Let's keep some perspective here on our NEW HC

[Northeast Stinger]

If GT wins 5 or less games this year I consider it a step backwards. The most concerning thing I see is lack of adjustments or any coaching advantage. There is still time but I don’t believe there will be 6 wins and a bowl. I hope I am wrong.

Not trying to be argumentative but I’m not sure I understand how the first year for any new coach can be considered a step back.

 

[g0lftime]

I was optimistically hopeful at the first of the year due to the second half of last season. However we have a lot of new faces on the staff. I have been a critic of Thacker in the past because of our poor results on defense but I felt like he was just not experienced enough to be a DC yet. Not his fault. His only experience as DC was one year at Temple. He has gotten his training and promotion from Collins. He needs to be exposed to other programs to learn different philosophies of coaching a defense. We were getting OJT in my opinion.
I am anxious to see what changes may happen now but I don't expect miracles. Key is still learning how to be a HC too. We are still a relatively young team on paper but some of these guys may graduate or transfer. I expect improvement next year but the schedule is even tougher.

 

[Ibeeballin]

Look I know our fans are sick of losing and the last coach didn't help. But you have to giving a coach time to get his players in the system. And of course we have a few on here who wanted another coach and ain't going to be happy without the one they wanted. And we have a few who want to fire a coach after 1 year, At one time college coaches would tell you it takes 4 years to get all the players into their system. Now you have the Transfer portal that comes into play. So, I guess you could say it may not take 4 years maybe 3, but here at Tech you have to look at the ones we will lose. no one wants to lose but if you replace a coach every year or two things will never get better here. Not many want to come to a place like Tech and we really don't pay that great to great a great big-name coach.

Nah… Key been on staff for 5 yrs. He’s responsible for quite bit of the players and and all of the current staff. There is no grace period for him to get things together. All that’s been said, is a different coach would have this team in a bowl game. Welp, new leadership so where is the bowl game

 

[sgreer]

Not trying to be argumentative but I’m not sure I understand how the first year for any new coach can be considered a step back.

That’s fair. To me he’s not exactly a first year coach like say Jeff Brohm at Louisville is. In fact that Louisville team made halftime adjustments and beat us- he did not have the time with that team that Key has had with Tech. I hope things change but I just don’t see many reasons to believe.

 

[yeti92]

That’s fair. To me he’s not exactly a first year coach like say Jeff Brohm at Louisville is. In fact that Louisville team made halftime adjustments and beat us- he did not have the time with that team that Key has had with Tech. I hope things change but I just don’t see many reasons to believe.

Jeff Brohm has been a head coach for 10 years, Key is right at 1 year as a head coach.

 

[leatherneckjacket]

Nah… Key been on staff for 5 yrs. He’s responsible for quite bit of the players and and all of the current staff. There is no grace period for him to get things together. All that’s been said, is a different coach would have this team in a bowl game. Welp, new leadership so where is the bowl game

No grace period at all? Win this year with all the residual dysfunction left over from TFG within the roster and culture or else what exactly?

By the way. We did not make a bowl until year 3 under O'Leary and he had a much better roster with which to work.

 

[Techster]

Yeah, but we also stubbed our toe against a really bad UVa team and got boat raced by FSU last year.
We really didn't have a lot of margin for error to start with but with a defense that can't get off the field and an offense that can't stay on it (if it repeats from last week) there is none at all.
I'd rather see how we do against Syracuse. Miami could just stomp a mudhole in us and walk it dry if they wanted to. They have the nation's best run defense (and we're having trouble running the ball consistently) and they have rejuvenated their passing attack (no need to rehash our defensive liabilities).
The Cuse is off to a good start but they are flawed too. Let's see what we do with something closer to our level of a program right now.

Yup...we did lose to those teams, just as we lost to Bowling Green this year. That's what GT does, lose to teams we shouldn't. My point was Key is capable of pulling rabbits out of a hat...just as he's capable of losing rabbits in a hat.

We'll see how the team responds Saturday. I wouldn't be shocked if we pulled the upset, just like I wouldn't be shocked if we get run over. I think Key's "grace period" with GT fans is definitely over.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

The title of this thread says something about keeping perspective on a brand new head coach. We seem to be struggling with that concept.

 

[Techwood Relict]

My point was Key is capable of pulling rabbits out of a hat...just as he's capable of losing rabbits in a hat.

Some people are hat half full, some are hat half empty sorts ....

I'm rooting for the coach and GT.

 

[sgreer]

Jeff Brohm has been a head coach for 10 years, Key is right at 1 year as a head coach.

That’s correct I was thinking more about Brohm adapting to the new situation at Louisville. Wish Tech had hired an experienced/proven HC.

 

[slugboy]

He talks to GOL weekly...

That’s something, but often a first time coach has someone THERE.

