Potential Head Coach Hires

[Vespidae]

He had as good individual seasons at Tech as he had at Navy. You can't scream about Navy's limitations to point to your success, and then complain about Tech's to make excuses for lack of.

A quick look at the Navy record somewhat confirms this. I looked at the 2004 season, his best at Navy, and of the teams Navy played that year, only 2 had winning records. The combined record of opponents Navy faced that year was 54-83.

So again, I think he was moderately successful. Not massively successful.

 

[ATL1]

The job is his for the taking. I could argue all the rest of it but basically, just not a retread. Right about now the Tech inbox is full of resumes forwarded by every agent in the country with a coach job hunting. No surprise to find they are all above average.

Hell I hope he wants the job. The fit is almost too perfect.

 

[UgaBlows]

Hell I hope he wants the job. The fit is almost too perfect.

His inexperience scares me a little but i actually think his youth and energy could give us a Dabo-esque boost as long as he hires good assistants. I hope this doesn’t come across wrong but i think having a young dynamic African-American as our head coach here in Atlanta would help recruiting tremendously.

 

[Skeptic]

Do we have any shot at Venables? I never really see him mentioned in other schools coaching searches.

No. He is good friends and a former Kansas State teammate of the Texas Tech AD. He told him no. And in a press conference after practice made, in my mind, a stirring statement of commitment and integrity any college in the country would salivate over. His oldest son is a freshman LB at Clemson. In a nutshell he said he had what he needed at Clemson, and that his son "is living a dream. And I am the one who sold him the dream. What kind of father would I be to do that?" It is no particular secret around Clemson that Swinney and Venables want to coach their kids on a national championship team. If he ever does leave -- it might be another six years because he has a second son in HS, supposed to be a 5-star LB as a junior -- it won't be to Tech, but to a school with NC possibilities.

 

[BCJacket]

Hell I hope he wants the job. The fit is almost too perfect.

Serious question. I see him as a terrible fit. No HC experience, never worked at a tough school, runs a very conventional system.

In what ways do you see him as a perfect fit? Interested in the opposite take.

 

[Skeptic]

Hell I hope he wants the job. The fit is almost too perfect.

If you take Clemson's short game, running and passing, and see how Elliott manages it in a game, it is not a stretch to think he could take the present roster and compete for a couple of years while recruiting.

 

[pbrown520]

A quick look at the Navy record somewhat confirms this. I looked at the 2004 season, his best at Navy, and of the teams Navy played that year, only 2 had winning records. The combined record of opponents Navy faced that year was 54-83.

So again, I think he was moderately successful. Not massively successful.

Go back and check history. He had more than double the program's previous win % there. He completely resurrected that program from the dredges of the NCAA. Additionally, the only times that Navy had any success in the previous decade before he was HC was when he was OC. That's more than moderately successful.

Having said that, I love PJ, but he would never work out for a big name program. Too poor with the press (for anyone not named Saban) and he is unwilling to change the slightest thing about the offense mostly, I believe, because he wants to stick it to people.

 

[herb]

A quick look at the Navy record somewhat confirms this. I looked at the 2004 season, his best at Navy, and of the teams Navy played that year, only 2 had winning records. The combined record of opponents Navy faced that year was 54-83.

So again, I think he was moderately successful. Not massively successful.

Y’all got some tough definitions. Before Paul, navy had 2 seven or more win seasons in 19 years. Paul won 8 or more every year after the first. Navy had been to one bowl in the previous 19 years, under Paul they went to one in 5 of 6 seasons. I didn’t look, but I would be willing to bet that Navy’s schedule before Paul was pretty similar as to what it was under him. You know it doesn’t hurt to give a compliment, even in you don’t like someone. It can make your argument stronger as it makes you appear fair.

 

[UgaBlows]

No. He is good friends and a former Kansas State teammate of the Texas Tech AD. He told him no. And in a press conference after practice made, in my mind, a stirring statement of commitment and integrity any college in the country would salivate over. His oldest son is a freshman LB at Clemson. In a nutshell he said he had what he needed at Clemson, and that his son "is living a dream. And I am the one who sold him the dream. What kind of father would I be to do that?" It is no particular secret around Clemson that Swinney and Venables want to coach their kids on a national championship team. If he ever does leave -- it might be another six years because he has a second son in HS, supposed to be a 5-star LB as a junior -- it won't be to Tech, but to a school with NC possibilities.

