Doom and Gloom?

A

Axe

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Dec 31, 2001
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I've gone on record as saying GT would finish 3-9 this year mainly due the losses on the defensive line. I'm trying to stay objective. However, I wonder if I've fallen victim to the old rule that things are never as good or as bad as they seem? We've been hit with nothing but bad news for over 9 months now. Perhaps, we've created a scenario in our heads that is worse than reality.

Yes, we've lost 10 players but teams lose players in college football. It's always a question of how many. Perhaps, we will get a run of good luck during the actual season unlike last year.

I have question for you guys and gal. What would you have said our record was going to be before last year, if I told you before the season that:

1. We would have the worst rated QB in the ACC and one of the lowest rated in the country...
2. Tony Hollings and Sidney Ford would be lost to season-ending injuries at the beginning of the season. Jermaine Hatch would not return from his knee injury totally healthy
3. Greg Gathers would be lost for the season in September.
4. Jonathan Smith would not get over a bad ankle until late October.
5. Nate Curry would not return to form from his knee injury
6. Nat Dorsey would struggle with painful injuries all season long.

I realize the most likely scenario is we will have our fair share of injuries, etc. in the fall, but we can always hope to get a run of good luck. Just an optimistic thought for a slow day.
 
I would not have guessed as good as 7-6 if I had known #1. I thought QB would be a major strength.
 
good post...but the main difference in losing the 10 players is that it is occuring even before the first snap, the first injury. This leaves little wiggle room should the injury bug bite us.
 
You're right GeeTee but it also gives us a chance to prepare. We know who we'll have and who we won't. Every team has injuries but with our terrible luck last year maybe we're in for a better year in that regard. I still think we have the talent to compete with our schedule and that it will come down to some of the young guys stepping in and primarily on the type of QB play we get (hopefully from Bilbo).
 
The problem with speculating is this:

There are SO SO many variables in the course of a season - injuries, bad/good bounces, luck, calls, etc etc

For instance, in 1990 we could have EASILY lost at VTech, at UVA, at UNC, vs Clemson...Thats 4 games right there that were nailbiters and could have gone either way.

The difference in winning and losing is SO razor thin these days, the difference in 8-4 or 5-7 is tiny due to the above.
 
Not to pick 'Rush, but the Va.Tech game was here.
Best kick in the wind I have seen in person.
 
Good question Axe.. and I think you are right.. I dont think things are as bad as they seem... but not as good as we would like..

the 2000 preseason was no fun, we werent highly regarded and had alot of question marks coming in.. the season was a pleasant surprise..

the reverse was true for 2001...

2002.. we finished about where most prognosticators had us picked... middle of the pack in the ACC.. we would have been there with or without a coaching change..

2003.. we are picked to finish lower that I can remember in recent years.. we dont have a proven QB.. are weak along the DL in terms of bodies.. but to me, more than anything we need some leaders to step up... one of the things that bothered me the most last year was the lack of leadership.. both in coaching and on the field... when they carted Hollings off I remember thinking "there goes our spark of leadership for the year"...

So.. we arent picked to do very well this year, and have the deck stacked against us... but, if Bilbo or Suggs, or whoever comes thru at QB.. we get some leadership, and a few lucky breaks... we could have a very surprising season... maybe 2000 all over again...

Per Andy Dufraine "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things"
 
Good question Axe.. and I think you are right.. I dont think things are as bad as they seem... but not as good as we would like..

the 2000 preseason was no fun, we werent highly regarded and had alot of question marks coming in.. the season was a pleasant surprise..

the reverse was true for 2001...

2002.. we finished about where most prognosticators had us picked... middle of the pack in the ACC.. we would have been there with or without a coaching change..

2003.. we are picked to finish lower that I can remember in recent years.. we dont have a proven QB.. are weak along the DL in terms of bodies.. but to me, more than anything we need some leaders to step up... one of the things that bothered me the most last year was the lack of leadership.. both in coaching and on the field... when they carted Hollings off I remember thinking "there goes our spark of leadership for the year"...

So.. we arent picked to do very well this year, and have the deck stacked against us... but, if Bilbo or Suggs, or whoever comes thru at QB.. we get some leadership, and a few lucky breaks... we could have a very surprising season... maybe 2000 all over again...

Per Andy Dufraine "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things"
 
Things are not as bad as they seem, as a matter of fact, I expect us to win seven games this fall for the following reasons.

1. Bilbo at QB. He is IMO, the most talented QB we have had at Tech. I can't think of another QB that makes that throw against Wake the way he did. I never bought into him not knowing the offense crap. Frankly he needed reps in practice and in the games. This year with him being named the starter he gets those reps and has the confidence of the staff. The team responds when he is in the huddle, and while he is not yet a Hamilton or Jones, he could be some day.

