South Florida playing now

[lv20gt]

USF is a winnable game but there is no way it is a must win game. When we decided to go with Collins, it was a commitment to a long term plan of changing perception of the program and improving recruiting. With that came the understanding that switching from the option would come with short term setbacks due to a mismatch between scheme and talent. He's not going on the hot seat because he loses to a team that we lost to last year.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

USF is a winnable game but there is no way it is a must win game. When we decided to go with Collins, it was a commitment to a long term plan of changing perception of the program and improving recruiting. With that came the understanding that switching from the option would come with short term setbacks due to a mismatch between scheme and talent. He's not going on the hot seat because he loses to a team that we lost to last year.

To borrow a phrase from @Animal02 ...

 

[CuseJacket]

Rivals recruiting ranking last 5 years

2019 - GT 43, USF 66
2018 - GT 53, USF 58
2017 - GT 41, USF 69
2016 - GT 67, USF 70
2015 - GT 39, USF 58

 

[Kennethshannon20]

USF is a winnable game but there is no way it is a must win game. When we decided to go with Collins, it was a commitment to a long term plan of changing perception of the program and improving recruiting. With that came the understanding that switching from the option would come with short term setbacks due to a mismatch between scheme and talent. He's not going on the hot seat because he loses to a team that we lost to last year.

It is a must when for the teams confidence and for ticket sales. If we lose, the team starts 0-2, and then we seehow much they're "bought in" to coach Collins culture. Hopefully we won't get here but if so, I hope they are . Also, we lose to USF, no way our sales and fundraising doesn't slow, and it'll absolutely start to look bad to recruits. But we can rebound when coastal play starts....

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

USF is a winnable game but there is no way it is a must win game. When we decided to go with Collins, it was a commitment to a long term plan of changing perception of the program and improving recruiting. With that came the understanding that switching from the option would come with short term setbacks due to a mismatch between scheme and talent. He's not going on the hot seat because he loses to a team that we lost to last year.

Respectfully, I disagree. This is nearly a "must win" situation for both teams. Both teams are coming off a loss in which neither looked particularly good. Both teams experienced poor offensive performances though it could be argued that South Florida was actually worse as they did not cross the 50 yard line until the fourth quarter. If either team wants to win 7 games or so and be bowl eligible then they better get cracking So in that sense it is an important game and given the challenges of Tech's schedule something of a must win for the Jackets as they are playing at home. It will be interesting to see how each team responds to the challenge. One will and likely go on to a modestly successful season, the other will be looking at a deep hole. Both teams look to improve greatly over the first week for sure.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

How can EVERY game we play not be a MUST win.

Isn’t 55 to 60 years of this crap enough?

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Rivals recruiting ranking last 5 years

2019 - GT 43, USF 66
2018 - GT 53, USF 58
2017 - GT 41, USF 69
2016 - GT 67, USF 70
2015 - GT 39, USF 58

I am kind of surprised that USF seems to consistently recruit at that level being in a hotbed of recruiting talent as they are. They must be scrambling for leftovers after UF, FSU, Miami, and Central Florida have pretty much cleaned out the pickings so to speak. Tech's rankings are not terrible but not near where they need to be to be competitive in the ACC.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

How can EVERY game we play not be a MUST win.

Isn’t 55 to 60 years of this crap enough?

I should think so, but to get better we have to recruit better which is the raison d'etre for Coach Collins: to recruit and recruit some more.

 

[Animal02]

I don’t appreciate the posters that seem to want CGC to fail any more than you.

My point is that there is far more bringing up the old coach by those who never liked the guy anyway, than from those who did like him. The post I quoted is a perfect example.

This is what plays out:

Poster A: “blah blah blah CPJ sucked blah blah”

Poster B: “well here’s why I think you’re wrong”

Poster A: “why can’t you let go of the past and support the new coach?!?!”

I have yet to see anyboy wishing CGC to fail.

To borrow a phrase from @Animal02 ...

The bar keeps getting set lower and lower. It is amazing how people a willing to throw away SEASONS on a hypothetical.

 

[GT_receivers]

They got destroyed.

 

[lv20gt]

Respectfully, I disagree. This is nearly a "must win" situation for both teams. Both teams are coming off a loss in which neither looked particularly good. Both teams experienced poor offensive performances though it could be argued that South Florida was actually worse as they did not cross the 50 yard line until the fourth quarter. If either team wants to win 7 games or so and be bowl eligible then they better get cracking So in that sense it is an important game and given the challenges of Tech's schedule something of a must win for the Jackets as they are playing at home. It will be interesting to see how each team responds to the challenge. One will and likely go on to a modestly successful season, the other will be looking at a deep hole. Both teams look to improve greatly over the first week for sure.

