Out of all the new HC hired in the ACC, which one poses the biggest risk to GT in terms of recruiting and toughest opponent to face?
RJ- Mario Cristobal. His actual on-field staff took forever to come together, but he has kids excited about visiting Miami, committing to them, etc. Time will tell if he can actually coach there, or if he can actually sign the kids he is receiving commitments from.
I don’t think it is particularly close compared to the other coaches that were hired in this regard.
KQ- I'll take the on the field part and the overall risk is also Miami as Russell said, but the Canes have been a mess since they tore down the Orange Bowl. I do think Brent Pry can coach at VT.
Looks like the notice of allegations for Memphis includes a lack of institutional control going back to 2011. Am I reading that right? Think you've said in the past that Pastner wanted out of the scumminess at Memphis. Do you know if any of this lack of institutional control reflects on his time there and/or if that will affect him going forward?
KQ- Unless Josh is named in anything which to my knowledge he is not, then he is fine. That timetable spans three different coaches and if I read it correctly has more to do with Memphis compliance than either Pastner or Tubby Smith. Penny is specifically named in their report not Josh or Tubby.
why is it you project Joseph to start at DT over others?
KQ- Joseph has a lot of quality tape against similar opponents and more success than some of the other DTs. He also gives them an inside rush presence that they lack other than Akelo Stone. Makius Scott, Akelo Stone, D'Quan Douse, Zeek Biggers, Horace Lockett or KJ Miles all combined have less game reps than Joseph got in one season last year and he has three years of production. They didn't bring in a kid like that or Keion White to sit on the bench and look menacing.
RJ, you called out KW (senior) as a big deal. Why? And how soon will we see the impact?
RJ- Kenyatta is a name that carries serious weight in the state of Georgia. He has a level of connections that are likely un-matched by anyone in the industry. When Kenyatta says something, kids listen. From his time with Under Armour, Grayson HS, the FL/GA All-Star Game, and of course Florida State, this is what he has been working towards.
For so many coaches. Around the country, Georgia Tech can be seen as a stepping stone job, one that is just a temporary home, and a place that can easily be replaced.
For Kenyatta, his job at GT is the opposite of that. This is the destination job for him. The spot he has been working towards for years.
He has a level of trust in this part of the country, especially locally.
How soon will you see the impact? This week, when recruits start visiting again after spring break.
The hiring of Kenyatta Watson is heralded as a big deal for our football program. Super.
Is it not possible for our hoops program to add one such staff recruiting position with someone knowledgeable and highly respected in Ga HS hoops? Said differently, is CJP both able and inclined to make staff upgrade actions in the near term?
KQ- Hoops is more decentralized than football and is more about your AAU team and the shoe company they work with so it is not an analogous situation. Watson is more about relationships with people especially other coaches and other recruiting people at high schools, they are not comparable people in the hoops world that jump to mind. Also the majority of hoops recruiting comes from 2-3 people within the program. It is not as much a staff effort.
I see where Zach Gibson's PFF passing rating was 6th best last year in FBS and 14th overall for QBs. What's the chance that he beats out Sims in the summer?
KQ- That is quite the leap. Gibson's numbers were against the following teams as a reference point
92.5 against 4-8 Bowling Green off the bench in 40 snaps
88.3 against 7-6 Miami (OH) team as a starter
79.0 against in a loss to Ball State as a starter
90.2 against in a loss to Western Michigan as a starter
and in his final start at Akron a 60.8 against Kent State who gave up 101 points in the previous two MAC games to bad teams and SHUT OUT Akron.
I like Zach Gibson, he has a nice arm and is a very solid backup QB. He is not Jeff Sims, he will not start over a healthy Jeff Sims and I would go as far as saying he is not a lock to even be QB #2 this fall based on everything I've heard from camp.
There wasn’t a ton a big men to replace Moses but who were the PGs we were pursuing in the portal last year while we awaited Jose decision ?
KQ- I have no idea, that is like asking you what you or where you ate dinner last year at this time. This is not HS recruiting where we get to know the names of guys. Maybe someone on here might remember, hell the staff would probably take some time to remember who they recruited. There is a search function feel free to dip back into the past and look it up.
how has adidas helped us in recruiting, in particular basketball due to the AAU connections we didn’t have with Russell?
KQ- It hasn't hurt or helped, that has been an improvement. The reality is adidas got busted in that AAU sting right after GT switched over so they've been trying to avoid anything that looks like a conflict of interest or an enticement or helping schools out since then.
Following the double portal entry for Jamious and the peacocking by a departing DT (assuming Lockhart), is it safe to assume that as of today when a player hits the portal that there’s no chance that they can come back?
KQ- Depends on the circumstance, with one player at a school they put it to a team vote and the team said no. It depends on how kids act when they leave, but Jamious leaving again certainly didn't help the odds but it is still case-by-case.
The two defensive linemen leave, one is still looking for a home and one is being moved to the OL. I’m sure that they are not the only players to have promises broken in this new age of the portal. Have these stories given players cause to reevaluate their situation before entering the portal?
KQ- Yes, they've kept kids from leaving that are on the team now.
Governance of the portal and NIL. Is this an NCAA or conference issue. I know many like myself would like to see some guidelines like time periods to enter the portal.
KQ- Portal would have to be NCAA-wide, not conference by conference. I know from talking to coaches there is a push to limit when kids can go into the portal basically end of semesters or quarter changes or end of seasons or before the season. This stuff with kids going in mid-season is crazy and the NCAA needs to protect kids from themselves in that situation. You gain nothing by quitting midseason and going in the portal. I also think it is bogus that kids can work out in the winter and then quit a week before camp. That was not the intention of the transfer rule changes.
How’s the offensive line shaping up?
KQ- It looks a lot better than it did at the end of last season. Jordan Williams has really improved a lot with the trimmed down body and Weston Franklin is handling the center duties well. Losing Paul Tchio for a big chunk of spring ball was less than ideal, but Paula Vaipulu has grown up a lot and made strides during the year. I still think they need a LT because Jakiah Leftwich could use some more time to develop as could Wing Green.
The replacements to the football staff have been of pretty high quality. How likely are they to stay if Tech doesn’t make a bowl (while showing marked improvement) and Geoff is canned? I’m fairly certain a bowl means Geoff and staff remain while another 3 win season would include deciding to fully or mostly clean house.
KQ- Rarely do coaches stay when the head coach is fired unless there is an interim coach who becomes the head coach and then there would still likely be some shake up from that. So very low. At GT you've had that happen in the last coaching change before Collins where CPJ kept Charles Kelly because he worked his ass off during the changeover, Brain Jean-Mary because CPJ liked him and he worked hard and Giff Smith who had worked for CPJ before, that was a special circumstance. Hell if Tenuta hadn't been such a jerk he would've had a chance to stay too.
