North Carolina Hires New DC - Geoff Collins

CEB

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,810
Honest question here. If the UNC gig turns out the way these things predictably go, will you, deep down in the farthest recesses of your soul, have the slightest bit of pity for him?

Obviously, with a narcissist it can go two ways with him emotionally. He can continue in his delusions, keeping his ego and arrogance intact and blaming the world for not recognizing his brilliance. Or he could have something close to a mental breakdown as reality shatters his fictional world.

Thoughts?
Honestly, I think he will probably do well just focusing on D. He wasn’t ready to be in charge. I have no idea what the dynamic of UNC staff is, but he could be very successful if he finds himself in a spot where he is told, “coach the D and don’t worry about anything else.” It might be a good reset.

If he has the ability to pursue lots of stuff outside of “coaching the D,” it could be another setback…. Unless, somehow he has a renewed sense of perspective.:unsure:
 

slugboy

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,726
Honest question here. If the UNC gig turns out the way these things predictably go, will you, deep down in the farthest recesses of your soul, have the slightest bit of pity for him?

Obviously, with a narcissist it can go two ways with him emotionally. He can continue in his delusions, keeping his ego and arrogance intact and blaming the world for not recognizing his brilliance. Or he could have something close to a mental breakdown as reality shatters his fictional world.

Thoughts?

TFG might be a different personality than Gene Chizik, but I’m not sure one has been much more successful than the other as a DC. UNC has tried up-and-comers, different defensive systems, established defensive coordinators, and they’re getting the same results. I’m not sure what the cause is, but their defense has been porous regardless of the DC. I can’t tell you why TFG would fit when Chizik didn’t.

TFG got to spend some time with his family, maybe reflect on things. Maybe he didn’t use that time well, or maybe he did. If he did use that time well, he could come back as a solid coach.

From a skills point of view, he probably could have used a stint as an analyst at a school with a great defense. The Saban reform school for coaches who don’t coach good would have been a great chance to study the craft (again), and he’d have been outside of Atlanta.

His daughter is in elementary school. It’s possible that she heard “your dad stinks” all the time at school—kids have older siblings that are sports fans, and there’s always a kid or two that are into football. Moving away is probably a great thing for his family.
 

Lil G

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
734
Honest question here. If the UNC gig turns out the way these things predictably go, will you, deep down in the farthest recesses of your soul, have the slightest bit of pity for him?

Obviously, with a narcissist it can go two ways with him emotionally. He can continue in his delusions, keeping his ego and arrogance intact and blaming the world for not recognizing his brilliance. Or he could have something close to a mental breakdown as reality shatters his fictional world.

Thoughts?
My friend group recently had a girl make a fool of herself, double down, and eventually create enemies with everyone because she couldn’t swallow her pride and apologize. She pointed blame at others and claimed zero fault, sound familiar? Been months since we last saw her and we mostly joke about her now- but ultimately feel bad.

It’s easy to talk smack about her, the same way you would with a guy who runs your beloved program into the ground, with extreme levels of smug during and after, and walks away with millions. But I just don’t think people like her ever learned correct way to behave and can’t help it. We blame ourselves for not seeing it earlier. Maybe those that struggle with reality were given the keys to drive others’ too many times.
 

Techwood Relict

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,508
The offers all weighed over 375 lbs.


the princess bride GIF
 

Northeast Stinger

Helluva Engineer
Messages
11,178
My friend group recently had a girl make a fool of herself, double down, and eventually create enemies with everyone because she couldn’t swallow her pride and apologize. She pointed blame at others and claimed zero fault, sound familiar? Been months since we last saw her and we mostly joke about her now- but ultimately feel bad.

It’s easy to talk smack about her, the same way you would with a guy who runs your beloved program into the ground, with extreme levels of smug during and after, and walks away with millions. But I just don’t think people like her ever learned correct way to behave and can’t help it. We blame ourselves for not seeing it earlier. Maybe those that struggle with reality were given the keys to drive others’ too many times.
In the case of narcissism, unless there is some physical hardwiring of the brain that didn’t occur, it is usually caused by poor attachments with parents at an early age. Expectations to succeed are high with little emotional support and role modeling that combines lack of empathy with selfishness as a strategy for surviving in the world. By adulthood the patterns are too ingrained to be undone apart from intense therapy which has little chance of success because resistance to self criticism is already baked in.
 

Northeast Stinger

Helluva Engineer
Messages
11,178
Honestly, I think he will probably do well just focusing on D. He wasn’t ready to be in charge. I have no idea what the dynamic of UNC staff is, but he could be very successful if he finds himself in a spot where he is told, “coach the D and don’t worry about anything else.” It might be a good reset.

If he has the ability to pursue lots of stuff outside of “coaching the D,” it could be another setback…. Unless, somehow he has a renewed sense of perspective.:unsure:
If he can accept the fact that he is not head coach material, and not keep looking for that next opportunity, stay in his lane and accept some direction and mentoring, then, who knows. But he would have to grow past his sense of grandiosity.

It’s a long shot.
 

4shotB

Helluva Engineer
Retired Staff
Messages
5,139
If he can accept the fact that he is not head coach material, and not keep looking for that next opportunity, stay in his lane and accept some direction and mentoring, then, who knows. But he would have to grow past his sense of grandiosity.

