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
GTBob
January 31st, 2012
5:07 pm
didn’t have a SINGLE quality win.
I guess that makes it official that Auburn is not a quality win. So who was UGA’s next best win? Can’t claim GT they are an ACC team. I guess that leaves Vandy?
lance manion
January 31st, 2012
5:08 pm
I assume football would be more important to Sugar Hill Dawg if he had actually gone to UGA. Like many UGA fans, the school is just their for football games.
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
5:08 pm
I guess I require more than looking at Miami and FSU. I’d want to know who the ACC was playing before making too many judgments.
Richard Cranium
January 31st, 2012
5:09 pm
Thanks Marked Badley for printing this 24 hrs before signing day you piece of crap. leg humping, irresponsible moron.
What a joke of a writer.
Bill in Calhoun
January 31st, 2012
5:11 pm
Great article Mark Bradley! Don’t let these blogger-types on here drag you down! You do a might fine job with your coverage of UGA and GT athletics, as well as the Hawks.
Keep up the great work, we love you & we need you!
THWG!
trey
January 31st, 2012
5:13 pm
LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO
You go girls!
lance manion
January 31st, 2012
5:14 pm
Mark Bradley, you are no Furman Bisher or Jesse Outlar. They were at least fair to all schools in the state. Looks like you are trying to trash our school, and our coach and players. Maybe you should write an article that is your own work to begin with, and secondly, it would discuss how the number 4 engineering school in the country, top ten in the world also competes successfully in football, basketball, golf, baseball and track. Guess that would be too obvious to you. This is why I quit taking the AJC after 30 plus years and use it free on line. Hell, your job and industry is going the way of the buggy whip. But you will do well as a blogger, as that is all you are anyway.
Ohiobuzzard
January 31st, 2012
5:14 pm
Mark, as the local journalist and representative of the south’s largest newspaper you seem to take the route of beating up on the local team. What gives that would only happen if you want some other team to benefit maybe UGA. Why don’t you try writting an objective article that might promote the local team and encourage there success.
Oscar
January 31st, 2012
5:16 pm
Trying to compare Tech and Georgia is like comparing apples and oranges. Two different schools, goals, and conferences.
Tech Rules, you sissy boy mutts....
January 31st, 2012
5:17 pm
GTBob – Industrial Engineering has been ranked number 1 in the country for many years now.
Great academics
January 31st, 2012
5:17 pm
I am a UGA fan and I will admit that Coach Johnson and his staff are better offensively than UGA. With the poor coaches that UGA employs on that side of the ball, most colleges are better in offensive schemes.
Rick James
January 31st, 2012
5:17 pm
@GTBob
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
—————————————————————————————-
I thought you had a coach that split a national title in 1990..He seemed to recruit well enough to get that done.
bill
January 31st, 2012
5:20 pm
Another Georgia homer talks about GT. Instead of understanding the situation, he simply repeats some base line numbers from another individual who knows nothing about Tech and probably has not been on campus and or spoken with Coach Johnson. As we all know you can make anything out of numbers, it just depends on what your trying to accomplish. Bradley needs to focus on the problems at Georgia with their player getting in trouble and worry about that. Tech will be fine and complete the process the way it should be completed. I doubt PJ could care less what someone from ESPN or Mark Bradley has to say.
GTman
January 31st, 2012
5:20 pm
Sugarhilldawg – I agree. Auburn (by Clemson) and Florida (by FSU) were not quality wins. However in order to get a quality win in the SEC, one would have to play Alabama or LSU – the only two quality teams in the SEC.
THWG & SHD!
stingembuzz
January 31st, 2012
5:24 pm
Dawglasville
January 31st, 2012
11:46 am
I wish that all of the in state talent stayed in state. I wish that the kids who want to be engineers would go to Tech. The kids who don’t, I wish they would come to UGA or Southern, and I wish that the kids who can’t get into Tech or UGA would play at Southern. Can you imagine if Tech and UGA filled their teams with the top talent in the state? “You might say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one.”
