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        <title>College BattleGround - Forum: GTech Hot Topics</title>
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        <description><![CDATA[The College Football Forum]]></description>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Georgia Tech Recruiting: Film Room - LB</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-recruiting-film-room-lb/#p1591</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-recruiting-film-room-lb/#p1591</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<p>Instead of an advanced stats analysis this week, we’re going to continue the slow-moving recruiting analysis series with the LBs.</p>
<p>Here are the links to the Previous articles:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2017/5/10/15589126/georgia-tech-recruiting-film-room-defensive-end" target="_blank">DE</a> (Wow that didn’t age well)</p>
<p><a href="https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2017/8/3/16081336/georgia-tech-recruiting-film-room-defensive-tackle-recruiting-tk-chimedza" target="_blank">DT</a></p>
<p>This article will focus on Tech’s 2 commitments at the LB position, as the class is likely full there. As before the prospects will be evaluated in 5 categories, which will be different than the ones used to evaluate DL prospects. For a LB these are:</p>
<h2>Size</h2>
<p>Size is a bit more than height and weight. How long are the player’s arms? Do they have a good, healthy weight distribution? How big is the frame? Is there room to add more good mass? How much?</p>
<h2>Range</h2>
<p>Does the player have the length, lateral agility, burst, and pursuit speed to get sideline to sideline to support runs outside the tackles?</p>
<h2>Defeating Blocks and Tackling</h2>
<p>This is a bit a of a 2 lumped in one situation, but they are both related to physicality. All LB prospects will have highlight tackles on their profiles, but are they defeating blocks from bigger OL? Do they use good tackling form? Do they reliably prevent YAC from the ball carrier?</p>
<h2>Play Diagnostics</h2>
<p>This is a bit hard to decipher from a hudl video, but there are some things to look for. How quickly do they react to the flow of the play? Do they take false steps and rely on athleticism to make the play? Do they make a lot of plays by filling the correct gap?</p>
<h2>Coverage</h2>
<p>One of the biggest things for any player in coverage is flexibility in the hips. Additionally, the player will never be able to react to a route runner’s breaks or be able to react quickly enough to the pass in zone. Additionally, how well does the player attack the catch point in coverage? Do they have good instincts? How are the player’s hands?</p>
<ul>
<li>5: Power-5 Elite</li>
<li>4: Power-5 Above Average</li>
<li>3: Power-5 Average</li>
<li>2: G5</li>
<li>1: FCS</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Size: 3</li>
<li>Range: 4</li>
<li>Defeating Blocks/Tackling: 4</li>
<li>Play Diagnostics: 2</li>
<li>Coverage: 4</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.hudl.com/profile/5527228/jaquez-jackson" target="_blank">Hudl</a></p>
<p>When Jackson committed, he struck me as a raw, athletic prospect who needed to work on the finer points of being a linebacker at the next level. Watching his senior tape, he’s made tremendous strides in that regard, and has one of the best looking LB tapes of any Tech commit I’ve watched in a while. At 6-0 215-220 lbs, Jackson has average size for the position, and has good length for his height.</p>
<p>Jackson’s main strength is his range. A true sideline-to-sideline player, Jackson has run down ball carriers from all over Middle Georgia, including Tech’s own Tobias Oliver. Jackson’s first step and closing speed are first-rate, which should help with bubble screens.</p>
<p>The area where I felt Jackson could improve the most from his Junior film was block shedding. As a Junior, Jackson mostly stuck to the outside and didn’t have much of any film in the box, and hardly a single play where he engaged an offensive lineman. As a senior, he still does a lot of gap shooting and sideline to sideline play, but the block shedding has finally arrived. He has a number of plays in his senior film where he fills a gap well by stacking a shedding the blocker before making the tackle. His tackling is a bit better too, he’s allowing less YAC on tackles than the year prior, especially in the box.</p>
<p>The big area for improvement for Jackson is play diagnostics, specifically on run plays. He often takes a couple false steps before getting a handle of the play, then uses his superior athleticism to make up for it. He will occasionally sniff out a screen, but this is an area where coaching and experience will do Jackson wonders.</p>
<p>There isn’t a ton of coverage film out there for Jackson, but he has all the physical tools to excel there, from quick hips to great closing speed. He also displays good hands on offense and had a nifty interception in his Junior tape.</p>
<ul>
<li>Size: 4</li>
<li>Range: 2</li>
<li>Defeating Blocks/Tackling: 5</li>
<li>Play Diagnostics: 2</li>
<li>Coverage: 2</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.hudl.com/profile/7839073/justice-dingle" target="_blank">Hudl</a></p>
<p>[embedded content]</p>
<p>One of Tech’s most highly rated commits, Justice Dingle is an interesting case study. A player with great strengths and some tough weaknesses, where is his best spot at the next level?</p>
<p>Most recruiting outlets have Dingle rated as a Mike LB based on his HS position. Dingle plays all over the field, even putting his hand in the dirt as a down lineman, but mostly plays as an Inside LB. He has tremendous size as an ILB, with a thick frame that looks heavier than his listed 230 lbs. He’s easy to find on his high school tape, as he’s just bigger than everyone else. If he had a little more length, his size rating would easily be a 5.</p>
<p>Range is where Dingle really struggles. He’s huge, but doesn’t excel at getting outside or playing in space. He always looks more comfortable in the box or with his hand in the dirt. He has a good first step, but his top end speed is a bit lacking, as is his lateral agility once he gets going. It’s a big area for improvement.</p>
<p>The dude can absolutely bring the boom, though. Dingle hits like a truck and knows how to separate the ball from the ball carrier. He’s impossible to block, too. His junior tape alone shows him defeating blocks by blowing up linemen head on, knifing into the backfield by putting his shoulder into the blocker, and bending the corner on the pass rush by utilizing a nasty rip-and-dip move.</p>
<p>Dingle also takes a lot of bad angles in the run game and is late reacting to run plays. Unlike Jackson, he doesn’t have the speed to make up for these mistakes. Additionally, there isn’t any substantial film of him in coverage outside of the embedded video above.</p>
<p>Now, reading all that, it seems like I don’t think very highly of Dingle as a recruit, but that’s not the case. I think he’s being evaluated at the wrong position. There have been whisperings that Dingle may play more of an Edge defender role at Georgia Tech, meaning he’ll be utilized as a pass rusher and general havoc creator. Looking at Dingle’s strengths, this role makes a lot of sense. He has a good first step, has a thick, strong frame that could add even more weight, and is difficult to block. On top of that, he has exceptional flexibility, a highly coveted trait for edge rushers. When playing off the edge in high school, he scrapes down the line well to chase plays away from him, and racks up the TFLs. Let’s look at how I’d rate him in an Edge defender role using the DE attributes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Size: 3</li>
<li>Explosiveness: 4</li>
<li>Bend: 5</li>
<li>Run Defense: 3</li>
<li>Pass Rush: 4</li>
</ul>
<p>Looks a lot better. If used correctly, Dingle has the opportunity to be an exceptional addition to the Tech defense.</p>
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					                    <pubDate>Thu, 02 Nov 2017 04:57:02 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Georgia Tech’s Switch to Adidas is Another Sign — The Times are Changing</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-techs-switch-to-adidas-is-another-sign-the-times-are-changing/#p1497</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-techs-switch-to-adidas-is-another-sign-the-times-are-changing/#p1497</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<p><em>“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.”</em></p>
