Official Stingtalk HC Approval Poll Week 6 2021

[Akinji07]

Post Duke approval poll is up. Time to vote.

 

[smokey_wasp]

Feel like this game probably didn't move too many people. If you approved last week, it's a win so you still approve. If you disapproved last week, a close one at Duke probably won't sway you .

 

[gtphd]

I’m interested to see what happens after the bye week. Does time heal all wounds?

 

[KrazieJacket]

I gave my thoughts after the NIU game. Coach let us down getting blown out by Pitt. He has to earn that back with consistency and no embarrassing games. That shouldn’t be hard as I’m not asking for wins, instead signs of solid play. (Didn’t see this against Duke).

The OL being pedestrian is completely on this staff IMO. They are out of shape and undisciplined/don’t know their assignments. That is on this staff.

 

[ee8384]

Said last week I need some consistency to move to Approve and this week wasn't a big step in that direction.

One thing that stood out to me watching Duke on offense is that it always looked like they knew what they were doing. The defense may win a given play, but there was a cohesiveness that Tech is lacking. Starts with the OL - whether it's personnel, scheme or play-call, both run and pass blocking looks hit or miss from one play/series to another.

On the defensive side, I get the 3-3-5 but pass pressure isn't getting it done and it doesn't look like there are any blitz packages that are being effectively utilized. This exposes the secondary, which hasn't been stellar - a disappointment given CGC's background. Lots of missed assignments, too many yards after catch.

And I don't know what was with all the down players against Duke. Haven't heard injury reports but looks like most weren't severe. Would like to hear the coaching staff comment on these.

 

[77GTFan]

There were nine play stoppages for injured Jackets, one with two players downon the same play. There was one stoppage for a Duke injury.

 

[ramblinwise1]

All we did was won. I thought it was over and nearly turned it off. We were very fortunate. Once again our lines got lost the LOS on both sides. Duke was manhandling us.

 

[ThomsonJacket]

Still an up vote for me.

 

[gtchief]

There were nine play stoppages for injured Jackets, one with two players downon the same play. There was one stoppage for a Duke injury.

All we did was won. I thought it was over and nearly turned it off. We were very fortunate. Once again our lines got lost the LOS on both sides. Duke was manhandling us.

It’s past time to reevaluate our S&C

 

[knoxjacket]

I’ll switch to approve when we get a sixth win.

 

[The Champ]

3-3; right where I thought we’d be at this point. The shame is if we can get a damn stop of NIU (or didn’t miss 7 wide open TD passes) we are 4-2 (2-2) and everyone is rock hard over where we are at the midway point. Have a feeling that game is what will cost is a bowl, and we finish 5-7.
While 5-7 is pretty meh, it’s progress over year 1 and 2 and sets us up to have post season expectations for year 4 when we’d have a host of key players coming back + the addition of Blackburn to give our WR group the big physical threat we are missing.

 

[GTLiebs]

3-3; right where I thought we’d be at this point. The shame is if we can get a damn stop of NIU (or didn’t miss 7 wide open TD passes) we are 4-2 (2-2) and everyone is rock hard over where we are at the midway point. Have a feeling that game is what will cost is a bowl, and we finish 5-7.
While 5-7 is pretty meh, it’s progress over year 1 and 2 and sets us up to have post season expectations for year 4 when we’d have a host of key players coming back + the addition of Blackburn to give our WR group the big physical threat we are missing.

I'm not sure 5-7 is meh, it's kind of in the "meets expectations" area from what most predicted to start the year. Most meh feeling would be in how the sausage was made. The schedule isn't the murderers row we thought it could be, but I think in those FEI rankings it isn't super soft either. Though I think so far those rankings agree with you that the main deviation from a statistical prediction is NIU.
The one solace we can take relative to the NIU game is we seem to of toughened up since then, or the Duke game would of ended a similar way as that one.

 

[mts315]

I am in the Collins approve camp as of now. As he is exactly who I thought he was, a Dabo-esq HC. A great recruiter that would get coordinators to handle the hard work of actually coaching.

Unfortunately, those coordinators we have hired have been less than stellar.

Key has been probably the biggest disappointment to this point in transition, consdering his rep and what we are paying him.
Thacker is a great hype man and would probably be an excellent position coach.
Patinode reminds me of Patrick Nix, but maybe his issues stem from Key more than his ineptitude.

It is really hard to judge the position coaches when I feel like the coodinators are so below par.

 

[gtfan1147]

I am in the Collins approve camp as of now. As he is exactly who I thought he was, a Dabo-esq HC. A great recruiter that would get coordinators to handle the hard work of actually coaching.

Unfortunately, those coordinators we have hired have been less than stellar.

Key has been probably the biggest disappointment to this point in transition, consdering his rep and what we are paying him.
Thacker is a great hype man and would probably be an excellent position coach.
Patinode reminds me of Patrick Nix, but maybe his issues stem from Key more than his ineptitude.

