The Young Guys Grew Up

[Whiskey_Clear]

Only game I think Tech players ever quit before the end was Gaileys 1st vs the mutts. We lost plenty since but I never really got the feeling any team ever gave up after that.

 

[txsting]

Taquan may not be in the AB rotation next year. CPJ has been dropping hints all season that one of the ABs will be moved to QB this spring...and Taquan is the only AB that played QB.

If taquan has real option QB skills, you have to at least give him a legit look. Much more important to develop the next QB, and we have a glut of AB next year if the injury beast moves on down the road.

 

[alagold]

If taquan has real option QB skills, you have to at least give him a legit look. Much more important to develop the next QB, and we have a glut of AB next year if the injury beast moves on down the road.

he actually showed a decent arm in hii school tapes

 

[takethepoints]

Agreed, MM is our starting Bback going forward

To all these and like posts: were you watching the game on Saturday? I was there and all I can say is that MM is very easy to bring down and that his speed is wasted in the trash. Give him a hole and he does well. No hole? Not so much. He's no Dwyer; indeed, the only BB we've had recently he reminds me of is David Sims. Soooo … why not put him outside where he can use his speed? Out there, he's another Orwin Smith, imho. Inside, someone who occasionally pops one and averages about 4 ypc.

But you never know; maybe he can develop the skills and weight he needs at BB without losing his speed. I doubt it personally, but that's what they hired Coach to do. I do think, however, that if Leggett or Quaide had started the season uninjured, MM would be a starting AB right now.

Oh, and yes, I forgot that Coach had virtually guaranteed that T. Marshall would go to QB after this season. For which three cheers; he was dynamite there in high school.

 

[JorgeJonas]

I can't see Marcus Marshall moving. He's the game breaker Johnson's been looking for at that position. He needs to improve his ball security, but if we get big plays from the B-back, the offense is impossible to stop.

 

[croberts]

Only game I think Tech players ever quit before the end was Gaileys 1st vs the mutts. We lost plenty since but I never really got the feeling any team ever gave up after that.

I agree with you. His problem was the inability to develop a QB. The only lopsided games were against very good QBs that could handle the blitz package and made us look bad.

 

[Eastman]

To all these and like posts: were you watching the game on Saturday? I was there and all I can say is that MM is very easy to bring down and that his speed is wasted in the trash. Give him a hole and he does well. No hole? Not so much. He's no Dwyer; indeed, the only BB we've had recently he reminds me of is David Sims. Soooo … why not put him outside where he can use his speed? Out there, he's another Orwin Smith, imho. Inside, someone who occasionally pops one and averages about 4 ypc.

But you never know; maybe he can develop the skills and weight he needs at BB without losing his speed. I doubt it personally, but that's what they hired Coach to do. I do think, however, that if Leggett or Quaide had started the season uninjured, MM would be a starting AB right now.

Oh, and yes, I forgot that Coach had virtually guaranteed that T. Marshall would go to QB after this season. For which three cheers; he was dynamite there in high school.

He would make a good a-back because he is a great back. I would agree that he hasn't been a world changer in the trash but he is a true freshman. With his speed, unlike David Sims, defenses know that they must get a hat on him quick or he can take it to the house. That makes him a threat on every play. I doubt he moves but he will be good wherever he is placed.

 

[txsting]

MM would indeed be a fine AB, but his best skill would be wasted. He is a rare back that can make a lightning quick cut while maintaining forward speed. He puts tremendous pressure on the defense inside. He will get stronger you would think.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

FSU decided to take away the dive. To use that game as "the evidence" of his ability and potential....a bit short sighted IMO.

 

[collegeballfan]

He would make a good a-back because he is a great back. I would agree that he hasn't been a world changer in the trash but he is a true freshman. With his speed, unlike David Sims, defenses know that they must get a hat on him quick or he can take it to the house. That makes him a threat on every play. I doubt he moves but he will be good wherever he is placed.

Coach has pretty much said MM ain't moving. He also said he ain't blocking much, which has to change.
Compared to what we should have had on the field, the team that was actually out there Saturday night was slow as molasses. Look at all the speed sitting on the bench injured.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

We will probably have more than one option a bback next year. Impossible for me to guess if it will be weimerskirch or legitt or who. But I think we may be talented enough to platoon at that spot.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

With an entirely healthy squad next year, the backfield will get pretty crowded. Not counting signees, I count four B backs and a bunch of A backs.

