If Groh says no, Georgia Tech should look at Diaz, DeRuyter (UPDATE)
(UPDATE BELOW ON DIAZ)
For the past few days, Al Groh has been steadily transitioning from the likely next defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech to the likely next defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins.
We have only circumstantial evidence of this: 1) Groh, once seemingly locked on Tech as a destination, suddenly has options with other college and NFL jobs opening up, and clearly is taking his time; 2) He interviewed for the Miami Dolphins job Wednesday, where his long-time friend and coaching buddy, Bill Parcells, is team vice president.
While it’s not clear whether Tech coach Paul Johnson has actually offered Groh the position, there have been strong indications that he is waiting 
for Groh to decide on his job preference. Regardless, I’m guessing this coaching search will not last much longer because Johnson is not exactly known for his patience.
One important factor in this search is the Jackets have significant budget constraints, unlike Georgia, and therefore can’t pay a lot for an assistant football coach. Groh is only a candidate because he’s already drawing $4.33 million from Virginia over the next two seasons, and therefore will not demand a high salary. But if he says no, the stature of candidates likely drops. With that as a backdrop, here are three other candidates for Tech:
♦ 1) Manny Diaz: His name has been floated as a
If Al Groh (top) says no, Manny Diaz (middle) or Tim DeRuyter would fit at Tech.
long shot for the Georgia vacancy. He’s the defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee State, which went 10-3 this season (a Sun Belt record for wins), including victories over Maryland, Memphis and Southen Miss. Diaz’ defense set a school record for sacks (38). The Blue Raiders also led the Sun Belt in takeaways (33) and turnover margin (plus-12, which ranked eighth nationally), and ranked second nationally in tackles for loss (8.62 per game). In the Sun Belt, MTSU ranked second in scoring defense (23.7 ponts) and third in total defense (354.8 yards). Diaz also is familiar with the ACC landscape. He spent six years (2000-05) at North Carolina State, mostly coaching linebackers and safeties, and two at Florida State (1998-99), where he worked under Mickey Andrews and was there for the Seminoles’ national championship in 1999. As a political bonus: his father is the two-term mayor of Miami.
(UPDATE: Rumors have been flying around since last night that Diaz has been hired by Mississippi State. For what it’s worth, Diaz reportedly has interviewed with both the Bulldogs and Houston, but neither school has announced a hiring.)
♦ 2.) Tim DeRuyter: This might be a reach since the Air Force defensive coordinator is said to be a top candidate for the Texas A&M job, vacated by Joe Kines. The Air Force finished 11th in the nation in total defense (288.3 yards per game), 10th in scoring defense (15.7 points) and fifth in takeaways (34). The Falcons also held high-scoring TCU in check, losing only 20-17.
♦ 3.) Bob Shoop: The fact he coaches at a 1-AA school (William and Mary) works against him. But he was just named the FCS coordinator of the year after leading William and Mary (CAA), which went 11-3 this season. The Tribe defense’s per game averages: 61 yards rushing (No. 1 nationally in the FCS), 229 total yards (No. 2), 12 points (No. 2).
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426 comments Add your comment
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
January 14th, 2010
8:03 am
its going to be a crazy off-season for the coaching carousel. UGA needs to narrow down choices to Diaz, DeRuyter and Grantham. UT is supposedly going to have a coach named by sunday, why does this take so long for everyone else?
Cecil34
January 14th, 2010
8:05 am
The Groh to Dolphins is a done deal – and this is in the long run to Tech’s benefit.
Groh has some significant downsides in the college arena, but will excel with the pro game because better athletes will be available for the 3/4.
It would have taken GT at least 2 years to get the right personnel for this defense. Do not be fooled into thinking we have currently on board what it takes to successfully run it.
Alabama Jack
January 14th, 2010
8:06 am
DawgDayAfternoon, AKA Anal Cavity. We aren’t talking about the coach from Texas A&M, you twit. We are talking about a coach from Air Force who may go to Texas A&M. Dumb dawgs have to be told everything. Sit, heel, beg, roll over, play dead.
