ESPN: Tech is the second-worst at keeping in-state talent
Jonathan Dwyer: One of the exceptions who proves the rule. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
One of the charms about ESPN is that the Worldwide Leader has enough correspondents to satisfy every viewpoint. Just yesterday, ESPN recruiting correspondent Jamie Newberg was lauding Georgia Tech for its success in finding prospects of lesser portfolio. But now comes LaRue Cook of ESPN the Magazine to serve as the bad cop.
Georgia Tech, Cook writes, is the nation’s second-worst program at attracting high-end in-state players. (Only Arizona keeps Tech from being No. 1.) Cook’s rationale: Over the past five years, the Jackets have landed only two of the 74 Georgia recruits ranked in ESPN’s top 150.
Wait. It gets worse.
Neither of the two — Jonathan Dwyer and Morgan Burnett — was landed by Paul Johnson and staff. Those two were signed by Chan Gailey, who last coached Tech in 2007. Only one Tech signee under Johnson, Cook writes, has cracked the ESPN 150, and that was Vad Lee of North Carolina.
More from Cook (link requires registration): “Over the last five years, Alabama and Auburn have combined for 10 blue-chip preps out of the Peach State, while Florida and Florida State have combined to sign nine.”
As has been noted a time or two in this space and others, Tech under Johnson hasn’t been shopping at the same ritzy store as do the big SEC programs — so we can’t say Cook’s findings are a shock. Still, there’s something about seeing the chilling number (2-for-74) that drives the point home. Thank goodness for Arizona, huh?
By Mark Bradley
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746 comments Add your comment
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
4:39 pm
To the extent that it’s true, SiddyBoy, it reflects poorly on the players. I suppose they’re only kids, but hopefully a parent will help them, because they likely will never earn a dime playing football.
Rick James
January 31st, 2012
4:40 pm
@GTBob
I don’t know if he is quite to the great coach level but he has done a pretty good job at Tech. One thing is for sure, he is a much better coach then Richt
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I guess head to head compitition between the two would only if relevant if Johnson were 3-1 instead of 1-3 against Richt huh George?
Reggie Ball
January 31st, 2012
4:40 pm
“Come on, dog. It’s a game. Georgia’s Georgia. They’re a good team, but they’re no speed bump.”
What down is it anyway?
BIG BEE
January 31st, 2012
4:40 pm
REMARKABLE, you will note that every good team UGA played took them to the wood shed. Since they don’t play any good teams next year, they sure as heck better win them all or the wolves will circle again.
Pensacola dawg
January 31st, 2012
4:40 pm
Academic entrance standards are no different than UGA, so stop with that line of crap. Bottom line is the school is located in the getto and most kids are not looking for that type of college experience. Plus its hard for a kid from a big time high school to get fired up to play in front of 32000! Just sayin
GTBob
January 31st, 2012
4:43 pm
Academic entrance standards are no different than UGA, so stop with that line of crap.
Actually they are a lot different. You should do more research.
Thursday Night Lights
January 31st, 2012
4:43 pm
Y’all quit worrying about Georgie! We SPANKED that Clemson arse, 31-17 and no one, not even Dabo can deny that!
We Run This Conference!
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
4:45 pm
If your comment was addressed to me, Rick, I’d tell you head to head records mean very little in college. If Nick Saban was the head coach at Coastal Carolina and he played UGA 100 times, he’d lose 100 times.
Rick James
January 31st, 2012
4:45 pm
@headley lamar
Its amazing he hasn’t been fired. Especially with getting Tech put back on probation. Again.
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Are you reading these comments? He hasnt been fired because Tech fans think he walks on water.
wrecked
January 31st, 2012
4:45 pm
Big BEE, Most every team UGA played last year would’ve take Tech to the woodshed.Same goes with this year schedule.
Great academics
January 31st, 2012
4:45 pm
I am a UGA, SEC fan. I don’t hate Tech and wish Tech well except when they play UGA, or ever have a chance to be National Champions.
The truth here is that Tech is the college in Georgia for a great education, while UGA is just an average school that can accept more players with lesser academic scores. I don’t see how Tech can field a winning team with the school’s emphasis on academics. Paul Johnson has a heck of an academic restriction when it comes to recruiting players that most other schools in the state, and southeast, do not have. Just stating the truth.
TybeeDawg
January 31st, 2012
4:47 pm
Reggie Ball? Seriously? Who let that techie loser on here? Thanks for the memories Reggie!
Hey Headley
January 31st, 2012
4:47 pm
He beats up on the sisters of the blind every year in the first 6 games and gets the techies excited which doesn’t take much.
PT Barnum
January 31st, 2012
4:48 pm
Imma long time Tech fan and I was happy about the CPJ hire. Now, not-so-much. I think this article is VALID on its face. I think it is a symptom of a bigger problem with this coach. and now Im not so sure CPJ is the man for the job. I foresee a 7-5/8-4 reg seaon with a loss to the Dawgs(boo) and a mid tire bowl embarrassment AGAIN. 2 yrs max and CPJ is shown the door….any TAKERS?
