Off season complacency

[swampsting]

I know I'm getting complacent in the offseason. I'm not watching highlights with the same focus and intensity. Better do some up-downs to get my mind rite.

 

[TechCubed]

I think one of the byproducts of a season like this is that the players get positive results and reinforcement for their work. They basically get an understanding that X work yield Y results. Winning is like a drug: once you get a taste, you can't get enough. I think/hope that provides the motivation they need.

I think the real test is when the freshman report this summer, what do the upperclassmen do to get them ready?

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I think one of the byproducts of a season like this is that the players get positive results and reinforcement for their work. They basically get an understanding that X work yield Y results. Winning is like a drug: once you get a taste, you can't get enough. I think/hope that provides the motivation they need.

I think the real test is when the freshman report this summer, what do the upperclassmen do to get them ready?

or they could have the "if I'm happy where I'm at, I won't have to work so hard..." attitude.

 

[OldJacketFan]

or they could have the "if I'm happy where I'm at, I won't have to work so hard..." attitude.

Somehow I don't think the coaches or the seniors will allow that to happen

 

[TechCubed]

Somehow I don't think the coaches or the seniors will allow that to happen

I have a lot of faith in leadership of JT, Golden, Gotsis, White, Joe and Braun. Another intangible is that this team collectively has a chip on its shoulder whether you're talking recruiting rankings, preseason polling, weekly "expert" picks, etc. I don't think complacency is in their DNA.

 

[Boomergump]

This is part of the reason I don't like all that Heisman chatter. It is distracting as all get out. I hope the guys are hungry. It was a great season but it was also a season of missed opportunity, if you ask me. Sweeping the big 4 was huge and winning the Orange Bowl memorable, but there were some pretty big marbles left in the sand from the Duke and UNC losses. I hope the kids keep all this in perspective and try to push this thing over the top next year. Cracking the top 10 is not a destination, it is meerly a rest stop.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Good teams that have staying power, all have common components:
Good defense - the offense will struggle at times
Good QB
Good OL
You see these attributes from grade school to the pros

 

[techdad]

I can tell you that the team is working hard and feel like they have the talent to get better. The players want the ACC championship and feel like they did not accomplish that goal and that is what they re striving for. There will be no complacency with this group.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Here is a different way to conceive of the question. Before this last season more than a few of us felt we were one or two years away from having all the pieces in place for a special season. We also thought that, as good as JT promised to be, he would need at least one year of starting before he hit his stride. The off season attrition further reinforced the opinion that we were at least a year away from being as good as we thought we were capable of being. For a host of reasons that we have named Tech ended up overcoming many of our preseason liabilities.

So now the question is, did we peak too soon as a team?

I know the question sounds absurd but for those who feel next year must invariably be a down year that is the implication. Next season was actually supposed to be the better season all along. Now, since we had "unexpected success," we forget that even more pieces were scheduled to come together next season. It is only with hindsight that we now acknowledge all the leadership that will be lost and depth at running back. Prior to the 2014 season and prior to breakout years by several players we were unsure about B-back and unsure who would break out at A-back, for instance. We had mild to serious questions about five different position groups.

So what if we give thanks for lucky breaks and unexpected early break-throughs by certain players and all the rest that made the 2014 season unexpectedly sensational and look forward to next season as still being on schedule to being the year we planned for all along and which comes in right on schedule. I have said it before. We will be a dangerous team next year on anyone's schedule.

 

[UgaBlows]

I personally believe that this team believes in CPJ, Roof and their systems 100%. And they believe in their quarterback JT, after last season they know to never give up or lose faith, that they can beat anyone with him under center. I don't expect to start off unsteady like we did last year vs. Wofford, Tulane, and Gsu, we are going to come out straight up killing people in '15

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I can tell you that the team is working hard and feel like they have the talent to get better. The players want the ACC championship and feel like they did not accomplish that goal and that is what they re striving for. There will be no complacency with this group.

I lovin' every word of that! Thanks, techdad!

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Here is a different way to conceive of the question. Before this last season more than a few of us felt we were one or two years away from having all the pieces in place for a special season. We also thought that, as good as JT promised to be, he would need at least one year of starting before he hit his stride. The off season attrition further reinforced the opinion that we were at least a year away from being as good as we thought we were capable of being. For a host of reasons that we have named Tech ended up overcoming many of our preseason liabilities.

So now the question is, did we peak too soon as a team?

I know the question sounds absurd but for those who feel next year must invariably be a down year that is the implication. Next season was actually supposed to be the better season all along. Now, since we had "unexpected success," we forget that even more pieces were scheduled to come together next season. It is only with hindsight that we now acknowledge all the leadership that will be lost and depth at running back. Prior to the 2014 season and prior to breakout years by several players we were unsure about B-back and unsure who would break out at A-back, for instance. We had mild to serious questions about five different position groups.

So what if we give thanks for lucky breaks and unexpected early break-throughs by certain players and all the rest that made the 2014 season unexpectedly sensational and look forward to next season as still being on schedule to being the year we planned for all along and which comes in right on schedule. I have said it before. We will be a dangerous team next year on anyone's schedule.

