I Think we Are Headed Into Dark Times...

[Animal02]

Sorry, but this is exactly why we struggle today. “Oh, let’s not play Auburn. They might beat us. And let’s not play Alabama. They are so big and strong. And Tennessee, boo hoo.”

Kids want to play caliber teams. They want to play in front of their friends. They want they parents to come to the games. I don’t believe in this new philosophy of playing only teams you can beat. Next thing, we’ll be playing Georgia State. Good grief.

Bull. No one wants to go 2-10 just so they can play "quality" teams all the the time. No fans come to watch a 2-10 team. There is a reason even Bama schedule FCS teams.

 

[Animal02]

I know. There is nothing to be gained playing down scale. Unless your goal is to be a bottom dweller. Sad that our AA sees our schedule this way.

I can see the whining is going to be intolerable this off season.

The AA scheduling is no different than almost every other major program in the country.

 

[65Jacket]

The world is not coming to an end. We will be back to winning this coming season in football. We played one of the toughest schedules in the Nation last year, and with Clemson, Ugag, and Miami always on our schedule, we need some breather games. All schools play breathers.

 

[Vespidae]

This is so wrong in so many ways, where to start? What is this "new philosophy" of "playing only teams you can beat?" What in the world? Where you on another planet this fall? We had to play eight conference games. I am pretty sure it is like a rule or something, and we don't select them. Of the four non-conference games, include Tennessee -- yep, Tennessee was lousy, but not when the schedule was made, and I recall a great deal of anticipation. That's the problem making schedules. Today's powerhouse can be tomorrow's patsy. UCF, a pretty good team as I recall. Unbeaten. Playing Auburn in the Peach Bowl. Rained out. (Damn that Johnson anyway. Now he is bringing hurricane rains on demand.) Of course there is Georgia. The only patsy was Jacksonville State, and check around. Everybody plays one, at different times for different reasons. Some schools make their football budget by getting mauled for a guarantee. See Clemson-Citadel. By any measure that was a tough schedule. I am fairly confident had we scheduled only teams we could beat we would have won more than five games even with our problems So again: what are you going on about?

Call me old. I remember when we did play Auburn. And Alabama. And Tennessee. And Georgia. In the same year.

And nobody is calling for anyone to go 2-10. Tech has to decide if it is wants to compete. In my view, it’s better than average. But is operating far lower than its potential.

Here’s a newsflash. Attendance is lower in the ACC in general, than the SEC. I will easily drive to Auburn to watch Tech play Auburn. I won’t drive to Central Florida. That’s just me but I suspect others feel the same.

We are in the ACC. Not my choice, but is what it is. My point has always been kids who compete against each other as teens in high school want to do the same in college. No kid at Valdosta is dreaming of playing unknowns in Virginia. Our program will do far better playing historical rivals when we can rather than ones that we schedule currently. Next year it’s Bowling Green and Alcorn State. Give me a break. And then everyone complains about attendance.

Yes, I want to play our traditional rivals. Often. Shoot me.

 

[Vespidae]

Then you would complain about the athletic department not having money, or their are too many opponents fans in the seats.

I think you misunderstood. Charge $5 more ... per ticket.

Tennessee fans, for example, this year were screaming to raise ticket prices to get better coaches.

 

[Vespidae]

100% agree w this. The fact is we had one of the toughest schedules in the nation!

Not the primary point I’m trying to make. A kid in Columbus GA is going to consider playing for Tech if his teammates are going to Auburn and he gets a chance to play them. If they go to Auburn and his big matchup is UCF ... who is going to get excited for him?

Yep. I’m definitely old school. I’d trade Alcorn and Bowling Green for Auburn and Tennessee all day long.

 

[Skeptic]

Call me old. I remember when we did play Auburn. And Alabama. And Tennessee. And Georgia. In the same year.

And nobody is calling for anyone to go 2-10. Tech has to decide if it is wants to compete. In my view, it’s better than average. But is operating far lower than its potential.

Here’s a newsflash. Attendance is lower in the ACC in general, than the SEC. I will easily drive to Auburn to watch Tech play Auburn. I won’t drive to Central Florida. That’s just me but I suspect others feel the same.

We are in the ACC. Not my choice, but is what it is. My point has always been kids who compete against each other as teens in high school want to do the same in college. No kid at Valdosta is dreaming of playing unknowns in Virginia. Our program will do far better playing historical rivals when we can rather than ones that we schedule currently. Next year it’s Bowling Green and Alcorn State. Give me a break. And then everyone complains about attendance.

Yes, I want to play our traditional rivals. Often. Shoot me.

Well, I am not really prepared to do that -- shoot you, I mean -- just to point out those days of playing those old SEC rivals were in our SEC days. Coach Dodd put an end to all that, and there is no going back. They don't want us, they don't need us. (And no, Atlanta is not enough to sell them.)

(By the way, I suggest that FSU, Miami, Clemson substitutions for Auburn, Alabama and Tennessee. At least by head-to-head play.) I won't argue your kids competing position as I have no way of knowing. I suspect that is your guesstimate, but perhaps there is something I know not of. When my kid was getting the bum's rush it never entered his mind that he wanted to play against cross-town rivals and long-time friends. Wasn't a factor at all.

