Brent Key is not the answer

[Techwood Relict]

The guy has been the actual HC for 7 games and you have given up already. He took over a expiative deleted show last year. There is no magic spell that can make 85 players better in one off season. The offense has gone from bottom 10 in Division 1 to an average P5 offense. That is actually really good progress in one offseason. The OL is still not up to what we need to be a good offense but they are a solid step up from last year.

Now this offseason something major needs to occur regarding the defense as it is still a bottom tier Division 1 defense.

Special Teams have also gone from terrible to average P5.

 

[GT33]

What's trending is not having enough players on the field, calling a timeout so you can punt the ball into the endzone, missed extra points, getting rolled by a 1AA team that sucks, etc. The signs are there. I'm not ready to throw in the towel on Key, but instead of a quick reversal to 6-6 football this is probably gonna take him 3-4 years to figure out how to coach, that's if he ever learns. Quite frankly much longer than I expected.

 

[GTJake]

What's trending is not having enough players on the field, calling a timeout so you can punt the ball into the endzone, missed extra points, getting rolled by a 1AA team that sucks, etc. The signs are there. I'm not ready to throw in the towel on Key, but instead of a quick reversal to 6-6 football this is probably gonna take him 3-4 years to figure out how to coach, that's if he ever learns. Quite frankly much longer than I expected.

We were all hoping for a miracle, but it didn't happen, but to throw in the towel on Key after 7 games is just plain wrong !!

 

[Northeast Stinger]

We were all hoping for a miracle, but it didn't happen, but to throw in the towel on Key after 7 games is just plain wrong !!

I think several of us are emotionally stuck.

CGC introduced us to some levels of cluster clucking we had never seen before at Tech. It was traumatizing. When we see any of thes same symptoms now we tend to conflate Key with the previous four years.

What I and a few others argue is that Collins left a pretty toxic culture. It will take more than one year of a brand new head coach’s tenure to expunge all of this toxicity.

 

[tmhunter52]

And the other issue is a .500 season gets you in a bowl game. That was not true historically.
Bowl Games in 1940: 5, Bowl Games in 1949: 9, Bowl Games in 1950: 8, Bowl Games in 1959: 8, Bowl Games in 1960: 8, Bowl Games in 1969: 11, Bowl Games in 1970: 11, Bowl Games in 1979: 15, Bowl Games in 1980: 15, Bowl Games in 1989: 18, Bowl Games in 1990: 19, Bowl Games in 1999: 23, Bowl Games in 2000: 25, Bowl Games in 2009: 34, Bowl Games in 2010: 35, Bowl Games in 2014: 39, Bowl Games in 2023: 42 (84 teams out of 128 FCS Programs)

The first thing J Batt needs to do is cancel ALL tough out-of-conference games and schedule “patsies”, assuming he can find patsies worse than we are. As we start winning games, we will win back fans and we will make bowl games.

 

[slugboy]

The first thing J Batt needs to do is cancel ALL tough out-of-conference games and schedule “patsies”, assuming he can find patsies worse than we are. As we start winning games, we will win back fans and we will make bowl games.

We’ve been losing to those patsies. Bowling Green is one of the 20 weakest teams in FBS.

Unless we’re moving to the MAC conference, there’s not a ton Batt can do.

 

[GTJake]

I think several of us are emotionally stuck.

CGC introduced us to some levels of cluster clucking we had never seen before at Tech. It was traumatizing. When we see any of thes same symptoms now we tend to conflate Key with the previous four years.

What I and a few others argue is that Collins left a pretty toxic culture. It will take more than one year of a brand new head coach’s tenure to expunge all of this toxicity.

No doubt patience are wearing thin, but if you take a step back and for a moment forget the rookie mistakes and gut-wrenching results at times this half-season and look what has transpired over the last year and a half. We replaced a bad hire and the guy who hired him, President Cabrera stepped up and we hired two young guys with great lineage. IMO, you have to see a ray of hope for the future of the program ...

 

[stinger78]

We were all hoping for a miracle, but it didn't happen, but to throw in the towel on Key after 7 games is just plain wrong !!

I agree here. We're all disappointed - some more than others. What has caused that disappointment, though, is our expectations. Despite three straight 3-win seasons plus a fourth having scratched and clawed to 5 wins, we largely expected the team to perform consistently at or above average, which requires the O, D, and ST all to perform so consistently. However, for the O to become average to above, requires the OL to perform to perform average to above, the D to perform average to above, requires the DL and LB to perform average to above, and the ST to perform average to above, requires the kick, punt, and coverage teams all to perform average to above consistently.

Please pardon the length of the following...

