General News about Key and his Staff

[malak05]

Moving J Williams to RG improved two positions. Leftwich did a good job at RT and I believe Williams is better at G. Also we had very good depth at G with Fusile, Valpulu, and Lay. Lay is gone. Now we need a T or two. (Green? Koots walked at Sr Day. Maybe Mooney?)

The moves definitely helped and talented players like Franklin was just turning corner and getting more and more experience

 

[RonJohn]

If they were talking to Fritz, why would they waste their time if they knew they didn't have money for his buyout?

Why do people buy cars if they don't have the money to pay for them?

With an athletic department and coaches, it isn't as desperate. For a buyout, you can raise money from donors if they like the hire. You can negotiate with the other school for a reduction and/or longer payment terms.

I don't know what Batt had available to him. But I am pretty confident that he did not have an $8 million stack of unallocated money sitting on his desk waiting for him to hire Fritz.

 

[85Escape]

All true, but it's water under the bridge. He didn't take the Tech offer because Tech COULDN'T offer him what he wanted.

You keep saying that. Is it something that you know or something that you believe based off of secondary sources?

My belief, and I admit it is not based on anything other than putting pieces together, is that we had a limit going into the negotiation on what we were willing to pay and couldn't get to an agreement. That's the right way to negotiate. Pre-determine what your limit is and absolutely don't get stretched beyond it.

Whether we wanted to be able to pay more but couldn't is news if it's not speculation.

 

[85Escape]

And why would a coach take a lateral move from a CFP Team to GT. Answer. Not going to happen - ever!

Except that it did...

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

According to whom? I never even heard a rumor that the buyout money was readily available. I have heard rumors that big money donors were floating ideas that they would pony up money for NIL and possibly assistants if Key were hired. I have assumed that if we had signed a HC with a large buyout that it would start a scramble to get funds together to pay for it.

We are also assuming the buyout was $8 million. I have not yet been able to verify that.

 

[NewEnglandTransplant]

All the coaching positions should be reviewed for an improvement plan or change in leadership, which is standard protocol at year end. My question being, would we looking at wholesale changes as some (not all) are calling for, if we had gone 6-6 this year? Four of those games were played pre-Interim Coach Key. Reflecting back, with the exception of UGA and Florida State, the other two losses were winnable games vs Miami and Virginia albeit some injuries and self inflicted wounds contributed heavily.
I'm all for reviewing the coaching for improvements, but we also have to bring in better and deeper talent. I believe we will now that this awful three years and four games is behind us. Go Jackets and Coach Key, we are behind you!

 

[Techwood Relict]

Apply. Apply? One does not "apply" to become the GeT-bak! coach. Those stripes are earned.

How? Well I'll take you back to west campus. Circa 2001. A scrawny kid ambles into the classroom when he suddenly finds himself shoulder-to-shoulder with a dude. A big dude. The door spanse couldn't handle the two of 'em ..... well, mostly the big dude.

The scrawny kid recognizes him. Brent ... something or other. He's on the team. What team? Do you really have-ta ask?

The big dude turns. A sullen scowl creeps over his brow. A barely audible, "My bad" drifts across the ether. Their eyes lock and the ugly truth of the moment emerges from the fog. Scrawny kid knew this Brent guy would lead the Jackets. The big guy knew .... the scrawny kid is his GBC.

Always remember you dont choose the moment, my friend. The moment chooses you...

That's a beautiful story, I'm gonna go think about life and missed opportunities for a bit....

 

[Techwood Relict]

I’d rather see what little money we have go to paying players to play.

Man, what a short time ago that phrase would have raised eyebrows. Now, normal course of business.

 

[Vespidae]

You keep saying that. Is it something that you know or something that you believe based off of secondary sources?

My belief, and I admit it is not based on anything other than putting pieces together, is that we had a limit going into the negotiation on what we were willing to pay and couldn't get to an agreement. That's the right way to negotiate. Pre-determine what your limit is and absolutely don't get stretched beyond it.

