Looking for Answers in 2015

[SecretAgentBuzz]

I just can't get over how frustrating this season has been for the team and the fans. Obviously, the season is not over and I hope we can end this miserable season with a resounding win, but up to this point, it has been a big, ugly mess.

Here are the first two things that can point to as logical reasons for a decline in performance:
1. Injuries. We have had multiple players go down and we just don't have the depth to plug in experienced players. Instead, we are plugging in true freshman and asking them to compete at a level they are probably not ready for.
2. Schedule. We all knew it would be tough, but in reality, it turned out worse than we thought. ND and Clemson were indeed title contenders, and with the addition of FSU and the improvement of UNC and Duke and Pitt, it was a murderer's row to begin the season. Things seemed to spiral from there.

To be honest, though, even with the harder schedule and the injuries, I still expected a lot more. We still had multiple chances to make plays and win games. What else happened?

3. Intangibles. I do not believe the talent level between last year's 11 win team and this year's 3 win team is that wide. Last year we saw some seniors step up and take responsibility and lead well. This year, we saw some seniors make mental mistakes and perform poorly when the game was on the line. Clearly, this team has lacked leadership and togetherness.
4. Poor coaching. I am not privy to what happens in practice, but it seems like our guys have not been in a position to succeed and have not progressed. If it were only a few players, we could point to personal issues, but it seems like there has been a general lack of effectiveness and growth in skills and awareness on the team, and this points to a lack of good coaching.
5. Bad luck. I intentionally listed this last. Random timing of bounces, referee calls (or lack there of) and inexplicable (and un-repeatable) performances do indeed affect the outcome of football games, and most of these have been against us this year. What can we do but throw up our arms and say, "Oh, well." Such is life as a GT fan.

Did I miss anything? Would you rank them differently?

As always, win or lose, I'll be cheering on the Yellow Jackets.

 

[Pj4prez01]

I just can't get over how frustrating this season has been for the team and the fans. Obviously, the season is not over and I hope we can end this miserable season with a resounding win, but up to this point, it has been a big, ugly mess.

Here are the first two things that can point to as logical reasons for a decline in performance:
1. Injuries. We have had multiple players go down and we just don't have the depth to plug in experienced players. Instead, we are plugging in true freshman and asking them to compete at a level they are probably not ready for.
2. Schedule. We all knew it would be tough, but in reality, it turned out worse than we thought. ND and Clemson were indeed title contenders, and with the addition of FSU and the improvement of UNC and Duke and Pitt, it was a murderer's row to begin the season. Things seemed to spiral from there.

To be honest, though, even with the harder schedule and the injuries, I still expected a lot more. We still had multiple chances to make plays and win games. What else happened?

3. Intangibles. I do not believe the talent level between last year's 11 win team and this year's 3 win team is that wide. Last year we saw some seniors step up and take responsibility and lead well. This year, we saw some seniors make mental mistakes and perform poorly when the game was on the line. Clearly, this team has lacked leadership and togetherness.
4. Poor coaching. I am not privy to what happens in practice, but it seems like our guys have not been in a position to succeed and have not progressed. If it were only a few players, we could point to personal issues, but it seems like there has been a general lack of effectiveness and growth in skills and awareness on the team, and this points to a lack of good coaching.
5. Bad luck. I intentionally listed this last. Random timing of bounces, referee calls (or lack there of) and inexplicable (and un-repeatable) performances do indeed affect the outcome of football games, and most of these have been against us this year. What can we do but throw up our arms and say, "Oh, well." Such is life as a GT fan.

Did I miss anything? Would you rank them differently?

As always, win or lose, I'll be cheering on the Yellow Jackets.

Many people on here have now commented on poor coaching being the downfall this year. This argument is both comical and disappointing; and much more plausible had there been any material coaching changes over the last year, but there haven't. Does everyone on here really think PJ and the rest of the staff have forgotten how to coach over the last 12 months after doing it for the last 20 years. This is the same staff that went 11-3 and won the Orange bowl with a bunch of 2 and 3 star recruits, and not one player drafted higher than the 4th round. Come on now.

 

[ATL1]

So coaching isn't even part of the reason for a 3-8 season?
This is GT's worse record in 20 years and coaching had no part to do with it?

 

[Pj4prez01]

So coaching isn't even part of the reason for a 3-8 season?
This is GT's worse record in 20 years and coaching had no part to do with it?

No, I don't think so. This isn't Alabama, GT is going to have good years and bad years. This just happens to be a bad year. I don't know of but a handful of coaches that would have won more than 4 games this year with this team and the amount of injuries.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

So coaching isn't even part of the reason for a 3-8 season?
This is GT's worse record in 20 years and coaching had no part to do with it?

