The Athletic just published an article on a potential College Football Super League.

It says up to 20 influential leaders (including college presidents, an NFL executive, and others) are pitching the idea to "save the sport".

Basically, the top 70 teams are locked into the Super League forever. That includes all the current Power 5 teams and Notre Dame and SMU.

There would be seven divisions of 10 teams. An eighth division of 10 teams would be populated by teams who could be relegated up and down from the other 60 teams currently in Division 1.
The top 70 are safe forever. Each division winner would get a spot in the playoffs. And eight other wild cards would get in from among the top 7 divisions.

Very interesting article if you have access to it.

Hearing this guy is on campus today 👀

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Damon Stoudamire starts off next year's class with a bang today. Working on getting quotes from Diop and OTE coach.

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Someone asked and it was in the notes.

He is set to announce his commitment this afternoon. Anyone have the buzz around him?

GT will land a top 2026 kid.

The new Rivals250: https://n.rivals.com/prospect_rankings/rivals250/2025
Biggest risers: https://n.rivals.com/news/rivals-rankings-week-ten-biggest-risers-in-the-rivals250-32
Position-by-position breakdown: https://n.rivals.com/news/tuesdays-with-gorney-new-2025-rivals250-released-8
The Five-Star Countdown: https://n.rivals.com/news/rivals-rankings-week-five-star-countdown-for-2025-class-17
Meet the new five-stars: https://n.rivals.com/news/rivals-rankings-week-meet-the-new-five-stars-8
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Couple questions @Alex Farrer I know you've been to OTE. My son wants to go sonI bought tickets for Saturday night. I think it's the cold hearts vs someone else. Does Fleming play on Cold Hearts? Also the tickets were only $2 is that the normal price? Seems way to cheap to be real lol. Also where is parking fpr OTE I can't find it anywhere?

ATLANTA- Georgia Tech football coach Brent Key spoke to the media for the final time ahead of the Jackets' ACC finale against NC State in Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Jackets will aim to go undefeated in Bobby Dodd for the first time since the 1999 season on Thursday.

The Jackets had a Thursday practice in the stadium despite heavy rain as preparations continued for the Wolfpack.

"It was a Thursday mindset for us as a football program. It was a normal Thursday procedure going through practice and staff-wise, everything was the same," Key said. "We've got a one-game season and that is all it is and all that matters. We've got some really good seniors that will play in their last game at home and we've also got the opportunity to accomplish some things that not a lot of teams have accomplished here in a long time."

Key said going undefeated in their home stadium is important to the team.

"Being undefeated at Bobby Dodd Stadium is something that has happened two times in what the last 60 years, 58 years so for these kids you want to stack those types of accomplishments together so at the end of the year and at the end of the season you can have time to reflect," Key said. "That is a huge thing for these guys to be able to do and accomplish."

The point of emphasis as always with Key is the process and building up the program to win consistently and he repeated his mantra in his presser on Tuesday.

"This game is not played any different than the last game or the game before or the game before that. We've got to play one play at a time and everyone on this team is involved in the outcome of i whether you are on the field playing, on the sideline, coaching, staff, student assistants, student managers, student trainers, or anything else. Everyone in the entire organization is involved in the outcomes. We've shown glimpses of being a really good football team at times. We've shown what we are capable of doing, now it comes down to are we willing to do that every single week," Key said.

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Key said that the team is banged up and has been for some time and the extra couple of days for the bye, is not a true bye week with the Thursday night game to get healthy and help the guys with dings more than the seriously injured guys. Key said that the bye doesn't help the guys injured but helps more with guys with nicks and bumps and bruises from a long season stay fresh.

On facing NC State's defensive front, Key said they've faced every type of front this year, 3-man, 4-man, 5-man, he joked there are only a few ways to line up and no one has gone two-man or one-man upfront, he said that either the center is covered, or the center and both guards are covered or they are not and they have rules for each one of those fronts and techniques to use against them. He said NC State plays a lot of cover one and cover zero and they expect to see some blitzes and movement with those blitzes either three to a side or bringing them all and a lot of max blitzes and those things are challenging and they've got to be able to handle the pressure and blitzes and have answers to adjust to it.

