I'm posting this a little early because I have a doctor's appointment in the AM so can't be up all night working on this.
Does Antonio Alfano leaving Bama impact Jayson Jones’ recruitment?
RJ: No.
KQ: Nothing goes on there that Saban isn't aware of and Alfano's issues have been well-known for a while. Bama has been recruiting over Jones for even longer.
It has been said that there is more to Ryan Spiers’ recruitment. Is there any more info you can share on that?
RJ: The full-story on that is in my drafts, and it should not be too much longer before it will all make sense.
KQ: Everyone will get it and it is a cool deal, just hang tight until Russell can post it.
I got a kid here in Michigan who’s a 2021 recruit. Good friends with his dad and family. His name is Andrel Anthony Jr. The staff needs to check on this kid. He has 13 D1 offers. ND just offered him this week. Can you put a word in to coach Knight or Collins??
RJ: I am almost 100% sure they know who Anthony is. Schools all over the country do.
Something the staff did quite a bit of in the 2020 class, was offer several kids from non-traditional GT areas.
They saw the results of those efforts, and it seems they are ready to put the blinders on, in an attempt to maximize efficiency.
Michigan kids have several options before GT even comes into the equation.
There’s Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, etc. that are all much more likely landing spots for a recruit.
Could they throw out an offer and see what happens? Absolutely. Don’t expect them to spend a ton of time and effort recruiting the kid though, unless that interest is reciprocated.
Does that make sense?
I asked the below question back in May thinking worst case scenario (https://georgiatech.forums.rivals.com/threads/mailbag-questions.24820/#post-424240), since the answer then was something along the lines of "Well if that happens CGC has bigger problems..." and not whether the staff could retain and improve the recruiting here's the question again now that a disastrous first season seems probable:
Does CGC and staff have enough charisma, salesmanship, explanations, etc to overcome a disastrous first season and keep the recruit talent we have for the 2020 class and either improve or maintain that talent level for the 2021 class?
I'm thinking an Arkansas style 2-10 season (which included losses to North Texas and Colorado St) that still got them the 20th best class last year according to rivals. Not being negative, just asking if the staff has the ability to pull off that king of recruiting coup.
RJ: My answer to the question is trending towards yes, but at that point with a (hypothetical) record of 2-10, more questions get asked.
What was it offensively that just couldn’t get going?
How’d the defense perform?
2-10 would not be good.
If y’all had to bet, which true freshman will have the biggest impact next season?
RJ: For the sake of this question, I am only weighing in the players that are currently committed, and I am torn between Tyson Meiguez and Bryce Gowdy.
In an offense that wants to throw the ball around, weapons like Gowdy will be extremely important, especially with his ball skills.
Gowdy isn’t currently putting up crazy stat lines (unlike Meiguez) but that is moreso because Deerfield is blowing everyone out than it is anything else.
Tyson is just a fundamentally sound linebacker, who always seems to find himself around the ball at an end of each play. The thing I am most curious to see with him, is how they build his body. What they add to the frame, and how much they count on him early.
There will be a lot of true freshmen that see action next season, especially on the OL.
It is my (semi-educated) guess that either Spiers or Kootsouradis end up starting games at C next season.
Do y’all think Collins tries to bring a grad transfer QB in if LJ decides to move on? Maybe even if he doesn’t move on?
KQ- I think GT will be active in the transfer market like every program, it is an active part of the process and QB, and OL/DL who can make an impact in the short-term would all be welcome. The issue will be the same as this past year, a Brandon Wimbush or Jalen Hurts or whoever that is in the next cycle is going to gravitate toward a known and established program or one that is already winning. Getting another Jared Southers' type OL or similar DL could help.
So the long answer is yeah they are going to always explore their options. Collins has been clear on that, but I don't see them taking like a R-So. from some school that has to sit, they'd rather develop Graham, Yates and Gleason. One-year rental QB to bridge who can play, sure, but there are not many of those out there. There were like 4 last year and only three are actually playing at the new school.
Just checking on our recruiting momentum for the 2021 class, and how that compares with where we are with the 2020 class.
RJ- It is kind of hard to have “momentum” in a class that you do not currently have any commitments, but I could see that changing in the coming weeks.
Several 21 recruits are becoming aware just as recently as today that Georgia Tech is going to be recruiting them, and I suspect a large group of recruits from the class will be at the UNC game.
Do expect us to get any transfers at the end of the season?
RJ- Yes. My guess would be on the OL.
KQ- Yes best non-RB/WR/LB/DBs available, basically lines of scrimmage or a rental QB for a season would be appealing to help competition. Maybe a TE-body, but OL and bigger DTs/DEs types would be of interest. Those two are always tricky with GT academics.
Do you or Russell ever sleep?
RJ- Occasionally. Right now I’m sick, so I’ve been trying to rest more than normal.
Doesn’t go over well with an almost six-year old and a pregnant wife, I’ve learned.
KQ- Well if you read my texts or calls it looks pretty bad some days. I was texting with a source at 1am last night and another at 8am this morning on an off week! Both RJ and I have pregnant wives so that isn't the calmest sleeping situation and my schedule is weird during the week because of the flip-flop practice schedules so sleep comes when I can get it. I basically slept all weekend mercifully. My biggest issue is I sleep like crap in hotels so when I travel and have football and hoops going at the same time which is coming up that is pretty exhausting.
