Kelly mentioned him in his initial list of potential head coaches but haven’t heard much on him since - curious on peoples thoughts and if anyone has interacted with him if they think he’d come back home. For those who don’t know he’s a gt grad, currently 35 year old coordinator of one of the best defenses (Titans) in the NFL.

On the surface he’s two things I DONT want - NFL guy and GT guy. But his defense has been incredibly impressive and is doing more with less at a level where that’s really hard to do.

The wrong way to hire an alum is to give them a leg up just for being an alum. The right way is to use emotion to get a guy to consider you who would otherwise be out of your league, so I don’t think it’s the same as Collins or Stansbury because this guy will be an NFL head coach sooner rather than later at the rate he’s going.

He also does have a lot of college coaching experiences at Tech, KSU, and Ohio State with Urban. That last stop is where he overlapped with Vrabel, who has taken him with him as he’s climbed the ladder. Says a lot about a guy when a highly successful coach has brought him along on 3 straight upward moves.

Curious to see the boards thoughts on him as a potential candidate!

Sorry for the late notice, a lot going on this way.

This week's Q&A will take place tomorrow night at 9:30.

See you there!

GT Press Release


THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech Football Coaches Show, Georgia Tech football’s weekly radio program with interim head coach Brent Key and the “Voice of the Yellow Jackets” Andy Demetra, will hold its final live show of the 2022 football regular season on Wednesday, Nov. 9 from 7-8 p.m. at Rocky Mountain Pizza (1005 Hemphill Ave NW, ATL 30318).



Located right off of Georgia Tech’s campus at the corner of Hemphill Avenue and 10th Street, fans are invited to come out to Rocky Mountain Pizza to enjoy the show live and hear from Coach Key and offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Chip Long ahead of the Yellow Jackets’ 2022 home finale versus Miami (Fla.).



Every week’s Football Coaches Show in 2022 can also be heard live on the Georgia Tech Sports Network, including flagship station 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan in Atlanta, and on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets mobile app.



Kickoff for Tech’s home finale is slated for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12. Tickets for the Georgia Tech-Miami showdown, which will serve as Tech’s annual Heroes Day and Senior Day celebrations, are still available and can be purchased online by clicking HERE.



As part of a special Heroes Day ticket offer, all tickets purchased using the link above include an exclusive Georgia Tech Heroes Day hat, which features the GT logo and American flag.

Georgia Tech looked to be dead in the water against Virginia Tech after some punting miscues and a pick-six by freshman quarterback Zach Pyron led to a two-score deficit on the road at Virginia Tech this weekend. Defensively the Jackets battled short fields thanks to the punter and some tough field positions for the offense in the second half.

Pyron come up big when the Jackets needed it despite the makeshift offensive line making plays with his arm and legs. The Jackets may have their QB of the future in Pyron and he could still redshirt this season depending on how the next few games play out. That also allows the team to take more time trying to get Jeff Sims healthy in case he is needed down the line. If Pyron continues to play well, it is hard to imagine the Jackets taking the keys to the offense away from him this season especially with Sims' injury unlikely to dramatically improve toward being him being full speed pre-injury Sims anytime soon. Sims graduates in the offseason as well so that will be something to monitor.

Defensively, it is not always pretty but they are playing hard and getting the job done. This week they had a ton of guys playing through illness and guys banged up trying to play through stuff and doing the best they could. I still think there is a lot of credit that needs to go to the front 6-7 coaches Larry Knight, Jason Semore and David Turner who are coaching extremely well this season. That group looks like a legit unit for the first time in many years. They are getting pressure on the QB, creating turnovers and they have depth as well. D'Quan Douse's development in particular has been great to see this season as he is was a guy who flew under the radar the last few years as his reps kept climbing up. He had a career day against VT.

