Ranking the Top 100 College Football Teams for 2017: No. 40 Georgia Tech

[alentrekin]

Funny, how it always seems to come down to defense. Play better defense then we can talk about division and conference championships with top 25 ranking. Don't play good defense, well its back to being the quaint team with the quirky throwback offense that everybody loves but does not really fear or respect that manages to get into some no name bowl and finish with a 40ish or so ranking. Don't get me wrong there are lots of teams that would trade places with us but is this sort of thing what we aspire to become? This is hallowed ground. The flats are inhabited by the ghosts of Dodd, Alexander, Heisman. Grant Field is where four national championships and Christ alone knows how many Southern Conference, SEC, and ACC championships have been won. Georgia Tech has been the home of Everette Struper, Indian Joe Guyon, Clint Castleberry, the Morris boys, Ray Beck, Lothridge, Billy Martin, Lenny Snow, Eddie Lee Ivery, Jerry Mays, Pat and Ken Swilling, Megatron, Bey Bey , and so many others. Do we settle for mediocrity? Those guys didn't and neither should we.

This doesn't add much that we don't know, but I was thinking that the while I agree that we do have some talent/recruiting disadvantages relative to factories, there are comparable programs that manage to field good defenses: BC off the top of my head, and tbh VT isn't a real factory and we can go head to head with them on recruits. Maybe this is reason for optimism -- maybe the slight uptick in D recruiting will make all the difference.

 

[strong90]

This doesn't add much that we don't know, but I was thinking that the while I agree that we do have some talent/recruiting disadvantages relative to factories, BC off the top of my head, and tbh VT isn't a real factory and we can go head to head with them on recruits. Maybe this is reason for optimism -- maybe the slight uptick in D recruiting will make all the difference.

 

[strong90]

This doesn't add much that we don't know, but I was thinking that the while I agree that we do have some talent/recruiting disadvantages relative to factories, there are comparable programs that manage to field good defenses: BC off the top of my head, and tbh VT isn't a real factory and we can go head to head with them on recruits. Maybe this is reason for optimism -- maybe the slight uptick in D recruiting will make all the difference.

"...there are comparable programs that manage to field good defenses... "
It's not just comparable programs (or factories). Last year, according to FEI, we ranked 94th in Defensive Efficiency, and our opponents ended drives with at least one First down or TD on 80% of their possessions.

According to the NCAA, we were 118th out 128 teams in 3rd down conversation stops.

Re: comparable programs
"...we can go head to head with them on recruits..."
Our recruiting rankings are usually around middle of the pack. Could we improve recruiting? Maybe...but I don't think that's the real issue.

 

[AE 87]

"...there are comparable programs that manage to field good defenses... "
It's not just comparable programs (or factories). Last year, according to FEI, we ranked 94th in Defensive Efficiency, and our opponents ended drives with at least one First down or TD on 80% of their possessions.

According to the NCAA, we were 118th out 128 teams in 3rd down conversation stops.

Re: comparable programs
"...we can go head to head with them on recruits..."
Our recruiting rankings are usually around middle of the pack. Could we improve recruiting? Maybe...but I don't think that's the real issue.

Right. The question isn't as much why we haven't been top 25 but why we have been so bad.

Some note that we got better at the end of last season because we simplified. For that to be true, the problem wasn't just talent/recruiting.

 

[tech_wreck47]

Right. The question isn't as much why we haven't been top 25 but why we have been so bad.

Some note that we got better at the end of last season because we simplified. For that to be true, the problem wasn't just talent/recruiting.

a big thing that helped us get better was when CPJ stepped in and said if we are going to blitz we are going to start going all out. Play calling after that became way more aggressive imo.

 

[alentrekin]

Right. The question isn't as much why we haven't been top 25 but why we have been so bad.

Some note that we got better at the end of last season because we simplified. For that to be true, the problem wasn't just talent/recruiting.

I agree that the question is why we are so bad -- I think no matter how many times DFEI is referenced, folks still think it's witchcraft and not a per drive adjusted measure more applicable to our style of play.

Do y'all recall when these changes were implemented? ...BC UGA's O was certified trash (80th OFEI) and we were worse that day than against Clemson (6th OFEI). I'll admit that it's a more complex question than I have time to answer-- UGA is always a bad matchup up front and "throw out the record books AND there's an argument that Clemson "let up on the gas" -- but a brief scan of OFEI post-Pitt shows that we played crappy offenses and performed only marginally better on D.

 

[Sideways]

"...there are comparable programs that manage to field good defenses... "
It's not just comparable programs (or factories). Last year, according to FEI, we ranked 94th in Defensive Efficiency, and our opponents ended drives with at least one First down or TD on 80% of their possessions.

According to the NCAA, we were 118th out 128 teams in 3rd down conversation stops.

Re: comparable programs
"...we can go head to head with them on recruits..."
Our recruiting rankings are usually around middle of the pack. Could we improve recruiting? Maybe...but I don't think that's the real issue.

"...but I don't think that's the real issue" I find this to be a disturbing thought. It just might be that you are right. I have assumed for the longest time that virtually all of our defensive deficiencies were due to a lack of talent and depth. For a while, we were going through defensive coordinators like gum drops with little appreciable difference in results. That is what made me think it was more of a talent issue. I really don't know but we should be better than 118th out of 128 teams in 3rd down stops. That stat will get you beat more times than not.

 

[RonJohn]

Even Wake seems to be getting better. This years team on paper and over all, looks as good or better to me as any CPJ GT team.

