Does Georgia Tech's Offense ACTUALLY Hurt Recruiting?

[Yomanser]

I'm certain that this has been discussed so many times that people are quite frankly sick of it (I know I am), so I wouldn't be creating this thread if there wasn't something new that made me stop and think. I'm specifically talking about these comments:


For those of you who don't know (I didn't at first and had to look him up), Quincy Avery is a quarterback trainer that works with some of the top quarterbacks in the country. I found this article (http://usatodayhss.com/2015/qb-flight-school-provides-unique-experience-for-six-elite-quarterbacks) on one of his recent events, which included his training of 6 of the top QB's in the country (Jacob Eason among them).

Obviously, Avery deals with prototypical pocket passing quarterbacks, which aren't ideal for a flexbone spread option system. However, Avery obviously has an in to some of the top talent around the country and some of the top recruits. My questions are pretty straightforward: do you think that Avery only deals with quarterbacks that aren't recruited to run an option system, or is he also talking about bigger recruits more pertinent to Tech like running backs and wide receivers that have told him this? How much does the option system TRULY hurt Tech in recruiting compared to other factors that have been discussed like the academic requirements or lack of recruiting staff? How much water do these comments hold, or is it just full of hot steam?

If I could also get some insight from people on the board that have experienced this (parents of recruits, insiders, those working in the administration, etc.) in addition to everyone else, that would be fantastic. Thanks

 

[jeffgt14]

You obviously aren’t going to get a prototypical passing QB in an option offense. I don’t believe it hurts us with running backs either. They have the opportunity to touch the ball a lot and learn to block which is a huge priority in the NFL. Our offense should have no effect on the recruits we get for defense and our offensive and defensive recruits are about on par with each other most years. Take that for what it’s worth.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

dead horse, but those comments are interesting. Could very easily be he's only talking about qb's. That's not been our problem. The big problem is getting the big uglies especially the blue chip DL's. If we dump CPJ, that problem doesn't go with him.

The biggest hurdle is one that will never change, academics, both in rigor and limited study options. I don't care what anybody says, it's real. The kids don't want to admit it because they don't want to admit they can't hack it or prefer the easy road. The second biggest hurdle comes as a result of academics/STEM identity: the lack of girls, the small fanbase, small stadium, etc......

 

[GTFLETCH]

Justin Thomas a four star recruit flipped from Alabama for a chance to play at QB at GT...so I do not think so... Dedrick Mills chose to come to GT over SEC schools.. 4 star OL S. Devine chose to come to GT and block in the offense....

I think some kids do not want the academic rigor that the GT student athletes have on the Flats. And they may use a blanket statement like "The offense is not for me" which sounds better than "I do not want to go to a school that I will have to study a lot. I want to be a lazy student and focus on football only "

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Regardless of the offense, we have only had two great QBs in my lifetime.

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

How many of those guys would want to come here if we ran a pro style offense?

 

[RyanS12]

I remember when Vad went to some well known qb guru one summer and came back and looked like ****. Maybe there's so called gurus do t really know what they're doing either.

 

[AE 87]

I don't know anything about this guy, but I think he's shouting chowder. I'm pretty sure that @Eric showed that our recruiting was slightly better under CPJ than Gailey. The fact is that it's hard to compare to past coaches because the APR really would have effected some of our better teams in recent decades before it was in place.

 

[gtg936g]

You recruit people that can be successful in your offense. Why would Paul want a pocket passer? It would not work for us, or the QB.

I don't take much stock in people that aren't coaches. If Avery is that good why isn't he coaching in the NFL or at a top tier school?

 

[RyanS12]

You recruit people that can be successful in your offense. Why would Paul want a pocket passer? It would not work for us, or the QB.

I don't take much stock in people that aren't coaches. If Avery is that good why isn't he coaching in the NFL or at a top tier school?

Exactly. Kinda reminds me of the local atl high schoo cows he everyone wanted really bad on Pastners staff. If he's so great why is he still coaching HS kids??

 

[33jacket]

Its a fact it has detracted some kids from coming here. Its just a fact. But its not enough to matter or be a true issue. There are kids that dont want to go to other schools for other reasons.

Is it true. Sure it is. Does it mean it affects us. Nope. Because its not 60percent of our recruits. Its a few here and there

 

[gtg936g]

Let me add this thought as well..My personal view is that the pocket passer is out dated in today's game. If your QB is not a dual threat you lose a .5 man on offense.

How do you stop Eason types? Confuse the coverage look and bring pressure. He isn't going to kill you with his legs, and he can only kill you with his arm if he has time to do so.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

He lost me when he referred to Chan's teams being talented and Johnson's teams being dominated by certain others, including Georgia. Johnson has at least beat the mutts twice; Chan never did and incurred the worst beatdown in the history of the rivalry in the process. Maybe a few salient points here and there, but overall, IMO, garbage.

