Gut feeling, at the end of the season , Benson or Howard will have more carries/yards
It could be close, I think the carries will be shared between Benson, Howard and Ponchez-Mason. I still wouldn't be surprised to see Benson go over 1,000 though and Howard to be close.
For basketball recruiting for the class of 2019, how do we feel about Watson (10% - reaching, 50% coin flip, 75% - feel good, 95% - in the bag)? Who else is a key recruit and what are the recruits we feel best about?
Watson is around 40%, hard to tell where things stand until Josh fleshes out his staff. Elias King is a big one for 2019, but you could take one or the other. The new coaching hires at UGA, Xavier and some other places could shuffle things around. Jonas Hayes already offered a bunch of 2019 kids at Xavier this past week for example. Ideally they'd take a post or two, a wing and a guard to start with for 2019.
Will Tech show off the New Adidas uniform at T-day by the Dodd Statue or close by ?
I don't think they are showing off the season uniforms if that is what you are asking. GT is still under contract to Russell until July.
Are there any football recruits that you feel could commit soon?
LBs Ahdarrious Gee and Will Conner are close IMO.
Who will end up being a bigger impact player, Jaquan Henderson or Bruce Jordan-Swilling?
So that's an interesting question, Henderson's position is more of a big play spot, meaning sacks, strips, tipped passes, INTs. BJS could end up with 100 tackles and Henderson may be the splashier guy if they play equal snaps.
What year is the “make or break” year for Josh Pastner to get to the NCAA tournament?
IMO, it would be year five. That's not the answer anyone on here wants to hear, but he inherited the equivalent of a complete rebuild. He had two ACC level players, Okogie and Lammers and two rotation ACC level players Jackson and Stephens. That is pretty hard to build a roster around.
Is the ceiling for football 9-10 wins this year? Assuming a loss to Clemson, should be 6-1 heading to VT for a big one on a Thursday night. Toughest games outside of Clemson do come in the back half of the schedule though.
I think if they start strong that 9 win number is doable, like you said the back half of the schedule is rougher than the front, they could easily have one loss at the midpoint of the season IMO.
In post-practice interviews everyone seems really amped up and excited for fall camp, is the vibe around the team overall a little more positive than last spring?
Yeah, the defense has fired up both sides of the ball and I think CPJ is a little more fired up after seeing his D really challenge the offense. Last year the first team O would steamroll the D at times, it has been more back and forth this spring when everyone is healthy.
Who’s a player that breaks out on defense this year?
It will be one of the LBs, I'm just not sure which one. I'm really interested to see how they play OTHER teams offenses and the match ups and what CNW does.
Do you feel that under stansbury that GT athletics as a whole is trending in the right direction?
I think Stansbury brings a lot of positive energy and that is helpful, but like any business there are still weaknesses that he has to address. I do feel better about the direction than I did at any point under MBob and I think he understands the alumni in a way that D-Rad couldn't and there is a lot of goodwill for a GT alum when it comes to getting things done with the academic arm.
Do you have anymore information on the 70 million dollar renovation to the Edge building? Is it a football facility?
No the Edge is not a football facility, it is the full athletics compound for all sports. I'm guessing you've never been inside? There are staff and coaches for every sport, ticketing people, AT-fund, food services, etc... It is the epicenter of GT athletics and that is why you'd spend a lot to make it nice.
Do you think CNW will bring us better talent on D than roof did?
No, I think CNW will coach up the talent they have. That was never Roof's strength and I really like Ted personally, but he is a guy who did well with elite talent and worse as the talent went down especially in the front seven. CNW has made a living coaching up guys and that is what you need at GT. He is inheriting a lot of talent, more than he has worked with in the past so it should be successful.
What ever happened to Kel Johnson? Is he just buried on the depth chart?
Injuries, has a bum shoulder, has been limited in what he can do now.
Mario West has been drafted in BIG3 Basketball League. He seems to thrilled by this but he has also been appointed Interim AC at GTMBB. Over a period of 8 to 10 weeks or so, BIG3 games take place a week apart, on Sundays. Is Mario going to be doing both ‘jobs’ and how does CJP feel about it all?
That's an interesting question, I'll see what I can find out.
Was CGB’s surgery to insert the rod in his leg successful? How is his rehab and the rehab of Jose Alvarado going?