Wake was 7-6 last year.
Wake was 3-9 in 2015, like us.
Wake was 3-9 in 2014, unlike us.
Wake was 4-8 in 2014, unlike us.

I don't care what they look like on paper, I don't see any way their program can be compared to ours over the CPJ era.

 

[Buzztheirazz]

Recruit more defense especially linemen (like we did this past recruiting cycle)
Play better defense (although I think we have started to make progress)
Some have called for changing the philosophy from bend don't break to more blitzes. I am not knowledgeable enough to comment on that. I just feel like if we can hold opponents to three touchdowns a game, get a turnover or two, a couple of three and outs per half we have an excellent chance to win. IMHO

Thanks captain!!!

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

This doesn't add much that we don't know, but I was thinking that the while I agree that we do have some talent/recruiting disadvantages relative to factories, there are comparable programs that manage to field good defenses: BC off the top of my head, and tbh VT isn't a real factory and we can go head to head with them on recruits. Maybe this is reason for optimism -- maybe the slight uptick in D recruiting will make all the difference.

In recent years, like the last 20, we haven't had much success getting five or six playmakers on the field out of the first 22. Often we have 3 or 2 or less. We need as the poster mentioned, more Gotsis, more Megatron, more Dayslaskey, more Nesbitt and Jon Dwyer. I see a few stand-outs, but not half a dozen. That's not to say that the playmakers won't materialize this fall, but when we line up against Tennessee, I just don't see three guys on offense that are a "notch-above-difference-makers". And top 40 is a long way from Top 20. We look to be firmly entrenched in the middle of our division, can't wait to see what we can do.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

"...but I don't think that's the real issue" I find this to be a disturbing thought. It just might be that you are right. I have assumed for the longest time that virtually all of our defensive deficiencies were due to a lack of talent and depth. For a while, we were going through defensive coordinators like gum drops with little appreciable difference in results. That is what made me think it was more of a talent issue. I really don't know but we should be better than 118th out of 128 teams in 3rd down stops. That stat will get you beat more times than not.

I don't like 118th place in ANYTHING, but we did manage to win nine games (uncommon for us over the last 50 seasons), we did beat three SEC teams, and we beat some pretty good ACC teams in the process. Some of reason for being 118th was probably we were playing seven or eight teams that were pretty talented and very good at converting on third down. I am not trying to sugar-coat things, but we lost to Miami, Clemson, UNC, and maybe a fluke to Pittsburgh, but we beat everybody else on our schedule. Our losses were to very decent teams, one that won it all.

 

[Sideways]

Thanks captain!!!

I will have you know that I was a major in ROTC so there!

 

[GTech63]

Wake was 7-6 last year.
Wake was 3-9 in 2015, like us.
Wake was 3-9 in 2014, unlike us.
Wake was 4-8 in 2014, unlike us.

I don't care what they look like on paper, I don't see any way their program can be compared to ours over the CPJ era.

I was referring to GT on paper not Wake. I have no idea what Wake looks like this year.
Baring injuries we seem to be as good and deeper and more balanced that any of the CPJ teams on the flats. D still a question mark but believe there is a chance we will be better. ST a question mark but have good candidates.

 

[alentrekin]

In recent years, like the last 20, we haven't had much success getting five or six playmakers on the field out of the first 22. Often we have 3 or 2 or less. We need as the poster mentioned, more Gotsis, more Megatron, more Dayslaskey, more Nesbitt and Jon Dwyer. I see a few stand-outs, but not half a dozen. That's not to say that the playmakers won't materialize this fall, but when we line up against Tennessee, I just don't see three guys on offense that are a "notch-above-difference-makers". And top 40 is a long way from Top 20. We look to be firmly entrenched in the middle of our division, can't wait to see what we can do.

Parker and Dedrick are IMO. Just need one more.

And I don't think it's fair to lump Megatron in with any of those dudes.

 

[GTech63]

Parker and Dedrick are IMO. Just need one more.

And I don't think it's fair to lump Megatron in with any of those dudes.[/QUOTE
I would add Lynch, Jeune, Possibly Stewart. We have a roster with more potential on O than we have ever had under CPJ. Our issue is D. There is where I don't see any Morgans, Richards, Attachou, Gotsis,

 

[deeeznutz]

Parker and Dedrick are IMO. Just need one more.

And I don't think it's fair to lump Megatron in with any of those dudes.

Lynch, no doubt, and Searcy is up there himself too. We have some playmakers around the QB, whoever ends up there just needs to take what they're given and let the backs do the heavy lifting.

 

[first&ten]

I was referring to GT on paper not Wake. I have no idea what Wake looks like this year.
Baring injuries we seem to be as good and deeper and more balanced that any of the CPJ teams on the flats. D still a question mark but believe there is a chance we will be better. ST a question mark but have good candidates.

I'm kinda leaning with you re: this season . However, without being over the top this could be a make or break season for johnson.Another 7-5 season with a "go no where bowl" the noose starts to tighten.

 

[Longestday]

Really?

 

[RonJohn]

The program is full of high quality character guys.
The APR has been at extremely high levels.
The team has been competitive on the field.
I have the impression, albeit not well informed, that the high dollar donors like him very much.

I don't think there is even a roll of twine to make a rope to tie a noose. I don't think a 7-5 season would even start the process of picking cotton to make the twine.

 

[Animal02]

I'm kinda leaning with you re: this season . However, without being over the top this could be a make or break season for johnson.Another 7-5 season with a "go no where bowl" the noose starts to tighten.

Wish casting?