Kelly, who will be the biggest signee/portal transfer in CGC's first 3 years (this is year 2)?
KQ- Right now based on previous production it will be Devin Cochran. Antonneous Clayton, Derrik Allen, Marquez Ezzard or Ryan Johnson are unknowns to this point. Tyler Davis wasn't able to show his full capabilities off due to the offensive issues and Jared Southers was okay, not great, just okay. So far now I'll go with Cochran having the highest immediate impact, but I still say other may prove to be just as big down the road. Clayton in particular is really interesting to me and Allen will play a big role over the next couple of seasons as well. Myles Sims jury is out on still, he needs to get faster IMO.
With Wilder now off the board... what is the staff looking to do with that spot they were looking to fill? Another grad transfer and kick the can to next cycle?
RJ- So.. uhh.. there's this grad-transfer guy from ES E SEE power Vanderbilt named Devin Cochran
Cochran was a massive win for the staff, both in beating several "blue-blood" programs, and in the role he is expected to play once he gets to the Flats.
Wilder had always been a character risk. For someone who preaches culture as much as Collins does, not taking a kid like Wilder is a smart decision.
Why do some people on this board blame Chad for everything? We finally get analysts spending time on JOL and they get nitpicked and bashed for giving honest opinions. Can’t be good when that keeps happening. (Not talking about calling him Chaz, as that is actually kind of funny).
KQ- I think a lot of it comes from the fact that when Chad worked at Scout his job was to be a Southeast Analyst and the UGA site guy. Rusty Mansell actually is doing this now at 247 and was at Kirby Smart's wedding (that's a pretty ****ing big conflict of interest, but he is a friend and a nice guy). So Chad had a some UGA bent to his reporting over there and most of the time was pretty brutally honest and had a rough time with the TOS folks. I think that drifted over here, but both myself and Russell have great relationships with the guy. He helps us out a ton and even on stuff you guys never know about. I've known Chad and worked with him of and on for 15 years-plus now, he is a good guy, he doesn't really care where guys are going, he likes to break stories and be right.
OK, you can get one player and one player only. Who do you get? Only realistic candidates that have at least shown an interest in Tech and have not signed. Fire Away! You don't know how long I have been wanting to do that.
RJ- Oh man.. this is not an easy question to answer.
I'm answering this with only on-field talent in-mind, and I am going with McKinnley Jackson.
Jackson never showed reciprocated interest with the staff, but several people in MS say that there was a time when the staff put out feelers to see if he would be interested were they to pursue him.
He's a game-changing defensive tackle, and would make an impact from the moment he stepped on campus. Instead I believe at this time, that he will end up at Alabama.
KQ- Always the DT, always.
Gun to your head. Do we get a serviceable DT out of the portal before fall?
RJ- Yes.
Also, what's the vibe around the program for expectations for 2020? This may not be a good question until after spring.
KQ- Mostly excitement and curiosity. I know they are very much working on things behind the scenes like ways to improve the offense and find an identity on that side of the ball. It was a sticking point for fans and certainly something that Collins is working toward fixing in a very hands-on way. Players seem excited, I've bumped into a few different guys and also seeing their social media and whatnot, they seem pretty excited to see what comes next.
Tobias Oliver: any insights on the staff's long-term plan for him? Think the move to WR is permanent, or will they try him at other positions (e.g. LB or S)? If he stays at WR, can he get meaningful snaps in 2020 given the depth at WR?
KQ- I think he stays at WR, they will have more of a 3-4 wide look going this season IMO with the probable better OL and QB play. Oliver MAY leave after this season if he isn't playing since he will be done with school and be a grad transfer. He will have plenty of options after 2020 on the table for himself so he should just focus on playing WR. They don't need anyone at safety they are overloaded right now there and he is too small to play LB.
What happened to the money for basketball? One day we had the money to get rid of Pastner but now we don’t?
KQ- The people who would write the check changed their minds mainly after some discussions internally. It is really that simple. If ADTS and the school president had some master plan on who they could hire that might change minds, but right now they want to see ADTS finish the AI2020 and get his own house in order and they would rather fund the hiring an elite level coach. Even I forgot about one key aspect of firing Pastner. Not only would they eat all that money, but then they have to fund a buyout for the new coach more than likely, increase staff spending and budget for hoops and promise some new stuff. The capital is not close to being there for all of that. Those saying that ticket sales would the difference are high. You'd likely see a max exodus if Pastner got fired and the team would suck for two more years whereas they are competitive now and should be next year and if they aren't then you've given the guy all the rope possible, it didn't workout and you are clear of the NCAA as well at that point mostly.
That is when you hire a coach.
At this point, I guess it's too late for a transfer to enroll for this semester... so I guess that means that any additional transfers can't enroll until the summer at earliest?
KQ- No one can come until the month of May.
Collins mentioned this morning in the Durham show that we are trying to close 5 recruits. I assume Gibbs, Davis and Morton are 3 of them. Any insight in to who the other 2 might be??
RJ-
1. Gibbs
2. Devin Cochran
3. TJ Davis
4. DT
5. Best player available
Is the Mercedes-Benz deal strictly a football revenue related deal or will that money be allocated to different sports?
KQ- I doubt it is totally earmarked for football, it should go into the GTAA account. I don't believe ADTS said it was something where they planned to use that money for X for football when it was announced.
