Watching football is fun.

[Heisman's Ghost]

I'm loving the heck out of it

Here's the thing. I don't like Bronco Mendenhall. I wouldn't want to hang out with him. I wouldn't send my kids to play for him. I think he's largely full of it.

That said, he's also clearly at least a competent football coach. He may even be an above average ACC coach. We shall see. The point is, he's clearly good enough to coach at UVa. He doesn't recruit kids that get in trouble, he wins enough games that we're not embarrassed, and he doesn't bang his assistants.

The difference between UVa and Georgia Tech is that UVa realizes that that's good enough. We haven't been blessed with an almost unbelievably good run of coaches that have disguised our underlying structural issues. If he does that for 20 years, he'll never have a hot seat, and we'll build him a statue at the end.

It's a little bit lame rooting for him because he's such a tool, but whatever, I have no complaints.

We'll see how much of his success has been the result of fantastic success mining the transfer market for QB's since he's arrived at UVa. We're going with a kid that we have developed from the beginning next year, and who knows how it'll go.

As it relates to GT, I'm not sure how much it does.

Personality wise, Bronco is probably closer to PJ than he is to Collins. He's not a recruiter guy, he's a "recruit a bunch of guys who want to run through the wall and get it done on effort" type. I mean, he's a douche, but in addition to being a douche, he's that as well.

I don't think they're really going to succeed the same way, if they're both going to succeed.

I'll be honest, I would be genuinely surprised if Collins succeeded at GT the way you guys want him to.

I have bought into the idea that GT is academically hard as hell, and not for people who don't take school seriously. I have further bought into the idea that GT's administration will not do football any favors, and will not let a bunch of borderline cases in. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a hard time imagining that "one of the hardest places to recruit to" is a good match for a coach whose route to success revolves around out-recruiting the opposition.

I've been wrong before, I'll be wrong again, but it doesn't seem like a good impedance match to me. ALL THAT SAID, if he's going to succeed, it's going to take a few recruiting cycles for it to happen, because he's not going to outscheme people the way PJ did. You have to let him recruit his guys, and then let them develop for 3 or 4 years, and have several recruiting classes of his guys in a row before you can evaluate, because that's his model, and if you didn't want that model, you shouldn't have hired him. You have to let him succeed or fail his way, and that will be a judgement you can make in 2022

I am afraid your analysis MAY prove to be spot on concerning Coach Collins ultimate success. One question I have for you: Who would you rather have...Bronco or that guy at Virginia Tech. Be truthful now. Interested in reading what you have to say about the developing coaching rivalry in the Old Dominion.

 

[ilovetheoption]

I am afraid your analysis MAY prove to be spot on concerning Coach Collins ultimate success. One question I have for you: Who would you rather have...Bronco or that guy at Virginia Tech. Be truthful now. Interested in reading what you have to say about the developing coaching rivalry in the Old Dominion.

You know, it's REALLY tough to judge, IMO. We were in SSSSUUUUCCCCHHH different situations when they both took over. Beamer had been trending down, it's true, but there was a stable program with a good tradition and a winning culture, and he kept Foster, who is a hall of famer. (Something HAS to be wrong with foster, right? Like, there's no way he hasn't gotten a head coaching gig after all these years. There HAS to be like big skeletons in the closet. There's just no way you can be THAT good for THAT long, and NOBODY will make that phone call. Like, Iowa State, or Rice or SOMEBODY? How is that possible?)

We on the other hand were a trainwreck.

So, like Daisy has done a fine job. He's got them playing really good football right now, and they're probably going to beat us. Fine. I'm not going to drag him. I just don't know that he could do what Bronco has done, which is resuscitate a dead program.

Maybe he could, I don't know, but maybe he couldn't.

This is all a VERY long winded way to say, I'm happy with my guy. I'm sure VT fans would say the same thing, and since they beat us every year, they've certainly got an argument. Maybe lets re-evaluate in 2 or 3 years?

 

[ibeattetris]

There's just no way you can be THAT good for THAT long, and NOBODY will make that phone call. Like, Iowa State, or Rice or SOMEBODY? How is that possible?