GTBob
January 31st, 2012
4:48 pm
Are you reading these comments? He hasnt been fired because Tech fans think he walks on water.
I don’t think he walks on water, but it is absurd to say he is doing a poor job when you look at the history of Tech football. This is not a very easy place to recruit or coach.
Tech Rules, you sissy boy mutts....
January 31st, 2012
4:48 pm
Ah yes, the annual bashing of tech by the worthless scum at the ajc urinal liner, just prior to national signing day, as usual. Well, we techies and our families are doing our part to destroy your rag, we collectively cancelled our subscriptions, and bad mouth the urinal at every opportunity…Here is hoping the ajc is history this time next year….scum bags….
DawgsRunThisState31-17
January 31st, 2012
4:48 pm
Richt is a fine Christian man and I would prefer him as our head coach ANY DAY of the week over Coach Fish Fry. It’s obvious ole Turkey Neck is the most arrogant coach in college football today.
DawgsRunThisState31-17
Rick James
January 31st, 2012
4:48 pm
@George Stein
My comments were not addressed to you..You’re too smart to post that the better two coaches would be 1-3 in head to head compitition.
GTR
January 31st, 2012
4:49 pm
He’s doing a better job of evaluating and finding hidden talent but then other big schools come calling at the last minute. Not much CPJ can do after they verbally commit then flip at the last minute. CPJ needs to relax his scholarship policy a bit. Yanking after a kid decides to visit another school is just old school for kids these days. Especially with so many schools yanking on their sleeves. I disagree with his policy.
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
4:49 pm
He’s not perfect, Rick, but he’s a good football coach.
Dawglasville
January 31st, 2012
4:50 pm
GTBob – Well, lets play the troll game Bob. Tech gets all of these 5 star students from all over the world. Funny, I don’t think that you can find any publication that will say Tech is the best engineering school in the nation. You won’t find anyone (exept for a Tech Kool Aid drinker) that says Tech is anywhere near being the very best school in the nation. A lot would argue that Emory is the best school in the state of Georgia. So I guess, using your blog logic, that Bud “The Dud” Peterson is a joke of a president and that Tech is totally insignificant. Now, we both know that you don’t feel that way Bob so why don’t we finally mature past the blog game.
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
4:50 pm
Fair enough, Rick, but I do think it goes deeper than record.
@GTbob
January 31st, 2012
4:50 pm
Not winning anything meaningful, coming from a Tech fan that would consider a season meaningful if the only game they won was vs UGA..
We Beat Clemson
January 31st, 2012
4:50 pm
We locked DOWN their superstar rookie Sammy Watkins.
GT showed in prime time exactly why they are THE force to be reckoned with in the ACC!
DAMON
January 31st, 2012
4:50 pm
Nothing is going to change until the offense scheme changes. That’s not going to happen as long as Johnson is the coach.
Tech is one the top engineering schools in the country. Just imagine they were still using slide rules to teach, how many top engineering students would attend??
SEC Rules
January 31st, 2012
4:52 pm
All you ACC honkers out there take notes, SIX, that’s right 6 consecutive national titles for the SEC!
Rick James
January 31st, 2012
4:52 pm
@GTBob
I don’t think he walks on water, but it is absurd to say he is doing a poor job when you look at the history of Tech football. This is not a very easy place to recruit or coach.
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I’ve never said he was doing a poor job but to keep thinking that he is doing a good job because he has the highest winning percentage since Bobby Dodd is somewhat of a stretch and a cop out.
Tossed Salad
January 31st, 2012
4:52 pm
It’s hard to recruit better when you ABSOLUTELY SUCK. Deal with it, Fish Fryers.
Tucker
January 31st, 2012
4:52 pm
The local talent of any consequence prefers Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, and Florida State over Tech and UGA. Cannot blame them. They want to go to schools that have actually played in BCS championship games, not just talked about it during the off season.
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
4:52 pm
Georgia is a good school, too, Great academics. Anyone with a brain knows it.
I know y’all don’t like Adams, but he (and the HOPE Scholarship) deserves a lot of credit for raising the academic profile of UGA.
dean
January 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
Tech should do a better job recruiting these kids and just the same kids should have more pride in thier home state to want to play for one of the state schools.
So what you beat Clemson
January 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
What was the score on your pinnacle night? 31-17?
That score sounds AWFULLY familiar!
Aaron Murray threw four touchdown passes and No. 13 Georgia extended its domination over No. 25 Georgia Tech, pulling away for a 31-17 victory.
“I don’t like losing to nobody, but when it’s in-state, when it’s your rival,” linebacker Julian Burnett said, his voice trailing off. “We’re tired of being the little brothers in the state.”
Georgia tacked on a field goal with just 3 seconds left in the half, getting a second chance when Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson called a timeout just before the snap trying to mess up the Bulldogs. If only he had known they would make a bad snap, leading to an ugly miss by a Blair Walsh. On the do-over, Walsh knocked through a 41-yarder.