Wow i wasn’t aware of that, i totally respect that.

 

[MountainBuzzMan]

The best coach not coaching next year just retired. I wonder if we could get him to coach us for a few years while we are in transition.

 

[Madison Grant]

Even Sun Belt programs won't run that offense. It's us and the academies. We gave CPJ the opportunity to pursue his quest at a P5 program. Both sides should be gracious and realize it's time to move on.

 

[Vespidae]

Go back and check history. He had more than double the program's previous win % there. He completely resurrected that program from the dredges of the NCAA. Additionally, the only times that Navy had any success in the previous decade before he was HC was when he was OC. That's more than moderately successful.

I did. He increased the wins and improved from 107th out of 119 teams competing, to 38th, 8th, 25th, 26th, and 39th. And of the year he went 8th, played only two teams with a winning record.

So, if you want to say that he was "massively successful" at FCS level, I would agree with that. He did VERY well against lesser competition. He didn't do so well against FBS programs. He did ok.

Again, having said all of that ... he was a good fit for Tech when we needed stability. I just don't agree with the views of some (not saying you), that he walked on water. He was ok and delivered roughly 0.600 wpct. Which in my book, is moderate success.

 

[travgt01]

Seeing Clemson co oc Tony Elliot mentioned as a frontrunner.

No HC experience at any level. "Great recruiter" at a school with every resource that recruits itself. "Co" runs a good offense with GREAT talent and a historic defense...

Would test all of CPJs theories for sure. Do schools largely recruit themselves? Or can a recruiter really move the needle. Can we out-Clemson Clemson?

Imho would be a disaster. Unless he's cheap and we're bringing him in for his youth and energy. And hiring experienced coordinators to run things.

For the most part schools recruit themselves yes, ie boosters are the true recruiters. Cash, cars, shoes, girls move the needle. So does promising momma her boy will have a good job even if he doesn't make it to the NFL. And I'm not talking about a degree, more so some banker in Birmingham handing out loan officer jobs for any former letterman that played for the Tide.

Dabo is a hell of a recruiter. Clemson had all of these resources with Bowdon and couldn't get it done.

His inexperience scares me a little but i actually think his youth and energy could give us a Dabo-esque boost as long as he hires good assistants. I hope this doesn’t come across wrong but i think having a young dynamic African-American as our head coach here in Atlanta would help recruiting tremendously.

Doesn't come off as wrong at all to me. There certainly aren't enough AA HBCs considering they make up 85% of the player base and have for the past 40 years or so. I've always wondered if that would give us a leg up on recruiting ATL/GA. I'm willing to roll the dice on a guy that's been a part of a winner and is obviously intelligent, and not just "football smart".

 

[Vespidae]

Y’all got some tough definitions. Before Paul, navy had 2 seven or more win seasons in 19 years. Paul won 8 or more every year after the first. Navy had been to one bowl in the previous 19 years, under Paul they went to one in 5 of 6 seasons. I didn’t look, but I would be willing to bet that Navy’s schedule before Paul was pretty similar as to what it was under him. You know it doesn’t hurt to give a compliment, even in you don’t like someone. It can make your argument stronger as it makes you appear fair.

I am complimenting him. I like CPJ. I was simply disagreeing with the OP that CPJ was "massively" successful. There are plenty of successful coaches at the lesser conferences that do not do well in P5. Butch Jones for example. CPJ was a good, solid coach. He was not Nick Saban. That's my point.

 

[Skeptic]

I did. He increased the wins and improved from 107th out of 119 teams competing, to 38th, 8th, 25th, 26th, and 39th. And of the year he went 8th, played only two teams with a winning record.

So, if you want to say that he was "massively successful" at FCS level, I would agree with that. He did VERY well against lesser competition. He didn't do so well against FBS programs. He did ok.

Again, having said all of that ... he was a good fit for Tech when we needed stability. I just don't agree with the views of some (not saying you), that he walked on water. He was ok and delivered roughly 0.600 wpct. Which in my book, is moderate success.

The "strength of schedule" argument is compelling and generally a winning one. But why in the world should the U.S. Naval Academy play a schedule of Notre Dames? Just no compelling reason to do that. Did Navy beat whomever they teed up against is the question.

