Greetings with the flood of activity today I pushed this back so you would have something to enjoy this morning.
In your assessment, what percentage of our defensive woes are X and O’s related vs Jimmy and Joe’s related? Obviously, it’s not 100% one way or the other, just trying to get a sense of where the issue truly lies, in your mind.
KQ- That is a tough question because not having the right surrounding cast or scheme for the personnel can be a problem as well. They've figured out how to use Moala, Efford and Tatum effectively but that wasn't necessarily the grouping they expected from the jump. The two other transfer LBs were not healthy or productive enough to play more than they have at times and then none of the younger guys are ready to play. That all goes back to Jimmies and Joes and a lack of recruiting and development in the LB room. The former HC tried to move the best LB they had organically on the roster Charlie Thomas to safety and nickel multiple times...
So that is one piece. Losing the only physical pass rusher they had in Slyvain Yondjouen was the other piece that isn't talked about enough.
I thought the DB tackling was bad and then it has been fine. They lack a hammer at safety and that kills them when they need to get someone in there with a hat to make plays and erase things. That is a personnel issue and you aren't going to magically turn LaMiles Brooks who is a space and cover safety into Ronnie Lott. Again that goes back to the prior staff and then some guys not developing as expected as well who could fill that void, but are not capable of playing well enough to get on the field regularly.
I think it is Jimmies and Joes are the primary issue why you are not better and it the lack of guys at some really specific spots. Hell they played most of the season with four DTs and one playing end because of injuries and that killed the pass rush.
How huge was this for recruiting to show a strong showing against UGA?
KQ- I think it is further proof of concept. They lost to a now-ranked Louisville team, lost to a top 15 Ole Miss team and lost to #1 UGA while beating a then-ranked Miami and then-ranked UNC team both riding high at the time (UNC a little less given what happened the week before GT). There is good proof of concept for Key and his staff to sell. Now they have to close.
Who do you think Key will target for DC?
KQ- I think he casts a wide net. I've said from the jump there was a chance that Kevin Sherrer could either be the full-time DC or stay on staff. I think that remains a possibility as well depending on who Brent hires. He interviewed a ton of OCs and DCs the last offseason so he has some ideas and they should have a little more flexibility with money now a little further away from having to blow up so much of the last staff and starting over.
We’re on our way to being a really good program again aren’t we?
KQ- I've said from the jump if Key can keep a good staff together and get some decent NIL money I think his approach will work. We are starting to see just pieces of it come together. He is very tireless in how he approaches building the program and he took notes from the start of his career on what he would do when he was putting together a program and he knows how GT works which is a learning curve for almost every head coach here except for GOL in recent times.
We can see the gap shrinking in the rivalry game and I know in the portal era everything is unpredictable but we have to be able to start splitting this series or least going 4-6 each decade right? I just don’t see us being that far off from them on the field anymore.
KQ- UGA is in their tail end of the first wave of success sort of like when Nick Saban started winning big at Bama. Kirby's assistants are getting peeled off for jobs and his guys are going to the league and the portal makes it harder to stockpile and hide guys for 2-3 years of development at a place like that because those kids get antsy. I think they may hit a little bit of a lull relative to the last 3 or 4 years next year and maybe the year after that and they are gettable. The idea though is Key can get the program to the point where they can compete more consistently regardless of how good or bad UGA is. That should be the goal.
What was up with the kickoffs? Do we not have a guy who can get it into the endzone anymore?
KQ- Gavin Stewart got hurt in the UNC game I believe and has not been right since then. Aidan Birr is not as good at kickoffs as Stewart and thus you end up with some issues there. They've not been great on covering kickoffs most of the time so they got exposed a little.
What kind of pool does Key get his DC from ? He clearly needs to make a splash hire.