<p><em>-President Gerald Ford, August 9th, 1974</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>It was 374 days ago that I brought you the first of two ballads laying out <a href="https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2016/8/13/11946060/georgia-tech-poor-branding-damages-recruiting-efforts-russell-athletic-under-armour-nike-adidas" target="_blank">the horrendous impacts that Russell Athletic has</a> on Georgia Tech’s branding, and on its athletic programs overall. It was a little over four months ago that I <a href="https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2017/4/17/15280660/georgia-tech-yellow-jackets-russell-athletic-contract-when-ends-comes-next-nike-adidas-under-armour" target="_blank">acquired and published the contract</a> binding the Yellow Jackets with their outdated apparel “partners”. It was 64 days ago that new AD Todd Stansbury <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/6/19/15829970/georgia-tech-russell-athletics-contract-recruiting-nike-adidas-under-armour" target="_blank">confirmed that partnership would be ending</a> in the near future.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, we got final confirmation that the Russell Athletic era at Georgia Tech is about to be over. The moment it ends is the same moment that the adidas era will begin on the Flats.</p>
<p>The change should be a positive one in every way — the three-stripe brand will be an upgrade that helps to boost perception among recruits (across all sports), helps to bolster apparel sales among fans, and serves as a strong partner as the GTAA administration continues to solidify its visual branding.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, it should also be mentioned that this move to a new apparel provider is indicative of a new era on the Flats in more ways than one. While this is the first major move made by Todd Stansbury in terms of financial impact to his athletic department, it’s just the latest in <a href="https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2017/6/4/15644906/opinion-week-ad-todd-stansbury-state-of-athletics-address-perfect-hire-georgia-tech-yellow-jackets" target="_blank">a series of decisions and moves</a> Stansbury’s made so far that are incredibly encouraging for the future. In under nine months on the job, this is yet another problem that Stansbury has identified <em>and</em> taken action to improve upon. It’s a refreshing change from Stansbury’s predecessor, who took several years <a href="https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2016/7/16/11946080/georgia-tech-mike-bobinski-new-collaboration-based-strategic-plan-yellow-jacket-athletics" target="_blank">just to identify some internal issues</a> that faced the department (despite how minimally they seemed to move the needle in the court of public perception). The guy before that was personally responsible for extending the Russell contract that clearly put Georgia Tech behind the curve, only to leave for Clemson less than three months later, while the guy before <em>him</em> was responsible for a contract the department <em>still</em> hasn’t finished paying off, even though the recipient hasn’t coached the men’s basketball team in over 6 years.</p>
<p>Plain and simple: Stansbury is a perceptive, active, visible, and responsive athletic director like Georgia Tech hasn’t had in the last 20 years. Without a major change in his constraints, Stansbury has rapidly taken considerable steps to elevate the athletic department from the inside out, and every move he’s made inspires more confidence in his ability to increase Georgia Tech’s profile on the national stage in the years to come.</p>
<p>The new uniforms, new apparel, and revamped visual brand are all going to make for an extremely exciting time to be a Yellow Jacket fan. The large-scale trend that this change is a part of is going to make it fun to be a Georgia Tech fan for years to come.</p>
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					                    <pubDate>Tue, 22 Aug 2017 05:34:22 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Georgia Tech Recruiting: A Second Look at QB Jay Jones</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-recruiting-a-second-look-at-qb-jay-jones/#p1186</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-recruiting-a-second-look-at-qb-jay-jones/#p1186</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<p>A few months ago, I wrote <a href="http://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2016/2/29/11131326/georgia-tech-football-meet-the-recruits-qb-ath-jay-jones?_ga=1.18108153.1746183247.1409174048" target="_blank">this article</a> about GT freshman QB Jay Jones. You should at least skim over it again before reading this article, as this review is built upon that one. In my previous article, I only had access to Jones’ junior film. I was recently contacted on twitter by Jones’ brother, who provided me with his senior film. In this article, I’ll be taking a look at what changed from his junior to his senior season, and what hasn’t.</p>
<p>[embedded content]</p>
<p>[embedded content]</p>
<p>Jones was still a talented runner in his senior season, displaying the great top end speed I saw as a junior. He’s still making defenders’ angles look foolish. He also filled out his frame quite nicely. The biggest improvements, however, were in the passing game, and there’s much more passing film to dissect in the senior film than there was in the junior film.</p>
<ul>
<li>Arm Strength has improved. He can really sling the ball a long way, and a lot of these throws are all arm. No stepping into the throw or follow-through</li>
<li>Timing has improved. Throwing behind intended targets was a big problem as a junior, but he hits more targets in stride as a senior. He still needs work in this area, but there was progress</li>
<li>Part of what makes the arms strength so impressive was the fact that he often cut his follow-through short. He could put even more power into many of these throws. Needs to fix his throwing motion, however. Needs to consistently plant his feet, drive the ball, and follow through. If he can do that, he’ll be throwing some sizzling fastballs.</li>
<li>I’d still like to see more touch passes, and some proof that he can make a larger variety of throws.</li>
</ul>
<p>The QB competition next year is going to be really interesting. There will be 4 guys with vastly disparate skills competing, some with more experience than the others. Going into a big opener against Tennessee, will Coach Johnson go with one of the more experienced players, or will a young player impress?</p>
]]></description>
					                    <pubDate>Sun, 28 Aug 2016 15:53:12 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on 4-star RB/LB Bruce Jordan-Swilling is Commitment #13 for Georgia Tech’s 2017 Class</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/4-star-rblb-bruce-jordan-swilling-is-commitment-13-for-georgia-techs-2017-class/#p1138</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/4-star-rblb-bruce-jordan-swilling-is-commitment-13-for-georgia-techs-2017-class/#p1138</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<div><a class='spShowPopupImage' title='Click image to enlarge' data-src='https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cdn2.vox-cdn.comthumbordiJX6oruq8QHHgG-SWmHJYwIbAk0x3321728x14841310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage5050080925769305443_22aa4b8e36_o.0-97159415772898378b47dfc40ee14319332c9777.jpg' data-width='1310' data-height='auto' data-constrain='1'><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cdn2.vox-cdn.comthumbordiJX6oruq8QHHgG-SWmHJYwIbAk0x3321728x14841310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage5050080925769305443_22aa4b8e36_o.0-97159415772898378b47dfc40ee14319332c9777.jpg" width="100" class="sfimageleft spUserImage" alt="cdn2.vox-cdn.comthumbordiJX6oruq8QHHgG-SWmHJYwIbAk0x3321728x14841310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage5050080925769305443_22aa4b8e36_o.0-97159415772898378b47dfc40ee14319332c9777.jpg" /><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-themes/css-only/images/sp_Mouse.png" class="sfimageleft sfmouseleft" alt="Image Enlarger" /></a>Bruce Jordan-Swilling - Student Sports/Flickr
</div>
<p>The Yellow Jackets’ recent roll in recruiting continues, with lucky #13.</p>
<div>
