I think this sums it up for our young team

[BufordJacket]

Johnson, though, made an interesting comment about the group.

“We’ve got a lot of young kids, and I’ve done a very poor job of teaching them what it takes to win,” he said. “In the locker room, we’ve got guys who are still talking and giggling about a play that happened in the second quarter or ‘Did you see this?’ or ‘I’m doing this.’ It’s like high school. We’ve got to be a little more intense.”

 

[Fatmike91]

Johnson, though, made an interesting comment about the group.

“We’ve got a lot of young kids, and I’ve done a very poor job of teaching them what it takes to win,” he said. “In the locker room, we’ve got guys who are still talking and giggling about a play that happened in the second quarter or ‘Did you see this?’ or ‘I’m doing this.’ It’s like high school. We’ve got to be a little more intense.”

This issue - the real issue - is we are forced to play kids who aren't really ready due to circumstances.


/

 

[jwsavhGT]

Unfortunately, it appears that our older guys are not able (or willing) to take on the leadership role that is required in situations like this. Granted our "older" guys are only 1-2 years older and I know that when I was 19-21 I certainly would have had a hard time stepping into such a leadership role, especially if I was also dealing with school, personal situations, my own disappointment, etc. I'm hoping our bye week will give Our Team the chance to heal physically, mentally, spiritually and I fully expect the coaching staff, including D-Mo, to bring the White & Gold family together.

 

[Declinometer]

The will to win overcomes talent every time.

 

[gtg936g]

My take on his comment is that the kids don't hate to lose as bad as they need to.

 

[bke1984]

This issue - the real issue - is we are forced to play kids who aren't really ready due to circumstances.

Like our veteran offensive line?

I understand there have been a few guys injured in that group, but the juniors and seniors have looked pretty bad much of the year.

 

[GT1992]

Like our veteran offensive line?

I understand there have been a few guys injured in that group, but the juniors and seniors have looked pretty bad much of the year.

Those are 22 or 23 year old redshirt seniors. I guess once you accept that you're a turnstile in pass protection, you don't have room to get onto others.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

Johnson, though, made an interesting comment about the group.

“We’ve got a lot of young kids, and I’ve done a very poor job of teaching them what it takes to win,” he said. “In the locker room, we’ve got guys who are still talking and giggling about a play that happened in the second quarter or ‘Did you see this?’ or ‘I’m doing this.’ It’s like high school. We’ve got to be a little more intense.”

Chan told that same story during a function after his first season at Tech. He said the main issue with the players were they lacked toughness, both mentally and physically. In fact, they lacked the understanding of how tough you needed to be to win in college football. So, is it a fact? Or is it just what all coaches say?

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

The will to win overcomes talent every time.

Sports does not build character, it reveals it.

 

[iceeater1969]

So that's the key. The snickering in the locker room.
Just kidding. Coach knows the issues and the above just an irritant.

One coach said before ND game - the young guys don't know enough to be nervous before ND. We traveled 45 that had never been on road game. We were a young team.
Sorry but we can't suddenly have mostly fifth year seniors at first and second string at bb and ab and ditto for first string at WR.

Coach is irritated at not being able to turn the corner bringing in new skill guys along

I think this is an outlier season for offense and can be fixed with age and a few more intentional pass plays (either right of the bat or after the dive play gets yards to get better blocking angles for ol that will allow JT to get seam for run, or get a good pitch). On defense ?... If they slip now we could be embarrassed with how we finish season.

(I get irritated by the red shirts and third string type sitting on the bence watching the cartoons on the jumbo tron. Then u realize they are not ever spoken during the game. They re kids and the damn time outs go on for days hell I was even watching the people cam)

 

[stech81]

Sports does not build character, it reveals it.

I was told that you can build character and integrity by losing, we should have all the character and integrity that we need for this year.

 

[Boomergump]

It is funny how elusive team chemistry really is. You only have to change a couple atoms to have a completely different molecule (and substance) all together.

 

[Lee]

I don't think it took hearing coach say that for us to know that was the case. The lack of leadership has been apparent for a while now. I was hoping someone would stand up and take the reigns, but it hasn't happened.

