FOOTBALL
That sums up what is going on. It is going to be a week-to-week challenge for the offense until they get some consistent OL play and QB play. They have all the skill weapons they need but the OL has been uniformly inconsistent and injured.
The week one OL was
LT- Lee/Quinney
LG- Minihan
C- Cooper
RG- Southers
RT- DeFoor
Backups OT- Clark, OG- S. Morgan and C- Lagod
However they've lost Lee for the year, Minihan missed at least the last game and was in a boot on the sideline for the Citadel game and everyone of the backups has been or is injured. They played game two with the backup walk-on center and played the end of the Citadel game with a backup/walk-on guard. Having two walk-on OLs and really three in the two-deep is BADDDD sign of depth issues. CBK basically said they were tested as much as he expected in the entire season depth wise three games in.
The good news is Connor Hansen is back and he should help the guard depth and they can move Jared Southers to RT like they did in the Citadel game to help. Key said he likes DeFoor at LG so that may stay the same until/when Minihan is back.
Probably the ideal OL at this point would be
LT- Quinney
LG- Minihan
C- Cooper
RG- Hansen/Southers
RT- Southers/DeFoor
That is a decent six-man rotation.
As far as the QB play goes, Tobias Oliver has been the most consistent, if they can protect him he should be able to throw better. I think James Graham gets a look when he is fully healthy (hopefully soon if not already) and I'm not sure what the move is with Lucas Johnson though clearly CDP likes him in crunch time.
According to my sources Jordan Yates continues to develop and as I've said all along I wouldn't be shocked to see him play some before the season ends.
Defensively I wouldn't read too much into the Citadel game. They've done the same things to Bama and SC and other teams just like many other option teams. Hell Kennesaw State almost got their first FBS win a week ago against Kent State. The defense is geared and programmed to stop spread teams and has show signs of being able to do that against both Clemson (somewhat) and USF. Hopefully that trend continues and if somehow they get to a bowl they are not playing Navy or Army (that would be the most ironic ending possible if Collins manages to get to six wins).
Overall people think things are headed in the right direction it was just a really painful punch in the mouth losing that game since there wasn't a history of losing those types of games. The next two years will be filled with a lot of ups and downs so people need to buckle up. I expect before the season ends GT will be on the other side of an upset!
People always ask about the mood of the team, they looked just as excited and fired up with energy as any other time since Collins took over. Don't see finger pointing or anyone hanging their heads anywhere, just focus.
FOOTBALL RECRUITING
This will be the first real working weekend for the staff recruiting wise from the road. They will have every coach they can legally have out on the road working.
Those wondering what impact the loss to the Citadel or really any loss that happens this season will have, the answer is not much. Aside from them crushing people nothing was going to really move the needle one way or another for the key remaining targets or the guys committed. The commits who may be on the fence like a Gibbs were there before that game. There aren't many on the fence and he is really the main one.
It was a rough weekend for the staff on many fronts because on top of that embarrassing loss they had to put on happy faces and play host to recruits and apparently did a tremendous job. A source told us it was the hardest thing many of them ever had to do as coaches in their careers showing how much they care about the program on our opinion. Teams schedule those OVs when they THINK the team is going to win so they don't have to deal with something like that.
Nick Patterson who OV'd over the weekend and is still listed as a commit to Michigan could make his final decision on his destination any day. He is very bullish on the Jackets despite the loss. GT has multiple strong pulls on Patterson as well.
DT target Jayson Jones remains heavily interested in the Jackets. He has been getting overtures from other SEC programs, but his family nor himself seem to be interested, just mainly GT. Jones will be at the UNC game in three weeks.
DB Javier Morton continues to be a GT lean. At some point we expect he will go public with a commitment. Every major recruit in the area is going to the UGA-ND game this weekend, but Morton is not which is telling. Rivals has him listed as a safety and that is where Russell projects him to play if he comes to GT or any other P5 school.
Russell got into LB Rodney Groce this week already so I'll skip over to LB Desmond Tisdol who has a very strange recruitment and Tisdol has gone radio silent so we aren't sure if that means a decision is coming or something else soon.
Slot receiver Nate McCollum seems to be a in a good spot with GT right now. The Jackets are heavily on his mind and he really likes the idea of staying home and being near his family.
On the OL front, Jahaziel Lee's likely return should end the OL recruiting at 6 commits/signees for the upcoming class. They were toying with a 7th player, but if Lee comes back that would eat that ship.
