So, understand that I'm a UVa fan here, so I come with a little different perspective, but:
What makes you people think you are entitled to anything more than slam average? Is there something special in the GT water where logic and basics go out the water and everybody is above average in everything?
If you took a school not named Georgia Tech, and gave it the exact same situation as Georgia Tech, how good would you EXPECT them to be?
Pros: Cool City, Fertile Recruiting Area, Storied History (several generations ago).
Cons: Cruddy Academic situation, unattractive majors, CLEAR 2nd level team in your own state, reputation as a boring/lame place to go to school, marginal facilities, marginal salary for coaching and recruiting
Essentially, you're Vanderbilt, or you're UVa.
So why do you believe that you're not? Why do you believe that "9 wins a year at a minimum" is a reasonable thing to say?
I PUT FORTH: you have been spoiled rotten with good coaches, going back to Bobby Ross. This is not because of anything your school particularly has to offer. You have just made a series of good hires. This has led you to believe that there is something at GT that there is not, and my strong belief is that with one crappy hire, you could EASILY be where UVA or Vanderbilt has been for the last 20 years.
You act like finishing .500 in the ACC is some given, and that going to a bowl is no accomplishment. I believe you are wrong, and I almost wish you would fire Johnson, and hire some scrub, just so you could see how unspecial your program really is.
You hear people talk about a businesses "fundamentals", and how sometimes you can outperform fundamentals, but usually not. GT's fundamentals are nothing special, and you should be GRATEFUL to be outperforming them for as long as you have.