BuckheadJacket
January 14th, 2010
8:12 am
UGAFan: Please reread my post. I was referring to CPH as in Coach Paul Hewitt in response to Ozzy’s post above, not CPJ as in Coach Paul Johnson. I can certainly understand the mistake since the acronyms are so similar.
Ozzy: I agree that Jacket BB is not what it used to be in the Thriller Dome days with Cremins. I think poor performance has created that and a change in performance will renew that energy and fan participation. I think the Tech fan base is more than ready if not anxious for Hewitt to make that happen. And as I said, the administration understands that and is hoping that he will deliver. If not his days are truly numbered.
blah blah blah: you stated “let’s talk football” but you only offered a meaningless taunt. Thanks for providing an additional example of simple minded, unintelligent posting that I referenced above.
Alabama Jack's Mom
January 14th, 2010
8:16 am
Alabama Jack went horseback riding one day. And Alabama Jack got stuck on the horse. So, Alabama JAck’s mom had to help Alabama Jack off the horse!
The Grinch
January 14th, 2010
8:19 am
Jeff, if Groh turns tech down, does that mean PJ is in trouble? Will you deduce thigs are on decline at the flats. Let me guess, whoever tech hires as a DC will be “better” than the coach UGA hires for the same position. I’ll be waiting with bated breath to read your analogy of the two. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Oops!
January 14th, 2010
8:19 am
Buckhead Jacket:
You forgot my very meaningful, intellegent, and simple minded fact!
30-24 all year long!
UGAFan
January 14th, 2010
8:19 am
Buckhead oops sorry…my bad..gotcha..too many initials flying around. You guys need to get rid of Hewitt. Initials are too similar.
later guys…
DDT
January 14th, 2010
8:21 am
Alabama Jack your reading comprehension skills are severely lacking. Of course the Alabama says it all. DUMBAZZ! I do believe the man was refering to the fact that the wonderful and great GT can’t compete for a coach with a Texas A&M team that you mentally deficient mites declared a no good, bottom tier 6-6 football team before the Independence Bowl. Learn to read Jack and then come back.
Asheville Dawg
January 14th, 2010
8:22 am
We are under three weeks til signing day, and there are more opening than on my swiss cheese sandwich. Can’t anyone hire someone?
BuckheadJacket
January 14th, 2010
8:24 am
DDT: You stated that “At UGA the athletic department makes huge contributions to the general fund.” The Atlanta Business Chronicle pointed that out; your general fund would be a lot smaller without it BTW. Unfortunately, at Tech the robust general fund can not contribute to the ailing but independent Alexander Tharpe Fund for athletic programs. However, not all of the positions in the Athletic departments are soley funded by the ATF. Many of the administrative functions are salaried GIT employees that are paid from the general fund. You are correct that the coaches’ salaries are paid from the ATF though. Dave Braine, our former Athletic Director, made poor decisions with exorbitant long term contracts for Gailey and Hewitt that have placed financial constraints on current athletic operations at Tech. Because the football program provides the majority of the funding we hope that CPJ can help reinvigorate some of that funding in future years.
Thursday Morning Reads « The Grit Tree
January 14th, 2010
8:24 am
[...] GT speculation is not as much fun, but they are still talking about some semi-serious names. [...]
Sam
January 14th, 2010
8:24 am
Hey Jethro…I mean Alabama Jack! Next time get someone to read to you and explain what it means. What a moron.
The real Cecil Flowe
January 14th, 2010
8:24 am
Whoever thinks I would take a pay cut to go to ga tech has not seen who can dance with at my highschool! If you think tech can provide that for me, your blind.