2. Coaching staff cohesiveness. For some reason BOB and Gailey did not see eye to eye. I believe this carried over to the team and affected game performance. I don't know who is at fault, but now Gailey has his staff with his handpicked guys. It should make a big difference.

3. Gailey learning curve. Frankly Chan was overwhelmed by the college game last year. From his late arrival, to the selection of his staff, to the reliance on his players to be "men", I think he showed alot of inexperience and had his eyes opened. I see lots of signs that he has gotten through this curve. He took the program from Braine, hired his staff, implemented his changes. Now we see if he is as good as advertised.

This program has talent regardless of what some think. O'Leary did not leave the cupboard bare and Gailey has signed some good recruits. 7-5 is very much in play.
 
Some have suggested that perhaps the injury situation that we had last year was just one of those things but I have been told by college coaches that good condition is the best anti-dote
for injuries. I know that freak injuries do indeed happen regardless of how well conditioned but the coaches were talking in generalities. We do know that Tech was not in top condition. First, Coach Gailey said that his team would be in better condition this season and he indicated they would be much stronger. I surely hope so, because all the solid teams just pushed our lineman around.

Secondly, those of us who understand the game could see that many of our plays were disrupted
before we could execute them, which strongly suggest that our opponents for the most part was stronger physically than us.

I have been one of Coach Gailey's biggest detractors and that was based on my observations
as I compared the players performance to previous years. I am hoping that most of the problems we had was with the coaches that are no longer on the team and it will be interesting to see what this new group can accomplish together.

I hope that CG will be able to turn things around
for many reasons but primarily because I feel that the AD's position needs fixing even more so.
I still have a hard time with the revelation that
Braine had shut CG out from keeping abreast of his players classroom performance. Has he really
fixed the problem or has he told CG to go along with the releases from the AD's office.
I wonder just how many of my Stingtalk friends feel that they can trust Braine to hire a good coach if circumstances dictated such action. I know that after the revelations that have surfaced after the loss of a half recruiting season that I have absolutely zero confidence in him. We need to totally untie the hands of our head coach so that we can make an accurate judgment of just what we have.

Football is right around the corner and this BOARD will really light up after TOE MEETS LEATHER.
 
Buck I have the same concerns about Braine, but I think Gailey now realizes that this is his football program. I think he trusted Braine for alot of guidance in his first year (who wouldn't) and now realizes he was sold a pile of crap (BOB, Tech fans happy with seven wins, academics etc).
 
Pendulum effect - It always swings too far. I think we are seeing it now with GT - not to say we are top 10 - but I don't see us only above Duke as some do.

We have a solid OLine with some depth, a potentially good defense and some skill players at WR who can make things happen. We have significant questions at QB and RB and a general concern about depth. We are like a lot of teams who need things to go their way - breaks, injuries, etc. to tip the balance from 5 wins to 7 or so.

I will look at this as half full rather than half empty and just enjoy the season as it unfolds. The keys to me are the strength Buck talked about along with the toughness (read heart) Gailey has focused on plus can the coaches find a way to make the QB position not be the key to us winning and losing games. Make it up to the OLine and defense to win. To do this you have to be tough and strong.

I don't expect us to be in the BCS - but I do believe the doom and gloom is overdone.
 
Excellent thread...

Great post Wrecked... I have long felt that Gailey was overwhelmed last year with the "other" responsibilities that come along with being a college coach. I am convinced that he welcomed the challenge, but just underestimated all that would be required. Al Groh did a much better job his second year at Virginia... and nobody can make me believe that the cupboard was 1 win bare at SC when Holtz took over.. I expect a few things to run a little more smoothly this year.. Hoping !!

Big Buck, I have the same concerns about conditioning... we changed our conditioning program after the 2000 season.. I dont like the changes.. we were pushed around waaaay too much last year.. with the exception of the Virginia and NC State games, I didnt like what I saw as far as line play goes.. I hope there is marked improvement in this area this year.. we will need it and more against Auburn.
 
& don't forget Clinkscale who filled in admirably for Hollings also going down to a season ending knee with what, 4 games to go? Really tough breaks @ RB (which is why u have to recruit a lot of them(he,he)).
 
Originally posted by GT Ace:
& don't forget Clinkscale who filled in admirably for Hollings also going down to a season ending knee with what, 4 games to go? Really tough breaks @ RB (which is why u have to recruit a lot of them(he,he)).
Click to expand...
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Although I hate to see any kid get injured.. Clinkscales bothered me the most last year.. he had finally gotten HIS chance and the knee blew..

If I am not mistaken, his knee blew out against Georgia.. in the first half..
 
Axe, Good question but we didn't lose Hollings before the season(if that is what you meant).He is the only reason we beat BYU.btw-nobody ever mentions that BYU lost THEIR hot TB in that game which led directly to our win,imo.
The only way we go 6-6 is if our QB play improves 50%.Odds not good.
 
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