Fire away

Georgia Tech in top two:

I was thinking about it last night. Next year, in a 12-team playoff, you have the potential to have the top 5 conference champions, and then the next best 7 teams….that would be 5 Big 10 teams, 4 SEC teams, an ACC team, a Big 12 team and another random conference champion. Oklahoma and Ole Miss would be out the outside looking in. There’s so much priority placed on those two leagues that they get preference and seeding bias whether they are good or not.

Next year there will be an argument that, in the same situation, FSU should rest all their starters and let Louisville win the game, because it will guarantee the ACC has two teams in the playoff. Conference championships won’t matter, only the rankings will.

What’s the incentive (other than a potential first round bye) to go all out in the Championship games?

To hell with Georgia and Duke.

Special guest Harper in her pretty princess outfit and crown.



Excited for our team to continue our season and right now and play in a bowl game and to go down to Tampa and play a quality opponent in the game. It is something, I want to see our team not satisfied with getting to a bowl game, but building on the second part of the season and what we want it to be. This is something, we’ve got to continue the season. Last week was still in season. We will start practicing this week and moving into the weekend and then on the site of the bowl game as a continuation of the season. The biggest thing is for these seniors. They’ve done a lot for this program and this team and get a chance to play in a bowl game, the bowl game is a chance to build for the future and that is part of it, but make no mistakes it is about the seniors that have been here four, five, six years and they’ve done a great job of leading us all year and being strong in the locker room when coaches are not around.

Looking forward to playing a great opponent, it is not about who we play but making the most out of it and taking the older guys and preparing to play in a football game. Gasparilla Bowl is under a different name, I’ve gone there a couple of different times.



On keeping up with the bowl projections, not one bit or one second. The last hour I probably have, we have a lot going on in CFB and it is getting pretty busy and recruiting and having official visitors and unofficial visitors and out on the road.



We will play in that game and I coached at that school and went there with them and it is a chance to begin breakdowns and working on breaking down the games.



On bowl practices, 15 is the number of days, but it could be more or less, I want to be able to get our guys early on in shape so they hone their skills and get guys in great situational football like 3rd downs and red area and two minute and four minute situations and the first week will be good on good then a lot time on developmental games. The game is a on Friday and we will back it up one day and go from there.



On facing UCF, my alma mater versus my wife’s, but we are very united as one.



On playing in a bowl game out of the area, it is a big thing and our friends are staying in their own backyard, it is an experience of getting to extend the season. I think it is ludicrous people think there are too many bowl games. To be a coach sitting at home you would think a lot differently. To be at home to develop our team and to get one more game.



On getting early enrollees, we’ve talked about it, it would be a push to get them in and the guys would love to be it depends on the last finals and their graduation date.



On staff changes, I don’t think I’ve ever been on one staff without one.



On playing UCF, the greatest connection I have was meeting my wife down there and starting our family down there and my oldest dog down there. I have a lot of good friends and great relationships and we had some former players from UCF here last week that I coached. Building relationships.



On FSU, they went through that last year on their third QB and the adversity they went through, if you want to mark the good sign of a good football team, you lose two QBs and played well against a well-coached team. There are people who have to make those decisions, but as a casual observer and a massive fan of the game of football, I hate it for Florida State and Mike and his players.

At 6 pm they will cancel and reschedule for tomorrow. The ACC has a bunch of stuff going on trying to fill slots because of FSU not making the playoffs. I had a source tell me that he expects the ACC to file a lawsuit over FSU getting screwed (we shall see) but all the bowls are up in the air except the ones formally announced.

2023-24 TRANSFER TRACKER

OFFENSIVE OFFERS:

QBs (2/2):
Graham Knowles (Southlake Carroll- Southlake, TX) *** COMMITTED TO GT 6/18/23***
Aaron Philo (Prince Avenue Christian- Bogart, GA) *** COMMITTED TO GT 5/11/23***

RBs (2/3):
Anthony Carrie (Carrollwood Day- Tampa, FL) *** COMMITTED TO GT 12/20/23***
Trelain Maddox (Parkview- Lilburn, GA) *** COMMITTED TO GT 6/13/23***