 

[AE 87]

That tweet thread is nonsense. It's blaming all our losses on the offense. Clearly doesn't know what he's talking about.

@ATL1 do you know this guy? He's a Morehouse 2009 grad in Psychology.

 

[awbuzz]

... I rank it up with all of the "talking heads" that mention how much GT chop blocks. Their ignorance regarding cut vs. chop blocks or the fact that even the NFL uses cut blocks blows my mind.
They regurgitate the sewage they swill down "preparing" to talk about GT football.

 

[AE 87]

I don't know anything about this guy, but I think he's shouting chowder. I'm pretty sure that @Eric showed that our recruiting was slightly better under CPJ than Gailey. The fact is that it's hard to compare to past coaches because the APR really would have effected some of our better teams in recent decades before it was in place.

dadgumit *affected

 

[takethepoints]

What it comes down to is that most of the people who comment on sports - or even run sports schools - don't know diddly about option offenses.

The reason for this is straightforward enough: they don't lend themselves to what passes for commentary in sports media. Listen to a game for teams running the spread or a regular T. They invariably focus in on the skill players and how "dominant" they are that day. This makes things easy for both fans of those teams and for commentators: why'd one side win? Because so-and-so played really well. Now listen to most commentators in our games. They often don't know what to say. We run a dive and get 4 yards (let it be so for the rest of the year, oh, Lord). Then we get two more on second down. It's third and four! Most teams would think about passing. We run again and either get the first or start thinking about what we'll do on fourth and one. Let's face it folks, there isn't much drama there, especially when we do it for 10 minutes or better. So, the color guys start talking about blocking. This is not click-bait and they don't like doing it. They know that most of the non-Tech fans watching are getting stressed out trying to figure out, "Why can't we stop the same play when they run it over and over again?" They also know that they can't get them to follow an argument about why the same play with an unbalanced line isn't the same play. Provided, that is, that they realize this themselves. Which they often don't.

This is a cross we have to bear, I think. And I don't think it has much to do with our recruiting.

 

[Boomergump]

Different offensive systems attract players that fit in those systems. That is pretty much the bottom line. If you look at the QB situation, do you really think there are THAT many schools ahead of us trying to get QBs who can run the option? We might lose a few for academics, but other than that, we would be close to the front of the line. I'm not sure we can say that during Chan's day for pro style QBs. I really don't know what kids listen to and what they don't. The long term results might indicate DTs don't want to come here fearing for their knees and possibly WRs don't want to come here to block. Other than that, I would say we have tended to get who we need.

 

[RonJohn]

What it comes down to is that most of the people who comment on sports - or even run sports schools - don't know diddly about option offenses.

Or, they don't know diddly about how GT runs the option. They probably played the wing T in high school, or played against teams that ran the wing T in high school. The high school teams that I have seen run it put their linemen almost shoulder to shoulder. They then push pretty well and whether it is the fullback, a wing back, or the QB, they gain 3-4 yards EVERY play. Occasionally they will not gain 3 yards. Very seldom will they gain more than 5 yards on a play. If they go to third and long, they have to run a different play. In my opinion, it is very methodical and very boring.

I am not a football expert, but this is my take on the GT offense. GT does not line up like that. There is a very large gap between the linemen. The gap is so large that it seems to me that if a DT could time the snap, there would be nothing stopping him from grabbing the QB before the QB had a chance to take a step back. The BB plays are set up so that the BB has a chance to make very large gains. It isn't push the pile three yards, it is get people out of his way so he can make it to the end zone. GT has been in the top of NCAA for plays over 20 yards and plays over 40 yards at least most of the time CPJ has been here. That isn't three yards and a cloud of dust. I believe GT's offense has a lot more in common with Auburn's and Ohio State's offenses than it does with high school wing T. The spread has a jet sweep motion, GT has a rotating AB. The spread first option is to the jet sweep, GT's first option is the BB. The spread's second option is full back or QB pass, GT's second option is AB or QB run. I believe the pass game depends a lot on the WRs blocking well. If the WR is blocking and the CB is running backwards, it should be pretty easy to knock the CB on his back. If the CB is worried about being pancaked, he will lean forward expecting contact. If he is leaning forward and the WR runs by him, he has to begin running after the WR has passed him. Overall it is a lot more exciting than the high school wing T.

 

[Milwaukee]

It does. But who cares. I'm the loudest guy on the board saying our recruiting is absolutely terrible, but I love each and every one of our guys.

I don't care what anyone says about Johnson's players being equal or better to Gailey's. Just look at film (for you stat guys out there, don't even bother). We used to line up across from FSU, Auburn, UGA, Notre Dame, and we were as big and fast as they were. Nowadays, even the announcers make fun of us getting off the bus.

Our recruiting is horrible with PJ, I'm sorry. You can tell yourselves we're getting the guys we want that fit our system, but we're simply not getting the upper echelon players and it's more evident now than ever before.

I love PJ and think he's an offensive guru, but he just can't recruit.

End rant.