Why So Much Angst 2017 Version

[OldJacketFan]

As most of you know I am an avid, long standing, season ticket holding, sidewalk fan. Over the last little while I have been reading/digesting all the comments about the 2017 preseason expectations, questions and, surprisingly, limited positives overall. As a Tech fan I fully understand the angst the affect many, many Tech fans yet given PJ's and the staffs' record over the last 9 years it's surprising to me that folks are not approaching the 2017 season with more confidence.

In looking at the various position groups I do not see what I would consider a true weakness. Yes, Tech need to stay healthy but that's true of 99% of college programs. Tech has proven ACC players in every group and where there are questions it due to players not being every game starters. I'm going take a look at each position group and ask you do as well. I think when you break it down you'll see there is lot to be excited about!

QB, MJ 3 years in the program with TQ backing up and LJ and JJ coming on. Can anyone say with a straight face that PJ has ever been wrong with selecting a QB he feels is best?

A Back, Lynch, Searcy, JJ with a number of skilled/talented behind them

B Back, Dedrick, with Quaide/Kirvonte ready. Two very talented Fr waiting

WR both starters back with proven numbers/talent

OL, 3-4 starters, players 2-3 years in the system ready to step in if needed. Health is key here

DL This may be the deepest group Tech has had in a while. Freeman, Simmons, Cerge-Henderson and Adams. Big, strong and agile with quality depth.

LB Mitchell and Lewis with young talent coming along behind them

DB All 4 starters back with capable and talented back up

Specialists, Unproven but the talent is there

I'm sure there will be some that will say I'm drinking the kool aid and they're right but I am not blind when I say there is a lot to be excited about beginning Sept 4th! The majority of programs would be ecstatic to be in the shape Tech is in to begin the season!

 

[AE 87]

As most of you know I am an avid, long standing, season ticket holding, sidewalk fan. Over the last little while I have been reading/digesting all the comments about the 2017 preseason expectations, questions and, surprisingly, limited positives overall. As a Tech fan I fully understand the angst the affect many, many Tech fans yet given PJ's and the staffs' record over the last 9 years it's surprising to me that folks are not approaching the 2017 season with more confidence.

In looking at the various position groups I do not see what I would consider a true weakness. Yes, Tech need to stay healthy but that's true of 99% of college programs. Tech has proven ACC players in every group and where there are questions it due to players not being every game starters. I'm going take a look at each position group and ask you do as well. I think when you break it down you'll see there is lot to be excited about!

QB, MJ 3 years in the program with TQ backing up and LJ and JJ coming on. Can anyone say with a straight face that PJ has ever been wrong with selecting a QB he feels is best?

A Back, Lynch, Searcy, JJ with a number of skilled/talented behind them

B Back, Dedrick, with Quaide/Kirvonte ready. Two very talented Fr waiting

WR both starters back with proven numbers/talent

OL, 3-4 starters, players 2-3 years in the system ready to step in if needed. Health is key here

DL This may be the deepest group Tech has had in a while. Freeman, Simmons, Cerge-Henderson and Adams. Big, strong and agile with quality depth.

LB Mitchell and Lewis with young talent coming along behind them

DB All 4 starters back with capable and talented back up

Specialists, Unproven but the talent is there

I'm sure there will be some that will say I'm drinking the kool aid and they're right but I am not blind when I say there is a lot to be excited about beginning Sept 4th! The majority of programs would be ecstatic to be in the shape Tech is in to begin the season!

One of my favorite posts. Ever.

I'm allergic to anything close to koolaid this year for 1, maybe 2 reasons. I bet big (mentally/emotionally) on Roof last year. I can't do it again. And I'm a bit cautioned by OT depth.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

I have high hopes across the board. Our front 7 is probably as deep and talented as it's been since 2009. Even so ....there are big questions here still that are left to be answered.

 

[MWBATL]

I'm sure there will be some that will say I'm drinking the kool aid and they're right but I am not blind when I say there is a lot to be excited about beginning Sept 4th! The majority of programs would be ecstatic to be in the shape Tech is in to begin the season!

Yes, but we are GT fans. It seems just about every time we get excited going into a season and think things will go our way, we lay an egg. And when we have a new starting QB after a mediocre season and no reason for irrational exuberance, we crystallize and go bananas. We are GT and we can do this! We can mess up when thing look good, and we can rally when thing look bleak. We make no sense, no sense whatsoever. When we are riding high, we get hit with injuries or suspensions or academics or occasionally the ridiculous NCAA. When we ar laid low and expecting the worse, guys come off the bench and make 53 yard field goals and incredible plays and we pull games out we have no business winning.

Many a GT fan goes in to a season with low expectations because it is a better feeling to be surprised positively than to go into the season with great hopes and be let down in disappointment. Selah!

