Postgame: ND 31-GT 13

[RamblinRed]

FWIW, all sports teams report tickets sold, not attendance in seats. A recent study put the ratio of attendance to tickets sold for FBS at 71%.
If you take the 59K and take that avg % that would be 42K. Now, given the opponent it was probably higher than that, but if you put the ratio at 80-85% then you get 47-50K. That seems like a reasonable number based on pictures.

 

[bobongo]

FWIW, all sports teams report tickets sold, not attendance in seats. A recent study put the ratio of attendance to tickets sold for FBS at 71%.
If you take the 59K and take that avg % that would be 42K. Now, given the opponent it was probably higher than that, but if you put the ratio at 80-85% then you get 47-50K. That seems like a reasonable number based on pictures.

What I've never understood is why 29% of the people who buy tickets in the FBS don't show up - even on a clear day in the 70s.
OTOH when it's Alabama and Tennessee, every seat is filled.

 

[LargeFO]

FWIW, all sports teams report tickets sold, not attendance in seats. A recent study put the ratio of attendance to tickets sold for FBS at 71%.
If you take the 59K and take that avg % that would be 42K. Now, given the opponent it was probably higher than that, but if you put the ratio at 80-85% then you get 47-50K. That seems like a reasonable number based on pictures.

I was there. ND didn't have near as many there as I was figuring they would.

 

[Bogey]

My son and I agreed for both of us to Marta to the game since we had drinks included, he from Roswell and me from the west side, to meet at gate 4 at 1:30. He was in Hilton Head with his wife in their condo all last week and her parents were visiting for the weekend. She needed to stay with her parents Saturday & Sunday so he rented a car on Friday. Left HH at 5am Saturday, turned car in at ATL, and took Marta to Sandy's Springs Marta, Took bus to his townhouse in Roswell, arrived at 11am. After a shower and a short rest, he ran 200 yards to catch bus to Sandy's Springs Marta he had seen coming from his deck. Had to leave Marta at Lindbergh, no south bound trains running due to an emergency. I offered to drive in to pick him up but he said he would figure something out. Bus lines were super long, hundreds of people waiting at L'bergh. Uber was 40 bucks! He ran up to piedmont and caught a bus to the art center. He rented a bike and rode to the stadium and we greeted each other at gate 4 at exactly 1:29.

 

[AUFC]

Given some of the recent direction of this thread, I'm sharing this because I hope it is grounding for some after this cruddy loss and that you won't stop attending Tech games since we need more people investing in the program financially, attendance, and otherwise. A win certainly moves the needle in the right direction, but your enjoyment of attending a Tech game should not hinge on whether we win or lose. I've had men's basketball season tickets for years even though they usually lose, but half the fun is showing pride in our Institute, looking forward to gameday, waking up giddy morning-of knowing I'll be in McCamish that evening, socializing about the team w/ friends or other alumni and fans at the bar pre-game, spending time with my adjacent season ticket seatmates, and of course enjoying the hope and emotional ups and downs of the game itself while a win is still on the table. It should not be challenging to fill a 72 degree sunny mid-fall day in Atlanta with positive memories and experiences. We got to enjoy several cathartic moments before hope started dissipating in the 3rd quarter like the interception and Jamal Haynes' TD to put us up 7-0. I enjoyed a really nice tailgate with my partner and we had memorable cocktails and dinner at a restaurant just off the Beltline post-game. Then we nightcapped with her grad school advisor during the UGA/TEX game...again, wish we had won as a cherry on top but it was just a really enjoyable day overall and ultimately, you'll be way happier (especially as a Tech fan) if you're present and grateful in the moments, especially when playing a team with the prestige and resources of a Notre Dame.

 

[stinger78]

When half of your OL grades out as “replaceable”, and they are not replaced, the backups must be less capable and productive. If I am a HC with a “Run-the-bawl” mindset and a “we-can’t-run-the-bawl-because-our-OL-lacks-the-capability-against-a-quality-defensive-front” reality, I either change my mindset, get improved performance out of my OL by whatever it takes, or resign myself to losing.

