So a couple of thoughts..
1) Ga Tech is, without a doubt, an elite Institute of higher learning. Our academic programs are globally recognized as some of the best in the world. Full stop. We attract the types of minds who want to be in the best of the best learning environments. The smarter your average classmate is, the harder a curve will be. Saying that the academic environment at GT is not a factor for students selecting to come (be they athlete or otherwise) is foolhardy at best and willfully ignorant at worst.
2) That DOES NOT preclude us from following the model that some other top academic programs follow (expanding the net of our recruiting efforts to find the high intelligence stud athletes read: Sean Beford, Roddy Jones, Calvin Johnson, Malik Rivera, Shaq Mason, the list goes on and on).
We will not now, nor any time in the future sacrifice the academic integrity of GT for a sports program. That is part of why many of our Alumni enjoyed the 3o years, They have us a logical alternative to account for the reduced pool of athletes we could go after. With funding at the level is was under CPJ I still believe he was the best choice for our program. We have brought in a new AD, with a new mindset, and a new coach that the big money guys seem willing to open their check books for. All the better, as we are approaching the $$$ required to have a full on offensive globally to identify, track and recruit against the other "School first" Programs. I am excited to see how we do and believe in the approach CGC has laid out
3) It is a new day in Georgia, with a staff that by all accounts gets it and an administration who is securing and spending the $$$ required to compete at the level we aspire to be at. We had a great coach who said, "Expectations have to meet your commitment" I believe the gap between the two is rapidly narrowing for us. I am excited to see what we can do, and who we become under this new leadership from CGC and ADTS.
Go Jackets!