How would you handle the new redshirt rule?

[Deleted member 2897]

I lean closest to @gtg936g's thoughts and others who have stated something similar. In other words, play the frosh only when the game is in hand, and then if we have games to burn at the end of the year, then identify specialized roles. Put all your chips in vs. Georgia and ACCCG. Or worst case, they can play in a meaningless bowl game.

A couple other random thoughts that come to mind:

1) @gtwcf made a good point that should be noted. You can dress more players at home games than away games. This could hamper strategy @ Sanford Stadium this year, whereas next year's Saturday after Thanksgiving offers a greater number of possibilities.

2) Not a ton of talk here about clever gamesmanship. Seems I probably overvalue/overthink it. But I've latched onto the possibility of, for example, us not playing Graham all year. In the background he's playing scout team but also repping 1-2 package plays/trick plays in our base offense that we're saving until the Saturday after Thanksgiving. What does Georgia do when he runs in a play for his first snap? Can't scout it, unless there are moles at practice. There are risks with throwing someone into that type of situation as @tech_wreck47 mentioned. Could a team somehow execute that safely? Maybe the opponent is forced to burn timeouts?

@AE 87: we'll have @Yomanser at media day, which is tomorrow for anyone wondering. Similar format to past years where there's a presser with CPJ followed by players in groups of 3 at different tables. Yesterday I mentioned in an internal discussion that we could ask about the redshirt rule. I think your way of phrasing it about last year, rather than the plan for this year, has some merit. I'm inclined to believe it'd be a wasted question if we try to extract strategy from CPJ. So, I offered that we ask how he thinks other coaches received the rule and his ideas about how they plan to incorporate it.

If you’re looking for suggestions for questions for CPJ, how about asking him his opinion on the number of bye weeks our opponents get, the new cut block rules, and the state of schools’ recruiting behavior.

 

[CuseJacket]

If you’re looking for suggestions for questions for CPJ, how about asking him his opinion on the number of bye weeks our opponents get, the new cut block rules, and the state of schools’ recruiting behavior.

Also his thoughts on whether we should pass more to win games and how soon until we get a 5* recruit. Then I will offer to call plays because it's obvious after seeing a play that it didn't work, and we should've passed on 1st down, or if it was incomplete it's obvious why we should never pass on 1st down. Then I will save the GTAA time and just hand in our credential.

 

[YJMD]

Hard to say. I wouldn't just play folks right off the bat unless you think you might need to burn the redshirt later on.

 

[RamblinCharger]

I would play the ones that have a chance to make the 2 deep, (for instance if they would be 3rd in line at guard, but close to the second guy), I would play them 1-2 games in mop up duty in games where we are blowing out the opponent, hopefully for a couple of quarters each time, and then if need be late in the season they will have 2-3 games left to come in if absolutely necessary due to injury. Other guys I would play anywhere possible in mop up duty via special teams or something. I think you absolutely try to get everyone on the field in some capacity without burning the shirts that you weren't planning to burn. Use it to your advantage.

 

[stech81]

One thing if you get a chance to play some One it helps with team chemistry . I know to some this is not a good reason but you want a player to fill that he is part of the team. If he knows he can have a chance to see a little action it helps. First game is a good one and then after that use the other 3 games as needed.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

IMO, the biggest advantage to this rule will be to players on either side of the LOS. OL getting a few game speed snaps in relief duty will go a long ways in prepping them for next year. Same goes with the DL. These are also areas where spelling starters can be crucial.

As for the rest of the defense, I can see some of the LBs and Secondary getting some reps late in games, especially this year with all the new starters in our secondary.

On Offense, I really see very few of the ABs getting on the field in a game. It's possible a BB will see some time, though. WR is a tough call. As for QB, I would think Graham might see some game time against Alcorn ST and maybe BGU. Other than that, I don't know that we see a TFr QB on the field this year.

As for ST, I see lots of opportunity for them there. Trick plays specifically. I can see fake punt/FG packages drawn up utilizing TFr and held for the right situation.

Ultimately, though, I don't know if there's as much strategy to it as just the availability is now there.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

The other major consideration with playing TFr is that you are NOT playing the backups. The second and third strings bust their humps in practice and deserve their chance to get on the field when their time comes. When you put a TFr in, you are displacing someone whos been here a while earning their spot, so you need to balance developing the youngest with rewarding the guys who have put their time in.

 

[CuseJacket]

One thing if you get a chance to play some One it helps with team chemistry . I know to some this is not a good reason but you want a player to fill that he is part of the team. If he knows he can have a chance to see a little action it helps. First game is a good one and then after that use the other 3 games as needed.

Meant to include this earlier. CPJ indicated he believes there's something to this as well.

In prior years GT rewarded scout team players who did well by dressing them out the next week. It didn't turn into playing time, but they got to put on the helmet, go through pregame warm-ups on the field, run out behind the Wreck, etc. This year, maybe they're rewarded with a few safe snaps, or at least they have the possibility of seeing the field if game situation allows. Would be cool if that carrot turns up the intensity and preparedness of the scout team.