Bear in mind that those grades were generated against a top-shelf DL. Against an average DL, they are mostly OK. Syracuse was stacking the line and then dropping 8 in passing situations. It worked. I don't know that VPI and NCSU can do that.

 

[LargeFO]

Honestly the atmosphere was mostly a country club. Why I don't care much for the offsite games.

 

[RamblinRed]

This game was about what I expected.
I thought Zach played relatively well for his first start this year, he made some mistakes, especially later in the game, but he did not get much support.

I was most concerned that our lines were going to get dominated and that it what happened.
Our OL was no match for their DL - especially the interior of our OL vs their DT's. I believe all of our interior lineman graded out lower than 60 on PFF.
Defensively, our DL was back to being overmatched against a better opponent. Little pressure on the QB and unlike most games their running game was largely able to run against our front 7.

Special teams was a disaster. 1 blocked FG, one muffed FGA, both fake FG and fake Punt that give up first downs. GT's Special Teams efficiency is now raked #122 at FEI, the worst by far of any P4 team. (Last year GT was #64).

Against UNC the special teams EPA was almost a -11. Probably was pretty close to that again this week.

FWIW, the tackling was awful on Saturday for our D. ND receivers had 120 YAC for the game. ND mostly threw short passes that often turned into significantly longer gains.

Should also point out on the FG's - the muffed FGA at the end of the first half does not count as a missed FG since Birr never got to kick it. So Birr is 6-12 on the season on FGA and the team is 6-13.
The FG unit is as follows to this point in the season.
20-29 yds 5-5
30-39 yds 0-1 (blocked) - 0-2 if you include the muffed attempt.
40-49 yds 1-3
50+ yds 0-2 (1 blocked and returned for a TD)

The only make of 30+ yds this season so far is the 44 yarder against FSU.

 

[AUFC]

Honestly the atmosphere was mostly a country club. Why I don't care much for the offsite games.

Agree, I thought the place was a morgue. Game would have been more fun and probably competitively closer (probably not a game result difference maker though) with the crowd squished together several feet from the sidelines in Bobby Dodd. I was sitting in 106 and I was so far from the field, it felt like being in the Upper West. I understand the benefits of GTAA taking in all that luxury seating money though, so I get it. Hopefully the additional luxury seating post-reno minimizes the revenue disparities because, and I know I'm beating a dead horse here, it just sucks that we are shipping the most homefield-advantage and memory-making matchups to Dublin and MBS. 2011 Clemson and 2015 Florida State as a student made lifelong fond memories of Tech football for me and I don't think I would have gotten those were the games played in MBS (or the Georgia Dome at the time).

 

[GTLorenzo]

OK-OK, but that's one-side, the GT crowd dominated the side you are sitting on, and I can't see what that is next to the GT on the field, but if that was during the game, where are the players at, there doesn't seem to be anyone on the sidelines ?? and the student section during the game was much better attended. I believe that's a pre-game photo.

And I'm over it, But, ... I'll still stand by the statement that this was the best GT "Home" crowd for a while.

That is right before a kickoff from Georgia Tech to Notre Dame. You can see us huddling up on the left side of the field and ND on the right side of the 50.

 

[GTJake]

That is right before a kickoff from Georgia Tech to Notre Dame. You can see us huddling up on the left side of the field and ND on the right side of the 50.

Just like I said pre-game ... Hahaha dumba**

 

[Darthdad]

Given some of the recent direction of this thread, I'm sharing this because I hope it is grounding for some after this cruddy loss and that you won't stop attending Tech games since we need more people investing in the program financially, attendance, and otherwise. A win certainly moves the needle in the right direction, but your enjoyment of attending a Tech game should not hinge on whether we win or lose. I've had men's basketball season tickets for years even though they usually lose, but half the fun is showing pride in our Institute, looking forward to gameday, waking up giddy morning-of knowing I'll be in McCamish that evening, socializing about the team w/ friends or other alumni and fans at the bar pre-game, spending time with my adjacent season ticket seatmates, and of course enjoying the hope and emotional ups and downs of the game itself while a win is still on the table. It should not be challenging to fill a 72 degree sunny mid-fall day in Atlanta with positive memories and experiences. We got to enjoy several cathartic moments before hope started dissipating in the 3rd quarter like the interception and Jamal Haynes' TD to put us up 7-0. I enjoyed a really nice tailgate with my partner and we had memorable cocktails and dinner at a restaurant just off the Beltline post-game. Then we nightcapped with her grad school advisor during the UGA/TEX game...again, wish we had won as a cherry on top but it was just a really enjoyable day overall and ultimately, you'll be way happier (especially as a Tech fan) if you're present and grateful in the moments, especially when playing a team with the prestige and resources of a Notre Dame.

