Positive press

[roadkill]

Good to see positive local coverage: Fox 5 Sports

 

[Em_Jae20]

 

[rfjeff9]

I see a lot of "If other teams come calling, we can increase his salary to stay".

That's too late. If he is worth that money then he needs to get it before he is being interviewed.

Don't wait until someone has a better offer in hand to offer them a raise, that doesn't work well in the corporate world and it won't work well here.

 

[GTJackets]

I see a lot of "If other teams come calling, we can increase his salary to stay".

That's too late. If he is worth that money then he needs to get it before he is being interviewed.

Don't wait until someone has a better offer in hand to offer them a raise, that doesn't work well in the corporate world and it won't work well here.

It's like when I call my security company and tell them I'm switching and they say "I wish you would have said something. We probably could have worked something out for a competitive price." They had five years to work something out and weren't interested until it was too late.

 

[WreckinGT]

Agreed. Donors will pay up for Key before they pay for another Petty.

Can't lie, im a little skeptical here. If the donors had 8+ million per year to spend on head coaches then Key likely never would have been hired in the first place.

 

[stech81]

Can't lie, im a little skeptical here. If the donors had 8+ million per year to spend on head coaches then Key likely never would have been hired in the first place.

Let's say I'm one that is glad they didn't have it then.

 

[GT33]

Can't lie, im a little skeptical here. If the donors had 8+ million per year to spend on head coaches then Key likely never would have been hired in the first place.

Hate to say it but would you have trusted Batt on Day 1? We've been screwed so many times.

Secondly, we're all assuming Key was not Batt's #1 choice. Boy it really didn't seem like it, but what if what was really happening was these other guys were window dressing and the real conversations were about $$ for staff, NIL, game day experience, how to unravel the huge debt burden we were under, etc?

We may have internet arm chair QB's ourselves into thinking there was a real search & this was just the standard bring 2 other candidates deal you get with a normal HR hiring process.

 

[stinger78]

Our program was a mess and candidates were not busting down the door to be HC. This was also true after CPJ retired. Everyone knew the roster had to be rebalanced and that it would take 2-3 years to do so. In today’s “win now” environment, few wanted to do that. TFG wanted 40 years. Could we have split the middle?

 

[Vespidae]

Secondly, we're all assuming Key was not Batt's #1 choice

I thought it was fairly well confirmed that Willie Fritz was first choice. But he wanted a guaranteed contract and Tech balked. Whereas, Key agreed immediately.

I don’t see Key going anywhere. He’s painting on a blank canvas and enjoying himself.

 

[bke1984]

Can't lie, im a little skeptical here. If the donors had 8+ million per year to spend on head coaches then Key likely never would have been hired in the first place.

I feel you. But some people are much more willing to give money once they buy in to what they are seeing. It’s possible they didn’t want to spend money on a speculative results of unproven coaches. Especially if these same folks have been burned in the past with some of our contract blunders.

 

[stinger78]

Not everyone is a venture capitalist?

 

[Chas_Jacket]

If we keep Key’s salary and contract in line with the current market, I feel he will stay. He is old school and truly has a love for his alma mater. While money motivates all of us to some extent, I think being able to put Tech back at the highest level is a dream and goal worth more than a few extra million to him.

 

[Vespidae]

If we keep Key’s salary and contract in line with the current market, I feel he will stay. He is old school and truly has a love for his alma mater. While money motivates all of us to some extent, I think being able to put Tech back at the highest level is a dream and goal worth more than a few extra million to him.

CPJ was offered the Auburn job (turned it down) and expressed interest in the Tennessee job, but didn’t follow through. He later said he just enjoyed the environment and kids at Tech and didn’t want the pressure of a big time program. I think Key is from the same bolt of cloth.

 

[slugboy]

CPJ was offered the Auburn job (turned it down) and expressed interest in the Tennessee job, but didn’t follow through. He later said he just enjoyed the environment and kids at Tech and didn’t want the pressure of a big time program. I think Key is from the same bolt of cloth.

lol —it’s like telling your partner that you love them because they’re not as high maintenance as attractive people

 

[Vespidae]

lol —it’s like telling your partner that you love them because they’re not as high maintenance as attractive people

Hahaha. True.

But I liked the way he described Tech athletes. More like a service academy than a football factory. Doesn’t have to bail out kids from jail, deal with drugs in the dorm, etc. Just good kids and a good (not perfect) place to coach.

 

[stinger 1957]

I'm guessing Cabrera/J Batt have been building our war chest while we have been observing how Key works out and now that they know and have built up some funds, know who some of our backers are, they will do what needs to be done for Key, staff etc. I would be shocked otherwise, not been the history the last year or so since Cabrera stepped forward. At this point I have faith in him.

 

[Vespidae]

I'm guessing Cabrera/J Batt have been building our war chest while we have been observing how Key works out and now that they know and have built up some funds, know who some of our backers are, they will do what needs to be done for Key, staff etc. I would be shocked otherwise, not been the history the last year or so since Cabrera stepped forward. At this point I have faith in him.

I think losing Batt would be a bigger problem. He’s done the best job at AD since Homer. I think he could get lured back to Alabama. They loved him.

 

[apatriot1776]

I think losing Batt would be a bigger problem. He’s done the best job at AD since Homer. I think he could get lured back to Alabama. They loved him.

Agreed with this. I may be confident we will keep Key for many years to come, I’m not so confident with Batt. Good news is he seems to like it here.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

The big question is... does GT keep moving the financial needle to pay for the coaches. At one point winning means a higher consistent price to maintain.

So when we have to pay Key $6-9m a year and each OC $1.2-1.5m a year will GT faithful answer that call? If GT becomes a perennial playoff contender then Keys salary likely hits close to $10m

Before we get too far down the road with this let’s just stay with current contract and see how things develop. If Tech ends up with a “good problem to have” I think we will meet that challenge. And if things go as well as we all hope and expect I think we will see a substantial revenue stream flowing into the program.

 

[TechPhi97]

I thought it was fairly well confirmed that Willie Fritz was first choice. But he wanted a guaranteed contract and Tech balked. Whereas, Key agreed immediately.

I don’t see Key going anywhere. He’s painting on a blank canvas and enjoying himself.

I think he also wanted $5-6 million?