DeAndre Smelter is going to be one of the biggest contributors for the Jackets in 2014, but he could be poised for an even bigger year than anyone has anticipated. His performance in the off-season so far indicates that it really isn't that far outside the realm of possibility for him to have that monster season, but he can't do it with his talent alone -- Justin Thomas will need to deliver with better accuracy than Vad Lee had last season, and that too seems possible with all of the good reports about Thomas's passing game coming out of camp. Regardless of how Smelter's season turns out, it is safe to say that the Jackets would be just short of lost without his services; the passing game would be much shakier without its number one receiver.
The Georgia Tech basketball team will be playing in one of the most important games for the team in recent history when they take on the ACC newcomer Louisville Cardinals on the ESPN Big Monday special in February. The game will be one of the biggest the Jackets have played in the newly renovated McCamish Pavilion, giving the school a great chance to showcase their new facility which is among the best in the conference. The rest of the slate for Big Monday is a great on as well -- it features all of the ACC's best schools facing off for what should be a great day of basketball in America. If Tech can win their game in the national spotlight, it would do wonders for the struggling program. My thought is that some good exposure would help the Jackets build some good momentum, which is always welcome in this day and age of Tech basketball.
Leave it West Virginia's Dana Holgorsen to go and reveal the not-so-secret-but-not-confirmed secrets of college football to the public. His comments that lying is a big part of the recruiting cycle are not surprising by any stretch of the mind, but him saying it aloud is... questionable. I really think that this gives Paul Johnson a recruiting edge on many other coaches. That's not to say that he doesn't stretch the truth from time to time (I'm sure he does), but I doubt he does it to the extent of other coaches. Recruits can pick up on that kind of stuff better than most people realize, and Paul Johnson keeping it real is a noticeable difference for guys making their college choices.
I just have to say it like it is: the new College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta is going to be the coolest museum in the nation when it opens. From what I can gather, the whole thing is going to be a really neat, sleek, state-of-the-art electronic building with tons of cool features and memorabilia. If it turns out to be half as amazing as it seems in the article, I might go inside and not come out until they make me leave -- it's going to be something to see. The helmet wall is my favorite aspect that we currently know about. It will be really interesting to see what teams are well represented in the HOF when it opens in late August.
What are you most excited about in the CFB Hall of Fame? Will DeAndre Smelter have a monster season or stay relatively quiet? How much of a role does lying really have in recruiting?
Have a great Tuesday!