Key promises to make city proud of Georgia Tech

[Heisman's Ghost]

This also says a lot about he thinks of some of the former GT Presidents... “The vertical alignment we have now at Georgia Tech, from the president (Angel) Cabrera to (athletic director) J Batt to the football program, it’s where it’s never been. It’s a different feel now from the top down to be able to have the resources, to be able to have the pieces to put the right things together.”

Batt and Coach Key come from the Alabama tree of Saban. I get the feeling that they will not tolerate losing. That said, it may take a few years to fully recover from the recent debacle but a glance back at the Bill Lewis era and following would be instructive. Lewis hit rock bottom in 1994 with a 1-10 season. People forget, but that team played four nationally ranked teams and was competitive in all those games except the one against FSU. He was replaced during the season by George O'Leary who made his presence felt immediately as Tech was competitive the next two seasons. O'Leary's third full season saw Tech with a winning season and a bowl win against favored West Virginia.

In 1998, Tech won 10 games for the first time since 1990, beat UGA for the first time since the national championship year and beat Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. All the while playing an exciting brand of ball behind the offensive wizardry of Joe Hamilton and Ralph Friedgen. So, three years for Key or can he best O'Leary and get it done in say two years by whatever yardstick you choose?

I'm developing a man crush on Brent but he is my oldest child's age.

 

[GTRhino24]

In 1998, Tech won 10 games for the first time since 1990, beat UGA for the first time since the national championship year and beat Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. All the while playing an exciting brand of ball behind the offensive wizardry of Joe Hamilton and Ralph Friedgen. So, three years for Key or can he best O'Leary and get it done in say two years by whatever yardstick you choose?

Great year, but you left our ACC Co-Champions with FSU. The ring on my profile is from that season. It has the ACC champs on top, the Gator Bowl logo on one side, and Tech Tower on the other side with the uGa final score.

 

[TwinTownTony]

Anyone hook a bro up with the archive.org? May just need to subscribe to the AJC with fall practice ramping up in a few weeks.

I know it's been said on here many times, but to reiterate - you can read all the AJC articles for FREE on their mobile app.

 

[Lil G]

I know it's been said on here many times, but to reiterate - you can read all the AJC articles for FREE on their mobile app.

No longer true as of recently for me
Makes you subscribe now

 

[Chas_Jacket]

Have you downloaded the app? You can’t open ajc links but I can still go to stories directly in the app without paying

 

[Lil G]

Have you downloaded the app? You can’t open ajc links but I can still go to stories directly in the app without paying

Yup. Wants me to pay on the app
Didn’t the first couple months, but recently cut me off

 

[DH9387]

Yup. Wants me to pay on the app
Didn’t the first couple months, but recently cut me off

Don’t know what type of phone you have, but there are two AJC apps for iPhone. The AJC News app is the correct one to use for free access to their articles.

 

[TwinTownTony]

No longer true as of recently for me
Makes you subscribe now

I just read the posted article and others on the app and have been doing so for over a year.

 

[Lil G]

Don’t know what type of phone you have, but there are two AJC apps for iPhone. The AJC News app is the correct one to use for free access to their articles.View attachment 14494

Ah, there it is
Sorry for the side convo mods

 

[Buzzbomb]

I downloaded it on my iPad as well.

 

[awbuzz]

The world is now a better place

 

[Southern psu fan]

Batt and Coach Key come from the Alabama tree of Saban. I get the feeling that they will not tolerate losing. That said, it may take a few years to fully recover from the recent debacle but a glance back at the Bill Lewis era and following would be instructive. Lewis hit rock bottom in 1994 with a 1-10 season. People forget, but that team played four nationally ranked teams and was competitive in all those games except the one against FSU. He was replaced during the season by George O'Leary who made his presence felt immediately as Tech was competitive the next two seasons. O'Leary's third full season saw Tech with a winning season and a bowl win against favored West Virginia.

In 1998, Tech won 10 games for the first time since 1990, beat UGA for the first time since the national championship year and beat Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. All the while playing an exciting brand of ball behind the offensive wizardry of Joe Hamilton and Ralph Friedgen. So, three years for Key or can he best O'Leary and get it done in say two years by whatever yardstick you choose?

Bill Lewis took over a very good football team after Bobby Ross left for the Chargers and George O’Leary took over a team probably about the same talent level as Brent Key. I’ve said many times there’s very few coaches that’s on the same level as George O’Leary. Ga Tech and UCF were big time struggling football teams when O’Leary took them over and he had both teams playing lights out in a year or two stacking up eye to eye with the big dawgs baby. Man there was nothing any prettier in football than watching George O’Leary and Ralph Freidgen standing on the sidelines together my goodness I miss them 2 dudes 2 of my all time favorite coaches. I’ve gotta good feeling about Brent Key I just feel something good is coming Ga Techs way and man don’t we need something good after the last few years. I’m still going with 7-9 wins. Get some momentum going and we’ll have studs wanting to transfer to Ga Tech and then we’ll really get something special. Good times are on the way brother! BTW Brent Key learned from O’Leary, Ralph Freidgen and Slick Nick…that’s a boat load of football knowledge right there.