Does Antonio Alfano leaving Bama impact Jayson Jones’ recruitment?
RJ: No.
KQ: Nothing goes on there that Saban isn't aware of and Alfano's issues have been well-known for a while. Bama has been recruiting over Jones for even longer.
It has been said that there is more to Ryan Spiers’ recruitment. Is there any more info you can share on that?
RJ: The full-story on that is in my drafts, and it should not be too much longer before it will all make sense.
KQ: Everyone will get it and it is a cool deal, just hang tight until Russell can post it.
I got a kid here in Michigan who’s a 2021 recruit. Good friends with his dad and family. His name is Andrel Anthony Jr. The staff needs to check on this kid. He has 13 D1 offers. ND just offered him this week. Can you put a word in to coach Knight or Collins??
RJ: I am almost 100% sure they know who Anthony is. Schools all over the country do.
Something the staff did quite a bit of in the 2020 class, was offer several kids from non-traditional GT areas.
They saw the results of those efforts, and it seems they are ready to put the blinders on, in an attempt to maximize efficiency.
Michigan kids have several options before GT even comes into the equation.
There’s Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, etc. that are all much more likely landing spots for a recruit.
Could they throw out an offer and see what happens? Absolutely. Don’t expect them to spend a ton of time and effort recruiting the kid though, unless that interest is reciprocated.
Does that make sense?
I asked the below question back in May thinking worst case scenario (https://georgiatech.forums.rivals.com/threads/mailbag-questions.24820/#post-424240), since the answer then was something along the lines of "Well if that happens CGC has bigger problems..." and not whether the staff could retain and improve the recruiting here's the question again now that a disastrous first season seems probable:
Does CGC and staff have enough charisma, salesmanship, explanations, etc to overcome a disastrous first season and keep the recruit talent we have for the 2020 class and either improve or maintain that talent level for the 2021 class?
I'm thinking an Arkansas style 2-10 season (which included losses to North Texas and Colorado St) that still got them the 20th best class last year according to rivals. Not being negative, just asking if the staff has the ability to pull off that king of recruiting coup.
RJ: My answer to the question is trending towards yes, but at that point with a (hypothetical) record of 2-10, more questions get asked.
What was it offensively that just couldn’t get going?
How’d the defense perform?
2-10 would not be good.
If y’all had to bet, which true freshman will have the biggest impact next season?
RJ: For the sake of this question, I am only weighing in the players that are currently committed, and I am torn between Tyson Meiguez and Bryce Gowdy.
In an offense that wants to throw the ball around, weapons like Gowdy will be extremely important, especially with his ball skills.
Gowdy isn’t currently putting up crazy stat lines (unlike Meiguez) but that is moreso because Deerfield is blowing everyone out than it is anything else.
Tyson is just a fundamentally sound linebacker, who always seems to find himself around the ball at an end of each play. The thing I am most curious to see with him, is how they build his body. What they add to the frame, and how much they count on him early.
There will be a lot of true freshmen that see action next season, especially on the OL.
It is my (semi-educated) guess that either Spiers or Kootsouradis end up starting games at C next season.
Do y’all think Collins tries to bring a grad transfer QB in if LJ decides to move on? Maybe even if he doesn’t move on?
KQ- I think GT will be active in the transfer market like every program, it is an active part of the process and QB, and OL/DL who can make an impact in the short-term would all be welcome. The issue will be the same as this past year, a Brandon Wimbush or Jalen Hurts or whoever that is in the next cycle is going to gravitate toward a known and established program or one that is already winning. Getting another Jared Southers' type OL or similar DL could help.
So the long answer is yeah they are going to always explore their options. Collins has been clear on that, but I don't see them taking like a R-So. from some school that has to sit, they'd rather develop Graham, Yates and Gleason. One-year rental QB to bridge who can play, sure, but there are not many of those out there. There were like 4 last year and only three are actually playing at the new school.
Just checking on our recruiting momentum for the 2021 class, and how that compares with where we are with the 2020 class.
RJ- It is kind of hard to have “momentum” in a class that you do not currently have any commitments, but I could see that changing in the coming weeks.
Several 21 recruits are becoming aware just as recently as today that Georgia Tech is going to be recruiting them, and I suspect a large group of recruits from the class will be at the UNC game.
Do expect us to get any transfers at the end of the season?
RJ- Yes. My guess would be on the OL.
KQ- Yes best non-RB/WR/LB/DBs available, basically lines of scrimmage or a rental QB for a season would be appealing to help competition. Maybe a TE-body, but OL and bigger DTs/DEs types would be of interest. Those two are always tricky with GT academics.
Do you or Russell ever sleep?
RJ- Occasionally. Right now I’m sick, so I’ve been trying to rest more than normal.
Doesn’t go over well with an almost six-year old and a pregnant wife, I’ve learned.
KQ- Well if you read my texts or calls it looks pretty bad some days. I was texting with a source at 1am last night and another at 8am this morning on an off week! Both RJ and I have pregnant wives so that isn't the calmest sleeping situation and my schedule is weird during the week because of the flip-flop practice schedules so sleep comes when I can get it. I basically slept all weekend mercifully. My biggest issue is I sleep like crap in hotels so when I travel and have football and hoops going at the same time which is coming up that is pretty exhausting.
