Staff Changes

[684Bee]

Have you been to the practices? What do they do differently that makes practices bad?

I open this up to anyone that might know the answer. I've heard it mentioned a number of times and I truly want to understand what we're doing wrong in practice.

Too many reps for everyone. Too chaotic. Too much cross training. Needs more focus.

 

[GTBandit22]

Cutcliffe?

Probably waiting to see where the manning kid goes and then go there as QB coach. Dude loves the mannings.

But he would be a good hire. I’m all for a veteran OC with QB tutelage under his belt,

Just using some Context clues.
He’s followed our Top QB commit and Top QB target that we haven’t got to commit. Jahmyr, Our brand manager, P. Suddes.
Ohio St just had a QB enter transfer portal.
To me it feels like it’s all adding up for Dennis to GT.

Another way of looking at it:
Ohio state just lost a QB and it’s late in the cycle. He probably figures our guys just had the QB coach and OC fired and may be open to changing their commitment.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Too many reps for everyone. Too chaotic. Too much cross training. Needs more focus.

How can you have too many reps? What is cross-training (in this sense)? Focus on what?

I'm not doubting what you're saying, but your responses don't really answer the question for me.

 

[g0lftime]

Probably meant all position players get equal reps. That means less for the two deep guys per practice.

 

[684Bee]

How can you have too many reps? What is cross-training (in this sense)? Focus on what?

I'm not doubting what you're saying, but your responses don't really answer the question for me.

Too many reps just for the sake of getting reps. If they aren’t good reps, and there isn’t correction, they’re just reinforcing bad habits. Also, too many reps for backups. The #1’s need the bulk of the reps (this ties in with the silly ATL chart).

Have you watched us play? It would make perfect sense, if so. We play like we practice.

 

[tomknight]

Thanks. Of course, CGC could mean giving it 100% to Thacker instead of "co-DC's". If that is what he means, God help us.

where does this stuff come from that says collins was overriding thacker during games? I think I saw it on one post here as a potential explanation as to why our secondary looked so confused all of the time. has that come from anywhere real?

 

[TruckStick]

Too many reps just for the sake of getting reps. If they aren’t good reps, and there isn’t correction, they’re just reinforcing bad habits. Also, too many reps for backups. The #1’s need the bulk of the reps (this ties in with the silly ATL chart).

Have you watched us play? It would make perfect sense, if so. We play like we practice.

I agree that the experiment of how we practice and the above the line / blurred lines go against most coaches philosophies. That’s why he has been questioned so much.

Too much emphasis on everybody participates, no-ones feelings are hurt and everyone has a place.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

I totally disagree with this. If Collins is not going to be retained after next year, he'd already have been fired.

We surely could fire him now, but don't think that's the best path forward, yet. It might not ever be "yet." Your comments are more a reflection of your personal opinion and desire than anything that's been said or put forth by the leadership at Tech.

I understand your thoughts. They are rational. I just look at the long view and big picture. You say “put forth by the leadership at Tech.” What does that mean? Whatever this leadership is like believing in the wizard and not just a dude behind a screen. TStan had to walk arm in arm with Collins off the field yesterday. There is no long term leadership going on. Everyone is reacting because the emperor has proven not to have on clothes and this season opened the eyes of the last few holdouts. The plan from 3 years ago has failed.

These staff changes are all about just limping thru another year or two until the buyout is minimal and then Collins (possibly TStan) will be fired. You know that is what will happen. Next year I expect us to be improved. Why? Because it is statistically impossible to be worse. We won 2 games against real teams and one of them was a last minute win against a team that went 0-8 in the ACC? So if we win 5 games is that really meaningful improvement? Or is it just statistics catching up. Now, if we win 7-8 games then we’d all be happy, but we know Collins is not that capable. If he was this season would have been different. As is next season will come and go and we’ll still be a lost program that no one cares about.

 

[tomknight]

I will read between the lines of what I know and ... what Deep Throat is telling me. Collins is seen as a good/excellent recruiter. But a poor program coach. So, they want him to recruit and surround himself with people that do know how to coach. The culture is currently seen as a positive but ... as more experience personnel are hired, it's clear that accountability has to happen. Geoff has NOT been good at holding people accountable.

What I hear is ... six wins next year or else.