Key said he is not worried about the legacy of this team right now when asked about going to back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 2014. He said that legacy is still being created and there is a lot of season left and the legacy that matters right now is Thursday night in BDS. He said after the season they can talk about memories or rejoice in things

Key said the Miami win was two weeks ago and that is like two months or two years in CFB time. He said it is like a dog's life, seven by one. He said it was a good win, but now what? You need to build upon that win to have a good season and that is how you build a legacy that you can reflect back on later.

Key said that NC State does a good job with CJ Bailey as a freshman QB of not putting too much on him and giving him some breather plays as well where he doesn't have as much on his plate every down. They don't run as much full-field deep progression type routes all the time and they use the run game to manipulate the clock and control TOP in the game. They play to Bailey's strengths as a QB and that is the mark of a good team to him.

On GT's improved run D, Key said that it starts with Tyler Santucci and the guys playing within the scheme and then it goes from there to the way that jess Simpson and Kyle Pope teach it up front and then unselfish play by the LBs and DBs to make the tackles. Once the guys have seen themselves having success it builds and they are starting to feel the improvement on D now and then it is easier to get buy-in for what they are supposed to be doing every down. They key is every person doing their job on every down.

On Trey Cooley, Key said that his goal has been making sure Cooley is successful 5-10-15 years from now not necessarily in the moment.

Key joked he would play in Piedmont Park if they let him but Thursday nights are special and GT has been lucky this year to have some unique showcases for their program nationally not just to see Georgia Tech football, but GT athletics and the school itself to people and that in turns bleeds into the football program because it is a vehicle for the school to get more positive exposure. Key said he has a lot of great memories of Thursday night games and it is special with the nighttime skyline and the city and a crisp breeze in the air on Thursday. He said he reminds the team that in a few weeks the 2024 GT football team won't exist anymore, it'll be on a piece of paper and only in memories told by the team today and when they get back together later in life that is when they can share these memories so make them good ones.

Key said his final game at BDS is something he will always remember being in front of the fans and how loud they can be and he is very thankful for the students and how much they've given to the team this year and the fans being loud and the team would run through a brick wall right now for the students.

I asked Key about the depth in the secondary and he said that he looks at it like an OL, there are two guard, two safeties, two tackles and two corners and a nickel who is like the center and they all have to work together but instead of an 8-yard box the DBs play in a 53-yard wide box and still have to communicate and play together. He said they took some lumps early in the season playing a lot of guys to prepare for things like injuries to Warren Burrell and Syeed Gibbs that test depth and he wanted to have experience and versatility in that room because if you don't that is a recipe for disaster.

He was asked about Jordan Williams closing in on the record for games played on Roddy Jones (52 games), Williams just played his 50th and would break the record in a bowl game.

Key told a long story about how fat Williams got during the covid lockdown. It is worth a listen, words won't do the story justice.

Key said SR night will be special for him because there are a lot of guys who were the backbone of this program rebuild and last year there were a lot of special guys like Dylan Leonard or Connor Scaglione but there are some guys who have been here a long time like Williams or old guys like Sylvain Yondjouen or even some guys like Jackson Hawes who have been here one year and made huge mark on the program.

Don’t want to overreact to a couple basketball losses bc it’s not like we haven’t seen the same thing for 15 years. But what if any legit concerns should JOL actually be having. The player development part? Damon getting frustrated with the NIL process and alienating top recruits? Getting frustrated and bolting back to the NBA? GT BB being perceived as dead for long enough that fans and donors are going to be harder than expected to get back than the lapsed football folks were?

KQ- It is basketball and the best player on the team Baye Ndongo has started the season slow and it is killing them on the inside and they cannot get consistent inside scoring. Asking Doryan to carry as much as he is wasn't really in the game plan from the jump either, but they were unable to get a big they liked in the portal and thus here we are. I'll say this I don't put a lot on the early season games and the UGA game has been a weird one for GT historically. Shit they lost to a bad UGA team in January of 2004 in double OT the year that GT went to the title game in double OT. I was there. GT was 12-0 and lost to UGA. It happens.

The North Florida one bothered me more because of how bad the D looked, but they seem to have settled that down.

