Coaching search, I know it's not the top priority right now for Batt, but I would assume he came in with at least a short list of names. Any word on any names that he would be in on? Also, if Key ends up with the job, what direction do you think he would go with the staff? Clean house and put his own staff together? or roll with what he has?
KQ- So on the first part there is no way to really know who is on Batt's short list of candidates for the HC job. I'm sure he has one as anyone interviewing for that job would, but as to who is on it, no idea. My job is to find out over the coming weeks.
On the second part, I'm sure there are things and staff that Key would change if he gets the job. He also has strong relationships with a lot of the people in the building as well since he helped bring in Chris Weinke, Chip Long and others and he has spoken very highly of guys like Travares Tillman and Jason Semore and even JOL punching bag Andrew Thacker. I know he is tight with a lot of the support staff as well. It will be part of his pitch when he has the chance to interview for the job to lay out that vision to Batt. He has worked with a lot of interesting people in his career as well.
The SEC Network has been a great addition for the SEC. The ACC NW, not so much, in my humble opinion. What could/should the ACC Network do, in your opinion, to make it a more watchable/enjoyable channel for ACC fans?
KQ- They really need to find someone to move the needle publicly like a Paul Finebaum type. That isn't Packer who seems like a good dude. They need some better advocates for the product, but the product has to be better too. It is not like the SEC Network is just jammed with exceptional programming, people just watch it for games and things like that only really. The ACC needs to have good teams again and that will drive the ACCN properties IMO.
RJ, can you do a list of defensive players that you have seen in person that hav surprised you or really impressed you by position that you have seen in person to go with the offensive list that you said that you would do?
RJ- Let’s do it! I have been meaning to get to this, but with how crazy things have been, following the coaching search crums, being on the road, and working on potential recruiting profiles it has been anything but easy.
Enjoy, and sorry for the wait. This is only for 2023 recruits
QB- Dylan Lonergan, Brookwood (Alabama)
QB- Hank Brown, Lipscomb Academy (Tenn.) (Liberty)
RB- Keyjuan Brown, South Atlanta (Purdue, for now)
RB- Justice Haynes, Buford (Alabama)
RB- Jordan Louie, Meadowcreek (West Virginia, for now)
WR- Zion Taylor, Norcross (Georgia Tech)
WR- Keshaun Singleton, Meadowcreek
WR- Nakai Poole, Norcross (Mississippi State, for now
TE- Lawson Luckie, Norcross (Georgia)
OL- Paul Mubenga, Buford (LSU)
OL- Stanton Ramil, Thompson (Ala.) (Michigan State)
OL- Gabe Fortson, North Cobb Christian (Georgia Tech)
DE- Mekhi Buchanan, Allatoona
DE- Ezra Odinjor, Allatoona
DL Peter Woods, Thompson (Ala.) (Clemson)
DL- Stephiylan Green, Rome (Clemson)
HYBRID- Jacob Cruz, North Cobb Christian (Georgia Tech)
LB- Marcellius Pulliam, Sandy Creek
LB- Jalen Smith, Grayson (Tennessee)
CB- Martel Hight, Rome (Vanderbilt)
CB- Kaleb Cost, Sandy Creek (UNC)
S- Rob Billings, Milton (Clemson)
S- Caleb Downs, Mill Creek (Alabama)
ATH- Taye Seymore, South Atlanta
Javion Clark. I might have missed it, but are you able to say what’s the deal with his committing, decommiting and still in the mix?
Also, his pre injury film reminded me of Clayton Powell-Lee athletic wise. Is this a good comparison?
RJ- That is a pretty solid comp for him. The biggest difference I could see between the two would be that Clark is even more willing to step up in the run game and making plays in the open field. I do not expect him to start day one wherever he ends up like CPJ has done following the injury to King, but I do believe that there is strong upside.
As for his recruitment, I believe that both sides of things are still trying to feel each other out at the moment. Clark is looking to see what happens with the staff, and GT is looking at Clark with what are likely some clear objectives prior to making his offer committable again.
Don’t expect a Z. Keith moment here. If he re-commits, he will sign with GT pending the coaching hire (or Key) opting to take his commitment.
What’s it gonna take to get some nasty top tier OL here? I saw the Bama Tennessee game and Tennessee’s OL ate the Bama front 7 alive. This is how I felt after watching that:
KQ- What is funny is Bama's OL is pretty sad when it comes to run blocking and that has been their main issue. Jahmyr Gibbs often looks like he is running behind the 2021 GT OL over there. It is a two-step process, you need young guys you build up and you need to develop and S&C them up. A guy like Jakaih Leftwich for example could be playing now, but his core strength isn't quite where it needs to be per my sources so that holds him back. Each of the OL guys that end up signing here are going to mostly be guys that are on a 2-3 year development plan, there just aren't many guys ready to play out of the box. The biggest issue Key has had is they took too many transfers early and should've been signing like 8 and 8 or 9 and 7 in 2020 and 2021 in the OL room. OL is the hardest position to evaluate and develop and even at UGA when I covered them, they often had major issues with depth and player develop and guys getting medical'd. GT has had the same thing with three key OLs getting medical'd out in the last 9-10 months alone.
Favorite home game meal? Favorite away game meal? Can be at the stadium or just around town
KQ- I really love some wings and pizza or some wings and cheese fries on a game day at home. Away, Alpaca Chicken in Durham (they are all over the triangle) is my jam and I'll eat there multiple times on a trip like a lunatic.
How involved was Brent Key with hiring Chip Long?
KQ- He is the person who made it happen.
After tonight‘s loss, a bowl is probably out of play. But say Key goes 5-7 and competes the rest of the way with no blowouts. Would there still be internal push to hire him? If Sims is out for the year would Cabrera and top insiders maybe be more likely to give Key a pass and see what he can do with a full season? What I’m really getting at here is that I hope it is 100% AD Batt’s call and not based on the school or emotions.
KQ- No idea, I can't pretend to know what the thought process is behind someone I barely know in Cabrera and someone I just met in J Batt. Anyone telling you anything otherwise is full of it too.
I looked it up and Gibson played in 17 games at Akron, attempting 370 passes and 105 rushes which I assume were mostly sacks running for his life. It’s Akron I get it, but anything you can point to as to why he looked so scared to keep his eyes downfield and turn the ball loose with that much experience under his belt?
KQ- I tried to tell everyone my concern about playing Gibson was the OL's ability to protect him. He played on one of the worst 5-10 teams in CFB at Akron and couldn't win the job there. There is a reason why he is available. He is a guy who can come in and win a game, a guy maybe you can game plan for, but he is going to struggle to do more than that behind GT"s OL situation against stacked boxes. GT doesn't have enough on the outside with playmakers to make teams respect the throw enough to have a fair shot with the numbers game upfront to protect him. I will also add my other concern is you have to call a different game for Sims than Gibson and you only have so much time to prepare and can only install so many plays each week. It makes it very difficult when QB1 and QB2 are so different from a skills standpoint. Gibson is an old-school gunslinger-type QB. Sims is a true dual-threat guy, Pyron is somewhere in between those two and I haven't figured out what the ex-Clemson kid does well yet.
Will Zach Gibson ever take another snap for this team?
KQ- Yes, I think his leash got a lot shorter though. He will be pretty hyped up for this game against FSU if he plays so that'll be interesting. His family are Noles and he grew up idolizing Weinke, he has talked about it before.
