Collins report card after 2 seasons

[Sheboygan]

To grade Collins, you have to take into account the staff as well. These are the areas I think the coaching staff is failing.

The place kicking kicking game is embarrassing. At the game last night, our gunners ran past the ball on every kick off. Must be under control. I think I have seen mistakes I have rarely or ever seen. Fielding punts inside the 5 yard line. Fumbling a punt into the endzone for a touchdown for the other team after the punt was over your head. Fielding a kickoff straddling the sideline. These are the types of plays the coaches must "coach".

It is year two and there is no reliable place kicker.

Penalties before the snap and after the whistle used to be offensives that a player received some sort of discipline. I have no idea what Collins does, but those mistakes are so costly and have not yet been addressed, although last night I do not think we had any false starts. But in previous games the false starts were drive killers.

Tackling. Are the players not coached to wrap up? "Flying around the field" is only good if you make the tackle when you get there. Making contact without coming up with something whether it is a shoelace or someone's hair, get a hold of something.

The defensive backfield is a mess. I get the defensive line is not the greatest, but so many blown coverages. Last night I could see lots of confusion after the play. Players trying to find figure out who blew the coverage. And my big pet peeve, turn and find the ball.

Tech is dead last in total defense in the ACC.

I agree with others that the offense is improved over last year. The offensive line play this year is improved which I think is the biggest difference. (false starts ruin too many platitudes)

Another first was going for two after a 15 yard penalty, and throwing underneath. Not sure what the coaches were thinking last night...

Collins told us he was going to a bowl this year. I wonder what grade he would give himself?

This is a covid year . So will not flunk the staff, but will give a D, which is what I think Collins would give himself. I hope year 3 is like the Ross year 3 and the team makes great strides.

Agree completely !

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

The ACC Sports Media. There are videos out there of some folks who had 1-10 with a win over Duke. But that’s what last place in the ACC is - either 0 wins or 1 win.

I've been combing the internet but everywhere I see is we were picked last with 2-3 wins. I've yet to find the video(s) or articles predicting us to go winless.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

I've been combing the internet but everywhere I see is we were picked last with 2-3 wins. I've yet to find the video(s) or articles predicting us to go winless.

Last place is always 0 to 1 win. Keep looking.

Look at the current standings too. You can’t win 3 games and finish last.

1-10: https://collegefootballnews.com/2020/08/acc-preseason-predictions-for-every-game

Etc etc etc

 

[lv20gt]

Those of you high on CGC... what do you think the ceiling is for this team under his regime?

In the relative short term I think we could reasonably be a consistent 8 win program with periodic highs. Already it wouldn't take too much imagination to see a path to 8+ wins in two years with a junior Sims and Gibbs if the OL continues to improve and some of the young players at WR and LB especially develop nicely.

However, with any relatively young coach at a potential end job there is always the possibility of a long term success changing the base view of the program. For example, right now a lot of people view GT as a limited potential program due to inability to recruit top 10 level classes for various reasons. However, lets say we get to that consistent 8+ wins and get classes ranked in the 20-25 range for a decade. Suddenly the view of our program changes and people would start looking for the coach that could take that 8+ and make it consistently 10+ and the 20-25 classes and make them 10-15 classes.

The perfect example of this is Bobby Cremins in basketball. His own success fundamentally changed what our program was over the course of his tenure here to the point where the perception of our program in 80 would be extremely different than in 95 (not to mention the change in the landscape of basketball). Best case scenario for Collins is he has the type of success that fundamentally changes the way people, our own fans in particular, view the program. What his ceiling would be in that situation is impossible to speculate on.

 

[Gtswifty81]

I haven’t been as critical about the wins and losses so far because I expected our offense to struggle. Honestly I wish I hadn’t watched the first spring game because it gave me false hope about the passing offense. My grades would be:

Offense - C+, about as expected but saw improvement

Defense - C-, thought we would have been an improved squad this year.

Special Teams - D+, Kicking game has gotten worse.

Game management -C, I’m not as critical here because he’s been playing with inexperienced QBs and a bad kicking game. He did have some successful onsides and fake punts but he’s also had questionable decisions. There have been several games where we came out in the second half and played better.

Recruiting - B+. Good first year recruiting. Second year won’t be ranked as high but his young transfers (two positions of need and two highly ranked from big programs) to me makes 2021 as good as 2020.

Looking toward next year I feel like we are still one year away from developing our young lineman and linebackers. Defensive End is on the rise and we have some talented young DBs. DT has always been a struggle. On offense I think Sims has the tools, but the speed of the game and understanding of the defenses holds him back as expected for a true freshman. Oline should begin improving but I think we still could use another bridge year with transfers. RB is a real strength for the team. Wide receiver is a weakness and I’m uncertain if the younger players are ready to step up or not. I know everyone doesn’t trust recruiting services but sanders, Malachi, and camp were 5.2, 5.5, and 5.2 respectively. I think they’ve been overachieving based on that.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Last place is always 0 to 1 win. Keep looking.