I’m assuming this would’ve been addressed in the Recruiting Buzz if it was the case, but I’m gonna ask anyways. Can the 2025 QB offer going out be looked at as trying to upgrade over Grady Adamson? It seemed like a strange take to me at the time, and, I may be wrong, but his numbers haven’t really jumped out to me this year.

You are conflating a poster putting up a graphic on a dude GT was recruiting 18 months ago with a new offer. I assume you are talking about Carter Smith the QB who decommitted from Michigan. I have no idea why the poster put that up. He didn't ask what was up, Carter didn't start posting about GT again or anything else. I know Carter and have seen him in person before. GT offered him in MAY OF 2023. You'd have to ask the guy who he posted it.

Just for kicks…take a shot at our defensive line 2 deep for next year off of current roster. We know we will be adding some portal players. Seems to be a lot of youth next year?

KQ- I mean this year's two-deep DL features three guys who were not on the team last season so it is a little bit hard to do that.

If I use who is currently on the team it would be this

Returning you'd have
RE- Height, Jacob Cruz or Amontrae Bradford
DE- Boyd, Iloh or Bradford
DT- van den Berg, Landen Marshall
DT- Lockett, Shymeik Jones

I assume they will add a DE and probably two DTs via the portal this offseason repeating what they did this cycle and you could also see some of the young guys fill out that depth as well. Jess Simpson and Kyle Pope hit the reset button on the DL and cleared some room to bring in guys they want this offseason. I expect GT will be heavy in free agency on the DL.

SEC teams including UGA seem to always schedule a cupcake before rivalry week. UGA will play UMass before Tech. Clearly they are using that week to prepare for the rivalry team which is often an ACC team for SEC teams. Why doesn't Georgia Tech and the ACC do the same? If you are not sure why then can you ask Key in the next press conference. Seems like GT and the ACC should schedule to assist them in winning the rivalry games since we all know when the ACC loses to the SEC it furthers the narrative that the ACC sucks.

KQ- A couple of things, (A) Brent Key doesn't have much to do with scheduling of football games nor did CPJ or Collins or probably Chan. These games are scheduled years out. (B) because of the contracts and the way the deals are structured most of the FCS and low G5 games are front-loaded because of television deals. (C) fans ****ing can't stand these games and don't show up including Athens. It will probably be their worst-attended game of the year next Saturday.

The league has a huge say in this as well. I think UGA played Ole Miss the week before the GT game and they've had SEC games some years in the past. Many of the other SEC teams have games. Bama is playing at Oklahoma this weekend (I'll be there covering that game because I worked it into a trip to see Grady Adamson).

If you weren’t in the college sports journalism industry, what would else would you have done?

KQ- Most likely I would be working in music merchandising for my old friend from college. I just went to see Iron Maiden Wednesday in Charlotte and he hooked me up. I worked for him in college and after college and was given the option to move to California or go on the road with bands and at the time I punted on that to chase my sports journalism career. I was also working on a masters in psychology briefly and didn't get very far at KSU in my interlude after I stopped covering UGA and was working at the MDJ before I started covering GT. So one of those paths.

If GT beats NC State, GT finishes no worse than 4th in conference not counting tie breakers.

Where will GT go bowling?

KQ- No one knows, the reality is the whole bowl landscape rides on how many ACC teams get in the playoffs and GT needs Notre Dame to make the playoffs as well otherwise everyone gets shifted down one spot. People are literally just guessing right now but a lot depends on matchups too. I don't see the Fenway Bowl against Tulane for example. They would want someone who might sell some tickets and that ain't it in December in Boston. Maybe GT against someone with northern ties would work for example. I could see GT wanting the Sun Bowl and making a push to get that one that less people want. Everyone will line up for Clemson and from there it is a crapshoot where everyone else goes.

How worried should we be that after the first four games, Nait George and Baye Ndongo do not look like they leveled up at all between Year 1 and 2.

KQ- I think sometimes it takes guys some time to get it going. I think Nait's defense is my biggest concern at the moment watching the team in one-on-one D more than Baye missing some shots inside. What is Nait's ceiling is an interesting piece of this as well. I think bigger guys take more time and Ndongo missing so many bunnies has hurt him early on. Hopefully he gets back on track.