 

[Vespidae]

The "strength of schedule" argument is compelling and generally a winning one. But why in the world should the U.S. Naval Academy play a schedule of Notre Dames? Just no compelling reason to do that. Did Navy beat whomever they teed up against is the question.

You are totally correct. However, I think the same of many teams that say, "Look at this coach or that coach. He won X!!!" And my first question is always, "Against who?"

I will be very disappointed if we hire a head coach from Central State Community College because he went 10-2 against a schedule of nobodies.

 

[GPD]

Very excited to see what we do with this hire... Though it's sometimes difficult to see from "inside the house", GT genuinely has the potential to be a legitimate national player in football.

Any organization that becomes world class has challenges that must be overcome before realizing full potential, but we have several attributes already in place that cannot be purchased at any price:

1) We own real estate in the most desirable football neighborhood in the country
2) We compete in one of the top 3 conferences in the country
3) We possess one of the most credible academic reputations in the country
4) We have demonstrable history of having won 4 National Championships while competing in multiple leagues over a 100 year time period.

These advantages cannot be simply "purchased".... they are earned advantages that can't be replicated by an ambitious upstart organization. Others could build the foundation today for a future state that looks like ours, but they would have to earn it over many decades.

For us, the opportunity exists right now....today.

Transitioning from aspiration to action:

1) Hire a coach and staff that wake up everyday with an insatiable appetite to recruit. Vicious competitors that love the recruiting game, love to win recruiting battles, live for the "yes I'm committed" moment in a young man's living room. Relishing that feeling because they know they have just set a young person on a unique path of life enhancing advancement.
2) Support Stansbury by encouraging GT administration to be flexible and progressive in meeting the diverse desires/needs of student athletes.
3) Fandom- Support the awakening of the "sleeping giant" through engagement in whatever manner you find appropriate for your individual desires and resources. The persuasive message board fan is just as important and effective as the well heeled financial contributor in their own right.
Bring energy!

Other programs are watching us with an attentive eye right now... they don't "fear" us right now, but many are fully aware of the potential threat Georgia Tech presents, and are silently hoping we don't choose to act upon our readily available opportunity.

 

[Skeptic]

Seeing Clemson co oc Tony Elliot mentioned as a frontrunner.

No HC experience at any level. "Great recruiter" at a school with every resource that recruits itself. "Co" runs a good offense with GREAT talent and a historic defense...

Would test all of CPJs theories for sure. Do schools largely recruit themselves? Or can a recruiter really move the needle. Can we out-Clemson Clemson?

Imho would be a disaster. Unless he's cheap and we're bringing him in for his youth and energy. And hiring experienced coordinators to run things.

There isn't a school in the country that recruits itself, certainly in the numbers required to field a team. If Clemson did it could junk the recruiting budget. Know how Swinney got on the leader board to succeed Bowden? Because as the WR coach in charge of that recruiting, he went out and reeled in C.J. Spiller, Florida's No. 1 player who initially had no intention of considering Clemson, but from '06-'09 was consensus All-American and was easily from the two times I saw him against Tech the best football player in the country. I still have nightmares in which he runs that damned drag route to the sideline and makes us look silly. Recruiting and recruiters count, big time.

 

[Milwaukee]

Y’all got some tough definitions. Before Paul, navy had 2 seven or more win seasons in 19 years. Paul won 8 or more every year after the first. Navy had been to one bowl in the previous 19 years, under Paul they went to one in 5 of 6 seasons. I didn’t look, but I would be willing to bet that Navy’s schedule before Paul was pretty similar as to what it was under him. You know it doesn’t hurt to give a compliment, even in you don’t like someone. It can make your argument stronger as it makes you appear fair.

Agree with this. Every cfb guru will tell you what Paul did at Navy was nothing short of amazing. It's widely revered, actually.

 

[inGTwetrust]

You are totally correct. However, I think the same of many teams that say, "Look at this coach or that coach. He won X!!!" And my first question is always, "Against who?"

I will be very disappointed if we hire a head coach from Central State Community College because he went 10-2 against a schedule of nobodies.

Well in the years prior to Paul at Navy. When the were ~115. Who did they play? If he beat the teams they historically lost to. That is massively successful.

Averaging out at GT I'd say moderately successful as a whole is fair, but he did have massively successful (and un) seasons.