Your choice for Head Coach

[Techster]

I agree with this completely... and yet it seems like everyone I know has at least one story like this.

It's changed a lot since I was at GT. They actually want to see their students succeed in class now.

Ma Tech is getting soft!

 

[4shotB]

Yeah, they don’t do that as much any more. It might happen, but they’re more concerned whether you learn the material these days

That's great. I think I might have actually liked that!!

 

[stech81]

point blank I like Key but I also have no problem with Chadwell. Most everyone has picked the one they like. But there is no reason to get upset with who they want. We can all agree that we want the best coach for Tech.

 

[slugboy]

That's great. I think I might have actually liked that!!

I need to talk to a few students to see if they “still” believe that of if they’ve gone back to old ways

The students are still stressed

 

[Techster]

This year, they’re right in the middle. There are a good number of P5 teams below them. Another question is “if you trade our coaching staff for their coaching staff, how do they do HERE?”

#36 in Offensive FEI, #39 in passing yardage, #39 in total offense, #3 in passing efficiency.

They're not as good as they've been in 2020 and 2021, but they're much better than being in the middle. Remember, Grayson McCall has been injured or playing with injury as well.

 

[slugboy]

#36 in Offensive FEI, #39 in passing yardage, #39 in total offense, #3 in passing efficiency.

They're not as good as they've been in 2020 and 2021, but they're much better than being in the middle. Remember, Grayson McCall has been injured or playing with injury as well.

Overall FEI is 68 though. They rock on offense, but we have to play defense too. (Speaking as a fan of a team currently doing the opposite)

I like Chadwell a lot, but we need to cover defense if we hire him, and I think we can

If we keep Key, we need to fix offense and special teams.

 

[Richard7125]

Sorry, but if the class as a whole does THAT badly, that's on the teacher who has failed to do his or her job educating the students.

I agree with you if we are talking about History tests where you are memorizing content delivered in class. Engineering is different. The professor knows you can spit out answers exactly as he taught in class. He is testing to see if you can use the tools learned in class in more abstract ways requiring 2nd and 3rd level thinking. Easy tests validate the spoon fed students.

 

[Techster]

Overall FEI is 68 though. They rock on offense, but we have to play defense too. (Speaking as a fan of a team currently doing the opposite)

I like Chadwell a lot, but we need to cover defense if we hire him, and I think we can

This is GTSwarm...only offensive FEI matters.

Agree...defense has to be better under Chadwell. If you want a silver lining with Chadwell in terms of defense, his 2020 squad had a DFEI of #16. Of course, it bottomed out in 2021 at #101.

I would think Batt would grill Chadwell about his defense, and if he was hired, that means Batt heard what he needed to hear to make the decision to hire Chadwell comfortable.

 

[bigrabbit]

It's changed a lot since I was at GT. They actually want to see their students succeed in class now.

Ma Tech is getting soft!

Totally agree with this, saw it from the inside (I was a prof after retiring from first career). I have no data, but have guessed that the net output in terms of student profiles is similar to back in the day. Used to be hard to get out, but now it’s so hard to get in they really do try to graduate everyone. My entry stats were similar to my kid’s - although my math SAT was higher and class rank was higher (but from a far less competitive h.s.). I would get in, but who knows about graduating summa in engineering now.

The challenge is throwing athletes who work their asses off 35 hours/week playing football into a room full of math geniuses with way more time to study. The athletic tutoring is crucial, but it’s tough. That’s why we have to think about admitting that 4* with terrible h.s. stats.

 

[bobongo]

This is GTSwarm...only offensive FEI matters.

Agree...defense has to be better under Chadwell. If you want a silver lining with Chadwell in terms of defense, his 2020 squad had a DFEI of #16. Of course, it bottomed out in 2021 at #101.

I would think Batt would grill Chadwell about his defense, and if he was hired, that means Batt heard what he needed to hear to make the decision to hire Chadwell comfortable.

Valid points about the defense of course and he'll need a good defensive staff, but the bottom line is the W/L record and Chadwell is 9-1, 31-4 over the last three years. Looks like the guy knows how to win.

 

[Jacket05]

After the loss to Miami, in a moment of frustration during the post game press conference, he said…………as he raised his hands over his head “this is what culture means”…”and it’s not.“ He stopped there. We all knew what he meant.

Brent Key is a football coach. He should be our football coach next year-too. His game day sideline behavior is steady, calm and pensive. It reminds me some of Bill Belichick. Early on in a press conference, he mentioned closing the gap between practice and game day intensity. A simple fix requiring a change in practice pattern. While simple, I think it was a catalytic event setting the stage for a cultural shift. After the loss to Miami, in a moment of frustration during the post game press conference, he said…………as he raised his hands over his head “this is what culture means”…”and it’s not.“ He stopped there. We all knew what he meant. Finally, the 90 second side line interview after the North Carolina victory gave me goose bumps. That sheepish grin then the response was pure raw emotion and pure gold. Brent Key knows what culture means—simply the way we do business around here. His business is process leading to victory. I’m a sidewalk fan who lacks the analytical prowess of many on this board, so I apologize for my non-analytic take on this. If we pass on this, we may rue the day as the Cleveland Browns did when they fired Belichick. This is what my gut is telling me, anyway.

