Why do we seem to follow big seasons with letdown seasons?

[Papa Doc]

Nuke speaks truth. As good as last season was, and as nice as the potential was for the season, the margins are VERY thin for us. Our team is playing hard and not giving up, but they also are not making the plays they did last year to win. A few key injuries, a few mistakes here and there...and here we sit at 2-3. The season is not lost, but it has been a good reminder that we still do not have the talent and depth to make mistakes and win consistently. The difference between a really good team and a average team is razor thin. We could have won that game in about 5 different ways yesterday...but we didn't. We made mistakes when we needed precision and execution.

spot on

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Ken swilling got religion and was not same player.

I did not know that. Can you say more?

 

[Lexjacket]

After watching college football for about 55 years I came to the conclusion...the variables are many, the margins of success and failure are infinitesimal, the ball is oblong and takes weird bounces, and Pride goeth before a Fall. I Love to win, but I enjoy the game and the play on the field, so I always leave with something. I am an unashamed optimist, but I understand being realistic (learned reality in Vietnam). It's a great game and Georgia Tech is a historic and legendary team. Enjoy our team, encourage our players, dare to hope (10-3 season?). Remember "Fortune Favors the Brave".

 

[Yaller Jacket]

To answer the original question, it is just happenstance. There is no pattern. I was as perplexed in 1991 as I am now. I had the same sense of thinking for 10 months how great we were gonna be, then the season got underway. That summer the players were saying stuff like "last year we resented having to share the national title. We're going to get it all this year." I bought in. The best explanation I heard later was that while the skill position players returned, we had mass turnover in the lines. Opposite of now.

When you are throwing out this year's problems, don't leave out injuries. Starting in August we had a slew of big play threats at A. Last week not one was on the field. Although I should add I haven't seen enough of Lands-Davis to know. He might be one.

 

[stingyoa$$]

Last year's team made that offense look "easy" and it spoiled most into thinking anyone could do it because of the "system". It really doesn't matter what offense you run you still need to have athletes that can do it. I never bought into the notion that PJ's offense made these guys look good. I always thought the other way that these guys made PJ's offense look good.

 

[Bogey]

I've seen a lot of micro analysis about specific things to this team, but it's way beyond CPJ's 2 minute drill playcalling.

It can't be purely lack of talent. Maybe lack of depth. But I am pretty sure that our QB and OL didn't up and regress talent-wise overnight.

Some of you older folks may remember 1991 being surprisingly disappointing as well.

It' because we do not recruit big every year and every now and then, when the stars and planets are aligned properly, the football gods allow us to have a great season.

 

[DvilleJacket]

We are only setup to have a great season every five years or so with the academic restrictions. It's really amazing we have been bowling for so long. I too thought we would be good again not realizing the loss of all the talent would factor more than it has. The injuries to younger talent that we thought would plug in has killed us too.

 

[Bogey]

When our recruiting classes like redshirts, freshmen, medical redshirts, seniors, etc. all align with the planets, then the gods throw us a bone. Happens not nearly enough for me but I am still a Tech fan after 55 years. It ain't going to change guys.

 

[awbuzz]

Bad luck (injuries, crappy officiating, ball just doesn't bounce our way) is part of it all.
CPJ commented that we have already lost 29 "player games" from would be starters so far this season. This week we were missing 8 or 9 "starters".
That's a hard hill for GT, and most 'mid-level" teams to over come because we're not loaded with Top 25 recruiting classes year after year.
Last year injuries didn't become an issue until later in the year and "back ups" had experience.

 

[JKMSJ]

Ken swilling got religion and was not same player.

Ken swilling got hurt pretty sure his religion had nothing to do with his playing ability.

 

[00Burdell]

Look around. Oregon. Auburn. Virginia Tech.

What do we have that they don't? A longer bowl streak.

And another thing - we don't know how good ND, Duke and UNC really are yet.

Too much football left - the only thing wrong with this season is how it compares to some pretty lofty expectations at this point (I had them too).

Last season, we could easily have four losses at this point. Easily. Let it play out.

 

[takethepoints]

I think this one is pretty easy to answer.

When we have good years - like most other schools - it is because we have a decent number of good, experienced players. I remember predicting that we'd do well in 2006 because we had a team with good talent that was loaded with seniors and juniors. This year we are playing with good players who don't have sufficient game experience. Part of this is due to injuries (Leggett, Quaide, Summers, et al.), part is due to personnel decisions (why, oh why, Lord, didn't we redshirt Laskey?). And sure enough = erratic play.

I remember this last summer saying that everyone who was expecting a run at the gold this year was off; we're a year away, even at full strength. I also thought I was wrong when we ran away with the first two games. Unfortunately, I was right. We'll have to hope we get better and that we can gain experience and get everyone well for next year. I predict good results then for reasons given above.

 

[stingyoa$$]

Look around. Oregon. Auburn. Virginia Tech.

What do we have that they don't? A longer bowl streak.

And another thing - we don't know how good ND, Duke and UNC really are yet.

Too much football left - the only thing wrong with this season is how it compares to some pretty lofty expectations at this point (I had them too).

Last season, we could easily have four losses at this point. Easily. Let it play out.

