Day three so I'm drinking water from a fire hose. That time when you wake up at 3am and you say OMG, I got so many things I want to do and so many things I don't know. Last three days meeting with individuals in the departments. I want to find out who works here and one of the things I did in those meetings is give them a thought questionnaire on their thoughts and our brand. I wanted to know what they think our strengths are. I don't want to assume because I have the degree on my wall. I'm going to be a patient as possible to learn as quickly as I can so I have a good base and feel for where we are and what we are trying to do and what our current situation. I haven't been here in over 20 years. As I told a group of donors prior to this and four days ago I wasn't a significant donor I was in their seat and now I'm in it. I need to transition into it and gain knowledge of where we are and why we are here. What it is that I don't know and I'll try to get up to speed as quick as I can. Very excited to be back on the Flats and an unique situation and people look at them in 3-5 year increments. We look and think 10 years down it will be someone else's problem, now I'm looking down the road and they will be my decisions and my goal is to finish my term here.
ON THEMES FROM FEEDBACK
One of the theses is the passion for this place people have. I think people recognize that GT is special. It is great to see that type of emotional attachment to Georgia Tech. That is one of the main themes that jumped out to me, I'm glad to see it. I was here in the 90s with Homer and it was very special and it is good to see that emotional attachment is still part of the program.
I don't know if they are negatives, but there is a hunger to get down to business. Interested and concerned about what I'm going to do and the direction I'm going to take. I think there is some hesitancy to what I'm going to do.
ON IMMEDIATE ACTIONS FOR GT
That is my hope, I'm hoping through met with three or four people, so I have a small sample. My hope is that I can identify some low hanging fruit that can make a difference. Part of it is so I can meet everyone and they can get to know me. When I talk about having a pretty accessible office, that is really true. In my case the open door policy is true. I want to understand where they are coming from and for them to learn from me. From the small sampling I have so far, I'm trying to indentify opportunities to take care of issues right away. I don't have that list yet.
ON PLANS BRANDING TO FANS AND RECRUITS
That will be a top priority and ultimately our brand is the success of our alums. That is something we need to create a message and brand and that is where we need to hang our hat. That is our differentiator what a GT degree can mean. It won't take me long to get there, I will be patient, but understanding the value proposition to recruits and their parents and how we can differentiate ourselves from them and what that may look like.
ON MEETING WITH COACH JOHNSON AND SPECULATION ABOUT HIS FUTURE
I really didn't pay attention (to media talk) there is always speculation during a season. I think that it is detrimental to recruiting process and it creates a lot of issues and talking points that only enable those competing against you. People forget about the kids who commit to the school for the coach and the parents and how they will react and then the recruits. I wasn't paying attention to them.
ON THOUGHTS ON THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM
I was there Saturday, to me that is a heck of a statement any time you go between the hedges and win a game, it tells you a lot about where you are at. Being on the outside of GT for the last 9 years, there is no one out there that wants to play us. That tells you a lot about the program and the fear opposing coaches have of our head coach. I haven't looked at the stats or winning percentage, but knowing up until last year the bowl streak, the success over the last 9 years, two years ago in the Orange Bowl and beating a good Miss State team with a great coach. I think we have a great coach that is known nationally for what he does and has had a lot of success here. My goal is to help provide him with what he needs and what he can build on that success at the high level.
ON PJ BEING POLARIZING FIGURE WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE PJ HATERS
I've got to do a better job of highlighting the positives of what we are doing. I don't know we've always done that. There are so many incredible positives. I've been at other places, have worked with other coaches, being a head football coach is a tough job. You have a 100 18-22 year olds and you are a surrogate parent for four to five years and a lot of people don't understand that. They see the ticker on Saturdays and they don't know what goes on the other six days of the week. The APR, GPA, grad rates and not only are we winning games and our student athletes are graduating and doing these things regardless of differences or likeability. We have a lot of young men having life changing benefits from being in this program.
