Expectations on the season.

Opinions on how many games we will win will soon be settled. The real question is how could are expectations have fallen so fast? Three years ago our goal was to beat FSU and win the ACC, and we appeared to be the only team capable of doing it. Now, even those backing Gailey are hoping for .500 at best.

There are some stark differences between Gailey and some of the other coaches you mention. Amato, Friedgen took other coaches teams and not only won immediately but elevated the expectations the following year. Groh has put two of the nation's best recruiting classes together back to back.

Let's look at the facts based on major events in favor/out of favor. Pro-Gailey: 1. Decision to move Hollings to RB. 2. Win on the road vs. NC State. The bad: 1. Losing to Wake Forest at home. 2. 51-7. Can't even begin to describe this. 3. Fresno debacle. 4. Timeout for Clemson? 5. Flunkgate. 6. Undersigning recruiting for two seasons in a row.

I guess we can add or subtract to each list but the main point is this - the second season should settle alot so our banter means squat.

Dodd's Ghost post looks accurate and is shared by most objective people. I didn't take it as "bashing" - when you say you are thin it is simply an assessment, not good, not bad, just an assessment. Does that mean he will be glad if Tech goes down the tubes? I doubt it. Fans are fans. Different styles. Some want change and others are content to simply back whoever is in charge. Neither is any better than the rest.

As this season takes off, some need to simply relax and take a pill, cause if your nerves are frayed already I dread to think what will come of you should we not improve - the rest of the conference is passing us at warp speed. Let's all hope we do so we can be one big happy nest.
 
FW I disagree on one point in your post. the confefence isn't passing us at warp speed. What we are reacting to is perception of each program. That changes year to year. Groh is hot right now, but some setbacks and losses could change that completely. Amato has people talking MNC. If they lose 4-5 the shine will be off the Wolfpack. My point is teams rise and fall. No one improves every year over any length of time. We are perceived to be down this year. That's probably an accurate assessment and we do need to take care of some issues to turn things around. But the teams on the rise now will come back to the pack and vice versa. The only exceptions in the ACC are FSU and Duke. One of the rest of us will have to sustain more than 2 years before that changes.

My point about bdg isn't his assessment of this year's team. We are thin at a number of positions, not all mind you, but some. I also don't have a problem with any doubts he has about Chan.

What I do have a problem with is the assumptions he makes in the rest of his post, about senior leadership for example. So he doesn't think our seniors are leaders huh? Now why would someone say that unless 1) they know our seniors and know that none are leaders 2) they have heard something to indicate that or 3) they love to assume the worst about Tech. My point is Bobby Dodd believed you make your own breaks by being prepared, playing hard and being positive and believing the breaks would come. He was perhaps the most positive person I've ever met. Tell me how bdg fits with that.
 
It won't be the won/loss record that determines Gailey's future with Tech after this season. He can lose 7, 8 or even 9 games and survive and be gone with as few as 6 loses.

How we lose and to whom.

Get blown out again by Georgia; lose badly to NCS and FSU; upset by Vandy or Duke, it will be Gaileys last year.

But this is not my prediction. I do not believe we will go into any game un-prepared like last year.
 
Originally posted by BarrelORum:
[QB]you cannot make Mr. Ed win the Kentucky Derby. [QB]
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">WILLLBURRR, you sonofabitch!
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Basically, this year, we are going to get our asses kicked, just what we would be expecting to do against a team in similar predicament, 4 or 5 wins is optimistic.

I don't care what kind of spin anyone puts on it, with no highly skilled running back or assassin on defense, and starting the 5th yr qb (this is exactly what I think coach will do, that's why he has not named the starter yet) coach, unfortunately, is in a hellava mess.

Pushed around, says it mildly, imho. The team needs an shocker in some aspect (a 60+ yard field goal kicker for instance) not the glacial change that usually occurs.

Since GT is a top tier program (not rank), I can state such apparent bombast, otherwise, why bother.
 
excuses are like a......holes if we dont win 7 games gailey should hit the road. fresno st didnt cry in the toilet bowl game they came out and spanked our ass. i am sorry but, i have greater expectations for the ga tech yellow jackets. we better get this ship in the right direction because , this conference is about to be the toughest in the land and we need the right captain.
 
Originally posted by Father WASP:
Opinions on how many games we will win will soon be settled. The real question is how could are expectations have fallen so fast? Three years ago our goal was to beat FSU and win the ACC, and we appeared to be the only team capable of doing it. Now, even those backing Gailey are hoping for .500 at best.

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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Amen!! I expect seven wins minimum with the off season problems and losses. Without those, I would have expected nine or ten. I refuse to go back to the days of yesteryear when Tech measured their program by how competitive we played and improved week to week while we lost ball games. Fans who measure success that way and don't demand wins get what they deserve. O'Leary brought us to a Top 25 status. He might have plateaued the program if he remained. Chan Gailey is getting paid to take us to the next level and we should be demanding and expecting that from him, not be satisfied with losing competitive seasons.
 