Maybe the guy just loves coaching defense and feels like running an entire program would be boring? Venables has been at least a co-DC since 1999. Maybe some guys just want to get after it on defense.

 

[4shotB]

I'll be honest, I would be genuinely surprised if Collins succeeded at GT the way you guys want him to.

I'm only 61 so I don't have as much experience with GT FB as some of my more esteemed colleagues, but I'm not really sure if any one in my lifetime every really has with maybe the slight and possible exception of Boss Ross (natty, speaks for itself) or GOL (because he beat our most hated rival 3 years in a row).

 

[ilovetheoption]

Maybe the guy just loves coaching defense and feels like running an entire program would be boring? Venables has been at least a co-DC since 1999. Maybe some guys just want to get after it on defense.

I'm not sure that you understand how sour grapes works

 

[bobongo]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a hard time imagining that "one of the hardest places to recruit to" is a good match for a coach whose route to success revolves around out-recruiting the opposition.

I look at it differently. Since recruiting is so hard here, maybe a top notch recruiter is exactly what we need. We'll see what happens.

By the way, I think UVa made a very good hire with Mendenhall.

 

[ibeattetris]

I'm not sure that you understand how sour grapes works

Something went over my head apparently Good luck this weekend. Always good to see you around the board!

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

You know, it's REALLY tough to judge, IMO. We were in SSSSUUUUCCCCHHH different situations when they both took over. Beamer had been trending down, it's true, but there was a stable program with a good tradition and a winning culture, and he kept Foster, who is a hall of famer. (Something HAS to be wrong with foster, right? Like, there's no way he hasn't gotten a head coaching gig after all these years. There HAS to be like big skeletons in the closet. There's just no way you can be THAT good for THAT long, and NOBODY will make that phone call. Like, Iowa State, or Rice or SOMEBODY? How is that possible?)

We on the other hand were a trainwreck.

So, like Daisy has done a fine job. He's got them playing really good football right now, and they're probably going to beat us. Fine. I'm not going to drag him. I just don't know that he could do what Bronco has done, which is resuscitate a dead program.

Maybe he could, I don't know, but maybe he couldn't.

This is all a VERY long winded way to say, I'm happy with my guy. I'm sure VT fans would say the same thing, and since they beat us every year, they've certainly got an argument. Maybe lets re-evaluate in 2 or 3 years?

Maybe the guy just loves coaching defense and feels like running an entire program would be boring? Venables has been at least a co-DC since 1999. Maybe some guys just want to get after it on defense.

The most famous defensive mastermind who “didn’t want a head coaching job” had a pretty big skeleton in his closet.

 

[Rozier24]

I'm loving the heck out of it

Here's the thing. I don't like Bronco Mendenhall. I wouldn't want to hang out with him. I wouldn't send my kids to play for him. I think he's largely full of it.

That said, he's also clearly at least a competent football coach. He may even be an above average ACC coach. We shall see. The point is, he's clearly good enough to coach at UVa. He doesn't recruit kids that get in trouble, he wins enough games that we're not embarrassed, and he doesn't bang his assistants.

The difference between UVa and Georgia Tech is that UVa realizes that that's good enough. We haven't been blessed with an almost unbelievably good run of coaches that have disguised our underlying structural issues. If he does that for 20 years, he'll never have a hot seat, and we'll build him a statue at the end.

It's a little bit lame rooting for him because he's such a tool, but whatever, I have no complaints.

We'll see how much of his success has been the result of fantastic success mining the transfer market for QB's since he's arrived at UVa. We're going with a kid that we have developed from the beginning next year, and who knows how it'll go.

As it relates to GT, I'm not sure how much it does.

Personality wise, Bronco is probably closer to PJ than he is to Collins. He's not a recruiter guy, he's a "recruit a bunch of guys who want to run through the wall and get it done on effort" type. I mean, he's a douche, but in addition to being a douche, he's that as well.

I don't think they're really going to succeed the same way, if they're both going to succeed.

I'll be honest, I would be genuinely surprised if Collins succeeded at GT the way you guys want him to.