WRs (2/3)
Isiah Canion (Warner Robins- Warner Robins, GA) *** COMMITTED TO GT 7/3/23***
Trey Horne (Rabun Gap Nacoochee- Rabun Gap, GA) *** COMMITTED TO GT 6/6/23***

TEs (4/4):
RYLAND GOEDE (Mississippi State- Transfer Portal) ***COMMITTED TO GT 12/14/23***
Luke Harpring (Marist School- Atlanta GA) *** COMMITTED TO GT 6/18/23***
JACKSON HAWES (Yale- Transfer Portal) ***COMMITTED TO GT 12/11/23***
David Prince (Glynn Academy- Brunswick, GA) *** COMMITTED TO GT 6/13/23***

OLs C/OT (3/3):
Santana Alo-Tupuola (IMG Academy- Bradenton, FL) *** COMMITTED TO GT 3/19/23***
Kai Greer (Marvin Ridge- Waxhaw, NC) *** COMMITTED TO GT 12/12/23***
Jameson Riggs (Hiram, GA) *** COMMITTED TO GT 7/27/23***

OLs OG (3/3):
Jordan Floyd (Parkview- Lilburn, GA) *** COMMITTED TO GT 6/16/23***
Harrison Moore (Southlake Carroll- Southlake, TX) ***COMMITTED TO GT 11/22/23***
KEYLAN RUTLEDGE (Middle Tennessee State- Transfer Portal) ***COMMITTED TO GT 12/13/23***

GaTech hosted DE Maurice Davis this weekend who had a commitment on his mind following his visit to the Flats. Davis plans to enroll early as well so this will go quickly for him with a few schools in play.

UGA fans crying about refs (again), SEC fans crying about FSU, UGA fans crying about refs some more, UGA fans crying about Bobo, UGA fans crying about injuries.

Also I want to make this point. UGA fans that cry about injuries this week were telling us Kirby “sat them and rested them” last week. Turns out that wasnt true. Those dudes were actually hurt. Now they are blaming Mike Bobo for not using them rather than admit they were hurt. The mental gymnastics trying to explain this are hilarious to watch unfold.

Enjoy this folks. It’s a gigantic temper tantrum. It is fabulous.

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I am not kidding I would either be jumping or shaving my head and moving to Tibet as a Nole.

Glad he got to see them lose today as he repped them over the hometown team!

The only college football team to win three national championships in a row.

drop them here

Brent Key

Jaylon King and Haynes King

We talked to Damon Stoudamire and Kyle Sturdivant (apparently the team spokesman now)

STOUDAMIRE

Stoudamire said they are still working to find their identity as a team especially with Lance Terry still out and finding the lineups that work and he is still figuring some things out as well as a first-year coach here and he is trying different things with the rotation and they've had some success with certain groups of players and less with others so he is trying to figure out all of that before ACC play. He likes the trajectory the team is on right now though and they are one possession away from being 4-1 right now but you can't get that UMass-Lowell game back now. He said the goal is to get better each game.

Damon said he isn't frustrated to play a conference game this early, but it can be a struggle if you are not playing well so it doesn't matter who they play, he is focused on teaching them how to compete even when it is not going well.

I asked about matchups with Duke's frontcourt and he said he is a NBA guy and not being on lineup changes to match up against another team. He likes to focus on the long term play and developing his team. Duke will be a big challenge since they are coming off a loss as well so they will be locked in going against GT and his team better have a sense of urgency about them.

Stoudamire said he loves rebounding and offensive rebounds and there are three things he thinks are the most important elements of basketball, limiting live turnovers, winning the rebounding battle, and (limiting fastbreak/transition baskets) and if you do that you have a good chance to win. and he said that going against a team like Duke their margin of error is very small to begin with and gets tighter in this type of game so they have to approach you are not going to turn the rock over, you are not going to let their guards get out and run and you are going to rebound the ball.

Stoudamire said he doesn't look at this game as a league game or UGA as a rivalry game, but rather an opportunity for his team to get better and that is all he cares about. The win is their trajectory and they have a bunch of sayings that sound like cliches but it is all about the trajectory of the team and playing the game the right way right now more than results.