Clayton Powell-Lee remains one of my favorite stories of the year. Jaylon King is having a career season finally as the starter and he goes down and the staff turns to Powell-Lee over some more experienced players within the program. Powell-Lee was viewed by some fans as a throw-in with 4-star DT Horace Lockett and a take because his dad was a former star player Gary Lee. Powell-Lee has been one of the great stories this season and he played in the game on Saturday alternating with Khari Gee the transfer from ND with Powell-Lee taking most of the key reps on the second half after missing almost all of practice this past week with the flu.

On the state of affairs on the Flats

The win was big for interim head coach Brent Key as well who is still hoping to remove the interim tag. The Jackets open as a home favorite against the Miami Hurricanes who are in an absolute free fall right now this week. Don't kid yourself, Key is very much in play to become the full-time head coach at Georgia Tech and he will be interviewed for the job regardless of how the season plays out per my sources, but a strong finish of 5-7 or better improves his odds. For newly hired AD J Batt, a Key hire would be a perfect move to allow him time to get his feet under him on the Flats and start tackling all of the various projects and fundraising that needs to happen along with having a better understanding of the dynamics of GT, the ACC and what the needs are for the job. The X-factor for that is who is interested in the job and how impressive those guys are. The search is ongoing, but this is a pretty buttoned-down search compared to any of the previous ones at Tech likely thanks to Frank Neville's involvement. Neville put in 15 years in the State Department...

I still have no idea what is going to happen with the head coach spot. I'm digging though and will keep everyone updated.

Line just came out

6-foot-8 big Jordan Meka missed the game with a short-term injury, per Pastner.

I’m all in on Pyron. Kid is a baller. Now imagine him in some of the O’s from potential candidates.

Russell can add his bit later.

NIL question— my assumption is that the top 100-150 players in the nation will demand high $ and the fishers in that pool will be limited to a few big name programs… but after that, what strategy do you think schools (the rest of the P5) will deploy to go after the best possible 3• players? Apply a disproportionate amount of $ to get the best available at the positions of greatest need? Save most NIL$ to attract key transfers? I realize that technically the $ doesn’t come from the schools but I’m sure they will try to deploy a strategy. I think juggling this while avoiding internal issues is going th be tough.

KQ- I think once you are out of the top 50-100 kids actually it changes a lot. I think you invest if you are GT in the players you have and keeping them using NIL for the intended purpose. I think we will see some shifting away from some of the enticements as schools get overextended and over-promised to kids who don't deliver. If I think in the hypothetical if you are using it to lure a prospect it will be extremely targeted and there are some top 200 type kids who really don't care about it we've found this year. I think it will also be used for key transfers as you pointed out, but again I would think that will be guys who started elsewhere.

For the other sites yall manage or have managed in the past, do people get as upset about a new thread posting as JOL subscribers? It's like the thread police on here from JOL folks. I don't create many new threads but find it funny when people get called out for creating one when that topic was covered on page 47 of another thread.

KQ- It is a constant on any message board. I'm an aviation geek and I am a lurker on an aviation message board and the same shit happens on there all the time and people argue about whether it should be a new thread with something that is news that is buried in a 57-page thread. It is just message board stuff.

Do you have a take on Clawsons willingness to listen to offers? With the recent struggles and Hartman leaving could he be more likely to look at jumping?

KQ- I do not know, his set up is pretty good right now and they are no longer going to play Clemson and FSU every year under the new ACC scheduling model at Wake. That is big for them because those are two of the teams they struggle the most with. Wake has GT, VT and Duke. That is a smoother path. I'll ask around.

What happened to McDuffie?

KQ- He was not on the sideline that I saw at VT. He may have been one of the guys who was out with the flu though. He has been limited to special teams the last few weeks mostly. He played a handful of snaps at RB. Hassan Hall and Dontae Smith are getting the bulk of the carries. McDuffie hasn't been as productive as expected when he was getting regular carries.

Any injury report on Dylan?

KQ_ Dylan Leonard was dressed, his dad could weigh in, but I am going to guess he was either hurt or sick. I know he got banged up recently in a game. Both Leonard and Pierce Quick were dressed but didn't play. I believe Quick was an injury. Leonard may have been emergency only on Saturday. Neither Leonard nor Quick warmed up.

