Is this our best coaching staff of all time?

Jazzchaz

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
138
Randy Carson said:
PEPPER RODGERS
Pepper Rodgers played QB and K at Georgia Tech from 1951-1953. Under HC Bobby Dodd (cue angelic host), Rodgers led the team to a perfect 12-0 season and a national championship in 1952
Click to expand...
Actually, the 1951 undefeated team was led by Darrell Crawford and the 1952 undefeated team was led by Bill Brigman. Rodgers contributed more in 1952 than 1951 but the word 'led' does not apply to the undefeated seasons. Tech had a couple of great running backs each year, great defense, great offensive line.....great teams!
 

stinger 1957

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,523
Jazzchaz said:
Actually, the 1951 undefeated team was led by Darrell Crawford and the 1952 undefeated team was led by Bill Brigman. Rodgers contributed more in 1952 than 1951 but the word 'led' does not apply to the undefeated seasons. Tech had a couple of great running backs each year, great defense, great offensive line.....great teams!
Click to expand...
Many thought, including me, that the 1951 team was actually better than the '52 team. My impression of Brigman was he was more of a game manager where Crawford was a really good QB. Pepper played QB more in '53 I think, not positive, than at any other time while there, but a winner as place kicker, won the Orange bowl at the very end with a FG for the '51 team against Baylor and Larry Isbell. Duke tied the '51 team the only blemish in an unbeaten streak of 32 or 33 games, broken in '53 by ND at South Bend. I remember what you remember that both the '51 and '52 teams were really good on both the DL and OL and had great LBs in Morris and Morris.
 

Jazzchaz

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
138
stinger 1957 said:
Many thought, including me, that the 1951 team was actually better than the '52 team. My impression of Brigman was he was more of a game manager where Crawford was a really good QB. Pepper played QB more in '53 I think, not positive, than at any other time while there, but a winner as place kicker, won the Orange bowl at the very end with a FG for the '51 team against Baylor and Larry Isbell. Duke tied the '51 team the only blemish in an unbeaten streak of 32 or 33 games, broken in '53 by ND at South Bend. I remember what you remember that both the '51 and '52 teams were really good on both the DL and OL and had great LBs in Morris and Morris.
Click to expand...
I agree. Somebody should start a thread about Georgia Tech football through the years and national rankings. I'd have a lot to say! HA
 
chewybaka

chewybaka

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
910
Randy Carson said:
Okay...it's early. Too early.

But I'm curious...we know that there will be a lot of experienced coaches, analysts, and consultants, etc. on the Tech sidelines this coming fall.

And yeah, Heisman, Dodd, yada, yada, yada. Luminaries, I know.

But in terms of cumulative resume strength, how does the currently assembled coaching staff compare to past years?
Click to expand...
Ross, Friedgen, and O'Leary in my days
 
leatherneckjacket

leatherneckjacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,143
Location
Atlanta, GA
Randy Carson said:
I'm not questioning whether folks left Tech and went on to achieve success elsewhere. Lots did that.

What I'm asking is whether this is the best coaching staff that has ever come through the door having ALREADY accomplished a lot beforehand.

Six have national championship rings (OCBF now has two) as a player or as a coach and one has a Heisman Trophy for good measure.

This is a group that knows what it takes to win it all 'cause they've done it. Not saying they will at Tech, but I AM saying HCBK has assembled a solid brain trust.
Click to expand...
I think you are the only person in the world who tracks championships for analysts. Can you tell me who were all the analysts on our 1990 team or any other team that has won a National Championship in the past 30 plus years?
 
Randy Carson

Randy Carson

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,385
Location
Apex, NC
leatherneckjacket said:
I think you are the only person in the world who tracks championships for analysts. Can you tell me who were all the analysts on our 1990 team or any other team that has won a National Championship in the past 30 plus years?
Click to expand...
Nopers.

But if you tell me who the members of the staff were, I can ask Mr. Google and Mr. Wikipedia for help in tracking their individual coaching careers.

At the moment, it looks like we have a fairly accomplished staff...past performance being an indicator of future success and all. 😉
 
Techster

Techster

Helluva Engineer
Messages
18,388
Randy Carson said:
Yes, this appears to be a strong candidate for the GOAT staff.

I need to do some research and post the summary as I did above for the Rodgers/Glanville/Spurrier crew.

I'll do that in an upcoming edition of The Clouded Truth.
Click to expand...

I believe O'Leary had several guys that ended up being HCs in the NFL and college football. Randy Edsall, Ralph Friedgen, Bill O'Brien off the top of my head.
 

Tech Lawyer

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
216
My law partners and I had the privilege of having lunch with George after spring practice had concluded in 2000. Joe had just graduated and I remember Coach saying, "Everything has to be perfect for Godsey." Well, the Goose sure worked out that year. We were 9-3 and blew UGA out in Athens- the Goose got loose. As a side treat, Ralph and Bill O'Brien sat with us and chatted for a spell. Who knew?
 