It is really hard to judge the position coaches when I feel like the coodinators are so below par.

That’s great if he showed capability as a CEO type coach who could manage the little things and let the coordinators do the heavy lifting. But what does Geoff seem to be really good at? He doesnt seem to be good with the clock or his timeouts or anything really. The one thing he has done consistently is point to show the official where the ball should be spotted.

 

[WracerX]

I am in the Collins approve camp as of now. As he is exactly who I thought he was, a Dabo-esq HC. A great recruiter that would get coordinators to handle the hard work of actually coaching.

Unfortunately, those coordinators we have hired have been less than stellar.

Key has been probably the biggest disappointment to this point in transition, consdering his rep and what we are paying him.
Thacker is a great hype man and would probably be an excellent position coach.
Patinode reminds me of Patrick Nix, but maybe his issues stem from Key more than his ineptitude.

It is really hard to judge the position coaches when I feel like the coodinators are so below par.

I am not sure Key is the problem with the offense. We are pretty much on par with the 2 years CDP had at Temple. We are a little over on rushing and a little under on passing. Completion rate just under 60%. I think this is the offense, if we can drop about 1 turnovers a game.

 

[mts315]

I am not sure Key is the problem with the offense. We are pretty much on par with the 2 years CDP had at Temple. We are a little over on rushing and a little under on passing. Completion rate just under 60%. I think this is the offense, if we can drop about 1 turnovers a game.

With the way that Key was talked about in relation to OL coaching, the amount of money, and the title bestowed upon him, our OL should be way better that it is. We routinely have a DL coming free/untouched. With the way that our OL operates no offense is going to do much. Even the play that won us the game on Saturday, Sims had to chuck the ball up or he was going to be sacked. It was a great play by two players but the OL had a breakdown.

 

[mts315]

That’s great if he showed capability as a CEO type coach who could manage the little things and let the coordinators do the heavy lifting. But what does Geoff seem to be really good at? He doesnt seem to be good with the clock or his timeouts or anything really. The one thing he has done consistently is point to show the official where the ball should be spotted.

Dabo didn't become Dabo in his first couple of years. There is a reason that most thought of him as a clown for the first few seasons. In year three Clemson went 6-7 with a loss in the Mienke Car Care Bowl to USF. The Clemson program was also in a much better place when he took it over.

 

[WracerX]

With the way that Key was talked about in relation to OL coaching, the amount of money, and the title bestowed upon him, our OL should be way better that it is. We routinely have a DL coming free/untouched. With the way that our OL operates no offense is going to do much. Even the play that won us the game on Saturday, Sims had to chuck the ball up or he was going to be sacked. It was a great play by two players but the OL had a breakdown.

Duke sent 5 with one running a stunt. Sims had a 3 or 4 count. He could have had longer had he stepped up into the pocket. Not that I am going to complain, that was obviously the correct read. After watching the game, I didn’t think the pass protection was that bad considering Dukes dedication to stopping the run which puts pressure on the QB as well.

It also looked like we ran a lot of RPO which intentionally leaves a guy unblocked.

I am more concerned about the run game. We don’t get hardly any push on running plays.


Both Yates and Sims have a tendency to retreat out of the pocket. Most of Sims big passes have him stepping up into the pocket to throw.

 

[mts315]

Duke sent 5 with one running a stunt. Sims had a 3 or 4 count. He could have had longer had he stepped up into the pocket. Not that I am going to complain, that was obviously the correct read. After watching the game, I didn’t think the pass protection was that bad considering Dukes dedication to stopping the run which puts pressure on the QB as well.

It also looked like we ran a lot of RPO which intentionally leaves a guy unblocked.

I am more concerned about the run game. We don’t get hardly any push on running plays.


Both Yates and Sims have a tendency to retreat out of the pocket. Most of Sims big passes have him stepping up into the pocket to throw.

This still comes down to the OL. Key was supposed to be the OL Whisperer. He was given the Asst. Head Coach title and a salary to match. The OL should be better coached in all areas at this point.

 

[LaFlavor]

How much of the OL troubles are the result of Key versus injuries versus the level of talent that we have versus S&C versus play calling?

My guess is that there's at least some contribution from all of the above, with some factors contributing more than others, but I don't pretend to know enough from just watching the games to know how much of each. If I had to guess, and it's not a particularly educated guess, I'd say:
1. Level of talent that we have
2. Injuries
3. Play calling
4. Key
5. S&C

Maybe this is wishful thinking on my part in that I'm expecting the talent level to both rise and fit the scheme more based on the overall feel of recruiting. More talent and depth also helps with injuries, and makes the other three points look better by default as well.

I'm still tentatively in the approve camp. This is more or less where I expected the team to be at this point. The rest of the ACC games on the schedule are at least winnable. Win three out of those four and I'll be happy. Win one out of those four and I'll be unhappy.