Coincidence for those in the know?

New Old Guy

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
319
So essentially this all went down in the 90s?

A separate note - I just don’t know how the BOR can keep doing this given the GT Research $$. Friends better knowing / connected than me mention that GTR subsidizes much of the university system. Almost to the point where we’re the only profitable university in the system. When I’ve been a part of strat planning sessions - typically the cash cow gets what they want. And in the case of GT, we’re really the Star - printing money and focused in high growth fields and research.

While I appreciate your passionate support for Georgia Tech, your friends' impressions aren't quite right. Tech still gets State money. Less and less each year, but still State funding. We don't generate a cash surplus, even though we do get a ton of research funding, and we don't help fund operations of the other GA colleges.

The BOR has always been dominated by UGA supporters, but has grown more Tech-friendly in recent years. And now we have a Georgia Tech Lt. Governor, so maybe things will continue to slowly improve. But the UGA influence will not be going away, unfortunately. Frustrating for all of us!
 

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,949
So essentially this all went down in the 90s?

A separate note - I just don’t know how the BOR can keep doing this given the GT Research $$. Friends better knowing / connected than me mention that GTR subsidizes much of the university system. Almost to the point where we’re the only profitable university in the system. When I’ve been a part of strat planning sessions - typically the cash cow gets what they want. And in the case of GT, we’re really the Star - printing money and focused in high growth fields and research.
In 90 gt was national champs.
 
Messages
13,443
Location
Augusta, GA
While I appreciate your passionate support for Georgia Tech, your friends' impressions aren't quite right. Tech still gets State money. Less and less each year, but still State funding. We don't generate a cash surplus, even though we do get a ton of research funding, and we don't help fund operations of the other GA colleges.

The BOR has always been dominated by UGA supporters, but has grown more Tech-friendly in recent years. And now we have a Georgia Tech Lt. Governor, so maybe things will continue to slowly improve. But the UGA influence will not be going away, unfortunately. Frustrating for all of us!
But we have a die-hard mutt for governor.
 

Whiskey_Clear

Banned
Messages
10,486
CPJ retiring, Prez retiring, seemingly much bigger staff, and going after the previously unattainable.

Did the powers that be finally put football as a top priority? Did the purse strings get untied? Did we tell the Hill where to go? Are we really trying to run with the big boys?

Too much of a coincidence for me. Or is everything finally breaking our way?

Maybe God is just finally having mercy on us?
 

1979jacket

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
569
It has been said, and no, there are no sources to prove this, that TStan was NOT HAPPY that CPJ decided to retire, although apparently CPJ did indicate to him early in the season that it might happen. TTFWIW

Not trying to disagree - but I think big donors got tired of putting money and yet the level of talent from recruiting was bad whether it be from the offense or whatever reason, the team lacked top talent.
 
Messages
13,443
Location
Augusta, GA
Not trying to disagree - but I think big donors got tired of putting money and yet the level of talent from recruiting was bad whether it be from the offense or whatever reason, the team lacked top talent.
We lacked "talent" in 2014 and 2016 too, and yet look what we did. I'm sure SOME big donors got tired of it all, but IMO they were wrong.
 

Whiskey_Clear

Banned
Messages
10,486
Not trying to disagree - but I think big donors got tired of putting money and yet the level of talent from recruiting was bad whether it be from the offense or whatever reason, the team lacked top talent.

The Brocks? If so I won’t complain. Who were the other big donors and when did their money stop flowing? It has to start in order to stop.
 

684Bee

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,599
The Brocks? If so I won’t complain. Who were the other big donors and when did their money stop flowing? It has to start in order to stop.

Brock has definitely contributed in a big way. Main reason we have an indoor practice facility. However, from what little I’ve heard about him, he doesn’t seem like the type to withhold over the type of offense GT runs.
 

bke1984

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,143
We lacked "talent" in 2014 and 2016 too, and yet look what we did. I'm sure SOME big donors got tired of it all, but IMO they were wrong.
FWIW, I think it’s stupud when donors give money based purely on existing results. It’s counter productive.

That said, just exactly what did we “do” in 2016? Go 4-4 in conference, beat a mediocre Georgia team, and win a bowl game?

Mercer, Vanderbilt, and Georgia Southern account for three of those non-conf wins. The win against Georgia made that season. They basically couldn’t leave us out of tier 1 in the bowl selection. Lose that game and we are probably in Detroit (see this year).

Let’s be careful how we define success. 2014 was great, 2016 was good. 2016 should be the lower end of our expectations with the bonus of beating Georgia that made it better.
 

684Bee

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,599
FWIW, I think it’s stupud when donors give money based purely on existing results. It’s counter productive.