The Grinch
January 14th, 2010
8:25 am
BuckheadJacket
January 14th, 2010
8:12 am
It’s just a matter of time until the “Thriller Dome” days are back. I don’t think Hewitt can do it, but your next coach (when?) will probably get the program back where it once was and that will surely energize the fan base. Tech is in the best basketball conference in the nation and the state of Georgia is rich in high school talent. With the right coach it should take just two years for the program to get back on the national scene. The big question is when is your AD going to put up to money to make the coaching change.
Willie Martinez
January 14th, 2010
8:29 am
What about me? Heck, coaching offense, defense, special teams–what’s the big deal? The fans don’t care, as long as the offense doesn’t get more than 20 yards on a single play. And I’ll work cheap–got a family to support, and GT is bound to do better than Shreveport.
CPJ to TENNESSEE
January 14th, 2010
8:30 am
What’s next?
Cracker Jacket
January 14th, 2010
8:33 am
Who in their right mind would want to coach defense for Johnson! First there will be little talent and the constant abuse from the genius head coach! Check out Johnson’s history at Navy and Georgia Southern…there was no defense! It doesn’t matter if the offense wins the game! Defense is just a second thought! To win national championships…defense is first!
B. Hunter
January 14th, 2010
8:36 am
Buckhead Jacket, I remember GT fans during the Gailey era proclaim that if Tech put a winner on the field that the dollars would follow. Even after CPJ’s fine first year with a victory over UGA the dollars didn’t follow. The dollars didn’t follow the BCS bowl bid as evidenced by ticket sales. This “reinvigoration” that you talk about Buckhead Jacket is almost urban myth at Tech. Just exactly what does a coach have to do to “reinvigorate”. Winning doesn’t seem to be the key. And just how many years does the guy have to produce before Tech fans do the same? Reinvigorating the GT Athletic Department seems almost mission impossible.
Dawghater
January 14th, 2010
8:39 am
Hey DawgDayAfternoon – you equate life with what goes on between the hedges on top of that septic tank called Athens. Dump your money into that program if you want. I can find a lot better uses than a D Coordinator. It’s football you idiot, not life!
Jeff Schultz
January 14th, 2010
8:40 am
Cousin Vicker — Sorry. I’ve been sleeping. I would’ve given you the recognition you deserve, but I just gone done talking with the caterers for your “First!” party. Meats and cheeses should be arriving shortly.
Jeff Schultz
January 14th, 2010
8:41 am
Joe’s place — Paul’s keeping it pretty quiet, but that’s easier to do when you’re not dealing with high profile guys. Other than Groh, I sense everybody is pretty low profile.
Jeff Schultz
January 14th, 2010
8:44 am
Pop — I’ll check around but last I heard was he was interviewing there but hadn’t taken the job.
Jeff Schultz
January 14th, 2010
8:46 am
Barry — Tech situation is not anywhere close to Georgia’s situation right now. You need some thicker skin, bud.
BuckheadJacket
January 14th, 2010
8:46 am
Oops! – Sorry, but your original post, and your follow up, remain less than “intellegent” (your word BTW).
UGAFan: No worries! It happens to all of us. My team (at work) is arriving soon so I will be off these blogs also. Good day to you and other civilized Dawg fans.
Asheville Dawg: I agree. (Love your town BTW).
Sam
January 14th, 2010
8:47 am
How’s life in your dark little cubicle Dawghater?
Jeff Schultz
January 14th, 2010
8:47 am
The Grinch — asked and answered.
BuckheadJacket
January 14th, 2010
8:49 am
The Grinch: I agree completely with your post. The Braine contract is a factor but the great recruiting classes have bought some time for Hewitt, but very little time (thankfully). If he can’t produce with this talent he doesn’t belong.
Sugar Dog
January 14th, 2010
8:51 am
So nice to see you stealing, um, “borrowing” photos that weren’t taken by the AJC to use with your blog. Do you write your columns from your mom’s basement?
techbuzz
January 14th, 2010
8:51 am
Diaz, is this a joke?
