General News about Key and his Staff

[stech81]

To be completely honest, this was not the hire I was expecting, and I am also going to take a wait and see approach to it. That being said, judging an OC on year 1 is iffy at best. We probably won't know until 2024 just how good he is or isn't.

Being drunk 70% of the time (I do have to sleep) I look at it different I like the new OC we have not had to punt one time since we hired him. Who is the OC?

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Being drunk 70% of the time (I do have to sleep) I look at it different I like the new OC we have not had to punt one time since we hired him. Who is the OC?

You are not allowed to complain about him at all. He has hair.

 

[gville_jacket]

You doing a mighty-fine job tryna wrangle these boys (n gals) back onto the sane side of the sideline.

The #get-bak! coaching staff is always lookin' for volunteers....

Volunteers? Just give away my time and skill set for free? Never! Now if you had an internship available and I could put it on my resume, then I’d listen.

 

[gville_jacket]

A lot of dudes on here are complaining that we have more money available for assistants but aren't spending it, but I'd argue that it's not such a bad thing to be a bit frugal given our financial situation. Just 'cus you have the ability to spend money doesn't mean you should, particularly if the item (coach) you want doesn't cost too much.

I actually think we will spend it, just not on on-field coaches. Perhaps the deal to Key was, “you 10M to use how you like” and he’s opting for more coaches. Keep on-field coaches at 7.5M and use 2.5M on 5-10 analyst and recruiting support. It’s how the Clemson’s and Alabama’s of the world do it, they just also have resources to spend whatever for on field coaches as well.

 

[Techster]

So, you're on the Fire Faulkner bandwagon early? I am willing to let him at least get one short sleeve hoody before I take shots at him.

Nope. I'm on the gather the data to see what a coach did previously and let it speak for itself bandwagon. Of course, data is just data and each circumstance is different. Chip Long did pretty well everywhere (Memphis then Notre Dame)...except for Tulane. Maybe that was a warning sign, maybe Long didn't get enough time to implement his offense. Svoboda (Tulane's current OC) came after Long and immediately got great results.

I tend to think coaches who go into a new situation and get immediate results speak volumes. Those coaches are usually well paid...so that limits GT. Faulkner's history is not bad, my overriding point is GT is not a "plug and play" type situation. Coaches here have to have the ability to coach above where we recruit...that is develop talent, and outscheme the other side. Since I've been following GT football there have been only 2 offensive coaches who came in and got high level results immediately: Ralph Friedgen and Paul Johnson. Those two were also some of the top offensive minds for their times. GT was very lucky to have those two lead us.

The promising thing about Faulkner is he came out of the top program in the country right now. UGA's offense has been one of the best offenses (by any metric) the last few years under Monken. Yes they have top level talent, but they are also at the top of the mountain in terms of maximizing that talent. Look at Auburn and TX A&M for examples of recruiting well does not equate into on field results. Faulkner has several season digesting Monken's offense. How he wants his QBs to read defenses and attack them, how to scheme against coverages, how practices are run, how talent is developed, etc. That's worth a LOT...it's why ex head coaches are willing to take a step back and work as analysts or consultants under Saban and Smart. I have 100% confidence Key asked all the right questions of Smart and Faulkner through the interview process, and Faulkner's answers to those questions impressed Key.

Bottom line is: We'll see. Faulkner's past offenses may not have been high performing by certain metrics, but his players certainly put up impressive numbers. Our skill guys should be excited...especially Pyron who has the skillset to be a high performing QB under Faulkner.

 

[rodandanga]

Nope. I'm on the gather the data to see what a coach did previously and let it speak for itself bandwagon. Of course, data is just data and each circumstance is different. Chip Long did pretty well everywhere (Memphis then Notre Dame)...except for Tulane. Maybe that was a warning sign, maybe Long didn't get enough time to implement his offense. Svoboda (Tulane's current OC) came after Long and immediately got great results.

I tend to think coaches who go into a new situation and get immediate results speak volumes. Those coaches are usually well paid...so that limits GT. Faulkner's history is not bad, my overriding point is GT is not a "plug and play" type situation. Coaches here have to have the ability to coach above where we recruit...that is develop talent, and outscheme the other side. Since I've been following GT football there have been only 2 offensive coaches who came in and got high level results immediately: Ralph Friedgen and Paul Johnson. Those two were also some of the top offensive minds for their times. GT was very lucky to have those two lead us.

The promising thing about Faulkner is he came out of the top program in the country right now. UGA's offense has been one of the best offenses (by any metric) the last few years under Monken. Yes they have top level talent, but they are also at the top of the mountain in terms of maximizing that talent. Look at Auburn and TX A&M for examples of recruiting well does not equate into on field results. Faulkner has several season digesting Monken's offense. How he wants his QBs to read defenses and attack them, how to scheme against coverages, how practices are run, how talent is developed, etc. That's worth a LOT...it's why ex head coaches are willing to take a step back and work as analysts or consultants under Saban and Smart. I have 100% confidence Key asked all the right questions of Smart and Faulkner through the interview process, and Faulkner's answers to those questions impressed Key.

