Brent Key is not the answer

[Heisman's Ghost]

Agreed. Never understood the extreme adulation of Curry as a coach. Loved his character, loved his history with Tech, and loved his stories from the Dodd era, but he only gave us ONE good season. If Key gets us to six wins he will have matched all of Curry’s best seasons (except one) and exceeded all his other seasons.

Curry was about the only coach Dodd could get to come to Tech at that time. He did the best he could. No one, ever said that he was a great coach or even a particularly good one but he got his players to play hard and do things the right way in the face of formidable obstacles in that era.

 

[GoldZ]

Agreed. Never understood the extreme adulation of Curry as a coach. Loved his character, loved his history with Tech, and loved his stories from the Dodd era, but he only gave us ONE good season. If Key gets us to six wins he will have matched all of Curry’s best seasons (except one) and exceeded all his other seasons.

Curry coached at a time when we were considering dropping the program. Key is coaching at a time when we have unprecedented support by our President. Curry landed two of the State's top players in Roof and Lavette (not likely now).

 

[whitegoldsphinx]

My memory of the 1985 GT-Auburn Game is that it was a hard-fought Defensive game with Ted Roof and the Black Watch Defense. Score was 14-10 in favor of Tech until late in the game.

Then Bo Broke a touchdown run of about 60 years to seal the game for Auburn at 17-14.

It was a pretty cold cloudy day and the Auburn Fans made sure to rub it in with their War Eagle chant on the way out of the Stadium.

This is what I remember as well. I was surprised people said he ran all over us. We held Bo in check for most of the game until he broke a long one late. Those are the moments that win Heisman trophies.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Curry coached at a time when we were considering dropping the program. Key is coaching at a time when we have unprecedented support by our President. Curry landed two of the State's top players in Roof and Lavette (not likely now).

Like I said, lots to love about Curry. Trust me, I liked everything about his style and approach. Just not one of Tech’s better coaches if measured by success.

 

[GTJake]

I don't know if Haynes said that or not but Coach Wienke and Coach Key gave that boy confidence and restored his belief in himself after the A&M debacle. For that reason alone, you have to feel good about the offense moving forward. Maybe even the defense can continue to improve and this will become a good football team.

I think we may be closer than some of us think ... we'll see what happens in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I think we may be closer than some of us think ... we'll see what happens in the next couple of weeks.

If we beat BC I will be prepared to say we are over the hump. Obviously a lot of things can wrong after that, even with a win, but this is a true maturity test for players and coaches.

This game is so important.

 

[RamblinRed]

Honestly it is too early to know if Key is the answer. I won't even think about that seriously until the end of next season.

FWIW, i'm still hoping for the 6-6 I was hoping for at the beginning of the season and if we get there it is my belief that it will likely include another loss to a team everyone here thinks we should beat and a another win over a team everyone thinks we should lose to.

 

[billga99]

I am not sure it is easy to compare Key to any other GT coaches at this point. The ACC is significantly weaker than the SEC or Big Ten in terms of recognition (which has definitely changed dramatically in the last 10 years). Pile on top of that transfers that don't have to sit out a year and NIL and the world is so different than even 3 or 4 years ago. It doesn't mean Key or someone else can't succeed at GT but a much more difficult road than in the recent past. That being said most of the games are against ACC opponents so at least in those 8 games, we should strive to win a lot and be very competitive.

 

[g0lftime]

We shouldn't expect miracles for our first year coach. Clawson will likely finish around 500 this year and nobody will be calling for his head at Wake. They should be more worried about him getting poached by a higher profile team wanting to make a change. I wonder how long Elko stays at Duke before the big bucks show up. Duke football is second fiddle to basketball and he is in the shadow of UNC.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I wonder how long Elko stays at Duke before the big bucks show up. Duke football is second fiddle to basketball and he is in the shadow of UNC.

Texas A&M and possibly Miami are the biggest "name" schools that might be looking this year. I'm not sure either fanbases would get excited over an Elko hire. Florida could decide Napier isn't the answer but so far he's winning enough this season to save his job. Ironically, the last Duke HC that went to UF did pretty well there. Cal may have an opening but I'm not sure that's a better gig than Duke at this point. My guess is if he wins 8 games this year and 7 or more next year then someone is going to offer him a boatload of money to head their way at the end of the 2024 season.

 

[g0lftime]

Texas A&M and possibly Miami are the biggest "name" schools that might be looking this year. I'm not sure either fanbases would get excited over an Elko hire. Florida could decide Napier isn't the answer but so far he's winning enough this season to save his job. Ironically, the last Duke HC that went to UF did pretty well there. Cal may have an opening but I'm not sure that's a better gig than Duke at this point. My guess is if he wins 8 games this year and 7 or more next year then someone is going to offer him a boatload of money to head their way at the end of the 2024 season.

