I Don't Like To...

Boomergump

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
Messages
3,262
express long term opinions based on short term observations. So, I have been holding off for a while, preferring to reflect on a larger data sample. I thought about posting this last week, so please don't think that my following comments are based on the single, most recent win.

I am starting to believe in CGC as the right person to run our program. I base that comment on how he has handled himself during the losing streak and the tough times, combined with how hard the kids have played and stuck together despite it all. To be truthful, I wasn't really bought in during the off season hype. That stuff just doesn't resonate with me. Then our season began. You can tell so much more about athletes and coaches (and fans) when things aren't going well. EVERYBODY is great when things are going well. That cannot be said about the opposite. IMHO CGC is doing the only thing he can do under the circumstances, and that is teach kids how to compete in his system, as well as setting standards for effort and behavior etc etc. It is no small task to create an environment where kids that age stick together, despite some very humbling circumstances. Yet we have. Compare that to what you saw from MyHammy yesterday. Additionally, I believe our kids have played harder than our opponents in every FBS contest thus far, all the way to the final snap. We have been better than our opponents in the second half. I know big leads/deficits can affect that dynamic, but it hasn't affected us in the least bit. CGC has taken a lot of pages straight out of the USMC playbook (competition is king with rewards and consequences for every single training event) and I so appreciate that. There is zero doubt in my mind that that stuff works. I would bet the house that CGC has sat down at some point with a person in the Marines and discussed leadership training etc etc in an effort to build the correct culture for his CFB teams.

In no way shape of form do I think we are a good ACC football team at the moment. We are not. With that said, we are an amazing TEAM in a more general sense. If we can be a great TEAM in the current circumstances, imagine what we can become in better ones.

I also do not think that yesterday's game was a turning point. Certainly, it represents something to build on. It was a "gut check" and "fortunate" win where we simply found a way. We may go on to win more games, but I have no illusions in thinking they will be easy or pretty. Literally no result, in any week, moving forward, would surprise me, unless we were to quit on the field. That would surprise me.

Finally, I will say, I don't think we are THAT far off of having a very formidable presence in the ACC. To be truthful, Graham is starting to remind me of frosh Joe Hamilton. Most of the tools look similar, as are the type of mistakes that are being made. Fridge was Lil' Joe's mentor, and by mid-sophomore year, he had him dialed in to the point that he was one of the most feared QBs in the land. We are simply a year's experience (for most position groups, not just QB) and a couple of guys on the interior of each line away from being pretty darned good. I believe the culture has been established and the skill position talent is there to be further cultivated.

Thanks for listening (err, reading).
 
Messages
13,443
Location
Augusta, GA
express long term opinions based on short term observations. So, I have been holding off for a while, preferring to reflect on a larger data sample. I thought about posting this last week, so please don't think that my following comments are based on the single, most recent win.

I am starting to believe in CGC as the right person to run our program. I base that comment on how he has handled himself during the losing streak and the tough times, combined with how hard the kids have played and stuck together despite it all. To be truthful, I wasn't really bought in during the off season hype. That stuff just doesn't resonate with me. Then our season began. You can tell so much more about athletes and coaches (and fans) when things aren't going well. EVERYBODY is great when things are going well. That cannot be said about the opposite. IMHO CGC is doing the only thing he can do under the circumstances, and that is teach kids how to compete in his system, as well as setting standards for effort and behavior etc etc. It is no small task to create an environment where kids that age stick together, despite some very humbling circumstances. Yet we have. Compare that to what you saw from MyHammy yesterday. Additionally, I believe our kids have played harder than our opponents in every FBS contest thus far, all the way to the final snap. We have been better than our opponents in the second half. I know big leads/deficits can affect that dynamic, but it hasn't affected us in the least bit. CGC has taken a lot of pages straight out of the USMC playbook (competition is king with rewards and consequences for every single training event) and I so appreciate that. There is zero doubt in my mind that that stuff works. I would bet the house that CGC has sat down at some point with a person in the Marines and discussed leadership training etc etc in an effort to build the correct culture for his CFB teams.

In no way shape of form do I think we are a good ACC football team at the moment. We are not. With that said, we are an amazing TEAM in a more general sense. If we can be a great TEAM in the current circumstances, imagine what we can become in better ones.

I also do not think that yesterday's game was a turning point. Certainly, it represents something to build on. It was a "gut check" and "fortunate" win where we simply found a way. We may go on to win more games, but I have no illusions in thinking they will be easy or pretty. Literally no result, in any week, moving forward, would surprise me, unless we were to quit on the field. That would surprise me.