I'll HUFF and I'll PUFF and I'll...I'll...I'll... HUFF and I'll PUFF some more!

That'll show 'em!
 
FatherWasp, I'll put your logic right back on to you. Chan Gailey turned in THE EXACT same record as George O'Leary did in his last season as coach. So as far as the wins and losses are concerned, we are even.

He did this breaking in a NEW QB in a NEW system. He did not have a Joe Hamilton, or an experienced Godsey.
Furthermore, he also turned in the EXACT same record with a slew of injuries to key positions.

As much as people want to discredit Gailey for the obvious like the UGA disaster, we need to realize he did the EXACT same as O'Leary did with a less talented and injury prone team.

Some of you act like Gailey took over a powerhouse program. He DIDN'T!!! Our goals of beating FSU and winning the ACC three years ago came up shy by I think about 4 losses. Those were OBVIOUSLY unrealistic expectations that some people would rather remember as having happened instead of the real truth. O'Leary went 7-6 his last 13 games, 7-5 in his last season. And Chan turned in the SAME record with less talent. He turned in the same record with a new inexperienced QB, in a new system. He did this with injuries plaguing our offensive line. He did this with a 3rd, 4th and 5th string running back. He did this without the best DLineman we've ever had on the flats in Greg Gathers. The fact is Gailey did all of this with much less talent than George.

If you are going to compare the man to our past, at least be fair about it.
 
Originally posted by BarrelORum:
FatherWasp, I'll put your logic right back on to you. Chan Gailey turned in THE EXACT same record as George O'Leary did in his last season as coach. So as far as the wins and losses are concerned, we are even.

He did this breaking in a NEW QB in a NEW system. He did not have a Joe Hamilton, or an experienced Godsey.
Furthermore, he also turned in the EXACT same record with a slew of injuries to key positions.

As much as people want to discredit Gailey for the obvious like the UGA disaster, we need to realize he did the EXACT same as O'Leary did with a less talented and injury prone team.

Some of you act like Gailey took over a powerhouse program. He DIDN'T!!! Our goals of beating FSU and winning the ACC three years ago came up shy by I think about 4 losses. Those were OBVIOUSLY unrealistic expectations that some people would rather remember as having happened instead of the real truth. O'Leary went 7-6 his last 13 games, 7-5 in his last season. And Chan turned in the SAME record with less talent. He turned in the same record with a new inexperienced QB, in a new system. He did this with injuries plaguing our offensive line. He did this with a 3rd, 4th and 5th string running back. He did this without the best DLineman we've ever had on the flats in Greg Gathers. The fact is Gailey did all of this with much less talent than George.

If you are going to compare the man to our past, at least be fair about it.
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">It is exactly because of the success that Gailey had overcoming all the adversity of last year that to expect him to do WORSE this year makes no sense. Since he seems to be a coach who has proven he can be successful, why are we talking about measuring results in anything but wins and losses?
 
Wrecked you do make a good point about last year. Personally I never set expectations in wins and losses. I expect to win every game that we play. But I know that's not going to happen (except maybe in one of those years where everything goes right like '90). I expect us to play tough, smart football, to be competitive with everybody on our schedule and to make big plays when they are needed. IMO we haven't played to that standard since '00.

I'll make my judgement on Gailey over the course of the year, not by w-l alone but by the above. If he's the coach I hope he is, I'll be pleased if not totally satisfied, with how we end the year. I don't think I've ever been totally satisfied with an entire season.
 
Events of the last two weeks had influenced me into a bit more rosy overall picture than you paint here, but one thing I'm afraid you're dead right on is the running back situation. I had thought that Grant would come in and make more of an immediate impact. I know that there is more to the position than just running with the ball, but I had hoped he would come in and give us a breakaway threat. Still, between PJ, Grant, Woods, Hatch, and a somewhat quicker, slimmer ACE, maybe someone will turn into a star before we get very deep into the schedule.
 
We can talk about wishing and hoping but here is the trend in last three yrs..2nd in conference,then 4th,,6th last yr,and a prediction for 8th this yr by ACC analysts..
Those are the cold hard facts.It is up to DB(PLEASE don't forget his contribution to the situation) and CG to counter the trend.They are some of the highest paid athletic talent in the NCAA,it is time to match the pay with results.Good luck.
 
Blackwatch,

I personally cannot wait for CG to call the plays. We will then see who caused the lack of production last year BOB as many want to say or CG.
 
BellySeries, you are fighting a losing battle, you cannot out-Huff some of the core group. If Gailey wins this year, the huffers will not be able to blow down the brick house.