Too Easy
January 14th, 2010
8:52 am
How ’bout this for initials? Buckhead Jacket = BJ. Man, how pompous and self-righteous you are – on a blog.
Sam
January 14th, 2010
8:54 am
You’re right Jeff. It isn’t. GT’s humiliation will be the fact that they can’t aim high enough. They talk NC but when it comes time to pony up they aren’t able to pay up. Go back and see if the last 10 NCs did it on the cheap. And next year’s NC has already cost Bama a significant increase.
Bella Oxmyx
January 14th, 2010
8:58 am
For the record, GT Athletics went into red ink because of Chan Gailey. Tech Fans and Supporters should be
APPLAUDED 
for voting with their pocketbooks. It brought the Athletic Dept to their knees, but sometimes that’s what’s necessary for effective and meaningful change. And of course there will still be some $$$ limitations as long as Gailey is drawing a GT paycheck north of $1 Mill a year…But that didn’t stop them from 1) hiring Paul Johnson and 2) making him the highest paid HC in the ACC after 2 years…So far, being “awash in cash” hasn’t seemed to work any miracles for the “Marvelous and Amazing Travelin’ Richt Show’s” DC search, now has it?
I went to games this past year and the FANS are back and they’re excited because of the product on the field. And although I haven’t seen comparison figures (and I don’t have the time to look them up), I’m pretty sure GT Athletics has turned the corner financially with CPJ’s success. In fact, those are the kind of interesting topics the AJC Sports Page would write about in the past before its transformation into The National Enquirer of Sports Pages, based more on writer OPINIONS instead of cold, hard facts. For example, Al Groh was spotted at a GT practice, therefore he’s about to be named the new GT DC any day now…..WTH?!?!?
justme
January 14th, 2010
9:00 am
It’s interesting how much conversation has been generated on these blogs about whether or not Groh will be the GT defensive coordinator, and if not him, speculation as to who it will be. Actually, I don’t believe anyone at Tech (Paul J. or Dan R.)has ever mentioned that Groh was their first choice or even a candidate. This has all been speculation by sports writers and bloggers. They also haven’t mentioned any other candidates. However, I am willing to bet if Groh goes to the Dolphins, most of the bloggers will be saying that GT “didn’t get their man”, and they will call the ultimate hire the “2nd or 3rd choice”. Actually, keeping your search private is the professional way to go about it rather than going through a fiasco such as the UGA hiring process.
BuckheadJacket
January 14th, 2010
9:01 am
B. Hunter: Sorry, I missed your earlier post. You can’t expect one or even two seasons to reinvigorate Tech football. Perhaps that would be the case at other schools, but Tech’s recent history is mediocre and it will take a longer time to build momentum with the fan base. Tech is trying to make a step up and the recent national exposure has helped, but only consistent success over several years will reinvigorate the program. It has happened in the past and it will again but consistent success on the field over several years will be required IMHO.
I’m out of here guys. Go Jackets and go Dawgs!
Doug Edwards
January 14th, 2010
9:04 am
Well would you listen to old Bella. All of a sudden Al Groh at a Tech practice or a sit down in PJ’s office means nothing. But of course just because Mark Richt talked on the phone to Bud Foster, Chavis, whoever, they were all offered the job. This GT coach search is going to be a lot of fun the longer it goes on. Get ready Tech fans to reap what you’ve sown just like 45-42 and 30-24.
ND
January 14th, 2010
9:05 am
FIRE BLEWITT!
collegeballfan
January 14th, 2010
9:06 am
Buddy Green the Navy DC. The DC at UCONN did a great job the last several years, top 10 defenses 2006 – 2008. Tough year last year, 2009.