Any update on the Daniels situation?

KQ- It was a couple of different things that led to the decision to part ways. I don't have anything solid enough to report and honestly I like Daniels personally so I am not going to dig too deeply on that. This type of thing happens from time to time.

What is JBatt looking for in new head coach? Experienced HC? Coordinator? Possible previous relationship with someone? I know there may not be info on this. Just your gut feeling.

KQ- No idea, really there is no way to tell. I think previous relationships help at times, but there is no real lead to follow with this.

In evaluating Key for the job do you think Batt is looking at more than a particular amount of wins he gets and comparing his resume to other top targets? is he listening to boosters and seems like there may be a push from some to keep Key as HC. Or is that not happening from boosters and they want to chose the best coach?

Or would he obviously see Keys wins as impressive but still want an experienced HC and his guy?

KQ- Key and Batt have a previous relationship, I've mentioned this before so slide that part of it out of your mind. Whoever he picks is going to be "his guy" whether that is Key or some other completely random name we haven't even thought of on here yet. Again the guy has been here for like 8-9 days and has never run a coaching search. There are not many data points to draw any conclusions on what he will or won't do.

Getting to know Brent better since he’s taken over, do you think he would be more receptive to the portal as the permanent head coach than he was in 2019 with a roster starting from scratch? Or would this depend mostly on where NIL can get to before signing day and spring semester?

KQ- I think you want a mixed approach and I think Key would tell you that. The area I know he regrets taking a shortcut with was the OL but that was not his call. They took older transfers the first few years instead of younger transfers or more HS kids and they are paying for that now and a little bit last year too. I think the DL is a better example of the approach they should have where you have a lot of organic growth supplemented with a guy like Keion White.

What was your personal take on pyron based on practice and in game so far

KQ- When I watched him in practice in the fall you could see all the tools, but the game was moving too fast and he was pressing trying to be perfect and not just playing football. I think at some point the last few weeks he started to see it slow down for him and he looks like the kid I saw at Pinson Valley HS last year when I went to watch him play in a game where his team was completely overmatched and he was playing behind a terrible OL (sound familiar). He is tough and wants to win and that can carry you a long way in college just as Josh Nesbitt or Logan Thomas at VT.

The Jackets tip off their season tonight against the Lakers. Anyone else attending? I am looking forward to this season and hold @Kelly Quinlan optimism that this season will be better than the experts think.

This took me longer than expected, appologies

The Spartans are the main ones trying to flip him:

CO-LINEBACKER, Charlie Thomas, Georgia Tech, LB, Thomasville, Ga.

Became only the second FBS player this season – and the first since Week 0 – with 16 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in a game in Georgia Tech’s 28-27 win at Virginia Tech • Provided one of the biggest plays of the game when he forced a fumble near midfield that was recovered by Georgia Tech with 48 seconds to go in the game to seal the Yellow Jackets’ one-point victory • Joined UConn’s Jackson Mitchell (Aug. 27 vs. Utah State) as the only FBS players with 16 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in a game this season •Became only the fifth Georgia Tech player since 2000 with 16 tackles in a game.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Clayton Powell-Lee, Georgia Tech, FS, Atlanta, Ga.

After missing practice for much of the week and not starting in Saturday’s game due to illness, true freshman had an interception and a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter of Georgia Tech’s 28-27 comeback win at Virginia Tech • Interception on Georgia Tech’s 27-yard line with 6:54 to go in the game prevented Virginia Tech from expanding its lead to two scores and set up the Yellow Jackets’ go-ahead touchdown drive • Fumble recovery near midfield with 48 seconds to go sealed the 28-27 win • Georgia Tech’s third-leading tackler in the game with six stops.

CO-ROOKIE – Zach Pyron, QB, Georgia Tech, Pinson, Ala.

