Has it come to this?

[Skeptic]

The truth: very few qualified candidates wanted this job. Everyone knew how hard this was going to be.

This school does NOT have a track record of supporting athletics. It has not invested in facilities and back-office recruiting support in the same capacity as P5 peers. We don’t have a student body that is overwhelmingly supportive of college athletics in the same capacity as other schools. Compared to peers in the SE, we have a smaller enrollment and a more geographically diffuse alumni network. For many reasons we don’t get walk up fans (don’t want to get into why).

Coach Collins wanted this job more than anyone else. As sad as it is to say: enthusiasm / energy are the most important qualifications for this job given what I said above.

I still think CGC has the background that is perfect for where we want to go: HC experience at a respected G5 school, Coordinator experience at SEC programs, and 15-20 years recruiting in the SE region. That combined with energy and a burning desire to make this place great is more than what this school deserves at this point.

I am a sidewalk fan, for more years than I will admit, and thus not a graduate of GT. But my best friend from the second grade is, and a casual football fan. But it seemed to me he got right at the nut of the thing when he told me that he lost faith in Collins when he described Georgia Tech as his "dream job". He dismisses talk of competing for NC and Top Ten ratings as pipe dreams, even with an expanded curriculum. So no, the top tier coaches were not taking this job. And since the AD ignored a couple of really good OCs in the SE, without even an interview, who were aching to prove their mettle before moving on, that left Collins who was saying all the right things. I don't know that he can ever do better than eight wins and two mediocre years at Temple is not a benchmark. But yes, he wanted the job more than anybody else. There are worse reasons for a hire I suppose. After damning with faint praise, we need to give the guy a shot. (And for OC foes, remember: this is only the third football staff Collins has hired. And good coaches don't grow on shoe trees.)

 

[gtstinger776]

I disagree with some of your points (facilities being a big one), but your overriding theme that GT's worst enemy is...GT itself is VERY true. The administration, the fans, the school...the totality of it is making us devolve as sports program. If we can get 2 of the 3 to turn the corner and get on the side of being beneficial to sports, then GT has more than a fighting chance. Unfortunately, we just make it worse on ourselves.

I use to always joke that GT can't have nice things...but it gets more true with every passing day. GT (fans, admins, coaches, student...GT up and down the line) need to look ourselves in the mirror.

I’m not saying GT is or isn’t it’s worst enemy. I would somewhat agree that our facilities (minus the edge center) are fine. My point is: we aren’t exactly the most desirable school. Some factors are inherent to the school, but many are within our control (e.g. the AA / programs improving fan experiences, fans showing up to games, alumni donating, AA delivering a compelling vision / resource plan).

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

Were you not expecting a step back?

I wasn’t expecting to get whipped by an FCS opponent, no.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

Hate him or not (and i do) He def took ugag to a higher level of fb than they have seen since Dooly’s heyday

AND he loved playing at GF.

 

[Boaty1]

I am a sidewalk fan, for more years than I will admit, and thus not a graduate of GT. But my best friend from the second grade is, and a casual football fan. But it seemed to me he got right at the nut of the thing when he told me that he lost faith in Collins when he described Georgia Tech as his "dream job". He dismisses talk of competing for NC and Top Ten ratings as pipe dreams, even with an expanded curriculum. So no, the top tier coaches were not taking this job. And since the AD ignored a couple of really good OCs in the SE, without even an interview, who were aching to prove their mettle before moving on, that left Collins who was saying all the right things. I don't know that he can ever do better than eight wins and two mediocre years at Temple is not a benchmark. But yes, he wanted the job more than anybody else. There are worse reasons for a hire I suppose. After damning with faint praise, we need to give the guy a shot. (And for OC foes, remember: this is only the third football staff Collins has hired. And good coaches don't grow on shoe trees.)

I'm curious, why are you a GT fan? I'm a sidewalk fan as well and the moment I feel like a magical run is out of the possibility I'm not sure I can continue. I love fighting the uphill battle but my goodness we have to fight and believe. It starts right there. Believing. I don't want a coach that says anything other than what Collins is saying as far as being elite. Not sure what we are doing if that is not the goal.

 

[Skeptic]

I'm curious, why are you a GT fan? I'm a sidewalk fan as well and the moment I feel like a magical run is out of the possibility I'm not sure I can continue. I love fighting the uphill battle but my goodness we have to fight and believe. It starts right there. Believing. I don't want a coach that says anything other than what Collins is saying as far as being elite. Not sure what we are doing if that is not the goal.

Would you believe that a) I am from South Georgia originally, and my friends referred to that other place as "The University" which irritated me no end and was a deciding factor in my not even applying, and b) Georgia Tech was the first team I heard on the radio of a Saturday afternoon. I can't explain it beyond that. It makes no sense, but there it is.

As for the other I can't argue, I just don't realistically expect it. I think the 2014 team was as close as we could get, and even then we had a porous defense. (We should have whipped FSU in the title game.) I am convinced though that if Tech does reach those heights, it won't be with this coach. Having said that I still want him to win and will continue rooting for them.)

 

[Dottie1145]

Nm

 

[Dottie1145]

We were like 5 plays from being 4-9 brother.

We’re 1 play away from being 0-3 right now bröther.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Wish I had you as a professor

LOL!

 

[stech81]

We’re 1 play away from being 0-3 right now bröther.

Or one offensive coordinator away from being 2-1

 

[jayparr]

I thought all along this year would be a step back which means 4 -6 wins! NOT coaches not knowing rules or can't hear good! If cgc has bad hearing then he needs someone shadowing him all the time! The players CANNOT behave like trash at anytime! Coaches need to decide how to sub!