But he took Spurrier to the cleaners in the bowl game. (But I heard UGA is looking at him).
juvenal
January 14th, 2010
9:10 am
go with the W&M guy, his D stopped Groh…
B. Hunter
January 14th, 2010
9:13 am
BuckheadJacket the problem has been with Tech that by the time the fans “reinvigorate” the coach is gone. Even the O’Leary/Freidgen era resulted in seats being removed from the stadium. When does all the idle talk stop and the action begin? It never happens. And really, when so much noise constantly comes from the fans and the support never shows how can it be more than idle talk. If Tech miraculously won a NC next year, I guarantee you the fans would then use the excuse that they want to see if he can do it again before they put their money where their mouths are. There is no logical explanation for the lack of fan support at GT.
USE FACTS PLEASE
January 14th, 2010
9:14 am
The payout for each team in the Orange Bowl was $18 Million.
And, as for tix purchases by GT fans for the Orange Bowl,
the vast majority of GT fans did not purchase their tix thru the GTAA,
b/c those tix were based on season tix priority. Lots of upper deck options.
Better seats were available to purchase via Ticketmaster, etc.
They cost more than thru GTAA, but an overall better selection of seats.
JSS
January 14th, 2010
9:17 am
Jeff Schultz, I set a Facebook cause page for the Haitian Relief effort
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=426507305332&ref=search&sid=819343849.3665709771..1
Hey all of you Tech and UGA fans!!! Step up to the plate!!! Tell me what you think!
Thanks to “Ted Striker” and Jeff Schultz!!!
I know some of you have falling out of your chairs… Please give if you can….
B. Hunter
January 14th, 2010
9:17 am
Then where were all the Tech fans USE FACTS PLEASE . Were they all disguised as Iowa fans? You guys are year in year out NCs of excuse making without a doubt.
GA Tech Insider
January 14th, 2010
9:18 am
You Techies need to calm down. Paul Johnson has everything under control regarding his defensive coordinator. I can assure you that he isn’t sitting on his hands right now. In fact, he was quite active down in Florida, when the guys were making their announcements to forgo their Senior years.
Just because Paul isn’t conducting his search in public, it doesn’t mean he isn’t looking at quality candidates for his staff. In fact, you might be surprised at some of the people he’s been speaking with.
Someone has mentioned that Coach Johnson doesn’t like to sit around and/or waste time, so if anyone thinks he’s been waiting for Coach Groh to give him some sort of an answer, you’ve been mistaken.
JSS
January 14th, 2010
9:18 am
and that is “set up” somethings never change…
Sam Houston
January 14th, 2010
9:19 am
Jeff. Do you think Groh would be dedicated and hard working as he should be, since he has a nice check coming for the next 2 years.
Russ4Heisman.net
January 14th, 2010
9:20 am
Why was Groh a “lock” at GT? Because you said so? Given that you provide no sources (or no explanation as to why there are no sources provided), its difficult to objectively evaluate your claim.
Please, please I ask you and MB, don’t start copying the Finebaum-style of journalism. I know your bosses care about page hits, not content, but you guys are better journalists than just being about “buzz” and traffic.
Here’s one of your linked bloggers, Senator Blutarsky, eviscerating the half-formed logic of you and MB regarding the UGA DC search.
http://blutarsky.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/did-mark-richt-forget-to-renew-his-aj-c-subscription/
GeoffDawg
January 14th, 2010
9:23 am
Re: Bob Shoop – is that the same William & Mary that beat Virginia? Sounds like he already knows how to win in the ACC.
Rob T.
January 14th, 2010
9:23 am
Yeah buddy GA Tech Insider. Paul Johnson can do no wrong. Other than fall on his fat butt in bowl games that is. And for such an insider, your info sure has sucked.
USE FACTS PLEASE
January 14th, 2010
9:25 am
B. Hunter:
Dont know WTH you’re talking about. Dont think you were ACTUALLY at the OB.
Lots of GT fans there. Not as many as Iowa.
Iowa has 30,000 undergrads. GT has 14,000 undegrads.
Iowa is a much bigger school with lots more fans and represented the overall majority
of the OB audience. Doesnt mean GT didnt have a large crowd at the OB.