It’s a long shot.
I mentioned elsewhere that there are way more guys like Collins in the corporate and business world than I would ever have imagined before starting my career. One of the hallmarks or dead giveaways imo is that they have to keep moving around. You want to stay one step ahead of the posse apparently. I think broad experience is great but a resume that never had ANY single job of 5 years or more went into my trash can. That's probably outdated thinking but it was a good way to avoid the salesman disguised as a coach, engineer, manager, etc.
 

leatherneckjacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,154
Location
Atlanta, GA
Does he think that Tech did him wrong? It’s amazing if so cuz he’s the reason everyone in Georgia hates him. Not any other reason
Failure is hard to deal with for most people. Most cannot accept their role in their own failure. I do not care to divine what exactly TFG is thinking, but he probably thinks his failure is not his fault, was unfairly judged for it, and was not given enough time or resources to deliver the desired results. He also probably does not understand the vitriol directed at him, so he is punching back at Tech fans. Just one idiot's opinion.
 

Northeast Stinger

Helluva Engineer
Messages
11,178
I mentioned elsewhere that there are way more guys like Collins in the corporate and business world than I would ever have imagined before starting my career. One of the hallmarks or dead giveaways imo is that they have to keep moving around. You want to stay one step ahead of the posse apparently. I think broad experience is great but a resume that never had ANY single job of 5 years or more went into my trash can. That's probably outdated thinking but it was a good way to avoid the salesman disguised as a coach, engineer, manager, etc.
I agree.

Though I have to say, my youngest child has moved around several times in her career and each time it has been exactly the right move. She continually has moved right before upper management blew up, or she has moved when her talents were not appreciated and almost doubled her salary. I marvel and shake my head. Not the way I was raised but she says workers should never be loyal to a company that is not loyal to them.

But I think Collins is a different story altogether and fits the type you are describing.
 

4shotB

Helluva Engineer
Retired Staff
Messages
5,139
Failure is hard to deal with for most people. Most cannot accept their role in their own failure. I do not care to divine what exactly TFG is thinking, but he probably thinks his failure is not his fault, was unfairly judged for it, and was not given enough time or resources to deliver the desired results. He also probably does not understand the vitriol directed at him, so he is punching back at Tech fans. Just one idiot's opinion.
I have never been fired (knock on wood) nor do I expect to be in my short remaining time before official retirement. However, if I did AND received a compensation package like he got I imagine I wouldn't spend alot of time thinking or worrying about things or what might have gone wrong. I have changed jobs several times and was never one to look backwards.
 

GTLorenzo

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,594
Honest question here. If the UNC gig turns out the way these things predictably go, will you, deep down in the farthest recesses of your soul, have the slightest bit of pity for him?

Obviously, with a narcissist it can go two ways with him emotionally. He can continue in his delusions, keeping his ego and arrogance intact and blaming the world for not recognizing his brilliance. Or he could have something close to a mental breakdown as reality shatters his fictional world.

Thoughts?

He received about $20 million to run our program into the ground and make us a laughingstock in college football. Skinny pants, poor clock management, weights on the sideline, WRs running past our DBs AGAIN. No, I would have to pity for him. His voice grates on me. His skinny pants grate on me. His poofed up hair grates on me. The guy killed our program. No pity.
 

684Bee

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,660
He received about $20 million to run our program into the ground and make us a laughingstock in college football. Skinny pants, poor clock management, weights on the sideline, WRs running past our DBs AGAIN. No, I would have to pity for him. His voice grates on me. His skinny pants grate on me. His poofed up hair grates on me. The guy killed our program. No pity.
Our hiring process at that time killed our program.
 

swampsting

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,881
Gluten free, here.

  1. Lots of jargon. Very vague
  2. Too many compliments. Felt like an Eddie Haskell interview
  3. If he does what he promises, then why didn’t he do that when he was here?
  4. He has a lot more hair than when he was here. Hmmm 🧐 [it’s either a transplant or rogaine or both]
So lather, rinse, repeat blandishments from his time at Tech?
 

tmhunter52

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,468
If he can accept the fact that he is not head coach material, and not keep looking for that next opportunity, stay in his lane and accept some direction and mentoring, then, who knows. But he would have to grow past his sense of grandiosity.

It’s a long shot.
I don’t think TFG has eaten too much humble pie along the way. I am sure he still believes that he is elite.
 

AlabamaBuzz

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,051
Location
Hartselle, AL (originally Rome, GA)
I don’t think TFG has eaten too much humble pie along the way. I am sure he still believes that he is elite.
It's who he is. His success (and failures) have always come with this exuberant, confident personality, so he won't change. I'm not sure he could change it. With that said, I will be very surprised, as others here have mentioned, if he can somehow have significant success at UNC since even GC (and remember, Mack Brown was a DC as well) wasn't able to ever field a good D at UNC.

I believe he can only be successful with sure-fire NFL players (multiple) on his front 7.
 

forensicbuzz

21st Century Throwback Dad
Messages
9,089
Location
North Shore, Chicago
I mentioned elsewhere that there are way more guys like Collins in the corporate and business world than I would ever have imagined before starting my career. One of the hallmarks or dead giveaways imo is that they have to keep moving around. You want to stay one step ahead of the posse apparently. I think broad experience is great but a resume that never had ANY single job of 5 years or more went into my trash can. That's probably outdated thinking but it was a good way to avoid the salesman disguised as a coach, engineer, manager, etc.
To me, that seems like the kind of blanket short-sightedness that misses gems. Often time visionaries and innovators have a quick burn and stay long enough to make a highly positive impact and move on to the next challenge. I don't know your industry, so I'm not criticizing you, but it's been my experience that you can separate the wheat from the chaff pretty quickly in the first couple of minutes of the first interview.
 
Top