Father Time
 
Clito jacket, you make a good point about running backs but I have to admit I'm not as concerned about that position as some others. We've been very successful in the past without a breakaway threat in the backfield. Joe Burns was never a threat to take it to the house. In fact, before last year and T Hollings, the last time I can remember having one of those guys who was a threat every time he touched the ball was maybe Mays? or Lavette? That said, I think the guys we have will be effective if our O-Line is as good as we think.
 
Hey guys, don't get so worked up about the RB situation! P.J. Daniels was a pretty highly recruited kid out of high school with offers to several D1 schools (I know Stanford was one of them, but I don't remember the others). But, although he had a great GPA, he didnt do well on his ACT test the first time he took it and most D1 schools didn't hold a scholarship for him after signing day (Tech included). The young man went and retook the test...did well enough on it to get into Tech as a student...not a student/athlete....a student. Then he walked onto the team, made the team, and now is listed as the starter.

My own personal opinion is that with him, ACE (who I still think will eventually wind up at fullback), Grant, and Woods we're going to be just fine. From all I read, Grant is a burner but is having to learn to block. Guess what? That happens to A LOT of very highly touted running backs out of high school. These guys have to learn to recognize blitz packages; determine on the fly which is the higher priority person to block as 2 or 3 people burst through the line at a QB they're supposed to protect, then take that man out.

Do you guys remember a fellow named Charlie Rogers who played at Tech? Small guy who, according to words I heard O'Leary say with my own 2 ears, never learned to pick up the blitz. What they did was put him into the game in situations where he would never be responsible for picking up the blitz, but where they could get the ball to him so he could make plays. Expect the same thing to happen with Grant if he continues to break tackles and show speed. Just hang on the football and run, young man!
 
"It won't be the won/loss record that determines Gailey's future with Tech after this season. He can lose 7, 8 or even 9 games and survive and be gone with as few as 6 loses.

How we lose and to whom.

Get blown out again by Georgia; lose badly to NCS and FSU; upset by Vandy or Duke, it will be Gaileys last year.

But this is not my prediction. I do not believe we will go into any game un-prepared like last year."..71 JACKET...

Totally agree,have read most of ya'll's post about the pros and cons of the CG era as our coach. As with all other head coaches,I only wish success. Therefore,have adopted a "wait n' see" attitude. Will attend the games expecting only a high-quality effort from all concerned. Now if we perceive anything less(at the end of this season)then changes should bee discussed but only then. Of course we want to win them all but 3 or 4 victories with the talent and depth seems more realistic.
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Barrell O'Rum - records are one thing, but how you get there is quite another. I've never criticized Gailey for his record.

The 51-7 train wreck is not acceptable. I've watched outmanned Tech teams many times fight against our rival, never until last year seen one quit.

The depleted Fresno thing is not either.

A new coach takes time, ok, so a team should be going in the other direction by the end of the season, not downward.

Give him credit, he put a prepared, motivated team on the field in the road win vs. NC State.

However bad that Athens disaster was, almost as pitiful was losing to Wake Forest at home. No excuse. People keep talking about Duke. But there is no way year in year out, and they beat us when we had O'leary and Joe H. too - that Wake Forest should beat Ga. Tech.

I think it is a mistake to simply compare O'leary and Gailey. Here is where O'Leary was good - his disciplined, always show up to fight approach served us well. We rarely got blown out and seemed to be improving. Secondly, he had the wisdom to bring in Friedgen. Every head coach is charged with getting top notch assistants. Thirdly, he was upgrading our recruiting, and did well in Georgia. Fourthly, he appeared to be able to stand up to Braine - remember Braine wanted to move our home games to the dome, etc.?
O'Leary's tenure, however, was also marked by some real poor assistants, and despite his reputation on defense usually some horrible defensive fundamentals and defensive production.

Many are right, by the last year it appeared he was burning out and his team while prepared didn't have much swagger. The Clemson, Maryland and Ga. games had a deep stake.

In the overall context, the program was solid. If your just judging win-losses, I guess you are on solid ground as of today to say Gailey is the equal.

Any reasonable person who knows what was inherited (by GOL) knows he took over quite a mess there. Gailey had what, 18 starters back?

Let's not get sidetracked. O'Leary is long gone. Today is today.

The offseason did not bolster my confidence that wholesale improvements were made from the lesson Georgia/Fresno should have sent. However, that is why the play the games and I am hoping for Tech's sake Gailey turns out to be a great coach. Unfortuntely, Gailey has been dealt a severe hand with the schedule. Friedgen and Amato both were handed patsy schedules to play while they had more time to build confidence. Friedgen continues to play patty-cake. The schedule will contribute in great part to Gailey (and Bunting at UNC)undoing.
 
GottaGoodBuzz, Dave Tech made this statement: Five wins and CG will be here when he is Bobby Bowden's age (73).

So, it appears by this standard, he could be here awhile.

Father Time
 
Gtmg...Yea that Bill Obrein sure has called a lot of plays in the NFL and seems there are a lot of NFL teams beating his door down to be able to get his services huh.....
 
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