Making his first-career start, accounted for 319 yards of offense and two fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead Georgia Tech back from a 27-16 fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Virginia Tech, 28-27 • Passed for 253 yards and a touchdown and ran for 66 yards and another score • Trailing 27-16 with less than 10 minutes to go, engineered two-consecutive touchdown drives of 90 and 73 yards, capped by a 56-yard touchdown pass and a 9-yard touchdown run, respectively, to give Tech a 28-27 lead • Led Georgia Tech to a season-high 463 yards of offense • In his first three full halves of action, has led Georgia Tech to three of its four-highest single-half yardage totals against FBS competition this season (240 in second half versus Florida State, 234 in first half versus Virginia Tech and 229 in second half versus Virginia Tech).

Irony is thick...

CO-ROOKIE – MJ Morris, NC State, QB, Carrolton, Ga.

Repeats as ACC Rookie of the Week after leading the Wolfpack to a 30-21 win over No. 21 Wake Forest in his first career start • Completed 64.2 percent of his passes (18-for-28) for 210 yards and three touchdowns (for the second consecutive game) • The Wolfpack did not turn the ball over in the contest and controlled time of possession • Morris also rushed for 43 yards • First true freshman since Philip Rivers (2000) to start a game for the Wolfpack • Also joined Rivers as the only NC State quarterbacks in their first start (since 2000) to throw for three TD passes.

Weird

Revisiting week 5 results - things soured significantly on Key after UVA loss sank in. Deion/Chadwell still 2A/2B with Clawson still in 4th. Biggest mover was pool newbie Garrett Riley.

Links to previous polls:

• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5

New for this week - several new names discussed over past week of which I can't add all. Tyson Helton got zero votes so he's out. I've added BOB back in as well.

As before, choices are listed alphabetically by first name.

***ETA that I didn't leave Key off intentionally - thanks Russell for adding him in

Lots of talk about which coaches to replace at the end of the season, but something is definitely going on in the college world and i can't put my finger on it. Look at the ACC, and the rest of college. There is a Bad Play Epidemic going on in all of college ball. Alabama, LSU, OSU, UGA, Clemson, VT, Miami, Tech, . Did Brent Key forget how to coach, did Clemson's coaches forget, Alabama oline has been bad this year, did their coach forget how?
What is going on in the college world?? Bad crop of recruits? Bad evaluation across America?

Another program in the mix for a head coach.

I am changing my FutureCast for Lee to “unlikely”

It appears as if Georgia Tech is hoping their decision to “stand tall” and hold out for other targets will pay off in the end.

Lee has no timetable for an announcement at this time, and will no longer be able to OV.

Greetings from Lane Stadium, they moved our seats from the far left of the stadium press box to the middle so I won't get to watch Frank Beamer's reactions to plays this time.

Sun has sort of come out, 63 degrees.

I expect Zach Pyron to start, Jeff Sims will either be QB2 or the emergency QB.

eBay has some good Georgia Tech Adidas stuff and you can bargain to get it cheaper. I have gotten some cool ATL stuff on there and paid 50% less. Below is an example of cool stuff. You can also get items you would never be able to get at the store.

45 years old from Gainesville, Florida.

Younger brother of Clay Helton.

I have read that Tyson runs an air raid type of offense very similar to Leach at Mississippi state. They average about 43 passing attempts per game.

was the OC at Tennessee in 2018 where he did not have the best offensive stats. Tennessee in 2018 was ranked 124th in total offense.

2019 he got the job at Western Kentucky as the HC.

Total offense for all 4 years he has been at WKU.

2019- 82nd in total offense (421.6 YPG)
2020- 115th in total offense (291 YPG)
Big jump here
2021-2nd in total offense (433.7 YPG)
2022(so far)-30th in total offense (317.9 YPG)

seems like a young, offensive minded coach that I have read some on here want and even in Kelly’s 1.0 coaching list he was listed.

discuss!

They lost to Miami tonight. They really need to beat UL next Friday to have a chance at a decent seed. Making the sweet 16 is going to be very tough this year. We have no signature wins other than maybe BYU but this was a bad loss.