College football in the 1950s was a parallel universe where southern colleges were segregated. Teams in the South would not play teams from the North unless they agreed not to play any black players. The names of the colleges are the same, but nothing else from that period is of any relevance to the competition today.
Well, as has been pointed out, we did play Pitt in a bowl game with a black player. That was indeed an exception not the rule.
And the truth is, in the 50 / 60's, GT not having black players did not have one single thing to do with academics. And we all know that is the truth. One thing I always did find strange were a lot of northern teams talking about how stupid southern players were back then, and yet they would come recruit the group of players that were, due to racism, the most educationally discriminated group.
I can never forget the Lemon Street School in Decatur. They had a QB (first named Jake? I can not remember) that was the best I ever saw come out of this state. Went to Mich St. Many talked back then that Lemon team wouldhave wiped any team in the state off the field.
Regardless, I believe GT is exceptional enough to have the highest standards in any endeavor it undertakes. With the right leadership.
I expect to beat ugag. If not our goal, why are we wasting all this money?