemson I'm betting their response will be "why don't I just go there?". If I was getting the same education at GT that I would at Clemson I'd probably have just gone there to be honest.

 

[Techster]

And to add, so when I read folks that say we can get those 4 and 5 star recruits that go to bama and UGA.......yea right. And this argument is why I think CPJ is the coach for us and why we will be better off with him and his offense. I read that our upcoming opponent has drills just for getting ready to play us. Do you think they would be doing that if we ran the typical pass happy offense. No

GT will never be able to stack 4/5 recruits like the factories on an annual basis. GT fans that think we will all of a suddenly sign 8-10 4 stars and 1-2 five stars every year are probably wishing upon a star that will never exist.

However, I don't see a reason why GT can't sign 3-5 4 stars a year. In fact, CPJ was kinda close to doing that his first 3 years. CPJ signed SEVEN 4 star recruits from 2008-2010 (with high point of 4 in 2010). CPJ has signed a COMBINED FIVE 4 stars since then.

 

[tmhunter52]

I agree with Stansbury's comments. The one unique situation that Georgia Tech has is that we are the only Top 25 STEM school that participates in Power 5 football. We shouldn't shy away from that, we should embrace the unique situation. Do a better job of finding student athletes with NFL aspirations, but who want an extremely solid "Plan B" in case things don't work out.

Was it Charles Perkins who had a job lined up at Microsoft before he even graduated? Sell those stories more.

The ones you guys are desiring to recruit all think they have a job lined up after college, too. It’s called the NFL.

 

[RonJohn]

CPJ has signed a COMBINED FIVE 4 stars since then.

He also got 3 stars like Gotsis and Shaq Mason. He also got 2 stars like Clinton Lynch. He also got no stars like Robert Godhigh.

Recruiting hype does give some vague general ideas about recruiting. However, it isn't everything. There were people in 2014 that were absolutely upset that GT signed someone as lowly ranked as Lynch. I'm sure that most, if not all, GT fans are extremely happy that he is on the team now.

 

[jgtengineer]

He also got 3 stars like Gotsis and Shaq Mason. He also got 2 stars like Clinton Lynch. He also got no stars like Robert Godhigh.

Recruiting hype does give some vague general ideas about recruiting. However, it isn't everything. There were people in 2014 that were absolutely upset that GT signed someone as lowly ranked as Lynch. I'm sure that most, if not all, GT fans are extremely happy that he is on the team now.

Some of the reason these kids are rated lowly has to do with system they come from and measurables. Lynch for instance was a slot receiver in high school. His measurables made him a 2 star receiver. We put him at a-back where his speed and elusiveness is a prime trait. Godhigh was tiny, but tht leverage made him a great cut blocker.

 

[travgt01]

He also got 3 stars like Gotsis and Shaq Mason. He also got 2 stars like Clinton Lynch. He also got no stars like Robert Godhigh.

Recruiting hype does give some vague general ideas about recruiting. However, it isn't everything. There were people in 2014 that were absolutely upset that GT signed someone as lowly ranked as Lynch. I'm sure that most, if not all, GT fans are extremely happy that he is on the team now.

I'd be happier if Autry was still on the team. And Mills. And Custis. But cpj can't seem to keep the stud rbs on the team. Setting records on bad teams ain't all it's cracked up to be.

 

[okiemon]

He also got 3 stars like Gotsis and Shaq Mason. He also got 2 stars like Clinton Lynch. He also got no stars like Robert Godhigh.

Recruiting hype does give some vague general ideas about recruiting. However, it isn't everything. There were people in 2014 that were absolutely upset that GT signed someone as lowly ranked as Lynch. I'm sure that most, if not all, GT fans are extremely happy that he is on the team now.

Yes, but....compare the top teams year in and year out with the top recruiting classes. I’ll bet there’s a correlation.


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[RonJohn]

Some of the reason these kids are rated lowly has to do with system they come from and measurables. Lynch for instance was a slot receiver in high school. His measurables made him a 2 star receiver. We put him at a-back where his speed and elusiveness is a prime trait. Godhigh was tiny, but tht leverage made him a great cut blocker.

My point was that lack of respect from people who work for an internet site doesn't mean that a player isn't any good. GT has had many players who didn't "help" recruiting rankings yet definitely helped the team. I just listed a few of them.

 

[H-Wade]

My point was that lack of respect from people who work for an internet site doesn't mean that a player isn't any good. GT has had many players who didn't "help" recruiting rankings yet definitely helped the team. I just listed a few of them.

Those are the exceptions, not the rule. Having a few diamonds in the rough over a 10 year period doesn't really prove anything. Compare our talent to what we had 10 years ago and there is a clear drop off.

 

[takethepoints]

Godhigh was tiny, but tht leverage made him a great cut blocker.

One caveat: Godhigh was short, but he wasn't tiny. He weighed 190 on a 5'7" frame. Right stout, I'd say.

 

[THWG16]

GT sports exists BECAUSE of GT, GT does NOT exists because of GT sports. I would LOVE for GT to have easier majors in order to help with recruiting and keep SAs eligible, but that's not what GT is about. I know I beat the drum that GT should recruit better, but IMHO, GT is the institution it is because of our high academic standards.

In reality, probably less than 10-15% of the SAs we recruit would be eligible through general admissions. So in a way, GT is already helping recruits out who otherwise would not be able to have access to an elite education.

GT the Institution exists for a higher purpose than sports. Let's not lose sight of that fact.

I know the purpose of college is higher education, but come on nothing wrong with having some pride on what you put on the field, court, etc. Look at Duke, Stanford, ND, etc. These schools aren't going to lose their prestigious reputation because they create some easier majors or make minor adjustments.

 

[THWG16]

Most of Gailey's recruiting classes were horrible, the 07 class was amazing, and O'Leary got us NFL talent, but I've also learned via email from President Bud that the SAT minimum has went up 165 pts in last 10 years.