HC Candidate/Rumors/Info Thread

[Randy Carson]

We’ll wait for the announcement to make an announcement thread. For the time being, a thread that gets started today is either going to get the wrong content posted in it, or distract people, or fall down to page #3 before there’s an announcement.

Works for me.

 

[FredJacket]

So, a certain forum member is claiming to have an inside source who claims that a certain coaching candidate is no longer under consideration.

Either:

A. He's right and deserves props (though he could be simply guessing), or​

B. He's trolling and deserves to be suspended from posting for six months.​

I have no patience for anyone who is intentionally lying about what they know. Having bad information is not intentional. Making stuff up is.

<set rant=off>

If it is A... he deserves ridicule (not props) for being unable to keep that kind of inside info to himself & respecting his source he claims is/was a close friend.

 

[Randy Carson]

If it is A... he deserves ridicule (not props) for being unable to keep that kind of inside info to himself & respecting his source he claims is/was a close friend.

You make a good point. I stand corrected.

 

[pittkesh99]

Considering the transfer portal opens December 5th, I’d anticipate the new coach being hired by then, because we kinda need to. With how tight-lipped it seems J Batt and the rest of Athletics is about this search (which is good!) I’m kinda iffy on listening to any rumors and am just waiting in anticipation for the announcement….Still it is fun to speculate while we can!

 

[BonafideJacket]

Fritz is the name I’m least excited about. I hope Ken is wrong.

This was my initial reaction too until I actually looked at his career. The man has turned around every single struggling program he has taken over - Blinn JC, Central Missouri, SHSU, and his biggest challenge of all at Tulane. Tulane was a dead dumpster fire of a program with little to no support so I’ll give him grace on how long it took to be successful but this year they beat a ranked KSU on the road and ended Cincy’s long winning streak yesterday. He also maintained Monken’s success at GaSo.

He’s not young, sexy, or innovative, but he consistently turns things around, builds a program, and wins. He may not be what we want, but could end up being exactly what we need.

Biggest question mark to me how he operates in the brave new world of NIL and the transfer portal. But my concerns about BoB in this area are even bigger.

 

[Techwood Relict]

We're on pg 227. Call the guy out, let's get some drama going here.

This board needs some entertainment.

 

[GoJacketsInRaleigh]

Question ( not that I think he would be great) but why not Curt Cignetti , but he is 61 and that could be the reason.

He would be great. Tough, hard-nosed coach whose teams are fundamentally sound on the lines. Players like him too. He would be a home run, IMO

 

[malak05]

My opinion if you name Fritz your HC your gonna get a mass exodus right off the bat. Who knows he may eventually turn things around but initially will have us starting in a major larger hole.

 

[Randy Carson]

Plus that would re-unite Fritz and Long.

So, we've got that going for us.

 

[GTBandit22]

If we go with someone like BoB or Key, I wonder what happens with Long. He’s under contract for another year.
Chadwell would have no use for him, but I wonder since we are already on the hook for the salary, if we don’t keep him as a TE coach even if he’s not the OC. Make him leave if he wants to call plays

 

[GTBandit22]

I would have liked Fritz after PJ, at this point I would just hire Key over him. 63 is old to start over again.

 

[stech81]

This was my initial reaction too until I actually looked at his career. The man has turned around every single struggling program he has taken over - Blinn JC, Central Missouri, SHSU, and his biggest challenge of all at Tulane. Tulane was a dead dumpster fire of a program with little to no support so I’ll give him grace on how long it took to be successful but this year they beat a ranked KSU on the road and ended Cincy’s long winning streak yesterday. He also maintained Monken’s success at GaSo.

He’s not young, sexy, or innovative, but he consistently turns things around, builds a program, and wins. He may not be what we want, but could end up being exactly what we need.

Biggest question mark to me how he operates in the brave new world of NIL and the transfer portal. But my concerns about BoB in this area are even bigger.

Not sure I would say he turns thing around yes, he is 10-2 this year. But that was after 4-8. 5-7, 7-6, 7-6. 6-6. and 2-10. I have no idea who his OC is but maybe we need to look at him as he turned things around after Long as their OC.