HOOPS RECRUITING
So the Jackets are focusing in their recruitment for 2020 on key targets and those are the following right now
Wing- Samson Ruzhentsev from Hamilton Heights (Tenn) via Russia. His OV is scheduled for almost a month from this coming weekend in late October. Florida, Illinois, Stanford and Ole Miss are the main players along with GT. He has a former teammate playing at UF now Jason Jitoboh who could be a lure just as GT using their Russian David Didenko as a lure as well. He is visiting Ole Miss this weekend, UF next weekend with Illinois and Stanford getting visits the first week of October each.
Guard- Tristan Maxwell from North Mecklenburg (NC) is another guy they are big on and has serious mutual interest. Pure scorer, main competition there is NC State, Providence, Temple and Georgetown.
Combo Guard- Deivon Smith from Grayson HS (Ga) is the other non-big man target they are big on. Louisville and Miss State are the two main competitors there. He has already taken his Louisville OV back on 9/6. He took an OV to NC State, back in August, but they already took their guy at that spot. All the hoops people think he is committing to Louisville sometime this month however.
The other main target right now is big man Jordan Meka from Mt. Bethel Christian (Ga.) the Jackets like him better than Ebenezer Dowuona. Dowuona is at USF this weekend and he should commit there. Dowuona's handler doesn't think he is a fit in the ACC so it is really down to Denver or USF for him. Pitt was trying to get the last visit, but his coach is the one pushing for that not the kid. Meka is more advanced defensively and a better fit academically as well so he makes more sense for GT.
Pastner is also keeping a spot open for transfers since it is becoming so much more a part of the game now. He doesn't want to fill up and not be able to take say an immediate replacement for James Banks if one becomes available.
HOOPS
The staff are pretty excited about the upcoming season and particularly having both Bubba Parham and then Jordan Usher (starting with Ball State) on the team. Usher could've played against UK except for a weird GT rule regarding grade certification so his first chance to get on the court will be that Ball State game which is a bummer.
Parham gives them a ton of flexibility in the meantime with the lineups. He brings an experienced shooter as well that will take pressure off having to have Asanti Price necessarily play any significant minutes. Price is probably the best pure shooter on the team, but physically his defense would be a liability at this point.
Usher is the alpha-dog they have not had around GT in a while. He gives them the I want the ball in key situations guy that has been missing from the team. They think they got a huge steal there.
Overall the only concern right now would be keeping Banks healthy.
Moses Wright has matured a lot and should be a key figure in everything as well. He can also spell Banks against most teams in the ACC.
That sums up what is going on. It is going to be a week-to-week challenge for the offense until they get some consistent OL play and QB play. They have all the skill weapons they need but the OL has been uniformly inconsistent and injured.
The week one OL was
LT- Lee/Quinney
LG- Minihan
C- Cooper
RG- Southers
RT- DeFoor
Backups OT- Clark, OG- S. Morgan and C- Lagod
However they've lost Lee for the year, Minihan missed at least the last game and was in a boot on the sideline for the Citadel game and everyone of the backups has been or is injured. They played game two with the backup walk-on center and played the end of the Citadel game with a backup/walk-on guard. Having two walk-on OLs and really three in the two-deep is BADDDD sign of depth issues. CBK basically said they were tested as much as he expected in the entire season depth wise three games in.
The good news is Connor Hansen is back and he should help the guard depth and they can move Jared Southers to RT like they did in the Citadel game to help. Key said he likes DeFoor at LG so that may stay the same until/when Minihan is back.
Probably the ideal OL at this point would be
LT- Quinney
LG- Minihan
C- Cooper
RG- Hansen/Southers
RT- Southers/DeFoor
That is a decent six-man rotation.
As far as the QB play goes, Tobias Oliver has been the most consistent, if they can protect him he should be able to throw better. I think James Graham gets a look when he is fully healthy (hopefully soon if not already) and I'm not sure what the move is with Lucas Johnson though clearly CDP likes him in crunch time.
According to my sources Jordan Yates continues to develop and as I've said all along I wouldn't be shocked to see him play some before the season ends.
Defensively I wouldn't read too much into the Citadel game. They've done the same things to Bama and SC and other teams just like many other option teams. Hell Kennesaw State almost got their first FBS win a week ago against Kent State. The defense is geared and programmed to stop spread teams and has show signs of being able to do that against both Clemson (somewhat) and USF. Hopefully that trend continues and if somehow they get to a bowl they are not playing Navy or Army (that would be the most ironic ending possible if Collins manages to get to six wins).
Overall people think things are headed in the right direction it was just a really painful punch in the mouth losing that game since there wasn't a history of losing those types of games. The next two years will be filled with a lot of ups and downs so people need to buckle up. I expect before the season ends GT will be on the other side of an upset!
