State of the Tech State

[OldJacketFan]

I read a lot of threads on various sites and one recurring theme relates to the coaching staff at Tech and how they're failing or not succeeding in getting Tech to the level where the fan base thinks it should be. Lots of criticisms as to scheme, recruiting, lack of success against the "big 4" and so on.

As most of you are aware the majority of this recurring theme is directed at CPJ with some of the Tech fan base wanting him fired yesterday, now or tomorrow at the latest. Some are obsessed with the O scheme being the issue, some are obsessed with the lack of recruiting, some are obsessed with the lack of support from the "Hill" and some are simply obsessed with wanting to be the smartest guy on the 'net.

So as I sit here and try to process all the various themes I find myself breaking down each area of obsession to try and grasp the disconnect in an effort to fully understand what I read. In any event here are my thoughts and ideas.

1. Coaching staff.
CPJ has established a team that, for the most part, beats the teams they should beat and, for the most part, loses to teams that are better. Consistency is generally a good thing but, in this case, deprives a fan base of a realistic hope of pulling the upset. His job with the Offense this year has been, inconsistent, at best. Sewak has not developed the O line into the force I, and others, feel it should be. Some of that may have to do with injuries but it is what is it. ST are improved despite the injuries. Roof is doing a very good job with the D and would be better, again, except for the injuries on the back end.

A wholesale change is not warranted and would do much more harm than good, in my opinion.

2. Recruiting
As a whole this is an area that has been most disappointing to me. I'm not sure CPJ understood just how difficult it is to recruit at Tech. I'm not going to get into the reasons for this, that subject has been discussed and cussed, except to say it is a reality.

However, we are seeing a '14 class that may be start of resolving this issue.

3. The Hill
Academics are and will always be the top priority of the Administration. The GTAA does have the support of the Administration otherwise you'd not see the capital improvements that are ongoing. Does that support translate into expanding the curriculum or changing the admission standards? Not too date and I'm not sure it will ever happen.

If I were asked if I am happy with the direction of the program I would have to say, yes. I if were asked if I were satisfied with the direction of the program I would have to say, no.

Anyway just my thoughts.

 

[daBuzz]

Good post.
1) You and I will just have to disagree on that one. I think getting rid of CPJ sooner, rather than later will also help with #2. I do believe that the system we run hurts in recruiting. I've heard of offensive players saying they absolutely don't want to play in this system. I would also imagine it affects the defensive recruting.

Yes, I've heard CPJ say that "it's not like the scout team they're facing is running our offense.". Well, that may be...but in spring practice, the 1's go against the 1's in practice and in the scrimmages. Guess what offense we're running there? I personally believe this is one of the reasons we struggle so much against strong passing teams...we simply don't have that in offensive repertoire.

2) I hold the head coach responsible for recruiting. I didn't think Chan Gailey was a very good recruiter, but I find myself wishing for those days with regards to recruiting.

3) This is the one that bothers me the most. I am one of those vocal minority who wants the Hill's policies on athletic admissions changed. Here are my arguments for that:

Neither I nor any of the other people I have spoken with are in favor of admitting the guys that cannot read or write. We accept that we will never be able to recruit some of the players that UGA, VT, Auburn, Clemson, etc are able to recruit.

However, think back to 1990. I was rewatching the 1990 GT vs UVA game about 2 weeks ago on YouTube and it struck me: Bobby Ross had the same recruiting restrictions against him that other coaches at GT have had since. In other words, times in college athletics weren't "different" like they were back when Dodd, Alexander, and Heisman were coaching...they were very similar to the college football landscape of today. The difference is that, during that time, Ross was allowed to take academic exceptions that are not allowed today. Many have said that George O'Leary was the cause of this...or Chan Gailey with Flunkgate. Honestly though, those are weak crutches of an excuse.

I have posited before and I will again --- why does the Hill have such as strong voice in which players are admitted to GT? I can understand why that was the case before academic APR's were enacted but I contend that isn't needed anymore.

Allow the current GT football coach as many exceptions as he wants. Why? Because he's the one who is punished if we lose scholarships...losing those available scholarships will eventually lead to his firing. Also, write it into his contract that if we lose scholarships due to the APR, that GT has the option to a) dock his pay for losing 1 scholarship or b) terminate with no buyout if he loses more than 1 scholarship. Would we exercise that option? I don't know; but we'd have it. And it gives us the best of both worlds: the coach can recruit the type of players he believes are necessary to compete at the highest level but he also better use judgement. Because if he just stockpiles a bunch of dummies and brings them in, we lose scholarships, he loses money and quite possibly his job & millions of dollars.