Look at the current standings too. You can’t win 3 games and finish last.

1-10: https://collegefootballnews.com/2020/08/acc-preseason-predictions-for-every-game

Etc etc etc

You can win 2 games and finish last. Maybe not this year. Even that link has us at 1 win. I have yet to find a single person that said we would go winless, much less multiples.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

You can win 2 games and finish last. Maybe not this year. Even that link has us at 1 win. I have yet to find a single person that said we would go winless, much less multiples.

Nobody said otherwise.

 

[redmule]

B - I wasn't really expecting a bowl appearance by 2020 like I think most of you all were. We are right about where I hoped we would be when Collins was hired. Great recruiting, culture overhaul is well underway, and we've got absolute studs at the skill positions to grow with. We are significantly better in December 2020 than we were in August 2019. I will re-evaluate in 2022 but right now I think we look poised to see Clemson in December 2022, which is exactly what I asked for when Collins was hired. Comfortably passing grade for Collins from me but I wouldn't hand him high honors yet.

This was mentioned earlier in the thread by a poster, but I do want to re-iterate I don't care about how a bunch of message board boomers feel about #404theculture and #juice and money down. If a 6'2 190lb 16yo from Grayson HS 5* WR who runs a 4.4 40-yard dash likes it, that's good enough for me.

So he comes to Tech from Grayson, plays one year and enters the portal like AB. Meanwhile the Boomers quit buying the tickets and funding the scholarships. That's the way you build a program.

 

[jacketup]

Those of you high on CGC... what do you think the ceiling is for this team under his regime?

Perennial 6-8 wins (good to better than good)?
OR
Cracking into elite status (competing with Clemson & UGA) & winning ACC titles... making playoffs?
OR
somewhere in-between?

I have to post this quote from Kim King every now and then, but it should answer your question, assuming you know who Kim King was:

"Do I think that Tech can compete for a national championship under the current setup. No, not really. So I was a shocked as anybody at what happened in 1990. Do I think that Tech has a chance to be a really good team and finish in the Top 10, Yes I do. Maybe not year in and year out, But I do think they could be a regular Top 25 team and compete for the ACC on a regular basis. And I still think that's the case at Tech."

 

[Deleted member 2897]

You can win 2 games and finish last. Maybe not this year. Even that link has us at 1 win. I have yet to find a single person that said we would go winless, much less multiples.

Here’s an exercise for you - go back over the last 25+ years (starting with this year) and find out how many years the last place team in the ACC had 3+ conference wins...hell, even 2. Hint, you won’t like the answer. Trivia - Duke has finished last 14 of the last 26, LOL.

 

[GTFLETCH]

Recruiting - A
Coaching - D
Bringing Georgia Tech back in the National conversation - Incomplete

Over the last two years I have seen Coach Collins lead Georgia Tech to the worst loss in the history of our program, set numerous negative records like the largest margin loss in the history of the conference. Allow multiple teams to rack up nearly 700 yards? Have the highest number of penalties in college football... I will always rember year 1 for A loss against the Citadel which was the Jackets' first loss against an FCS opponent since 1983, and a 45–0 loss to VT which was the Jackets' first shutout loss at Bobby Dodd Stadium since 1957. Year 2 I will remember the Clemson loss since it was the most points given up a Yellow Jacket defnse in the modern era.

As far as last night I think we did not deserve to win that game. Quez dropped one INT and the one he had he fumbled back trying to lateral it. Thomas had one go right through his hands as well. The Pitt QB was not the most talented but boy was he hard to bring down and was SMART. The flip out of bounds to avoid a 10 yard loss. Knocking the ball out of bounds to avoid a turnover even though it was 3rd down and it was a loss of 10-15 yards. That's the type of smart plays I want to see from us. Know the down and distance. Understand what you are supposed to do. Don't catch the punt inside the 10. On that exact point, I noticed we let a punt drop at the 20 when we could have easily caught it. Luckily it took a sideways bounce and was downed at the 17.

One final point I noticed. We rarely tried to tackle with our bodies. I saw us trying to strip the ball all night and as such Davis broke arm tackle after arm tackle. Is this something we are teaching or is this something else?

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Nobody said otherwise.

You've said several times that we had 3 more wins than the experts (plural) predicted, which is why I asked. I kept seeing 1-3 wins all preseason, and predicted 4 myself.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Here’s an exercise for you - go back over the last 25+ years (starting with this year) and find out how many years the last place team in the ACC had 3+ conference wins...hell, even 2. Hint, you won’t like the answer. Trivia - Duke has finished last 14 of the last 26, LOL.

Has nothing to do with what I was asking, I was simply trying to figure out who predicted us to go winless.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Does anybody legitimately think the team hasn’t improved since last year? It’s clear as day to anybody that actually watches the games that this year’s team is drastically better than last year’s. The offense is light years better than last year, with a true FR at QB that didn’t even get a spring camp. The defense was a little disappointing, but given how seemingly strict Collins was with Covid protocols early in the year, it’s honestly not that surprising.