If they could pull off that then it would be a VERY important game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. There is a massive amount of talent playing GHSA football. If the borders were cut off from the rest of College Football we would have some very good teams to make the rivalry even better.
Greg
January 31st, 2012
5:25 pm
Don’t give me this “it’s not a level playing field” crap. These players just aren’t interested in playing for a 2nd rate program like Tech. The GT hoops team historically has had no problem accepting a long list of athlete-students who had no interest in school…there was no question from the beginning that they were “one and done” players before arriving in ATL. If I’m wrong, then someone please detail the strong academic credentials of all Tech’s basketball one and done’s. I’ll be waiting patiently..,
ATLROB
January 31st, 2012
5:28 pm
SimpleDawg has it right. You have to SMART to go to GA Tech. That is why SEC grads call GA Tech grads “BOSS”
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
5:29 pm
Well, considering the data isn’t made publicly available (unless the player releases it or an individual is interested in breaking federal law), you’ll be waiting a long time, Greg.
You may not like it, but Tech’s admissions are higher than the NCAA minimum.
Ohiobuzzard
January 31st, 2012
5:30 pm
If you took all the largest schools from each state and then looked at there in state recruits then took the 2nd largest football school in each state I think you would find a similiar result. This article is as biased as it gets very poor job of journalism in my mind.
909
January 31st, 2012
5:32 pm
First, readers need to recognize that ESPN has a VESTED INTEREST in all things SEC.
Thats the only way ESPN will ever be able to afford to pay the Billion contract it signed with
the SEC.
Second, see this AJC article: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2008/12/28/acadmain_1228_3DOT.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab
Here’s the important part:
“Georgia Tech’s football players had the nation’s best average SAT score, 1028 of a possible 1600, and best average high school GPA, 3.39 of a possible 4.0 in the core curriculum. But Tech’s football players still scored 315 SAT points lower on average than their classmates.”
“At the University of Georgia, the average football SAT was 949, which is 239 points behind the average for an undergraduate student at Georgia — and 79 points behind Tech’s football average. The Bulldogs’ average high school GPA was 2.77, or 45th out of 53 teams for which football GPAs were available. Their SAT average ranked them 22nd.”
What this article makes clear it that The Hill at GT is very selective on who it allows the GTAA to offer scholarships to. More selective than what the GTAA might prefer. It also proves that the average GT undergrad is VERY academically accomplished.
The fact that UGA ranks 45th out 53 only serves to CONFIRM how illiterate UGA recruits are, and that UGA will and does offer scholarships to any of this state’s illiterate high school “graduates”
that the admin at GT will not allow.
Need an example: try Lonnie Outlaw. Outlaw was recruited by UGA, and is required to attend Georgia Military for 2 FULL YEARS…before…UGA can even accept him. Outlaw must be seriously illiterate if he needs 2 full years at remedial-stupid school just to be eligible at UGA.
Third, lets face facts: The Athletic Association at UGA is a plantation system.
There’s no other way to describe an organization that takes illiterates kids, puts them in remedial education for the purpose of getting them qualified to play football so that can generate revenue for the Athletic Association. Do i jest? UGA’s very own infamous Dr. Leroy Ervin said EXACTLY those words in US Federal Court.
Fourth, this state is turning out legions of barely literate high school graduates. GT will always have a tough time recruiting, if this state’s high schoolers are graduating…dumber and dumber each year.
Fifth, Over-signing. The SEC has perfected it.
Sixth: $$$$$. Bama, Auburn, and SEC schools pay BIG $$$$ to recruits.
Just ask Herschel, or Cam.
Way too many examples to list, but you get the idea.
SuperB
January 31st, 2012
5:32 pm
Hell, look at the GT coach. It’s a wonder they get anybody. Telling recruits if they visit another school to get lost, isn’t great salesmanship.
