OC Hire

[forensicbuzz]

I'd be interested in how he addresses it head on, when questioned about it. You know if he comes to Tech one of the first questions he will get from some media source is going to be about how he used his own experience at Tech to dissuade potential recruits from coming to Tech. It wasn't about "mentioning" calculus, difficult academics, or lack of girls, it was about him saying "that he made a mistake by coming to Tech, and that he would have chosen differently if able to do it over again" type of statements. Those are the rumored statements that have people against him coming to Tech. I don't remember where the quotes came from, and they may not be true, but he's going to have to face that directly at some point early in his tenure at Tech, if he comes. How he handles that will directly affect how I feel about him as a Tech coach. If he denies saying those things, I'll give him a pass. If he chocks it up to the recruiting game, I'll have a hard time stomaching his presence. There are some lines you don't cross, even if your job is on the line. I have never been a "win at all cost" guy, and won't support that type of lack of integrity.

If he simply pointed out the facts about Tech's academic and social atmospheres, then all's fair in love and war, and I hold no grudge. If he used personal testimony to dissuade a potential recruit from Tech, then he is not the type of person I want leading the young men fighting for Tech on any given Saturday (or select Fridays, Thursdays, and Mondays).

 

[smokey_wasp]

What part of Key’s resume warrants an Assistant Head Coach title???

He had the AHC title for 3 years at UCF and the OC title for 2. Yeah, things didn't end well there, but he was in line to be the head coach at one point, so obviously he was well thought of, by both George O'Leary and Todd Stansbury. Then he was hired by Saban.

Not sure what kind of resume some of ya'll are looking for here. I agree that if he is the main playcaller, that is a suspect move, but no one has said this is going to happen.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

#2 recruiting Assistant in the Country according to 247.

The thing is, Key isn't leaving 'Bama for a lateral position. Giving him Asst. HC/Co-OC/OL coach makes it work optically for him in terms of career progression. It also gives us a BIG hitter in the recruiting lineup.

I've been as vocal as anyone about Key as OC, and what he did to his own alma mater on the recruiting trail. It'll be his cross to bear when/if he comes back and has to look at all the GT alumni and ex players in the eye. I wouldn't be able to look at anyone else in the eye the minute I step foot on campus, but that's just me. As long as Key doesn't have play calling veto power and isn't running the overall offense, I'm OK with him coming in coaching the OL, having a fancy hyphenated title, and recruiting guys for GT. I may have to hold my nose, but it's one of those times you don't want to know how the sausage is made...

I wonder which one of our local press will bring it up in a press conference?

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I'd be interested in how he addresses it head on, when questioned about it. You know if he comes to Tech one of the first questions he will get from some media source is going to be about how he used his own experience at Tech to dissuade potential recruits from coming to Tech. It wasn't about "mentioning" calculus, difficult academics, or lack of girls, it was about him saying "that he made a mistake by coming to Tech, and that he would have chosen differently if able to do it over again" type of statements. Those are the rumored statements that have people against him coming to Tech. I don't remember where the quotes came from, and they may not be true, but he's going to have to face that directly at some point early in his tenure at Tech, if he comes. How he handles that will directly affect how I feel about him as a Tech coach. If he denies saying those things, I'll give him a pass. If he chocks it up to the recruiting game, I'll have a hard time stomaching his presence. There are some lines you don't cross, even if your job is on the line. I have never been a "win at all cost" guy, and won't support that type of lack of integrity.

If he simply pointed out the facts about Tech's academic and social atmospheres, then all's fair in love and war, and I hold no grudge. If he used personal testimony to dissuade a potential recruit from Tech, then he is not the type of person I want leading the young men fighting for Tech on any given Saturday (or select Fridays, Thursdays, and Mondays).

This is my take is well.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

I wonder which one of our local press will bring it up in a press conference?

I’ll do it. Get me a gtswarm press badge I’ll ask the hard questions.

Also I’m not fully against Key. I’m against the preferential treatment some fans are giving him solely because he’s a GOL golden boy. Hiring recruiters first for a HC and position coaches is fine but the OC and DC need to have some respect from the x’s and o’s Side.

We make fun of Michigan for their relentless “Michigan Man!” Attitude then turn around and do the exact same thing for a “Tech man”

 

[ezbee]

#2 recruiting Assistant in the Country according to 247.

The thing is, Key isn't leaving 'Bama for a lateral position. Giving him Asst. HC/Co-OC/OL coach makes it work optically for him in terms of career progression. It also gives us a BIG hitter in the recruiting lineup.

I've been as vocal as anyone about Key as OC, and what he did to his own alma mater on the recruiting trail. It'll be his cross to bear when/if he comes back and has to look at all the GT alumni and ex players in the eye. I wouldn't be able to look at anyone else in the eye the minute I step foot on campus, but that's just me. As long as Key doesn't have play calling veto power and isn't running the overall offense, I'm OK with him coming in coaching the OL, having a fancy hyphenated title, and recruiting guys for GT. I may have to hold my nose, but it's one of those times you don't want to know how the sausage is made...

Just curious, do the recruiting rankings of coaches go back to Key’s time at UCF? If you look at the top 20 on the recruiters list, they are all essentially clemson/SEC/Big 10 factory schools plus one or two misc schools. In fact, I believe I could be a top 20 recruiter at Bama. If some one shows me he was a top 20 recruiter at UCF (where he spent 11 years) I’ll be incredibly impressed.

