Where we might lose Coach Collins.

[jgtengineer]

I know clickbaity title but wait for it, I've been doing a decent amount of thinking on this and I honestly think that our most likely competition for Collins's talent if and when he turns things around here (if his methods work I see us having a majorly hard time holding onto him) Isn't actually in the College world at all.

Thanks to the transfer portal college football is now getting a very strong taste of the concept of free agency and sub 4 year contract management where players can in truth take their talents elsewhere demanding a release and potentially be courted for a second round of recruiting. Collins has shown he is very adept in going after these free agents, just look at what we are bringing in. If he managed to get us to a 10 win team by year 4 (the optimistic view would be 10-4 or 12-2 with a loss or 2 in the regular season and a acc championship loss to a clemson or so but eh you get the point) That would show that as a rebuilder with a penchant for building in free agency and an eye for talent. I think we very well could lose him to something crazy like an assistant GM job in the NFL.

He is already extremely brand focused and ticks a lot of those boxes on what you need out of an NFL GM. I could easily see a team taking a chance on him and bringing him into their front office especially if they have an aging GM or have recently done a coaching/gm change.

Or its monday. I know im typically on the negative side of collin's debates. But that's not because I don't want to see success its usually because I also don't think success means ignoring what was successful before or tribalistic approaches. I actually do think if he managed something like this this is a very real threat most other schools wouldn't even have. Collins has shown in his career in the past that he's willing to step off the field into admin roles if it either advanced his career or presented a new challenge. Also it be hard to turn down the league.

 

[4shotB]

Interesting concept. While you will have a lot of people naysaying your concept based soley on his record to date (short sighted imo) but a couple things about Geoff. A) He seems to enjoy branding/marketing/sales/recruiting and appears to be quite good at it. B) His resume indicates he likes change and new challenges frequently.

I hope he is so succesful that any opportunity he desires is available to him.

 

[awbuzz]

I hope that we have this "problem" to worry about in a couple of years.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I think his approach to personal relationships with his players and his rah-rah attitude is better suited to college than the impersonal, business-like approach taken by the pros.

 

[jgtengineer]

I think his approach to personal relationships with his players and his rah-rah attitude is better suited to college than the impersonal, business-like approach taken by the pros.

There have been plenty of players GM's in the NFL. As long as everyone understands their playing the same game I don't think this is as big of a problem.

 

[BCJacket]

I think you make an interesting point about CGC's aptitudes. However, I'd disagree about the likely trajectory. NFL front office is all about money. It's rare for a team to 'recruit' a free agent with culture and branding. (It helps to be a team players want to play for.) But at the end of the day, the vast majority of the time, it's giving their agent a money number that works.

That said, I think, for all the reasons you mentioned, CFB is becoming more of a 'free agent' game. Opening up NIL is only going to exacerbate that. It's going to add a whole new dimension to the calculus of where players go. I think programs with strong culture, branding and media presence are going to have a leg up in that arena. The factories will always have a money advantage. Bama's probably going to get their 3rd string punter a lucrative 'endorsement deal' from a booster-owned ag supply in Hicksville. But, Tech's Atlanta location and CGC's culture/brand awareness gives us an opportunity to create a synergy in the local marketplace.

UGag is the default college 'sports franchise' in our state. But Tech- the institute has a high level of recognition. Even my most ardent Dwag-fan friends want their kids to go to Tech, if they can. Most of the folks I know in the metro area aren't from here originally, and highly respect Tech. I absolutely believe there's a place for our program to build a lucrative endorsement and image media environment for our players in Atlanta. And CGC might be one of the best-suited HCs for the new paradigm.

Think: Coca-Cola's VP of social media sees a meme trending about the start of college football season. (S)he needs a timely media post to take advantage of the moment. Who's players are right across the street to bring in for a quick video clip? Who's coach would gladly re-arrange practice to work in a meme-able moment posing with coke bottles for a media blast. Tech. We can do that!

If CGC is highly successful here and if he gets hired away. I think it'd be by a college factory looking for a media-savvy GM/CEO type head coach.

 

[jgtengineer]

I think you make an interesting point about CGC's aptitudes. However, I'd disagree about the likely trajectory. NFL front office is all about money. It's rare for a team to 'recruit' a free agent with culture and branding. (It helps to be a team players want to play for.) But at the end of the day, the vast majority of the time, it's giving their agent a money number that works.

That said, I think, for all the reasons you mentioned, CFB is becoming more of a 'free agent' game. Opening up NIL is only going to exacerbate that. It's going to add a whole new dimension to the calculus of where players go. I think programs with strong culture, branding and media presence are going to have a leg up in that arena. The factories will always have a money advantage. Bama's probably going to get their 3rd string punter a lucrative 'endorsement deal' from a booster-owned ag supply in Hicksville. But, Tech's Atlanta location and CGC's culture/brand awareness gives us an opportunity to create a synergy in the local marketplace.