Finally, I will say, I don't think we are THAT far off of having a very formidable presence in the ACC. To be truthful, Graham is starting to remind me of frosh Joe Hamilton. Most of the tools look similar, as are the type of mistakes that are being made. Fridge was Lil' Joe's mentor, and by mid-sophomore year, he had him dialed in to the point that he was one of the most feared QBs in the land. We are simply a year's experience (for most position groups, not just QB) and a couple of guys on the interior of each line away from being pretty darned good. I believe the culture has been established and the skill position talent is there to be further cultivated.

Thanks for listening (err, reading).
I don't agree 100% with your post, but I DO agree with enough of it to give a BIG LIKE to it.
 

bobongo

Helluva Engineer
Messages
7,042
Playing this hard when you've got your eyes on big things down the road, like a conference championship or a major bowl game is commendable, but playing as hard as the guys did in Miami when you're 1-5 is really impressive. These guys obviously believe in themselves and have a lot of pride.
 

kg01

Get-Bak! Coach
Featured Member
Messages
14,332
Location
Atlanta
express long term opinions based on short term observations. So, I have been holding off for a while, preferring to reflect on a larger data sample. I thought about posting this last week, so please don't think that my following comments are based on the single, most recent win.

I am starting to believe in CGC as the right person to run our program. I base that comment on how he has handled himself during the losing streak and the tough times, combined with how hard the kids have played and stuck together despite it all. To be truthful, I wasn't really bought in during the off season hype. That stuff just doesn't resonate with me. Then our season began. You can tell so much more about athletes and coaches (and fans) when things aren't going well. EVERYBODY is great when things are going well. That cannot be said about the opposite. IMHO CGC is doing the only thing he can do under the circumstances, and that is teach kids how to compete in his system, as well as setting standards for effort and behavior etc etc. It is no small task to create an environment where kids that age stick together, despite some very humbling circumstances. Yet we have. Compare that to what you saw from MyHammy yesterday. Additionally, I believe our kids have played harder than our opponents in every FBS contest thus far, all the way to the final snap. We have been better than our opponents in the second half. I know big leads/deficits can affect that dynamic, but it hasn't affected us in the least bit. CGC has taken a lot of pages straight out of the USMC playbook (competition is king with rewards and consequences for every single training event) and I so appreciate that. There is zero doubt in my mind that that stuff works. I would bet the house that CGC has sat down at some point with a person in the Marines and discussed leadership training etc etc in an effort to build the correct culture for his CFB teams.

In no way shape of form do I think we are a good ACC football team at the moment. We are not. With that said, we are an amazing TEAM in a more general sense. If we can be a great TEAM in the current circumstances, imagine what we can become in better ones.

I also do not think that yesterday's game was a turning point. Certainly, it represents something to build on. It was a "gut check" and "fortunate" win where we simply found a way. We may go on to win more games, but I have no illusions in thinking they will be easy or pretty. Literally no result, in any week, moving forward, would surprise me, unless we were to quit on the field. That would surprise me.

Finally, I will say, I don't think we are THAT far off of having a very formidable presence in the ACC. To be truthful, Graham is starting to remind me of frosh Joe Hamilton. Most of the tools look similar, as are the type of mistakes that are being made. Fridge was Lil' Joe's mentor, and by mid-sophomore year, he had him dialed in to the point that he was one of the most feared QBs in the land. We are simply a year's experience (for most position groups, not just QB) and a couple of guys on the interior of each line away from being pretty darned good. I believe the culture has been established and the skill position talent is there to be further cultivated.

Thanks for listening (err, reading).

Thanks for this, BG.

Up until now, I've been the only voice of reason 'round these parts.

You know how hard it is to keep these dodo birds in line?

;)
 

SOWEGA Jacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,865
I agree. Collins is building a program, not a team just looking to win next week or get bowl eligible. He is a GT fan first as he’s stated. He got into coaching and sought and got jobs at factories. He then got his first head coaching in Philadelphia, PA - not a hotbed of college football but he didn’t let ego get in the way. He has proven he’ll take a position to get him to the next step in the progression. I’ve posted before that the most interesting part of this rebuild is Collins himself. He has moved his family all over the country to get to this point 8n his career. I love stories like that. Growing up in Conyers, he is one of us- a Georgia boy living the dream at the school he grew up rooting for. He is learning as he goes, just like I am 23 years into my career. If he can handle the emotional urges that humans get every ball game, I think he’ll have us consistently in the top 20. It just takes a few recruiting cycles to get that ball rolling.
 

katlong

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
467
Location
Kennesaw, GA
I certainly hope that you are correct! I want to believe in Collins! I love that he's from here and gets GT. I love that he waits for all the players after the games. I love that he's excited...I love that he is about family and team...

What I saw yesterday was interesting, though. I saw Pnude change his strategy and admit that under center near your own goal line isn't as evil as it seems - took some near sacks in the end zone, but he finally got it...and somehow he realized that running the ball can work given our personnel! He still had some "huh?" moments of play calling, but the fact that he was willing to do those 2 things (without the run game, we would not have won) gives me great hope.

