1. How have Brady Swilling and Ryan Braswell been doing this spring?
Ok, they aren't going to play unless something catastrophic happens. I haven't heard a peep about Braswell actually.
2. Any word on a basketball transferring in or a recruit signing with us?
BG is working on several guys including my buddy Sterling Gibbs. He is target number one and would be the best option for them.
3. Who is the most improved player on offense and defense since spring began?
Offense- Trey Klock had a great spring and moved up the depth chart to a starting position.
Defense- Francis Kallon and Shaun Kagawa both played their ways into the rotation, Kallon has the bigger impact IMO though because of the lack of quality depth at DT over the years at GT.
What are other options entertained by Patrick Skove? Degree of likelihood choosing Tech? Likelihood of acceptance into the MBA program since (with no work experience) he'd be an exception?
Skov is coming, should be official any day. Some strings were pulled to help him out with the MBA program given his special background.
What is your candid assessment of the Bback situation? Severity of Leggett's injury? His ability to become a tough runner of the dive? The ability of raw incoming frosh to learn the position in three weeks? We know your take on Allen.
Leggett's injury is just part of a bigger problem at B-back. He wasn't getting the job done before he got hurt. Marcus Allen looks like he will be serviceable meaning somewhere between Matt Connors and David Sims, which ain't bad. Allen's pad level is still bad and he will get murdered against some good linebackers running that high.
Skov will bring some thunder and adding him and Allen to the mix will allow PJ to soften things up for either Mikell Lands-Davis and/or Marcus Marshall. I think you could play both of them if you wanted to.
In your opinion, which is more likely to play some BBack as a freshman in 2015, Marshal or MLD?
I think physically Lands-Davis has an edge on Marshall and his body type will be able to handle it earlier. It is so hard to judge toughness though and the willingness to get the job done. Should be interesting.
On an average rating, do you expect the 2016 recruiting class to be better than the 2015 class?
It will have to be on average stars unless there is major attrition because they won't get to 20 recruits. I could see it being slightly better.
If we don't get TaDarryl, who do you believe is most likely to sign as a QB?
I like Jon Randall Belton or a camp kid like the Newton QB or someone else who impresses in person. There could be some new names emerging this month as the staff hits the road as well like a random guy like Christian Campbell.
Given what you've gathered about spring practice and the associated injuries, how many wins are you projecting for 2015?
I think 8-10 wins would be my guess, lot of questions about the teams GT faces this year and it is a tougher schedule and GT will need a few breaks.
Is Martinson a little better than MJ?
Depends, throwing the ball yes, running the option, no. Jordan has some wiggle and can get stuff done, but he is struggling like heck to throw right now. PJ said this himself. Martenson can sling the ball, he reminds me some of Byerly throwing, Jordan is more traditional option QB.
When should we expect to hear something on Skov?
Monday or Tuesday.
How was the recruit turnout for the Spring game?
Good lots of kids, working on some interview stuff now. I waited on some guys like Marshall because they were at other schools on Saturday. Seemed stupid to talk to them before they visited another school this weekend.
1. Are you in favor of an early signing period? Would it have any effect of Rivals business (good or bad)?
I don't think there would be any effect on my business, it just changes the clock from Feb to August or whenever.
2. Best prospect in Georgia that GT has a legitimate chance to sign?
Michail Carter DT from Jackson
3. uGA understandably gets a lot of recruiting coverage. When you covered them did the coaches enjoy the fanbase knowing nearly their every move or were they more annoyed by it?
Depended on the assistant and how they felt. It was a little different when I was there because really we had the market completely cornered and there was very little competition. Way different animal with them now.
4. Redshirt freshman you are most excited to see in the Fall?
Redshirt freshman, Trey Klock I guess at this point.
5. Where does having Russell Athletic rank on the scale of negatives for GT in recruiting?
The school is the killer, nothing you can really do about that. The Russell jerseys are about 6th on the list behind stuff like the image of crime in the city, lack of females, lack of hordes of fans, etc...
Totally random, but do you know if BJ Bostic got a job around town? My grandmother ran into him and chatted him up, lol, and he was my Little Brother's favorite player.
I'm not sure. I love B.J. he is a great kid and one of the first recruits I covered here. I'll ask him and see what he is up to. Right now he is still finishing up school.
In your estimation, which prospects are likely to commit soon? Did you have a chance to interview any of the prospects who attended the spring game?
I've talked to several kids, those interviews will surface over the next few days.
Most likely to commit soon, Jack DeFoor tops my list right now. I think he is very close.
What would your takeaways from the spring practice be?
GT's defensive line is way better than the offensive line in terms of depth and quality right now. The guard situation for GT is bad and could be a major problem this fall if Shamire or Gary Brown doesn't step up.
They need to find one more WR, Philpott, Stewart or Howell to work with Messick and Summers.
A-back speed is impressive but the guys need to trust their blocks and be more physical and improve catching the ball.
The secondary is pretty impressive.
Was the inability to stop the run by the first team D due to the missing LB's or is that side of the ball still getting pushed around?
Missing linebackers, they had a single starter out there and were in a nickel package which is not what they would line up against a run heavy team in. The two of the three best run stoppers were not dressed at LB.
Which Olineman stepped up and has a great chance to start or contribute? Klock??
Klock made huge strides at OT and he is in the rotation unless he screws up.
