HC Candidate/Rumors/Info Thread

[Randy Carson]

I don't think it's Chadwell. There is no upside for him to take the Tech job, he already makes $3M a year, has 6 year contract, and Tech would be a far more difficult job.

Fritz does make sense, but as you pointed out ... he's out of reach until next weekend. I think Tech will cave on the time pressure. BOB is available today, has no buyout, and nobody is pursuing him. Key is just doing his job and waiting for the phone to ring.

I don't think it's about the money. If JChadwell takes our job, it's because it's the lowest rung on the P5 ladder. He can grab it and move up.

He can't go from Coastal to Ohio State or Alabama without a couple more successful stops over the next 10 years or so.

 

[UgaBlows]

GOING to be?!?

I'm standing by my view that if it's Chadwell after all, NO ONE* is going to say boo until after the Chanticleers championship game. Same with Fritz (and BOB). In which case, the radio silence is understandable and laudable.

But if we're stringing Key along and end up whiffing on all three (four? five?) alternates and hiring BK, he's gotta feel like either the red-headed stepchild or the luckiest man alive.

And we've treated him very shabbily.

*One "tell" is the QB who just committed after visiting us and Coastal. Seems like odd timing and more than a coinky-dink to me.

I hope your right, I’ve a feeling that Chadwell was and still is our #1 target.

 

[leatherneckjacket]

I am. Make sure to add Western Carolina to your first 4.

I know that our schedule strength ranking increased as the season wore on as I check Sagarin weekly.

Yes, Western Carolina brings the average way down, because it is so low and it is one of four. Even with that game, the averages are pretty close. As a statistician, it is an outlier for all games and especially the first four. That is problem with just using averages.

 

[RonJohn]

The improvement in pass blocking surprised me greatly. I had previously written off the OL entirely.

I am pleased, but not completely surprised.

Supposition from reading between the lines: The OL was not practicing at full speed. The OL was not practicing at full power, and were only in shells. The OL never did competition drills against the top DL. The OL players on the field were dictated from above instead of being picked by the position coach based on ability to perform in the game that week.

Put all of those things together and you get an OL that is not ready for interpreting the rush at full speed, is not ready for full power contact, and doesn't communicate well. In a normal program, the OL would be working on drills together from the Winter until Summer camp. Then they would be tested against the best DL players on the team. It takes a lot longer than a few weeks for them to gel. I am very pleasantly surprised at how well they got things together for the mutt game, given where they were 8 weeks ago.

 

[orientalnc]

Thamel, unlike other reporters, has not screwed up covering this story. Yet.

I think someone played Ken and the AJC. He is not prone to rumors.

 

[EE95_curse EMAG!]

As many have stated, I think it would be best in terms of retention to hire a new coach ASAP (also best for me cause I hate not knowing). However, if we are waiting for championship games this weekend before announcing a hire it is not the end of the world. We will likely have more players enter the transfer portal but it doesn't mean that we will lose more players as they can always return to Tech. If I was the coach coming in, I would try to convince them not to enter the portal but also let them know that you don't hold anything against them if they do and that they are still wanted here at Tech.

Retention of what? We NEED a dozen plus players to go for the portal. We have a bad roster. If any of the players are reading this comment, I hope they understand I mean no ill will, but we have a roster full of 3 star and lower players and many of those on the bottom end of the 3 star pile (massive pile).

We need room for as many HS recruits we can legally add over next two or three seasons AND we need to be picking the portal for immediate upgrades in size/strength. I realize we are way down in the portal pecking order, but I think we'd improve the roster at a few positions, even if its just depth improvement.

 

[Vespidae]

I don't think it's about the money. If JChadwell takes our job, it's because it's the lowest rung on the P5 ladder. He can grab it and move up.

He can't go from Coastal to Ohio State or Alabama without a couple more successful stops over the next 10 years or so.

IF he is successful. A five year record of 7-5 isn't going to move him up very much. Look at TFG. He will probably never coach again. Harsin won't. At least not anything decent.

CPJ was offered the job at Auburn and expressed interest in Tennessee. Both of those programs would have consumed him.

I think we think Tech is an attractive job. It isn't.

 

[Randy Carson]

And yet you want to hire Brent Key off a 4-4 record. Hmm....

If BKey had been head coach beginning at the end of last season, a lot of games turn out differently.

Counting Western Carolina, BKey has FIVE wins on the season as is. Add UCF and UVA, and he gets to seven.

Throw in Ole Miss (some have argued that was winnable) and either Miami or FSU, and this coulda been a MUCH better season.

 

[EE95_curse EMAG!]