<p>Just a few days after his brother, 4-star CB Tre’ Swilling, committed to Georgia Tech on Monday, 4-star RB/LB Bruce Jordan-Swilling joined him. Together, the brothers will continue the family legacy at Georgia Tech, where their father Pat is in the Hall of Fame.</p>
<p>Jordan-Swilling becomes the highest-rated player in the class, rated as a 4-star by both Rivals (5.8) and the 247Sports Composite (0.9396). When he signs, he’ll also becomes the highest-rated player signed by Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech, narrowly edging Justin Thomas (0.9372) and coming in right behind 2007 recruit Derrick Morgan (0.9411). He is rated as the #10 OLB in the 2017 class and the #6 player in Louisiana. Bruce stands at 6’0” and weighs about 215 pounds. Coming out of Brother martin High School in New Orleans, Jordan-Swilling had offers from more than 25 schools, most notably Alabama, Florida State, USC and LSU.</p>
<p>My first thought when I watched that highlight was, “That’s a football player.” I don’t know how to better embody Bruce Jordan-Swilling than that. He figures to play more on the defensive side of the ball in college, but appears more than capable of being a ballcarrier in Paul Johnson’s offense if necessary. He possesses a rare combination of size and speed, with a respectable 4.57 40 time, according to ESPN. Jordan-Swilling is a fantastic addition to this class, regardless of which side of the ball he ends up on.</p>
<p>Jordan-Swilling’s commitment is just the latest in an incredible run of recruiting for Georgia Tech in the month of August. He becomes the fourth commitment in the month, and the <em>third</em> to be rated a 4-star prospect by Rivals. With his commitment, the 2017 recruiting class for Georgia Tech looks like this:</p>
<div>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>POSITION</th>
<th>NAME</th>
<th>HT</th>
<th>WT</th>
<th>HOMETOWN</th>
<th>RIVALS</th>
<th>247SPORTS</th>
<th>COMMIT DATE</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>P</td>
<td>Pressley Harvin III</td>
<td>6-0</td>
<td>230</td>
<td>Sumter, SC</td>
<td>3-star (5.5)</td>
<td>2-star (0.7965)</td>
<td>3/7/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>OL</td>
<td>Connor Hansen</td>
<td>6-2</td>
<td>320</td>
<td>Tallahassee, FL</td>
<td>3-star (5.5)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8154)</td>
<td>6/5/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LB</td>
<td>TD Roof</td>
<td>5-11</td>
<td>202</td>
<td>Buford, GA</td>
<td>3-star (5.5)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8104)</td>
<td>6/6/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>K</td>
<td>Joseph Bulovas</td>
<td>6-0</td>
<td>205</td>
<td>Mandeville, LA</td>
<td>2-star (5.4)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8054)</td>
<td>6/10/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DB</td>
<td>Dameon Williams</td>
<td>5-10</td>
<td>170</td>
<td>Norcross, GA</td>
<td>3-star (5.5)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8422)</td>
<td>6/11/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DB</td>
<td>Jaytlin Askew</td>
<td>5-9</td>
<td>170</td>
<td>Powder Springs, GA</td>
<td>3-star (5.7)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8646)</td>
<td>6/16/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>OL</td>
<td>Zach Quinney</td>
<td>6-6</td>
<td>260</td>
<td>Savannah, GA</td>
<td>3-star (5.6)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8362)</td>
<td>7/19/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>OL</td>
<td>Demetris Harris</td>
<td>6-3</td>
<td>280</td>
<td>Jacksonville, FL</td>
<td>3-star (5.6)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8207)</td>
<td>7/24/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>OL</td>
<td>Michael Minihan</td>
<td>6-3</td>
<td>285</td>
<td>Honolulu, HI</td>
<td>3-star (5.5)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8265)</td>
<td>7/26/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DB</td>
<td>OJ Tucker</td>
<td>6-0</td>
<td>190</td>
<td>Ocala, FL</td>
<td>3-star (5.5)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8455)</td>
<td>8/5/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DB</td>
<td>Gentry Bonds</td>
<td>6-1</td>
<td>190</td>
<td>Murfreesboro, TN</td>
<td>4-star (5.8)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8545)</td>
<td>8/18/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DB</td>
<td>Tre' Swilling</td>
<td>6-0</td>
<td>180</td>
<td>New Orleans, LA</td>
<td>4-star (5.8)</td>
<td>3-star (0.8752)</td>
<td>8/22/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RB/LB</td>
<td>Bruce Jordan-Swilling</td>
<td>6-0</td>
<td>215</td>
<td>New Orleans, LA</td>
<td>4-star (5.8)</td>
<td>4-star (0.9396)</td>
<td>8/23/2016</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p>Needless to say, things are shaping up extremely nicely for Georgia Tech’s recruiting class right now.</p>
<p><strong>Congratulations to Bruce and his family, and to the Georgia Tech coaching staff!</strong></p>
</div>
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					                    <pubDate>Tue, 23 Aug 2016 16:52:41 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Georgia Tech Football Pre-Camp News &#038; Notes: Jamal Golden signs, Senior OL awarded scholarship, Brad Stewart&#8217;s hair is...something</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-football-pre-camp-news-notes-jamal-golden-signs-senior-ol-awarded-scholarship-brad-stewarts-hair-is-something/#p868</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-football-pre-camp-news-notes-jamal-golden-signs-senior-ol-awarded-scholarship-brad-stewarts-hair-is-something/#p868</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<div><a class='spShowPopupImage' title='Click image to enlarge' data-src='https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cdn2.vox-cdn.comthumborR_gFNJIBYnNp_Dypz4g0BRMn_cU0x1972023x15461310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage50294395usa-today-8305193.0-f638352c64e0080ca0aeb4ba7ab86fbff55c48e7.jpg' data-width='1310' data-height='auto' data-constrain='1'><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cdn2.vox-cdn.comthumborR_gFNJIBYnNp_Dypz4g0BRMn_cU0x1972023x15461310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage50294395usa-today-8305193.0-f638352c64e0080ca0aeb4ba7ab86fbff55c48e7.jpg" width="100" class="sfimageleft spUserImage" alt="cdn2.vox-cdn.comthumborR_gFNJIBYnNp_Dypz4g0BRMn_cU0x1972023x15461310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage50294395usa-today-8305193.0-f638352c64e0080ca0aeb4ba7ab86fbff55c48e7.jpg" /><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-themes/css-only/images/sp_Mouse.png" class="sfimageleft sfmouseleft" alt="Image Enlarger" /></a>Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
</div>
<p>With Georgia Tech’s fall camp starting up on Thursday, here’s a few things you should know about.</p>
<div>
<p>There’s a few assorted football-related news items I wanted to pass along this morning, as Georgia Tech’s fall camp gets kicked off today.</p>
<p>Recently-graduated defensive back and kick returner Jamal Golden was passed up in the NFL Draft a few months back, and only received an invite to minicamp with the Falcons afterwards. On Wednesday, <a href="http://www.neworleanssaints.com/news-and-events/article-1/New-Orleans-Saints-announce-roster-moves/def0cc0c-5ac3-4658-ac69-7ff2772083ae" target="_blank">he was signed by the New Orleans Saints</a>, where he’ll compete in their fall camp. Golden may find a spot fitting in as a backup in the Saints’ defensive backfield, or as a kick return specialist (where the Saints lack any obvious starter headed into 2016). Congratulations to Golden, and we wish him the best of luck in camp!</p>
<p>The beginning of fall camp is always a time of year that’s loaded with heartwarming stories of walk-on players, who have spent time supporting the program in their careers without the benefit of a scholarship to back them, being rewarded for their efforts as they prove themselves to be worthy players and teammates. One such story came from Georgia Tech on Wednesday:</p>
<div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet c2">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations to offensive lineman Michael Muns for earning a scholarship!! Hard work pays off!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeSwarm?src=hash" target="_blank">#TogetherWeSwarm</a></p>
