Why GT will repeat Double-Digit Wins, challenge for CFP, and Why Not (long post)

[cuttysark]

@Northeast Stinger:

You are right on the $$ as far as the DL creating more problems inside with JHD at DT along with Gotsis. Hopefully Kallon can add some quality reps and keep both of the starters fresh for the 4th quarter. But here is what I expect to see from CTR throughout the season with Patrick Gamble at SDE:

On passing downs he will substitute Antonio Simmons at SDE and let Freeman switch up which side to rush the passer. These two players at DE are going to be problems for OT's all season long as they are quick and relentless in the backfield. With Gotsis and JHD taking up the interior O-Linemen specifically both guards, no linemen can peel back to help with these two "Edge pass rushers."

The defense will be much improved this season and the secondary is quite experienced.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

8 wins will be a good season.

Team lost to Duke and UNC last year and neither loss was a fluke. Trading Ga Southern and NC State for ND and Fla State on the schedule is brutal. Loss of nearly all BB, AB and WR leaves offensive effectiveness in doubt.

Plus side - Justin Thomas is the real deal, defense should be improved overall, and the offensive system merits confidence.

If everything falls into place and this team reaches 10+ wins, I will be thrilled, but 2/3 of the schedule is Clemson, Miami, FSU, ND, VT, Duke, UNC, and Uga. These are real teams, and no disrespect to Pitt and UVa (at UVA no less, where we have lost many, many times).

Hopefully a fun team. I hope the new skill players produce. I hope the defense stays aggressive like they were much of the 2nd half of last year. I hope we find a pass rush. I hope the turnover margin stays in our favor. I hope we stay healthy. I hope 80% of the incoming class is able to redshirt. And if we win 7+ games, I hope I will retain this perspective and appreciate the victories that the team brings. Can't wait...

Your eight listed teams, comprising 2/3 of our schedule, are tough opponents. But for me personally, and my sense of TechNation overall, in years past viewing that group you said to yourself "hope for 4-4". Today, because of 2014 and because of Justin Thomas and a handful of others, being 8-0 is NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. Not likely, but nobody on that list frightens me as in other seasons. And I think our players approach this year and these games as a welcome opportunity. Let's play!

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Is that from guys going off script or scheme? How can you tell?

I am a fan, not a coach but from my view point we got better at these issues as the season wore on. If we got beat it was because individuals got beat on a particular play, not so much because they were out of position. At least that was the way it looked to me.

Was our talent that much worse than Duke's?

Great question and again I am just giving my opinion. If performance is the confluence of ability, knowledge and experience (yes, yes, coaching is in there for sure), then I would have to say we were worse than Duke.

Duke had six starters returning on defense in 2014 including 3 seniors on the defensive line. That alone might have made the difference. By contrast we had one senior and one junior, if I recall correctly, and the rest of the defensive line was made up of either freshmen or sophomores or players who had not started before. We also played a lot of freshmen among the linebackers and secondary, which might not have been bad (since I see these as a strength for us overall) except that they tended to get out of position early in the season because they were perhaps unconsciously trying to compensate for the weaknesses up front.

But that is my quickie interpretation of why I suspect Duke was just better overall on defense last year. I do not think that will be the case this year because we had a ton of players pick up lots of experience and playing time. Our depth is one of the things that excites me most about next season.

The other possibility is that Cutcliffe's reputation for improving defenses is well founded. I was not a Ted Roof fan when I first heard he was being hired but I am a total convert now. If the defense does not show solid improvement this year I will be shocked and will have to consider that I may have overrated CTR. But I do not expect that to happen.

 

[Skeptic]

I am a fan, not a coach but from my view point we got better at these issues as the season wore on. If we got beat it was because individuals got beat on a particular play, not so much because they were out of position. At least that was the way it looked to me.


Great question and again I am just giving my opinion. If performance is the confluence of ability, knowledge and experience (yes, yes, coaching is in there for sure), then I would have to say we were worse than Duke.

Duke had six starters returning on defense in 2014 including 3 seniors on the defensive line. That alone might have made the difference. By contrast we had one senior and one junior, if I recall correctly, and the rest of the defensive line was made up of either freshmen or sophomores or players who had not started before. We also played a lot of freshmen among the linebackers and secondary, which might not have been bad (since I see these as a strength for us overall) except that they tended to get out of position early in the season because they were perhaps unconsciously trying to compensate for the weaknesses up front.

But that is my quickie interpretation of why I suspect Duke was just better overall on defense last year. I do not think that will be the case this year because we had a ton of players pick up lots of experience and playing time. Our depth is one of the things that excites me most about next season.

The other possibility is that Cutcliffe's reputation for improving defenses is well founded. I was not a Ted Roof fan when I first heard he was being hired but I am a total convert now. If the defense does not show solid improvement this year I will be shocked and will have to consider that I may have overrated CTR. But I do not expect that to happen.