I thought last year’s team would win 3 games. Granted the 3 they won weren’t necessarily the 3 I thought they would win, but they got 3 nonetheless. I thought 4-7 would be this year’s record post Covid rescheduling. So technically I do think we underachieved this year. But with all the outstanding circumstances I’m not necessarily disappointed. Plus, there’s still a chance to get that mark next week, albeit a pretty slight one. Next year, with a full spring camp, I 100% believe the results will show up in the W/L column like they did on the stat sheet and to the eye test this year. I’ll put $100 on Tech winning 6 and making a bowl game next year if anybody is convinced Collins and Co. really aren’t the right people for their jobs.

The team is better but is a long way from six wins and next year we have to play both UGA and Clemson along with Miami. There will not be meaningful progress until both lines are dramatically improved from what they are now. Improve just those two things and the wins will come. It also appears that something needs to be done about the receivers and the defensive backs as well. There are a lot of holes to be filled before we can start talking about winning seasons and bowl games.

 

[GTFLETCH]

Those of you high on CGC... what do you think the ceiling is for this team under his regime?

Perennial 6-8 wins (good to better than good)?
OR
Cracking into elite status (competing with Clemson & UGA) & winning ACC titles... making playoffs?
OR
somewhere in-between?

We will not crack into the elite status under Geoff Collins. We might get back to the 7 wins a year and a bowl game that fans enjoyed under O'leary, Gailey, and Johnson.

But honestly I am think we avg around 5 wins a year with another round of "better talant"... Of course the issue isn't the SA, it is coaching...Until CGC can coach the boys up I am not sure how he wins more than 5 a year...

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Who picked us to win 0 games? Almost every one I've looked at said we would win 2-3 games. Almost all of them picked us to finish last, but picking us last is not predicting 0 wins.

Being last in the ACC does not mean that much. There are a bunch of pretty bad teams that on a given day can beat one another. FSU, Tech, Duke, Syracuse, and Louisville are all pretty bad but I would put Tech at the top of that group. The mediocre teams are plentiful as well NC State, Pitt, BC, Virginia, Virginia Tech are nothing to write home about either. This conference is plagued with bad officiating and bad football teams. Next year should be better for the Jackets. Surely we can win more than 3 or 4.

 

[lv20gt]

You can win 2 games and finish last. Maybe not this year. Even that link has us at 1 win. I have yet to find a single person that said we would go winless, much less multiples.

Mathematically sure. In reality the last place team in conference, not division mind you, hasn't had more than one conference win.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

You've said several times that we had 3 more wins than the experts (plural) predicted, which is why I asked. I kept seeing 1-3 wins all preseason, and predicted 4 myself.

4 wins is what I predicted in the preseason poll we had. Coach Collins has a long leash and plenty of time to develop his program. He certainly has more leeway than the much maligned Bill Lewis. I had forgotten but the most hated coach in living memory at Tech was actually a semi respectable 5-6 in both years that he coached full seasons: His first season was 1992 and although the Jackets got slaughtered in the first big game against #20 Virginia 24-55 in typical Tech fashion they upset two other ranked teams Clemson and NC State. The killer that year was having #6 FSU on the ropes at home in the fourth quarter and let them come back to win. He never recovered from that although he went 5-6 the next year as well. Coach Collins has something that Bill Lewis never had, a residue to good will and support from both the Administration and the Alumni.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

We will not crack into the elite status under Geoff Collins. We might get back to the 7 wins a year and a bowl game that fans enjoyed under O'leary, Gailey, and Johnson.

But honestly I am think we avg around 5 wins a year with another round of "better talant"... Of course the issue isn't the SA, it is coaching...Until CGC can coach the boys up I am not sure how he wins more than 5 a year...

It would help if he could avoid having to play Miami, UGA, and Clemson every year. I think we can be competitive with the rest of the ACC except now, of course, Mack Brown has built UNC into a powerhouse as well and naturally we have to play them every year. A schedule with Miami, UNC, UGA, and Clemson as its core is always going to be a tough row to hoe. The only positives I can think of is Virginia Tech is no longer among the conference elite and we can certainly compete with Duke and UVA.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Being last in the ACC does not mean that much. There are a bunch of pretty bad teams that on a given day can beat one another. FSU, Tech, Duke, Syracuse, and Louisville are all pretty bad but I would put Tech at the top of that group. The mediocre teams are plentiful as well NC State, Pitt, BC, Virginia, Virginia Tech are nothing to write home about either. This conference is plagued with bad officiating and bad football teams. Next year should be better for the Jackets. Surely we can win more than 3 or 4.

Agreed. I am hoping to see 5-6 wins next year. I think we are close to a tipping point in terms of talent/depth. Our schedule is top heavy with ND, Clemson, and uga, but NIU and Kennesaw St are home games for us as well. We draw BC as the crossover, so with the rest of the Coastal, there are 6-7 "winnable games" next year.