KQ- Right now based on previous production it will be Devin Cochran. Antonneous Clayton, Derrik Allen, Marquez Ezzard or Ryan Johnson are unknowns to this point. Tyler Davis wasn't able to show his full capabilities off due to the offensive issues and Jared Southers was okay, not great, just okay. So far now I'll go with Cochran having the highest immediate impact, but I still say other may prove to be just as big down the road. Clayton in particular is really interesting to me and Allen will play a big role over the next couple of seasons as well. Myles Sims jury is out on still, he needs to get faster IMO.
With Wilder now off the board... what is the staff looking to do with that spot they were looking to fill? Another grad transfer and kick the can to next cycle?
RJ- So.. uhh.. there's this grad-transfer guy from ES E SEE power Vanderbilt named Devin Cochran
Cochran was a massive win for the staff, both in beating several "blue-blood" programs, and in the role he is expected to play once he gets to the Flats.
Wilder had always been a character risk. For someone who preaches culture as much as Collins does, not taking a kid like Wilder is a smart decision.
Why do some people on this board blame Chad for everything? We finally get analysts spending time on JOL and they get nitpicked and bashed for giving honest opinions. Can’t be good when that keeps happening. (Not talking about calling him Chaz, as that is actually kind of funny).
KQ- I think a lot of it comes from the fact that when Chad worked at Scout his job was to be a Southeast Analyst and the UGA site guy. Rusty Mansell actually is doing this now at 247 and was at Kirby Smart's wedding (that's a pretty ****ing big conflict of interest, but he is a friend and a nice guy). So Chad had a some UGA bent to his reporting over there and most of the time was pretty brutally honest and had a rough time with the TOS folks. I think that drifted over here, but both myself and Russell have great relationships with the guy. He helps us out a ton and even on stuff you guys never know about. I've known Chad and worked with him of and on for 15 years-plus now, he is a good guy, he doesn't really care where guys are going, he likes to break stories and be right.
OK, you can get one player and one player only. Who do you get? Only realistic candidates that have at least shown an interest in Tech and have not signed. Fire Away! You don't know how long I have been wanting to do that.
RJ- Oh man.. this is not an easy question to answer.
I'm answering this with only on-field talent in-mind, and I am going with McKinnley Jackson.
Jackson never showed reciprocated interest with the staff, but several people in MS say that there was a time when the staff put out feelers to see if he would be interested were they to pursue him.
He's a game-changing defensive tackle, and would make an impact from the moment he stepped on campus. Instead I believe at this time, that he will end up at Alabama.
KQ- Always the DT, always.
Gun to your head. Do we get a serviceable DT out of the portal before fall?
RJ- Yes.
Also, what's the vibe around the program for expectations for 2020? This may not be a good question until after spring.
KQ- Mostly excitement and curiosity. I know they are very much working on things behind the scenes like ways to improve the offense and find an identity on that side of the ball. It was a sticking point for fans and certainly something that Collins is working toward fixing in a very hands-on way. Players seem excited, I've bumped into a few different guys and also seeing their social media and whatnot, they seem pretty excited to see what comes next.
Tobias Oliver: any insights on the staff's long-term plan for him? Think the move to WR is permanent, or will they try him at other positions (e.g. LB or S)? If he stays at WR, can he get meaningful snaps in 2020 given the depth at WR?
KQ- I think he stays at WR, they will have more of a 3-4 wide look going this season IMO with the probable better OL and QB play. Oliver MAY leave after this season if he isn't playing since he will be done with school and be a grad transfer. He will have plenty of options after 2020 on the table for himself so he should just focus on playing WR. They don't need anyone at safety they are overloaded right now there and he is too small to play LB.
What happened to the money for basketball? One day we had the money to get rid of Pastner but now we don’t?
KQ- The people who would write the check changed their minds mainly after some discussions internally. It is really that simple. If ADTS and the school president had some master plan on who they could hire that might change minds, but right now they want to see ADTS finish the AI2020 and get his own house in order and they would rather fund the hiring an elite level coach. Even I forgot about one key aspect of firing Pastner. Not only would they eat all that money, but then they have to fund a buyout for the new coach more than likely, increase staff spending and budget for hoops and promise some new stuff. The capital is not close to being there for all of that. Those saying that ticket sales would the difference are high. You'd likely see a max exodus if Pastner got fired and the team would suck for two more years whereas they are competitive now and should be next year and if they aren't then you've given the guy all the rope possible, it didn't workout and you are clear of the NCAA as well at that point mostly.
That is when you hire a coach.
At this point, I guess it's too late for a transfer to enroll for this semester... so I guess that means that any additional transfers can't enroll until the summer at earliest?
KQ- No one can come until the month of May.
Collins mentioned this morning in the Durham show that we are trying to close 5 recruits. I assume Gibbs, Davis and Morton are 3 of them. Any insight in to who the other 2 might be??
RJ-
1. Gibbs
2. Devin Cochran
3. TJ Davis
4. DT
5. Best player available
Is the Mercedes-Benz deal strictly a football revenue related deal or will that money be allocated to different sports?
KQ- I doubt it is totally earmarked for football, it should go into the GTAA account. I don't believe ADTS said it was something where they planned to use that money for X for football when it was announced.