 

[ilovetheoption]

As most of you know I am an avid, long standing, season ticket holding, sidewalk fan. Over the last little while I have been reading/digesting all the comments about the 2017 preseason expectations, questions and, surprisingly, limited positives overall. As a Tech fan I fully understand the angst the affect many, many Tech fans yet given PJ's and the staffs' record over the last 9 years it's surprising to me that folks are not approaching the 2017 season with more confidence.

In looking at the various position groups I do not see what I would consider a true weakness. Yes, Tech need to stay healthy but that's true of 99% of college programs. Tech has proven ACC players in every group and where there are questions it due to players not being every game starters. I'm going take a look at each position group and ask you do as well. I think when you break it down you'll see there is lot to be excited about!

QB, MJ 3 years in the program with TQ backing up and LJ and JJ coming on. Can anyone say with a straight face that PJ has ever been wrong with selecting a QB he feels is best?

A Back, Lynch, Searcy, JJ with a number of skilled/talented behind them

B Back, Dedrick, with Quaide/Kirvonte ready. Two very talented Fr waiting

WR both starters back with proven numbers/talent

OL, 3-4 starters, players 2-3 years in the system ready to step in if needed. Health is key here

DL This may be the deepest group Tech has had in a while. Freeman, Simmons, Cerge-Henderson and Adams. Big, strong and agile with quality depth.

LB Mitchell and Lewis with young talent coming along behind them

DB All 4 starters back with capable and talented back up

Specialists, Unproven but the talent is there

I'm sure there will be some that will say I'm drinking the kool aid and they're right but I am not blind when I say there is a lot to be excited about beginning Sept 4th! The majority of programs would be ecstatic to be in the shape Tech is in to begin the season!

Largely agreed, with one disagreement, and one caveat.

The disagreement: Specialists are a weakness until proven otherwise. As Coach Johnson says "they all come highly recommended", but since the presumed starters have exactly zero college snaps, combined, I think you have to assume the worst. Perhaps after one game we can change this, but for right now, there are zero dudes who you can count on to knock down a field goal in crunch time, because you have nobody on the roster who has ever done it in college.

The caveat: Linebacker. We have returners, yes, but we have returners who some who know what they're talking about (@Ibeeballin ) haven't been overly impressed with (and I suspect that's him being kind). Experience is good, and improvement is to be expected with experience, but if you go from a "F" to a "C minus", it's better, but it's still not great. So, while I don't think that linebacker will be an absolute weakness, it may be a relative weakness (or at least not an absolute strength). I think most of us would be tickled pink with "solid".

 

[Milwaukee]

I think it's mainly because of the quarterback situation, a lack of an explosive WR, along with the normal defensive concerns. We lost a 3 yr starter at qb and most of us, myself included, are thinking we can plug in MJ, TM, LJ, or JJ. I wish it were that simple but I'm a nervous wreck tbh. It's a bipolar situation for sure.

 

[OldJacketFan]

I think it's mainly because of the quarterback situation, a lack of an explosive WR, along with the normal defensive concerns. We lost a 3 yr starter at qb and most of us, myself included, are thinking we can plug in MJ, TM, LJ, or JJ. I wish it were that simple but I'm a nervous wreck tbh. It's a bipolar situation for sure.

LOL!!! @Milwaukee man you just caused me to spit out my drink! and you summed a lot of the angst I see

 

[bke1984]

"Can anyone say with a straight face that PJ has ever been wrong with selecting a QB he feels is best?"...2013 comes to mind, but for the most part, I agree. I feel like we should have changed directions midway through that season...or at least later in the season when it was clear his heart wasn't in it anymore...it looked that way to me, at least.

But I digress...I'm excited about this year...but I'm pretty much always optimistic. To me it comes down to two things...because these have always been the two x-factors under PJ:

1. What kind of production can we get throwing the ball?...I know we are a run first team, but if you look at the two years we were the best, we could hit some really big plays in the passing game. Some other years that has not been the case. The WR's are solid, but it'll be interesting to see how they mesh with a new QB

2. Can the defense get some stops or turnovers. D in 2008 and 2009 was pretty good, 2014 it was opportunistic. Several other years it was awful when the offense was scoring at will. Secondary seems like a strong point...the rest is pretty much up in the air.

I'm excited and very anxious, but I have a good feeling about this year.

 

[redmule]

Wounds from 2015 haven't healed yet is the answer. Best OL in the country returning from Orange Bowl year, Heisman campaign for Thomas, lots of returnees on defense, Butker, Skov was a beast, preseason top 15, talked about as possible dark horse for playoffs. Kicked in the teeth like we had made a mule mad.

Having said that, I agree completely with the OP about what we have in this year's team. And a little voice in the back of my head says, "You think we are stacked this year, just look at what's coming back next year". My biggest concern is that in the next few years we might become uga fans and want to fire any coach that wins less than 10 games.

 

[alentrekin]

We are "deep" on DL but we were not good there last year and didn't bring in any interior help for this year. We lost a good, undersized 3 tech and moved another undersized guy there. Some are looking at Adams because he is big, but he was running with the 2s in spring.

