All:
New poster, diehard fan. Reading these posts comparing HC, win percentages, bowl games, ACC titles, appearances etc., it’s interesting to discuss until Collins starts, then we have new topics.
Bottom line: GT has enjoyed substantial success three times since 1980’s.
Bobby Ross- God bless Homer Rice and Bobby Ross- named my dog after him. A Ross among dozens of Herschels.
George O’Leary- There's more to the story.
Paul Johnson.
Post after post comparing head coaches, who’s the best, who won more, who had injures, who won with someone else’s talent, O’Leary slightly ahead of Johnson, Gailey did a decent job. My head starts exploding.
The two best coaches at Georgia Tech, since Pepper- Ralph Friedgen and Paul Johnson. That’s it , that’s the list.
Yes, Ralph was not a head coach. Just an unquestioned offensive genius. Problem is, we didn’t know to what extent he carried programs, until a few years after he left for Maryland. A bit of history:
Ross / Friedgen- 3 ACC titles at Maryland, National Championship at Tech, Super Bowl appearance with Chargers
O’Leary / Friedgen- One of the best 4 year runs in Tech history. 34-14, 3 and 1 in the season ending non-conference game.
Friedgen leaves for Maryland, 10-2 initial season, wins 27 COY awards, O’Leary goes 7-5 and leaves for Notre Dame.
O’Leary record at Tech without Ralph- 18-16 (not counting 0-3, to finish BL season).
Why do you think Notre Dame changed its mind on O’Leary? A 20 year old fib on his resume? Come on now.
Friedens’s career as a coordinator and head coach;
Maryland- 3 consecutive ACC titles
Tech- National Championship
San Diego Chargers- Super Bowl appearance
Tech/O'Leary- 4 year run: 34-14 Co- ACC title
Leaves for Maryland, officially known as the dumpster fire. One winning season in the past 10 years.
Year 1- 10-2 Orange Bowl
Year 2- 11-3 Peach Bowl. Maryland first bowl win in 15 years
Year 3- 10-3 Gator Bowl win
In four years at ‘Dumpster Fire’, Ralph set the record for wins in ACC (for a 4 year period)
Overall record at Maryland 75-50. Ralph was fired after going 9-4 and a bowl game win. Apparently, the AD thought Maryland was now Nebraska. Last and not least for all of us. Ralph’s record versus the Mutts: 5 and 4. ‘Nugh said. Build a statue.
So on my Mount Rushmore of Georgia Tech Head Ccoaches:
Bobby Dodd
Bobby Ross- absolutely won a National Freaking Championship
Paul Johnson- Offensive genius, Sideline genius, improved the academic performance every year he was here.
#4- Open to debate. But it ain’t O’Leary.
All this to highlight there is more to the numbers than wins, percentages, titles, especially for Tech. Tech will not win consistently with defense and special teams. Tech football for the past 40 years, we have only won with tremendous offensive innovators. We won a National championship with good/greet defense and a offensive innovator.
Great defenses have to be great at the point of attack, wherever that may be. Coach Collins won’t be great everywhere. Not at Tech. He must have an offensive innovator who can wrong foot a defense, set up plays that grab big chunks of yards. Keep the ball and score, consistently.
Collins will improve recruiting, defense, special teams. That bar is set low. More than likely the offense will not improve, but take a step back.
But if Collins wins similar to Johnson, 11 years in, 82-59, 3 ACC championship appearances, 11 win season, etc.
Will we be satisfied, after his considerable upgrade in talent? Improved recruiting, increased expectations.