 

[CobbTech]

Good post.
1) You and I will just have to disagree on that one. I think getting rid of CPJ sooner, rather than later will also help with #2. I do believe that the system we run hurts in recruiting. I've heard of offensive players saying they absolutely don't want to play in this system. I would also imagine it affects the defensive recruting.

Yes, I've heard CPJ say that "it's not like the scout team they're facing is running our offense.". Well, that may be...but in spring practice, the 1's go against the 1's in practice and in the scrimmages. Guess what offense we're running there? I personally believe this is one of the reasons we struggle so much against strong passing teams...we simply don't have that in offensive repertoire.

2) I hold the head coach responsible for recruiting. I didn't think Chan Gailey was a very good recruiter, but I find myself wishing for those days with regards to recruiting.

3) This is the one that bothers me the most. I am one of those vocal minority who wants the Hill's policies on athletic admissions changed. Here are my arguments for that:

Neither I nor any of the other people I have spoken with are in favor of admitting the guys that cannot read or write. We accept that we will never be able to recruit some of the players that UGA, VT, Auburn, Clemson, etc are able to recruit.

However, think back to 1990. I was rewatching the 1990 GT vs UVA game about 2 weeks ago on YouTube and it struck me: Bobby Ross had the same recruiting restrictions against him that other coaches at GT have had since. In other words, times in college athletics weren't "different" like they were back when Dodd, Alexander, and Heisman were coaching...they were very similar to the college football landscape of today. The difference is that, during that time, Ross was allowed to take academic exceptions that are not allowed today. Many have said that George O'Leary was the cause of this...or Chan Gailey with Flunkgate. Honestly though, those are weak crutches of an excuse.

I have posited before and I will again --- why does the Hill have such as strong voice in which players are admitted to GT? I can understand why that was the case before academic APR's were enacted but I contend that isn't needed anymore.

Allow the current GT football coach as many exceptions as he wants. Why? Because he's the one who is punished if we lose scholarships...losing those available scholarships will eventually lead to his firing. Also, write it into his contract that if we lose scholarships due to the APR, that GT has the option to a) dock his pay for losing 1 scholarship or b) terminate with no buyout if he loses more than 1 scholarship. Would we exercise that option? I don't know; but we'd have it. And it gives us the best of both worlds: the coach can recruit the type of players he believes are necessary to compete at the highest level but he also better use judgement. Because if he just stockpiles a bunch of dummies and brings them in, we lose scholarships, he loses money and quite possibly his job & millions of dollars.

Good post. Thinking back to the Gailey era, I think he was on to something at GT. But we got rid of him IMO too soon and it will probably happen to PJ too. Comparing Gailey to PJ is tough. It all depends on your outlook. We're having the same record pretty much every year but Gailey beat some really good teams but always lost one or two WTH games.

 

[OldJacketFan]

Good post. Thinking back to the Gailey era, I think he was on to something at GT. But we got rid of him IMO too soon and it will probably happen to PJ too. Comparing Gailey to PJ is tough. It all depends on your outlook. We're having the same record pretty much every year but Gailey beat some really good teams but always lost one or two WTH games.

That's one of the points I was trying to make. Under CCG the WTH games happened way more than they have under CPJ. Conversely Tech seemed to always have one game a year where they totally exceeded expectations!

 

[ToddM]

In actuality I think we all want Gailey recruiting, Roof and Peltons attitudes and CPJs aggressive game management . My God if Gailey had CPJs mindset rather than that don't make a mistake mindset Tech would have been a powerhouse.

I dont know how we ever get all those qualities in one person but outside of that I would rather stay with CPJ. He is doing more for the long term viability of the program than any other coach we have had since the Golden Days.

My only problem with him is that the facts which cause me to support him are beginning to cause me to doubt him. He is so stubborn that he dares you to stop him on the field if you think u can, but that stubbornness also prevents him from seeing that the middle of the field is wide open if he will throw an intermediate ball more, or any.

Very frustrating, it's like being married to Miss America and the realizing you have to do the checkbook, shopping and all the laundry. Damn only if.

 

[OldJacketFan]

"Very frustrating, it's like being married to Miss America and the realizing you have to do the checkbook, shopping and all the laundry. Damn only if"

Thanks, I just spit my tea on the keyboard again!

 

[ToddM]

See Old Jacket, CPJ can even make us laugh.

 

[ybeenormal]

Because of the number of upper tier players that do not want to play in this system, would it really make any difference if we got more exceptions?

 

[AE 87]

FWIW, Gailey wasn't that great a recruiter, imo. He had one good class.