We miss several of those guys from last year for sure. If would could have just one guy back, I would take Days in a heartbeat. He seems like a guy that just lifts the mood of the whole team and builds guys up. He lead both vocally and by example. The consummate team player and seemed to rub off on other guys as well. Hopefully someone begins to take this role as this year winds down and we head into next year. I don't care if it's a freshman.

 

[DrJacket]

I don't think it took hearing coach say that for us to know that was the case. The lack of leadership has been apparent for a while now. I was hoping someone would stand up and take the reigns, but it hasn't happened.

We miss several of those guys from last year for sure. If would could have just one guy back, I would take Days in a heartbeat. He seems like a guy that just lifts the mood of the whole team and builds guys up. He lead both vocally and by example. The consummate team player and seemed to rub off on other guys as well. Hopefully someone begins to take this role as this year winds down and we head into next year. I don't care if it's a freshman.

At this point, I'm not sure what to hope for from this year's team from a leadership standpoint. But, you may be more right than you know. I am hopeful that next year, some of the young guys will take the reins. This tr-freshman class, to me, is showing some signs of having some guys who won't wait to be seniors if leadership is needed. We'll see.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

It is funny how elusive team chemistry really is. You only have to change a couple atoms to have a completely different molecule (and substance) all together.

We lost a ton from last year and the effects are multiplied exponentially. We lost key pieces on the field, that's plain to see, but we also lost key pieces in the lockerroom. The combined effect is what we see on Saturdays. Ugh.

 

[GTonTop88]

The guys that we lost last year were special. Most of them were career backups that were always too slow, or too short, or injured, or for some reason didn't get to see the field a whole lot their first 4 years here. That's what made them guys special. They came to work everyday to get better knowing eventually their time would come and it did last year and they made the most of it. This team needs help on knowing what kind of mindset they need to have to be successful. Wins just don't come because your more talented or ranked higher or because Lee Corso says so. Our older guys that were apart of that special team last year needs to layout the foundation of how to get better as a team and not just make yourself better. Some guys can just make everyone else around him play at a higher level and we need someone to step up and be that guy.

 

[awbuzz]

I have heard 2nd hand accounts of players "not being serious enough" during game reviews etc. via a parent of one of this year's freshman (who isn't playing this year).

Basically said that some team members just think that it's "supposed to happen" or "blame others"...

We know that the TEAM on the field is composed of 11 members, that need to be playing off the same sheet of music on each play. When that doesn't happen... well, we've seen the results.

 

[awbuzz]

Regarding the "will to win overcomes talent every time" line above... if only that were true..
Remember that the JV team may have lots of will to win, but there is a reason they are JV. They might prevail on a play or two against the varsity, but most of the time they will get beat.

 

[LongforDodd]

Chan told that same story during a function after his first season at Tech. He said the main issue with the players were they lacked toughness, both mentally and physically. In fact, they lacked the understanding of how tough you needed to be to win in college football. So, is it a fact? Or is it just what all coaches say?

I know this didn't happen under Chan but evidence of that toughness remark is how no one came to defend in any manner our sprite of an Aback just a few years ago in Athens after said Aback got thrown around like a rag doll and practically got broken in two by one of the leg humpers.

 

[IronJacket7]

I think this sums it up

Who we lost from the 2014 Offense:
AB - Hill/Zenon/Perkins/Bostic
BB - Laskey/Days
WR - Waller/Smelter
OL - Mason

Add in Travis Custis, Myles Autry, and Dennis Andrews

Who we lost to injury in 2015 on Offense:
AB - Snoddy/Searcy/Cottrell/Benson
BB - Leggett
WR - Summers
OL - Griffin
QB - Byerly

We have played 6 True Freshman on offense:
Bryan/Klock/MLD/TaquanMarshall/Stewart/MarcusMarshall

We have several brand new faces whose first meaningful minutes have come in 2015:
Clinton Lynch/Patrick Skov/Marcus Allen/Isaiah Willis/Ricky Jeune/Austin McClellan

I think that about sums it up on offense.