Will Bryan is slated to play right now, he jumped Stickler, Fromayan and Preddy.
Gary Brown and Shamire Devine have work to do.
Will Messick be passed by the Freshmen when they arrive? Dropped passes are the surest way to not get thrown any.
Someone had a great line about Messick, they called him the black Corey Dennis, I think that is an accurate description right now. I think Philpott and Stewart could easily jump him.
Is Jordan still the QB of the future?
Lol, no one is the future of the team at QB until they get into that #2 position. Jordan isn't ready yet but has improved some. I think Christian Campbell will give him a major run for his money eventually and if Jaylend Rateliffe is cleared and healthy he is a faster Nesbitt basically if you can imagine that. Should be an interesting battle.
Seeing them live, and assuming Days is eligible, Is the defense going to be an asset this year? With so many returning starters and VT having a really good defense. We will have to improve considerably from last season to win 10 games this year.
The defense should be significantly better assuming Jabari is cleared and they stay healthy.
I think one update stated that Fromeyan (sp) had been passed by others. Is this a regression on his part? Last year he was competent so if guys are developing past him that's extremely good.
Progression by others, Klock and Bryan are more talented hence why they were picked out of HS by GT while Fromayan was picked up later. Fromayan is just a kid too, so give him some time. Errin Joe did nothing until last year and is now the second best OL on the team and that didn't happen until his fourth year here. I think we are too quick to write off guys.
Not to beat a dead horse but what was it that made the coaches not like Marcus at BBack. I understand the initial move may have been about expected depth at one position and the lack of depth at another, but once we began to see our lack of bodies at that position and he lack of movement up the depth chart at LB, a move back to BBack seemed like the obvious choice, except you were told that they didn't like him at that position, so I was just curious why?
The issues with Marcus in the past involved his footwork, pad level, football IQ and the depth at the B-back position. When he was last moved he was behind David Sims, Zach Laskey, Matt Connors, Donovan Wilson and GT expected Travis Custis to be here.
PJ need more athletic linebackers to get past guys like Cheeks and Menocal who were stiffs in a 4-3, so he moved one of the bigger athletic guys to a position many schools recruited him at (LB).
How many Rush concerts have you attended? Best venue you saw them at?
Next month will be my 11th Rush show since 1996. The best place I've seen then was the Bi-Lo Center on the Time Machine Tour or Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Charlotte on the R30 tour the second night of that tour. The R30 one, I had backstage passes and the band gave me $5,000 worth of free clothes and stuff since I was working for them at the time.
Have you attempted an indepth sit down with MBOB? I'd be very curious about his long term plans for Tech's future growth, both on the field, and at the box office.
LOL, I'll attempt to, but I'm not sure he will take my call these days.
Do 5th year college senior recruits like Patrick Skov sign , along with the recruiting school, a LOI. Or is it just a handshake and a bunch of trust?
Now they just sign financial aid paperwork. Even LOIs can be broken before you step foot on campus. I think the Carvell's of the world don't really get how all that actually works. The only way you can sign another LOI is if you go to a JUCO or military school.
After observing our receivers spotty catching ability, did you get opinions from staff that you could share re dropitis.?
It has been an issue all spring. Basically Jeune catches the ball and Summers catches it a lot of the time and the rest are okay. It is a problem at A-back as well.
KQ, why did you laugh when Marcus Allen was moved to B-back? He looked OK there in the spring game.
Because I wanted to see him there for the last two years and they wouldn't move him. I figured he just wasn't tough enough, I guess I was wrong.
Given how little we had at B-back for the spring (CJ and Quaide), why wasn't Marcus Allen moved to B-back before spring practice started?
I asked PJ about this all the way back to NSD, go listen to the audio of that, LOL. I have no clue what his thought process was but it was a mistake.
Based on their play in spring practice, which players most helped their chances of playing meaningful snaps this fall?
Trey Klock, Francis Kallon, Shaun Kagawa, Clinton Lynch, Qua Searcy, Will Bryan, Terrell Lewis, Kenderius Whitehead and Lance Austin.
Which players hurt their chances of playing this fall?
Eason Fromayan, Antonio Messick, John Marvin, Michael Preddy and maybe a few more.
Is Brittain Brown an 'immediate take' or not? There seem to be varying opinions.
Ehhh, I think this is up in the air. PJ really likes him, numbers are tight. I think they will squeeze Dedrick Mills and see what happens before they squeeze Brown.
Is Jordan Mack an 'immediate take'?
No, they aren't sure where he would play and he is not a take yet.
I see where the Character kid from Grady has an offer from us but no mention of him on the short list that Red has push pinned.
Looks like a solid DB .and looks like another uga lean.
Are we out of it?
I don't think he has any interest.
We've read here that GT's football recruiting is enjoying "strong momentum" from the OB win. Yet all the names which seem to have interest in us are three star recruits. Far from griping about great 5.7 kids like we got this year, I would have hoped that we could step up a notch on "1-8 game changers" and landing 4 to 5 four star recruits each year. Is that a possibility this year or any foreseeable year?
I think they signed plenty of game changing guys last year, Gray, Bryan, Campbell, Lands-Davis, Dorian Walker. I wouldn't worry about star rankings for four-star guys. I don't foresee a time when GT will sign 4-5 4 to 5 star guys.