Ohiobuzzard
January 31st, 2012
5:33 pm
Greg,
The reason they get basketball recruits is that the ACC is viewed as abetter basketball confrence and because GT is recognized as abetter basketball program than UGA
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
5:34 pm
Funny you say that, Ohiobuzzard. Also on the list are Stanford, Cal, Oklahoma State, Auburn, NC State, and Texas A&M. Meanwhile, UCLA has signed 12 of California’s 73 ESPNU 150 players and that has gotten them….
SuperB
January 31st, 2012
5:35 pm
909 is an idiot. If he knew anything… he’d know Herschel marked Clemson off his list for a reason. (Does ablack Trans-Am seem familiar?) Herschel didn’t get one dime from UGA, nor did any other Vince Dooley recruit in 25 years. Apparently, 909 must be his IQ. Put the decimal in the right place. (Might want explain to 909 what a decimal is first.)
superDawg
January 31st, 2012
5:35 pm
Well there is one thing tek is good at and that is cheating,lieing,and chop blocking.
jacket
January 31st, 2012
5:35 pm
Oh well…at least we have basketball…oh, wait a minute
SuperB
January 31st, 2012
5:37 pm
Hey 909 or .909— GT can win all the debating team championships and College Bowls– you just can’t win football games– and this is a damn football blog.
Pete
January 31st, 2012
5:39 pm
So whats the basketball team’s excuse ?
SuperB
January 31st, 2012
5:39 pm
And one more thing– Georgia has had more Rhodes Scholars than– let’s see….. Georgia Tech. I don’t hat eGT, but their jealousy is starting to wear thin.
Greg
January 31st, 2012
5:39 pm
79 points difference on the SAT isn’t a whole lot. If anything, it shows that Tech is trying to get more athlete-students and getting some of them…they just aren’t as good as the players the elite football schools are getting.
George, getting back to the basketball one and done’s, you can plead ignorance all you want since it can’t be absolutely proven, but anyone with a shred of common sense knows what went on with those players. It’s easy for you Tekkie’s to cast dispersions about other programs, but not so comfortable to look in the mirror now, is it?
GTman
January 31st, 2012
5:40 pm
Sorry tech fans, but as all engineers know, the numbers do tell a story. Maybe not the whole story, but we must accept that CPJ can not recruit. He is just not capable of closing the deal with top talent. He does not think he needs top talent because he is so smart he can beat your 5 star and 4 star athletes with his genius and 3 star athletes. I have to admit, I was drinking the Kool Aid after we beat UGA (with one of their best teams ever and in Athens) and then we won the ACCCG.
CPJ needs to find someone that can recruit the state of Georgia and he needs to get someone to teach him how to sell to recruits (yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks if he wants to learn).
And while you are at it CPJ – go out and find a QB that can actually run the option and pass the #$@! football and get some D-lineman that can eat up blocks and stop the run.
Still hopeful, but running out of patience with this regime.
James
January 31st, 2012
5:41 pm
Paul Johnson is a grade A Turd…..he is turning GT Football into an after thought.
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
5:42 pm
It it’s been proven, Greg, then you show me the evidence. I’ll be waiting patiently.
Show me one place where I’ve said a bad word about UGA.
Tom
January 31st, 2012
5:44 pm
Just because Tech stinks right now does not mean it isn’t a good program. It’s college! It isn’t the NBA! If in need of a good game, drive down to Macon and watch the Mercer Bears. Go Bears!!!
Give guys like Julian Royal time to mature some. He seems like a team player, not a hotshot. Tech needs team players ; when that happens consistently, they will win more often.
Mama Says
January 31st, 2012
5:45 pm
Ok point taken we don’t get as many top recruits as Ga, Fla, Al, Fl St or AU.
So do we get more students than any of them either ? If we do then we have a story. If we are a smaller school then ESPN is reporting a statistical truism.
The abnormality would be if we were had a larger enrollment of students overall and still had less 4 and 5 star players.
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
5:46 pm
Well, GTman, perhaps if you look at the numbers a bit differently, you’ll see he isn’t recruiting poorly (if you believe the recruiting analysts).