For example, Stoudamire has head coaching experience, and he still has Hobbs on staff

 

[alagold]

That’s correct I was thinking more about Brohm adapting to the new situation at Louisville. Wish Tech had hired an experienced/proven HC.

I like Key ok but L'ville and now ESPECIALLY BG game in which was a situation arose that he obviously wasn't ready for.How he could not adjust at halftime to change the momentum is a DAMNING mistake. (and maybe a fatal one)

 

[stech81]

Nah… Key been on staff for 5 yrs. He’s responsible for quite bit of the players and and all of the current staff. There is no grace period for him to get things together. All that’s been said, is a different coach would have this team in a bowl game. Welp, new leadership so where is the bowl game

You are a friend, so I'll just say we disagree.

 

[MWBATL]

My take is that we have seen strong improvement on the offensive side including in coaching and schemes. We're not great, but we are MUCH improved over last year.
Special teams is better, notwithstanding the occasional botched punt. Everyone seems to be missing FGs this year, even very good teams (Clemson comes to mind) and we haven't had a punt blocked, we just screwed up a snap on one punt.
Defensively....yeah, we suck and need some changes. As has been the case at GT for about...what...the last decade? CPJ couldn't solve this problem. TFG certainly couldn't. And now Key hasn't yet. I'm willing to wait a bit longer, but my patience is running low right now after the debacle that was BG. Recovering fan support after that clown show will be a tough, uphill climb.
I can't help but wonder if Fritz would have blown the Louisville lead and lost to Bowling Green.. Just saying'...one wonders.

 

[Jacket05]

Nah… Key been on staff for 5 yrs. He’s responsible for quite bit of the players and and all of the current staff. There is no grace period for him to get things together. All that’s been said, is a different coach would have this team in a bowl game. Welp, new leadership so where is the bowl game

I have a lot of respect for your views on this board as you played for Tech and tend to have more thought out and informed perspectives. However, I have to disagree with your take here. IIRC You are the one on here that mentioned that Key was not happy with the way TFG has handled things and almost left for USC until they offered him a promotion. While he has been on staff for 5 years he obviously didn't have control of much in the program including the culture, final recruiting decisions, player development, practice structure, game management, etc. Now that he has control it will take time to fix the damage to the program from TFG. I do agree that he is not exactly the same as a first year coach since he has built relationships with the staff and players but he is not responsible for the state of the program when he took over. I did expect more out of this year from him but I am still willing to give him some slack this year as long as we at least start to see improvement (which I have seen in some areas).

 

[GTRambler]

I like Key ok but L'ville and now ESPECIALLY BG game in which was a situation arose that he obviously wasn't ready for.How he could not adjust at halftime to change the momentum is a DAMNING mistake. (and maybe a fatal one)

I wouldn’t be surprised if halftime adjustments were indeed made, but the players failed to execute them.

 

[Ibeeballin]

I have a lot of respect for your views on this board as you played for Tech and tend to have more thought out and informed perspectives. However, I have to disagree with your take here. IIRC You are the one on here that mentioned that Key was not happy with the way TFG has handled things and almost left for USC until they offered him a promotion. While he has been on staff for 5 years he obviously didn't have control of much in the program including the culture, final recruiting decisions, player development, practice structure, game management, etc. Now that he has control it will take time to fix the damage to the program from TFG. I do agree that he is not exactly the same as a first year coach since he has built relationships with the staff and players but he is not responsible for the state of the program when he took over. I did expect more out of this year from him but I am still willing to give him some slack this year as long as we at least start to see improvement (which I have seen in some areas).

He leveraged USC into getting a pay raise and being influential in getting PNut fired. No control? Key was the Lieutenant was the reason Long & was hired .


@JacketFan137 seeing the back pedaling is hilarious. All we heard was once the clown is gone and get some grown up’s in the building everything would better. That any coach could have had these past teams in a bowl game. Now it’s we gotta give Key time to get his team? This is his team!

 

[bobongo]

@JacketFan137 seeing the back pedaling is hilarious. All we heard was once the clown is gone and get some grown up’s in the building everything would better. That any coach could have had these past teams in a bowl game. Now it’s we gotta give Key time to get his team? This is his team!

You're ignoring the loss of talent since then on defense. Key has been coach barely over a year and you're calling it "his team".

 

[Techster]

He leveraged USC into getting a pay raise and being influential in getting PNut fired. No control? Key was the Lieutenant was the reason Long & was hired .

Palace intrigue. The skeletons always find a way out.

 

[Ibeeballin]

You're ignoring the loss of talent since then on defense. Key has been coach barely over a year and you're calling it "his team".

I’m not ignoring anything. I pretty sure 18/22 on two deep defense returned majority of those guys guys been in the system for 3yr to 4yrs.

Key has been a coach of the staff 5yrs. He’s responsible for the portal guys that working out well like King, 4* Pyron and others.