People always ask about the mood of the team, they looked just as excited and fired up with energy as any other time since Collins took over. Don't see finger pointing or anyone hanging their heads anywhere, just focus.
FOOTBALL RECRUITING
This will be the first real working weekend for the staff recruiting wise from the road. They will have every coach they can legally have out on the road working.
Those wondering what impact the loss to the Citadel or really any loss that happens this season will have, the answer is not much. Aside from them crushing people nothing was going to really move the needle one way or another for the key remaining targets or the guys committed. The commits who may be on the fence like a Gibbs were there before that game. There aren't many on the fence and he is really the main one.
It was a rough weekend for the staff on many fronts because on top of that embarrassing loss they had to put on happy faces and play host to recruits and apparently did a tremendous job. A source told us it was the hardest thing many of them ever had to do as coaches in their careers showing how much they care about the program on our opinion. Teams schedule those OVs when they THINK the team is going to win so they don't have to deal with something like that.
Nick Patterson who OV'd over the weekend and is still listed as a commit to Michigan could make his final decision on his destination any day. He is very bullish on the Jackets despite the loss. GT has multiple strong pulls on Patterson as well.
DT target Jayson Jones remains heavily interested in the Jackets. He has been getting overtures from other SEC programs, but his family nor himself seem to be interested, just mainly GT. Jones will be at the UNC game in three weeks.
DB Javier Morton continues to be a GT lean. At some point we expect he will go public with a commitment. Every major recruit in the area is going to the UGA-ND game this weekend, but Morton is not which is telling. Rivals has him listed as a safety and that is where Russell projects him to play if he comes to GT or any other P5 school.
Russell got into LB Rodney Groce this week already so I'll skip over to LB Desmond Tisdol who has a very strange recruitment and Tisdol has gone radio silent so we aren't sure if that means a decision is coming or something else soon.
Slot receiver Nate McCollum seems to be a in a good spot with GT right now. The Jackets are heavily on his mind and he really likes the idea of staying home and being near his family.
On the OL front, Jahaziel Lee's likely return should end the OL recruiting at 6 commits/signees for the upcoming class. They were toying with a 7th player, but if Lee comes back that would eat that ship.
HOOPS RECRUITING
So the Jackets are focusing in their recruitment for 2020 on key targets and those are the following right now
Wing- Samson Ruzhentsev from Hamilton Heights (Tenn) via Russia. His OV is scheduled for almost a month from this coming weekend in late October. Florida, Illinois, Stanford and Ole Miss are the main players along with GT. He has a former teammate playing at UF now Jason Jitoboh who could be a lure just as GT using their Russian David Didenko as a lure as well. He is visiting Ole Miss this weekend, UF next weekend with Illinois and Stanford getting visits the first week of October each.
Guard- Tristan Maxwell from North Mecklenburg (NC) is another guy they are big on and has serious mutual interest. Pure scorer, main competition there is NC State, Providence, Temple and Georgetown.
Combo Guard- Deivon Smith from Grayson HS (Ga) is the other non-big man target they are big on. Louisville and Miss State are the two main competitors there. He has already taken his Louisville OV back on 9/6. He took an OV to NC State, back in August, but they already took their guy at that spot. All the hoops people think he is committing to Louisville sometime this month however.
The other main target right now is big man Jordan Meka from Mt. Bethel Christian (Ga.) the Jackets like him better than Ebenezer Dowuona. Dowuona is at USF this weekend and he should commit there. Dowuona's handler doesn't think he is a fit in the ACC so it is really down to Denver or USF for him. Pitt was trying to get the last visit, but his coach is the one pushing for that not the kid. Meka is more advanced defensively and a better fit academically as well so he makes more sense for GT.
Pastner is also keeping a spot open for transfers since it is becoming so much more a part of the game now. He doesn't want to fill up and not be able to take say an immediate replacement for James Banks if one becomes available.
HOOPS
The staff are pretty excited about the upcoming season and particularly having both Bubba Parham and then Jordan Usher (starting with Ball State) on the team. Usher could've played against UK except for a weird GT rule regarding grade certification so his first chance to get on the court will be that Ball State game which is a bummer.
Parham gives them a ton of flexibility in the meantime with the lineups. He brings an experienced shooter as well that will take pressure off having to have Asanti Price necessarily play any significant minutes. Price is probably the best pure shooter on the team, but physically his defense would be a liability at this point.
Usher is the alpha-dog they have not had around GT in a while. He gives them the I want the ball in key situations guy that has been missing from the team. They think they got a huge steal there.
Overall the only concern right now would be keeping Banks healthy.
Moses Wright has matured a lot and should be a key figure in everything as well. He can also spell Banks against most teams in the ACC.
