Techster
Helluva Engineer
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I'm not a GT alum but I have talked to a few. And they definitely don't want to lower academic standards so we can be good at football.
We shouldn't...and we don't need to.
There are a LOT of good recruits who can do the work at GT, and are not intimidated by the math and science requirements. I have a few friends who I played football with in HS who are now coaching at some good schools in GA that put out a good number of high level recruits every year. Every single one of them tell me all the time that if GT got the right guy in with the right system, GT should at minimum be a top 3 team in the ACC, and likely the team to beat in the Coastal every season. Every single one of them tell me all the time that GT doesn't even get the consideration they should because recruits want nothing to do with our offense...that's both offensive and defensive players. Offensive players don't want to play in it, and defensive players don't want to practice against it or get short changed by practicing against players who are not equipped to prep them for the next level.
CPJ is a GOOD coach, I'll tell anyone that listens that. But unfortunately, I think his time at GT has passed. It happens...just like Mark Richt/Frank Beamer/Bobby Bowden and many other good coaches surpassed their effectiveness at other schools. Unfortunately, it's something that happens in sports. Guys become "gods" at their schools, and the fans and school try to capture lightening in a bottle again but end up keeping coaches longer than they should. We don't have to look any further than our basketball program to see that (Cremins/Hewitt).
I've read a lot of posters say that they worry about getting a good young coach at GT because he might leave after 3-5 years if he has success. I say, so what?! If a coach leaves for a "better" job, it's because he's successful. Success at GT, no matter if a coach leaves for a better job is still success at GT. It's up to the administration to find another good coach. Look at our last 30 years. GT made 1 bad hire in the last thirty years. Ross/O'Leary/Gailey/CPJ were all fairly good to very good coaches. Every single one of them either won the ACC or played in the ACCCG.
IMO, more damage can be done to a program if you hold on to a coach too long than if you hire a good coach that leaves because he has success.
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