Why I'm Optimistic About GT's Potential

[Techster]

Watching the NFL playoffs has reminded me how close our program is to taking the next step. From a good/average program with spurts of VERY good (2009, 2014) the last 8 years, to a consistently VERY good program. Why is it I think this?

Patriots VS Chiefs
The Hit:
Shaq Mason - All World at GT. One of the most decorated OLs to have ever put on a GT jersey.

The Misses:
Trey Flowers - All SEC DT. Committed to GT until the following week he went to Arkansas.
Tre Jackson - All ACC OL. Committed to GT, then flipped to FSU.

Steelers VS Broncos
The Hit:
Demaryius Thomas - All ACC WR. 1st round pick.

The Misses:
Bud Dupree - All SEC DE/OLB. 1st Round pick. Wanted to commit to GT, but Al Groh did not think he fit his scheme. Left GT without a scholly offer, and immediately committed to Kentucky the following week.
Stephon Tuitt - 5 Star DT, All American at ND, 3rd round pick. Everyone knows the story by now. Wanted to come here, but Momma Tuitt did not think GT's education was on par with ND..."regional" was a description she used to describe our education reputation.

Cincinnati Bengals
Brandon Thompson - Was set to come to GT, but GT changed staffs. Ended up at Clemson. Had a very decorated career at Clemson.

Obviously there are quite a few more GT players, and close recruiting misses that have participated in the NFL playoffs this year than the ones listed above over the last 8 years, but the misses above are the ones that stand out. DL has been a huge problem for us, and to have a DL of made up of those guys (plus guys like Derrick Morgan, Jeremiah Attaochou, Adam Gotsis) would have made GT a VERY good team. For various reasons, GT could not get them to come here, but we were VERY close to having them in a GT uniform.

If you wonder why I'm constantly high on GT's potential, and why I think we could be a better football program, the instances above are just a few reasons. This is NOT a thread slamming the staff for not recruiting better, or why I think GT's academics are over used in preventing us from signing better recruits. It's just an observation of how close GT was to having the key pieces we needed.

Obviously, we aren't going to consistently get those type of players, but the idea of players like that wanting to come to GT isn't wishful thinking. It's my personal opinion that GT is a lot closer to being a VERY good program than most believe, and if we only closed on half of those maybe the history of our program looks different today.

 

[swampsting]

Why'd you have to remind about Groh and Bud Dupree? Why? I was having a pretty good night until then. Now I need to take something to keep the bile down.

How different would things be if Tuitt had stayed true to his commitment to Tech? Kelly flew the entire staff down to visit with Tuitt, then had Tuitt call PJ to tell him he was decommitting and had the coaching staff listen in on the call. What a doosh move.

 

[Techster]

Why'd you have to remind about Groh and Bud Dupree? Why? I was having a pretty good night until then. Now I need to take something to keep the bile down.

How different would things be if Tuitt had stayed true to his commitment to Tech? Kelly flew the entire staff down to visit with Tuitt, then had Tuitt call PJ to tell him he was decommitting and had the coaching staff listen in on the call. What a doosh move.

Lol...I didn't even know about Dupree until the recruiting guru formerly known as Eric told us last year. Then I was like...Dafuq Al Groh?!!

 

[UgaBlows]

Why'd you have to remind about Groh and Bud Dupree? Why? I was having a pretty good night until then. Now I need to take something to keep the bile down.

How different would things be if Tuitt had stayed true to his commitment to Tech? Kelly flew the entire staff down to visit with Tuitt, then had Tuitt call PJ to tell him he was decommitting and had the coaching staff listen in on the call. What a doosh move.

Wow, now i really hate Kelly

 

[4shotB]

Obviously there are quite a few more GT players, and close recruiting misses that have participated in the NFL playoffs this year than the ones listed above over the last 8 years, but the misses above are the ones that stand out. DL has been a huge problem for us, and to have a DL of made up of those guys (plus guys like Derrick Morgan, Jeremiah Attaochou, Adam Gotsis) would have made GT a VERY good team. For various reasons, GT could not get them to come here, but we were VERY close to having them in a GT uniform.

If you wonder why I'm constantly high on GT's potential, and why I think we could be a better football program, the instances above are just a few reasons. This is NOT a thread slamming the staff for not recruiting better, or why I think GT's academics are over used in preventing us from signing better recruits. It's just an observation of how close GT was to having the key pieces we needed.

Techster, great post and thanks for putting it together. WTBS, I am sure there are a hots of other schools who could watch the NFL playoffs and put together a list of "what ifs" as well. For all we talk about GT and its recruiting limitations (which do exist), we never discuss one issue which has stood out to me over the past 15 years. What is missing is a staff that can recruit well across the board. For example, CCG and his staff always had very good DL's,LB's and skill positions. But could never find QB's. And I believe we have more talent now than then in the secondary. CPJ and his crew do well in most areas recruiting wise but for some reason can't recruit the DL and LB's that the previous staff did. So while our limitations do exist, each of the past 2 coaches seemed to do well in limited areas. This issue seems to transcend the limitations issue which we speak of (otherwise results - recruiting wise - would be similar...i.e strengths would align closer).

 

[Milwaukee]

Huh?

 

[first&ten]

Huh?

I think he's trying to say that Tech coaches don't recruit very well.

 

[iceeater1969]

In this smaller class (16) if we close fast on these top talent types who are ( for most part) out of state, this will be a very good class and that would be two in a row.

If this recruiting class finishes fast inspite of a very poor record in 15 and it shows strong sucess in areas outside our standard recruiting areas , I will be very very up about gt 's potential.

The fact that we are talking about this after 15, makes me optimistic.
Just win 8 in 16!!!!!

 

[Techster]

I think he's trying to say that Tech coaches don't recruit very well.

Not really. I think CPJ and staff recruit adequately enough.

My overall point was GT has a higher ceiling than what we've shown recently, and we're not too far away from being a VERY good team consistently. I used the examples I did because a lot of our talent issues come from the defensive line. The guys I listed were all either committed, or wanted to come here. We were thisclose to getting them. They were BIG time talents...the kind of talents that change the complexion of programs. Guys like Tuitt, Dupree, and Thompson all wanted to sign here, but for various reasons they did not. You can make the argument that Flowers used GT as a fallback, but he was committed two weeks before signing day. Those type of guys want to come here believe it or not.

GT will break through that ceiling one day. Maybe it's with CPJ, maybe it's with the next guy. The point is, we're closer to breaking through that ceiling than some want to admit.

 

[tmhunter52]

Reminds me of one of the historic sayings at Georgia Tech, "Close, but no cigars..."