That said, just exactly what did we “do” in 2016? Go 4-4 in conference, beat a mediocre Georgia team, and win a bowl game?

Mercer, Vanderbilt, and Georgia Southern account for three of those non-conf wins. The win against Georgia made that season. They basically couldn’t leave us out of tier 1 in the bowl selection. Lose that game and we are probably in Detroit (see this year).

Let’s be careful how we define success. 2014 was great, 2016 was good. 2016 should be the lower end of our expectations with the bonus of beating Georgia that made it better.

Any season that ends with 9 wins, and includes a win over Uga, is a very good season.
 

Augusta_Jacket

Moderator
Staff member
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7,890
Location
Augusta, Georgia
No, I do not know this to be a fact, and I frankly hope it's not true. But that's certainly been bandied around --- that certain rich alums were tired of his offense, if they ever really liked it to begin with.

@BurdellJacket

There is some truth to this. A couple of donors came back to the table after CPJ announced his retirement. They weren't our biggest donors, but they are big donors. Interestingly, my source says they quit donating shortly after CPJ was hired, so it's not like they were being counted on for the CGC hire, but it's definitely helpful to have them back. The money is available now because of a few reasons:

1. Hewitt and other highly paid former coaches are finally coming off the books.
2. The 2020 initiative has excited the donors, and a lot of smaller donors have stepped up their game.
3. The major donors, who never quit giving, are giving more to help CGC get off on a firm footing.

In essence, we REALLY need to be thankful that we hired TStan. He gets it, and it is showing.
 

calvin forever

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
78
We lacked "talent" in 2014 and 2016 too, and yet look what we did. I'm sure SOME big donors got tired of it all, but IMO they were wrong.

There was actaully a good bit of talent on the 2014 team. That talent, coupled with a wealth of experience on offense, made for an elite offensive unit.

4* QB
2 drafted receivers
One of the top OG in the NFL
Gotsis and DJ white were drafted from the defense.
Chris Milton still playing for the Colts
Butker

I don’t think CPJ would've retired if we continued to have that level of talent.
 

MWBATL

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,146
There was actaully a good bit of talent on the 2014 team. That talent, coupled with a wealth of experience on offense, made for an elite offensive unit.

4* QB
2 drafted receivers
One of the top OG in the NFL
Gotsis and DJ white were drafted from the defense.
Chris Milton still playing for the Colts
Butker

I don’t think CPJ would've retired if we continued to have that level of talent.
Who recruited all that talent? I thought our system prevented us from getting top talent?
 

calvin forever

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
78
Who recruited all that talent? I thought our system prevented us from getting top talent?

I’m sure it was a deterrent to those recruits who see college football primarily as training ground for the nfl. That’s a shame, since we’ve seen what CPJs offense can do with top talent.
 

H-Wade

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
582
Who recruited all that talent? I thought our system prevented us from getting top talent?

The 4 star DB wanted to play QB and we were the only school that allowed that.

The only reason Smelter was on the team was because he quit baseball, we can thank Danny Hall for him. The other WR was a safety prospect and we gave him a shot at WR.

Shaq was a 2 star diamond in the rough and we had to go to Australia to get Gotsis.

So yeah I'd say most of these guys we got unconventionally, and a lot of that is because of the system we ran.
 

BCJacket

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
688
@BurdellJacket

There is some truth to this. A couple of donors came back to the table after CPJ announced his retirement. They weren't our biggest donors, but they are big donors. Interestingly, my source says they quit donating shortly after CPJ was hired, so it's not like they were being counted on for the CGC hire, but it's definitely helpful to have them back. The money is available now because of a few reasons:

1. Hewitt and other highly paid former coaches are finally coming off the books.
2. The 2020 initiative has excited the donors, and a lot of smaller donors have stepped up their game.
3. The major donors, who never quit giving, are giving more to help CGC get off on a firm footing.

In essence, we REALLY need to be thankful that we hired TStan. He gets it, and it is showing.

I think you have to add to that list. CPJ was by his nature a self-reliant person. He was not a natural salesperson, the kind to ask/demand things of others.

Largely, if a recruit, fan, or donor wanted to be part of what CPJ's team was doing, great; if not, fine. In recruiting, PR, and fundraising, he was always a "let the results speak for themselves" guy. I think Saban is more this way also, you don't hear about him resorting to gimmicks to recruit. But his results really speak.

CGC in contrast is a natural salesperson. He's a promoter. CGC will ask fans to come to games, he'll ask recruits to come play for him, he'll solicit money-men for funds. Dabo is more this style, he'll humiliate himself in a viral dance video if he thinks it'll win over a recruit he needs.

CPJ did more with less. CGC is going to try to get more to do with. We'll see which strategy ends up with better results.
 
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