Has fan apathy already set in?

[smokey_wasp]

I could understand the negativity more if we hadnt improved at all since Citadel, but that isnt the case. As much as I hate losing, I liked a lot of what I saw in the unc game enough to actually rewatch some of it. Really liking what I am seeing from Graham. We also managed to get the ball to the TE yesterday. We looked, for the most part, like a shotgun spread team and that is a big improvement. I think with even competent Oline play, we are mid pack coastal.

 

[Longestday]

I think most of it has been “said”, the kool aid drinkers hit reality, the pro CPJers had their case in point, the anti CPJers have nothing but their hate left ... now it is what it is...

But, I saw an offense with some identity (no matter the players size or height or ability). The OC still seems like he plays with a magic eight ball... the random QB placement only stopped when O was injured. But, I saw some spark in the offense overall.

I don’t expect to win, but hope we do. I do expect improvement even if the players are not perfect.

 

[stech81]

I could understand the negativity more if we hadnt improved at all since Citadel, but that isnt the case. As much as I hate losing, I liked a lot of what I saw in the unc game enough to actually rewatch some of it. Really liking what I am seeing from Graham. We also managed to get the ball to the TE yesterday. We looked, for the most part, like a shotgun spread team and that is a big improvement. I think with even competent Oline play, we are mid pack coastal.

I liked Graham but please tell me how the defense got better this last game. Up till yesterday I could see them getting better but not yesterday

 

[Jacket4Life9]

Back in August, I hoped for 5-6 wins this season. I insisted that we'd win no less than 4. However, outside of the Citadel meltdown (unacceptable regardless of circumstances), I am not terribly shocked or disappointed at what we are seeing, especially considering the OL attrition.

I am shocked that many Tech fans can't see or accept the reality that our roster was not going to cut it this year from a talent perspective. Sure, we could have squeezed out 6-7 wins running the 3O this year... We know you can take even G5 talent and make a bowl in the ACC Coastal. Or let a freak athlete like Tobias run the ball at QB 25-30 times a game and win 6-7 games that way. But in a transition to a non-3O option, that's not going to happen. Every objective knowledgeable football analyst, coach, fan, etc. in America understood that going into the season. I am not a CGC apologist (he's made a ton of mistakes, and I do have concerns), unless we hired Monken or some other 3O Coach, this was what we were going to get. For any spread/non-3O coach, our roster was a mess. No size or depth up front. Tons of injuries. And no experienced or even true passing QB. What on earth do you expect?

 

[Dustman]

We had a decent crowd at BDS yesterday. Not great, but decent. For some reason, it seems that half of the fanbase thinks a 4pm game means you head over to the stadium at 4. But that’s typical GT fanbase behavior and has nothing to do with apathy for this season. Judging simply from the crowd at the game yesterday, I would not say that fan apathy has set in. BDS was pretty lit later in the 3rd qtr and early 4th qtr. Yellow Jacket Alley pregame was just as good if not better than the USF game.

As far as the virtual fanbase on this board, if people are tired of venting their frustrations with losing on every thread, then that’s fine with me.

 

[Jacket4Life9]

I liked Graham but please tell me how the defense got better this last game. Up till yesterday I could see them getting better but not yesterday

They did not play well--especially on 3rd downs. Our lack of pass rush (again, especially on 3rd downs) and lack of depth killed us. Our inability to maintain drives made things even worse.

 

[smokey_wasp]

I liked Graham but please tell me how the defense got better this last game. Up till yesterday I could see them getting better but not yesterday

They had a down game. Will be interested to see any breakdowns on it. Just hard for us to put together a complete game right now given we are young. I find the bright spots where I can.

 

[Vespidae]

Apathy? No.

For any old timers like me, I lived through the Curry years when we won 2 games over 2 years. Two. But, we always believed better times were coming and they did. An All-American Bowl and just five years later, a Natty.

Look, Ole Miss isn't that great. But they do have a helluva game day experience. My favorite of any program I've attended.

The problem isn't the team. We will eventually get there and have a competitive team. Not a Natty again, I'm afraid. But would we win Coastal? Yes. Top 25? Yes.

The problem is one the CGC and the AA don't talk about. They are pivoting to a new fan generation. But ... the new fans a) don't give as much money to the AA as the current fans and b) care less about football IMO. (Not all, just most.) CGC needs to realize that he has to put a product on the field that is competitive AND keeps the donating fans happy.

My seat mate to my right has had season tix since '62. "What do you think?" I asked. "I'm not impressed." My seat mate to left said, "I could care less if Collins wore pink tutus to the game if he won, but honestly, he sucks. Why can't he pick a QB and build an offense around him? This is ridiculous."

Legitimate or not, CGC and Company need to keep fans engaged. Not the players ... he owns them M-F. But the live seats? If they know less than he does (and we do), he needs to bring them along. Or risk losing some.

Tech is my school. I support the program with tix and donations. But I do think we are headed to be more like Vanderbilt than Alabama.

 

[JorgeJonas]

There were 35,000 people at the game yesterday. It hasn’t set it; it has always been there.

 

[SteamWhistle]

No I think everyone is just tired of the same 4-5 posters taking over every thread liking each others post every time and all saying the same thing.

 

[SteamWhistle]

There were 35,000 people at the game yesterday. It hasn’t set it; it has always been there.

What? Reported attendance was 45,044.

 

[AUFC]

There were 35,000 people at the game yesterday. It hasn’t set it; it has always been there.

And UNC had an impressive away showing IMO. Was surprised at how many they brought this year.

 

[chris975d]

Apathy? No.

For any old timers like me, I lived through the Curry years when we won 2 games over 2 years. Two. But, we always believed better times were coming and they did. An All-American Bowl and just five years later, a Natty.