Bottom line is: We'll see. Faulkner's past offenses may not have been high performing by certain metrics, but his players certainly put up impressive numbers. Our skill guys should be excited...especially Pyron who has the skillset to be a high performing QB under Faulkner.

I've been watching a bunch of Arkansas State tape, and Justice Hanson reminds me a bit of Pyron and I like the way Faulkner used him. I think this is an underrated hire and it has a chance to be a great one.

 

[Towaliga]

It doesn't change the point. Long may have been a markedly better OC next year after the team had a year in his system under their belt. I simply trust that whatever Key saw at practices and during games that led to a lack of confidence in Long is well founded.

I'm agreeing with you. Just adding some levity to the post (and I didn't use any F's)

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I'm agreeing with you. Just adding some levity to the post (and I didn't use any F's)

Well, one F is fine, just not two, unless you're spelling out the name Geoff, where two fs are acceptable, I think....

 

[4shotB]

My goodness. For a bunch of fans, there are some amongst us who act like they think they know better than the professionals in their field as to who to hire. I submit you patiently wait to see actual results on the field (longer than 3 series of the opening game, if you please) before pulling out your artillery about how bad Coach X Y or Z is.

I wish people who posted their opinions (good or bad) would additionally state their qualifications to do so. I can't tell the people with the skills, experience and deep connections inside the industry from the random uninformed idiots spewing opinions about people they don't know or have ever seen coach in this thread. It would save a lot of time for the general readership imo.

 

[UgaBlows]

Nope. I'm on the gather the data to see what a coach did previously and let it speak for itself bandwagon. Of course, data is just data and each circumstance is different. Chip Long did pretty well everywhere (Memphis then Notre Dame)...except for Tulane. Maybe that was a warning sign, maybe Long didn't get enough time to implement his offense. Svoboda (Tulane's current OC) came after Long and immediately got great results.

I tend to think coaches who go into a new situation and get immediate results speak volumes. Those coaches are usually well paid...so that limits GT. Faulkner's history is not bad, my overriding point is GT is not a "plug and play" type situation. Coaches here have to have the ability to coach above where we recruit...that is develop talent, and outscheme the other side. Since I've been following GT football there have been only 2 offensive coaches who came in and got high level results immediately: Ralph Friedgen and Paul Johnson. Those two were also some of the top offensive minds for their times. GT was very lucky to have those two lead us.

The promising thing about Faulkner is he came out of the top program in the country right now. UGA's offense has been one of the best offenses (by any metric) the last few years under Monken. Yes they have top level talent, but they are also at the top of the mountain in terms of maximizing that talent. Look at Auburn and TX A&M for examples of recruiting well does not equate into on field results. Faulkner has several season digesting Monken's offense. How he wants his QBs to read defenses and attack them, how to scheme against coverages, how practices are run, how talent is developed, etc. That's worth a LOT...it's why ex head coaches are willing to take a step back and work as analysts or consultants under Saban and Smart. I have 100% confidence Key asked all the right questions of Smart and Faulkner through the interview process, and Faulkner's answers to those questions impressed Key.

Bottom line is: We'll see. Faulkner's past offenses may not have been high performing by certain metrics, but his players certainly put up impressive numbers. Our skill guys should be excited...especially Pyron who has the skillset to be a high performing QB under Faulkner.

Another potential plus for Faulkner- i’ve read (elsewhere) that he is a very strong recruiter

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I wish people who posted their opinions (good or bad) would additionally state their qualifications to do so. I can't tell the people with the skills, experience and deep connections inside the industry from the random uninformed idiots spewing opinions about people they don't know or have ever seen coach in this thread. It would save a lot of time for the general readership imo.

 

[Techster]

That's still only 5 out of 25. Since I would imagine there are just as much offense at the lower levels as P-5, these are not like comparisons. There's no allowance for the division they're playing in.

I understand the usefulness of OFEI, just not when comparing coaches from different levels. It's not a fair comparison.

Depends on how you want to interpret it. One way of looking at it, and this is how I like to look at it, is whether coaches are "punching above their weight".