I asked if it helps playing Duke instead of a buy game after a big win over State where there could be a letdown and he said it does help because he can see how the guys respond to a challenge. They responded well coming off a loss against an undefeated State team and he was impressed by the guys that they led wire to wire which is very hard to do in basketball and he told them to flush that at midnight on Tuesday and get ready for the next game and lock in for Duke.

KYLE STURDIVANT

Kyle said the win over MIss State helped reaffirm to the team that they are on the right track and doing the right things.

I asked him about Nait George and he said he was really excited for him starting and he has shown great composure since he got to GT and he played that way against Miss State and should keep playing well for them.

Kyle said they get a very detailed scouting report on Duke ahead of the game so they know how to play them and their tendencies.

Kyle said it is a little weird playing a conference game right now and then jumping back out of conference to play UGA next but if they can beat Duke that would be a great feeling on Saturday. He is up for any chance to beat Duke.

Kyle said that some of the players have asked him about Duke and what they are like and he shared some stories of playing them the last few years.

Kyle said they are very focused on themselves right now and trying to hit their stride at the right time and then hopefully they can showcase what they can do in Feb and March.

I asked about playing these hard games all in a row with State, Duke and then the rivalry with UGA and he said that it is like a mid-term exam in him mind before the final exams when ACC play starts. You get to learn what you don't know and what you need to work on the rest of the semester.

On Duke, Kyle said that they have good and quick guards, the big man is a lottery pick guy and they are excited to see them especially after last year's game.

Kyle said this month is important because it can help set the tone for conference play.

I asked him about being like a sixth-man in his role and he said it is fun and he gets to see how the other team is playing and defending and it is like a cheat for him when he comes in and he can bring some energy and passing while understanding how the other team is attacking them on offense and defense.

During the Selection Show Greg McElroy put in words what non-SEC fans believe is the biggest problem with college football and ESPN's power. In essence McElroy said, "with the SEC's overwhelming success in past playoffs there's no way the SEC (Alabama) could be left out." Greg's thinking isn't to play any role in selecting the four teams (last year nor the past decade isn't supposed to matter). However, most ESPN folks, especially the SEC apologists like McElroy, are blinded with a bias that it means more in the SEC. Not sure it mattered more to Alabama than did to the FSU team particularly their defense.

For the playoff committee the "eye test" mattered more than what actually happened on the field. That type of unmeasurable subjectivity doesn't bode well for non-SEC teams with next year's expanded field of 12 playoff teams. Count on every effort being made to include multiple SEC teams in the playoffs.

The one positive is that Georgia rightfully is not one of the four. This year's UGA team was not equal to their last two teams and with yesterday's loss didn't deserve a spot. At least the committee got that right.

1.Michigan
2.Washington
3.Texas
4. FSU

What’s everyone’s predictions?

THE FLATS – No. 5 seed Georgia Tech volleyball (24-6, 13-4 ACC) will continue its NCAA Tournament run on Thursday, Dec. 7 against No. 1-overall seed Nebraska (30-1, 19-1 Big Ten). The match is set to start at 2 p.m. and will be nationally broadcast on ESPN2.



Match information: No. 5 Georgia Tech at No. 1 Nebraska | Thursday Dec. 2 | 2 p.m. ET | Bob Devaney Sports Center | ESPN2



The Jackets advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 for the second time in the past three seasons and fourth time in program history on Friday night (Dec. 1), defeating No. 4 seeded Florida (19-10, 10-8 SEC) in five sets. It was the first NCAA Tournament road win and the first five-set tournament win in program history.



Tech travels to play No. 1 Nebraska for what will be the third meeting in program history and first since 2015. Tech won the first meeting, in Lincoln, on Sept. 14, 2003. It will be the third time Georgia Tech will take on an AVCA No. 1 ranked opponent and first time since the 2021 Regional Final at No. 1 Louisville.



NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAM NOTES

• The Jackets are back in the NCAA Tournament for the 4th year in a row and the 13th time in program history.

• Tech is one of just 14 programs in Division I to have advanced past the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons, doing so for the 1st time in program history.

• GT has reached the Regional Semifinals for the fourth time in program history and second time in the last three seasons - one of 14 Division I programs to do so.

• The win over No 4 seed Florida was the first true road win in an NCAA Tournament in program history.

