Memorial Day is always special, so my thoughts go out to those who gave it all for our country. I am also the grandchild of two WWII veterans. Thanks to everyone who serves or supports someone in their family/friend group.
Will NIL and Revenue Sharing be the demise of College Sports?
KQ- Things were going off the rails before NIL and rev share. The realignment and TV deals started all of this mess. I'm not sure how it will look eventually. Folks are trying to fix the sport though.
Are we going to be paying our SAs the full $20.5M that's allowed? Any idea of the percentage breakdown between sports? Are you aware of any program in the ACC that will *not* be paying the full amount allowed?
KQ- Yes, they've budgeted for the full amount from my understanding and the lion's share will go to football and then hoops from my understanding. I don't think they want those numbers public, but that is what everyone in the country is doing who isn't like a UConn or South Carolina with elite money-making non-football/women's hoops type programs. I do no know if anyone like a Cal or BC is going under the cap. Those would be the two I would be most concerned about financially getting over that hump.
I know it’s hard to project with the wild world of college football these days, and hypotheticals are hypotheticals, but realistically looking three years down the road, where would you like to see the football program at. (Financially, roster talent, success, etc.)
KQ- That is a fair way to ask that question. I think in the upper third of the ACC every season, competing for the ACC Championship is the goal every year for Key, and beating UGA more consistently is the second part of that, just for the fanbase and the rivalries' sake.
Key has really benefitted from the portal and NIL despite people being freaked out about losing a Kyle Kennard or Eric Singleton, as @ibeeballin and I have said GT has benefitted way more from the portal than most other programs other than maybe that one good FSU season in 2023. Key has worked it in a way that is more sustainable than FSU did so you shouldn't have those valleys like you saw in Tally last year because they had no plan at QB and had no chemistry on either side of the ball.
He is trying to build like a good baseball or football team, the core is your farm system/draft picks, aka signees, and then you fill things out like adding Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson as starters or a return guy or a punter like adding middle relief help or a bat off the bench. Then adding a piece like Evan Haynes or Debron Gatling, who are the equivalent of adding a young arm to your bullpen who could eventually start.
Key believes GT can be a perennial top 10 program.
This has been the first season in quite some time that we have had a great deal of hype, with what appears to be real substance. Do you know if the players are listening & buying into the hype? What are some specifics, if any, CBK is doing to keep everyone focused?
KQ- I ran into a player recently and we had this exact conversation and basically what he told me was the locker room got a real wakeup call last year in that Syracuse game and then the letdown of having to play in the Birmingham Bowl has really focused guys. Key has also really amped up the coaching and player motivational pieces with his recent hires. The pieces are there to have a good season.
How does Buford’s new jumbotron compare in size to our current one? What they’ve done over there is wild.
KQ- Ha, I have not been out to Buford recently so I don't have any context. The last time I was in that stadium was probably 15 years ago so I can't really tell, but it looks like a lot of the schools I see in Texas and Oklahoma.
Can we get a list of Baseball players that are 2025 draft eligible and any information on HS signees that might be draft casualties?
KQ- Let me rope @Alex Farrer into this, he is the baseball guy.
Given summer school for full semester and first half semester started Monday 5/12 are the football players back. If so does this include freshmen and transfers that didn’t enroll in January.
KQ- Yes, possibly for those enrolled in that summer session, but I'm not sure if they do the full summer or the other version of it and no the freshmen are not enrolled yet that didn't enroll early. Remember, school is just getting out in most of the country last week and this week so they would not have final transcripts in time to enroll for that. There is something called first-year summer session that I think those kids are placed into but for whatever reason, their academic calendar site isn't updated with that information, but that is the one I think the freshmen get put into.
However, I am not an expert at this stuff and didn't go to GT, and a lot has changed since I graduated from college 20 years ago. There are some people on here who can answer this, though.
Any info you can share how the On3 rivals merger as it relates to JOL?
KQ- I have signed a new deal with On3 for several years that will secure the long-term future and success of this site. I met with all the brass at On3 multiple times and fielded interest from other parties as well and I believe in the plan Shannon has for the future.
As far as how it will work, essentially, the ESPN-style articles like national college sports news, NIL and the portal will live on the On3 brand and recruiting will live via the Rivals brand. The sites are linked to both and you will have access to all that information. So we will have stuff from Joe Tipton or Jamie Shaw on MBB or Pete Nakos on national news and Andy Staples along with Fong, Chad and our current analysts for football recruiting plus whoever else On3 has, because I don't know their national staff outside of those two. They are also investing in some other areas that should help as well. That is what I can share.
Nothing changes on the user end, other than you will have access to better toys and a more understandable rating formula along with the additional content.
Somewhat surprised you forecast GT taking 5 OL again this year. Is this due to the attrition that seems to happen with NIL and the lack of patience in development? Is it to ensure young pressure pushing upper class men to get everyone working harder? I love the depth but don’t see how we keep guys 3 years waiting their turn.
KQ- One, there is always attrition. Two, I expect Key to use those extra roster spots on things like scholarship OLs and DLs more than anything else. Remember, the 85 cap is gone now. I think the Peyton Josephs and Josh Pettys of the world will get a little run as the season goes along and the other guys know where they stand as well, but the education piece is actually important to some of them so they'll stick around. GT has a bunch
In the previous mailbag, Tae Harris was not listed as one of the freshman expected to make a big impact this year. Is that due to depth, experience, and talent at his position, or was he slower than other freshman to come on in the Spring?
KQ- He is playing a position where he has two super seniors and a junior, and a sophomore who are all very skilled and talented in the mix ahead of him. They love Christian Pritchett for example and added Savion Riley to take pressure off having to play Tae early. Even someone like Morgan Burnett played a somewhat limited role his first year playing nickel and starting some games. He was a badass freshman, Tae has to get himself in position to do stuff like that. He flashes but he is not a guy who will start at Colorado week one. I think people don't realize how much more talented the team is than it was a few years ago across the board.
Other than tech who is a dark horse contender in the acc in football this year?
KQ- If you ask me to pick a dark horse, it would be someone like NC State. Dave Doeren has consistently pulled big seasons out of his butt everytime he looks to be in a little bit of trouble there. He won eight games after each of his two losing seasons at NC State. They might sneak up on people. They have a favorable schedule until November when they play GT, at Miami, FSU and UNC to close out the season. I could totally see them being ranked going into November and then it falling apart late.
How much money did it cost us not to host the baseball Regional?
KQ- Do they make money hosting? Like that is a legit question. I don't know as much about the economic impact of hosting. Is it something that makes a lot of money? I'd doubt it. A lot probably depends on how you draw as well. I doubt anyone is getting rich off hosting, but maybe it is a nice boost. I'm annoyed because I wanted GT to host and have Bama to make my life easier and save me money.