I also saw bright spots in the rest of the offense, the defense and special teams. And a lot that still needs a lot of work. (For D - we need a stronger run defense, better coverage on slants/screens and to get off the field on 3rd down) On O, get the ball to Oliver somehow!

What I didn't see was a change in discipline. Lots and lots of unnecessary penalties. That's coaching. Don't even get me started on the personal fouls this year. I do not want GT to be a bunch of thugs, and getting silly fouls after big plays against Thug U of all people is ridiculous, and those things cost games. And I want to be proud of the players, win or lose, that they are good men. I hope that Collins' "new culture" contains developing the WHOLE young man.
 
Messages
13,443
Location
Augusta, GA
I certainly hope that you are correct! I want to believe in Collins! I love that he's from here and gets GT. I love that he waits for all the players after the games. I love that he's excited...I love that he is about family and team...

What I saw yesterday was interesting, though. I saw Pnude change his strategy and admit that under center near your own goal line isn't as evil as it seems - took some near sacks in the end zone, but he finally got it...and somehow he realized that running the ball can work given our personnel! He still had some "huh?" moments of play calling, but the fact that he was willing to do those 2 things (without the run game, we would not have won) gives me great hope.

I also saw bright spots in the rest of the offense, the defense and special teams. And a lot that still needs a lot of work. (For D - we need a stronger run defense, better coverage on slants/screens and to get off the field on 3rd down) On O, get the ball to Oliver somehow!

What I didn't see was a change in discipline. Lots and lots of unnecessary penalties. That's coaching. Don't even get me started on the personal fouls this year. I do not want GT to be a bunch of thugs, and getting silly fouls after big plays against Thug U of all people is ridiculous, and those things cost games. And I want to be proud of the players, win or lose, that they are good men. I hope that Collins' "new culture" contains developing the WHOLE young man.
Don't forget the "dance team" on the sidelines, who, at least yesterday, were led by one of the coaches.
 
Messages
2,034
express long term opinions based on short term observations. So, I have been holding off for a while, preferring to reflect on a larger data sample. I thought about posting this last week, so please don't think that my following comments are based on the single, most recent win.

I am starting to believe in CGC as the right person to run our program. I base that comment on how he has handled himself during the losing streak and the tough times, combined with how hard the kids have played and stuck together despite it all. To be truthful, I wasn't really bought in during the off season hype. That stuff just doesn't resonate with me. Then our season began. You can tell so much more about athletes and coaches (and fans) when things aren't going well. EVERYBODY is great when things are going well. That cannot be said about the opposite. IMHO CGC is doing the only thing he can do under the circumstances, and that is teach kids how to compete in his system, as well as setting standards for effort and behavior etc etc. It is no small task to create an environment where kids that age stick together, despite some very humbling circumstances. Yet we have. Compare that to what you saw from MyHammy yesterday. Additionally, I believe our kids have played harder than our opponents in every FBS contest thus far, all the way to the final snap. We have been better than our opponents in the second half. I know big leads/deficits can affect that dynamic, but it hasn't affected us in the least bit. CGC has taken a lot of pages straight out of the USMC playbook (competition is king with rewards and consequences for every single training event) and I so appreciate that. There is zero doubt in my mind that that stuff works. I would bet the house that CGC has sat down at some point with a person in the Marines and discussed leadership training etc etc in an effort to build the correct culture for his CFB teams.

In no way shape of form do I think we are a good ACC football team at the moment. We are not. With that said, we are an amazing TEAM in a more general sense. If we can be a great TEAM in the current circumstances, imagine what we can become in better ones.

I also do not think that yesterday's game was a turning point. Certainly, it represents something to build on. It was a "gut check" and "fortunate" win where we simply found a way. We may go on to win more games, but I have no illusions in thinking they will be easy or pretty. Literally no result, in any week, moving forward, would surprise me, unless we were to quit on the field. That would surprise me.

Finally, I will say, I don't think we are THAT far off of having a very formidable presence in the ACC. To be truthful, Graham is starting to remind me of frosh Joe Hamilton. Most of the tools look similar, as are the type of mistakes that are being made. Fridge was Lil' Joe's mentor, and by mid-sophomore year, he had him dialed in to the point that he was one of the most feared QBs in the land. We are simply a year's experience (for most position groups, not just QB) and a couple of guys on the interior of each line away from being pretty darned good. I believe the culture has been established and the skill position talent is there to be further cultivated.

Thanks for listening (err, reading).


