The JUSTIN THOMAS era has started

[AE 87]

JTs arm is also very good. He's going to be the Drew Brees of Cam Newtons, just wait.

 

[KlausMikaelsonTheOriginal]

JTs arm is also very good. He's going to be the Drew Brees of Cam Newtons, just wait.

We're in it deep!

A lot of the passing that we needed from Vad , just to get by this season won't be there next season, and without RGodhigh, a lot of teams will aways keep 8 or 9 in the box and force JustinT to keep teams honest with his passing.

I don't think that JustinT's passing will open anything up for our run game next year, it will get much worse before it gets better, Justin T is a much lesser QB than Vad was, even in our "System".

 

[xenoabe]

We're in it deep!

A lot of the passing that we needed from Vad , just to get by this season won't be there next season, and without RGodhigh, a lot of teams will aways keep 8 or 9 in the box and force JustinT to keep teams honest with his passing.

I don't think that JustinT's passing will open anything up for our run game next year, it will get much worse before it gets better, Justin T is a much lesser QB than Vad was, even in our "System".

Haha, this is comedy gold! JT's passing is not much worse than Vad's, if any. He's much more dynamic as a runner. Plus, we do lose Robbie but we get a stable of WRs in next year that includes Autry back off injury and some RS Freshman that are built for this offense.

 

[GT Man]

We're in it deep!

A lot of the passing that we needed from Vad , just to get by this season won't be there next season, and without RGodhigh, a lot of teams will aways keep 8 or 9 in the box and force JustinT to keep teams honest with his passing.

I don't think that JustinT's passing will open anything up for our run game next year, it will get much worse before it gets better, Justin T is a much lesser QB than Vad was, even in our "System".

we'll be fine

 

[Wrecker]

Greetings SWARM. I am a TECH alum and huge supporter of the athletic programs. I am a realist and understand the challenges our coaches and players face trying to compete. I share the overall frustration of the mediocrity the football team has settled into, but certainly look for better times ahead. Good to see some familiar names from the Bbuzz off/ Can Chan days - stylee, Cheese, Mack, PatrickinGa. This board and the moderators seems to be more positive and focused on Tech doing well as opposed to agenda accomplishment. I have completely enjoyed reading so far.
Some thoughts:
CPJ is a good coach, not without faults (as is everybody) and has not forgotten how to win. Seems to me he has faced 3 big problems over the past 4 downer years. First, defense was fair to awful under Wommack and Groh. Think that problem is headed in the right direction with Roof who is a good, aggressive coordinator, makes good in-game adjustments and will be an outstanding recruiter.
Second - QB has been a mess since that night in Blacksburg. TW improved, lost close games, was not a game changer, etc - but was supposed to be the bridge to VL. After 3 years in system, VL was not a fit. I think CPJ tried to make it work for him but it wasn't going to happen. The separation will be good for both.
QB position can be fixed. Did you watch the Navy bowl game? They dominated essentially the same team that handed us one of the most embarrassing losses I can remember last year. Navy talent does not surpass ours except at the QB position and the obvious buy in all players have to the system. The system can work and can overcome big time defenses i.e. Ga Southern beating FL - Coach Boom (although truly troubled program). Hopefully, an athlete better suited to position can make the running and passing games better and better talent will help.
Third - recruiting. VL's leaving will be used against us along with all the rest of the anti TO lines. Hopefully the staff can hold current class together and time will tell if the increased recruiting resources will pay off.
One other thought I have not seen discussed which I firmly believe has contributed to our current state is the loss of some good asst coaches. Moncken, Bohannon both head coaches now. Kelley coaching backers for #1 team. May be others I am missing but certainly has been a lot of coaching turnover in this regime.
Looking forward to next year because it will be good or regime will be gone.

 

[CornerBlitz]

There is no spin you can develop that will make this look good. Sorry. This is just more cannon fire for the masses.