Whether we wanted to be able to pay more but couldn't is news if it's not speculation.

It's not an issue of dollars. Fritz and Tech agreed on the number. Fritz wanted it guaranteed, Tech wanted it incentivized. The GTAA does not have the bucks to guarantee payoffs after mailing a check for $10M.

 

[malak05]

For the love of Christ get this man back to the Flats!!!!!

 

[link3945]

Can we kill the Godsey talk? He hasn't coached in college in 12 years and his NFL offenses have been mediocre at best. That's hiring a guy purely because he's a Tech guy, and that's bad process. Go hire a good, innovative OC, and ignore where they got their degree from.

 

[bobongo]

We are also assuming the buyout was $8 million. I have not yet been able to verify that.

Whatever it is, I'm sure it dwarfs what Tech would need to pay to give Key the staff he needs.

 

[684Bee]

Okay so we have Weinke, Long, and I believe Tillman under 2 year contracts. Everyone else is up for renegotiation. We need a RB and OL coach.

Move Long to TE coach or let him leave. Go get the best OC we can find and let him hire/fire whomever he wants, even Long if he doesn’t like him.

Defense had a good year but I’m willing to go another direction there too with the exception of Tillman.

I just love that we have a thread titled “Key’s staff”.

 

[Techster]

If the rumors of Tashard Choice are true, I REALLY wish he would have stayed on Lincoln Riley's staff instead of taking the job at Texas. Imagine being in the offensive game planning and staff meetings under Riley. All the X's and O's Choice could have soaked up would have been awesome to apply to GT.

Of course, I totally get why TC chose Texas...but as football X's and O's fan...man...

 

[kittysniper101]

For the love of Christ get this man back to the Flats!!!!!

How? He's making 500k as a running backs coach at Texas. We're fretting over 850k for an OC. We would have to expand his role significantly to get him back (no way we can justify paying above market rate for a RB coach just for a feel good story to get a GT guy back) and quite frankly we need a proven playcaller to get us ahead right now. The one thing we can't afford to miss with Key as HC is the OC hire. Same thing with Godsey, he's risen to OC a couple times in his career but it's been followed by demotions. That's not exactly the career profile we'd want to hire if he didn't have the magical Tech connection.

 

[fairweatherhater]

Our defense down the stretch was the best Tech defense I’ve seen (though I admittedly didn’t start watching us until the CPJ era).

My friend, if that is your data set, you have been fishing in a very shallow pond.

I am in a similar boat to Trombone here. Was a student Sep 2004 - Dec 2008. Didn't really start paying attention until 2009 because CCG turned me off football so much that I didn't even watch CPJ's first season. The combined play between the OLine and DLine coming down the stretch at the end of the season was the best I have seen since I have been paying attention. I've never seen us that good at both sides of the trenches at the same time. It's one of the big reasons I am excited for the upcoming season. I'm sure there are plenty more of us in a similar boat.

Edit: I may add that I was in the student section for the infamous "booing of the Chan Gailey drunk driving PSA" because we all hated CCG that much.

 

[684Bee]

I just love that we have a thread titled “Key’s staff”.

I’ve thought long and hard about Key’s staff, but nothing seems to come to me.

 

[Hoss]

Just bring Buzz Preston back as WR coach

 

[deeznats]

I’ve thought long and hard about Key’s staff, but nothing seems to come to me.

If you thought for more than 4 hours, you should call your GTAA ticket rep.

 

[SowegaSting]

Moving J Williams to RG improved two positions. Leftwich did a good job at RT and I believe Williams is better at G. Also we had very good depth at G with Fusile, Valpulu, and Lay. Lay is gone. Now we need a T or two. (Green? Koots walked at Sr Day. Maybe Mooney?)

I noticed they moved Jordan inside. I was wondering if it was due to OL injuries or a permanent move