But: if you want the old rivals, then get back in the old league. And yep, one might be able to get a game annually, but as I recall Auburn ran like a waddling duck at the thought of playing us. It ain't easy, this schedule business. And do you really want the full 8-game ACC schedule finished up with Auburn and Alabama and Florida, and yes, Tennessee? Ain't nobody going to play a schedule like that. Clemson is closest but is also 2-3 deep and getting deeper.

I would not be so quick to dismiss Bowling Green. Alcorn State? Everybody has one. BGSU? The MAC is a pretty tough conference these days. It is no gimme.

My bet is that after Georgia Southern, by the way, Nick Saban wants no part of Johnson's offense again. I think he said so.

 

[Vespidae]

Hard to say. These days, the ACC is a better fit for Tech. But I would still prefer to see more historical rivals. Those games were fun. I remember the caravan of cars to Knoxville, Auburn, and Birmingham for games. Rarely see that anymore. Not in the size it used to be anyway.

 

[GSOJacket]

I keep seeing people wanting to enhance our ticket sales by playing our old rivals Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee, presumably home and home. Why doesn't the AA just get on the stick and do this? Well, assuming we want to, maybe AA&T don't. Why do a home and home against our offense as long as they can fill up their stadiums playing OOC cupcakes? Why do you think Ole Miss cancelled?

 

[MikeJackets1967]

100% agree w this. The fact is we had one of the toughest schedules in the nation!

At least the 2018 football schedule isn't as onerous as the 2017 schedule was

 

[iceeater1969]

At least the 2018 football schedule isn't as onerous as the 2017 schedule was

Yea, surely mighty Duke and Virginia will have an off year. Also it's really likely that none of the 5 stars recruits going to Miami, clemson, uga will be good in their first year. . Every game after bowling green and Alcorn will be a battle

 

[MikeJackets1967]

Yea, surely mighty Duke and Virginia will have an off year. Also it's really likely that none of the 5 stars recruits going to Miami, clemson, uga will be good in their first year. . Every game after bowling green and Alcorn will be a battle

 

[Vespidae]

I keep seeing people wanting to enhance our ticket sales by playing our old rivals Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee, presumably home and home. Why doesn't the AA just get on the stick and do this? Well, assuming we want to, maybe AA&T don't. Why do a home and home against our offense as long as they can fill up their stadiums playing OOC cupcakes? Why do you think Ole Miss cancelled?

Did Ole Miss cancel? We were supposed to play Auburn this year and next, but they cancelled. Tech replaced with Ole Miss, but those games were moved at Tech’s request.

 

[Animal02]

I think you misunderstood. Charge $5 more ... per ticket.

Tennessee fans, for example, this year were screaming to raise ticket prices to get better coaches.

Will not make up for the extra home game.

The fact is, to compete for the NC......which should be the goal every year, (followed by winning the ACC,) you need to go undefeated or at most lose one game. We will not do that playing UGA every year, the ACC schedule AND 3 more top 25 teams......anyone that thinks that is living in a fantasy world.

 

[MikeJackets1967]

I think you misunderstood. Charge $5 more ... per ticket.

Tennessee fans, for example, this year were screaming to raise ticket prices to get better coaches.

Tennessee wound up paying Coach Jeremy Pruitt less than they were paying Butch Jones Coach Pruitt is getting 4.1-4.2 million a season while Butch Jones was getting paid 4.3 million at the time of his firing

 

[Vespidae]

Will not make up for the extra home game.

The fact is, to compete for the NC......which should be the goal every year, (followed by winning the ACC,) you need to go undefeated or at most lose one game. We will not do that playing UGA every year, the ACC schedule AND 3 more top 25 teams......anyone that thinks that is living in a fantasy world.

Very difficult to guess at this when schedules are made many yrs out. Who could have predicted how bad TN would be? Or Auburn a few years ago?

As to natty’s ... it’s clearly the goal of Alabama every year. And they have the boosters and the money to make that happen. Tech? The Hill could care less. They don’t every cooperate with the AA on fundraising. I would love to see it, but probably unrealistic unless there are major changes.

 

[Vespidae]

Tennessee wound up paying Coach Jeremy Pruitt less than they were paying Butch Jones Coach Pruitt is getting 4.1-4.2 million a season while Butch Jones was getting paid 4.3 million at the time of his firing

I agree. But fans were supportive of paying 10 million. Only no one would touch the job.

 

[MikeJackets1967]

I agree. But fans were supportive of paying 10 million. Only no one would touch the job.

I think he will be a very good head coach but he was anything but a glamourous top shelf hire. I think his hire is like the hiring of Kirby Smart by UGAG

 

[Vespidae]

I think he will be a very good head coach but he was anything but a glamourous top shelf hire. I think his hire is like the hiring of Kirby Smart by UGAG

Similar, but Kirby was a UGA grad. He will be leaps and bounds better than Butch Jones, who was not ready for a program like TN.

Scuttlebutt is that if Dabo turns down Bama on Saban’s retirement, Bama might turn to Pruitt. He’s a known entity.

 

[MikeJackets1967]

Similar, but Kirby was a UGA grad. He will be leaps and bounds better than Butch Jones, who was not ready for a program like TN.

Scuttlebutt is that if Dabo turns down Bama on Saban’s retirement, Bama might turn to Pruitt. He’s a known entity.

Yeah if Jeremy Pruitt has Tennessee going back to Bowl Games every season winning 8-10 games a season and Alabama comes calling he'll run to Tuscaloosa in a New York minute. Similar situation to when Doug Dickey left Tennessee after the 1969 season for his Alma Mater Florida.