UGag is the default college 'sports franchise' in our state. But Tech- the institute has a high level of recognition. Even my most ardent Dwag-fan friends want their kids to go to Tech, if they can. Most of the folks I know in the metro area aren't from here originally, and highly respect Tech. I absolutely believe there's a place for our program to build a lucrative endorsement and image media environment for our players in Atlanta. And CGC might be one of the best-suited HCs for the new paradigm.

Think: Coca-Cola's VP of social media sees a meme trending about the start of college football season. (S)he needs a timely media post to take advantage of the moment. Who's players are right across the street to bring in for a quick video clip? Who's coach would gladly re-arrange practice to work in a meme-able moment posing with coke bottles for a media blast. Tech. We can do that!

If CGC is highly successful here and if he gets hired away. I think it'd be by a college factory looking for a media-savvy GM/CEO type head coach.

When it comes to free agents there is a LOT of recruiting that goes on unless you are one of three or for teams. There is a reason that wasn't money for why Brady went to Tampa. Guys lookign to stay in the league? That's all money, courting the better players. That becomes recruiting. I am actually taking collins at his word here that he sees tech as a destination its all predicated on that stipulation. If he builds Tech into a competitor he has no reason to ever leave home... unless a potential superbowl ring was calling.

 

[smokey_wasp]

I don't see it at all. I think there a handful of college head coaching jobs that would be hard to turn down, but I don't see him in the NFL as a coach, much less GM.

 

[WreckinGT]

If Collins gets us to 10+ wins a season then programs with more money will be throwing 6-7 million a year at him. That's far more than he would make as an assistant GM or even a full GM.

 

[jgtengineer]

If Collins gets us to 10+ wins a season then programs with more money will be throwing 6-7 million a year at him. That's far more than he would make as an assistant GM or even a full GM.

That is a valid point, it really becomes if its about money or challenge. But GM's typically make 3 mil a year average. Assistants can make well whatever an owner wants to pay them.

 

[Skeptic]

I know clickbaity title but wait for it, I've been doing a decent amount of thinking on this and I honestly think that our most likely competition for Collins's talent if and when he turns things around here (if his methods work I see us having a majorly hard time holding onto him) Isn't actually in the College world at all.

Thanks to the transfer portal college football is now getting a very strong taste of the concept of free agency and sub 4 year contract management where players can in truth take their talents elsewhere demanding a release and potentially be courted for a second round of recruiting. Collins has shown he is very adept in going after these free agents, just look at what we are bringing in. If he managed to get us to a 10 win team by year 4 (the optimistic view would be 10-4 or 12-2 with a loss or 2 in the regular season and a acc championship loss to a clemson or so but eh you get the point) That would show that as a rebuilder with a penchant for building in free agency and an eye for talent. I think we very well could lose him to something crazy like an assistant GM job in the NFL.

He is already extremely brand focused and ticks a lot of those boxes on what you need out of an NFL GM. I could easily see a team taking a chance on him and bringing him into their front office especially if they have an aging GM or have recently done a coaching/gm change.

Or its monday. I know im typically on the negative side of collin's debates. But that's not because I don't want to see success its usually because I also don't think success means ignoring what was successful before or tribalistic approaches. I actually do think if he managed something like this this is a very real threat most other schools wouldn't even have. Collins has shown in his career in the past that he's willing to step off the field into admin roles if it either advanced his career or presented a new challenge. Also it be hard to turn down the league.

If I didn't know better I would think Collins a coaching superstar and the truth is we still don't know if he can coach a lick. We know or think we know he can recruit. We don't know if he can coach 'em up. (ACC rosters are full of 5-stars who spend their college careers playing as 3-stars.) As for the NFL? Put down that koolaid.

 

[seanfloyd18]

In the Spring of 2019, after Collins was hired, I was lucky enough to attend an IFC meeting with my fraternity’s president held in the Team Meeting Room, hosted by CGC and the new staff. A lot of things were said, really focused on trying to get Greek life / students excited for the new staff, but two things stuck out to me which, today, are still the biggest reasons I have zero doubts about Collins as a HC (assuming we can spend big on coordinators if we don’t start winning games this season).

The first thing he said repeatedly was that this was a destination job for him. He grew up around GT, had some of his earliest jobs as a coach/assistant at GT, and loves Georgia Tech as much as we do. This isn’t a stepping stone to something bigger, this is his something bigger (and that’s paraphrasing what he said in the room).