KQ- Who gives a shit about a splash hire. I want him to hire a very good DC who will be successful. When Paul Johnson fired Al Groh and opted to not promote Charles Kelly after the Sun Bowl in 2012 I told him about a guy named Mike Elko who was at that time the DC at Bowling Green. He was putting up amazing numbers with not the greatest talent there under Dave Clawson and CPJ basically said no, I've got a plan and he hired a name guy, Ted Roof after hiring another name guy Al Groh.
My point is to find the next Mike Elko, find the next Dan Lanning or whoever it is and build your defense that way. You don't want Manny Diaz, you don't want Ted Roof, you want a guy who is innovative and hungry because it is hard as hell to coach D in this era of football.
If Paul Johnson hired Mike Elko in December of 2012, GT would have two more ACC Championship trophies IMO right now.
It sounds like many programs are realizing that the NIL game is a literal arms race and are developing unheard of war chests. Where do you think GT’s total NIL spend for 2024 will land? Top 25? Top 35? Top 50?
KQ- Not top 15, but they are doing okay. The truth is most schools don't have anywhere near the amount of money people believe. Some are spending big like FSU or TAMU or others but most are trying to keep what they have and backfill where they can and a lot of it is cheating money that is now over the table as well. Those who were cheating are just doing it on a larger scale and publicly now.
The portal will be a shitshow until the NCAA gets dragged more by Congress or their non-profit status gets toyed with and they feel obligated to do something. This whole thing right now is intentional ineptitude by the NCAA because they are pissed off kids are getting paid.
When do you think we'll know our bowl destination? And can team maintain the same intensity in pre-bowl practices that we saw last night and carry it into the bowl game? Or will it be more about destination/opponent?
KQ- Highly unlikely before Saturday late night because it depends on the outcome of the ACC Championship Game to some extent. The bowl process is way different than when they had very specific slots and you couldn't reach back more than a spot.
Separately, it "feels" like Key has turned around the program culture/character. Do recruits and portal guys see this the same way?
KQ- That is the feedback we are getting, they are seeing the changes.
Unfortunately I could only watch quarters 1-3 of COFH. Few questions.
From your perspective, what was the ratio of Tech fans to UGAg fans?
KQ- It was as close to 50/50 as it has been in a while and there may have been more GT fans.
Do you think Kirby stepped off the gas in the 4th? Or did we really almost mount a comeback?
KQ- Bro, they were throwing a touchdown pass to go up three scores with all their starters in when KJ Wallace picked off Carson Beck in the end zone. There was no stepping off the gas until UGA recovered the onside kick up 8 with 3:40 something left and Kirby just ran the clock out like Brent did against Cuse.
You should watch the whole game.
(Unrelated to COFH) - out of the players you know are transferring, are most of them due to NIL? Buried on the depth chart? Not believing in the coach? Processing?
KQ- It can be any of those things. I guess you are asking specifically about GT and it is mostly about not playing or not having a role right now. There will always be a guy here or there that get lured by money as well that surprise people like the one who left post spring ball suddenly to be a backup DL at a SEC school.
1) I feel like Brent Key will always have a solid game plan drawn up, but the one after thanksgiving will more often than not be his best. He really wants that thing turned the right way.
KQ- Sure, more of a statement than a question
2) Seems like fans are starting to buy in in larger numbers now. Is that your impression?
KQ- I think that the UGA game was an eye-opener for some folks on the fence for sure. There are a lot of pissed off people who got turned off at the end of Collins or were burned out by CPJ's last couple of frustrating seasons. You've got to get them back in the stadium and then work on the sidewalk fan base build up.
3) With the portal opening before the bowls, I assume coaching changes will be made ASAP, is that true?
KQ- 100 percent false. Brent explained in his pressure how this is going to work and you saw it last year. They are going to close the signing class and play the bowl game and then in January you will see moves just like you did last year. If some guys leave for other jobs they have enough support staff guys like Brian Baker or Nate Brock that can backfill as well.
4) I think it’s time to buy stock in Tech football. Do recruits feel similarly? Are they excited to get on this train and dominate for Coach Key?
KQ- See above