It's a must win for USF. However, the situations aren't the same. Strong is in his third year, coming off a year where they lost 6 in a row and getting blown out at home, and they need to at least make a bowl game to avoid a negative trend three years in. We're in year one of a huge transition and aren't likely to make a bowl game regardless. Calling it a must win implies there is some big consequence if they don't win. For instance if USF doesn't win it makes their chances of making a bowl game drop by a good bit, which would either get Strong fired or walk into next year a near dead man walking. What happens if we lose? Our already small chance at a bowl goes away? The struggles people didn't want to accept become more obvious? Our coach who was hired around the idea that it will be a multi year rebuild finds himself in a multi year rebuild?

 

[slugboy]

Rivals recruiting ranking last 5 years

2019 - GT 43, USF 66
2018 - GT 53, USF 58
2017 - GT 41, USF 69
2016 - GT 67, USF 70
2015 - GT 39, USF 58

I think they’ve done very well with transfers, though. They do have some good players


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Yea it’s actually funny that they don’t think fans can see right through them lmao.

We better win or Collins sucks.
Then if we win, well we should’ve won because they suck.

Lol do some of you think people can’t easily notice how purposely childish you’re being? Buncha thumbsuckers.

What's ironic is that half the people calling it a must win aren't the CPJ fanboys. I was as big a CPJ defender as anyone on this board, and I've been creaming since day one that we need to temper our expectations this year. Yet I've been told numerou times that it's unreasonable NOT to expect 6-7 wins this year, mostly by CGC fans.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

What's ironic is that half the people calling it a must win aren't the CPJ fanboys. I was as big a CPJ defender as anyone on this board, and I've been creaming since day one that we need to temper our expectations this year. Yet I've been told numerou times that it's unreasonable NOT to expect 6-7 wins this year, mostly by CGC fans.

I don't necessarily think that we should EXPECT 6-7 wins this year, but I think it's entirely possible, and you know I was as big a CPJ defender as you.

 

[LibertyTurns]

Which was ridiculous and not ok. The same would be true this year. In both cases, the nature of the loss would be telling.

The last 2 years here’s the games I perceive took the wind completely out of our sails:

2017-
A. Loss to Tenn 42-41 when we went soft. It would have been 4th win in a row over SEC. This was a signature game, new stadium & lots of exposure. It’s impact, although a single game at the start of the season game cannot be understated.
B. The Miami let them make a freak 4th down catch & kick a FG to win 25-24.
C. Dook kicked our butt before the mutt game

2018-
D. Give away the USF game 39-38 with the 2 KO return TDs, the fumble driving to seal it, etc. Again, a pivotal game at the beginning of the season that set the stage.
E. Play like **** at Pitt
F. Get butt kicked at Dook again- Nail in coffin. He was done after that.

Yes, momentum could have shifted at any point. Yes, the vast majority of the time 1 game does not define a season. It’s like losing a key customer to a competitor, having your prototype you invested the majority of your capital & time on **** the bed, etc. Slowly your energy is zapped & you’re toast.

Obviously this is not the case in game #2 and certainly not game #2 of a completely new regime. What game #2 this year is though is an opportunity to gain momentum, to have a more positive narrative, etc. Winning 3 games going into our 2nd ACC game and 1st ACC home game under the new regime is important. Winning that 4th game and a good chance for a 5th would greatly help recruiting, fundraising, the perception of our program, etc. Odds are slim we rip off 5 straight, but that 5th win in a row would be huge.

Having to look for silver linings is not a killer, just an opportunity lost for more positives that in my mind makes a huge difference as to how fast our program may improve. I’d prefer a faster improvement. Extraordinarily unlikely, but a 10 game winning streak would be a long term, phase shifting series of events for our program. We can only dream.

 

[iceeater1969]

The last 2 years here’s the games I perceive took the wind completely out of our sails:

2017-
A. Loss to Tenn 42-41 when we went soft. It would have been 4th win in a row over SEC. This was a signature game, new stadium & lots of exposure. It’s impact, although a single game at the start of the season game cannot be understated.
B. The Miami let them make a freak 4th down catch & kick a FG to win 25-24.
C. Dook kicked our butt before the mutt game

2018-
D. Give away the USF game 39-38 with the 2 KO return TDs, the fumble driving to seal it, etc. Again, a pivotal game at the beginning of the season that set the stage.
E. Play like **** at Pitt
F. Get butt kicked at Dook again- Nail in coffin. He was done after that.