I wonder if that means he has sole input on the hire, or he is getting help from tstan or whoever to vet the candidates? I also wonder if they have some in mind already.

This can't have been a surprise to anyone. I would imagine this has to have been in the works for 4-6 weeks.

 

[RonJohn]

How can you have too many reps? What is cross-training (in this sense)? Focus on what?

I'm not doubting what you're saying, but your responses don't really answer the question for me.

In his first year they had videos and statements about practice. I don't remember word for word, but CGC basically said that they don't have 'practice squads' and that all of the players ran all of the same plays as everyone else. In the videos they were running many-many plays with many squads all at a fast pace. He said that they were running far more plays per practice than anyone else because they wanted the second and third string players to have as many reps as the starters.

I do not know if they are still running practice that way, but I have read columnist reports about 'practice squad' guys, so that part of his statements was probably just marketing. Those videos and statements from CGC indicated that GT was practicing differently than any other football team. They also heavily gave the impression that the practice plays were fast pace and not much analysis was involved. Whether they actually ever ran practices the way the said they did or if they are running practices that way now is something that nobody on this board is likely to know for sure.

 

[okiemon]

I would love to have Dennis in an elevated co-OC / QB coach role alongside a more established OC who had playcalling responsibilities

I’m personally not big on “co-“ anythings. If two people are in charge, then no one is in charge. I also don’t agree with ties to Tech being any criteria at all. Burton is a Tech guy, and he’s gone. Key is a Tech guy, and so far there’s not been a lot of obvious — at least to me — improvement in the OL. Curry is a Tech guy, and most of us were happy when Bama hired him away.

 

[gt02]

Seems to me CGC kept those who are the strongest recruiters and let the others go.

 

[684Bee]

In his first year they had videos and statements about practice. I don't remember word for word, but CGC basically said that they don't have 'practice squads' and that all of the players ran all of the same plays as everyone else. In the videos they were running many-many plays with many squads all at a fast pace. He said that they were running far more plays per practice than anyone else because they wanted the second and third string players to have as many reps as the starters.

I do not know if they are still running practice that way, but I have read columnist reports about 'practice squad' guys, so that part of his statements was probably just marketing. Those videos and statements from CGC indicated that GT was practicing differently than any other football team. They also heavily gave the impression that the practice plays were fast pace and not much analysis was involved. Whether they actually ever ran practices the way the said they did or if they are running practices that way now is something that nobody on this board is likely to know for sure.

Bingo. He bragged about the chaotic pace and number of reps and cross training. I didn’t like it then, and I don’t like it now.

 

[gt02]

Btw, I know a lot of us wanted change but there are some truly awful GT fans on Twitter attacking players in response to the announced staff changes. I hope that is no one on this message board.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Seems to me CGC kept those who are the strongest recruiters and let the others go.

I think you are on to something, GT02. CGC & TStan & some of our fanbase are still clinging to recruiting as the panacea.

 

[684Bee]

Btw, I know a lot of us wanted change but there are some truly awful GT fans on Twitter attacking players in response to the announced staff changes. I hope that is no one on this message board.

It’s unfortunate, but those guys exist in every fan base. Actually, we have far fewer of them. I’d recommend getting off Twitter, especially the tweets of 18-22 year olds.

 

[MountainBuzzMan]

The other speculation is that Thacker is moving to LB coach to work one on one with the younger guys

As long as this does not effect Coleman. I think he has done a decent job

 

[SoMsJacket]

Why oh why oh why would anyone keep Thacker in any capacity?

Thacker is young, relates to players and recruits very well and is one hell of a recruiter. That's a really good reason to keep him around

 

[wvGT11]

Btw, I know a lot of us wanted change but there are some truly awful GT fans on Twitter attacking players in response to the announced staff changes. I hope that is no one on this message board.

Yup I saw that, even on KQs page.
Plenty of fans are boiling right now but people really need to chill. Absolute disgrace that are players are being attacked

 

[gt02]

It’s unfortunate, but those guys exist in every fan base. Actually, we have far fewer of them. I’d recommend getting off Twitter, especially the tweets of 18-22 year olds.

Agree. To be clear, I am not much of a tweeter. Just reading others, and these guys crossed the line big time. Embarrassing.