 

[JorgeJonas]

It really just depends on what the goal for the individual is, which is dependent upon the staff’s evaluation of the player. If they think the player has an opportunity to contribute more than a nominal amount, this gives them the opportunity to play the kid more heavily in early games to be certain. For more marginal players, or those needing additional development, it’s a chance to put them on special teams or some other less leveraged situation to begin to learn what playing at this level is like, while also retaining the value of that player’s upperclassmen seasons. It’s also a chance to save a player from losing an entire season of eligibility if he has to step in late in the season because of injury to a starter, or if he himself is injured. Good news all around, I think.

 

[bobongo]

One thing if you get a chance to play some One it helps with team chemistry . I know to some this is not a good reason but you want a player to fill that he is part of the team. If he knows he can have a chance to see a little action it helps. First game is a good one and then after that use the other 3 games as needed.

I think it's a very good reason, because chemistry is most important in college football. Getting people in the game and having them feel a part of the team helps energize the whole team.

 

[alagold]

The other major consideration with playing TFr is that you are NOT playing the backups. The second and third strings bust their humps in practice and deserve their chance to get on the field when their time comes. When you put a TFr in, you are displacing someone whos been here a while earning their spot, so you need to balance developing the youngest with rewarding the guys who have put their time in.

Exactly my thinking.Oddly it sets Tr-F vs R-FR/sophs in a fight for playing time sometimes.
For the guys who are on border of 2/3 string maybe play the T-FR earlier to see how they will do in a non-critical situation.

This rule IF USED WISELY (repeat this)-- could be true boon to some teams.Based on our wasting yrs of eligibility on certain players in past,I don't have great confidence in our maximizing them now.

 

[GTonTop88]

If they can contribute this year but not very likely to break the two deep don’t play them in mop up duty/ FCS games, so maybe you can save their redshirt.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

If they can contribute this year but not very likely to break the two deep don’t play them in mop up duty/ FCS games, so maybe you can save their redshirt.

Under the new rule, players can play in up to 4 games and still retain their redshirt.

 

[GTonTop88]

Under the new rule, players can play in up to 4 games and still retain their redshirt.

I know I was just saying maybe save them until you need them in games that matter. One injury and they are in the two deep and you use them for a few games until the injured play gets back without having to burn their redshirt

 

[bobongo]

I know I was just saying maybe save them until you need them in games that matter. One injury and they are in the two deep and you use them for a few games until the injured play gets back without having to burn their redshirt

Makes sense. The downside to that strategy would be if nobody in the two-deep got injured. That would be a good problem to have, but then they wouldn't get any work in plays from scrimmage, just special teams, maybe. And that wouldn't apply to linemen. Another conundrum for coaches, and another reason why coaching in college is more complicated than coaching in the pros, IMO. I suppose for players who are considered early in the development stage, you could just use them against cupcakes and in mop-up duty, since you wouldn't normally play them in serious game time.

 

[danny daniel]

IMO you play them normally as the situation and depth chart position dictates and when (and if) they reach plays in 4 games a decision has to be made at that point to RS or not going forward. The Frosh QB situation may require a more upfront plan.

 

[1939hotmagic]

(1) A consideration just for kicks: The new redshirt rule, essentially allowing a fifth season of eligibility -- albeit of only four games -- opens up the opportunity to (1) bring back the old JV game with Athens Correctional late in the season, and (2) apart from that one game, perhaps even have a genuine JV program. It wouldn't have to be a full 4-game season, it could be two or three games as well. Bye week for the varsity? Cool, perhaps have the redshirts/3rd-teamers/scout-team guys play a real or stitched-together JV squad from any program willing to come to ATL. Cheap tickets ($5 max), free for children under 13.

(2) For team morale, if Tech manages to secure big leads against Alcorn State and Bowling Green, sure -- get the redshirts in for a late series or two, after the 2nd- and 3rd-teamers have (hopefully) played most of the third quarter and at least half the fourth quarter. Even a little taste of real-game action is better than nothing. (Even if USF is rebuilding rather than reloading this season, a blowout victory by Tech would be mildly surprising -- and, it being a road game, I don't know if Tech would or could bring many, if any, of the "final 40" players on the travel squad.)

(3) It's doubtful, barring a rash of injuries and given the strength of ACC opponents, that late-game blowout opportunities will be there for any temptation to let the redshirts get a few snaps. So, other than the Alcorn State and Bowling Green games, keep the redshirts out of games, preserving at least two games "redshirt eligibility" to use late in the season, if absolutely necessary.

We can all draft our unsolicited input and get it to CPJ now. Insert laughter here.

 

[alentrekin]

Could allow a test run of Graham in garbage time to see if he is ready to play this year. If not, RS. if he appears to be qb2 in camp, it would be nice to try him before Clemson.

We should have ~3q garbage time before Clemson.

 

[GTonTop88]

I honestly think this new rule is goin to help us out a lot since we more rely on experience than talent when we have good seasons. The powerhouse teams are going to have more more people transfer and the really good players who redshirt will still leave early for the nfl. If the bigger teams get greedy with their redshirt rule they will run out of room at certain positions. We’ll be able to pick and choose more for elite talent with this new rule.

 

[SteamWhistle]

Just wanna see a lot of ABacks and WRs play this year. Also no one has said this yet, some of the taller freshmen can come in and try to block field goals without burning their shirts.