Look, Ole Miss isn't that great. But they do have a helluva game day experience. My favorite of any program I've attended.

The problem isn't the team. We will eventually get there and have a competitive team. Not a Natty again, I'm afraid. But would we win Coastal? Yes. Top 25? Yes.

The problem is one the CGC and the AA don't talk about. They are pivoting to a new fan generation. But ... the new fans a) don't give as much money to the AA as the current fans and b) care less about football IMO. (Not all, just most.) CGC needs to realize that he has to put a product on the field that is competitive AND keeps the donating fans happy.

My seat mate to my right has had season tix since '62. "What do you think?" I asked. "I'm not impressed." My seat mate to left said, "I could care less if Collins wore pink tutus to the game if he won, but honestly, he sucks. Why can't he pick a QB and build an offense around him? This is ridiculous."

Legitimate or not, CGC and Company need to keep fans engaged. Not the players ... he owns them M-F. But the live seats? If they know less than he does (and we do), he needs to bring them along. Or risk losing some.

Tech is my school. I support the program with tix and donations. But I do think we are headed to be more like Vanderbilt than Alabama.

I’ve mentioned something alone these lines as well. They (the AA/GT staff) ARE trying to draw new/young fans, but they have to be very careful not to alienate, and ultimately run off, a large portion of the existing (possibly older in age) fan base that donates and contributes the lion’s share of the current money. That’s currently the core customer, and it’s always a good practice to do everything you can to keep that core customer.

 

[WreckinGT]

Back in August, I hoped for 5-6 wins this season. I insisted that we'd win no less than 4. However, outside of the Citadel meltdown (unacceptable regardless of circumstances), I am not terribly shocked or disappointed at what we are seeing, especially considering the OL attrition.

I am shocked that many Tech fans can't see or accept the reality that our roster was not going to cut it this year from a talent perspective. Sure, we could have squeezed out 6-7 wins running the 3O this year... We know you can take even G5 talent and make a bowl in the ACC Coastal. Or let a freak athlete like Tobias run the ball at QB 25-30 times a game and win 6-7 games that way. But in a transition to a non-3O option, that's not going to happen. Every objective knowledgeable football analyst, coach, fan, etc. in America understood that going into the season. I am not a CGC apologist (he's made a ton of mistakes, and I do have concerns), unless we hired Monken or some other 3O Coach, this was what we were going to get. For any spread/non-3O coach, our roster was a mess. No size or depth up front. Tons of injuries. And no experienced or even true passing QB. What on earth do you expect?

I expected to have a rough transition but I also expected to beat the Citadel and be somewhat competitive against UNC and Temple. I expected the offense to struggle. I didn’t expect to have the worst offense in the FBS. Just because we were expected to be bad doesn’t excuse that we are worse than we should be.

 

[Jacket4Life9]

I expected to have a rough transition but I also expected to beat the Citadel and be somewhat competitive against UNC and Temple. I expected the offense to struggle. I didn’t expect to have the worst offense in the FBS. Just because we were expected to be bad doesn’t excuse that we are worse than we should be.

I carved out the Citadel and will not defend that game. Look at our OL and DL situation. Temple and UNC have more talent at both position groups at this point.

 

[Vespidae]

I’ve mentioned something alone these lines as well. They (the AA/GT staff) ARE trying to draw new/young fans, but they have to be very careful not to alienate, and ultimately run off, a large portion of the existing (possibly older in age) fan base that donates and contributes the lion’s share of the current money. That’s currently the core customer, and it’s always a good practice to do everything you can to keep that core customer.

Thank you. I agree.

I buy concessions every game. And every time I ask, “Do you offer season ticket holders the discount TStan told us about?”

“No. We don’t provide any discounts. Sorry.”

No special lines for STH. No tee shirts. No programs. No discounts. Nothing.

My SEC friends have closets full of stuff. I mean honestly ... there’s always StubHub.

 

[JorgeJonas]

What? Reported attendance was 45,044.

That may have been the paid attendance. The stadium was half empty. It’s to the point where the norm in the east stands, let alone the north deck and student section, are a bunch of people dressed up as empty seats.

 

[JorgeJonas]

And UNC had an impressive away showing IMO. Was surprised at how many they brought this year.

They brought about half as many as they would for a hoops game.

 

[chris975d]

Thank you. I agree.

I buy concessions every game. And every time I ask, “Do you offer season ticket holders the discount TStan told us about?”

“No. We don’t provide any discounts. Sorry.”

No special lines for STH. No tee shirts. No programs. No discounts. Nothing.

My SEC friends have closets full of stuff. I mean honestly ... there’s always StubHub.

Off topic, but one of the real season ticket holder “benefits” that was a true head scratcher to me occurred earlier in the year when I bought my season tickets (first year back in a LONG time, bought late, and don’t have a lot of AT Fund points) and asked about parking passes. I was given a package price which seemed really out of line considering that, for my AT Fund level at least, the service the AA was using showed the same parking lots as ParkMobile (the AA may even use ParkMobile). I went to ParkMobile’s website, looked at the same exact lot options I was given through the AA, and buying parking for all the games individually was about $50-$60 cheaper for the year than what the AA was offering. But anyway...

 

[BuzzStone]

Thank you. I agree.

I buy concessions every game. And every time I ask, “Do you offer season ticket holders the discount TStan told us about?”

“No. We don’t provide any discounts. Sorry.”

No special lines for STH. No tee shirts. No programs. No discounts. Nothing.

My SEC friends have closets full of stuff. I mean honestly ... there’s always StubHub.

As a first time season ticket holder I was less than impressed. We spend way more money on tickets than just buying them individually. We say up front we want tickets to the home games. And we get nothing "special"