Wow….I’ve seen it all now. GT needs to switch gears from 3* to occasional 4* players for walk-ons. That will really elevate the program.
2024 Recruiting
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stingmeyall
Flats Noob
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Have you been watching the product GT has been putting out on the field the last 5 years?
So you think taking a bunch of 1*-2* projects with a ”chip on their shoulder“ will be a part to fix the problem? That will turn GT into Cal, IU, Vandy level. Fighting for 1-2 win type seasons.
Reality is, the teams at the top of CFB have 2 deep across the board full of 4-5* talent. Depth in CFB can make any HC look good. The programs at the top are just reloading right now. Listen to what some of those coaches have to say about not screwing it up and just letting the talent show itself on the field.
We’ve seen plenty of instances where the so called “top level can’t miss coordinator” leaves Alabama, Clemson, OSU, Oregon, etc and they flame out.
For all the success we’ve seen from the likes of Ryan Day, Dabo, Dan Lanning, James Franklin, Lincoln Riley, Mike Leach (RIP), etc there have been busts.
Jeremy Pruitt
Tom Herman
Tony Elliot (A lot of GT fans wanted Elliot in 2018.)
Jim McElwain
Will Muschamp
Willie Taggart
Chad Morris
Look down at Miami for another overrated HC in Christobal who if things don’t change in 2024 will join the list above. I would have said Vennables, but he has really turned OU around in a hurry after a disastrous season last year.
For most middle tier P5 programs (this is where GT is) they need a combination of very good coaching and enough solid talent 3* with a few elite 4* players at key positions. Right now GT has proven to have neither over the last 5 years. Sure GT had Gibbs, but not much else on O outside of McCullum. The coaching side of things for the previous 4 years was nothing short of a disaster. We’ll know after the season how many moves CBK can make to fix the obvious problems.
Flip side, Duke, Utah, etc are programs who are disciplined teams with just enough solid talent (3* with some 4*) combined with very good coaching has turned into Top 20 teams.
ee8384
Self-exiled Dissident
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Utah hasn't "just turned into" a top 20 team. Look at their record since 2003, when they were coached by a guy named Urban Meyer. His replacement, Kyle Wittingham, was no slouch when he came onboard.
Utah Utes College Football History, Stats, Records | College Football at Sports-Reference.com
Check out the Utah Utes College Football History, Stats, Records, Polls, Bowls and More College Football Stats at Sports-Reference.com
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Utah in 2004 was undefeated, finished ranked 4th.
Duke in 2004 was 2-9, led by a coach you may have heard of - Ted Roof.
Duke Blue Devils College Football History, Stats, Records | College Football at Sports-Reference.com
Check out the Duke Blue Devils College Football History, Stats, Records, Polls, Bowls and More College Football Stats at Sports-Reference.com
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1990wspjacket
Damn Good Rat
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Coach em up!Wow….I’ve seen it all now. GT needs to switch gears from 3* to occasional 4* players for walk-ons. That will really elevate the program.
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You would think a USC guy would know that Utah is basically 500 vs USC over the last 10 years.
Unless its the other USC
GTRules
You’re Mamma
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This is not the way.
2003 under Mayer in the MW has nothing to do with the current state of Utah‘s program who joined the P12 in 2011. Since Utah joined the P12 they‘ve had 2 top 30 recruiting classes (2012, 2017) including 1 Top 25 class (#25, 2017). The only constant has been Kyle W who has proven he is a very good coach. Falls into the type of category GT should be in.Utah hasn't "just turned into" a top 20 team. Look at their record since 2003, when they were coached by a guy named Urban Meyer. His replacement, Kyle Wittingham, was no slouch when he came onboard.
Utah Utes College Football History, Stats, Records | College Football at Sports-Reference.com
Check out the Utah Utes College Football History, Stats, Records, Polls, Bowls and More College Football Stats at Sports-Reference.com
Utah in 2004 was undefeated, finished ranked 4th.
Duke in 2004 was 2-9, led by a coach you may have heard of - Ted Roof.
Duke Blue Devils College Football History, Stats, Records | College Football at Sports-Reference.com
Check out the Duke Blue Devils College Football History, Stats, Records, Polls, Bowls and More College Football Stats at Sports-Reference.com
Since joining the P12 Utah has finished in the Top 25 6 times.
2014: #21
2015: #17
2016: #23
2019: #16
2021: #12
2022: #10
Duke under Roof in 2004 is irrelevant. Cutt and now Elko have elevated Duke into Top 40 status at a school who for the most part could care less about football, until the past decade.
Kyle W and Elko are what GT has been missing since CPJ retired. Coaches and a staff that can take a roster made up mostly of 3* players with a few 4*‘s and field a competitive disciplined team. A team expected to win.
There is absolutely no reason why GT can’t and shouldn’t be better than both. Especially playing in what is annually arguably the worst P5 conference in the ACC.
Kyle W is a very good coach and has a great staff that maximizes talent. Utah is a stable program who takes mostly 3* talent and wins a lot. They are a program that should be admired. USC’s issues are all on them from the school president on down to AD #4 over the last 12 years. No one is saying otherwise. It’s all on Lincoln Riley this year for continually defending DC Alex Grinch and the D product on the field.