How many acc football coaches gets fired/retire when seasons is over with?

KQ- Mack Brown I expect will be forced to retire at UNC. I have no idea what FSU does, will they push Norvell to try to take another gig? It seems like they are doubling-down on trying to set him up for success next year. UVA is interesting to me because Tony Elliott got another year but they are probably more like to not make a bowl again with SMU and at VT left (they've lost something like 19 of 20 against VT over the last two decades). Elliott is 11-21 and they've been more competitive but they got slapped around by that UNC team after GT beat UNC and UVA has been wildly inconsistent and their attendance is really bad for them.

I kind of wonder about Dave Clawson at this point as well. I like Dave and know him a little bit and I wonder how burned out he is by what has happened and them being a feeder for other schools. USF took two of their commits this cycle including their handpicked QB. That ain't good. Clawson and John Currie the AD are super tight so I doubt he leaves but he is another I might put on retirement watch soon. I don't think he likes where things are heading.

This could be the most stable offseason jobs wise for the league with head coaching positions. As far as guys possibly leaving for other jobs, Billy O'Brien and Manny Diaz are the two I'd keep an eye on depending on dominos and what comes open.

Looks pretty even based on recruiting rankings. I knew Doeren got some good guys there every once in a while, but I'll be honest, I was a little surprised with the amount of four stars they have.

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I've got a full story with quotes from Jimmy coming very soon.

It will be interesting to see what happens at UNC in the off-season. If I’m them, I’d throw a ton of money at Beamer.

I could also see Doeren or Clawson potentially doing something crazy.

Shocked we made the cut!

https://www.fanaticsfootballs.com/p...aIO_R9s1Z0RxzEZdjMOeHuM5GneyhzyXKsXpiEHBbwIzx

I'll start from the jump with the most pressing bit of information,

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Postseason play got underway for several in the class this past Friday.

Don’t necessarily have a preference as to the seat, but would prefer to buy off a tech fan versus an up charged ticket site.

Anybody looking to get rid of theirs?

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Enjoy

ATLANTA- Georgia Tech continued preparing for NC State and the home finale with a practice in shells as the Jackets aim to finish the season undefeated in Bobby Dodd Stadium on Thursday night.

After practice a trio of seniors spoke to the media led by tight end Jackson Hawes who just accepted a Senior Bowl invite capping off a big one-year gamble on Georgia Tech following his transfer from Yale.

"I definitely took a game because I only had one year left, but I think the invite is really just a testament to the offense here," Hawes said. "I knew coming in that it would be a good opportunity for me to showcase my ability blocking wise and I think I've totally done that while I've been here and (the offense) has given me the ability to grow in some ways like playing out on the perimeter which was something I didn't do as much in the past so the invite is a testament to the offense here, I love it."

Getting the invite caps a great one year experiment for Hawes at Georgia Tech and he is still amazed that NFL teams are interested in him and he has the potential to play at the next level now after his one season on the Flats.

"I'm extremely grateful that the organization here took a chance on some nerdy guy up at Yale," he joked. "It has been an absolute blessing and for everything that comes my way I try to not get too high or get too low and just kind of stay even keel and go with the process. It is bittersweet that the season is coming to a close but there are exciting things in the future, but right now I'm just trying to stay focused on the next three weeks."

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Hawes said he had a lot of respect for the ACC coming into it and he thinks the biggest difference is just speed and technique and being more in tune with that. You won't see a lot guys mess up out there and just athleticism is different from the Ivy League.

Hawes said being on the team has been awesome for him and he said there is a lot of tough love but everyone loves each other and if someone is out of line, the coaches do a good job of holding guys accountable and the team sets the standard in the locker room. He said the culture bit is really promoted from the older players to the underclassmen and it has been cool for him to be a part of that and setting the example for the future of the team.

Hawes said that Buster Faulkner as an OC is very intentional about what the plan is each week and they meet every day as an offense and establish what they need to get better at and what is working and he delegates well to his assistants and lets the coaches handle their business with an umbrella structure to make sure everyone sticks together.