Correct.

 

[JorgeJonas]

So coaching isn't even part of the reason for a 3-8 season?
This is GT's worse record in 20 years and coaching had no part to do with it?

I don't know. It may have something to do with it. The issue with the question is that it presumes an answer. If someone wants to say coaching is an issue, you have to identify with particularity what the issue is, what the solution is, and also show that the information was available at the time to implement the solution. In the absence of that, it just seems like griping.

Personally, I'm certain there are things Johnson and the staff could have done different, because they're human, which means they make mistakes. But there's enough of a track record here that, at least offensively, I don't know that there's much he could have done.

 

[ATL1]

Johnson has been at GT for 8 seasons.
2 10 win teams
2 pretty good/aight seasons
2 mediocre less than quality seasons
1 sub 500 bad season
1 God Awful Bill Lewis level bad

At this point I don't see how anyone could say he's shown anything more than being inconsistent. I'm not for celebrating the once every 4 years good season coach. Is it all on Johnson IDK if it's completely fair but the buck stops at the HC, this is what he signed up and is paid for.

 

[CobbTech]

Many people on here have now commented on poor coaching being the downfall this year. This argument is both comical and disappointing; and much more plausible had there been any material coaching changes over the last year, but there haven't. Does everyone on here really think PJ and the rest of the staff have forgotten how to coach over the last 12 months after doing it for the last 20 years. This is the same staff that went 11-3 and won the Orange bowl with a bunch of 2 and 3 star recruits, and not one player drafted higher than the 4th round. Come on now.

Recruiting is part of the deal when it comes to college coaching. So, yes, coaching is an issue this year. I like PJ and this is not a fire PJ post but come on. We still can't put a competent defense on the field. Our defensive line has been a joke since 2008. That is ALL coaching and recruiting.

 

[Techster]

Coaching is a factor. There's no two ways around it...and CPJ has said so himself.

When the strength of your team, the OL with 4 returning starters and one of the most physically gifted OL GT has ever had, can't play half as well as their form last year, that's a coaching issue.

I get that our skill players are littered with youth and inexperience, but when they can't perform any better and show any development from game 1 to game 11, that's a coaching issue.

Our secondary, the strength of our defense with returning starters at every position, is still making freshmen mistakes at key moments. That's a coaching issue.

Our defense has pretty much returned every significant contributor from 2014, with the exclusion of Quayshawn Nealy (but even then, Brant Mitchell is proving to be a special player) but somehow we're still getting gashed and giving up untimely big plays...that's a coaching issue.

If you want to blame it on the players for not doing their job, or lack of leadership/chemistry, or not caring...well you know what? That's on the coaches. It's the coaches job to make sure the guys are prepared and know what their assignments are. It's their job to keep their ear on the ground to know the pulse of the team, and correct any issues inside the lockeroom (as they did in 2013).

Last season the sum of the parts is what made us a better team. This year, with more talent at almost every position (albeit young talent), we're 8 wins worse?

CPJ has proven he's a more than capable coach. I don't expect him to win the Coastal or play for the ACC Championship every year. GT is a hard place to sustain success. However, it's not a hard place to sustain bowl status. That's evidence by 18 straight years of bowls. There's no way GT should be losing to UVA, Miami, VT...or even this year's version of Duke. That's 3-4 wins we normally take. Heck, Miami was being coached by a guy who will be looking for a job at the end of the year, and the VT team is one of the worst Beamer teams we've faced.

There's more than enough talent returning next year to rebound. There is light at the end of this miserable 2015 tunnel. Hopefully, the staff and the players step it up next year and get rid of the fat. If not, next year could easily turn into another season like this year.

 

[IronJacket7]

Johnson has been at GT for 8 seasons.
2 10 win teams
2 pretty good/aight seasons
2 mediocre less than quality seasons
1 sub 500 bad season
1 God Awful Bill Lewis level bad

At this point I don't see how anyone could say he's shown anything more than being inconsistent. I'm not for celebrating the once every 4 years good season coach. Is it all on Johnson IDK if it's completely fair but the buck stops at the HC, this is what he signed up and is paid for.

So you're ready for CPJ to get the axe???

Also aight is spelled alright.

 

[JorgeJonas]

So you're ready for CPJ to get the axe???

Also aight is spelled alright.

It's not worth discussing. He has a buyout that's approaching $20MM. Anyone making that point is not to be taken seriously.

