New Assistant Coach at Clemson

[CuseJacket]

Grayson head football coach Mickey Conn resigns for position with Clemson football

Will be interesting to see how this affects our recruiting efforts there.

 

[ClydeBrick]

Grayson head football coach Mickey Conn resigns for position with Clemson football

Will be interesting to see how this affects our recruiting efforts there.

Maybe a positive for us if a non-Dabo friend gets the job at Grayson?

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Maybe a positive for us if a non-Dabo friend gets the job at Grayson?

We've made huge strides at Grayson. I don't see that changing much in the next few years. Unless the new coach is severely anti-tech.

 

[SolicitorJacket]

Are there any "severely anti-tech" coaches out there? Of course there are plenty that are fans of other schools, but any that would steer a kid away from Tech even to the kid's detriment?

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Are there any "severely anti-tech" coaches out there? Of course there are plenty that are fans of other schools, but any that would steer a kid away from Tech even to the kid's detriment?

I've only met 2. One was a UGA fan who completely bought into the "SEC SEC" mentality and would harp to his kids that if you were good you went to the sec. The other just discounted tech at everything. You know the type constantly sayin they are bad and silly and any evidence ot the contrary is to be ignored.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Tucker. At least with some of the assistants (but I suspect the HC too). Know this from personal experience. Lived in Tucker for 17 years and went through youth athletics with several of the assistant coaches. To my knowledge, we haven't had a kid from Tucker since before I was at Tech. There are multiple reasons for this, but one of them is the coaches.

 

[SolicitorJacket]

I am curious about what types of statements you heard from the Tucker coaches.

 

[forensicbuzz]

It's been several years now, but 7-8 years ago, I had multiple conversations with 2 of the asst. coaches. Both discounted GT as a viable path to NFL for elite players. Discussion about GT being 2nd class program (this was with both Gailey and Johnson), unable to compete with SEC caliber teams. Suggested GT on par with GA Southern. Disparaging of Tech students. One of these guys badmouthed 2007 class, saying Roddy and Dwyer were 2nd rate running backs who went to Tech because they couldn't get in with SEC schools. Both of them said that no Tucker football player would ever play for Tech. To my knowledge, they've been right on that account. I felt that said something about the program in general.

 

[SolicitorJacket]

That is simply amazing. I cannot think of another program that has a bigger discrepancy between performance on the field and the level of affection / support it receives from the population at large and media of its home state.

 

[presjacket]

It's been several years now, but 7-8 years ago, I had multiple conversations with 2 of the asst. coaches. Both discounted GT as a viable path to NFL for elite players. Discussion about GT being 2nd class program (this was with both Gailey and Johnson), unable to compete with SEC caliber teams. Suggested GT on par with GA Southern. Disparaging of Tech students. One of these guys badmouthed 2007 class, saying Roddy and Dwyer were 2nd rate running backs who went to Tech because they couldn't get in with SEC schools. Both of them said that no Tucker football player would ever play for Tech. To my knowledge, they've been right on that account. I felt that said something about the program in general.

Was this before Franklin Stephens was coach there? He has been good to Tech since he left, sending us the Austin twins and Searcy from when he was at Lamar County and Mills from Ware County.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I don't know who the head coach was at the time. My boys were too young and were in private parochial school at the time. I'd say this was is the 2005-2010 time frame.

Tucker, once the largest public feeder school to Tech (70's/80's), has changed significantly academically. Tech has become a much harder school for the average student from Tucker to gain admission. Like I said, there are many reasons why Tech hasn't faired well with Tucker HS, the attitute towards Tech being one of the major contributors.

When I look at the number of D1 prospects that Tucker has produced over the past 20 years, the comments and conversations I've personally had with assistant football coaches and the number of kids that have played for Tech, it seems strange.

I'm not accusing or casting dispersions. I just think there are certain programs that steer students away from Tech, whether that be for academics or athletics, I can't say. I do know there have been a number of kids from Tucker that we have pursued heavily, and struck out on every one of them.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Are there any "severely anti-tech" coaches out there? Of course there are plenty that are fans of other schools, but any that would steer a kid away from Tech even to the kid's detriment?

Yes! I have known a bunch that have been UGA season ticket holders.

 

[Techster]

Didn't we have a kid from Tucker commit to us last recruiting class...to miraculously "not commit" and then end up at Harvard. Any HS staff that tells a kid to not come to a world class school like GT is doing a disservice to the kid. Coaches need to do what's best for the kid, and not stroke their own egos.

 

[swampsting]

Franklin Stephens didn't play for PJ but we've gotten the Austins, Qua Searcy and Dedrick Mills from him at Lamar and Ware, like presjacket said. IIRC, Rod Russell, who did play under PJ, was a Tucker assistant

 

[gtwin]

I don't know who the head coach was at the time. My boys were too young and were in private parochial school at the time. I'd say this was is the 2005-2010 time frame.

Tucker, once the largest public feeder school to Tech (70's/80's), has changed significantly academically. Tech has become a much harder school for the average student from Tucker to gain admission. Like I said, there are many reasons why Tech hasn't faired well with Tucker HS, the attitute towards Tech being one of the major contributors.

