Coaching Acumen of the New Staff...

[bartoma]

This is not/not intended to be a negative post about CGC and the new staff - I hope we exceed all reasonable expectations this Fall, and I hope we become the powerhouse we all hope the program will be...

That said, one of the things I enjoyed most about CPJ was the display of coaching ability in game - not perfect, maddening decisions from time to time, of course - but throughout his tenure, there were few times where you just know we beat ourselves based on bad coaching decisions...

My question is regarding the existing body of evidence (or lack thereof) that our new staff possess sufficient game management skills... Do they have the ability to call the right plays to exploit the demonstrable weaknesses of the opposition? Can they make the right adjustments at the right times?

I am fine with the branding thing, 404, Waffle House, the rah-rah, Morpheus, and all the stuff that people are excited about - all that is great, but it only matters if it translates to getting better athletes on the field wearing our uniforms... Perhaps the 2020 class is shaping up into something special, but not sure it's dramatically better than what we've had in recent years...

I also think the new staff will be able to get the best out of the players we have in terms of individual execution - or at least I have no reason to think they will do worse in this regard than the previous staff...

What I just don't know is if the new staff has a demonstrable record of winning the coaching battles - putting the teams they have in situations that give them the best chance to win the game... How optimistic are you in this respect? Will the coaching match the off-year hype?

 

[Milwaukee]

Smh

 

[MidtownJacket]

I think CGC has gone out and brought in teachers for his staff. Guys who did the things they are asking our players to do, at the highest level, AND can coach.

Listen to what CTC tells the running backs, he wasn't just a freak athlete he also worked a process and understands what you need to do in prep work to ball out. Marco Coleman, Brent Key are a few more guys who spring to mind at knowing what needs to be done to get to where we want the team to be.

What I am seeing gives me a lot of hope, but like you said we will have to see what the next few seasons hold before any of us can say if they are going to be world beaters.

 

[DeepSnap]

This is not/not intended to be a negative post about CGC and the new staff - I hope we exceed all reasonable expectations this Fall, and I hope we become the powerhouse we all hope the program will be...

That said, one of the things I enjoyed most about CPJ was the display of coaching ability in game - not perfect, maddening decisions from time to time, of course - but throughout his tenure, there were few times where you just know we beat ourselves based on bad coaching decisions...

My question is regarding the existing body of evidence (or lack thereof) that our new staff possess sufficient game management skills... Do they have the ability to call the right plays to exploit the demonstrable weaknesses of the opposition? Can they make the right adjustments at the right times?

I am fine with the branding thing, 404, Waffle House, the rah-rah, Morpheus, and all the stuff that people are excited about - all that is great, but it only matters if it translates to getting better athletes on the field wearing our uniforms... Perhaps the 2020 class is shaping up into something special, but not sure it's dramatically better than what we've had in recent years...

I also think the new staff will be able to get the best out of the players we have in terms of individual execution - or at least I have no reason to think they will do worse in this regard than the previous staff...

What I just don't know is if the new staff has a demonstrable record of winning the coaching battles - putting the teams they have in situations that give them the best chance to win the game... How optimistic are you in this respect? Will the coaching match the off-year hype?

Come back in six months.

We do know we're getting kids on campus now that would not have given the previous staff the time of day. And the 2020 "star" ratings will get adjusted after the 2020 & beyond kids go to their summer camps.

We're also getting noticed nationally by a wide range of writers and prospects that only knew GT by the previous group running a quirky offense that didn't appear to translate well into getting kids to the next level. Megatron? Sure, they knew of him, but know him more as a future NFL HoFer, NOT as a GT player. Same for Derrick Morgan, Morgan Burnett, BayBay Thomas or any of the LBs O'Leary put into the league. They're ancient history to the current group of recruits.

It's only 101 days to August 29th. Enjoy the summer.

And come back in six months.

 

[stech81]

Agreed -

Again, this is not yet another "past good, future bad" post - all I was asking was for some evidence that the new staff can win coaching battles... If it isn't there, then fine - we'll see how things go...

I have not watched one Temple game so I could not answer that question truthfully. As far as defense I can't see it being any worse then the last few years. As far as offense I'm not sure any coach knew his offense better than CPJ. But in this offense we have the option to run and pass and passing we will be able to try short to medium passes which in the past we didn't seem to do.

 

[ATL1]

Idk if we’ll know anything for at least two to three seasons in.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Idk if we’ll know anything for at least two to three seasons in.

This. In theory, our coaches strategies and tactics will evolve as more of their players populate the system. Gonna be hard to make real judgements the first year or two.

 

[GTRambler]

Well. In answering the OP’s question, I believe it will take at least five years to find out.

The way I look at it, I want to see the results of what happens in the games played from the 2019 through the 2023 seasons, and then see if a trend emerges.