I have bought into the idea that GT is academically hard as hell, and not for people who don't take school seriously. I have further bought into the idea that GT's administration will not do football any favors, and will not let a bunch of borderline cases in. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a hard time imagining that "one of the hardest places to recruit to" is a good match for a coach whose route to success revolves around out-recruiting the opposition.

I've been wrong before, I'll be wrong again, but it doesn't seem like a good impedance match to me. ALL THAT SAID, if he's going to succeed, it's going to take a few recruiting cycles for it to happen, because he's not going to outscheme people the way PJ did. You have to let him recruit his guys, and then let them develop for 3 or 4 years, and have several recruiting classes of his guys in a row before you can evaluate, because that's his model, and if you didn't want that model, you shouldn't have hired him. You have to let him succeed or fail his way, and that will be a judgement you can make in 2022

The smartest person on this board is a UVA fan. SMH lol.

Seriously, I have enjoyed your viewpoint for years and I am glad you are sticking around for CGC.

 

[MWBATL]

I'll be honest, I would be genuinely surprised if Collins succeeded at GT the way you guys want him to.

I have bought into the idea that GT is academically hard as hell, and not for people who don't take school seriously. I have further bought into the idea that GT's administration will not do football any favors, and will not let a bunch of borderline cases in. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a hard time imagining that "one of the hardest places to recruit to" is a good match for a coach whose route to success revolves around out-recruiting the opposition.

I've been wrong before, I'll be wrong again, but it doesn't seem like a good impedance match to me. ALL THAT SAID, if he's going to succeed, it's going to take a few recruiting cycles for it to happen, because he's not going to outscheme people the way PJ did. You have to let him recruit his guys, and then let them develop for 3 or 4 years, and have several recruiting classes of his guys in a row before you can evaluate, because that's his model, and if you didn't want that model, you shouldn't have hired him. You have to let him succeed or fail his way, and that will be a judgement you can make in 2022

I agree completely with your last paragraph.

But don't assume that all CGC supporters expect us to be competing with Clemson or UGa. I think there is a fairly large group that would be OK with 8 win seasons on average as long as we once in a blue moon get to 11 wins, beat UGa every once in a while, and don't have any embarrassing seasons. Sort of like you guys. I think he can get there, but don't know it. I do know he recruited well under Gailey...not well enough for us to be Top Ten but well enough for us to be a consistent Top 25 type team.

 

[UgaBlows]

I for one would be very ok with us being a consistent top 25 team, and i very much believe that Coach can get us consistent top 25 recruiting classes or better.

 

[CuseJacket]

I've been wrong before, I'll be wrong again, but it doesn't seem like a good impedance match to me. ALL THAT SAID, if he's going to succeed, it's going to take a few recruiting cycles for it to happen, because he's not going to outscheme people the way PJ did. You have to let him recruit his guys, and then let them develop for 3 or 4 years, and have several recruiting classes of his guys in a row before you can evaluate, because that's his model, and if you didn't want that model, you shouldn't have hired him. You have to let him succeed or fail his way, and that will be a judgement you can make in 2022

When you say he's not going to outscheme, did you mean that to be taken as a matter on O only? Or does your opinion include D and ST? Better athletes + defensive minded coach on paper suggests we'll improve and outscheme on D. Perhaps on ST, it's TBD, but there is at least some evidence that we could improve there with better athletes, even if scheme-neutral.

 

[TromboneJacket]

Regarding Collins trying to out-recruit everyone else, I think that’s only partially right. He isn’t trying to put-scheme everyone like CPJ did, but I think the focus is on recruiting and player development. On defense, I think he was pleased with the job his staff did at Temple, which is why he tried to bring almost all of them to Tech with him. On offense, it appears to me that there was a strong focus on hiring position coaches with good track records and resumés. I think this approach is quite sound, though not particularly unique. I think we have a very impressive staff overall, and I hope we can see a big improvement in execution next season.

 

[UgaBlows]

Aside from Miami (but they waste their talent anyway) we can definitely out-recruit the rest of The Coastal if the current recruiting class is the indicator that i believe it is.