I asked him about Nathan Brock as a TE coach and he said that Brock's background as a former OL has really helped him with blocking. He felt good about his run blocking coming here but they also have some pass blocking and that is something he had never done and Brock has really helped him there with pass pro and the techniques for that and the hand placement and getting your feet and eyes in the right places

Hawes said that coming off the Miami win they aren't concerned about a let down emotionally because of Senior Night and wanting to send the guys out on a good note. He said that what is funny is Coach Key is more intense after a win in practice the following week and more engaged with the team and doesn't want them to be complacent.

Hawes said the Miami game was the first time since Louisville they had everyone in the TE room available who was going to play this season (Seither got hurt in fall camp) and then against Louisville he got hurt and Josh Beetham got hurt and then it got worse for a bit with injuries. He said that it is great having everyone back from the start of the season now and they are able to rotate guys more and everyone can play specific roles with their strengths and weaknesses.

Hawes said that NC State is a solid team that play well together and they like to play physically at the LOS and get in your face a lot more than others. They have a good defensive structure and are disciplined and are big so handling them will be a good challenge that he is excited for. Hawes said NC State has been in every game this year and their record doesn't really reflect how good they are.

We talked to LaMiles Brooks next and I asked him what will his emotions be like on Thursday night for SR Day and he said it will be very emotional and his whole family will be there and it is crazy to think this is it. He feels like he has been at GT forever and he kind of took for granted the opportunities you get to play here so it will be a big one for sure.

Brooks said he isn't trying to make this game any bigger than any other game.

Brooks said CJ Bailey the NC State QB has a lot of arm talent and he has some NFL type balls he throws and is a very good QB in the ACC so it will be an exciting matchup and hopefully they can make some plays on some balls.

Brooks said his first game Bobby Dodd game was UCF in 2020 and it was a white out and he enjoyed the environment at the time.

Brooks said he is proud to be a part of the rebuild of Georgia Tech football and he said the first two years he started to lose faith and then in the third season when Coach Key took over they went 5-7 and started to turn it around and when Coach Key officially got the job his faith was instilled and what coach Key instilled in the team is now coming to fruition.

I asked about the Sharks thing and now them starting to look like the safety room they were hoping to have and Brooks said that they have a strong brotherhood and everyone is unselfish in that room and they've gotten closer and closer and that has allowed them to play better and they have their own celebrations and they link up outside football and talk constantly and that love is what is allowing them to play better.

Brooks on Taye Seymore said that he flies around and that speed and how fast he can play is something special and he was really determined in the offseason to get into the rotation and get things to slow down for him and he was asking questions to Brooks and CP Lee and he is excited to see him play like that.

I asked Brooks why he never transferred out and he said that he made a promise to himself he would graduate from Georgia Tech and that he was going to stick it out and be a part of the turnaround here and he has completed both of his goals but that is why he stayed.

It was Jordan Williams' birthday and he got dunked by some teammates in the cold tub.

After that we spoke to him, Williams said that NC State is a little different defensively than most of the teams they've faced this year so they are focusing more on techniques this week and landmarks and making sure their hats are in the right spot with good hand placement.

I asked about Senior Night and he said it is going to feel insane and he feels like time just flew right by and he might get a little emotional.

Williams said he felt like the program turned a corner when Coach Key took over and they are making steps in the right direction now and it is starting to click and from the time Key officially got the job he laid a new foundation down and the first thing he really harped on was discipline and anyone who saw their first conditioning that offseason saw that discipline being instilled during that conditioning.

Williams said that Trey Cooley has really leaned on the team and they've leaned on him to help him through a rough season to make sure he kept his head on straight and the whole team was impressed with Cooley last week playing like that without being able to take all the reps in practice, he has a lot of respect from the team and his performance against Miami made it go up even more.

Williams said that the thing he will remember the most from the Miami game is the students rushing the field and running out of the tunnel before the game compared to when they were struggling in the early years and he has always been thankful to the fans and their support over the years and he is happy they are finally giving them something to be happy about on the field.

Just saw Chad Simmons post a flip announcement for KP on Instagram. Thoughts on this? Hoping this is the “nudge” I talked about a few weeks ago to free up room for the Alex Paynes of the world.