I'm just licking my chops at the thought of having Jabari and Whitehead on the DL next season! Both guys with the quickness to penetrate the LOS and from different spots, Jabari up the middle and Whitehead on the outside. Freeman is already a force and he'll be bigger and stronger and experienced! That's three bonafide pass rushers on next year's DL!

 

[Ggee87]

Here is a different way to conceive of the question. Before this last season more than a few of us felt we were one or two years away from having all the pieces in place for a special season. We also thought that, as good as JT promised to be, he would need at least one year of starting before he hit his stride. The off season attrition further reinforced the opinion that we were at least a year away from being as good as we thought we were capable of being. For a host of reasons that we have named Tech ended up overcoming many of our preseason liabilities.

So now the question is, did we peak too soon as a team?

I know the question sounds absurd but for those who feel next year must invariably be a down year that is the implication. Next season was actually supposed to be the better season all along. Now, since we had "unexpected success," we forget that even more pieces were scheduled to come together next season. It is only with hindsight that we now acknowledge all the leadership that will be lost and depth at running back. Prior to the 2014 season and prior to breakout years by several players we were unsure about B-back and unsure who would break out at A-back, for instance. We had mild to serious questions about five different position groups.

So what if we give thanks for lucky breaks and unexpected early break-throughs by certain players and all the rest that made the 2014 season unexpectedly sensational and look forward to next season as still being on schedule to being the year we planned for all along and which comes in right on schedule. I have said it before. We will be a dangerous team next year on anyone's schedule.

I'm glad that someone pointed this out before I had to come on here and talk some sense into you guys. This year was just to set the foundation. Get a lot of players acclimated to college ball and some experience. Instead we got a lot more than we bargained for. I think we underestimated the continuity of this particular team and how much the seniors would play in getting us where we wanted to go. I'm definitely on Northeast Stingers side of the argument. We didn't peak too early though... that will happen the next 2 years I believe.

 

[GTJake]

No complacenecy here ...
1) Foundation set - Check
2) Coaching Continuity - Check
3) Recruiting Improving - Check
4) National Championship - Pending

 

[dressedcheeseside]

No complacenecy here ...
1) Foundation set - Check
2) Coaching Continuity - Check
3) Recruiting Improving - Check
4) National Championship - Pending

team leadership was not on your list? And I know we have some key guys back, but we lost a ton of leaders off last year's team... a ton.

 

[BBK]

We should be able to play with ANYONE! We may actually have a better total team/talent/ 1 - 8 . etc. but still may end up with a record that does not show that way.
Injuries, bad calls, etc. all will have an effect (just like this year).
Regardless, things are looking good for us not to have a nasty fall off this year.

Heck I've already ordered 2015 Season Tickets.

2015? That is so many season tickets.

 

[dhbartlett12]

Next year's team will be better than this year's (or at least have more talent).

That doesn't mean the law of the regression towards the mean doesn't exist.

and that doesn't mean the law of the regression towards the mean is binding.

 

[cuttysark]

No doubt GT loses some quality players from this 2014 team as well as their leadership, however, this is probably the first team to ever make a Sophomore QB a Team Captain so I'm confident with the passing of the torch that the flame remains intact moving ahead. Perhaps Florida made Tim Tebow a Captain early in his career and that worked out pretty well for them as I recall.

What causes me to believe that the leadership flag is being carried by everyone on the team (85 as opposed to just two or three Seniors), are the comments being made by the 2015 recruits who are being hosted by several graduating Seniors (Laskey and Perkins in particular) that are happy to show them around and make them feel like they are part of the Yellow Jackets Family. Most players after their eligibility expires have zero to little interest in "baby sitting recruits."

In my opinion this type of attitude is tremendous for any program. Glad to see it on display at Tech.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

No doubt GT loses some quality players from this 2014 team as well as their leadership, however, this is probably the first team to ever make a Sophomore QB a Team Captain so I'm confident with the passing of the torch that the flame remains intact moving ahead. Perhaps Florida made Tim Tebow a Captain early in his career and that worked out pretty well for them as I recall.

What causes me to believe that the leadership flag is being carried by everyone on the team (85 as opposed to just two or three Seniors), are the comments being made by the 2015 recruits who are being hosted by several graduating Seniors (Laskey and Perkins in particular) that are happy to show them around and make them feel like they are part of the Yellow Jackets Family. Most players after their eligibility expires have zero to little interest in "baby sitting recruits."

In my opinion this type of attitude is tremendous for any program. Glad to see it on display at Tech.

That doesn't make me feel any better, honestly. It may just say Laskey and Perkins are super individuals and we're losing them. The biggest loss is Shaq. That dude was already the best OL and he was setting the example in off season workouts with his effort and demands on himself.

 

[UgaBlows]

team leadership was not on your list? And I know we have some key guys back, but we lost a ton of leaders off last year's team... a ton.

every team loses that every year, i think this team can handle the loss of the seniors