 

[Jim Prather]

This is the $64,000 question. Did we trade a great in game coach and average recruiter for a great recruiter and average in game coach? We probably won't have a good feel for that until after the season...

 

[stech81]

Well. In answering the OP’s question, I believe it will take at least five years to find out.

The way I look at it, I want to see the results of what happens in the games played from the 2019 through the 2023 seasons, and then see if a trend emerges.

I'm too old to wait 5 years I'll give him the first half of the Clemson game.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

New OC way + because we never had one before.

DC got to think big + based on recruiting ability and just as good, it seems on the surface, as any of last 4.

OL coach. Let's see, the guy that coached that unit at bama vs a guy that taught belly flopping and had job security (for some reason) compared to a SCOTUS judge.

The list could go on.

 

[iceeater1969]

I could care less about what has been.

In 2-3 years the o. c better be kicking it. We (if recruiting keeps trending up) will be ready to make a move from being highly competitive w the bottom of the Coastal to being competive the top ( less Clemson) = vt, mia, etc. I hope that cgc is holding his feet to the fire and we dont go 4 years hoping he can get it.
With a stable of talent at gt and some $$ we should be ready to attract great ast coaching

 

[iceeater1969]

New OC way + because we never had one before.

DC got to think big + based on recruiting ability and just as good, it seems on the surface, as any of last 4.

OL coach. Let's see, the guy that coached that unit at bama vs a guy that taught belly flopping and had job security (for some reason) compared to a SCOTUS judge.

The list could go on.

Shame on you!
SCOTUS Sewak - almost spit my beer and some went in my nose.

 

[Animal02]

This is the $64,000 question. Did we trade a great in game coach and average recruiter for a great recruiter and average in game coach? We probably won't have a good feel for that until after the season...

A second question comes to mind, and it was raised in an article somewhere. Is there a "tipping point" where the hype does not live up to expectations and it collapses? I do not anticipate it and do not have nearly the dismal outlook that predictions are forecasting (I think a 6-6 season is where we will be)
CPJ "lost" the team a few times for a period, or so it seemed.
So if the worst case happens......go something like 3-9 the next two years for example......does that become the point of no return? Less wins, more wins? This is not tended as a rip on the new staff.....simply a "what if"and "at what point"
It is fairly obvious that if the opposite occurred.....a couple of 9-3 seasons and the train could really take off.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

One thing I’ve noticed about un seasoned head coaches. They blow games early in their tenure by not managing the clock at the end. Happened to Dabbo, Richt, Smart, Miles, and so many others.

 

[Vespidae]

What I just don't know is if the new staff has a demonstrable record of winning the coaching battles - putting the teams they have in situations that give them the best chance to win the game... How optimistic are you in this respect? Will the coaching match the off-year hype?

The same could be said about any first year head coach. But yes - I’m optimistic.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

I’m as big a fan as CPJ as anyone but I’ve always thought the “in game adjustment” mantra was just yet another announcing cliche like all the others we heard over and over again every telecast. Did you know our coach didn’t use a play sheet? And we don’t have “University” in our name? CPJ had good games and he had bad games just like every other coach. I love the option concepts and I really believe CPJ just got tired (and probably could have used a playsheet). But, yeah, my biggest concern for the new regime is Patenaude. I just hope our new staff will try different things if we get stuffed. The last few seasons I felt like we were watching a Gregory coached team inbounding the ball at times. I gotta believe Collins will use these next two seasons to try things out and let the players have fun. He is still a very new head coach (only 2 seasons under his belt) so he still doing a lot of OJT. My gut tells me Collins is going to be a very good coach after he gets a little more seasoning.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I can remember being frustrated as hell with Ross his first few seasons, because it just seemed to me like he was trying to force players into a system they were in no way prepared to run. And then wham bam, everything came together. I hope CCG or Patenaude don't try to force anything initially, but take time to evolve. Maybe (just maybe) if they take that approach, we will see more success, if even marginally, earlier on in his tenure. I think if they take an evolving approach to the O, then we should be able to win 7 this Fall. If not, then it could end up being just like the early Ross years.

 

[ATL1]

I can remember being frustrated as hell with Ross his first few seasons, because it just seemed to me like he was trying to force players into a system they were in no way prepared to run. And then wham bam, everything came together. I hope CCG or Patenaude don't try to force anything initially, but take time to evolve. Maybe (just maybe) if they take that approach, we will see more success, if even marginally, earlier on in his tenure. I think if they take an evolving approach to the O, then we should be able to win 7 this Fall. If not, then it could end up being just like the early Ross years.

Pat did not do a good job of that at Temple.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

6-6 is my worst expectation. The ACC Coastal is and has been mediocre at best for years. No reason we should lose more than we win. There are teams with more internal upheaval than us even with a new regime. And the key to college football is the QB position. Suffice it to say I think we will have a nice upgrade at that position in performance and leadership.