Many of you will probably see the next comment that stuck out to me as fluff or empty promise, because as of right now it seems ridiculous, but he said there would be a ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on just how incredible this transition was going to be (in the next decade). I think that’s definitely hyperbole, but bottom line, you don’t make a comment like that planning to move on from what you built, at least not for a while. I think it’s more likely GCG succeeds than fails, but if GCG leaves GT, I think it’s more likely that he leaves because he failed rather than because of a new opportunity from his success.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

Collins is here for the long term. His wife wanted to get back here. He wants to raise his daughter around family. He’s a GT guy from adolescence. I believe GT finally found THAT guy we’ve all wanted here since Dodd who can become synonymous with the school. We’ve had some great coaches in the past but they all left for greener pastures. I believe GT finally has our guy. And no, the previous two seasons mean nothing record wise.

 

[Jim Prather]

Collins is here for the long term. His wife wanted to get back here. He wants to raise his daughter around family. He’s a GT guy from adolescence. I believe GT finally found THAT guy we’ve all wanted here since Dodd who can become synonymous with the school. We’ve had some great coaches in the past but they all left for greener pastures. I believe GT finally has our guy. And no, the previous two seasons mean nothing record wise.

Of course the past two seasons mean something record wise - at the end of the day they are going to factor into his winning percentage. Everyone here just hopes they are simply growing pains and not harbingers of future performance.

 

[RichardFrazier]

I am ok if we lose CGC under your scenario, it means we had b2b double digit winning seasons....something that hasn't happened since Coach Dodd was on the flats.

 

[jacketup]

Collins is here for the long term. His wife wanted to get back here. He wants to raise his daughter around family. He’s a GT guy from adolescence. I believe GT finally found THAT guy we’ve all wanted here since Dodd who can become synonymous with the school. We’ve had some great coaches in the past but they all left for greener pastures. I believe GT finally has our guy. And no, the previous two seasons mean nothing record wise.

Correct. He is from the Atlanta area and his extended family lives in the area. I've met many of them. Sat with two of his relatives at the ND game. I guess enough money might talk, but this is where he wants to be.
The previous two seasons have more to do with the line of scrimmage talent he inherited than his coaching ability--and that's about to change. Maybe we could use an upgrade with some of the assistants to get us to another level (like O'Leary did with Ralph), but it's up to Stansbury to raise the money to hire them.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

In the Spring of 2019, after Collins was hired, I was lucky enough to attend an IFC meeting with my fraternity’s president held in the Team Meeting Room, hosted by CGC and the new staff. A lot of things were said, really focused on trying to get Greek life / students excited for the new staff, but two things stuck out to me which, today, are still the biggest reasons I have zero doubts about Collins as a HC (assuming we can spend big on coordinators if we don’t start winning games this season).

The first thing he said repeatedly was that this was a destination job for him. He grew up around GT, had some of his earliest jobs as a coach/assistant at GT, and loves Georgia Tech as much as we do. This isn’t a stepping stone to something bigger, this is his something bigger (and that’s paraphrasing what he said in the room).

Many of you will probably see the next comment that stuck out to me as fluff or empty promise, because as of right now it seems ridiculous, but he said there would be a ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on just how incredible this transition was going to be (in the next decade). I think that’s definitely hyperbole, but bottom line, you don’t make a comment like that planning to move on from what you built, at least not for a while. I think it’s more likely GCG succeeds than fails, but if GCG leaves GT, I think it’s more likely that he leaves because he failed rather than because of a new opportunity from his success.

The vast majority of people, including me, would drop everything if enough money was waved in our faces. I am not convinced just yet that Coach Collins is of that mindset. He strikes me as having a very different outlook than most people. This may very well be his "dream job" or his "destination job" if so, he would be stamped as a different sort of dude all the way around which may be how he likes it. Win a few more ball games and we will see how he jumps.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Collins is here for the long term. His wife wanted to get back here. He wants to raise his daughter around family. He’s a GT guy from adolescence. I believe GT finally found THAT guy we’ve all wanted here since Dodd who can become synonymous with the school. We’ve had some great coaches in the past but they all left for greener pastures. I believe GT finally has our guy. And no, the previous two seasons mean nothing record wise.

If there is such a thing anymore, Collins is an "Atlanta boy" for sure.

 

[JacketOff]

If there is such a thing anymore, Collins is an "Atlanta boy" for sure.

The correct term is “ATLien” for future reference

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

The correct term is “ATLien” for future reference

I would not know. I have not lived in Atlanta in over 35 years and have no desire to go back...Thomas Wolfe was right "You can't go home again" but Collins may prove him wrong. My daughter lives in Decatur and loves it but she does not have a commute involving Atlanta traffic.