Losing to Duke once is a travesty. Losing to Duke twice in a row would be like having your baby sister take your varsity shortstop job.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Losing to Duke once is a travesty. Losing to Duke twice in a row would be like having your baby sister take your varsity shortstop job.

Lose to Fluke twice in a row and we need to consider making football a club sport. That is the one game I want to see us disable at least four of their starters so the starters can't play the rest of the year. UGAg was not nearly as dirty as Fluke on D last year.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Lose to Fluke twice in a row and we need to consider making football a club sport. That is the one game I want to see us disable at least four of their starters so the starters can't play the rest of the year. UGAg was not nearly as dirty as Fluke on D last year.

So how do you really feel about Duke, Nuke?

 

[TheGridironGeek]

I am a fan, not a coach but from my view point we got better at these issues as the season wore on. If we got beat it was because individuals got beat on a particular play, not so much because they were out of position. At least that was the way it looked to me.


Great question and again I am just giving my opinion. If performance is the confluence of ability, knowledge and experience (yes, yes, coaching is in there for sure), then I would have to say we were worse than Duke.

Duke had six starters returning on defense in 2014 including 3 seniors on the defensive line. That alone might have made the difference. By contrast we had one senior and one junior, if I recall correctly, and the rest of the defensive line was made up of either freshmen or sophomores or players who had not started before. We also played a lot of freshmen among the linebackers and secondary, which might not have been bad (since I see these as a strength for us overall) except that they tended to get out of position early in the season because they were perhaps unconsciously trying to compensate for the weaknesses up front.

But that is my quickie interpretation of why I suspect Duke was just better overall on defense last year. I do not think that will be the case this year because we had a ton of players pick up lots of experience and playing time. Our depth is one of the things that excites me most about next season.

The other possibility is that Cutcliffe's reputation for improving defenses is well founded. I was not a Ted Roof fan when I first heard he was being hired but I am a total convert now. If the defense does not show solid improvement this year I will be shocked and will have to consider that I may have overrated CTR. But I do not expect that to happen.

Athletic development from Frosh to Senior year can't be overlooked. Of course Duke had an advantage, in high school terms their defense was "up." GT's was "down" last year because so many underclassmen were playing in key spots, even though most of us feel the younger players are an upgrade. It takes time to let 'em get bigger and faster, to say nothing of the experience issue.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Athletic development from Frosh to Senior year can't be overlooked. Of course Duke had an advantage, in high school terms their defense was "up." GT's was "down" last year because so many underclassmen were playing in key spots, even though most of us feel the younger players are an upgrade. It takes time to let 'em get bigger and faster, to say nothing of the experience issue.

People are overlooking the fact that JT had his worst game of the year vs Duke. He threw 2 int's. Yeah, he got roughed up on a questionable tackle, but those int's were bad decisions.

 

[slugboy]

People are overlooking the fact that JT had his worst game of the year vs Duke. He threw 2 int's. Yeah, he got roughed up on a questionable tackle, but those int's were bad decisions.

It was the one game all year that I was thinking "PUT BYERLY IN". And I think we might have won that game if he'd taken over--JT was way off that day.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

It was the one game all year that I was thinking "PUT BYERLY IN". And I think we might have won that game if he'd taken over--JT was way off that day.

After JT got injured and looked in pain, I was stunned that Byerly didn't come in, if only to hive JT a breather. I still think that would have changed the game.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I am one of the worst offenders when it comes to hijacking a thread but let me remind folks that the comparison with Duke was simply a comparison of defenses as a way to explain their better defensive statistical rating through the course of the season. The original question had to do with whether Tech's poor defensive statistics through the course of the season had to do with coaching / scheme or whether Duke in fact had better athletes on defense. I was suggesting that, at the very least, Duke had more experienced athletes on defense.

All of this was to explain why we might be more optimistic about Tech's defensive performance this year.

 

[Skeptic]

People are overlooking the fact that JT had his worst game of the year vs Duke. He threw 2 int's. Yeah, he got roughed up on a questionable tackle, but those int's were bad decisions.

It might be a stretch but it seemed to me that Thomas began a very rapid improvement after the Duke game, and by the time he hit MSU and FSU he was a remarkable QB who obviously frustrated their defenses. On the one hand he should be even better in '15. On the other, how much better can he get realistically?

 

[Skeptic]

I am one of the worst offenders when it comes to hijacking a thread but let me remind folks that the comparison with Duke was simply a comparison of defenses as a way to explain their better defensive statistical rating through the course of the season. ...

Capone reportedly was worse in the early days of Prohibition. But he had a gun.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

So how do you really feel about Duke, Nuke?

Fluke isn't worth the sweat off my balls.