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Mailbag 1/11

Kelly Quinlan

Well-Known Member
Staff
Jul 10, 2006
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East Cobb
what are your thoughts on the way CPJ has addressed the offseason. IS he really salty or has he put last season behind him?

PJ seems to be focused on solutions for the specific issues like pass protection offensively and pass rush defensively. He has been pretty pleasant to deal with and was all season because I think he knew how ridiculously cursed they were last year injury wise and breaks wise.

Do you have any secrets you are keeping from us?

Always

Do you expect a better result in 16?

Yes, I think they will be a bowl team with a ceiling of 10 wins and a floor of 6, depends on how quick some of the kids grow up especially on the DL.

Is the ROOF on fire? ( is he on the hot seat)


His deal ends next year and his kids will be done with HS so there could be change, but it just depends on if they play better or not. CPJ has the same expectations for the defense that he has for his offense and I think people take that as him shitting on the defense, but I think the expectations Tech fans are lower than they were with Tenuta and that isn't right either. Roof would like a shot as a HC in college again and if that doesn't happen I could see him going to the NFL to be an assistant or staying at GT with CPJ. I have no clue what he will want to do.

When does spring begin?

They haven't announced yet but it should be March 28th based on CPJ's history which would make the spring game between April 22 or 23. CPJ likes to wait until after spring break so the 28th is the first day after spring break.

What position group are you looking forward to seeing?

The OL/DL position battles as well as B-back which should be the most competitive battle since CPJ got to GT.

Can you provide a spring depth chart based on your opinion?

I did that in the WAR ROOM, click here add Desmond Branch as SDE

I feel like last years flurry of late and great signings was do to the momentum of the season. Which guys do we need to sign to finish on the same level as last year?

I want to see a big DT like Adams or Carter or similar and a couple of DBs and at least two more decent OLs.

Is the Cost of Attendancean issue?

Not that I've heard. Kids don't ever talk about that publicly.

Any intrest in the VanderbiltQB who transferred out? Johnny Mccrary I believe his name is? I caught a couple Vandy games this year and thought he looked pretty athletic.

I think he is a grad transfer so I would think he will be looking somewhere to start.

How many Irish Whiskys and Gunnis are we going to consume before kickoff.

Lol, I feel like I may have to practice drinking before I get to Ireland.

What will it take for Coach Gregory to return for the 2016-2017 season?

I think a bubble team and at least being one of the first teams out of the tournament is required.

What will it take to get Coach Gregory Terminated?

Bottom four finish in the ACC and one and done in the ACCT would be unforgivable unless they get hit bad with injuries.

Is Bobinski as incompetent as he appears from my vantage point in LA?

LOL, I'm not touching that but I will say people are wondering about his leadership plans and goals and how he will achieve them.

Do you know of any potential transfers to either the football or basketball programs who could make an immediate difference?


Wrong time of year for either of those to emerge, transfers usually occur for football after NSD and hoops are after the season.

Any commitments this weekend?

Jay Jones should pop this weekend, I think the rest of them will take their visits on the 22nd.

- Why don't we have a seperate QB coach and BB coach?

So the way CPJ explained this to me once was that the mesh point is so important that those two groups are together all the time. If you will notice they always have a strong GA QB/BB assistant like Steven Sylvester or Craig Candeto or Lamar Owens under CPJ and now Tevin Washington to help work with that group so when they split they still get coached up.

1. Who are the 6 "Most Wanted"?

Michail Carter
Jordan Woods
Romeo Finley
Donavaughn Campbell
Brandon Adams
QB target (Jay Jones, Lucas Johnson or Deshaunte Jones)


2. What are our odds on each?

Not good on Carter, decent on the rest and very good on the two Jones kids

3. Who is the recruiting coach on each?

Jeez, just click on the names on the offer list the main recruiter is there

On the 12 commits we have, which recruiting coaches have been responsible and deserve credit for results to date?

again check the list, I update them all the time.

Of the 12 commits, are all rock solid or are one or two "flippable"? Who?

