Am I The Only One Worried That Next Year Might Be Worse?

[GTLiebs]

Here's a thread I've been waiting on. Not surprisingly, by the person I expected to see it made by. Can't wait to see the next one.

I gotta ask, what should I make of this? :rolleyes:

Also, by we might be worse I didn't mean in play necessarily but in record. Two reasons. One I hear a lot of stories of teams with new coaches and young players having a great first year then a so-so second year. Two, how many wins did we have that could have easily been losses? I place it at 5 out of 9. As for losses that could have been wins, I'd say we really only had 2 out of 4.

Also, no one here started talking about how our defense might look. I'd start that now but I'll have to run to class right now.

 

[GTMensLax&SoccerD1Soon!]

I gotta ask, what should I make of this? :rolleyes:

Also, by we might be worse I didn't mean in play necessarily but in record. Two reasons. One I hear a lot of stories of teams with new coaches and young players having a great first year then a so-so second year. Two, how many wins did we have that could have easily been losses? I place it at 5 out of 9. As for losses that could have been wins, I'd say we really only had 2 out of 4.

Also, no one here started talking about how our defense might look. I'd start that now but I'll have to run to class right now.

With as good as the ACC is looking to be next year. it's very possible we could have a worse record, but are team will be MUCH better and more than likely so will our record...

 

[Allen Koholic]

The only thing that worries me is the defense, as there was a few early games this season where they saved our asses.

Offense should be killer. The only thing that worries me there is Josh getting hurt and Jaybo needing to take all reps.

 

[stinger78]

It just seems like we've peaked for the most part on offense. With so many people returning I don't see how we get that much better unless Paul Johnson has a lot more up his sleeve than I think. It's not like a lot of our players will suddenly get faster and stronger or anything, only thing that might improve is technique.

There is VAST opportunity for improvement of the small portion of the O that we know. The OL was just adequate in their best games this year. They will make the biggest jump, and if your blocking gets better, those holes get bigger and more consistent, then your running game improves. Also, the passing game stands to improve greatly. We have some good WR's stepping in next year. Watch our for Kevin Cone. The mans a big ole stud.

I could just be pessimistic, but it seems like the only big changes that will occur is that we will have new starters on the defensive line and it will now be viewed as an accomplishment to beat GT next season, effectively putting a big target on our back for all those edge of good teams like UVa, Miami and Vanderbilt to shoot for.

You are being pessimistic. PJ's biggest jumps have historically been between his first and second years. We will be MUCH, much better on O next fall. Bank on it. The primary beneficiaries of an extra year will be the OL and Nesbitt. Expect greatly improved play out of them. Plus we get Anthony Allen to play B-back with JD. AA is a major talent.

D will have its challenges, but the O will flourish next fall.

Any opinions or am I just a crazy idiot who listens to too many GT students from the state below us who are fans of a certain reptile and have split loyalties?

Don't listen to anyone else but Tech fans on this. Ok, maybe Navy fans, too. No one else understands.

 

[kirbee]

If we're worse, we've got big problems and they start at the top.

 

[hiveredtech]

Offense should be killer. The only thing that worries me there is Josh getting hurt and Jaybo needing to take all reps.

So...do you not think we need to have any resemblance of a good passing game as a threat? 44% completion percentage is woeful.

I agree that you may not need it week in and week out with our great running game...but to win a big bowl game and maybe an ACC Championship game I think the threat has to be there.

 

[Allen Koholic]

So...do you not think we need to have any resemblance of a good passing game as a threat? 44% completion percentage is woeful.

I agree that you may not need it week in and week out with our great running game...but to win a big bowl game and maybe an ACC Championship game I think the threat has to be there.

I'm not saying that at all. I am supremely pleased with notion that Paul Johnson will install run n shoot packages into this offense, because we will put up video game numbers. I just don't think that Jaybo is on the same level as Josh and Josh took some punishment this year, and it worries me that he could go down for an extended period of time. I think Jaybo will be a good QB if he bulks up some.

 

[GTLiebs]

You are being pessimistic. PJ's biggest jumps have historically been between his first and second years.

He has also historically had abysmal first years. Now granted still having a proportional jump is completely possible, but it's also possible that the way things went this year is similar to his second year at other schools.

I will say this though, if Coach Johnson takes us to 9 or more wins next season I think he really could be the coach that will make us relevant to national contenders.

 

[odw]

Yes, you are alone here.

If you step back for a second and think about what we've had to deal with this year, it was clearly a worse case scenario.

-New completely different offense scheme
-New defensive scheme
-very limited depth due to transfers and probation
-all new starters for all the skill position on O and most on D
-having to use a 250 lb TE on OL and even had a QB in there for special teams OL against UNC.
-started season on road against last year's and things year's division champs
-finished season against all ranked (at time) teams
-Bowl game against defending nat. champs with chip on their shoulder
-uga game with possibly their best QB/ RB duo of all time.
-MANY MANY starters injuried and out for large chunks of the season

DESPITE all that, we end up 9-4. We return the most starters in the conference, start next season in the top 15, and outside of FSU we get our toughest ACC games at home next year. We avoid some preason pressure by VT likely starting in top 10. We'll be in year 2 of CPJ's system, and if history repeats itself, year 2 under CPJ is going to AWESOME.