Here's what that 2022 team lost to attrition/graduation:

• Top passing QB
• Top rushing RB
• Top receiving WR
• Top defensive player - tackles
• Top defensive player - sacks

Other losses to attrition/graduation:

• The number 3 rushing back
• The numbers 2 and 3 receiving WRs
• The numbers 2 and 3 defensive players - tackling
• The numbers 2 and 5 defensive players - sacks
• The number 2 defensive player - passes defended

By position, losses were: QB, RB, 3 WR, 2 DL, 3 LB, and 1 DB. That's a crapton of losses!

In addition, prior to/early in the season, we lost to injury:

• Starting DE - year
• Starting and most experienced OL - most of year
• Top 3 RB - multiple weeks
• Top 3 WR - multiple weeks

We did pretty well in the portal between seasons, more than adequately replacing the QB and WR losses. The RB room is down from last season - probably a bit below average, TBH. The OL room has improved a good bit but still has much room to grow - probably still a bit below average. Yet, we've produced an offense whose performance varies between below average to well above average.

We did not adequately fill the losses on D through the portal. The 2 DL (3 with Sylvain out), 3 LB, and 1 DB losses were not replaced adequately. The DL room is below average. The LB room is well below average. The DB room is a bit below average. They have only on occasion performed near average this season.

The STs, once the K position was fixed, has performed mostly at or above average.

If that assessment is correct, there was no basis to expect consistently average performance from this team. Yet, here we are, hovering around .500.

However, we do not lose that much this year off the depth chart:
We lose a long-time RB and 2 TEs, but there appears to be quality behind them, and a replacement OL.
QB: 0
RB: 1 (Smith)
WR: 0
TE: 2 (Leonard, Benson)
OL: 1 (Scaglione)

We lose more off the D, but the LB are mainly gap-fillers and the DB depth appears to be good.
DL: 0
LB: 3 (Moala, Oliver, White)
DB: 2 (King, Sims)

Given the above, the personnel losses from last season and the new coaches/systems, I think next season is the season I should have been focusing on from the start. Just hold on this season, try to find a way to 6-6, and look for improvement along the way.

I see improvement at QB, WR and OL. Those are all encouraging signs. None have arrived yet but provide great hope for 2024. The D cannot help but improve as some players improve and others emerge.

 

[Root4GT]

I agree here. We're all disappointed - some more than others. What has caused that disappointment, though, is our expectations. Despite three straight 3-win seasons plus a fourth having scratched and clawed to 5 wins, we largely expected the team to perform consistently at or above average, which requires the O, D, and ST all to perform so consistently. However, for the O to become average to above, requires the OL to perform to perform average to above, the D to perform average to above, requires the DL and LB to perform average to above, and the ST to perform average to above, requires the kick, punt, and coverage teams all to perform average to above consistently.

Please pardon the length of the following...

Here's what that 2022 team lost to attrition/graduation:

• Top passing QB
• Top rushing RB
• Top receiving WR
• Top defensive player - tackles
• Top defensive player - sacks

Other losses to attrition/graduation:

• The number 3 rushing back
• The numbers 2 and 3 receiving WRs
• The numbers 2 and 3 defensive players - tackling
• The numbers 2 and 5 defensive players - sacks
• The number 2 defensive player - passes defended

By position, losses were: QB, RB, 3 WR, 2 DL, 3 LB, and 1 DB. That's a crapton of losses!

In addition, prior to/early in the season, we lost to injury:

• Starting DE - year
• Starting and most experienced OL - most of year
• Top 3 RB - multiple weeks
• Top 3 WR - multiple weeks

We did pretty well in the portal between seasons, more than adequately replacing the QB and WR losses. The RB room is down from last season - probably a bit below average, TBH. The OL room has improved a good bit but still has much room to grow - probably still a bit below average. Yet, we've produced an offense whose performance varies between below average to well above average.

We did not adequately fill the losses on D through the portal. The 2 DL (3 with Sylvain out), 3 LB, and 1 DB losses were not replaced adequately. The DL room is below average. The LB room is well below average. The DB room is a bit below average. They have only on occasion performed near average this season.

The STs, once the K position was fixed, has performed mostly at or above average.

If that assessment is correct, there was no basis to expect consistently average performance from this team. Yet, here we are, hovering around .500.

However, we do not lose that much this year off the depth chart:
We lose a long-time RB and 2 TEs, but there appears to be quality behind them, and a replacement OL.
QB: 0
RB: 1 (Smith)
WR: 0
TE: 2 (Leonard, Benson)
OL: 1 (Scaglione)

We lose more off the D, but the LB are mainly gap-fillers and the DB depth appears to be good.
DL: 0
LB: 3 (Moala, Oliver, White)
DB: 2 (King, Sims)

Given the above, the personnel losses from last season and the new coaches/systems, I think next season is the season I should have been focusing on from the start. Just hold on this season, try to find a way to 6-6, and look for improvement along the way.

I see improvement at QB, WR and OL. Those are all encouraging signs. None have arrived yet but provide great hope for 2024. The D cannot help but improve as some players improve and others emerge.

