Where do we go from here?

Ramble1885

proud sidewalk fan
Messages
1,903
Location
Atlanta
I’m worried about the future. I really thought we had turned a corner and then yesterday happens. We probably lost a lot of the fans we had left, and likely a bunch of the ‘24 recruits as well. Will we ever be good again? I have faith in Key but I’m worried… asking for a friend.
 

TooTall

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,289
Location
Vidalia
We go to Miami and get to .500 on the season. Take a week off. Then take care of business vs BC.

It's nuts and guts time. Key has 85 scholarships to hand out each year. We will see what players want to keep theirs this week. Look, I hate it but Prime has showen that you can wipe a team clean in the off-seaon.

You're too young and too full of White and Gold to start acting like the old guard here. Keep the faith in Key, in J Batt and the guys that bleed on the field.

THWg!
 

Vespidae

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,327
Location
Auburn, AL
I’m worried about the future. I really thought we had turned a corner and then yesterday happens. We probably lost a lot of the fans we had left, and likely a bunch of the ‘24 recruits as well. Will we ever be good again? I have faith in Key but I’m worried… asking for a friend.
I don’t know. The two teams who climbed out the gutter I’m most familiar with are Tennessee (under Butch Jones) and Alabama, before Saban (Mike Shula). Both turned the corner …

Tennessee totally flipped the roster and demanded big boy football. Players were shown the door if they didn’t buy in. Saban brought in a 364 day a year, disciple to the game and Kirby has used since.

But the BIGGEST change to both programs was professionalizing athletics. Push the big donors out of decision-making, and while welcoming their money, limit participation to experienced folks. Alabama’s program bears no resemble to the good ol boy program of 2006.

There‘s not a lot new. Dodd wrote extensively how to play football at Tech. Keep the score close and win it in the fourth (I.e., limit the number of possessions, plays, and try for a low scoring game.) Why? We didn’t have the athletes. we didn’t then. We don’t now.

A high school coach and former D1 standout said it even simpler. “If you don’t have an O-Line or a D-Line, the game becomes very, very hard.”

As I watch Tech today, it’s like a company without a business model. Lots of people working hard, but not together. And nobody knows what they are supposed to do.

Coffee rant.
 

Eli

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,614
I’m worried about the future. I really thought we had turned a corner and then yesterday happens. We probably lost a lot of the fans we had left, and likely a bunch of the ‘24 recruits as well. Will we ever be good again? I have faith in Key but I’m worried… asking for a friend.

Recruits don’t make a decision based on one game
 

GT33

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,182
I’m worried about the future. I really thought we had turned a corner and then yesterday happens. We probably lost a lot of the fans we had left, and likely a bunch of the ‘24 recruits as well. Will we ever be good again? I have faith in Key but I’m worried… asking for a friend.
You're on the GT rollercoaster ride. Thought we were climbing off the bottom then surprise, **** the bed and found ourselves back in the crapper. It won't be your last disappointment, but somewhere over the hill is a pretty good run. It's the GT way.

On the losing fans side, well this game set us back another 2 years imo. Speaking for myself, the end of last year restored some hope. Louisville game was maddening, but a few more peices in the right spot and we win. We looked ok at Ole Piss, as good as expected. We won at Wake like I expected, they were significantly weaker without Hartman and prime to be spanked. I was a little concerning we came out flat in 2nd half, because that appears to be a troubling trend. I saw some friends at the tailgate yesterday that I had not seen since 2019. We come out hot yesterday, everybody's talking about seeing what the 2 & 3 deep look like with significant snaps in the 2nd half. Next thing we know we're imploding, disinterested. Concerning was there was no emotion, we had the energy level of a funeral viewing. Those fans that were reserving judgment before coming back into the fold are probably going to wait & see now until next year unless something miraculous happens this year.

The set up of this season sucked. Game at Benz, then no conference or significant home game until late October. Now instead of 3-2 and some hope and momentum, then probably we split Miami and BC and go to Homecoming 4-3, we're likely 2-5 and the chatter among those even wanting to show up for Homecoming will be if Key can stop the embarassing string of implosions from the staff he was part of or whether or not he & Thacker were key to the implosions.