When I look at the number of D1 prospects that Tucker has produced over the past 20 years, the comments and conversations I've personally had with assistant football coaches and the number of kids that have played for Tech, it seems strange.

I'm not accusing or casting dispersions. I just think there are certain programs that steer students away from Tech, whether that be for academics or athletics, I can't say. I do know there have been a number of kids from Tucker that we have pursued heavily, and struck out on every one of them.

I'm sure times have changed, but I played for Tucker back in the early 90s. Many guys I played with attended or played for UGA, but it wasn't due to coaches painting a negative picture of GT. It was simply what you did since Tucker was an extremely Pro-UGA town. Tucker also was first rate athletically, but not so much academically.

The current coach Brian Lamar was a class or two behind me. I played with his brother and knowing him, I'd be extremely surprised if he steered kids away from GT.

In any case, the two biggest obstacles were the town itself and academics.

 

[LongforDodd]

Tucker. At least with some of the assistants (but I suspect the HC too). Know this from personal experience. Lived in Tucker for 17 years and went through youth athletics with several of the assistant coaches. To my knowledge, we haven't had a kid from Tucker since before I was at Tech. There are multiple reasons for this, but one of them is the coaches.

My parents moved to within 6 miles of "downtown" Tucker in 1961 and my zip code hasn't changed appreciably since then. I grew up with a few of Tucker's old families and one of my life's benefactors was a Tucker born gentleman, businessman, and dawg fan. Tucker is stuck in the SEC mentality. Mr. Tucker, Gene Cofer, was as big of a dawg fan as there ever was. Yes, the demo's of Tucker have changed mightily but there are still bright kids there just as there are in any population. An LB from Tucker just recently finished at Stanford, James Vaughters I believe. We just have to target the ones that have a chance to succeed at GT and sell them on the program. A negative coach can't keep us out but a good recruiter can overcome the negatives. Tucker is no different than any other SEC community.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

My parents moved to within 6 miles of "downtown" Tucker in 1961 and my zip code hasn't changed appreciably since then. I grew up with a few of Tucker's old families and one of my life's benefactors was a Tucker born gentleman, businessman, and dawg fan. Tucker is stuck in the SEC mentality. Mr. Tucker, Gene Cofer, was as big of a dawg fan as there ever was. Yes, the demo's of Tucker have changed mightily but there are still bright kids there just as there are in any population. An LB from Tucker just recently finished at Stanford, James Vaughters I believe. We just have to target the ones that have a chance to succeed at GT and sell them on the program. A negative coach can't keep us out but a good recruiter can overcome the negatives. Tucker is no different than any other SEC community.

So you were at Tucker back in the day when we called them the "sharecroppers"? (JUST KIDDING from an ole Lakeside guy!). Pass went to ugag, I believe GT had an OL from THS. Vaughters, as you said, went to Stanford. 2 that I remember were the McMakin (sp?) brothers. Big John went to Clemson then played for the Steelers I believe. His younger brother, David, went to bama. I believe he grew up dreaming of playing for Bear. Regardless, these guys came from a wonderful family. And I can never in a million years imagine parents like they had letting some HS coach overly influence their sons where to go to college.

 

[LongforDodd]

So you were at Tucker back in the day when we called them the "sharecroppers"? (JUST KIDDING from an ole Lakeside guy!). Pass went to ugag, I believe GT had an OL from THS. Vaughters, as you said, went to Stanford. 2 that I remember were the McMakin (sp?) brothers. Big John went to Clemson then played for the Steelers I believe. His younger brother, David, went to bama. I believe he grew up dreaming of playing for Bear. Regardless, these guys came from a wonderful family. And I can never in a million years imagine parents like they had letting some HS coach overly influence their sons where to go to college.

I went to neither (SPX) but grew up in the LHS neighborhood. John O'Neal, Alan O'Neill, Mike Johnson, McKenna, Mark Fleetwood ( a bit younger) Dr. Grant Carlson, etc were my "neighbors" and contemporaries. My younger bro was at LHS for a year though. where did you grow up and what years were you at LHS?

 

[Skeptic]

Maybe a positive for us if a non-Dabo friend gets the job at Grayson?

Part of the rationale for Swinney making this hire, even of a former Ala. teammate, is that college teams are looking so much to high schools now because most the innovation now taking place comes out of high schools. Don't know why exactly, but maybe having to do with having to win with the kids in enrolled in high school vs. recruited players in college? I know that Chad Morris made his rep in Texas high schools.

 

[PBR549]

Part of the rationale for Swinney making this hire, even of a former Ala. teammate, is that college teams are looking so much to high schools now because most the innovation now taking place comes out of high schools. Don't know why exactly, but maybe having to do with having to win with the kids in enrolled in high school vs. recruited players in college? I know that Chad Morris made his rep in Texas high schools.

Innovation comes from HS and College ranks for sure but I think most now come from lower divisions in college especially Jr. college.