And yet you want to hire Brent Key off a 4-4 record. Hmm....

I was just about to say the same thing. Key could be the next great coach, but chances are very low. Players like him? Sure, they like anyone with a heartbeat that isn't Geoff Collins.

Key just feels like a .500 level coach and I am wanting so much more than .500 records and possible bowl games against a team no one has heard of being played in Prudhoe Bay or Vladivostok (I kid on locations, but very close to it).

 

[yeti92]

If BKey had been head coach beginning at the end of last season, a lot of games turn out differently.

Counting Western Carolina, BKey has FIVE wins on the season as is. Add UCF and UVA, and he gets to seven.

Throw in Ole Miss (some have argued that was winnable) and either Miami or FSU, and this coulda been a MUCH better season.

 

[stech81]

Totally fine. I don't want certain guys, either. Doesn't mean I think they're crappy coaches. Except whichever guy you like... he sucks.
GO JACKETS!

I do like Key but like I said Chadwell or BoB would be fine and there may be one out there we don't know about, but I do think we need to name a coach fast and not wait. But I'm sure there is more to it than just saying here he is our new coach.

 

[BainbridgeJacket]

The donors are not a homogenous group. They do not all move in the same direction outside of their love for GT. There are quite a few donors who have been unhappy with the small group (the old boys club) that have had an outsized voice within the GTAA for years now.

True, hopefully adequate NIL funding has been secured without the OBC support. My impression is it hasn't. Of course, I might be associating with the OBC, but my clique refers to others as the OBC. There might be a couple of competing OBCs and they may all suck. J might need to do a team building retreat with a bunch of donors to bring everyone together.

 

[UgaBlows]

Standing in there against UNC was one thing, but Ugag? I am frankly astounded. I admit you were right about the OL's improvement, although I'd still hedge a little in that direction in recruiting.

For the first time in about 3-4 years I am optimistic about our OL next year, they are young but and made a lot of improvement at the end of the season. I am super impressed with how well they pass blocked against uga. Hopefully none of them transfer so we have continuity for next season.

 

[EE95_curse EMAG!]

If BKey had been head coach beginning at the end of last season, a lot of games turn out differently.

Counting Western Carolina, BKey has FIVE wins on the season as is. Add UCF and UVA, and he gets to seven.

Throw in Ole Miss (some have argued that was winnable) and either Miami or FSU, and this coulda been a MUCH better season.

This is one consideration. It's completely unknown. If reports of pop warner type practices are true, half-speed, padless, whatever, then yeah, Brent Key should get a moderate pass for OL play. That said, it should not be a huge bump up either. He was part of the coaching staff.

It's a tough call on Key. If they hire him, I'll be a big fan and very hopeful, just gut says this is a rebound hire. The "he was better than Geoff Collins" guy.

I am just ready for a new HC and to see what takes place with portal/recruiting over the next four months.

 

[UgaBlows]

I think someone played Ken and the AJC. He is not prone to rumors.

He has seriously damaged his credibility with this bad reporting

 

[Vespidae]

This situation is very similar to Auburn. There is HUGE support to hire Cadillac Williams despite his inexperience. The stadium is full, the bars are full, the town is full of people shopping. He has brought energy and an AU Family atmosphere back to the Plains.

There seems to be similar support for Key. I don't think Batt gets this part of Tech, but we'll see.

 

[orientalnc]

My emotional choice is Key because he loves Tech almost as much as his players love him. That loyalty is worth something and needs to be honored.

My logical choice is a coach with successful P5 experience. Chadwell and Fritz and Deion are not on my list.

 

[yeti92]

I was just about to say the same thing. Key could be the next great coach, but chances are very low. Players like him? Sure, they like anyone with a heartbeat that isn't Geoff Collins.

Key just feels like a .500 level coach and I am wanting so much more than .500 records and possible bowl games against a team no one has heard of being played in Prudhoe Bay or Vladivostok (I kid on locations, but very close to it).

I have repeatedly said I like Key and am good with him as the next coach, I just think there is a serious disconnect when you can want Key after this season but think Fritz is no good for improving a historically terrible program to 7-6. Key only gets compared to Collins, but Fritz seems to be held to a much higher standard.

 

[orientalnc]

He has seriously damaged his credibility with this bad reporting

You may be right and that is a sad result if true. He is a good guy who tries hard to honestly report GT sports news.

 

[kg01]

I think someone played Ken and the AJC. He is not prone to rumors.

I kid, but I do think he was victimized here. Likely by someone he's long trusted. He's not one to try and be first for the sake of being first. Honestly, there's no need to on a GT HC story.