 

[g0lftime]

Don you think Chadwell is still in the mix, or is it a done deal with Key?

That was an ugly loss. Uglier than our loss to the number 1 team in the country with our third string QB. Makes a decision much more difficult IMO.

 

[leatherneckjacket]

If it is Key, I will support him unconditionally. I do think it will have been a wasted opportunity to bring in a top notch coach with a much higher floor/ceiling as well as a track record of building a program. I just do not see this team competing for ACC Championships with Key as head coach any time soon.

 

[bobongo]

If it is Key, I will support him unconditionally. I do think it will have been a wasted opportunity to bring in a top notch coach with a much higher floor/ceiling as well as a track record of building a program. I just do not see this team competing for ACC Championships with Key as head coach any time soon.

I wouldn't make that assumption in the least. We don't know what anyone's floor or ceiling is at this point.
Key is a good motivator and seems to be a good organizer as well. Give him a top-notch staff and his "ceiling" is Georgia Tech's ceiling, whatever that is.

 

[kg01]

This board needs some entertainment.

Want somebody to spin some plates next?

 

[bobongo]

Want somebody to spin some plates next?

I'm too jaded at this point. I need that guy standing on his head backwards steering the bike to be amused.

 

[GoldZ]

That was an ugly loss. Uglier than our loss to the number 1 team in the country with our third string QB. Makes a decimo.be,shouldandision much more difficult IMO.

Completely unimportant and should be, imo.

 

[kg01]

I'm too jaded at this point. I need that guy standing on his head backwards steering the bike to be amused.

Ok. Take 2:

@slugboy Making his debut on Soul Train back in the day....

@CuseJacket didn't get the memo on that one halloween party, but he was all-in anyway ...

 

[BCJacket]

May I present a hypothetical pieced together from some of your previous posts and you give input into how much of this is true versus what I may have missed?

I’m thinking Chadwell was option #1 as far back as maybe last week. At some point in time between his emerging as option #1 and tonight, there was a handshake or verbal agreement to become our next head coach. The “good ole boys” club caught wind of this and starting throwing a fit/pushing Batt to reconsider. Batt reassures Chadwell that he can handle them and that he is still honoring their agreement. Key starts showing us he could be a really good coach which muddies the water, then kills it in his interview with Batt. Batt starts to reconsider privately, but the “group” senses his hesitation and puts a full on blitz for Key. Batt realizes quickly that he might have pulled the trigger too quickly and this is where it looks like it might blow up in our face. Batt re-examines the evidence, doubles down on his decision to go with Chadwell, but Chadwell, who has already caught wind of Batt’s hesitation, decides to gracefully bow out than to officially accept a job offer he already agreed to only to see the other side almost not honor their agreement.

My other thought is that Batt told Chadwell he had the job on the condition of he didn’t want his whole staff brought over to which Chadwell declined and told Batt they are a package deal.

How close am I?

My info is second hand from the 'old boys club' donor side. There's two sides to every story and this is certainly biased.

But what I heard back on Wednesday was that Batt was set on Chadwell and worked out a tentative agreement with him/his agent. However, the GTAA is in extreme financial trouble. Especially after the buyout and poor ticket sales this season both in FB and MBB. In order to afford any coach, Batt needs donor commitments. Cabrera wants to help, but he's legally handcuffed on what he can directly do financially.

Anyway, certain major donor(s) who were inside the search recused themselves from the process over disagreements with Batt. Others were told to stay out of it and were/are playing power struggle games with Batt. Batt told them who's the boss now and to stay out of things unless asked, Bama-style. So, they are keeping their money out of it, but not their opinions.

After the Pitt game, Batt was in an untenable position. The donors were not ready to open their checkbooks for Chadwell without at least giving Key a fair shot - a real interview, seeing how the GA game played out. Chadwell and his agent were rightfully miffed that Batt was stringing them along and couldn't/wouldn't finalize the deal. It blew up on Batt this week.