Jarret Cole is the one guy I'd worry a little about but CTR seems to have settled him down.

Gailey lost Geoff Collins when he didn't give him on-field duties. Collins went on to hold position coach jobs for which he had no experience. But succeeded anyway altho recruiting always his forte. Isn't Waggkner's situation now exactly what Collins' was then? Other than Brad being a good guy and Collins an a$$hole, any differences?

Brad is an experienced coach with job offers all over the FCS and at the HS head coaching level, Collins was a self-promoter in the vein of a James Franklin without the same level of coaching skill as Franklin. Brad is a good dude and he will get a shot here or somewhere else eventually. He has been a skill position offensive guy which is why I think CPJ looked elsewhere.

Did Jacobs have a rep of playing with inconsistent energy and intensity at Bama or has that just developed since being on our team?

No idea, maybe Dan can chime in on that.

It's been reported that M-Boob has increased the number of assistant ADs in the AA since he's been there. For a department arguably strapped for cash, it seems to this outsider that there is no added value to having more "middle managers" in the AA. How many more are there now than when D-Rad was at GT? What do they actually do - seriously? Kelly, is there any argument that you can make in favor of any of M-Boob's moves?

The number of actual ADs is in line with most other ACC schools, but yeah when you are cash strapped you would think doubling up on jobs or not hiring AD-level people might be cheaper for some of those roles.

1) In your opinion why have we not been effective at rushing the passer during the past few years? Is there anything that can be done to overcome talent deficiencies? With the right coaching/scheme could we have an effective pass rush given the current talent level?

I think it is a mixture of things but the biggest one is the giant egg laid from that one class when GT aimed to restock the DL and signed Justin Akins, Kevin Robbins and Commissiong who are all starting for non-P5 schools now.

2) Do you foresee Clemson being able to maintain this level of success (a perennial top-10 team) over then next 5-10 years with Dabo at the helm?

It will be interesting, but yes his recruiting will remain high, the big thing will be hiring quality guys to replace his coordinators and staff as they leave. That has been the key to Saban's success and the downfall of guys like Les Miles who reminds me some of Dabo.

3) What's your opinion of the dwags new hire?

It will all depend on the defense, he is trying to follow the Bama model but Kirby is not Saban or Muschamp or McElwain, he is a much more low key guy so I wonder how that will work out. The offensive staff hires have been pretty interesting.

4) Are there any recruits we haven't heard of that may come for an official? It sounded from CPJ's presser that he thought the dye was pretty much cast in that regard.


There are a few more guys that I think will visit on the 22nd and 29th as those are firmed up I'll report them.

How do you think the media picks the coastal next year?

1. UNC
2. Miami
3. VaTech
4. Pitt
5. GT
6. Duke
7. UVA


3 to 6 years ago we would have many more four star prospects high on our board that we'd shoot for. Last year (which was an excellent recruiting year IMO) and this year there were very few "elite" prospects on our target list. CPJ has long said we need more 1-8 players. Targeting fewer four star kids to start with: Coincidental, or less interest in us by them, or "qualifying" prospects on academics earlier or more stringently? Or something else?

I think the numbers are about the same really guys are making decisions sooner which may make people think they are recruiting less.

I know that the consensus view on the board is that football will bounce back to 8-9 wins next year, so I understand I am a bit of an outlier thinking another sub-500 year is distinctly possible. That said, for how many years can the AA survive financially with both a football team that isn't going to a bowl and a men's basketball team that isn't playing in the postseason?. I know bowl and TV $$ are shared across the conference, but am assuming ticket sales and sponsorships would decline over time.

Over time it would become a major issue, the lack of money from hoops has been a hindrance especially when it comes to paying off the massive debt from all the bonds GT has out. Obviously football waxes and wanes over time based on the success on the field.

Also, how much, if any, extra $$ flows into the AA from Clemson's national title game appearance? Does Clemson keep all of that or is it allocated across the conference?

$2.08 million (before expenses), the ACC got $6 for Clemson making the semifinals plus the other bowl payouts to the teams and GT gets a cut of that.
 
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