Southern psu fan

Southern psu fan

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
423
Location
Temple ga
Tech Lawyer said:
My law partners and I had the privilege of having lunch with George after spring practice had concluded in 2000. Joe had just graduated and I remember Coach saying, "Everything has to be perfect for Godsey." Well, the Goose sure worked out that year. We were 9-3 and blew UGA out in Athens- the Goose got loose. As a side treat, Ralph and Bill O'Brien sat with us and chatted for a spell. Who knew?
Click to expand...
Ralph Freidgen is the best OC that I’ve ever seen in football. Yes he’s been around great head coaches like Bobby Ross and the great George O’Leary but look at the dudes track record at Maryland, Ga Tech and Rutgers that dude moved the dang chains and it didn’t matter where he was coaching and it didn’t matter who he was playing he moved the chains and scored points. Man back in 2015 I was hoping James Franklin would bring Ralph Freidgen to Penn St because there’s no doubt in my mind NC’s would be coming to Penn St. I believe there’s a little bad blood between Ralph Freidgen and James Franklin because JF jumped ship on Ralph and took the Vanderbilt job because JF was supposed to take over at Maryland after Ralph retired. James Franklin is a product of Ralph Freidgen and that’s exactly why Penn State recovered from the death Penalty sanctions so quickly. I’m telling y’all now we got the same thing with Brent Key as head coach at Ga Tech this dude will bring back the George O’Leary years y’all just wait and see. ACC championships are on the way brother!
 
Techster

Techster

Helluva Engineer
Messages
18,388
Southern psu fan said:
Ralph Freidgen is the best OC that I’ve ever seen in football. Yes he’s been around great head coaches like Bobby Ross and the great George O’Leary but look at the dudes track record at Maryland, Ga Tech and Rutgers that dude moved the dang chains and it didn’t matter where he was coaching and it didn’t matter who he was playing he moved the chains and scored points. Man back in 2015 I was hoping James Franklin would bring Ralph Freidgen to Penn St because there’s no doubt in my mind NC’s would be coming to Penn St. I believe there’s a little bad blood between Ralph Freidgen and James Franklin because JF jumped ship on Ralph and took the Vanderbilt job because JF was supposed to take over at Maryland after Ralph retired. James Franklin is a product of Ralph Freidgen and that’s exactly why Penn State recovered from the death Penalty sanctions so quickly. I’m telling y’all now we got the same thing with Brent Key as head coach at Ga Tech this dude will bring back the George O’Leary years y’all just wait and see. ACC championships are on the way brother!
Click to expand...

One of the greatest "what ifs" in GT history: What if George O'Leary left earlier and GT promoted Ralph Friedgen to take GOL's place. I was told Friedgen was always the succession plan if O'Leary left, but unfortunately Maryland did the one of the few smart things in past few decades and hired Friedgen. Of course, we know how that story played out.

I would love to ask Ralph if he knew how Maryland turned out, and he knew GOL was leaving the next year, if he would have stayed at GT to be promoted. Friedgen had some REALLY good years at Maryland though, and that was his alma mater, so that would have been a tough decision. Friedgen LOVES GT though.
 
Last edited:

JacketMicMan

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
51
Southern psu fan said:
Ralph Freidgen is the best OC that I’ve ever seen in football. Yes he’s been around great head coaches like Bobby Ross and the great George O’Leary but look at the dudes track record at Maryland, Ga Tech and Rutgers that dude moved the dang chains and it didn’t matter where he was coaching and it didn’t matter who he was playing he moved the chains and scored points. Man back in 2015 I was hoping James Franklin would bring Ralph Freidgen to Penn St because there’s no doubt in my mind NC’s would be coming to Penn St. I believe there’s a little bad blood between Ralph Freidgen and James Franklin because JF jumped ship on Ralph and took the Vanderbilt job because JF was supposed to take over at Maryland after Ralph retired. James Franklin is a product of Ralph Freidgen and that’s exactly why Penn State recovered from the death Penalty sanctions so quickly. I’m telling y’all now we got the same thing with Brent Key as head coach at Ga Tech this dude will bring back the George O’Leary years y’all just wait and see. ACC championships are on the way brother!
Click to expand...
We are!
 

stinger 1957

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,523
I was interested in reading an AJC article about Buster Faulkner and the part about matchups. I remember Ralph Friedgen saying the biggest thing he learned when he got to pro ball was matchups. Interesting that Saban hired Billy O, Kirby hired Monken, both skilled in matchups. Appears to me this is something new coming to CFB now, it always comes in waves, it will get Buster a bigger job in the not too distant future I'm guessing, maybe a HC job. Are we teaching CCW about matchups? I'm guessing yes, but I'm also thinking he already knows something about it all from pro days. Will now gain more working knowledge? Will this bring more pro coaches to CFB for a short period, maybe as OCs, seems that works out better than the HC from one to the other?
 
Last edited:

stinger 1957

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,523
Techster said:
I believe O'Leary had several guys that ended up being HCs in the NFL and college football. Randy Edsall, Ralph Friedgen, Bill O'Brien off the top of my head.
Click to expand...
He also had an OL coach that I thought ended up as a HC, but I could easily be wrong about that
 

stinger 1957

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,523
slugboy said:
There was, but most of the other coaches felt like he stabbed them in the back. Doug Marrone.
Click to expand...
He did stab us in the back, the Fridge said it was one of the worst feelings he had had since being in coaching or something to that effect. That crossed my mind when we hired Buster, I don't mean that had anything to do with us hiring Buster because I don't think it did.
 
Top