USA TODAY: First-half grades for first-year coaches in college football

AlaGold

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The question I have is how many folks are going to be able to stand another yr like this one.
 

WracerX

Dr. Dunkingstein
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The question I have is how many folks are going to be able to stand another yr like this one.
Like this one? Zero. Staff changes would be required. But a 4 or 5 win season could be tolerable if recruiting is paying off.
 

GoGATech

Big Dummy
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Like this one? Zero. Staff changes would be required. But a 4 or 5 win season could be tolerable if recruiting is paying off.
Thing that sucks is next year's schedule is much harder. I do think we have more success but could realistically miss a bowl again.
 

GTStoner

Varsity Lurker
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This year is almost guaranteed 1-11. Next year if it's not .500, I'd advocate heads rolling. CGC has absolutely no laurels to rest upon. He's been a head coach for 3 years. The rah, rah 404 culture, money downs crap gets real old next year if it's not a solid year. We haven't had back-to-back losing seasons since '93. If CGC came with a good long track record (5+years) proven, etc. I'd say fine give him another year, but he doesn't.

All he's really done so far is be a really, really good salesman-and give him credit he is excellent at selling-but eventually your product has to be good or I'm not buying what you're selling.
 

johncu

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D sounds about right. The only reason it's not an F is because recruiting is looking better. If we do end up 1-11, I think I'd give it an F regardless. We had an FCS team and 2 mediocre G5 teams on our schedule.
 

GoGATech

Big Dummy
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This year is almost guaranteed 1-11. Next year if it's not .500, I'd advocate heads rolling. CGC has absolutely no laurels to rest upon. He's been a head coach for 3 years. The rah, rah 404 culture, money downs crap gets real old next year if it's not a solid year. We haven't had back-to-back losing seasons since '93. If CGC came with a good long track record (5+years) proven, etc. I'd say fine give him another year, but he doesn't.

All he's really done so far is be a really, really good salesman-and give him credit he is excellent at selling-but eventually your product has to be good or I'm not buying what you're selling.
This argument makes absolutely no sense. If he's already proven you give him more time? If you allow an already proven coach 2 bye years to get things rolling given our situation, why do you think CGC should get it rolling faster? His first 2 years as HC have zero to do with his job here also. We're extremely young, inexperienced, and in transition.
 

GoGATech

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D sounds about right. The only reason it's not an F is because recruiting is looking better. If we do end up 1-11, I think I'd give it an F regardless. We had an FCS team and 2 mediocre G5 teams on our schedule.
And as harsh of a reality as it is, we were only projected to be the favorites in one game this year, and that was preseason. Vegas almost seems generous giving us 3 wins. I know its not the results anybody wants but I don't see how we're grading at an F or even a D. I think if we outperformed our prognostications that it would be a B. If we were competitive in every game and won one or 2 we shouldn't, then an A. We're doing exactly what everybody (not a GT fan) expected. That seems very C-ish to me. Maybe C- because we've yet to put it together for an entire game.
 

TechRush

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Based on the comments in this thread I can't wait to see the excuses for next year.

It's a huge rebuild bigger than ever in the history of college football.
Collins hasn't gotten his players yet.
instead of pulling in top 50 classes we're now pulling in top 40 and it's going to make a big difference in a few years.
 

WracerX

Dr. Dunkingstein
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This argument makes absolutely no sense. If he's already proven you give him more time? If you allow an already proven coach 2 bye years to get things rolling given our situation, why do you think CGC should get it rolling faster? His first 2 years as HC have zero to do with his job here also. We're extremely young, inexperienced, and in transition.
The argument would be that a proven coach going through a bad spell is still a proven coach.

CGC is still a bit of an unknown. He brought in good players while here at Tech. If he brings in a 40 something class, wouldn’t you give him the benefit of the doubt that he could bring in a top 25 class the following year? Wouldn’t you give him a little more slack than a guy who never brought in a top 25 class?
 

OptionJacket

Damn Good Rat
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Many if you are acting like we are going thru a normal staff change. We are not and thankfully our AD and our coach are on the same page. These first two years were gonna be tough anyway. Add the death of Adams, the injuries to Lee and others and we are looking at 1-11. We had no returning QB and didn’t have a returning WR with a TD. Next year might be just as difficult due to a tougher schedule. But our coach and AD know the long plan and are building the foundation now. We weren’t winning the Coastal this year or next so tear it down and build it up. Graham is showing great potential as are the WR’s and we have them for 4 years. Our RB’s are solid. We just need big bodies and Collins is working on that. If you abandon the team due to a bad year or two then you simply won’t enjoy it as much when we get back in the mix.