I see where you’re coming from but for me personally, I can’t “enjoy” a game we lose. Even as a student, when I attended very regularly, losing always ruined an otherwise good game.

As an example, I’ll never forget the awful, empty feeling at Grant Field in 1992 when we gave up the lead and lost to FSU. No matter how good the game was objectively and notwithstanding the awesome crowd there that day, I simply can’t enjoy a loss. Btw, I’ve never heard our home crowd louder (I was in the student section) than that game.

I live out of state, so it’s not exactly easy or cheap to make it into town for a game. I planned ahead and attended the ND game. I enjoyed seeing old friends. The venue was clean and the food was decently priced, but “enjoy” is too strong a word to apply to what I saw on the field.

 

[Darthdad]

Agree, I thought the place was a morgue. Game would have been more fun and probably competitively closer (probably not a game result difference maker though) with the crowd squished together several feet from the sidelines in Bobby Dodd. I was sitting in 106 and I was so far from the field, it felt like being in the Upper West. I understand the benefits of GTAA taking in all that luxury seating money though, so I get it. Hopefully the additional luxury seating post-reno minimizes the revenue disparities because, and I know I'm beating a dead horse here, it just sucks that we are shipping the most homefield-advantage and memory-making matchups to Dublin and MBS. 2011 Clemson and 2015 Florida State as a student made lifelong fond memories of Tech football for me and I don't think I would have gotten those were the games played in MBS (or the Georgia Dome at the time).

I agree with you about the dangers of moving our biggest games off campus. There was a lot of empty space at this game. The acoustics seemed a little weird. From section 122 at MBS the band sounded much different than it does at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

 

[Techster]

I said previously that Riley Leonard was basically ND's version of Haynes King. You can make the argument that Pyron was actually the better passer that game, which stats seem to reflect (Leonard QBR 71.5 vs Pyron QBR 73.9). Riley did throw one less interception. The difference in Pyron and Leonard was Leonard's quickness, ability to make defenders miss, top end speed, and ability to rip big chunks of yards. Riley did have more help upfront than Pyron.

What you saw with Leonard is what our opponents have to deal with when King is our QB. I think with more time under center this year, Pyron would have been much more effective against ND, but that's not how it works in real life. Pyron was effective given the cards that were dealt, but we needed a little more than just effective to pull off the upset.

ND's defense was the #1 DFEI defense heading into the game, and they played like it. They tried to smash everything that was running in front of them, and they did that. A lot of our guys got banged up this game. ND plays physical football (their HC was a former defender...and a very good one) so it was always going to be a physical game for our offense. If you want to know the style of play Key wants from this program, just look at ND as an example. Our usual vaunted rushing game was basically dismantled. We ended up with 64 rushing yards...WELL below our season average. GT is not going to win if our rushing game is ineffective.

One of the things I mentioned before the game is how ND wanted to play. They want to maintain ball control with their rushing game (and having a QB like Leonard helps...as we all know well). They also have a future high round draft pick at RB that has true breakaway speed. They also minimize their mistakes. As I said above, they smash you into submission on Defense, but they also do it on Offense. They achieved what they wanted to, keeping possession 35+ minutes to our 24+ minutes.

The bright side is Key is building a team like ND's. Look at our recruiting class. We are getting absolute MONSTERS on the OL and DL. It won't help us this season, but now we know the measuring stick, and the gap we need to close to compete on the elite level. It's coming for us, but we need to recruit at that level every year, not just sporadically.

 

[TooTall]

My view on Efford not being there is he's a ball hawk. Always seems to be flying around the field and ending up where the ball is. Several times when we were able to hit and disrupt the ball carrier, it seemed that they were waiting on help to finish off the ball carrier which is generally Efford.