<p>— Paul Johnson (@GTPaulJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/GTPaulJohnson/status/761010256017260545" target="_blank">August 4, 2016</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p>Muns, a native of Swainsboro, GA, played in his first two career games in 2015 against Alcorn State and Tulane, after spending the 2012, 2013, and 2014 seasons supporting as a part of the scout team. Depending on the health of some of his teammates on the offensive line, Muns could realistically see some more playing time this year as a backup. Congratulations to Michael Muns and his family!</p>
<p>Finally, media was present yesterday as the team arrived at the hotel they’ll stay together at for the duration of camp, featuring plenty of videos and pictures posted on social media. Among them was...oh dear it’s Brad Stewart:</p>
<p>That hair style is really quite something, although in fairness, it must fit pretty comfortably in a helmet, and it must keep him reasonably cool. Still...it’s going to take some getting used to.</p>
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					                    <pubDate>Thu, 04 Aug 2016 08:31:37 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Football: B-Back C.J. Leggett dismissed for violation of team rules, DE Antonio Simmons has returned to school</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/football-b-back-c-j-leggett-dismissed-for-violation-of-team-rules-de-antonio-simmons-has-returned-to-school/#p688</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/football-b-back-c-j-leggett-dismissed-for-violation-of-team-rules-de-antonio-simmons-has-returned-to-school/#p688</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<div><a class='spShowPopupImage' title='Click image to enlarge' data-src='https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cdn0.vox-cdn.comthumborp7fgosT4fZ6Xe5D27jTxKXl-zAY0x04896x32641310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage50174585usa-today-9394597.0-8c15cca09abf52cddd73d4d4cf51c8ff8d694035.jpg' data-width='1310' data-height='auto' data-constrain='1'><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cdn0.vox-cdn.comthumborp7fgosT4fZ6Xe5D27jTxKXl-zAY0x04896x32641310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage50174585usa-today-9394597.0-8c15cca09abf52cddd73d4d4cf51c8ff8d694035.jpg" width="100" class="sfimageleft spUserImage" alt="" /><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-themes/css-only/images/sp_Mouse.png" class="sfimageleft sfmouseleft" alt="Image Enlarger" /></a>Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
</div>
<p>A pair of interesting news items came out of Georgia Tech’s time in the spotlight at the ACC Kickoff today.</p>
<div>
<p>As the ACC Kickoff is underway in Greensboro, Georgia Tech announced today that redshirt sophomore B-Back C.J. Leggett <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college/georgia-tech-b-back-cj-leggett-dismissed-from-team/nr3Ry/" target="_blank">has been dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules</a>. The nature of the violation is unclear.</p>
<p>Leggett redshirted as a freshman in 2014 and was in line to be the team’s starter at B-Back for 2015, before a torn ACL late in spring practice ended his season well before it could begin. He returned to the team for spring practice back in April, but was held out of the spring game as a precautionary measure. After Marcus Marshall’s performance as a true freshman, it’s unclear whether Leggett was in position to start in 2016, but he certainly <a href="http://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2016/7/5/12097896/georgia-tech-football-2016-position-previews---b-back" target="_blank">would have received an extensive amount of playing time</a> as a primary backup. With his dismissal, the B-Back starting role is likely to be filled by either Marshall or senior Marcus Allen, and the chances that we see Dedrick Mills on the field as a true freshman also increase noticeably.</p>
<p>The other tidbit of news that dropped during the media event is that, according to Kelly Quinlan of JacketsOnline.com, junior DE Antonio Simmons <a href="https://twitter.com/Kelly_Quinlan/status/756219532054761472" target="_blank">has returned to the team</a> after <a href="http://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/georgia-tech-football/2016/4/2/11352658/football-db-john-marvin-has-been-kicked-off-the-team-de-antonio" target="_blank">not being in school during spring practice</a>. Simmons is a very physically gifted pass-rusher who has played situationally and as a backup to KeShun Freeman over the last two seasons, making 18 tackles and a sack along the way. It’s still unclear as to why he missed spring practice, or if he’ll see any type of discipline as a result, but having Simmons on the roster undoubtedly boosts Georgia Tech’s depth and talent level at the pass-rushing WDE spot.</p>
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					                    <pubDate>Thu, 21 Jul 2016 14:28:00 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Georgia Tech Football: 2016 Position Previews - Secondary</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-football-2016-position-previews-secondary/#p650</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-football-2016-position-previews-secondary/#p650</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<p>Will a group of talented defensive backs be up to the task of replacing four longtime starters?</p>
<div>
<h5>Countdown to Kickoff: 51 Days</h5>
<p><em>This is the latest position preview in our 100 Days to Kickoff series, but it's also my first article for FTRS. I'm Nishant Prasadh, one of the new football staff writers for the upcoming season. I'm a Marietta native and was at Tech for seven football seasons (which feels a little happier than saying seven years), starting with Paul Johnson's first season and lasting through the amazing 2014 campaign. Along the way I got a BS and MS in Aerospace Engineering, and now I'm out in Los Angeles, where I spend a little too much time bemoaning the lack of Waffle Houses in this state. I'm excited to start contributing and hope you, the reader, will walk away informed every time.</em></p>
<h4>Secondary in Transition</h4>
<p>Talent and continuity have been the major themes in the defensive backfield during Ted Roof's three-year tenure as Defensive Coordinator. Two defensive backs have been selected in the NFL Draft during his tenure (and a third has become a contributor in the pros after going undrafted), and the secondary has featured at least three returning starters in each of the past two seasons.</p>
<p>Looking ahead to next season, the talent should still be there thanks to some good hauls in recent recruiting classes, but the players will need to grow quickly. Only one regular starter returns from last year's secondary, so as several former highly-touted recruits step into the starting lineup, they will have very large shoes to fill.</p>
<h4>Scheme Overview</h4>
<p>The cornerbacks in Tech's defense have specific roles and are known as the "boundary" and "field" corners. The boundary corner is responsible for playing the short side of the field, closer to the sideline. While playing along the sideline means he has less ground to cover, it also means that 1) he has less reaction time because his assigned receiver is closer to the quarterback and 2) he often has to work without safety help over the top, resulting in lots of single coverage situations. The "field" corner plays on the opposite side and, true to the name, has to cover a greater swath of open field. If the defense is not lined up in a four or five-wide set, though, the field corner is likely to have safety help over the top and can play more aggressively.</p>
<p>Teams that use the boundary/field setup tend to put their best cover corner at the boundary position and a faster (and often smaller) corner on the field side. This is a good way to put both starting corners in roles where they can thrive, particularly since offenses tend to put their best receivers on the boundary side to maximize route options... but it can also be exploited, as Tech saw this firsthand last season against Notre Dame. Star receiver Will Fuller consistently lined up on the field side of the formation, avoiding boundary corner D.J. White and setting up a more favorable matchup against field corner Chris Milton, and Notre Dame spread the field with multiple receivers to limit Tech's ability to provide safety help on deep passes.</p>