Good post. In spite of the evidence nearly 70% of posters on this site expected 6 or more wins this year. Goes to show how little logic is attached to posters opinions on GT Football.

 

[stinger78]

Good post. In spite of the evidence nearly 70% of posters on this site expected 6 or more wins this year. Goes to show how little logic is attached to posters opinions on GT Football.

TBH, I was one expecting to reach 6 wins, but that was basically off of adding 1 W to last year's W/L. Looking at the personnel losses and considering the coaching/system changes in a transition season, that should have been more a hope than an expectation. Now that I've adjusted, hopefully to a more rational position, I will begin to just look for signs of improvement. If I do that, I can see several good things about this season as well as several challenges we will likely take forward.

 

[Root4GT]

TBH, I was one expecting to reach 6 wins, but that was basically off of adding 1 W to last year's W/L. Looking at the personnel losses and considering the coaching/system changes in a transition season, that should have been more a hope than an expectation. Now that I've adjusted, hopefully to a more rational position, I will begin to just look for signs of improvement. If I do that, I can see several good things about this season as well as several challenges we will likely take forward.

Rational thought - well done.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

TBH, I was one expecting to reach 6 wins, but that was basically off of adding 1 W to last year's W/L. Looking at the personnel losses and considering the coaching/system changes in a transition season, that should have been more a hope than an expectation. Now that I've adjusted, hopefully to a more rational position, I will begin to just look for signs of improvement. If I do that, I can see several good things about this season as well as several challenges we will likely take forward.

Me too. I was way too optimistic based on the sudden improvement I saw when Key took over last year. I totally underestimated our talent deficit as well as our lingering lax culture with some players.

 

[stech81]

Goes to show how little logic is attached to posters opinions on GT Football.

Remember the rules always post drunk. Don’t use logic it cuts down on replies.

 

[Thwg777]

Good post. In spite of the evidence nearly 70% of posters on this site expected 6 or more wins this year. Goes to show how little logic is attached to posters opinions on GT Football.

I went with four wins but am guilty of continuing to underestimate the manic depression involved in attaining the four wins.

 

[GTpdm]

Batt's an Executive running a major college athletic department, he's not a burger flipper that can only do 1 thing at a time.

So what you're saying is, "Batt > (u)GA graduate". I think we can all agree on that.

 

[TromboneJacket]

I will just put this here.

Coaches hired outside the Tech coaching tree

John Heisman
Bobby Ross
Bill Lewis
Chan Gailey
Paul Johnson
Geoff Collins

Coaches promoted from within

William Alexander
Bobby Dodd
Bud Carson
George O’Leary
Brent Key *

Coaches who were Tech men

Bill Fulcher
Pepper Rodgers
Bill Curry
Brent Key *

Note that Brent Key is the only coach to be both a Tech man and promoted from within.

I think it is safe to say the two worst coaches in Tech history were hired from without, as well as four of Tech’s best coaches.

Coaches promoted from within seem to generally be on average the strongest group of coaches.

Tech men, just based on record, are a generally mediocre group in spite of any coaching prowess.

Mostly correct, but Bill Alexander was a Tech man. He played for Heisman and then coached under him before becoming his successor.

 

[Vespidae]

Mostly correct, but Bill Alexander was a Tech man. He played for Heisman and then coached under him before becoming his successor.

The “Tech” coaching tree is one way to look at it but it doesn’t include the philosophy of a particular coach.

You should include Ray Graves (70-31-4) and Frank Broyles (149-62-6), both of whom were assistants to Dodd. Dodd, of course, apprenticed under Neyland (173-31-12). Neyland had his Seven Maxims of football, which described his particular approach to the game. (Dodd used these but rephrased many of them.)

Tech has lost ALL of that.

 

[stinger78]

The “Tech” coaching tree is one way to look at it but it doesn’t include the philosophy of a particular coach.

You should include Ray Graves (70-31-4) and Frank Broyles (149-62-6), both of whom were assistants to Dodd. Dodd, of course, apprenticed under Neyland (173-31-12). Neyland had his Seven Maxims of football, which described his particular approach to the game. (Dodd used these but rephrased many of them.)

Tech has lost ALL of that.

My first HS coach had us yell oskie when we got a turnover.

 

[Techster]

My first HS coach had us yell oskie when we got a turnover.

OMG...that brings back memories of middle school football. Our coach had us yell the same thing.

Blast from the past!

 

[Tjacket]

Deion just blew a 29 point lead to the worst P5 team in football with idk 30 more 4 stars and 5 more 5 stars than we have. I could only imagine if we did that with anyone not named Deion lol

He has also raised forColorado athletic department 30 million dollars 3 prime time games net work games and biggest tv audience In ESPN. College football history . Everyone only focus on the transfer players . Not Doing away with financial issues the needs to be addressed .