One way is to consider the average stars of the players a school is bringing it as this reduces the bias that exists in favor of larger classes. For example, UVA has Rivals 25th rated class. But their average stars per player is 2.89. Tech is not in the top 50, but we are at 3.00. The disparity is a function of class size, not player worth.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 31st, 2012
5:47 pm
The wishbone isn’t a big seller for today’s kids and that is Ga Tech’s big problem. The Admin at Tech will have to live with the current performance or hire another HC. GT needed Mike Leach but needed someone in the admin that was bold to take the bull by the horns. I have no clue about Paul’s contract but those folks behind he scenes need a shortlist and again they need a hotshot to get things moving and then recruiting will get better in a hurry. I salute Paul for the number of wins at Ga Tech but he is running up hill trying to get today’s youth to come run the Bone. These kids want to be on seen on Sportscenter each Saturday and many value this more than winning or teamwork.
yellowjacket
January 31st, 2012
5:47 pm
Key factors that keep GTech From getting top recruits.
1. The ability to have the scores and grades to get in the school.
2. The offense really isn’t considered attractive. (If they went at a faster pace and threw the ball then maybe)
3. The uniforms aren’t really mainstream. A little petty but recruits look at that.
4. Support of the city. Atlanta is full of fair weather fans. Atlanta is full of stars. Get their support!
5. Start recruiting early in the players career. Georgia for some reason recruits players later in their career. Start earlier. Develop relationships with the coaches and the players.
Vince
January 31st, 2012
5:49 pm
I think that S. Carolina has more commits from the state of Georgia than UGA. Now, not only do we make Auburn and Alabama great, we are also the main supplier of talent to S. Carolina !!!!!!
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
5:49 pm
Mike Leach is Paul Johnson, just with the exact opposite offense. They both have pretty much the same personality, though.
John
January 31st, 2012
5:52 pm
For the people that say that GT has recruiting obstacles to overcome are just foolish. O’Leary and Chan Gailey didn’t have a problem recruiting here…………Fire CPJ !
George Stein
January 31st, 2012
5:54 pm
And hire who, John?
Yellow Jacket
January 31st, 2012
5:55 pm
Anyone see that UGA cheerleader today? Now we know where the dawgs got their name.
lance manion
January 31st, 2012
5:55 pm
What is with all the criticism of Tech’s football program? 15 winning seasons out of the last 16. 15 consecutive bowl games. Continuous forays into the top 25. A number of big wins over ranked teams, virtually on an annual basis. It is not perfect, but what is? Given the fact that the academics are tough, the curriculum narrow and a small alumni base in Atlanta relative to other large schools, I am damned proud of what the institute has accomplished. Paul Johnson has kept us competitive, gotten good athletes who are even better kids and given us a posotove sense of direction. I am sick of the nay sayers and critics. If you don’t like our program, get the Hell off the board and yap somewhere else. If you have a constructive comment, make it. Otherwise, go peddle your crap elsewhere!
Big time???? NOT!
January 31st, 2012
5:55 pm
Four tickets , four hot dogs, four cokes.
Yellow Jacket
January 31st, 2012
5:58 pm
She made ugga look good.
Yellow Jacket
January 31st, 2012
6:00 pm
I see a can of spray paint in her future.
David Granger
January 31st, 2012
6:01 pm
Tech needs to offer a “General Studies” major…that’d take care of the problem.
Rocketman
January 31st, 2012
6:02 pm
Yellowjacket—-You tech fan’s continued distorted view of your school’s academic loftiness is greatly unfounded. My neighbor’s son went to tech on a track scholarship with very ordinary ACT scores and a 3.1 GPA out of High School. Athletes entering tech are not held to the same standard as the general population. Most of these kids are very eligible.
Yellow Jacket
January 31st, 2012
6:04 pm
Screw Bradley, Anna Watson is the elephant in the room. Can anyone explain to me how she became a UGA cheerleader.
You’re up Bubba.