So taking this full circle as it relates to Utah-GT. For a program in Utah that mirrors GT in terms of recruiting talent, resources, etc there is no reason GT shouldn’t be as successful on the field. Instead GT is closer than ever to the level of Vandy, NW, Cal, Illinois, etc.
stingmeyall
Flats Noob
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I'm going to give just one example, but this is true in many instances. A kid from Lagrange that was not on anyone's 3* or 4* radar was given a scholarship offer to Ga State. He put up some good numbers there and then hit the transfer portal and ended up at Louisville. He torched us along with several other schools. Will probably get drafted. His name is Jamari Thrash. You should check out his numbers. But, nah let's keep going after kids that don't live up to their star credentials or decide I don't want to put in the work to turn a program around.
So this consensus 3* recruit out of HS per 247 & Rivals.com? Thrash elevated himself to a transfer 4*. Looks like GT recruited him but did not offer.
Jamari Thrash 2019 Wide Receiver Georgia State
Jamari Thrash - 3 Star Wide receiver for Georgia State on Rivals.com
GTCrew4b
NIL Supporter Strictly On Capitalist Grounds
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We don’t have the state dominance Utah does. The fans in Utah love Utah. The fans in GA love UGA. A better comparison is a maybe Purdue but even that is a HUGE school with many majors and tons of alums. We are a unique school in many ways, but it’s true that we could be more successful. We were that under Paul Johnson. We were probably about where we could expect to be. A good team in the conference, every so often if the ball bounced our way and with a good QB we were really really good. That wasn’t good enough for people who are infantile in their demands of our program.
The people who “know football“ got their men in Geoff Collins and Brent Key. Eff em.
76tornados
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Nope. Either way we just don’t spend enough money given our “unique “ niche we fall in. We seem to be the only P5 school to be in this situation? Please. Spend money a GAF about athletics is the answer.
GTCrew4b
NIL Supporter Strictly On Capitalist Grounds
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We can’t spend money because our super smart football geniuses gave a massive guaranteed contract to their BFF doofus.
TechRush
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I don't know why we argue this BS over and over. Tech hired someone we would have been pissed about if he wasn't a Tech man. Is this dude the second coming of Urban Meyer? öööö no. Can he bumble and stumble into a .500 record in the ACC, God I hope so. Tech ain't got no money, can't get no recruits or can't hang on to the diamonds in the rough due to transfer portal. This is the new era of college football. Tech has no chance. It just is what it is. I'm not even upset about it anymore. I was pissed, then I grieved and now I have made it to acceptance. Just accept it for what it is because there are bigger things in life to get stressed about than a young man's game.
Hopefully Tech can at least get back to the point of being entertaining, instead of being disappointing.
Hopefully Tech can at least get back to the point of being entertaining, instead of being disappointing.
ee8384
Self-exiled Dissident
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Look at the dates Cut and KW joined those universities. You act like both were turned around quickly. And Utah didn't need a turnaround. Your equivalence is false.
It was a comparison of like middle tier programs. One in Utah was a non P5 program in the Mountain West based on your 2003 example. Not sure still how Utah 8 years before joining the P12 or Duke under Roof relate to 2023. I’m not comparing GT to Michigan, Texas, Alabama, etc.
You missed the overall point. Both Utah and Duke are comparable programs as it relates to recruiting, resources, etc. GT actually has a huge advantage over both as far as recruiting base.
According to the so called experts, recruiting wasn’t the issue under the previous coach at GT. Utah under KW ranges between 35-55 annually in recruiting. Duke is around the Top 50-60. Based on the results on the field and talent level, both Utah and Duke have done a much better job hiring coaches and assistants. Do you agree or disagree? While KW has been at Utah quite some time, he’s had some down years mixed in recently. Elko took over a Duke program that had gone 5-7, 2-9, 3-9 the 3 years before he was hired and went 9-4 last year. Duke will likely go 8-4 regular season this year.
I agree with most of what you said, but I think you’re forgetting their future B12 in-state rival in BYU is the bigger program by far. Stadium size says it all. Utah is smaller than BDS.
BYU ( L. Edwards Stadium) capacity is 63,470.
Utah (Rice-Eccles) capacity is 51,444.
You’re 100% right with what happened when CPJ retired. GT thought they were going to get a bigger name and ended up with a disaster. End of 2022 season we heard all the right things when CBK was hired, and he still says great things in interviews, but we haven’t seen those things on the field. I think he deserves a pass for this year and a chance to make staff adjustments. But 2024 with a tougher schedule still needs to show a jump in quality of play, even if that means 5-7 final record.
GTCrew4b
NIL Supporter Strictly On Capitalist Grounds
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I agree the state is split somewhat. But SLC is changing and loves its Utes. The Mormons help fill BYU for sure.
ee8384
Self-exiled Dissident
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You just show you are either too young or didn't pay attention to Utah over the past 20 years. They are no recent phenomenon.
And Duke has had stability, which GT hasn't. They had a plan and executed it and haven't had to go from 3O to The Clown to Key. Instability kills recruiting, hurts donations and limits fan participation.