 

[iceeater1969]

That's exactly my recollection. Heck even if we were winning close, it seemed we had a hang dog bench. (no offense to guys who were on that bench, but that's what it looked like to me)

I agree and after the game he would act like no big deal = no emotion for a kids game. He flat gave the message he did not care. Sure he did, but what a difference . Coach johnson is smiling with a stiff upper lip but u can tell he is a volcano about to explode.

 

[iceeater1969]

We will probably have more than one option a bback next year. Impossible for me to guess if it will be weimerskirch or legitt or who. But I think we may be talented enough to platoon at that spot.

Gosh I hope wechave learned that we have to devlope talent as we go.

 

[iceeater1969]

Wait until he sees the ABs next year. Cotrell, Searcy, T. Marshall, Green, probably MM. That's four guys over 190 and all of them under 4.5 40 speed. I don't think JT will have to slow down to keep pitch relations next year. Shoot, he may have to speed up.

What about the uga transfer who is wautng on bench and the possibility of MM brother coming from uga after he graduates! Talk about crowded . No more ab till allof these graduate ?

 

[Dustman]

Did Taquon see the field the other night? I don't recall seeing anybody besides MLD, Lynch, and Willis at A.

 

[iceeater1969]

Flea77, your son is one of my favorite player since I live up the road in Madison County. I wish some of the other guys played with a motor like he's got! Never quits on a play.

Flea - agree w Djacket. When I poinrted out will to my friend I brought to fsu game said look at how small he is compared to 71. Good laugh.
I said watch how they work together and where the play goes.

Flea,
Also you should consider getting a hair cut like will.

 

[takethepoints]

FSU decided to take away the dive. To use that game as "the evidence" of his ability and potential....a bit short sighted IMO.

Well … except that every team we play schemes to stop the dive (except for the DC genius at Alcorn). And you probably noticed that trying to stop the dive didn't work so well last year. Imho, that wasn't so much because of better OL play - though we could use Shaq, no doubt - but because we had two BBs who simply never lost yardage. Shoot, Laskey had, if I remember right, 2 plays the whole year where he was stopped for no gain. Not for a loss; for no gain. Everything else was 3 - 6 ypc then a burst.

Maybe MM can get to that pace. I doubt it. I think he would be another Perkins - put on weight to play BB, lost speed, got replaced - and that we don't need that. But they don't pay me for this.

 

[flea77]

Flea - agree w Djacket. When I poinrted out will to my friend I brought to fsu game said look at how small he is compared to 71. Good laugh.
I said watch how they work together and where the play goes.

Flea,
Also you should consider getting a hair cut like will.

We both go to " Fast Freddie " in Lavonia. His buzz cut is just a bit more modern than mine . What a great game . I was so happy for these young men . Now lets kick UV's *** !

 

[Sideways]

One of the things that stood out to me during the game was how many Freshmen, R-FR, and Sophomores had to play in key situations during the FSU game. At one point, I remember Vic Alexander, Brant Mitchell, AJ Gray, and the Austin Twins on the field on D at the same time...while on offense, guys like Mikell Lands-Davis, Brad Stewart, Will Bryan, Marcus Marshall, Clinton Lynch were helping out on the other side on offense. Not only were they on the field, pretty much all of them played pivotal roles.

It wasn't just the FSU game, but all season our young guys have been asked to step into roles vacated by older and more experienced players. They have been taking punches all season, I'm not sure all of them were ready yet for the level of punches they would get from our opponents. Saturday, I think our young guys played with a resolve that was far different from the the previous games. They punched back, and they did enough damage for GT pull the biggest upset in college football last Saturday. Coaches can talk about the things you need to do and fight you have to have to finish off an opponent...how you take a punch, but find ways to land your own punches. But until you've been in a real fight, you don't know how to react. I think Saturday, our young guys found a way to take a punch, and they finally knew what coaches meant when they say you have to find a way to get off the floor and start fighting back. Our guys did exactly that. They grew up against the marquee ACC team on national TV, and they were rewarded.

The next lesson for the young guys is they have to learn to keep the intensity they played with in the FSU game against EVERY team. The talent is there. If you can beat a team with a bunch of 4/5 star players up and down the depth chart, you can beat anyone. This could be a turning point win for our team, not in terms of this season, but the seasons to come. GT has a lot of talent, and most of it is young. Hopefully we'll be able to point back to the FSU game as the game which the young GT team found their footing, and pivoted the program to the level we all expected.

Confidence is a wonderful thing. Our young guys have grown up and become men. It's just that simple. Very proud of our players and how they represent the Institute. They may not have the hat trick at signing days or 5 stars but I would not trade them for anybody else's players. Have you heard of any of them in trouble with the law? Not going to class? No, me neither.