Georgia Tech’s 3-8 record aside, coach Geoff Collins has not done himself any favors this year with Yellow Jackets fans with his answer to a specific question – what he would say to fans and donors lacking confidence or frustrated over the team’s play.
On multiple occasions, when asked that variations of the question, Collins gave answers that did not acknowledge the frustration and disappointment, responses that obviously did not win much appreciation from Yellow Jackets supporters investing in his team with their time, money and energy. After the 55-0 loss at Notre Dame on Saturday, he responded that his only concern at that moment was the well being of his players “and we’ll just keep it there.” Speaking at his weekly Tuesday news conference in advance of the Jackets’ game against No. 1 Georgia on Saturday, Collins communicated a different message to supporters in his opening remarks.
“I get it,” he said. “I understand it. I’m frustrated. I’m as big of a competitor as there is in the game. And so I’m frustrated. Even though we’ve made progress, it still hasn’t shown up in the win column where we want it to be and where we need it to be and where it will be. But I completely get the frustration.
“And I understand, and just know that there’s nobody that is more focused on fixing it, keeping us moving forward than myself, than the men in this building and the women in this building and the players in that locker room, and obviously the entire focus is on getting our guys ready to play at a high level against a great team. That is first and foremost right now (Tuesday).”
Collins said that the way he had answered the question had been “on my mind a lot.” He brought it up Tuesday, he said, because he did not want to appear to be avoiding the matter.
Collins went on to say that, following Saturday’s game that ends the season, he and the staff will evaluate everything within the program and deciding on the offseason steps necessary “to get us to the point where we’re taking the next big step that we’re about to take in this program.”
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