Last year was a rebuilding year.

77GTFan

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Last year was a train wreck because we thought we had arrived after 2014 and just did not do the work necessary to sustain excellence. We rested on our laurels, enjoyed our reputation as a top program, and believed continued success was automatic. The early season loss to Notre Dame exposed weaknesses on offense that we were never able to shore up. With confidence teetering we lost at Duke and then self-destructed and lost to UNC after leading by three touchdowns. Season was pretty much over at that point. Hopefully the work ethic has improved this season, confidence without arrogance has been restored, and the team is prepared to do what it takes to be successful week by week in '16. At Tech, success is never going to be easy, because we don't have better talent than many of our opponents. Our success comes through hard work, great attitude, preparation, focus and execution.
 

texstinger

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Last year was a train wreck because we thought we had arrived after 2014 and just did not do the work necessary to sustain excellence. We rested on our laurels, enjoyed our reputation as a top program, and believed continued success was automatic. The early season loss to Notre Dame exposed weaknesses on offense that we were never able to shore up. With confidence teetering we lost at Duke and then self-destructed and lost to UNC after leading by three touchdowns. Season was pretty much over at that point. Hopefully the work ethic has improved this season, confidence without arrogance has been restored, and the team is prepared to do what it takes to be successful week by week in '16. At Tech, success is never going to be easy, because we don't have better talent than many of our opponents. Our success comes through hard work, great attitude, preparation, focus and execution.
As much as anything - this.

Injuries (rumor is a lot of teams get them) play a part but well coached teams and teams that have "arrived" overcome them.
 

TheTaxJacket

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We had 9 true freshmen on the field at one time in the Miami game. GT will never be a program that can overcome the amount of injuries they sustained last year. Especially when they are all concentrated on one position as heavily as they were. I agree some programs can overcome some injuries, but our injuries last year were not typical in both amount and the position involved.

Really the reason we were a trainwreck last year is attributed to losing Smelter, Waller and Mason on the offense. They played a much bigger part on the 2014 team then we realize as fans. The leadership on offense went strictly to JT last year and it was too much for his style. He is going to need some help this year. Hopefully Will Bryan can step up and possibly Cliton Lynch or even Searcy. Lots of returning players that can help JT out in the huddle this year.
 

GT1992

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We had 9 true freshmen on the field at one time in the Miami game. GT will never be a program that can overcome the amount of injuries they sustained last year. Especially when they are all concentrated on one position as heavily as they were. I agree some programs can overcome some injuries, but our injuries last year were not typical in both amount and the position involved.

Really the reason we were a trainwreck last year is attributed to losing Smelter, Waller and Mason on the offense. They played a much bigger part on the 2014 team then we realize as fans. The leadership on offense went strictly to JT last year and it was too much for his style. He is going to need some help this year. Hopefully Will Bryan can step up and possibly Cliton Lynch or even Searcy. Lots of returning players that can help JT out in the huddle this year.
And why did we have 9 true freshmen on the field? It wasn't just injury. It is also not balancing classes. What will happen after all those A-backs we burned the redshirt on graduate? How many will stick around buried on the depth chart? We have too many long term questions.
 

southendzoneBEE

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You were just a sacrifice to coits chest thumping

Lol...revisionist history on my part. Haha. I mean...with the injuries sustained at ABack and BBack it would be tough to call that a rebuilding year per se.

To me rebuilding would have been 7-5 or 6-6 if we were going off the 2014 year. 3-9 was beyond rebuilding.
 

Akinji07

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There is no excuse for the atrocity that's called our oline. How many years have we been bitching about it? and we had an experienced oline last year. But oh no we didn't have Shaq. If we have to wait for another Shaq to have a decent oline, we'll have to wait awhile for another 2014 season.
 

BarrelORum

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[BigCry]Those that want a new coach are apparently oblivious to the delicate nature of GTs current situation. Coach isn't the problem. We're one bad hire away from total doormat status. GT needs to change its ways and fully commit to wanting to compete at a high level in sports otherwise it doesn't matter who we hire.[/BigCry]
 

Akinji07

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I blame our alumni for this situation. Always bragging about being so rich because they have Tech degrees, yet somehow we don't have the money to hire anyone better than Paul Johnson and we're keeping him because it could be worse. What a crock of öööö. Y'all are either the most miser human beings on the planet or you don't make nearly as much as you claim. Bunch of fake ass boojies.
 

BarrelORum

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I blame our alumni for this situation. Always bragging about being so rich because they have Tech degrees, yet somehow we don't have the money to hire anyone better than Paul Johnson and we're keeping him because it could be worse. What a crock of öööö. Y'all are either the most miser human beings on the planet or you don't make nearly as much as you claim. Bunch of fake ass boojies.
Misguided. There are alumni who would give money hand over fist. The problem is why even give it if the school is going to handicap the program anyway? It's a bad investment. That's virtually the mindset of most alumni. If the school has one foot in the door and one out, why commit your resources to that? Why?
 

coit

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I blame our alumni for this situation. Always bragging about being so rich because they have Tech degrees, yet somehow we don't have the money to hire anyone better than Paul Johnson and we're keeping him because it could be worse. What a crock of öööö. Y'all are either the most miser human beings on the planet or you don't make nearly as much as you claim. Bunch of fake ass boojies.
Do you buy season tickets from GTAA?

Do you donate to GTAA?
 

Dcgt4542

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Not arguing whether we were rebuilding last year or are rebuilding this year. Last year a bad year for sure. I agree with the several reasons noted - all well discussed. The One that gets my attention most is one not talked about as much is the league is gettng better and will continue. The arms race is on. Status quo will leave some programs behind. No one wants to be the Vandy of the ACC unless the guaranteed money is all that matters. As always hope I am wrong and our system pushes onward and our ceiling is raised. We will see and will be there in White and Gold. THWG
 

GT1992

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Misguided. There are alumni who would give money hand over fist. The problem is why even give it if the school is going to handicap the program anyway? It's a bad investment. That's virtually the mindset of most alumni. If the school has one foot in the door and one out, why commit your resources to that? Why?
It isn't a money problem. We're not going to let in idiots who jump through hotel Windows. We're not going to let in idiots who are illiterate after four years of school. There are still ways to compete and that means developing players. We will not start stupid programs that any moron can get through. The coaching staff has to figure out how we can recruit at the level of at least Navy.
 

77GTFan

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Watching our local sports tonight I saw a Duke player take a return to the house against us. You could clearly see half hearted tackling attempts followed by jogging after the Duke player. That play stands in stark contrast to key plays in our '14 season against Pitt and UGA where we made great efforts to keep players from scoring. There is such a fine line between going all out to make plays to win and simply going through the motions and failing to make the plays needed to win.
 

BarrelORum

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It isn't a money problem. We're not going to let in idiots who jump through hotel Windows. We're not going to let in idiots who are illiterate after four years of school. There are still ways to compete and that means developing players. We will not start stupid programs that any moron can get through. The coaching staff has to figure out how we can recruit at the level of at least Navy.
You take it to an extreme. Not even close to what I'm talking about. Would we take in a Joe Hamilton? How about a Kelly Campbell? Would we take in a Shawn Jones? How about a Joe Burns or William Bell? What about Kenny Anderson? Or maybe the " exception" class of 2007? do you think those guys make it in today's Tech? If you think it's still the same, your head is stuck in the sand.
 

Akinji07

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You know exactly what the point is. And I remember you saying you didn't buy season tickets last year.
I had season tickets last year. You must be misremembering because of you know, I'm not even gonna say it anymore.
 
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