+1

 

[GT Man]

Greetings SWARM. I am a TECH alum and huge supporter of the athletic programs. I am a realist and understand the challenges our coaches and players face trying to compete. I share the overall frustration of the mediocrity the football team has settled into, but certainly look for better times ahead. Good to see some familiar names from the Bbuzz off/ Can Chan days - stylee, Cheese, Mack, PatrickinGa. This board and the moderators seems to be more positive and focused on Tech doing well as opposed to agenda accomplishment. I have completely enjoyed reading so far.
Some thoughts:
CPJ is a good coach, not without faults (as is everybody) and has not forgotten how to win. Seems to me he has faced 3 big problems over the past 4 downer years. First, defense was fair to awful under Wommack and Groh. Think that problem is headed in the right direction with Roof who is a good, aggressive coordinator, makes good in-game adjustments and will be an outstanding recruiter.
Second - QB has been a mess since that night in Blacksburg. TW improved, lost close games, was not a game changer, etc - but was supposed to be the bridge to VL. After 3 years in system, VL was not a fit. I think CPJ tried to make it work for him but it wasn't going to happen. The separation will be good for both.
QB position can be fixed. Did you watch the Navy bowl game? They dominated essentially the same team that handed us one of the most embarrassing losses I can remember last year. Navy talent does not surpass ours except at the QB position and the obvious buy in all players have to the system. The system can work and can overcome big time defenses i.e. Ga Southern beating FL - Coach Boom (although truly troubled program). Hopefully, an athlete better suited to position can make the running and passing games better and better talent will help.
Third - recruiting. VL's leaving will be used against us along with all the rest of the anti TO lines. Hopefully the staff can hold current class together and time will tell if the increased recruiting resources will pay off.
One other thought I have not seen discussed which I firmly believe has contributed to our current state is the loss of some good asst coaches. Moncken, Bohannon both head coaches now. Kelley coaching backers for #1 team. May be others I am missing but certainly has been a lot of coaching turnover in this regime.
Looking forward to next year because it will be good or regime will be gone.

Great post!

 

[jwsavhGT]

As always - Go Jackets Sting 'em!

 

[PowderSpringsJacket88]

I will list one concern that others can chime in on...I am worried about JT and the goal line push due to size. He will be a bigger threat running on the outside but if its 3rd and 1 on the 1 yard line then I am giving it to the bback.

 

[takethepoints]

I think this will work out for the best. I too thought that Vad's troubles came from and continued to be from a lack of game experience. We threw a lot at him to start the year, mainly to accommodate his talent set. This turned out to be a bad decision, but I can see why it was made. I think Coach has wanted to bring in the run-n-shoot elements of the O for some time and thought that he finally had his Tracy Ham in Vad. Unfortunately, Vad never materialized as the option runner that made Ham such an effective passer. Still, it was an experiment worth trying and, I still think, with another year and a healthy OL could have worked. We saw it in the Ugag game.

But now we move on. I also thought from the first that it would be an open competition at QB this spring; I believe (no evidence) that this is why Vad is transferring. I don't know who will win it. Thomas is easily talented enough, but needs to put on some weight in the off season to get around the ball security problems Coach keeps mentioning. He's the front runner, of course; game experience and speed count for a lot in our O. Then there's Tim Byerley. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him get the job either. As I've said before at other forums, he isn't that fast, he isn't that big, and he has an ok arm, nothing more. All he does is win. Consistently. I thought he showed better understanding of the O in his few appearances then either Vad or Thomas, probably because he knows he can't talent his way out of trouble. Finally, Jordan is a great recruit and must be straining at the bit to get here now. He's talented enough to get the job, even with the inevitable restrictions of learning the touhgest position in a very complex O.

Personally, I'm looking forward to next year. I think we'll look more like Tech again.

 

[ATL1]

It will be an open competition next season JT, Ty, TB, and MJ will battle it out. Of course JT should be in the lead, I just can't see a 5'11 180lb QB taking the beating he will take in this offense. Either way who ever wins out should be better able to make the reads on the option and allow for CPJ to do what he likes to do with his offense.

 

[SecretAgentBuzz]

I will list one concern that others can chime in on...I am worried about JT and the goal line push due to size. He will be a bigger threat running on the outside but if its 3rd and 1 on the 1 yard line then I am giving it to the bback.

Even this year, we started using S Days for some of those short yardage play. It is not unlikely that he can handle that role as well next year. We could even keep the same personnel in, but just switch Days and Thomas to surprise some people.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I will list one concern that others can chime in on...I am worried about JT and the goal line push due to size. He will be a bigger threat running on the outside but if its 3rd and 1 on the 1 yard line then I am giving it to the bback.

Easy fix, break huddle with Days at qb and run the qb follow or straight sneak. We've already done it this year and it surprised the heck out of me because CPJ would rather have Days run it than Vad.