He definitely will have opportunities with how well he has done. They soundly beat a decent NC State team albeit with QB problems with defense Saturday. I think I read they only threw 6 passes. They will need to get Leonard back soon. I saw them play in person twice last year and wondered how long before he had an injury. Avoided it last year. He is a lot like Pyron in that he has no fear running the ball to get extra yards. Amazing how well Elko has them playing defense. Duke has some of the same problems recruiting that we do with academic standards
Texas AM has more $$ than Miami but that Fisher buyout is enormous. I suspect they can eat it with that ESPN money next year.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

He definitely will have opportunities with how well he has done. They soundly beat a decent NC State team albeit with QB problems with defense Saturday. I think I read they only threw 6 passes. They will need to get Leonard back soon. I saw them play in person twice last year and wondered how long before he had an injury. Avoided it last year. He is a lot like Pyron in that he has no fear running the ball to get extra yards. Amazing how well Elko has them playing defense. Duke has some of the same problems recruiting that we do with academic standards
Texas AM has more $$ than Miami but that Fisher buyout is enormous. I suspect they can eat it with that ESPN money next year.

Even if ATM eats the buyout I doubt the donors are willing to hire a Duke coach to take the reigns there. They are going to spend heavily on a more pedigreed coach. Same with Miami and Cristobal. No way they can sell their donors on hiring Elko right out of Duke. Maybe Baylor goes in that direction. I don't think their HC is surviving this season.

 

[UgaBlows]

Even if ATM eats the buyout I doubt the donors are willing to hire a Duke coach to take the reigns there. They are going to spend heavily on a more pedigreed coach. Same with Miami and Cristobal. No way they can sell their donors on hiring Elko right out of Duke. Maybe Baylor goes in that direction. I don't think their HC is surviving this season.

Elko was the former DC at A&M, they think a lot of him there

 

[g0lftime]

Even if ATM eats the buyout I doubt the donors are willing to hire a Duke coach to take the reigns there. They are going to spend heavily on a more pedigreed coach. Same with Miami and Cristobal. No way they can sell their donors on hiring Elko right out of Duke. Maybe Baylor goes in that direction. I don't think their HC is surviving this season.

What will it take for ND to make a change? Already hearing a few rumblings. They want to be a top ten team playing for national championships. Elko probably not going anywhere until after 2024. The SEC will be flush with tv money about then.

 

[MWBATL]

Do you think just changing coordinators made such a difference? I have no idea but the results seem to speak for themselves.

One game has not yet convinced me…

 

[MWT89]

This is what I remember as well. I was surprised people said he ran all over us. We held Bo in check for most of the game until he broke a long one late. Those are the moments that win Heisman trophies.

His stats against us from an AL.com article I found online: Rushing stats: 32 carries, 242 yards, 1 TD

His long TD run was 76 yards, approximately 1/3 of his total yardage.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Elko was the former DC at A&M, they think a lot of him there

There's thinking a lot of someone and then there is convincing the donors to pay for a relatively new HC to coach at a school with national title aspirations. I might be wrong, but I don't see ATM hiring Elko out of Duke.

 

[4shotB]

There's thinking a lot of someone and then there is convincing the donors to pay for a relatively new HC to coach at a school with national title aspirations. I might be wrong, but I don't see ATM hiring Elko out of Duke.

OTOH, they have been down the "proven name" path and it didn't work out so well. I said it when Spurrier was there, if you can win at Duke you can win anywhere. I think some (most?) fans and maybe AD's are a bit leary of getting burnt with the all hat, no cattleguy who "wins the press conference". Anyone familiar with that scenario??? Texas A & M is a top shelf destination and doesn't have to reach for guys like that. Similar to the guys who win a one off natty with generational type QB's (Malzahn, Brown, Fisher jump immediately to mind). If I am hiring now, if I can't get Saban, I like Elko as much as anybody else out there 9would be much nicer if he had a few more years in Durham on his resume. But they (Duke) look to a good football team that exceeds whatever recruiting rankings they have accumulated.

 

[GoldZ]

Even if ATM eats the buyout I doubt the donors are willing to hire a Duke coach to take the reigns there. They are going to spend heavily on a more pedigreed coach. Same with Miami and Cristobal. No way they can sell their donors on hiring Elko right out of Duke. Maybe Baylor goes in that direction. I don't think their HC is surviving this season.

Then their donors are dumb....see AU.

 

[GoldZ]

I think we may be closer than some of us think ... we'll see what happens in the next couple of weeks.

Maybe 3 players plus 3 more quality backups, on each side of the ball to be top 3 in ACC. Six players is doable.