Josh said both Haywood and Alvarado are doing well. Jose should be back next month and Haywood later in the summer last I heard.
Do you have any sense of how Moses’ offseason is going in terms of (1) becoming a better shooter (2) a better ‘catcher’ of the ball and (3) developing the intensity and on-court intensity that CJP craves?
Haven't had time to check in on Moses, I think he needs a lot of work. We are only a few weeks into individual workouts so I can't image there has been much progress yet.
Would you consider doing a "Where Are They Now" feature of perhaps the Top 10 Non-NFL/CFL Tech Footballers (dealer's choice) and a little update on their current whereabouts and careers. For instance, I happened across Josh Nesbitt's LinkedIn page a couple years ago and he was a Georgia Lottery representative. Thanks Kelly. Apologies if this was already requested.
It's funny that is actually part of my plan for the JOL podcast this summer, I've been lining up guests (former players) that I stay in contact with. Nesbitt is certainly among them along with some others and a few who are posters are on here.
Could you potentially shed more light on the Roof departure situation? Such as, was he approached by the powers that be with a "you should probably find a job because we want to make a change but you're a Tech man and former player so we don't want to have anything look bad for our people and we'd rather you left on an un-sour note" I understand if this is confidential or unshareable.
I was never told what was going on. I know Ted reached out to me after the season to see what I was hearing and I told him what I thought would happen, which is what happened, but I have no idea if Stansbury or whoever sat down with him and told him to look at the long game and not the short. Ted has been very good about reading the situation over the years and moving on before the ax came down and it could be as simple as he knew it was time to move on too. It wasn't easy on Roof or his D staff the last year and something had to give there and CPJ did what he needed to do to fix the situation long term. Kudos to him because I know he liked Ted personally.
ACC Team most likely to surprise and most likely to disappoint.
On the surprise end, I could see Pitt being decent in the 8-9 win range. I think UVA is going to fall flat on their face, I've never seen a luckier team than they were last year.
Who has been the most talented kid you have seen while at Georgia Tech
Iman Shumpert on the basketball team and football wise, Jon Dwyer. It is a shame he couldn't get himself right otherwise he'd still be in the league and have run for a ton of yards.
It could be close, I think the carries will be shared between Benson, Howard and Ponchez-Mason. I still wouldn't be surprised to see Benson go over 1,000 though and Howard to be close.
For basketball recruiting for the class of 2019, how do we feel about Watson (10% - reaching, 50% coin flip, 75% - feel good, 95% - in the bag)? Who else is a key recruit and what are the recruits we feel best about?
Watson is around 40%, hard to tell where things stand until Josh fleshes out his staff. Elias King is a big one for 2019, but you could take one or the other. The new coaching hires at UGA, Xavier and some other places could shuffle things around. Jonas Hayes already offered a bunch of 2019 kids at Xavier this past week for example. Ideally they'd take a post or two, a wing and a guard to start with for 2019.
Will Tech show off the New Adidas uniform at T-day by the Dodd Statue or close by ?
I don't think they are showing off the season uniforms if that is what you are asking. GT is still under contract to Russell until July.
Are there any football recruits that you feel could commit soon?
LBs Ahdarrious Gee and Will Conner are close IMO.
Who will end up being a bigger impact player, Jaquan Henderson or Bruce Jordan-Swilling?
So that's an interesting question, Henderson's position is more of a big play spot, meaning sacks, strips, tipped passes, INTs. BJS could end up with 100 tackles and Henderson may be the splashier guy if they play equal snaps.
What year is the “make or break” year for Josh Pastner to get to the NCAA tournament?
IMO, it would be year five. That's not the answer anyone on here wants to hear, but he inherited the equivalent of a complete rebuild. He had two ACC level players, Okogie and Lammers and two rotation ACC level players Jackson and Stephens. That is pretty hard to build a roster around.
Is the ceiling for football 9-10 wins this year? Assuming a loss to Clemson, should be 6-1 heading to VT for a big one on a Thursday night. Toughest games outside of Clemson do come in the back half of the schedule though.
I think if they start strong that 9 win number is doable, like you said the back half of the schedule is rougher than the front, they could easily have one loss at the midpoint of the season IMO.
In post-practice interviews everyone seems really amped up and excited for fall camp, is the vibe around the team overall a little more positive than last spring?