It is funny you make that comparison of Graham to Hamilton. Do you remember his Freshman year and that weird over head throw he had. Fridge worked with him to change that. Also the TD Graham threw, you could watch him throw and it reminded you of a lot of Hamilton scramble throws. This year may be a lot better the second half but if we can get a few guys for the O line with what we have at the skill positions, we are going to have a very good offense....as long as we call an offense like yesterday, 70% run 30 % pass.
 

LibertyTurns

Banned
Messages
6,216
What I didn't see was a change in discipline. Lots and lots of unnecessary penalties. That's coaching. Don't even get me started on the personal fouls this year. I do not want GT to be a bunch of thugs, and getting silly fouls after big plays against Thug U of all people is ridiculous, and those things cost games
Were most of the penalties in the first 25 mins of the game because I wasn’t able to watch until almost halftime? I only recall seeing the slight rock back on the FG and Swilling’s hold preventing a TD.
 

katlong

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
467
Location
Kennesaw, GA
Were most of the penalties in the first 25 mins of the game because I wasn’t able to watch until almost halftime? I only recall seeing the slight rock back on the FG and Swilling’s hold preventing a TD.

first TD from defense saw #22 Oliver again with a personal foul. The illegal shift on a punt set up good field position for Miami and a TD. There were others. A couple that were not great calls IMO. I’m mostly irritated at personal fouls related to behavior and the before snap fouls. Mistakes happen. Bad behavior isn’t a mistake
 

LibertyTurns

Banned
Messages
6,216
first TD from defense saw #22 Oliver again with a personal foul. The illegal shift on a punt set up good field position for Miami and a TD. There were others. A couple that were not great calls IMO. I’m mostly irritated at personal fouls related to behavior and the before snap fouls. Mistakes happen. Bad behavior isn’t a mistake
Yeah I missed the early part of the game so thankfully I missed those. I really hate it when GT players are undisciplined. We’re supposed to be smarter than that.

There is a picture floating around of a da U player grabbing Carpenter’s junk. If some dude yanked my nut, I’m sure I’d lose my cool. Maybe he wasn’t the only one that had his junk violated?
 

katlong

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
467
Location
Kennesaw, GA
Yeah I missed the early part of the game so thankfully I missed those. I really hate it when GT players are undisciplined. We’re supposed to be smarter than that.

There is a picture floating around of a da U player grabbing Carpenter’s junk. If some dude yanked my nut, I’m sure I’d lose my cool. Maybe he wasn’t the only one that had his junk violated?
Could be. The Oliver penalty was really early but I don’t put anything past Miami, and I could understand if that’s the case, or something similar.
 

33jacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,635
Location
Georgia
I mean up until this game we were one of the least penalized team in the ncaa. Both in penalties and yards. So i dont know why on these boards people keep saying we are undisciplined.

Maybe its just a couple that stand out that make it seem that way. But by data we are very very disciplined team when it comes to penalties and for me this has been a bright spot and why I believe some things are going right with coaching
 

bke1984

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,143
I mean up until this game we were one of the least penalized team in the ncaa. Both in penalties and yards. So i dont know why on these boards people keep saying we are undisciplined.

Maybe its just a couple that stand out that make it seem that way. But by data we are very very disciplined team when it comes to penalties and for me this has been a bright spot and why I believe some things are going right with coaching
Our coach told the team to get an unsportsmanlike penalty after our first score...and we did. Seems pretty disciplined to me

I’m all honesty I don’t like that kind of crap, but whatever, we won. I think it had the potential for more harm than good by giving them a short field and a chance to easily tie the game against a team that has a very hard time scoring points. That said they started at the 36, so it wasn’t a catastrophe.
 

Lee

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
841
Our coach told the team to get an unsportsmanlike penalty after our first score...and we did. Seems pretty disciplined to me

I’m all honesty I don’t like that kind of crap, but whatever, we won. I think it had the potential for more harm than good by giving them a short field and a chance to easily tie the game against a team that has a very hard time scoring points. That said they started at the 36, so it wasn’t a catastrophe.

Where did you hear this? I’m not saying it isn’t true, I just haven’t heard this prior to now.
 
Messages
13,443
Location
Augusta, GA
What I saw yesterday, as far a penalties are concerned, was a lot of ticky-tack calls by the refs. Maybe a little more discipline would have kept our players from being in a position to have calls made against them, but to me it sure seemed like the refs were out to get us. I bet even the refs were stunned and disappointed that that final measurement in OT came up short, because they definitely spotted the ball closer to the goal line than it should have been. I just saw a replay of a play in the SC - UF game, in which one of the defenders was grabbed by the neck of his jersey for the last 5 - 10 yards of what turned out to be a TD play for UF. The refs ignored it, and the SC fans and coach were totally PO'd about it, as they should have been. Refs are quite often far from the neutral "judges" they are paid to be.
 
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