The Young Guys Grew Up

Techster

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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.
 

GTonTop88

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Hard work beats talent. Yet we do have a lot of talent but all of our guys weren't noticed for it coming out of high school so it seems like we always play with a chip on our shoulders and that's what really separates our team from most other schools. Our offense we can take a guy that's smaller and really talented and put him in a position to show it on the college level and still get that " your not good enough " mindset when in all actuality they are, just not for what most bigger programs are trying to do.
 

GTJake

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I agree with you and look for this team to get on another late season roll ... although we will miss Gotsis next year.

I wasn't crazy about the announcers, but one thing that was said after the block/TD was how overall athletic our team was as we scrambled to pick-up the blocked FG and return back downfield.
 

cmathis

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Honestly, I'm glad this awful season has happened. Lessons learned all around by fans, players, and coaches. In a weird sort of way, it's been good for the program. It's cliche I know, but I'm already excited to see how we do next year.
 

Whiskey_Clear

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I love this team @flea77. They have true grit and play with aggressive abandon. I haven't liked all of the final results on the score board at the end of games but I have really enjoyed watching them get after the opposition week after week. They earned a great win last night. Congrats to Will and all the guys on a great game.
 

DvilleJacket

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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.
 

Oldgoldandwhite

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Agree, with a big BUTT. One game does not a season make, or turn this thing around.
I like our young talent, but we made a ton of mistakes that we must cut out going forward. FSU is not as good as Clemson and may not be as good as Georgia. We shall see.
 

AE 87

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That was my least favorite thing about watching CCG teams. The players seemed to quit once things started going south in a game.

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)
 

takethepoints

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My FSU buddy was impressed, and a bit surprised, by our team speed.
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.
 

Techster

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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.

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.
 
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