I caught that too. I think it shows just how frustrated he was with the way Collins ran the program. It also tells me that hiring Key IS a departure from the last regime. In addition, it's only Thacker, Key, and Knight that are from the original staff so there is already a change.

 

[steebu]

It's changed a lot since I was at GT. They actually want to see their students succeed in class now.

Ma Tech is getting soft!

CGCs influence everywhere! I saw some kids taking a Calc 1 final and at halftime the Trig students came out and sharpened pencils outside of class.

After flunking a few of the students Dr Shaft hugged them on the way out, telling them, “You’re so brave. I love you. Stay strong and you’ll be APL (above the probation line) soon enough! I LOVE YOU!!!”

 

[WreckinGT]

CCU has a good offense, of that I am certain. But, they are not playing in the big leagues and the talent level of their opponents is not on a par with the P5 programs. Sure, they will occasional beat a P5 team, but they are below that level overall.

Im not sure the ACC is that far above the teams that CCU plays. Old Dominion beat VT and lost to UVA by less than we did. Ga Southern beat Nebraska. Marshall beat Notre Dame. App St beat Texas A&M and nearly beat UNC. These aren't complete nobodies that they are playing.

 

[Techster]

Valid points about the defense of course and he'll need a good defensive staff, but the bottom line is the W/L record and Chadwell is 9-1, 31-4 over the last three years. Looks like the guy knows how to win.

Agree. The margin of error for Chadwell will be much smaller in the ACC, and having a good defense helps with margin of error.

Man, looking at what Thacker is doing with his defense, Chadwell would do well keeping Thacker and some of his key assistant coaches. I think Thacker's agent will be busy this offseason...he's going to have options outside of GT.

 

[steebu]

Man, looking at what Thacker is doing with his defense, Chadwell would do well keeping Thacker and some of his key assistant coaches. I think Thacker's agent will be busy this offseason...he's going to have options outside of GT.

No idea the relationship between coaches. I mean, it’s be hard for chadwell to dump his DC if they came up together, despite how good Anthony Thacker is doing right now. I mean, how else do you figure Roof became DC at OU?

 

[Techster]

No idea the relationship between coaches. I mean, it’s be hard for chadwell to dump his DC if they came up together, despite how good Anthony Thacker is doing right now. I mean, how else do you figure Roof became DC at OU?

100%. Coaching is one of the ultimate "who you know" jobs. Coaches want to be around other coaches they know and trust. If one of their buddies knows a candidate well, it's just as good. It takes a very secure coach to go outside of his circle of trust. For as Alpha as most coaches want to be perceived, they are really insecure when it comes to who they hire.

There's also something to be said about loyalty...and there's also something to be said about being too loyal. There's a saying for everything really...

 

[tomknight]

Sorry, but if the class as a whole does THAT badly, that's on the teacher who has failed to do his or her job educating the students.

OT, but I concur. However, I had a 5 hour Def Bods class where the class average was around a 50. I had a 57 - thought I was getting a B. Nope, I flagged, along with 60% of the class. Had to repeat the next quarter. It took me 2 years to get my all my structures classes back in sync, since that was a prereq to them all.

 

[tomknight]

Dean Dull: "Look to the left...look to the right..."

yeah, who believed it at FASET?

 

[TromboneJacket]

No idea the relationship between coaches. I mean, it’s be hard for chadwell to dump his DC if they came up together, despite how good Anthony Thacker is doing right now. I mean, how else do you figure Roof became DC at OU?

If Chadwell’s DC is not putting a good defense on the field, then Chadwell needs to hold him accountable, no matter how long they’ve worked together. J Batt and GT aren’t evaluating candidates on how forgiving they are to their assistants; they’re looking at who can build the strongest football program. Tech plays a tougher schedule than CC, and if Chadwell is coming to Tech, he had better make sure that every staff member he brings with him has earned the opportunity to coach at a higher level of competition. There’s a good chance that some of our defensive staff would be willing to stay at Tech under a new coach. If he declines keeping Thacker, Tillman, etc, he’d better have people who can do their jobs at least as well as the ones he rejects.

 

[Randy Carson]

OT, but I concur. However, I had a 5 hour Def Bods class where the class average was around a 50. I had a 57 - thought I was getting a B. Nope, I flagged, along with 60% of the class. Had to repeat the next quarter. It took me 2 years to get my all my structures classes back in sync, since that was a prereq to them all.

And real life is open book, open note, phone a friend.

With a few notable exceptions there are no engineering fails...just design changes until the damn thing works!