Let's agree it's difficult to be in a non-Power 5 conference and get a high ranked OFEI without doing something special. There are around 65ish Power 5 schools (I'll include Notre Dame and BYU since they play by the same economics as P5 schools)...and those schools should dominate OFEI rankings under your thought. So for a non-P5 school to break into the top 65 OFEI territory (the number of P5 schools) in FEI, they have to be punching above their G5 weight, correct? If you get into the 40 or better OFEI territory (that's better than 1/3rd of the P5 schools) as a non P5 school that's pretty special. If you're a non P5 coordinator ranked in the top 20 of FEI, that's an extraordinary accomplishment given the disparity of economics and difficulty of achieving that outside of the P5. Coaches who do this are most definitely punching above their weight and getting more out of their recruiting tier. The other side of that is if you're a P5 school who finished below 65-70ish, you're probably not maximizing your talent.

Each person probably has different metrics on what they want to see from a candidate. OFEI is far from perfect, but it at least normalizes the data better than any other metric available right now.

 

[MidtownJacket]

Well, one F is fine, just not two, unless you're spelling out the name Geoff, where two fs are acceptable, I think....

 

[Towaliga]

UGA's offense has been one of the best offenses (by any metric) the last few years under Monken.

The funny thing about Monken is that most of the dwag fans I know were complaining about him his first 1 or 2 years at u(sic)ga, saying he wasn't a good coordinator. I guess that shows what Augusta Jacket was saying earlier in this post about how you can't always judge an OC after just 1 year.

 

[Randy Carson]

A dawg blawg post about Buster Faulkner as the heir apparent as OC at UGA should Todd Monken take the HC job at Purdue.

Money Quote: "Buster Faulkner would actually be an improvement over Todd Monken in terms of recruiting and the ability to go out and get players."

 

[Techster]

The funny thing about Monken is that most of the dwag fans I know were complaining about him his first 1 or 2 years at u(sic)ga, saying he wasn't a good coordinator. I guess that shows what Augusta Jacket was saying earlier in this post about how you can't always judge an OC after just 1 year.

Friedgen's offense didn't really get humming until QBs had at least 2 years in his system. Remember everyone wanting Joe Hamilton benched his freshmen year? Good thing Friedgen stuck with Hamilton because...well, we all know how that turned out.

 

[bobongo]

Depends on how you want to interpret it. One way of looking at it, and this is how I like to look at it, is whether coaches are "punching above their weight".

Let's agree it's difficult to be in a non-Power 5 conference and get a high ranked OFEI without doing something special. There are around 65ish Power 5 schools (I'll include Notre Dame and BYU since they play by the same economics as P5 schools)...and those schools should dominate OFEI rankings under your thought. So for a non-P5 school to break into the top 65 OFEI territory (the number of P5 schools) in FEI, they have to be punching above their G5 weight, correct? If you get into the 40 or better OFEI territory (that's better than 1/3rd of the P5 schools) as a non P5 school that's pretty special. If you're a non P5 coordinator ranked in the top 20 of FEI, that's an extraordinary accomplishment given the disparity of economics and difficulty of achieving that outside of the P5. Coaches who do this are most definitely punching above their weight and getting more out of their recruiting tier. The other side of that is if you're a P5 school who finished below 65-70ish, you're probably not maximizing your talent.

Each person probably has different metrics on what they want to see from a candidate. OFEI is far from perfect, but it at least normalizes the data better than any other metric available right now.

I guess it's an okay stat, if taken in context. I think it's best to just compare any stat within conferences or levels. That's what you've done, and I see your point.

Two main reasons why I'm excited about this hire: His three years as an analyst working with a very well-coached and varied offense - and a gut feeling that Brent knows what he's doing.

 

[UgaBlows]

A dawg blawg post about Buster Faulkner as the heir apparent as OC at UGA should Todd Monken take the HC job at Purdue.

Money Quote: "Buster Faulkner would actually be an improvement over Todd Monken in terms of recruiting and the ability to go out and get players."

I mean good lord, what higher quality players could he “go out and get” for them that they don’t already have? I guess they want a starting team of all 5-stars

 

[Techster]

I guess it's an okay stat, if taken in context. I think it's best to just compare any stat within conferences or levels. That's what you've done, and I see your point.

Two main reasons why I'm excited about this hire: His three years as an analyst working with a very well-coached and varied offense - and a gut feeling that Brent knows what he's doing.

We've now hired personnel from two of the best programs: AD Batt from 'Bama, and OC Faulkner from UGA. Geep was taken from one of the best G5 programs. GT is certainly a program you have to think "outside of the box", and I think GT has certainly done that with these hires. If you want to view Key as a 'Bama product under Saban, there's another one.

Now we have to sit back and see how this all plays out on the field...that will be the ultimate judge of how good these decisions were.

 

[DiffusedAcorn]

Has there been any info on his contract? Why are we assuming Faulkner is a cheap hire? He may be, but it also may be that we are paying him well.

That may well be true, I'm more addressing the people who have the sentiment of we have more money now, so we need to go throw it at a big name, which I think is a poor idea, based on the principle that just because it's exciting and costs a lot doesn't mean it's the best.