Athlon: ACC Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2020

CuseJacket

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ACC Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2020

It's not easy getting college football coaches to honestly comment on another coach, player or team. Most coaches don't want to give opposing teams bulletin
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Georgia Tech

"Geoff (Collins) has spent over a year managing the expectations in a very public way, which is divisive in the coaching community."

"On one hand, they're totally deficient at a lot of key positions, which is what you would expect from a team coming off the triple option. They don't have ACC-caliber receivers, their offensive line is a mess and they could only be very vanilla on offense."

"On the other hand, this was a successful program a few years ago. The defense has identifiable talent and some guys who would see time on other teams."

"They picked their QB (James Graham) and rode him good or bad, which is a smart move. They turned the ball over constantly, and they couldn't run. Fix those two things and they'll up their win total."

"Once they can get a little more consistent on offense, it allows them to get loose and fast on defense. Collins knows how to wreck you. You should see a jump this season in the front, they're going to play the run better, they're going to rush the quarterback better."

"Yeah, they're in Atlanta, but Tech has never had a modern identity. So far they haven't exploded in recruiting or anything."

"They will likely end up a better team with the same record."
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Slightly different tone than last year's version:
https://gtswarm.com/threads/acc-coaches-anonymously-talk-about-conference-foes.18840/
 
Ash

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"They will likely end up a better team with the same record."

That could very well be the case. I am hoping for improvement on both sides of the ball that translates into taking a win away from a team or two, but if the O does not get out of reverse gear this year we will be lucky to match last years win total.
 
Ibeeballin

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Ash said:
"They will likely end up a better team with the same record."

That could very well be the case. I am hoping for improvement on both sides of the ball that translates into taking a win away from a team or two, but if the O does not get out of reverse gear this year we will be lucky to match last years win total.
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Im almost certain these comments were made before before the new schedule. No was we’re a 3 win team with this current schedule
 

Jacketman99

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I think AB is a no brainer. I also think Camp will surprise some people. We are hoping guys like Sanders and Carter step up their games. However, I like all of our freshmen and could see all of them playing this year. Also, we may not be top 10 recruiting in the country but we were top 5 in the conference last year and could very well be there again this year.
 

JacketOff

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bwelbo said:
We don’t have ACC caliber receivers? Like not even AB? Whoever said that can go F themselves.
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I mean, outside of AB, basically all of the receiving talent we’re excited for this year didn’t play, or barely played at all last year. It’s obvious there’s ACC at the WR position, but a lot of it is unproven in the ACC.
 

YJMD

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4shotB said:
Wow. looking at last year's comments was very interesting in retrospect. Also, I wonder why "managing expectations publicly" would be "divisive in the coaching community"?
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My guess is there is some miff that his comments are slights at CPJ. We've had plenty of that here in reaction to CGC, although I think he has actually been appropriately respectful. He also needed to change the perception of the program in the eyes of future recruits and knew we weren't going to go out there and experience the same kind of success CPJ had by running his systems without trying to make a bridge between them. CGC, though, has a lot of respect out there. It's evident in the staff that we have and guys like Key and Suddes coming over. A couple of years of success will erase the perceptions. I'm thinking back to the joke everyone thought Dabo was when he first took over.

Otherwise, I think a few of those coaches are going to be in for a shock when they actually see our personnel on the field.
 

WreckinGT

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4shotB said:
Wow. looking at last year's comments was very interesting in retrospect. Also, I wonder why "managing expectations publicly" would be "divisive in the coaching community"?
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I can think of two reasons.

1. It is perceived as a shot at the previous regime which is probably frowned upon in the coaching community.
2. It can somewhat cheapen wins by other teams. Who wants to work hard and win a game only to hear post game that the team you beat only lost because they are going through a monumental transition?
 
BleedGoldNWhite21

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WreckinGT said:
I can think of two reasons.

1. It is perceived as a shot at the previous regime which is probably frowned upon in the coaching community.
2. It can somewhat cheapen wins by other teams. Who wants to work hard and win a game only to hear post game that the team you beat only lost because they are going through a monumental transition?
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Both of these. Also, I think it rubs people the wrong way to be like “yeah, we’re probably going to lose”, which Collins excelled at saying through coach speak last year, specifically using that term you mentioned “monumental transition”. Also, as a coach, you don’t want players to latch on to those things as an excuse for not giving it their all. “Well this IS year zero, so I might go out tonight instead of studying the playbook”.

I’m not saying whether these assumptions are right or wrong, but I can see a lot of coaches holding these assumptions.

That said, some people might like it for being honest.
 
LibertyTurns

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4shotB said:
Wow. looking at last year's comments was very interesting in retrospect. Also, I wonder why "managing expectations publicly" would be "divisive in the coaching community"?
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In the military it was an unwritten rule to stop talking about the old guy the minute you were handed the keys to drive. Unless you found something very amiss (ie illegal) it’s no longer relevant. Not like the bastard was going to stick around and help you fix it nor did you want him to. Don’t look back, just forward. Nobody’s giving you new personnel, nobody’s hauling in brand new equipment that works perfectly, nobody’s really giving a crap, etc if you’re starting point was not fantastic. It’s all yours. You can start talking once you’ve delivered the results.
 
4shotB

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WreckinGT said:
I can think of two reasons.

1. It is perceived as a shot at the previous regime which is probably frowned upon in the coaching community.
2. It can somewhat cheapen wins by other teams. Who wants to work hard and win a game only to hear post game that the team you beat only lost because they are going through a monumental transition?
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Good responses here from you and others to my question. I hadn't really considered your point #2.
 
gtrower

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"They picked their QB (James Graham) and rode him good or bad, which is a smart move. They turned the ball over constantly, and they couldn't run. Fix those two things and they'll up their win total."

Wut.

We didn’t pick our QB til Week 6. That was one of the dumb moves by the staff.

We turned the ball over 20 times in 12 games. Not great, not terrible.

Running is literally the one thing we did well. 4.0 ypc (7th in the ACC).

Wonder who the hell had that expert analysis. Reads like an FSU fan who saw a highlight of the Pitt game.
 

yeti92

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gtrower said:
"They picked their QB (James Graham) and rode him good or bad, which is a smart move. They turned the ball over constantly, and they couldn't run. Fix those two things and they'll up their win total."

Wut.

We didn’t pick our QB til Week 6. That was one of the dumb moves by the staff.

We turned the ball over 20 times in 12 games. Not great, not terrible.

Running is literally the one thing we did well. 4.0 ypc (7th in the ACC).

Wonder who the hell had that expert analysis. Reads like an FSU fan who saw a highlight of the Pitt game.
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Change it to "they (eventually) picked their qb...", "they turned the ball over constantly (turnovers and on downs)", and "they couldn't run (nearly as well as you'd expect from a team with a history of being dominant at running the ball)" and it all makes perfect sense.
 
BurdellJacket

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WreckinGT said:
I can think of two reasons.

1. It is perceived as a shot at the previous regime which is probably frowned upon in the coaching community.
2. It can somewhat cheapen wins by other teams. Who wants to work hard and win a game only to hear post game that the team you beat only lost because they are going through a monumental transition?
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it's that classless Cutcliffe. No need to try to explain it. Screw the Essobee! And what would give anyone the idea that he's talking about the previous organization.
 
VintageWreck

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" I'm thinking back to the joke everyone thought Dabo was when he first took over."
I know I did.

"Otherwise, I think a few of those coaches are going to be in for a shock when they actually see our personnel on the field."
That's what I have been telling my Mutt friends. I get a lot of "O really's?
 
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