 

[stinger 1957]

O'Leary learned from one of the best IMO, Bobby Ross was one heck of a good FB coach so the Key tree is definitely outstanding as "Southern psu fan" so well stated. We'll see if CBK can carry it forward, I'm guessing he does, already seeing signs of it and the commitment of the admin along with the hiring of our AD, things are all coming together at one time for some really good momentum for the GT FB program.

 

[Root4GT]

O'Leary learned from one of the best IMO, Bobby Ross was one heck of a good FB coach so the Key tree is definitely outstanding as "Southern psu fan" so well stated. We'll see if CBK can carry it forward, I'm guessing he does, already seeing signs of it and the commitment of the admin along with the hiring of our AD, things are all coming together at one time for some really good momentum for the GT FB program.

This will be a very interesting year to see how much progress we have actually made. The coaching staff appears solid, however, we won't know until the games are played. Our talent level has been below many of our opponents for years now. That really hasn't change greatly this offseason. Can this staff get less talented players to perform consistently above their level is the real question. If yes then great, if no then we still have a few years yet to improve our talent level. Our opponents are not standing still either.

 

[roadkill]

This will be a very interesting year to see how much progress we have actually made. The coaching staff appears solid, however, we won't know until the games are played. Our talent level has been below many of our opponents for years now. That really hasn't change greatly this offseason. Can this staff get less talented players to perform consistently above their level is the real question. If yes then great, if no then we still have a few years yet to improve our talent level. Our opponents are not standing still either.

Yes, our talent level has been well below that of Clemson and Georgia for years now, but I don’t expect Key to close that gap quickly.

On the other hand, I think many give us too little credit for our talent level, based on underperformance over the last four years.

For example, our 2022 team ranked 5th in the conference in overall talent, only behind the obvious Clemson/FSU/Miami/UNC. According to 247, our overall talent rank of 30 was ahead of everyone else in the former Coastal as well as Louisville. We have the talent to be competitive with most teams, as seen last year in the surprise wins at Pitt and UNC. We've also had bad losses which made our talent look worse than it really is.

Just looking at our 2023 schedule which does us no favors, we should have a higher talent composite than seven of our opponents, and close enough to have competitive talent in 3 others. Obviously, we need to get and stay healthy at QB and on the line, but lack of talent will not be an excuse if Key doesn’t get us to a bowl, in my opinion.

 

[stinger 1957]

This will be a very interesting year to see how much progress we have actually made. The coaching staff appears solid, however, we won't know until the games are played. Our talent level has been below many of our opponents for years now. That really hasn't change greatly this offseason. Can this staff get less talented players to perform consistently above their level is the real question. If yes then great, if no then we still have a few years yet to improve our talent level. Our opponents are not standing still either.

For me and I'm guessing for others on here we need to look well coached, disciplined, and to carry out the theme of mentally and physically tough, if we do that then I think we have recruiters that will get what we need in the way of players going fwd.

 

[MWBATL]

In recent years we have been giving games away with stupid stuff (coaching mistakes, player mistakes, etc.). If we simply play clean basic football we should see improvement.

 

[Buzztheirazz]

Like burning a TO and then having a procedure error and wasting another TO on back to back plays in the first half? I can still smell the incompetence. Dude just had no clue how to manage a game.

 

[roadkill]

Like burning a TO and then having a procedure error and wasting another TO on back to back plays in the first half? I can still smell the incompetence. Dude just had no clue how to manage a game.

You mean calling the false start play after a timeout? Then doing it again? Yeah, that was something I hope to never see again.

 

[57jacket]

Yes, our talent level has been well below that of Clemson and Georgia for years now, but I don’t expect Key to close that gap quickly.

On the other hand, I think many give us too little credit for our talent level, based on underperformance over the last four years.

For example, our 2022 team ranked 5th in the conference in overall talent, only behind the obvious Clemson/FSU/Miami/UNC. According to 247, our overall talent rank of 30 was ahead of everyone else in the former Coastal as well as Louisville. We have the talent to be competitive with most teams, as seen last year in the surprise wins at Pitt and UNC. We've also had bad losses which made our talent look worse than it really is.

Just looking at our 2023 schedule which does us no favors, we should have a higher talent composite than seven of our opponents, and close enough to have competitive talent in 3 others. Obviously, we need to get and stay healthy at QB and on the line, but lack of talent will not be an excuse if Key doesn’t get us to a bowl, in my opinion.

Agree. Will be an interesting season. Really don't know what to expect, except for one thing. We will bring the effort!!!