 

[Pj4prez01]

Johnson has been at GT for 8 seasons.
2 10 win teams
2 pretty good/aight seasons
2 mediocre less than quality seasons
1 sub 500 bad season
1 God Awful Bill Lewis level bad

At this point I don't see how anyone could say he's shown anything more than being inconsistent. I'm not for celebrating the once every 4 years good season coach. Is it all on Johnson IDK if it's completely fair but the buck stops at the HC, this is what he signed up and is paid for.

GT is a once every 3-4 year school. That is not going to change no matter who the coach is.

 

[Pj4prez01]

Recruiting is part of the deal when it comes to college coaching. So, yes, coaching is an issue this year. I like PJ and this is not a fire PJ post but come on. We still can't put a competent defense on the field. Our defensive line has been a joke since 2008. That is ALL coaching and recruiting.

I agree recruiting is part of the deal, and this is a whole other topic, but where you and I disagree is that the coaching staff, particularly the HC, has little impact on recruiting, IMHO. And everyone can point to pre Johnson recruiting classes, but those are pre Peterson classes as well. It is pretty evident by Bball comps that the sports teams player pool has shrunk through Apr and gpa standards.

I do think the team will rebound next year, but the truth is there was a talent drop off. I firmly believe if Snoddy and Searcy didn't get hurt this would be an 8 win team.

If you go back and watch the tape, the OL less Shaq wasn't very good last year, especially in the beginning of the season.

 

[alagold]

Recruiting is part of the deal when it comes to college coaching. So, yes, coaching is an issue this year. I like PJ and this is not a fire PJ post but come on. We still can't put a competent defense on the field. Our defensive line has been a joke since 2008. That is ALL coaching and recruiting.

GOOD points.
The Offense gets a "bye" this yr to some degree..They have been carrying the team for yrs.A check on stats records on ypp shows in last 4 yrs (not '15) we avgd about 25th in country on Off but 75th on Def. (62 on STs).As a one trick pony we were asking for a down yr.

 

[takethepoints]

If I had to pick one thing that has hurt us this year it is that we can't set the dive.
We have never had that problem under Coach since he got here. What it comes down to is that we don't have a BB who is capable of running through tackles consistently. In the last two games Allen and Marshall did ok, but we haven't had a breakout BB performance since the DC genius at Alcorn decided to leave the middle of the field undefended. (Once I realized what was going on in that game, I literally couldn't believe it.)
If you can't set the dive, you can't run the O consistently. Having someone(s) who'll get you 100 - 120 ypg out of the BB position makes everything work. better. Next year I believe we'll see that; one of the numerous candidates (I'm betting Leggett) will deliver and things will get back on track. Instantly.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

Many people on here have now commented on poor coaching being the downfall this year. This argument is both comical and disappointing; and much more plausible had there been any material coaching changes over the last year, but there haven't. Does everyone on here really think PJ and the rest of the staff have forgotten how to coach over the last 12 months after doing it for the last 20 years. This is the same staff that went 11-3 and won the Orange bowl with a bunch of 2 and 3 star recruits, and not one player drafted higher than the 4th round. Come on now.

This is funny. You are implying that people are asserting that CPJ forgot how to coach. That's a straw man and possibly an ad hominem.

No one is saying that people don't know how to or forgot how to coach. They're saying coaching was poor this year. I am a damn good writer, have worked at appellate courts, worked for the EU, etc., and even I write shoddy stuff when I don't exert myself.

 

[JorgeJonas]

This is funny. You are implying that people are asserting that CPJ forgot how to coach. That's a straw man and possibly an ad hominem.

No one is saying that people don't know how to or forgot how to coach. They're saying coaching was poor this year. I am a damn good writer, have worked at appellate courts, worked for the EU, etc., and even I write shoddy stuff when I don't exert myself.

Perhaps this is one of those time.

In all seriousness, is your point that the coaches are not exerting themselves, because that strikes me as a strong accusation?

 

[ATL1]

So you're ready for CPJ to get the axe???

Also aight is spelled alright.

Aight is spelled AIGHT.
Didn't say he should be canned, but he definitely needs to take a look and examine his program to see what's has to happen to build a consistent winner, hell at min a consistent bowl eligible program.

 

[IronJacket7]

Aight is spelled AIGHT.
Didn't say he should be canned, but he definitely needs to take a look and examine his program to see what's has to happen to build a consistent winner, hell at min a consistent bowl eligible program.

This is the first season of 8 that he hasn't taken us to a bowl....

 

[IronJacket7]

Aight is spelled AIGHT.
Didn't say he should be canned, but he definitely needs to take a look and examine his program to see what's has to happen to build a consistent winner, hell at min a consistent bowl eligible program.

He has a 60% win rate at GT....