Do you know if the football team would love to have an intern for free? Lol yes I’m asking for myself.
KQ- I doubt they want someone as active as you are on social here and everywhere else. They do have internships for GT students at times though.
The following the future updates, do the schools have a grading system for the OL? If they do are you able to share that instead of just putting the score of the game?
RJ: If there was a way for me to do something like that, I would for sure. Sadly, there is not. No HS is going to give me their grade for one of their own players to put in a public forum. Could I ask the OL commits how many pancakes, sacks they allowed, etc. and count those as stats? Sure. I’ll try that for next week’s and will share any feedback.
I will also continue to post any highlights that are posted on Hudl as well.
How much practice will the team get at MBS prior to playing there next Saturday? What does it cost GT to hold a practice there?
KQ- So we didn't get a schedule yet for next week, probably sometime tomorrow. Typically they'd have a walk-thru on Friday in the Stadium and I'm not sure if they have anything else. The stadium should be empty this week as the Falcon and United both have road games this week.
Little fun here….
if CPJ was offered the job at USC does he take it? If yes, how do you think he would do in the PAC12?
KQ- Probably not, he is not really interested in coaching again. He seems pretty happy laying low and playing golf and the stocks. Something like NC State or VT would be far more interesting I think than USC where there is no chance they'd let him run this thing anyway.
why does stoops name come up for every big opening? Do you think he really wants to coach again? I don’t especially being out for as long as he has.
KQ- He has a great win/loss record and was a very good coach, but I also find that interesting. At least with Urban Meyer there is a track record of him taking over programs and turning them around fast. Stoops only had three ever on the field coaching jobs in CFB two as an assistant at K-State and later Florida before he got the Oklahoma job. So I do think it is weird.
The players played so hard on Saturday, I think they deserved to win.
In your mind, what is it going to take to clean up the pre-snap penalties and start converting our red zone opportunities?
KQ- I think so much of that was the opponent and situation. That was the first time since the opening game of 2019 any of them had to deal with a crowd on that level. The kids on this team other than Cochran, Hoss and maybe one other guy on the OL (Cooper) have never even been in that type of environment before in a meaningful game. I think that had a lot to do with it, I think the elite defense they faced had a lot to do with it and I think that some of it is probably playcalling as well. I think they don't have a great identity yet of what they can do well in the red zone. Maybe that will come during the season now.
Defense with the exception of two stupid series in NIU game seem to be much improved thoughts on such?
KQ- Yeah the defense looks much more like what they were building to in year one, they just had no DL then and now they have the makings of a pretty decent DE room and a lot of strides at DT so that makes all the difference. If you can just make a guy uncomfortable and not have all day to throw it makes the defense look a lot better. I thought they did a smart thing embracing who the best playmakers are on defense and getting that group on the field, meaning the 3 LB set and the 5 DBs, that is the strength right now but that can change as the DTs develop.
My favorite question is what question should JOL subscribers should be asking and we are not?
KQ- I still sort of floored that Will Lay is the best option at LG if Kenny Cooper isn't 100-percent. I know Pendley was down but they seem to have no confidence in Paula, Austin Smith or Mike Maye and I'm curious what that is about. Lay is a decent center, but he should not be put in that situation against Clemson, that is unfair to that kid IMO.
Would you do a break down on what’s going on with the O-Line play without copping out on “injuries”? We’ve gotten some “reportedly” solid experienced transfers, the strength and conditioning program is repeatedly touted as stellar, our OL coach is blown up as “one of the best in the country”, and it’s his 3rd year molding these guys into non-cut-blockers, yet…I’m tired of counting how many plays are destroyed because the OL sucks ass. What gives, and why should we cut CBK any slack?
KQ- It looks like KJ Kirby struggles with his footwork to the right so he isn't going to win that RT job and he isn't comfortable at LG either so that sort of sucks because they needed him to step up at RT because Devin Cochran is their best OL and you want him at LT. Kenny Cooper, Jordan Williams, Nick Pendley, Austin Smith, and a few others have all been battling injuries. No news there as each of them has either gone down in a game or not dressed for a game so I'm not breaking any confidences there. They've had a lot of guys beat up on the OL and they have depth at center and OT, but not at guard apparently that Key likes. I still think they have issues at both guard spots because Cooper is playing fine, he just seems to struggle to stay healthy and Ryan Johnson has not played well for whatever reason and it seems like they don't have other options they like right now. It is a tough spot for CBK to be in.
Have the coaches told Yates to tighten up his chin straps? He never tightens them and has lost his helmet multiple times this season. Would hate for him to lose it at an important time.
KQ- I'm sure that has been discussed a few times.
Teams that are young and rebuilding have to learn how to win. Is this the turning point? Typically a big win is the turning point. We have played up and down to competition several times over the past 2+ seasons. I was very proud of the team, the effort tonight and maybe we are finding an identity. Time will obviously tell but your thoughts?
KQ- I agree with that. That is the one thing that has been disappointing me the most through the first 25 games or whatever of coach Collins era at GT, the team really goes up and down at times based on the opponent and will play some lower teams tough showing what they can do like blowing out Duke or Louisville and then laying an egg against Syracuse last year, Temple year one or NIU this year in a game they should've won by 2+ scores or the Citadel. I thought the KSU game was a good sign and then the Clemson game was a good sign. Hopefully, they can continue to play on the higher end of their abilities. That is what good coaches will get their kids to do week in and week out and that will clean up the NIU/Citadel type games.
We didn’t win Saturday but this has to be a big win for our recruiting efforts, what are recruits saying about Saturday?
RJ- Some of my favorite quotes I have gathered from commits and targets that were ether watching or following along throughout the five+ hours on Saturday-
“We went to work, and had Clemson on the ropes.”
“I don’t think it is hyperbole to say that no one expected this.”
“Georgia Tech outplayed all my expectations for them going into the game.”
The thing is, all of the quotes are more than just words. Depending on what the product on the field vs. UNC looks like next week, that game could be a turning point as Geoff Collins looks to build the program and take the proper next steps. One thing is certain, there will be a large group of recruits at the Benz next Saturday night.
I don’t recall the defense scrambling at pre-snap. Some of that was less tempo from Clemson, but we clearly made an adjustment. Were we staying in a base package? Can you comment on this?
KQ- I can't tell, that is something that @ibeeballin can probably give you more info on. Since I was watching like 10 different things every play, I was not paying as much attention to the calls and what coverages GT was in. I know they were not bringing exotic pressure because the Clemson QB was not playing well so they were fine bringing regular pressure on him with the bad Clemson OL.
Receivers - I’ve been pretty impressed with the catch consistency and catchable ball of Jordan. However, lots of discussion about a lack of downfield threat. How much of this is Yates not having time to throw down field, it not being open / lack of threat or Yates not seeing it/opting for the check down. For those of us watching on TV, it’s hard for us to see the whole play.
KQ- The downfield threat was a concern long before Yates took over at QB. That was what one of my sources told me preseason the biggest concern. They thought for like two minutes they had part of it solved with Leo Blackburn and then he got hurt. Kyric McGowan is the best true downfield threat as an all-around WR, Malachi Carter can flash some and they have some speedy slot and Avery Boyd who has not seen much action due to his lack of consistency per my sources. They are still shy that go-to deep threat guy. It has very little to do with Yates, however.