Yeah, the defense has fired up both sides of the ball and I think CPJ is a little more fired up after seeing his D really challenge the offense. Last year the first team O would steamroll the D at times, it has been more back and forth this spring when everyone is healthy.
Who’s a player that breaks out on defense this year?
It will be one of the LBs, I'm just not sure which one. I'm really interested to see how they play OTHER teams offenses and the match ups and what CNW does.
Do you feel that under stansbury that GT athletics as a whole is trending in the right direction?
I think Stansbury brings a lot of positive energy and that is helpful, but like any business there are still weaknesses that he has to address. I do feel better about the direction than I did at any point under MBob and I think he understands the alumni in a way that D-Rad couldn't and there is a lot of goodwill for a GT alum when it comes to getting things done with the academic arm.
Do you have anymore information on the 70 million dollar renovation to the Edge building? Is it a football facility?
No the Edge is not a football facility, it is the full athletics compound for all sports. I'm guessing you've never been inside? There are staff and coaches for every sport, ticketing people, AT-fund, food services, etc... It is the epicenter of GT athletics and that is why you'd spend a lot to make it nice.
Do you think CNW will bring us better talent on D than roof did?
No, I think CNW will coach up the talent they have. That was never Roof's strength and I really like Ted personally, but he is a guy who did well with elite talent and worse as the talent went down especially in the front seven. CNW has made a living coaching up guys and that is what you need at GT. He is inheriting a lot of talent, more than he has worked with in the past so it should be successful.
What ever happened to Kel Johnson? Is he just buried on the depth chart?
Injuries, has a bum shoulder, has been limited in what he can do now.
Mario West has been drafted in BIG3 Basketball League. He seems to thrilled by this but he has also been appointed Interim AC at GTMBB. Over a period of 8 to 10 weeks or so, BIG3 games take place a week apart, on Sundays. Is Mario going to be doing both ‘jobs’ and how does CJP feel about it all?
That's an interesting question, I'll see what I can find out.
Was CGB’s surgery to insert the rod in his leg successful? How is his rehab and the rehab of Jose Alvarado going?
Josh said both Haywood and Alvarado are doing well. Jose should be back next month and Haywood later in the summer last I heard.
Do you have any sense of how Moses’ offseason is going in terms of (1) becoming a better shooter (2) a better ‘catcher’ of the ball and (3) developing the intensity and on-court intensity that CJP craves?
Haven't had time to check in on Moses, I think he needs a lot of work. We are only a few weeks into individual workouts so I can't image there has been much progress yet.
Would you consider doing a "Where Are They Now" feature of perhaps the Top 10 Non-NFL/CFL Tech Footballers (dealer's choice) and a little update on their current whereabouts and careers. For instance, I happened across Josh Nesbitt's LinkedIn page a couple years ago and he was a Georgia Lottery representative. Thanks Kelly. Apologies if this was already requested.
It's funny that is actually part of my plan for the JOL podcast this summer, I've been lining up guests (former players) that I stay in contact with. Nesbitt is certainly among them along with some others and a few who are posters are on here.
Could you potentially shed more light on the Roof departure situation? Such as, was he approached by the powers that be with a "you should probably find a job because we want to make a change but you're a Tech man and former player so we don't want to have anything look bad for our people and we'd rather you left on an un-sour note" I understand if this is confidential or unshareable.
I was never told what was going on. I know Ted reached out to me after the season to see what I was hearing and I told him what I thought would happen, which is what happened, but I have no idea if Stansbury or whoever sat down with him and told him to look at the long game and not the short. Ted has been very good about reading the situation over the years and moving on before the ax came down and it could be as simple as he knew it was time to move on too. It wasn't easy on Roof or his D staff the last year and something had to give there and CPJ did what he needed to do to fix the situation long term. Kudos to him because I know he liked Ted personally.
ACC Team most likely to surprise and most likely to disappoint.
On the surprise end, I could see Pitt being decent in the 8-9 win range. I think UVA is going to fall flat on their face, I've never seen a luckier team than they were last year.
Who has been the most talented kid you have seen while at Georgia Tech
Iman Shumpert on the basketball team and football wise, Jon Dwyer. It is a shame he couldn't get himself right otherwise he'd still be in the league and have run for a ton of yards.