And on the OL, we have one backup who has played meaningful snaps. The spring game got ugly for O1 in part bc he was sidelined.

 

[ilovetheoption]

We are "deep" on DL but we were not good there last year and didn't bring in any interior help for this year. We lost a good, undersized 3 tech and moved another undersized guy there. Some are looking at Adams because he is big, but he was running with the 2s in spring.

And on the OL, we have one backup who has played meaningful snaps. The spring game got ugly for O1 in part bc he was sidelined.

TBH, I'm happy if Adams is a rotational guy, as opposed to a situational guy. If he can play 25 or 30 snaps a game (like 35-40% of the snaps at NT) effectively, I think you guys are much tougher up front.

 

[g0lftime]

We also have to replace one of the best if not the best kicker we have ever had. Easily could have lost to the dwags in Athens the last two times without a clutch kicker. Hard for a true freshman to replace him with the game on the line. I sure hope this new guy is really good.

 

[OldJacketFan]

We also have to replace one of the best if not the best kicker we have ever had. Easily could have lost to the dwags in Athens the last two times without a clutch kicker. Hard for a true freshman to replace him with the game on the line. I sure hope this new guy is really good.

No doubt it's hard to replace as good a kicker as Harrison! I did go back and take a look for comparison's sake with HB and Brenton King (incoming Fr) HB was a 5.5 rated recruit and BK is 5.4. BK's Sr year his touchback rate was 95% with a long field goal of 56 yards. Like any of us I don't know how he will translate to the college game but between him and Harvin I feel Tech is in very good shape for the next 4 years.

 

[swampsting]

OL depth and DL production are my two biggest concerns. I don't see them as worries, just concerns. We've got most of a young OL coming back, a slew of good A backs, one of the best B backs we've had and depth at QB and WR. We have nearly the entire secondary coming back, some depth at DT and some good if undersized DEs back. Martin is coming off a redshirt year at DT, Branch has looked good playing inside and if Vic or Terrell Lewis can play anywhere near PJ Davis' level, we should have a solid front 6/7.
I like this team. We have a tough opening stretch, plus we have to go to Miami and Clemson. But there's no FSU, no Notre Dame on the schedule. North Carolina and Pitt lost a ton and Va Tech lost quite a bit too. UVa still has a long way to go.
I'm stoked.

 

[sidewalkGTfan]

My biggest concern....defensive coaching. At this point, I'm at a "show me" state with Roof. There's plenty of talent on D to field a respectable D (I'm not asking for Bama). No more of this "simplifying" horse poo in the middle of the season. Put the best 11 on the field and let the boys Give 'Em Hell.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

My biggest concern....defensive coaching. At this point, I'm at a "show me" state with Roof. There's plenty of talent on D to field a respectable D (I'm not asking for Bama). No more of this "simplifying" horse poo in the middle of the season. Put the best 11 on the field and let the boys Give 'Em Hell.

If "simplifying" it is the answer, then simplify from the beginning; don't wait till mid-season.

 

[THWG]

We also have to replace one of the best if not the best kicker we have ever had. Easily could have lost to the dwags in Athens the last two times without a clutch kicker. Hard for a true freshman to replace him with the game on the line. I sure hope this new guy is really good.

No doubt it's hard to replace as good a kicker as Harrison! I did go back and take a look for comparison's sake with HB and Brenton King (incoming Fr) HB was a 5.5 rated recruit and BK is 5.4. BK's Sr year his touchback rate was 95% with a long field goal of 56 yards. Like any of us I don't know how he will translate to the college game but between him and Harvin I feel Tech is in very good shape for the next 4 years.

I went to Mill Creek so I got to see him a lot and he is the real deal. He would kick 60 yarders in warmups with room to spare. King also has nerves of steel. He nailed a kick to beat Peachtree Ridge in OT a couple of years ago. That kick gave Mill Creek its first undefeated season and first region title. He had a lot of pressure on him to make that kick. I hope this continues in college, but I believe in him and I think that he could surpass what Butker did.

 

[stech81]

If we can stay away from Injuries we will be fine. I trust the coaches and the players .

 

[33jacket]

One of my favorite posts. Ever.

I'm allergic to anything close to koolaid this year for 1, maybe 2 reasons. I bet big (mentally/emotionally) on Roof last year. I can't do it again. And I'm a bit cautioned by OT depth.

Betting on roof is a losing proposition. He is due to accidentally walk into one decent defensive year though. But he isnt capable of doing that consistently. Its simply his scheme. Lets hope this year is that one out of 8-9 years he fields a top 35 or top 40 D.

On O we will be fine. Still this can be a 9 win team with the right things hitting for us.

 

[iceeater1969]

With 6 Sr and 5 Jr starting on defense surely this is the year we play fast.



In 16 our third down (I have seen reported on this blog) defense was LAST IN NCAA. How about a dramatic improvement. Jerry has assured me and as jerry says
Go Jackets!

Ps a db coach says we should be good.