More random, tasty bits

Just a few things that popped into my head in the last day:

• Tech loses yet another player, the ethically impaired Trey Dunmon. Now that’s not a big surprise in the sense that there’s a sea change in offensive philosophy going on at Tech and it’s inevitable that some kids aren’t going to buy into the new system, but I don’t think people realize how thin the Jackets are going to be in 2008, especially as the rigors of the season take their toll. One popular reason pundits like to give for the demise of the option running attack in college football is the increased emphasis on speed in the defenses, but another equally significant factor is team depth. The wishbone was an ideal offense to run in the days when Texas and Alabama had over 100 kids on scholarship – Bear’s fourth string tailback was better than the first string tailback on the majority of his opponents’ teams – but these days it’s much harder to overwhelm the schools you play with wave after wave of players. Should Georgia Tech take a few hits in key personnel areas, Johnson will remember what it’s like to play BCS conference schools with non-BCS conference talent. This isn’t to say that I don’t think he can succeed with what he’s doing (as a matter of fact, I believe he will), but the difference between what he did at Georgia Southern and Navy and what he’s being asked to do now is that he’s going to face BCS conference teams on a far more consistent basis. Without depth, that’s a tough row to hoe.
• Normally I’m not a big fan of scheduling 1-AA teams, but I have to admit that this was neatly done. Georgia’s 2009 OOC schedule prior to picking up Tennessee Tech consisted of Oklahoma State (road), Arizona State (home) and Georgia Tech (road), so I don’t think anyone will begrudge Damon Evans much for adding the Golden Eagles. And the move has the twin benefits of preserving the open date before the WLOCP – the Gators play at Mississippi State the week before, by the way – and giving the Dawgs something of a breather between Florida and Auburn. That’s hard to knock.
• Speaking of Auburn, say what you will about Tuberville, but you have to appreciate the level of success he’s achieved there. What’s interesting is that he’s gone about it in ways that are the polar opposite of Richt’s. Richt emphasizes staff continuity; Tuberville goes through coordinators like they were Kleenex. Richt realized coming in what an advantage his program should have in recruiting by being the premier program in a talent rich state and has capitalized on that position. Tuberville has never had that luxury, at least not on a consistent basis, and has had to scramble on a more regional basis to bring in the talent.
• Speaking in turn of Tubby’s coordinators, this t-shirt spotted at Arkansas’ spring game gave me a chuckle:

Sure, sweetheart, but for how long?