Could of...would of...should of.... We can play that all the time. Bottom line is last year's team didn't choke and won the game we all thought they would win. I think it's silly to try and justify last year's success with the stinker of a team we have seen so far this year. I don't make excuses for wins or losses. It is what it is.

 

[GTMD]

I feel like we gave the two games away (Duke, unc)- had every opportunity to win and should have. I believe we were the better team. ND would've been much easier to swallow if we were sitting here 4-1 with coastal and ACC champ potential on the horizon.

The concern for me is how the team responds because losing (like winning) can be contagious. I'm not getting into the "true fan" debate - most everyone on here as far as I can tell are die hard Tech fans, we've all lived through this in the past and it's always heartbreaking and frustrating to not live up to expectations.

I was in the stands (and one of the ones who started the mock FSU war chant ) when Charlie Ward ripped our hearts out. I couldn't wait for the '91 kickoff classic vs Penn State and felt the gut punch of that game. Ive had to endure the redneck taunts of UGA fans , none worse than 09 on our home field. On and on and on.

The pain of those experiences (and this season) is what makes the years like 1990 and 2014 so special.

We don't have the luxury of sidewalk fans - Tech folks are die hard and know the up and down painful roller coaster experience of Tech fandom.

We're allowed to cry in our beers during the periodic dumpster fires we endure, doesn't mean we're giving up on the team or on GT.

But this season has lost its luster for me and I just want us to upset the folks like Clemson and UGA and carry out guerilla warfare and SOMEHOW keep the bowl streak alive.

A UGA win and ANY postseason bowl redeems the season for me and I'll look forward to next year with more humble expectations!

I REALLY want us to send off JeT with a GREAT senior year- hopefully this season will be a refining furnace to get our younger guys ready to wreak havoc next year .

I'll still be rooting for the Jackets as I have for more than 35 years

 

[Wrecking Ball]

I feel like we gave the two games away (Duke, unc)- had every opportunity to win and should have. I believe we were the better team. ND would've been much easier to swallow if we were sitting here 4-1 with coastal and ACC champ potential on the horizon.

The concern for me is how the team responds because losing (like winning) can be contagious. I'm not getting into the "true fan" debate - most everyone on here as far as I can tell are die hard Tech fans, we've all lived through this in the past and it's always heartbreaking and frustrating to not live up to expectations.

I was in the stands (and one of the ones who started the mock FSU war chant ) when Charlie Ward ripped our hearts out. I couldn't wait for the '91 kickoff classic vs Penn State and felt the gut punch of that game. Ive had to endure the redneck taunts of UGA fans , none worse than 09 on our home field. On and on and on.

The pain of those experiences (and this season) is what makes the years like 1990 and 2014 so special.

We don't have the luxury of sidewalk fans - Tech folks are die hard and know the up and down painful roller coaster experience of Tech fandom.

We're allowed to cry in our beers during the periodic dumpster fires we endure, doesn't mean we're giving up on the team or on GT.

But this season has lost its luster for me and I just want us to upset the folks like Clemson and UGA and carry out guerilla warfare and SOMEHOW keep the bowl streak alive.

A UGA win and ANY postseason bowl redeems the season for me and I'll look forward to next year with more humble expectations!

I REALLY want us to send off JeT with a GREAT senior year- hopefully this season will be a refining furnace to get our younger guys ready to wreak havoc next year .

I'll still be rooting for the Jackets as I have for more than 35 years

This is an outstanding post.

 

[stingyoa$$]

[N/T

 

[kg01]

It's karma. Whenever we do anything we all get the big-head and start talking 'sleeper playoff pick' and such.

I'm guilty of it and I bet if most of you are honest you'll admit to it too. Karma likes to swat yellowjackets.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Whenever we do anything we all get the big-head and start talking 'sleeper playoff pick' and such.

I also think there is another factor at work here. Other schools that we know of have fans that allow themselves to swagger and talk big year after year. Regardless of the previous year's record. Some of us just wanted to try that on for once since it is not generally a Tech thing.

Here is a comparison. The normal M.O. for Auburn or georgie or Tennessee or FSU fans is to gloat for an entire year when they beat their rival while spending the entire off season conjecturing about conference and national title aspirations.

The normal M.O. for Tech fans is to cut our gloating over beating a rival short because, dread and horror, we have to play them again. We also, normally, shoot down any possibility that we will ever follow up a good season with another good season.

This year some of us thought we would try something different. Different approach, same result.

 

[kg01]

I also think there is another factor at work here. Other schools that we know of have fans that allow themselves to swagger and talk big year after year. Regardless of the previous year's record. Some of us just wanted to try that on for once since it is not generally a Tech thing.

Here is a comparison. The normal M.O. for Auburn or georgie or Tennessee or FSU fans is to gloat for an entire year when they beat their rival while spending the entire off season conjecturing about conference and national title aspirations.

The normal M.O. for Tech fans is to cut our gloating over beating a rival short because, dread and horror, we have to play them again. We also, normally, shoot down any possibility that we will ever follow up a good season with another good season.

This year some of us thought we would try something different. Different approach, same result.

Yes, yes. Your theory has merit as well. We certainly did try on those dirty, used overalls. Never again.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

Well, some folks did try to be voices of reason and were utterly vilified.