Willie Fritz and the spread option

smokey_wasp

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Hard to say. I don't think anyone would have had an easy time this year. It also took him til year 3 to get anything going at Tulane and is only winning big in year 4, though I don't know what they had when he got there. Hypotheticals are harmless, but not particularly useful and I like the hire we made. Talent upgrade was the impetus behind TStan's plan and we will see how it works.
 

Cam

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Atlanta, Georgia
I don't think we'd have the OL for his system either. Here's the size of his starting OL this year:
Joey Claybrook - 6'6" 290 lbs
Corey Dublin - 6'4" 300 lbs
Christian Montano - 6'4" 300 lbs
Keyshawn McLeod - 6'4" 305
Ben Knutson - 6'9" 325 lbs

We don't have the length or size that it appears Fritz wants in his OL. Montano and Knutson are also both transfers, so Fritz also had to look around to fill some holes. We also would have the same personnel problems when it came to having no TEs and few true slot receivers. It's worth noting that the starting slot receiver and QB (considered "pro-style") for Tulane right now are also grad transfers from Oklahoma State and LSU, respectively. I think it's clear that CPJ's system is closer to Fritz's than Coach Pat's system, but I think Fritz would have had to work the transfer market a lot here like he did at Tulane to get the right pieces in place.

He's also pretty old at 59 years old and he's never been in charge of a P5 program before. The only head coaches that are older are either proven coaches that have been at their destinations awhile (Saban, Ferentz, Dantonio, Cutcliffe, Wittingham) or they're guys that programs rolled the dice on in order to spark some magic (Herm Edwards, Mack Brown, Les Miles, Lovie Smith). It's tough to say how he would have adapted, especially since Tulane took awhile to get running too. It just seems like a major red flag that despite his success he's not getting any chances to move up, and I think that ship has sailed for him.
 

Jacketman

Jolly Good Fellow
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232
I've watched every Tulane game this year, and Fritz doesn't run an offense like CPJ. He has the occasional option plays from under center, but those are only in short yardage/running out the clock scenarios. His offense has some option from the gun, but I would compare the base offense more like what Gus Malzahn ran at Auburn with Nick Marshall. Tulane throws the ball fairly often and has primarily shotgun running schemes that make Fritz's offense different from CPJ.

Also wanted to add that the Green Wave fan base was beginning to grow tired of Fritz until he barely made a bowl game last year. His offense was really awful until he changed QBs to one that could throw the ball a bit better(Justin McMillan), and it improved. Then, after last season, he hired Will Hall from Memphis to be his OC, and it has worked wonders this season.
 

Madison Grant

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I've watched every Tulane game this year, and Fritz doesn't run an offense like CPJ. He has the occasional option plays from under center, but those are only in short yardage/running out the clock scenarios. His offense has some option from the gun, but I would compare the base offense more like what Gus Malzahn ran at Auburn with Nick Marshall. Tulane throws the ball fairly often and has primarily shotgun running schemes that make Fritz's offense different from CPJ.

Also wanted to add that the Green Wave fan base was beginning to grow tired of Fritz until he barely made a bowl game last year. His offense was really awful until he changed QBs to one that could throw the ball a bit better(Justin McMillan), and it improved. Then, after last season, he hired Will Hall from Memphis to be his OC, and it has worked wonders this season.
That's what I was thinking with the 9-15 comment. Talk about 'having the guts to fire a coach' 5 games into a season is SEC fan territory. Next you'll tell me we can hire Kendall Briles away from FSU in midseason and score 40 points a game with on OL that couldn't stop Citadel's pass rush.
 

vamosjackets

GT Athlete
Featured Member
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Willie Fritz record at GSU and beyond:
9-3 2014
8-4 2015
Tulane:
4-8 2016
5-7 2017
7-6 2018


Jeff Monken's record at GSU and beyond:
10-5 (semi-finals) 2010
11-3 (semi-finals) 2011
10-4 (semi-finals) 2012
7-4 2013
Army:
4-8 2014
2-10 2015
8-5 2016
10-3 2017
11-2 2018

If want a former GSU coach, why choose Willie Fritz?
 

GTRambler

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I’m not sure I’m good with who we have at GT right now, but I’m willing to give him 5 years to see what kind of a trend line he can put on the graph.
 

motynes

Jolly Good Fellow
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Fritz has been all right. Will Hall has been great as an OC. He will get a big step up after this year. He will eventually be a good HC somewhere. I’m a huge Will Hall fan. I think OM will go after him if Rich Rodriguez gets another shot as a HC.
 

Pointer

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,801
Willie Fritz record at GSU and beyond:
9-3 2014
8-4 2015
Tulane:
4-8 2016
5-7 2017
7-6 2018


Jeff Monken's record at GSU and beyond:
10-5 (semi-finals) 2010
11-3 (semi-finals) 2011
10-4 (semi-finals) 2012
7-4 2013
Army:
4-8 2014
2-10 2015
8-5 2016
10-3 2017
11-2 2018

If want a former GSU coach, why choose Willie Fritz?
I'm in the monken or bohannon boat for when the juice crew leaves (for whatever reason they leave).
 

armeck

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
357
I wonder how Vince Lombardi would have made out with CPJ’s players? Also John Heisman, do y'all think he could have gotten it done?
Probably amazingly, since the team would be monsters compared to the teams they fielded way back then. :)
 
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