I make this prediction - GT will win the Coastal before Miami or Duke does.
 

RussianOffense

НЕТ ВОЙНЕ
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Losing to The Citadel is an automatic F.

I'm cautiously optimistic for the future.
 

79tech

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A stingtalk poll would be interesting. I would like D- as a choice however.
 

KrazieJacket

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No loss is good but I will hold out hope as long as the players keep playing hard and improvement is going on. I’m not for or against everything Collins has brought meaning I will not judge his coaching on single things like players overly celebrating but I feel it is fine if the team keeps plugging. I’ll give an ok for this year and next being “rebuilding”. After that there is no excuse for being inept for large stretches on O. By the later stretches of next year and early year three I’m fine if we win in effort but lose to the better teams we play. If early in year three we don’t feel good about our direction then changed need to be automatic by Collins or by his boss.
 

gtchief

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I would give him a C- this year, solely because of the loss to The Citadel. Otherwise I'd give him a solid B. Worse wins than Les Miles who also got a B, but better recruiting. Both have suspect time management.

This is shaping up like the 2015 season sans the Miracle on Techwood, and that's where we'd be right now had we beaten The Citadel. I don't recall if we were in as bad a shape that year as we are this year, but that was following the 2014 season and had the benefit of coaching and QB continuity. No one is happy with our record right now but I don't think we'd be better than 2-4 with Satterfield, Mack, the rest of the first year guys or even Saban.
 

77GTFan

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His total grade for Year 1 will be in when this recruiting year ends. His total grade from me will have three parts - the off season, the season, and recruiting. I give him an A- for the off season. He brought in needed enthusiasm and positivity. So far he gets a D for this season. We will see how recruiting ends up. And, about three more wins would raise the grade for the season.
 

18in32

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I would give him a C- this year, solely because of the loss to The Citadel. Otherwise I'd give him a solid B. Worse wins than Les Miles who also got a B, but better recruiting. Both have suspect time management.
"Worse wins" – plural?
This is shaping up like the 2015 season sans the Miracle on Techwood, and that's where we'd be right now had we beaten The Citadel. I don't recall if we were in as bad a shape that year as we are this year, but that was following the 2014 season and had the benefit of coaching and QB continuity. No one is happy with our record right now but I don't think we'd be better than 2-4 with Satterfield, Mack, the rest of the first year guys or even Saban.
This doesn't feel anything like 2015 to me. Most obviously, we the fan base were still coasting on the groovy vibes of 2014. There was a deeper reservoir of goodwill.

But in terms of results, we crushed the lower tier opponents by 63 pts and 55 pts, and then had the miracle victory over Top 10 FSU. And six of our nine losses were by one score or less. We were 63d in total scoring offense – this year we're 123d. What we're watching on the field this year is much, much uglier than 2015. That year was frustrating; this year is embarrassing (so far).
 

KrazieJacket

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"Worse wins" – plural?

This doesn't feel anything like 2015 to me. Most obviously, we the fan base were still coasting on the groovy vibes of 2014. There was a deeper reservoir of goodwill.

But in terms of results, we crushed the lower tier opponents by 63 pts and 55 pts, and then had the miracle victory over Top 10 FSU. And six of our nine losses were by one score or less. We were 63d in total scoring offense – this year we're 123d. What we're watching on the field this year is much, much uglier than 2015. That year was frustrating; this year is embarrassing (so far).
You are right. There, you got it.... do not expect to hear that again. I would have liked a little more belief from you. I’m certainly not one of the folks dogging Johnson and I also will not be against Coach Collins at this point. Everyone has a belief in their direction or narrative. Coach Collins has his and I am willing to give the faith he deserves. Your narrative is the sweat hanging on my ballsack.
 

gtchief

Not Wrong, Just An A******
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"Worse wins" – plural?
The context was had he won against The Citadel. Was fairly clear about it.

This doesn't feel anything like 2015 to me. Most obviously, we the fan base were still coasting on the groovy vibes of 2014. There was a deeper reservoir of goodwill.

But in terms of results, we crushed the lower tier opponents by 63 pts and 55 pts, and then had the miracle victory over Top 10 FSU. And six of our nine losses were by one score or less. We were 63d in total scoring offense – this year we're 123d. What we're watching on the field this year is much, much uglier than 2015. That year was frustrating; this year is embarrassing (so far).
I never brought up the 2015 offense or how I “felt” about the season, only how it ended up. Two wins against the easiest opponents plus a miracle. Couldn’t care less about points or yards moral victories in L’s
 
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