<p>As for the safety positions, Tech uses the nearly universal pairing of a free and strong safety. The free safety is generally tasked with playing "center field" for the secondary, providing deep coverage in the middle of the field and helping out the corners when necessary. His ability to read the opposing quarterback and respond accordingly is paramount. The strong safety, meanwhile, tends to play closer to the line and plays a greater role in run support while also covering tight ends and slot receivers. Depending on the opponent, game situation, and formation, the safeties' assignments can vary greatly, and in past years Defensive Coordinator Ted Roof has given his safeties identical responsibilities.</p>
<p>Tech switches from a base 4-3 alignment to a 4-2-5 against spread formations, replacing one of the linebackers with an extra defensive back. Against teams with spread-based offenses, the 4-2-5 is effectively used as Tech's base defensive formation. That fifth DB—known as the nickel back, or simply the nickel—plays one of the most demanding positions on the field. He essentially needs to be a safety/linebacker hybrid who can cover a slot receiver on passing downs while also effectively acting as a third linebacker against the run. Size is a boon at this position but is not required; a small defensive back who tackles well can be an ideal fit at the nickel.</p>
<h4>Who's Gone?</h4>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fair warning: this section will not be fun.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the top of the departure list is White, a three-year starter at cornerback who was drafted by Kansas City in the fifth round of April's NFL Draft. Over the past two seasons, White racked up 107 tackles, 16 pass breakups, and six interceptions. He was an ideal fit as the boundary corner: an athletic veteran who read quarterbacks and receivers well and rarely had lapses in coverage. His counterpart at field corner, Milton, is also gone; while Milton was more prone to lapses in coverage, he was still a very capable and athletic cover corner, recording 10 pass breakups in his two seasons as a starter.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Both starting safeties from 2015 are also gone. The major loss is free safety Jamal Golden, a savvy veteran who had eight career interceptions and was a turnover machine in 2014 (four INTs, three forced fumbles). Also gone is Demond Smith, who started at the nickel in 2014 before shifting to strong safety this past season.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All in all, Tech is losing four players who had a combined 130 career starts, and the players stepping in for them have... 13 combined starts.</p>
<h4>Who's Back?</h4>
<p>The lone returning starter is junior nickel back Lawrence Austin. Despite his limited size (5-foot-9, 185 lbs), Austin had a strong sophomore season, recording 40 tackles and providing tight coverage in the slot. One of his best performances came against Florida State, where Austin prevented slot receiver Kermit Whitfield from breaking off any long receptions and tipped a pass in the end zone to set up a crucial fourth-quarter interception.</p>
<p>Of course, it was Austin's twin brother Lance that provided the heroics in that game, and Lance Austin is primed to enter the starting lineup for the first time in 2016. While he saw plenty of snaps at boundary corner last season, including most of the FSU game, Lance Austin lined up at field corner this spring and will likely remain there. Across from him, the likely starter at boundary corner is junior Step Durham, a former four-star recruit (on Rivals; three-star on 247 Composite) who has played spot duty at both corner positions.</p>
<p>Sophomore A.J. Gray is the leading candidate to take over at free safety after an outstanding freshman campaign in which he earned more and more playing time as the year went on. Gray has demonstrated promising coverage skills and, at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, has the size to be an effective contributor in run support when necessary. At strong safety, the leading candidate is redshirt junior Corey Griffin, who has recorded 36 tackles in substantial spot duty over the last two seasons.</p>
<p>The good news, then, is that there is at least one player at every position who has seen significant playing time already. The bad news is that in most cases, there is <em>exactly</em> one such player at every position. The only other scholarship defensive back with any experience is junior safety Shaun Kagawa, who had an interception in the April spring game but has played only sparingly over the past two seasons.</p>
<p>Redshirt sophomore Lamont Simmons, who sat out last season after transferring from USC, is battling for playing time at cornerback. Also in the mix at corner are redshirt freshmen Meiko Dotson and Dorian Walker. The two other safeties, redshirt sophomore Jalen Johnson and redshirt freshman Christian Campbell, only began playing safety this offseason (from wide receiver and quarterback, respectively). While there's plenty of talent to go around, none of these players have seen a single in-game snap at their positions yet.</p>
<h4>Who's New?</h4>
<p>Tech added two defensive backs in the 2016 recruiting class, both of whom were Georgia natives: two-star cornerback Ajani Kerr from Powder Springs and three-star safety Jarett Cole from Norcross. The most likely scenario is that both of them redshirt, but Cole has a chance to see the field at the nickel if he performs well in fall camp. Since he took over as DC, Roof has shown a great willingness to play any true freshman who proves himself on the practice field.</p>
<h4>Projected Depth Chart</h4>
<table border="0" align="left">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Position</td>
<td>First String</td>
<td>Second String</td>
<td>Third String</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BCB</td>
<td>Step Durham (Jr.)</td>
<td>Meiko Dotson (R-Fr.)</td>
<td>Lamont Simmons (R-So.)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FCB</td>
<td>Lance Austin (Jr.)</td>
<td>Lamont Simmons (R-So.)</td>
<td>Dorian Walker (R-Fr.)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FS</td>
<td>A.J. Gray (So.)</td>
<td>Jalen Johnson (R-So.)</td>
<td>Christian Campbell (R-Fr.)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Corey Griffin (R-Jr.)</td>
<td>Lawrence Austin (Jr.)</td>
<td>Shaun Kagawa (Jr.)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NB</td>
<td>Lawrence Austin (Jr.)</td>
<td>Shaun Kagawa (Jr.)</td>
<td>Jarett Cole (Fr.)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The first string is very unlikely to change between now and fall camp, so the most interesting battles will be for the backup roles. Simmons and Walker bring very different skillsets to the field corner position; the 6-foot-2 Simmons has the size and length to cover opponents' tallest receivers, while Walker is one of the fastest players on the team.</p>
<p>The big surprise this spring has been Campbell, who converted to safety from quarterback after suffering a broken throwing hand in March. While he is still adjusting to his new position, Campbell's athleticism and hard-hitting play in the spring game make him an interesting prospect at both safety positions, and he has a chance to rise up the depth chart if his progress continues into the fall.</p>
<p>When Tech lines up in a 4-3, Lawrence Austin is likely to see some snaps at safety, as the coaches will try to keep him on the field as much as possible. The nickel depth behind Lawrence Austin remains an open question, as he saw nearly all of the snaps at that position a year ago. Johnson or Campbell could see snaps there instead of Kagawa, or Tech could turn to a linebacker like David Curry or Emmanuel Bridges as more of a true safety/linebacker hybrid.</p>
<h4>What Should We Expect?</h4>
<p>As with any unit breaking in multiple new starters, growing pains are to be expected. That said, Roof has done a good job of getting the new starters onto the field over the past two seasons, so their learning curves should be reduced greatly. Plus each projected 2016 starter in the secondary is at least as athletic as the player he's replacing.</p>
<p>The real issue will be depth across the board. If any of the starters go down, Tech will be counting on a backup with little or no meaningful experience to date. In that vein, it's a very similar situation to what the B-backs and A-backs dealt with last spring... but luckily, so far the secondary has managed to stay healthy.</p>