Most "Upper Tier" players don't want to come to Tech for a lot of reasons other than our offensive scheme. I'm not saying that others aren't using our scheme against us or that it hasn't persuaded some kids against us. I just don't think it's the driver.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Bobby Ross had the same recruiting restrictions against him that other coaches at GT have had since.

I see this as a linchpin in your argument and it's simply not true. Most of the difference makers on Ross' 1990 team would not get in today.

2 reasons:

1) The NCAA instituted APR since then. All athletes are required to stay on track to graduate. That hurts us more than most people realize because our academic degree requirements are so difficult compared to the factories. In Ross' day, guys could take remedial courses until their elligibility ran out. All they had to do was maintain a minimum GPA (in remedial course work). Not anymore.

2. The hill was embarrassed big time by Flunkgate and the NCAA probation(s). Our academic image is paramount and that includes athletes. The hill is more exclusive now than anytime in our history wrt admitting borderline students. CPJ's success in this arena gives him huge clout with the hill.

 

[Boomergump]

I cherish my GT degree and all it stands for. I don't want it tarnished one bit. Lets keep the standards, but up the level of financial and logistical support required for recruiting / finding the great players that do fit. I don't care if we spend 5 times as much as Bammer. Just do it. The money is there. It is only the selfish glory hounds that don't want to play in the flexbone, or for Johnson. Let's keep that in mind.

 

[Longestday]

Ya .... what Boomergump said!

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I cherish my GT degree and all it stands for. I don't want it tarnished one bit. Lets keep the standards, but up the level of financial and logistical support required for recruiting / finding the great players that do fit. I don't care if we spend 5 times as much as Bammer. Just do it. The money is there. It is only the selfish glory hounds that don't want to play in the flexbone, or for Johnson. Let's keep that in mind.

This is the site I was talking about.

 

[OldJacketFan]

dressed, it this the famous boomergump the recent refugee from another Tech site?

 

[Boomergump]

dressed, it this the famous boomergump the recent refugee from another Tech site?

It's me. I am a refugee alright. I came floating in on a hand made raft crafted out of some sticks and twine. Got me a volleyball named Wilson though!

 

[Eric]

Thanks for sharing the site guys... I really appreciate it!

 

[OldJacketFan]

It's me. I am a refugee alright. I came floating in on a hand made raft crafted out of some sticks and twine. Got me a volleyball named Wilson though!

Boomer welcome to The Swarm! It is, by far and away, the best site on the 'net for Tech sports! Fun, knowledgeable fans are always welcome

 

[johncu]

Am I the only one who sees some parallels to the Gailey years RE: recruiting? We fired Gailey just as he started to get some momentum in recruiting, and had to start all over. Johnson hasn't had an '07 type class yet, but we are definitely starting to improve. I'm interested to see if the 2015 class is even better.

 

[jchens_GT]

Am I the only one who sees some parallels to the Gailey years RE: recruiting? We fired Gailey just as he started to get some momentum in recruiting, and had to start all over. Johnson hasn't had an '07 type class yet, but we are definitely starting to improve. I'm interested to see if the 2015 class is even better.

I have been thinking a similar thing. I don't like the results we've had on the field lately, but I'm not ready to bail on our current staff yet.

We've discussed it at length already, but I personally think that we need to stick with a coach and let him build our program. I'm not an expert, but I don't think we can afford to hire and fire guys every 4 to 5 years. Tech just doesn't have the natural recruiting draws that allow a factory school to bounce back quickly. I think you have to give a guy time to build something. If you think the guy is a smart coach and can be a winner, I say give him time.

 

[ToddM]

Speaking of recruiting and academics,

Cutcliffe was on ESPN around lunch time today as they were actually highlighting Duke football. He was asked about the standards at Duke. He stated that they had no plans to lesson standards but that there approach would be to tout the Duke education in the mindset that there will be no other place to go in which you can get a Duke degree and play for an elite football program. Calling Duke elite is a lot like the taste of escargot, if you tell people enough that snails are good they will believe it and consider them a high quality food. He stated that Coach K has taken an active role in football discussions and that he mets with him frequently on issues concerning the Duke athlete in general.

Now I know Duke isn't a Fla St. yet but if Duke feels they have an approach which will secure top recruits then we can surely do the same. Sounds like the key here is the apparent total buy in that Duke has propagated throughout the entire school.

In other words a certain attitude.

If Duke gets this right Tech will have to step it up. Miami, NC, VT, Pitt and Duke would be real hard to go against which could impact the overall quality of every Tech team. So whatever it is if Duke can do it we should be able to