 

[Dottie1145]

Or one offensive coordinator away from being 2-1

Not disagreeing with you there homie.

 

[JorgeJonas]

I brought up a very relevant hypothetical (singular) that was germane to that poster’s premise.

You on the other hand, not even sure why you felt the need to comment other than to defend a 3 win season. There’s no defending a three year season in the middle of a coaching tenure.

I’ve got a more recent example of something that’s indefensible!

 

[JorgeJonas]

There are still a couple of winnable games on the schedule. I see Pitt as being our best shot, followed by Duke. I had Temple as a possibility early but I am frankly not sure we can beat them right now. Losing Lee for the season complicates matters. We can't afford OL injuries at all now.

We’re gonna beat Virginia Tech. The games we’re going to have a chance in are the ones where the opposing offense is terrible, meaning it won’t take more than 17 points to win. I wouldn’t be shocked if Fuenté is either already fired or about to get canned by November. They’re awful.

I think we’re gonna have a shot against Pitt and maybe Carolina, too.

 

[White_Gold]

I do too, but it really doesn't matter at this point. We are where we are and our road ahead is very different than what we anticipated a year ago.

A year ago today we were also 1-2. Except this

We’re gonna beat Virginia Tech. The games we’re going to have a chance in are the ones where the opposing offense is terrible, meaning it won’t take more than 17 points to win. I wouldn’t be shocked if Fuenté is either already fired or about to get canned by November. They’re awful.

I think we’re gonna have a shot against Pitt and maybe Carolina, too.

Thankfully, they’re not firing Fuente for a couple more years. 17 mil this year. 12 next year.

 

[AE 87]

Reading this thread, I was reminded of an earlier conversation ...

Dude...it's a freaking goat rodeo. There is a MASSIVE debate going on right now on the sabre (Uva's version of gtswarm) about what our actual talent level is.

I'm of the opinion that we're PLENTY talented enough to beat UCONN and not get our stool pushed in by Richmond. The loss to Oregon is whatever, that's fine, but the other two are pretty bad.

I don't know how much you know about Bronco Mendenhall (uva's new coach) but....I don't know, man. He's got a REAL tony robbins/self-help/slogany/rah-rah vibe to him. He's chock full of catch phrases (will before skill, earned not given, do it right or do it again), and that's great if you're producing, but we've looked god awful. We're all expecting to get beat pretty bad by Central Michigan this week, and there are already "bad hire" grumblings among the fan base. It's seriously as dis-spirited as I've ever seen the fanbase.

Not only that, he's recruiting has been utterly mediocre. That's fine if you're GT and run a unique system so that guys that fit your system are going to be undervalued. We are running a completely run of the mill modern spread, and we're recruiting a bunch of 2 and 3 stars.

I personally find Mendenhall super offputting, but I'm hoping he wins, because I'll get over it real quick.

GT is going to hang 40 on us, minimum.

(For the record, uva did defeat Central Michigan that week, and Duke the next week for their 2 wins of the season, and GT only scored 31 in beating them 31-17)

Then I added a bit later in the thread, in response to someone else, ...

I don't think that's necessarily true for the present team. From my outside perspective, it seems that they've been under-performing their talent-level for the last several years which suggests to me that a troubled locker-room might be part of the problem.

That being said, if Bronco gets a couple years to instill his culture, he'll likely make UVA competitive. It sounds like the fanbase may not give him the time.

 

[ilovetheoption]

Reading this thread, I was reminded of an earlier conversation ...



(For the record, uva did defeat Central Michigan that week, and Duke the next week for their 2 wins of the season, and GT only scored 31 in beating them 31-17)

Then I added a bit later in the thread, in response to someone else, ...

At least I'm consistent

Mendenhall still rubs me deeply the wrong way, but he has worked the transfer market like a genius, and you are what your record says you are.

It actually kind of sucks to have a UVA team be good, and just not be that interested.

outside of Notre Dame, I don't know that we have another guaranteed loss on the schedule.

 

[GTFLETCH]

I’m afraid the main conclusion from this loss (to a winless FCS team) is that the coaching staff, and especially Coach Collins, are not yet up to this job. He/they may grow into it, but not getting a team ready to play a scheme we ran for 11 years is inexcusable. Having a bad week of practice when you haven’t played 5 minutes of good football yet is inexcusable. I drank the Kool Aid from day one about Coach Collins and all the social media hype.Now he has to turn it down, get to basics and try to build credibility. I’m not optimistic. The sales pitch was the hype would lead to better talent, but who’s hyped to come hear now, they have no idea how to use Tobias Oliver, and what if we win 0-1 more from here on?

 

[AE 87]

At least I'm consistent

Mendenhall still rubs me deeply the wrong way, but he has worked the transfer market like a genius, and you are what your record says you are.

It actually kind of sucks to have a UVA team be good, and just not be that interested.

outside of Notre Dame, I don't know that we have another guaranteed loss on the schedule.

By the way, @ilovethezima, you also made your post after the third game of the Mendenhall era which has shown steady improvement: 2-10 (1-7); 6-7 (3-5); 8-5 (4-4); expected to play for ACCCG. I wish CGC had the same proven track record as Bronco.

 

[TechPreacher]

Collins seems to be very similar to Jim Mora Jr with the Falcons. Impressive cliché and slogan to get the job, and public gaffes while employed. The only difference is that Collins won't have the early success that Mora did.