Nice AJC Article - GT Off Season Priorities

[awbuzz]

Link -

They who and whats post spring practice.

Worth the time to read.

 

[biggtfan]

Thanks for posting this. It sounds like we have found potential starters to fill holes at the skill positions. Kallon will be the key to our defense realizing its full potential this year.

 

[OldJacketFan]

Ken did a nice job with that article

 

[4shotB]

Ken did a nice job with that article

+1. I am old enough to remember when the AJC (and also the Macon Telegraph)had quality info and articles like this all the time.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

This was well done with very high production value. Best preview I have read about Tech in a long time.

 

[Skeptic]

This was well done with very high production value. Best preview I have read about Tech in a long time.

I know B back is of huge import. But given the nature of Tech's passing game, and Johnson's determination to "punish" a defense for cheating on the run, and seeing the difference just this season that Waller made when Smelter went down, in my mind wide receiver is the key component in '15. One of those guys has to step up and show the ability to, having gotten one-on-one coverage, get separation and then make the catch. Smelter had two great examples against VT late with two distinctly different catches: a huge 4th-and-15 first down, and the TD toss down the sideline to tie it. (Foster has to still be pounding his head against the wall on that one.)

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I know B back is of huge import. But given the nature of Tech's passing game, and Johnson's determination to "punish" a defense for cheating on the run, and seeing the difference just this season that Waller made when Smelter went down, in my mind wide receiver is the key component in '15. One of those guys has to step up and show the ability to, having gotten one-on-one coverage, get separation and then make the catch. Smelter had two great examples against VT late with two distinctly different catches: a huge 4th-and-15 first down, and the TD toss down the sideline to tie it. (Foster has to still be pounding his head against the wall on that one.)

Yep.
Ken made it sound like Summers and Juene are very promising after the work they put in this spring.

 

[danny daniel]

Yep.
Ken made it sound like Summers and Juene are very promising after the work they put in this spring.

Howell played a lot in the Spring Game but was not thrown to, so we did not see any of his pass catching ability. I would like to have seen him with Byerly in the second half. Barton is solid and had a couple of catches. He may be a walk-on with some spot playing time as he "seems to know where to go". My WR pecking order coming out of the Spring is Summers, Jeune, Messick, Oliver, Barton, Howell, Philpott, and Stewart. I suspect one freshman will play and hopefully will move up to the number 4 spot. If needed Stewart might play STs.

 

[DrJacket]

I believe we have some potential at the WR position. But, I am differentiating the notion that some guys have presented as likely starters vs. these guys have emerged as weapons just yet. I appreciate Ken mentioning their development, but I hope the summer will see someone (anyone) really step up into the void left by Smelter and Waller.

His assessment feels a little more optimistic than I am ready to be. I want him to be right, though. That would be good for all of us.

 

[UgaBlows]

That is the best AJC article ever written!

 

[33jacket]

really its a summary of all the stuff/quotes/articles in spring...not much too new...but nice summary nonetheless; having all the info assimilated

 

[Boomergump]

Some of it is development (with the WRs). But some of it, frankly, is just being the only guys left to choose from. In our offense, with the relative lack of total number of throws, it is natural that their will be a certain "go to" guy. When Smelter was healthy, it was him last year, even though Waller was on the roster. When he went down, it became Waller, even though Summers was on the other side of the field. You get my drift. Yes, these guys will continue to develop, but much of it will just be "the next man up" kind of thing. Smelter was talented and so was Waller, to a lesser degree possibly. They won't be easy to replace, but the notion that these new guys aren't ready because of the numbers of catches they had in the past, just doesn't take into account the way we play. There aren't enough throws to go around to have traditional numbers on the stat sheet for WRs moving up the depth chart.

At some point, one of these guys will separate themselves and become the main target. Who knows, maybe it will be an AB again like RG was. JT spreads the ball around pretty well and sees the field, but even he is only throwing the ball 20% of the time.

It is kind of fun speculating because we have seen so little of all these guys. We really don't know. What I want more than anything is to just keep the total number of drops down, like we have the last couple of years. It was infuriating watching all the easy drops from years past. It is great to have "all world" talent at the WR position, but what we really need most is guys who just catch. The system will provide the opportunities in space.

 

[stinger 1957]

So many of our receivers under CPJ have the "dropsies" I get nightmares about that sometimes. Smelter was wonderful, but he had great hands, big hands if I read right.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

This was well done with very high production value. Best preview I have read about Tech in a long time.

It is exciting, but remember, there are at least 25 other programs out there on similar footing. Just change some names around. Summer is the season of optimism. Key guys returning, continued improvement needed, a few players that, if they step up, will contribute greatly.

 

[Skeptic]

It is exciting, but remember, there are at least 25 other programs out there on similar footing. Just change some names around. Summer is the season of optimism. Key guys returning, continued improvement needed, a few players that, if they step up, will contribute greatly.

Except, of course, Notre Dame.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

This is the most important aspect by far to me, and we won't know till we are well into the season. All teams talk a good game preseason; the phenomenal aspect of our team last year is how much better they got as the year went on. You rarely see that type of progress during the season and it's because of:

"Maintain the hunger, attitude"

 

[Skeptic]

This is the most important aspect by far to me, and we won't know till we are well into the season. All teams talk a good game preseason; the phenomenal aspect of our team last year is how much better they got as the year went on. You rarely see that type of progress during the season and it's because of:

"Maintain the hunger, attitude"

I think the best bet for maintaining this is for somebody on the other side, any somebody on the other side, to tick Johnson off every single week. To the point it might be worth planting that somebody over there. Let him feed off what drives him. "High school offense" and "gimmick offense" have been so discredited nobody uses them anymore. I hate to think it might be uniforms -- please, no -- but something.

 

[cuttysark]

AS CPJ likes to say: "Show me don't tell me."

Players will step up just like they have every year under this staff. Freeman for Attachou; Allen for Dwyer; and the very best of all Justin Thomas for Vad Lee!

 

[cuttysark]

@awbuzz: Thanks for posting this article. Very much appreciated.

 

[augustabuzz]

So many of our receivers under CPJ have the "dropsies" I get nightmares about that sometimes. Smelter was wonderful, but he had great hands, big hands if I read right.

I wish they would take some time to crosstrain by shagging fly balls in the out field for the baseball team. Two of our best receivers of all time, Calvin Johnson and Deandre Smelter, were outstanding baseball players!