</div>
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					                    <pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2016 08:34:53 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Georgia Tech Football: Five Impact Players in 2016 - QB Justin Thomas</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-football-five-impact-players-in-2016-qb-justin-thomas/#p407</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-football-five-impact-players-in-2016-qb-justin-thomas/#p407</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<div><a class='spShowPopupImage' title='Click image to enlarge' data-src='https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cdn2.vox-cdn.comthumborXMNDvNwqVAZMk1hfOKh_bdo1TjA0x03516x23441310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage49844625usa-today-8894384.0-a2e37d646e6293fa7e43057596574bc2db7e9547.jpg' data-width='1310' data-height='auto' data-constrain='1'><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cdn2.vox-cdn.comthumborXMNDvNwqVAZMk1hfOKh_bdo1TjA0x03516x23441310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage49844625usa-today-8894384.0-a2e37d646e6293fa7e43057596574bc2db7e9547.jpg" width="100" class="sfimageleft spUserImage" alt="" /><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-themes/css-only/images/sp_Mouse.png" class="sfimageleft sfmouseleft" alt="Image Enlarger" /></a>Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports
</div>
<p>The Yellow Jackets’ signal-caller needs to rebound from a disappointing 2015 season, and his ability to do so will determine how Georgia Tech's 2016 season ends up.</p>
<div>
<p><strong>Countdown to Kickoff: 82 Days</strong></p>
<p><em>This week, our “100 Days to Kickoff" series continues as we look at five players who are some of the best and most important to the team in 2016. When we started doing these a few years back, the idea was to model them after the old NCAA Football video game series, which would assign “Impact Players” to each team based on talent, position, and production levels. This week, we’ll be selecting players based on those same factors, but moreso on their overall importance to the team this fall. (That is, these aren't necessarily the team's five</em> <strong><em>best</em></strong> <em>players.) We begin today with the most obvious one.</em></p>
<h2>QB Justin Thomas, RS-Senior</h2>
<p>Whether talking about skill, production, or importance to the team, the list wouldn’t possibly be complete without the quarterback.</p>
<p>Justin Thomas returns in 2016 for his third (and final) season as a starter, looking to re-establish himself as one of the premier playmakers in the conference and across the country. As a sophomore in 2014, Thomas famously led an insanely efficient offense to wins against all of Georgia Tech's major rivals (breaking several losing streaks along the way), a near-victory against then-undefeated Florida State in the ACC Championship Game, and to an Orange Bowl victory where he scored 3 touchdowns and was named the game MVP. As one might imagine, that repeated success on the national stage resulted in very high hopes for the quarterback in 2015, with some even thinking he was a dark horse candidate for the Heisman trophy.</p>
<p>As we all know, things didn't go quite as well in 2015 as they did a year prior. With all of his skill position players from 2014 graduated and with his best offensive lineman in the NFL, Thomas struggled mightily to compensate for mistakes caused by inexperience, both at the skill positions around him and the offensive line trying to protect him. Not only did the struggles of others impact the offense's performance at a whole, but it also dragged down the level of play we saw from Thomas individually. As mistakes piled up from play to play, drive to drive, and week to week, Thomas gradually lost his trust in his teammates. He tried to compensate for those mistakes by keeping the ball when he shouldn't and by throwing dangerous passes into coverage. In essence, by trying to do too much himself, Thomas got away from doing the things that made him so successful in 2014.</p>
<p>That’s why, in 2016, it's imperative that Thomas return to form from 2014, and avoid returning to bad habits developed in 2015. Part of that calls for the teammates around him to develop and learn from last year’s mistakes, but it also requires Thomas to trust them and make the right decisions. Instead of worrying about his ball carriers fumbling, Thomas needs to get the ball to whichever player is dictated by the defense. Instead of forcing passes downfield when the team falls behind, Thomas needs to throw the ball away and live to play another down instead of turning the ball over. By making the right decisions and trusting his teammates, Thomas will put the offense in much better position to succeed, leading to much better results on the field.</p>
<p>The good news is that, regardless of what happened last season, Thomas still has the elite physical ability that got him so much attention in 2014 -- his speed and agility are as good as anyone’s in the country. As long as Thomas is physically healthy, those tools combined are a weapon that opposing defenses will always have to plan for. By using that extra attention to put his teammates in positions to be successful, and by using his gifts to make defenses pay when they make mistakes, there won’t be a player on Georgia Tech’s team that has more of an impact on the outcome of the 2016 season than Justin Thomas.</p>
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					                    <pubDate>Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:39:32 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Radio Play-by-Play Announcer and "Voice of the Jackets" Brandon Gaudin Leaving  Georgia Tech for EA Sports, Westwood One, and Big Ten Network</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/radio-play-by-play-announcer-and-voice-of-the-jackets-brandon-gaudin-leaving-georgia-tech-for-ea-sports-westwood-one-and-big-ten-network/#p333</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/radio-play-by-play-announcer-and-voice-of-the-jackets-brandon-gaudin-leaving-georgia-tech-for-ea-sports-westwood-one-and-big-ten-network/#p333</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<div><a class='spShowPopupImage' title='Click image to enlarge' data-src='https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cdn0.vox-cdn.comthumbornLbhQUNKw0rJDSN14TrL5lbLXcI0x0720x4801310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage49802915bgaudin.0.0-6af326471fb6dbc608d3ec5e7099f945d99218b6.jpg' data-width='1310' data-height='auto' data-constrain='1'><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cdn0.vox-cdn.comthumbornLbhQUNKw0rJDSN14TrL5lbLXcI0x0720x4801310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage49802915bgaudin.0.0-6af326471fb6dbc608d3ec5e7099f945d99218b6.jpg" width="100" class="sfimageleft spUserImage" alt="" /><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-themes/css-only/images/sp_Mouse.png" class="sfimageleft sfmouseleft" alt="Image Enlarger" /></a>Danny Karnik/Georgia Tech Athletics
</div>
<p>It was announced Wednesday that Brandon Gaudin will leave The Flats for multiple other roles, including being the voice of Madden.</p>
<div>
<p>We all learned some seemingly-awesome news followed by some not-so-awesome news this morning. It was announced that Georgia Tech's Brandon Gaudin would be the new voice of the EA Sports Madden franchise, alongside former Tennessee Volunteer Charles Davis.</p>
<div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet c2">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Georgia Tech play-by-play man <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonGaudin" target="_blank">@brandongaudin</a> is the new voice for the EA Madden franchise along with <a href="https://twitter.com/CFD22" target="_blank">@CFD22</a>. Very cool.</p>
<p>— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanWolken/status/740560623906361344" target="_blank">June 8, 2016</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p>However, this was followed by the news that it would mean Gaudin is leaving the booth on The Flats.</p>