• It was Head Coach Michelle Collier’s 7th NCAA Tournament win, the most of any Georgia Tech head coach.

• Georgia Tech is one of three No. 5 seeds to have advanced into the Regional rounds after going on the road the first weekend (also Penn St. and Arizona St.).

• The Jackets are averaging 14.81 digs/set this season, the third most among the remaining teams in the tournament. They have made 129 digs this tournament, the second most among remaining teams.

• Georgia Tech recorded an NCAA Tournament best 128 kills in the first two rounds (56 vs. South Alabama | 72 at No. 4 Florida) - led by 36 from Senior outside hitter Tamara Otene.



NCAA TOURNAMENT INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• The Jackets are one of four teams remaining in the field to have three players record 300+ kills this season: Otene (397), junior outside hitter Bianca Bertolino (343) and freshman right side hitter Larissa Mendes (304) (also Arkansas, Oregon and Stanford)

• Otene (397 kills / 327 digs) and Bertolino (343 kills / 311 digs) are the first Yellow Jacket duo to achieve 300 kills and 300 digs in the same season 2015 (Teegan Van Gunst and Annika (Rowland) Van Gunst).

• Georgia Tech and Arkansas are the only teams in the remaining NCAA Tournament field with two 300 kill / 300 dig players.

• Junior middle blocker DeAndra Pierce set a new career high with 11 kills in the 1st Round vs. South Alabama. She did so on .667 hitting, the highest hitting percentage by a Jacket in an NCAA Tournament match lasting longer than three sets (modern scoring era).

• Pierce is hitting .448 through two rounds - the 2nd highest hitting percentage by a player in the field making her NCAA Tournament debut.

• Senior right side hitter Afedo Manyang made at least 2 kill/set while hitting .333 or better in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, joining Erin Moss as the only Jackets in program history to do so across consecutive NCAA Tournament matches.

• Mendes set a program record for the most kills by a Georgia Tech freshman in her NCAA Tournament debut, with 12 against South Alabama (11/30).

• Otene recorded 21 kills in the win over Florida (12/1), becoming the third Jacket in the modern scoring era to achieve 20 kills in an NCAA Tournament match (also Marianna Brambilla and Julia Bergmann).

• Otene is three kills away from 400 for the season. She would give Georgia Tech at least one 400 kill hitter in each of the previous eight full seasons (2015-23 excluding 2020-21 season), joining USC, Purdue and Stanford as the only programs to have done so across Division I.

• Freshman setter Heloise Soares tied a program record with three aces against South Alabama (11/30) tied with Bertolino for the most aces in an NCAA Tournament match in the modern scoring era.



2023 SEASON NOTES

• Georgia Tech has beaten two Top 10 opponents in the same regular season for the first time in program history (No. 8 Penn State and No. 3 Louisville). Four of Tech’s seven all-time wins over Top 10 teams have come in the last three seasons.

• Tech had four Jackets honored in the end-of-year ACC awards: Bianca Bertolino and Tamara Otene were named 1st Team All-ACC while Heloise Soares and Larissa Mendes earned All-Freshman Team honors.

• Coming in at No. 12 in the final AVCA Coaches poll of the regular season, Georgia Tech is the highest ranked team not to receive a Top 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament in four seasons (since 2019) - No. 10 Colorado State.

• The Jackets have now won 11 road matches this season, the most in the Michelle Collier era and the most in a single season since 2004.

• The next road win would be tied with 2004 for the second most in a single season (14 in 1988).

Never have I seen the 4 letter word starting with F spelled out. I've seen, Fuc, Fuk, F..., is this some rule, if I do spell the word, I am booted from Rivals? I'm pay annually, really don't even know what I'm charged, just taken out of my account whatever month of the year, but, if this is so, good knowing ya'll for I will have a writeup using all letters. I'm more than pissed off!!! Long live ACC, for you took us in when we were independent.

Or is it another dramafest?

Nice video feature. Hey, @Russell Johnson, is Graham starting to become QB1 for Tech?

First off and most importantly Roll ****ing Tide!

I am a little shocked that Washington is taking it to Oregon early up 17-3. Lets hope all these favorites hold chalk.