To use an analogy from basketball, you don't have to block the shot for the shooter to alter his shot. You need the other players to grab the rebound. We altered their plays but noone was there to get the rebound. Efford back and we win 7 plus the bowl game.

8-5 is a great turn around from 3 3 win seasons in a row.
2019-3
2020-3
2021-3
2022-5
2023-7 (including bowl)
2024-?
All about the baby steps.
Let's remind everyone who the real Tech is in the ACC!

 

[takethepoints]

Very disappointed. worst performance by far in the Key era, in my opinion out-played and out-coached by a ranked opponent. Granted we were without our starting QB, but that's no excuse for the missed tackles and OL performance. Another fear is that we looked undisciplined on defense, on the ND double-reverse fake punt, there was NOBODY on that side of the field and on a punt on your side of the 50, you should be aware and stay in your lane.

With our remaining schedule, it looks bleak to improve on our 7-6 record from last year ...

Well … I see a lot of gripping about the OL here. What fonts need to remember is that OL performance is dependent on performance by the rest of the backfield, especially the QB. Our OL has graded out better then usual because King gets rid of the ball quickly, he is great at running QB draws, the option, and he can scramble with the best of them, and as a consequence opposing Ds don't get to rush with abandon. Butttttt … we didn't have King yesterday. Pyron did ok, but he can't do some of the things King can and that made the OL - and the rest of the running game too boot - look dicey yesterday.

Tech gets King back and all of a sudden the OL will look ok again. Same with the D and Efford, btw. Your best players on both sides of the ball make everyone else look a lot better.

 

[stinger78]

What I saw was a DL that couldn’t be moved and held their gaps. I also saw LB’s who filled nicely, played fast sideline to sideline, and made stops all along that line. The DB did what they needed, never giving up the home run. Just a very nice job by that D.

Can VPI replicate that? I somehow doubt it, though they can play well. We’ll see. If ZP is good to go, I certainly think he can get it done.

 

[GTLorenzo]

Just like I said pre-game ... Hahaha dumba**

We scored two touchdowns and kicked off to start the game. Not sure which kickoff that was in the picture. But apparently you know exact game situations as well as specific attendance figures and breakdowns better than the rest of us when you can't see any players on the field based on your prior post.

 

[iceeater1969]

Well … I see a lot of gripping about the OL here. What fonts need to remember is that OL performance is dependent on performance by the rest of the backfield, especially the QB. Our OL has graded out better then usual because King gets rid of the ball quickly, he is great at running QB draws, the option, and he can scramble with the best of them, and as a consequence opposing Ds don't get to rush with abandon. Butttttt … we didn't have King yesterday. Pyron did ok, but he can't do some of the things King can and that made the OL - and the rest of the running game too boot - look dicey yesterday.

Tech gets King back and all of a sudden the OL will look ok again. Same with the D and Efford, btw. Your best players on both sides of the ball make everyone else look a lot better.

2023 the ol was not good until we added Dontae to the King passing and running.

BUT - one very talented team played us like ND. ( "go get the ball in backfield dl rush, lb stand by for short pass or king run and tight coverage on perimiter") and that was Clemson.

Against Clemson the ol failed to make run lanes for Dontae and give King time. They were again dominated this past Saturday by 99 with LB waiting for qb run or rb utm.


The ol is good, but not capable of dominating good DL. A good DL with a great player will give them like anyone fits.

To date we have no bigger rb - and are asking our qb to do too much short yardsge rimunning (27 is 11 without jump step ).

The mcoaches, who are paid to be creative, need to show out because 3 of the next 4 games could cause us to loose more than 3 games. We could end up loosing a bumch of recruiting class.

I believe faulkner , wienke, king , wr, ol, rb , te can suceed by being way more daring.

Weekly hearing "The players need to be consistent and do their job" is starting to sound a lot like the old "The players need to play at an elite level".

 

[GT33]

Look it up, the attendance in the Box Score was 59+ and it was definitely a much larger GT crowd, I'll stand by my 45K ...

Saw that, but if you were in the stadium there wasn’t 59k fans there. Not even close at all.