 

[stech81]

Co-Offensive Coordinator.

It's more of a glorified title to get him to move from 'Bama. Patenaude would be the actual OC calling plays and putting together the offense.

I'm not crazy about Patenaude.

 

[Towaliga]

I wonder which one of our local press will bring it up in a press conference?

Regarding Key, I say that we let the press ask the question during the first press conference, but as soon as it is asked, bring Paul Johnson in and let him stare at the person who asked the question. The mood in the room would be like Frankie Five Angels Pentangeli’s Senate testimony in Godfather II.

 

[iceeater1969]

I'm not crazy about Patenaude.

The root meaning
Pat - "easy choice made when time/money is short"
ena -" and then"
ude "spend more later "

 

[TVan]

With Temple open again. Do they hire within? Maybe have to find another OC.

 

[iceeater1969]

Whiskey
Gt basketball and football ncaa grad rate are about equal in all cohorts

The grad rate was under 50% for early 2000 s.
Got into 60s by 2008.


Fear of getting players thru gt is out there w out any opposing recruiter saying anything.

Would it be untrue to say that "sure gt has 86%"grade rate and in that regard gt has recruited a player that has offers from Harvard, princeton and Yale. "
Iiwii= gt is hard .
Got to cast a wider net - 2019 bring them to gt.

Where Gt degrees still were highly respected when bb and fb were at lower %. ? To me we got to stay above 75%

 

[smokey_wasp]

With Temple open again. Do they hire within? Maybe have to find another OC.

Doubt it. They have a good stockpile of cash now and can probably get a more proven coach. I don't think Patenaude is really seen as HC material at this point in time. Temple usually goes for P5 coordinators. Wouldn't be surprised if they go after Schiano.

 

[Southpaw13]

I'm itching to see the staff announced. I hope we do see both Patenaude and Key on staff. I want as many guys as we can get on staff that have shown they can recruit. Yes, coaching and in game adjustments matter, but you can do so much more with legit athletes on the field. I hope we can bring some guys in that will make 4-star talent a normal part of our recruiting cycles.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Most important hire he will make is OC - needs a superior offensive mind and play caller. I don't know who that is, but I have my doubts about Patenaude. Yes, recruiting is critical as well, but I don't think a guy that can bring in a few 4 star guys will be enough without the genius play design and play calling as well.

 

[smokey_wasp]

I'm itching to see the staff announced. I hope we do see both Patenaude and Key on staff. I want as many guys as we can get on staff that have shown they can recruit. Yes, coaching and in game adjustments matter, but you can do so much more with legit athletes on the field. I hope we can bring some guys in that will make 4-star talent a normal part of our recruiting cycles.

I think it's going to take some Tech fans time to get used to the new model we are using. It is no longer just going to be out-scheming people with offensive genius. It's going to be about recruiting, player development, strength and conditioning, Defense and Special Teams, etc.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

I think it's going to take some Tech fans time to get used to the new model we are using. It is no longer just going to be out-scheming people with offensive genius. It's going to be about recruiting, player development, strength and conditioning, Defense and Special Teams, etc.

K but that player development part is what we’re saying we need besides just recruiters.

 

[smokey_wasp]

K but that player development part is what we’re saying we need besides just recruiters.

Key can coach O-line, I don't think that is a question, whatsoever. Patenaude is a bit more of an unknown, I agree, but I like what I've seen of his work at Coastal Carolina and Temple. How can anyone not get excited about replacing Sewak with Alabama's O-line coach? lol

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

I think it's going to take some Tech fans time to get used to the new model we are using. It is no longer just going to be out-scheming people with offensive genius. It's going to be about recruiting, player development, strength and conditioning, Defense and Special Teams, etc.

I have been watching GT football since 1970 approximately. I agree with you on all of your points, but even Fridge used offensive genius. For the most part, in those 47 years of watching GT football, without an offensive genius, the GREAT years have been few and far between. (basically none except one magical year where the D was so good (1990) - hard to match that again with the rule changes giving the offenses such advantages)

In my opinion, if you try to do it without the offensive genius, mediocrity is what you will get, even with excellent player development and strength and conditioning. Please don't forget that the teams getting the top 10 recruiting classes, for the most part, are doing player development and S/C as well. And, they have many more resources.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Key can coach O-line, I don't think that is a question, whatsoever. Patenaude is a bit more of an unknown, I agree, but I like what I've seen of his work at Coastal Carolina and Temple.

Right no one is debating Key as an o-line coach.

The issue everyone seems to be hand waving away is implementing “what everyone else is doing” aka RPO spread offense. So now we have a cookie cutter approach with athletes that will never be as good as some of our competition. 99% of the time that ain’t gonna work well.

All I want is an OC who isn’t a cookie cutter follower.

 

[bobongo]

Just curious, do the recruiting rankings of coaches go back to Key’s time at UCF? If you look at the top 20 on the recruiters list, they are all essentially clemson/SEC/Big 10 factory schools plus one or two misc schools. In fact, I believe I could be a top 20 recruiter at Bama. If some one shows me he was a top 20 recruiter at UCF (where he spent 11 years) I’ll be incredibly impressed.

I imagine he was instrumental in bringing in some of the players who comprise that team now. If so, that's about as impressive as it gets.