 

[stinger78]

He has also historically had abysmal first years. Now granted still having a proportional jump is completely possible, but it's also possible that the way things went this year is similar to his second year at other schools.

I will say this though, if Coach Johnson takes us to 9 or more wins next season I think he really could be the coach that will make us relevant to national contenders.

That may be the case, but he has NEVER had a worse season in his second year than his first. My expectations for next fall start at 9 wins. We play JSU, @MSU, @Vandy and UGAg. We play WFU, CU, VT, UNC, @UVA, @Dook, @FSU and @Miami.

At this point, I see the following:
Probable Wins - JSU, MSU, Vandy, WFU, CU, Dook and Miami
Tossups - VT, UNC, UVA (only because its in hooville), FSU and UGAg
Probable Losses - none

 

[odw]

That may be the case, but he has NEVER had a worse season in his second year than his first. My expectations for next fall start at 9 wins. We play JSU, @MSU, @Vandy and UGAg. We play WFU, CU, VT, UNC, @UVA, @Dook, @FSU and @Miami.

At this point, I see the following:
Probable Wins - JSU, MSU, Vandy, WFU, CU, Dook and Miami
Tossups - VT, UNC, UVA (only because its in hooville), FSU and UGAg
Probable Losses - none

Exactly. In his first year here, much like at Navy, he improve upon the last season by 2 wins. I'm not saying we'll increase our win total by 6 next year, but I will say anything less than 9 win will be disappointing with al lthe starters we return.

 

[BEEFENSE]

Yep, the sky is bound to start falling--Yep, the team is bound to regress--Yep, JD can't POSSIBLY have a better season--Yep, other teams will take us MORE serious--Yep, I'm a TECH fan and I CAN NOT help but be a pessimist--YEP and I REALLY CAN NOT UNDERSTAND THE NEGATIVITY OF THIS THREAD. I am excited about the program and expect a better year and better offensive execution and better fan support--but WHAT do I know--I am just a TECH fan who prefers to be positive.

 

[surferdave]

He has also historically had abysmal first years.

He was previously head coach at Georgia Southern and Navy.

His first year at GSU he won the Southern Conference. His first year at Navy he doubled the win total from 1 to 2 (but granted, that's still an abysmal year). His first year at Tech he went 9-4 and tied for the ACC-C title.

I don't think that qualifies as historically abysmal first years.

 

[The Jacket]

I gotta ask, what should I make of this? :rolleyes:

Whatever you like, sugar pie. I'm curious as to whether your next thread will be "Is there any definitive proof that Paul Johnson is not a satanist?" or "When is a 45-42 win over Georgia really a blowout loss?"

 

[hiveredtech]

I'm not saying that at all. I am supremely pleased with notion that Paul Johnson will install run n shoot packages into this offense, because we will put up video game numbers. I just don't think that Jaybo is on the same level as Josh and Josh took some punishment this year, and it worries me that he could go down for an extended period of time. I think Jaybo will be a good QB if he bulks up some.

I wasn't really including Jaybo in the discussion. I could really care less who the QB is as long as they decision and execute well.

In summary...I still believe 9-4 is the worst we will do next year. We have tons of upside potential because there is a lot in our game to work on with all three facets.

 

[GTLiebs]

Whatever you like, sugar pie. I'm curious as to whether your next thread will be "Is there any definitive proof that Paul Johnson is not a satanist?" or "When is a 45-42 win over Georgia really a blowout loss?"

Alright, for one thing that post about the whole UGA importance thing came out of my desire to create and excuse for the bowl game that I realized was retarded and I retracted my statement (if only I could retract the damn thread).

This one I think posses some consideration only because of how many close wins we had and how other ACC teams are improving like we are. Also people here seem to think I'm saying our team will play worse. They won't. They'll play just as well or better but what I'm saying is it doesn't guarrentee we will win as many games as this season.

Besides, without me being a devils' advocate you guys would have someone to tell they're crazy wrong all the time :P

 

[GTLiebs]

He has also historically had abysmal first years.

He was previously head coach at Georgia Southern and Navy.

His first year at GSU he won the Southern Conference. His first year at Navy he doubled the win total from 1 to 2 (but granted, that's still an abysmal year). His first year at Tech he went 9-4 and tied for the ACC-C title.

I don't think that qualifies as historically abysmal first years.

Well I wasn't including GT in that statement, but I'll admit I was misinformed about GSU.

 

[beej67]

This year has the same sort of feel to me that 1998 did.

Everyone was expecting great things from the 1999 squad, but then our defense sucked giant monkey turds all year and we only got 8 wins.

So yeah, I'm worried.

 

[WracerX]

This year has the same sort of feel to me that 1998 did.

Everyone was expecting great things from the 1999 squad, but then our defense sucked giant monkey turds all year and we only got 8 wins.

So yeah, I'm worried.

Really, I thought this year felt more like 1997. A lot of close wins with the offense being sometimes good and sometimes crappy.

 

[gmlane]

This is going back a few pages of the thread to people talking about our reliance on Nesbitt...

If I remember right, Tevin Washington absolutely dominated in spring practice. A whole year of practice under is belt, I could see him competing for playing time.

Throw in Jordan Luallen, who won a state championship this year running the triple option, and I think we have plenty of depth at QB:

Josh Nesbitt
Tevin Washington
Jaybo Shaw
Jordan Luallen
Bryce Dykes