Yes, momentum could have shifted at any point. Yes, the vast majority of the time 1 game does not define a season. It’s like losing a key customer to a competitor, having your prototype you invested the majority of your capital & time on **** the bed, etc. Slowly your energy is zapped & you’re toast.

Obviously this is not the case in game #2 and certainly not game #2 of a completely new regime. What game #2 this year is though is an opportunity to gain momentum, to have a more positive narrative, etc. Winning 3 games going into our 2nd ACC game and 1st ACC home game under the new regime is important. Winning that 4th game and a good chance for a 5th would greatly help recruiting, fundraising, the perception of our program, etc. Odds are slim we rip off 5 straight, but that 5th win in a row would be huge.

Having to look for silver linings is not a killer, just an opportunity lost for more positives that in my mind makes a huge difference as to how fast our program may improve. I’d prefer a faster improvement. Extraordinarily unlikely, but a 10 game winning streak would be a long term, phase shifting series of events for our program. We can only dream.

Totally agree.

I am planning on gt being good

The point about "opportunity lost" is a good one. A loss here is a way bigger negative than a win unless its a well coached blow out. Beat vt, Mia, uva and its a way bigger and counted as "opportuntity gained"
.
I am neutral during the shift of systems, but after a few years i assume we will be tracking HOW FAST WE GET BETTER.

 

[jacket_fan]

I watched some of the USF Wisconsin game. Both Tech and USF got shocked. I think dumpster fire is the correct term. How each responds will tell.

As a Tech fan I gotta believe Tech must rebound and this is a must win game from both a confidence and respect level.

I am still believing a 6-6 season is possible

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

I am kind of surprised that USF seems to consistently recruit at that level being in a hotbed of recruiting talent as they are. They must be scrambling for leftovers after UF, FSU, Miami, and Central Florida have pretty much cleaned out the pickings so to speak. Tech's rankings are not terrible but not near where they need to be to be competitive in the ACC.

A very key team you listed there is UCF. Several years ago they would not have been in that list.

They hired people that wanted to win.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Respectfully, I disagree. This is nearly a "must win" situation for both teams. Both teams are coming off a loss in which neither looked particularly good. Both teams experienced poor offensive performances though it could be argued that South Florida was actually worse as they did not cross the 50 yard line until the fourth quarter. If either team wants to win 7 games or so and be bowl eligible then they better get cracking So in that sense it is an important game and given the challenges of Tech's schedule something of a must win for the Jackets as they are playing at home. It will be interesting to see how each team responds to the challenge. One will and likely go on to a modestly successful season, the other will be looking at a deep hole. Both teams look to improve greatly over the first week for sure.

I would add this caveat to this post. For South Florida, the need to win is more acute. The look on Charley Strong's face in the second half spoke volumes about his frustration: "I go and hire an offensive genius who had just won a national championship and we cannot even get across midfield" For Tech, the hire is an acknowledged long term fix so there is that. Coach Collins has a lot more leeway than Charley does to be sure. That said, in the aftermath of how both teams struggled in their first game against far better opponents there will be a sense of urgency not to let the season go off the rails. Each may take solace in one thing: Could be worse...we could be Tennessee.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

It's a must win for USF. However, the situations aren't the same. Strong is in his third year, coming off a year where they lost 6 in a row and getting blown out at home, and they need to at least make a bowl game to avoid a negative trend three years in. We're in year one of a huge transition and aren't likely to make a bowl game regardless. Calling it a must win implies there is some big consequence if they don't win. For instance if USF doesn't win it makes their chances of making a bowl game drop by a good bit, which would either get Strong fired or walk into next year a near dead man walking. What happens if we lose? Our already small chance at a bowl goes away? The struggles people didn't want to accept become more obvious? Our coach who was hired around the idea that it will be a multi year rebuild finds himself in a multi year rebuild?

I had forgotten that South Florida imploded as they did over the second half of last year. 6 losses in a row will warm any coach's seat but Coach Curry was quite familiar with long losing streaks and survived. Tech tends to be a tad bit more understanding of how these things play out.