Key needs some time to rebuild, but damn this did not help cement him as the guy that's going to undo the last 4 years of crap performances.
 

AUFC

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,862
Location
Atlanta
We heard from Moala yesterday - they overlooked BGSU and were already mentally onto Miami. It was an ANOMALY. That's disappointing and falls on Coach Key's shoulders but it's a good learning experience and I suspect a completely different Georgia Tech team shows up in Miami next weekend. I doubt we're overlooking them. I'm still hopeful.
 

Techwood Relict

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,424
Will we ever be good again? I have faith in Key but I’m worried… asking for a friend.
Looking for a good dead cat bounce after that game.

cat jumping GIF
 

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
9,668
When TFP came he agreed to take all of the recruits of the 3O coach that was leaving. This board was was super worried that Players might be processed before graduation.

Now we have NIL , portal, cfp, new conference make up, tv contracts under stress.

We have attempted retain some dignity and loyalty to players.

The talk of buying a hot DC wont work at gt due to $$ issuses and gt not being relevant.

Imo , gt s brand should be based on hiring the best position coaches and giving long term contracts, $$$, PLUS $$$ incentives for success. May need to raid the pros.

When we are known for having have best position coaches, players will self recruit and wont leave. Up and coming DC and HC will give us a look.






.
 
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LongforDodd

LatinxBreakfastTacos
Messages
3,195
I’m worried about the future. I really thought we had turned a corner and then yesterday happens. We probably lost a lot of the fans we had left, and likely a bunch of the ‘24 recruits as well. Will we ever be good again? I have faith in Key but I’m worried… asking for a friend.
Personally after years of faithful fandom yesterday may have done something to that. I’m getting too old to allow these emotional ups and downs from the past 5-6 years with what’s on the horizon of college football. It doesn’t look good for the future when we could possibly keep losing our best players each year with these program killing losses.

You young folks need to try to keep it going. Good luck. I truly wish you well.
 

Old School

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
136
I used to think NIL was a disadvantage for mid level programs like Tech. But now I’m not so sure anymore. I’d forget about having lavish facilities in the short term. I’d make sure we could pay 8-10 studs a million per year. These guys could give a rip about facilities as long as they’re getting paid.

Travis Hunter is the best example of this. Number 1 recruit in the nation went to a HBCU. Facilities don’t get worse than that. Traditional ways of winning and building programs are over. Just change the mindset. Give our coaches an advantage. We’ve lost a lot of guys starting for other teams cuz they’re getting paid.

Pay some studs, win, and money will flow in for everything else.
 

slugboy

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,499
We heard from Moala yesterday - they overlooked BGSU and were already mentally onto Miami. It was an ANOMALY. That's disappointing and falls on Coach Key's shoulders but it's a good learning experience and I suspect a completely different Georgia Tech team shows up in Miami next weekend. I doubt we're overlooking them. I'm still hopeful.
It’s happened almost every year since 2017. How can it be an anomaly?
 

leatherneckjacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,079
Location
Atlanta, GA
I used to think NIL was a disadvantage for mid level programs like Tech. But now I’m not so sure anymore. I’d forget about having lavish facilities in the short term. I’d make sure we could pay 8-10 studs a million per year. These guys could give a rip about facilities as long as they’re getting paid.

Travis Hunter is the best example of this. Number 1 recruit in the nation went to a HBCU. Facilities don’t get worse than that. Traditional ways of winning and building programs are over. Just change the mindset. Give our coaches an advantage. We’ve lost a lot of guys starting for other teams cuz they’re getting paid.

Pay some studs, win, and money will flow in for everything else.
Yod do realize that the school cannot provide NIL money and is the one paying for the renovations. Those funds to renovate our facilities cannot be redirected towards paying NIL.
 

sonngy

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
34
Keep in mind that UNC almost lost to App State this year and had to go on double overtime to win. Alabama also almost lost to USF. I can name several good teams that were in a slugfest with inferior opponents who are still good today. Tech isn’t good enough to have this kind of showing and win anyways so we took a beating yesterday. I’m putting my faith on Key using this loss as motivation for the team to pivot and really commit to winning every game. Go Jackets!
 
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