The Bulldogs didn’t have to punt until their sixth possession, with nearly 5 minutes gone in the third quarter.
“That’s deflating. That’s deflates the whole team,” Johnson said. “The other thing that’s deflating is when they score right before halftime.
Georgia Tech yanked Washington and scored a meaningless touchdown on Orwin Smith’s 16-yard run with 6 1-2 minutes to go. That wasn’t much of a salve for this familiar wound.
“We definitely don’t like losing to these guys,” Washington said.
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
4:55 pm
That was insightful, Tossed Salad.
So what you beat Clemson
January 31st, 2012
4:55 pm
Georgia Tech yanked Washington and scored a meaningless touchdown on Orwin Smith’s 16-yard run with 6 1-2 minutes to go. That wasn’t much of a salve for this familiar wound.
“We definitely don’t like losing to these guys,” Washington said.
Nobis
January 31st, 2012
4:55 pm
Pensacola dawg..I guess that is WHY UGa has 73% Special Admits on the football team.
Julian Burnett Says...
January 31st, 2012
4:56 pm
The result was all too familiar to the Yellow Jackets: another loss to the Bulldogs.
“I don’t like losing to nobody, but when it’s in-state, when it’s your rival,” linebacker Julian Burnett said, his voice trailing off. “We’re tired of being the little brothers in the state.”
GTBob
January 31st, 2012
4:57 pm
I don’t think that you can find any publication that will say Tech is the best engineering school in the nation.
You might. We are the 4th best engineering school in the country according to rankings. Someone might have put us at #1 at some point. Probably not though. Kinda hard to compete with MIT.
Great academics
January 31st, 2012
4:57 pm
The truth is Tech IS a better school for an education than UGA, no doubt there. UGA is a good academic school, but not in the same class as Tech
Also, the ACC is the WORST football conference in the FBS. Beating teams in the ACC means nothing. Just ask West Virginia how good the ACC is.
2HLLWGA
January 31st, 2012
4:59 pm
Mark, did you read the ESPN the Magazine article entitled “Five-Star Fiction” by Peter Keating where he states that the rating systems have close to zero correlation with how a team does. This article seems to show that fans and the media put too much hype on recruiting and not enough on coaching. Mark Richt and Paul Hewitt, by that measure, way underperformed and it appears that Paul Johnson may way outperform in the coaching category.
Not that I am making excuses, I am proud of the academic requirements of the GT players and how they do (which is much better than the GT general population).
It will be interesting to see how the SEC powerhouses do when the academic standards for the entire NCAA go up in a couple of years.
SugarHillDawg
January 31st, 2012
5:00 pm
We Beat Clemson, that the funniest post on this thread. A force to reckoned with in the ACC is like being the least fat girl in a a fat girl pageant.
Julian Burnett Was Right!
January 31st, 2012
5:00 pm
Georgia Tech truly is nothing more than the little brothers in the state!
2HLLWGA
January 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
“Great Academics” – I agree with you – for the 75 to 80 players on each team that do not make even one year in the NFL, it is important ot have a degree to fall back on…
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
Depends on what you want to do, Great academics. As for the conference strength thing, it’s tired, but I’d say it’s also deeper than one game.
GTBob
January 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
I’ve never said he was doing a poor job but to keep thinking that he is doing a good job because he has the highest winning percentage since Bobby Dodd is somewhat of a stretch and a cop out.
It’s not a cop out. It’s meant to show that winning games at GT is not easy and we should appreciate a coach who at least wins a few. He will never start winning BCS titles or beating UGA, nor will any GT coach, but at least he keeps us competitive.
Rubbing Salve In the Wound?
January 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
Stay classy UGag fans! Yeah, you’ve beat us 9 out of 10 years under Saint Richt – there, I admitted it!
Hope you’re happy now! We are geared up for academics, not athletics, them’s the berries!
SugarHillDawg
January 31st, 2012
5:03 pm
I just heard on 680 today that the ACC played 25 games last year against out of conference teams and went 9 and 16 and didn’t have a SINGLE quality win.The conference shouldn’t have a BCS tie in.
SugarHillDawg
January 31st, 2012
5:04 pm
Rubbing Salve, you are using the same old tired Tech come back. You wanna talk football or academics???
Hey SugarHill
January 31st, 2012
5:05 pm
680 is a pro-Dawgs station. Try listening to 790 The Zone, THE Flagship Station of Georgia Tech Athletics.
Great academics
January 31st, 2012
5:06 pm
There is no questioning how bad the ACC is in football. Look at the football powers that FSU and Miami were BEFORE they joined the ACC. Now, they are just 2 average at best football programs
Mike
January 31st, 2012
5:06 pm
Not seeing anything here that explains how many of those top in-state football players were academically impossible to get into Georgia Tech … At first blush, this seems like a cheap shot at the Yellow Jackets program. Perhaps ESPN would like to look at the number of former Georgia Tech athletes who achieved something more significant in their lives after they took off the uniform.