<p>While Tech fans will certainly miss hearing Gaudin's voice during football and basketball games, this is awesome for Brandon. While we maybe didn't anticipate something like this coming this soon, Gaudin was simply too good to stay in this role forever.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>While I'm thankful and excited for the opportunities ahead, it's very hard to depart from Georgia Tech. I didn't envision this chapter ending so quickly. I'm indebted to Mike Bobinski, the entire athletic department and the GT community. Thanks to you all for everything. These 3 years have left an impression on me that will never fade. I love GT and always will. I'm also so grateful for the radio crew I was lucky to work alongside. Sean, Randy, Miller, Al Jr, Tommy, Roddy: Thank You. I'll still be based in ATL this year and look forward to cheering on Tech every chance I get. Go Jackets!</p>
<p>-Brandon Gaudin (<a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonGaudin" target="_blank">@BrandonGaudin</a>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You'll remember that Gaudin joined Georgia Tech's radio booth in the summer of 2013, taking over for recently-departed long-time announcer Wes Durham. He had big shoes to fill in the radio booth, but in just a few years at Georgia Tech, Gaudin had the opportunity to make some calls that many of us will not soon forget. He was on-target every time.</p>
<p><strong>"The Kick and The Pick"</strong></p>
<p>[embedded content]</p>
<p><strong>"The Miracle on Techwood Drive"</strong></p>
<p>[embedded content]</p>
<p>Those calls simply could not have been any better. Brandon Gaudin provided us with some amazing memories in just a short time and we wish him luck in his new roles with EA Sports and Westwood One.</p>
<p>Thanks for everything, BG!</p>
</div>
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					                    <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jun 2016 09:07:33 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Georgia Tech Recruiting: Big 3-Star OL/DL Connor Hansen is Commitment #2 for 2017</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-recruiting-big-3-star-oldl-connor-hansen-is-commitment-2-for-2017/#p270</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/georgia-tech-recruiting-big-3-star-oldl-connor-hansen-is-commitment-2-for-2017/#p270</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<div><a class='spShowPopupImage' title='Click image to enlarge' data-src='https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cdn1.vox-cdn.comthumborNaixyXg8ckwfJaXgfZfdcvp8EMw0x241728x11761310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage4977958124424653814_a884c90881_o.0-f1147c44e6d4659bdd242583c48181cc526c9530.jpg' data-width='1310' data-height='auto' data-constrain='1'><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cdn1.vox-cdn.comthumborNaixyXg8ckwfJaXgfZfdcvp8EMw0x241728x11761310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage4977958124424653814_a884c90881_o.0-f1147c44e6d4659bdd242583c48181cc526c9530.jpg" width="100" class="sfimageleft spUserImage" alt="" /><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-themes/css-only/images/sp_Mouse.png" class="sfimageleft sfmouseleft" alt="Image Enlarger" /></a>Connor Hansen - Student Sports/Flickr
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<p>The Yellow Jackets broke a long recruiting drought on the tail end of this weekend's camps.</p>
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<p>At long last, three months after their first commitment, Georgia Tech has added another commitment to its 2017 recruiting class. It happened Sunday evening, at the conclusion of the weekend's on-campus camp, and it came from Connor Hansen.</p>
<p>As mentioned in the tweet above, Hansen is a lineman who can play on either the offensive or defensive side of the ball, although he claims to be a center on his Twitter profile. He comes from Lawton Chiles High School Tallahassee, FL, and stands at a hulking 6'2", 320 pounds. Hansen is currently listed as a two-star prospect on Rivals (5.4) and a three-star prospect on the 247Sports Composite (.8155).</p>
<p>Hansen visited Georgia Tech late last week and stayed for camp over the weekend, where his performance earned him an offer that he couldn't refuse.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm very blessed to have received my 16th offer from Georgia Tech but I have even better news... <a href="https://t.co/EDDgs2dr3E" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/EDDgs2dr3E</a></p>
<p>— Connor Hansen⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Connorhanse) <a href="https://twitter.com/Connorhanse/status/739599661875355648" target="_blank">June 5, 2016</a>
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</blockquote>
<p>Hansen's junior highlights are below, and primarily focus on his play on defense. You can see that his size and strength are for real, but also that he moves exceptionally well for a man of his size. He should fit very nicely at Georgia Tech, regardless of which side of the ball he's playing on.</p>
<p></p>
<p>As mentioned before, Hansen's commitment breaks a three-month drought for the Yellow Jackets, during a stretch of the year which usually isn't particularly fruitful, although Georgia Tech was still behind their normal schedule heading into June. Expect more commitments throughout the next month, which has traditionally been a very productive time for the Yellow Jackets' coaches on the recruiting trail.</p>
<p>Georgia Tech's 2017 recruiting class now looks like this:</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Position</th>
<th>Ht/Wt</th>
<th>Hometown</th>
<th>Rivals</th>
<th>247Sports</th>
<th>Commitment Date</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Pressley Harvin III</strong></td>
<td>P</td>
<td>6-0/235lbs</td>
<td>Sumter, SC</td>
<td>3-star (5.5)</td>
<td>3-star (.8115)</td>
<td>3/6/2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Connor Hansen</strong></td>
<td>OL/DL</td>
<td>6-2/320lbs</td>
<td>Tallahassee, FL</td>
<td>2-star (5.4)</td>
<td>3-star (.8155)</td>
<td>6/5/2016</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong><em>Congratulations to Hansen on his commitment, and congratulations to the Georgia Tech coaches on scoring the commitment!</em></strong></p>
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]]></description>
					                    <pubDate>Sun, 05 Jun 2016 18:16:03 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Technical Tidbits 6/2: Tech's Sanford on College Football HoF ballot, Johnson offers Hawaii defensive end</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/technical-tidbits-62-techs-sanford-on-college-football-hof-ballot-johnson-offers-hawaii-defensive-end/#p244</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/technical-tidbits-62-techs-sanford-on-college-football-hof-ballot-johnson-offers-hawaii-defensive-end/#p244</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<div><a class='spShowPopupImage' title='Click image to enlarge' data-src='https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cdn0.vox-cdn.comthumboruJ5g3aj4kOoxWhsry3S52BaYMXU0x2022001x15361310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage49753443usa-today-8940043.0-293e7b444ce2e23929cde282e6ff48deeb971014.jpg' data-width='1310' data-height='auto' data-constrain='1'><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cdn0.vox-cdn.comthumboruJ5g3aj4kOoxWhsry3S52BaYMXU0x2022001x15361310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage49753443usa-today-8940043.0-293e7b444ce2e23929cde282e6ff48deeb971014.jpg" width="100" class="sfimageleft spUserImage" alt="" /><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-themes/css-only/images/sp_Mouse.png" class="sfimageleft sfmouseleft" alt="Image Enlarger" /></a>Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
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<p>Paul Johnson turned his gaze back to Hawaii, where he once coached, to extend yet another scholarship offer.</p>
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<p>For Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall, this weekend's impending regional matchup in Gainesville <a class="c2" href="http://www.albanyherald.com/sports/georgia-tech-baseball-makes-ncaa-tournament-field/article_08ab50a9-4300-5c8d-b92e-725bd265cf11.html" target="_blank">represents an opportunity for a fresh start</a> for both himself and his team. Truer words have never been spoken; the Jackets can finally move forward without their postseason fate hanging over their heads for the first time in months. Although a two seed in the same region as the No. 1 overall seed is hardly a reward, it does mean that the rest of the pool should be a bit easier to stomach. If Tech had been placed as a three seed in any other regional, it would mean that the selection committee saw them as the third-best in that pool alone. I'll personally take second-best over third-best any day, even if that type of selection is totally arbitrary and subjective.</p>