 

[Techster]

It will be an open competition next season JT, Ty, TB, and MJ will battle it out. Of course JT should be in the lead, I just can't see a 5'11 180lb QB taking the beating he will take in this offense. Either way who ever wins out should be better able to make the reads on the option and allow for CPJ to do what he likes to do with his offense.

That's my one worry with JT as well. He's listed as 5'11 and 180 lbs, but those who have seen him up close can tell you that's not accurate. He's not that much taller than Godhigh. JT's game is quickness and speed, but will he maintain that speed over 4 quarters of play considering the physical demands of the position? How about later in the season when the body is all beat up from a season's worth of hits. Look at Nesbit and to a certain extent Vad and what numerous hits can do to someone's speed. Hopefully his style of running in terms of lessening blows and knowing when to go down will mirror Tevin and not Josh and Vad.

 

[gtg936g]

I will list one concern that others can chime in on...I am worried about JT and the goal line push due to size. He will be a bigger threat running on the outside but if its 3rd and 1 on the 1 yard line then I am giving it to the bback.

I bet we see more of the Days under center formation if Justin is the starter for goal line situations.

I think he will do fine as the starter, he just needs to work his butt off and be ready for the fall. I am going to say this as my opinion, which means little. I think Justin is better suited for the diamond formation than Vad. We need to be able to run and throw out of the same formation, not just one or the other. On run plays the QB has to attack the line, and Vad seemed to hesitant to do it. DEs will show their hand on who they are taking if they are afraid of getting beat. Vad ran hesitantly at the line not forcing the DE to make a quick commitment. If JT attacks the line from the gun, his speed will force the DEs to commit. There is not a DE in the country that can adjust to his shiftiness and speed. When you guys watch the Auburn FSU game watch Nick Marshall. He is slower than JT, but Auburn's gun works in part because of the speed of Marshall, and how they cannot adjust to his speed if he gets the edge.

One other thought regarding JT. In the past the common theme for the defense has been to attack and force us to throw. On the edge the safety would quickly fill the ally. If they play JT this way they will eventually get burned. I think he may actually force them to play more conservatively and choose angles to attack instead of just a downhill run blitz. The two most difficult things to scheme against are size, and speed.

 

[Lexjacket]

Can you imagine what kind of year we would have had if Vad's head and heart had been totally focused on getting better. Every loss we had turned on a play or a couple of plays not executed. I'm not suggesting that our 6 losses were on Vad, it's a team sport. But the quarterback is the play maker and Vad with the exception a couple of games did not look committed or determined. I think he is a fine young man and I wish him all success, but I see this as a positive development for Georgia Tech football. I like JT very much but I would put my money on Tim Byerly because of his toughness.

 

[LongforDodd]

The biggest improvements need to be made on the OL and blocking on the edges. If there aren't improvements made there, I'll bet my house that we'll be having these same disagreements this time next year and we'll just be substituting one QB's name for another. This is where the most glaring problems are. It's too bad though that, as much as Vad seemed to be out of sorts, most QB's would have similar stats and we would have similar records, with the OL play PJ is getting out of his recruits and coaches.

 

[LongforDodd]

Johnson said many times this year he didnt think Justin's arm was any less than Lee's on the call in show. He learns to not put the ball on the ground as much, we will be much better. That run in the Elon game was on a bad leg remember? The guy can fly!

That was only coach-speak. They may have similar arm strength but Vad was the superior passer.

JT can certainly fly and that may spread out and soften up some defensive strategies in the future. Only time will tell.

 

[PowderSpringsJacket88]

That was only coach-speak. They may have similar arm strength but Vad was the superior passer.

JT can certainly fly and that may spread out and soften up some defensive strategies in the future. Only time will tell.

Players will tell you the same. However, there is no doubt in my mind that Vad had the stronger arm. However, it was a misfired cannon sometimes with absolutely horrible footwork. So much for working with the QB guru....


I think JT has a chance to be a really decent passer in this system but not great. Most important is efficient.

 

[PowderSpringsJacket88]

The biggest improvements need to be made on the OL and blocking on the edges. If there aren't improvements made there, I'll bet my house that we'll be having these same disagreements this time next year and we'll just be substituting one QB's name for another. This is where the most glaring problems are. It's too bad though that, as much as Vad seemed to be out of sorts, most QB's would have similar stats and we would have similar records, with the OL play PJ is getting out of his recruits and coaches.

You are right sir. O line and skill players have to block better. I am expecting our O line to improve their run blocking tremendously. I am worried about our pass blocking though.