ON PAUL JOHNSON'S OFFENSE
My thoughts on offense is, if you are winning I love your offense. Having just come from Oregon, they have the wildest offense in America that was the offense that everyone aspired to become for a decade and right now they don't like the offense. At the end of the day, it comes down to how effective it is. Ironically I was recruited by Pepper and we ran the wishbone. I'm more concerned about success on the field and not the Xs and Os that is why you hire the coach. As an AD you don't get into how they are doing it, you are not the expert. We hire coaches to win and develop young men into the country need.
ON THEMES FROM FEEDBACK
One of the theses is the passion for this place people have. I think people recognize that GT is special. It is great to see that type of emotional attachment to Georgia Tech. That is one of the main themes that jumped out to me, I'm glad to see it. I was here in the 90s with Homer and it was very special and it is good to see that emotional attachment is still part of the program.
I don't know if they are negatives, but there is a hunger to get down to business. Interested and concerned about what I'm going to do and the direction I'm going to take. I think there is some hesitancy to what I'm going to do.
ON IMMEDIATE ACTIONS FOR GT
That is my hope, I'm hoping through met with three or four people, so I have a small sample. My hope is that I can identify some low hanging fruit that can make a difference. Part of it is so I can meet everyone and they can get to know me. When I talk about having a pretty accessible office, that is really true. In my case the open door policy is true. I want to understand where they are coming from and for them to learn from me. From the small sampling I have so far, I'm trying to indentify opportunities to take care of issues right away. I don't have that list yet.
ON PLANS BRANDING TO FANS AND RECRUITS
That will be a top priority and ultimately our brand is the success of our alums. That is something we need to create a message and brand and that is where we need to hang our hat. That is our differentiator what a GT degree can mean. It won't take me long to get there, I will be patient, but understanding the value proposition to recruits and their parents and how we can differentiate ourselves from them and what that may look like.
ON MEETING WITH COACH JOHNSON AND SPECULATION ABOUT HIS FUTURE
I really didn't pay attention (to media talk) there is always speculation during a season. I think that it is detrimental to recruiting process and it creates a lot of issues and talking points that only enable those competing against you. People forget about the kids who commit to the school for the coach and the parents and how they will react and then the recruits. I wasn't paying attention to them.
ON THOUGHTS ON THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM
I was there Saturday, to me that is a heck of a statement any time you go between the hedges and win a game, it tells you a lot about where you are at. Being on the outside of GT for the last 9 years, there is no one out there that wants to play us. That tells you a lot about the program and the fear opposing coaches have of our head coach. I haven't looked at the stats or winning percentage, but knowing up until last year the bowl streak, the success over the last 9 years, two years ago in the Orange Bowl and beating a good Miss State team with a great coach. I think we have a great coach that is known nationally for what he does and has had a lot of success here. My goal is to help provide him with what he needs and what he can build on that success at the high level.
ON PJ BEING POLARIZING FIGURE WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE PJ HATERS
I've got to do a better job of highlighting the positives of what we are doing. I don't know we've always done that. There are so many incredible positives. I've been at other places, have worked with other coaches, being a head football coach is a tough job. You have a 100 18-22 year olds and you are a surrogate parent for four to five years and a lot of people don't understand that. They see the ticker on Saturdays and they don't know what goes on the other six days of the week. The APR, GPA, grad rates and not only are we winning games and our student athletes are graduating and doing these things regardless of differences or likeability. We have a lot of young men having life changing benefits from being in this program.
ON PAUL JOHNSON'S OFFENSE
My thoughts on offense is, if you are winning I love your offense. Having just come from Oregon, they have the wildest offense in America that was the offense that everyone aspired to become for a decade and right now they don't like the offense. At the end of the day, it comes down to how effective it is. Ironically I was recruited by Pepper and we ran the wishbone. I'm more concerned about success on the field and not the Xs and Os that is why you hire the coach. As an AD you don't get into how they are doing it, you are not the expert. We hire coaches to win and develop young men into the country need.