<p>The Georgia Tech football staff hopped halfway across the Pacific to find the next great Tech defender, offering Hawaii native and three-star defensive end Aliki Vimahi <a href="http://georgiatech.blog.ajc.com/2016/06/01/tech-goes-to-hawaii-to-make-scholarship-offer/" target="_blank">an opportunity to play football on The Flats</a>. It's nice to get that home-grown talent from the Atlanta area, but I'm perfectly content with quality players from anywhere in the world. Vimahi, the sixth-best player in the state of Hawaii, certainly appears to fit that "quality" label. If he does decide to choose Tech over other reported offers from BYU, Colorado, and Oregon State, he'd become the second Hawaiian on the roster, joining safety Shaun Kagawa. Perhaps that will be a draw for the 6-foot-3 edge rushing prospect.</p>
<p>In basketball recruiting news, Tech's staff spent its Wednesday extending an offer to four-star forward Jordan Tucker of Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, NY.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RENShoops" target="_blank">@RENShoops</a> Jordan Tucker added offers from Georgia Tech &#038; Marquette this week &#038; was also invited to <a href="https://twitter.com/usabasketball" target="_blank">@usabasketball</a> u18 try-outs.</p>
<p>— Adam Finkelstein (@AdamFinkelstein) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamFinkelstein/status/738092048646086657" target="_blank">June 1, 2016</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The second-rated player in the state of New York, Tucker would be an amazing addition to Josh Pastner's recruiting class. Most outlets have Syracuse as a heavy favorite to land him, but it's still relatively early in the process.</p>
<p>Former Georgia Tech linebacker Lucius Sanford <a href="http://www.footballfoundation.org/News/NewsDetail/tabid/567/Article/55621/2017-college-football-hall-of-fame-ballot-released.aspx" target="_blank">was included on the 2017 College Football Hall of Fame ballot</a>, released yesterday for eligible voters and the public alike to gaze upon as the selection process continues. I was two decades too late to watch him play, but all indications are that the All-Time Jacket is quite worthy of induction. Whether or not he will achieve the accolade in a star-studded 2017 class is what remains to be seen -- the name recognition just might not be there when put up against a Peyton Manning, Brian Urlacher, or Ray Lewis. Whatever the outcome may be, congratulations to Sanford on his inclusion. If selected, he'd become the thirteenth Tech player in the College Hall of Fame.</p>
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					                    <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jun 2016 04:01:42 -0400</pubDate>
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                    <title>College BattleGround on Opinion Week: In 2016, Georgia Tech Needs Justin Thomas to Revert to His Old Ways</title>
                    <link>https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/opinion-week-in-2016-georgia-tech-needs-justin-thomas-to-revert-to-his-old-ways/#p208</link>
                    <category>GTech Hot Topics</category>
                    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.collegebattleground.com/forum/gtech-hot-topics/opinion-week-in-2016-georgia-tech-needs-justin-thomas-to-revert-to-his-old-ways/#p208</guid>
					                        <description><![CDATA[<div><a class='spShowPopupImage' title='Click image to enlarge' data-src='https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/cdn3.vox-cdn.comthumbordfZzzALaxSYbNRTXgyUdFlGo-lw0x13000x20011310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage49733031492174588.0-a434cfe73b5737480216c68507866914bd5d8382.jpg' data-width='1310' data-height='auto' data-constrain='1'><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/cdn3.vox-cdn.comthumbordfZzzALaxSYbNRTXgyUdFlGo-lw0x13000x20011310x873cdn0.vox-cdn.comuploadschorus_imageimage49733031492174588.0-a434cfe73b5737480216c68507866914bd5d8382.jpg" width="100" class="sfimageleft spUserImage" alt="" /><img src="https://www.collegebattleground.com/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-themes/css-only/images/sp_Mouse.png" class="sfimageleft sfmouseleft" alt="Image Enlarger" /></a>Photo by Tyler Smith/Getty Images
</div>
<p>If the Jackets are going to be successful this year, Justin Thomas can't play like he did last season</p>
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<p>We are all familiar with the deficiencies of the 2015 Yellow Jackets and the ultimate result they produced. Tech finished 3-9, missing a bowl game for the first time since 1996.</p>
<p>While I have a hard time calling Justin Thomas's season a "deficiency" for that team, especially considering what he had happening around him, there is no doubt his performance was drastically different from his 2014 season. And if the 2016 Jackets are going to be successful, we have to see a resurgence of the 2014 version of Thomas and a departure from what we saw of him last fall.</p>
<p>Even the abysmal 2015 season we all suffered through cannot so quickly erase 2014 and all its glory from our minds. Tech exercised many demons - defeating Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech and Georgia in the same season - on the way to defeating Mississippi State for its first Orange Bowl victory since 1951.</p>
<p>Virtually every position group was critical to the Jackets' success that year, but the importance of Justin Thomas can not be overstated. That season, Thomas completed 51.7% of his passes for 1,719 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions. Additionally, Thomas rushed for 1,086 yards and eight touchdowns on 190 attempts. Thomas also went on to win MVP of the Orange Bowl. Justin Thomas put up one of the best seasons by a quarterback in the Paul Johnson era and was even mentioned as a potential dark horse Heisman candidate going into 2015.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, none of the hopes we had for Georgia Tech would come to fruition in 2015, Justin Thomas included. Thomas completed a mere 41.7% of his passes for 1,339 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for only 485 yards on 144 attempts and scored six touchdowns.</p>
<p>While the numbers were obviously down for Thomas, it was evident to anyone watching that he was simply not the same player. The dynamic playmaker we saw in 2014 was simply not there a year later. Many of the scrambles we were used to seeing turn into 15-yard gains became 10-yard losses. His passing was nowhere near as good as a year before.</p>
<p>However, there were flashes. Thomas changed the Jackets' lone ACC win against undefeated Florida State with an electrifying 60-yard touchdown run and later with a fourth down completion to Brad Stewart late in the game to set up Harrison Butker's game-tying field goal. It's clear that Thomas still has that electric playmaking ability, at least from a physical standpoint. At the same time, when his teammates were less effective in 2015, Thomas's play followed suit.</p>
<p>So, hope is not lost. We have seen the good, the bad and the ugly from JT in the past two years. And one must figure, knowing the competitor Thomas is, that he will do his best to not experience another season like the one we saw from him last year. One of the crucial elements to the correction of Thomas's downfall last year will be better play from his teammates around him in 2016. With more experience at the skill positions and (hopefully) an improved offensive line, the obligation will be Thomas's to show us more of what we saw in 2014 and less of what we saw in 2015.</p>
<p>The bottom line is clear - Georgia Tech simply must have a re-emergence of what we saw from Justin Thomas in 2014. This team is still going to be relatively inexperienced and unknown in several positions on the field. It's going to be up to their quarterback to lead them to an improvement over their results from 2015.</p>
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					                    <pubDate>Mon, 30 May 2016 16:28:12 -0400</pubDate>
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