The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Johnson praises Jackets’ new guy
liked what he heard from
Stansbury about the new locker room and $125 mil
After a face-to-face meetlion capital campaign. ing in New York followed by “I think he felt great about phone conversations, Temit,” Collins said. “Obviously, ple coach Geoff Collins and I felt great about it.”
Georgia Tech Athletic DirecStansbury had homework tor Todd Stansbury were to do, namely to call colGeorgia Tech football closing in on a shared belief leagues who had overseen coach Paul Johnson doesn’t that Collins was the right Collins in previous stops. know much about his sucperson to become the YelStansbury was so struck by cessor, but he’s on board low Jackets’ next head coach. Collins’ ability to speak his with Geoff Collins.
It was Thursday night. language that he wondered if “It’ll be great,” Johnson Collins was at his gate at the coach was pitching him said Saturday following the Tampa International Air- just like he would a star prosteam’s first bowl practice. port, headed back to Phil- pect. From the reference “I don’t know Geoff very adelphia after a multi-stop checks, he got confirmation well, but I think that peotrip to visit recruits in Flor- of Collins’ leadership ability, ple seem to be excited, and ida and, of all places, the his ability to build a culture, he’s excited to be here, so Atlanta area. That was when the way players respond to it’ll be great.” he heard from his agent, him. He liked, too, that he Johnson, who is stepping Jimmy Sexton. had worked for Nick Saban down after 11 seasons, and
“Right before I got on the at Alabama and that his first Collins have met a few times. flight to come back, the inijob at an FBS school was as a “I wouldn’t call it a relatial proposal that this is prob- graduate assistant for thenflicts, the league grants each tionship, but I have a treably going to happen was lit- Tech coach George O’Leary. bowl its top choice. Confer- mendous amount of respect erally as they were calling “A guy that starts with ence officials will step in to for him,” Collins said Friday. out Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3, George, you know he’s going Steve Beck knows he made mediate in case of a tie. Other might have had three Zone 4,” Collins told the AJC. to be a worker,” said Stans- the right choice to invite Virguidelines also inform the conversations. I don’t know
Collins had initial converbury, who was also O’Leary’s ginia Tech to the Military process — no back-to-back if he would rememberthem, sations with Sexton before AD at UCF. Bowl as its ACC representrips to the same bowl, no but I do.” the flight took off, but then, Collins, meanwhile, had to tative. rematches of a regular-seaJohnson recalled speakhe said, the in-flight Wi-Fi fly to Atlanta later WednesThe bowl game’s executive “I’d love to have Georgia son game, keeping the con- ing with him a few years ago wasn’t working. So Collins day to recruit for Temple. director recognized the sen- Tech one year, and I would ference title game loser in a when Collins was a defensive was in the dark for the next The Owls have two defensive timental appeal of Georgia have loved to (this year’s tier-one game. coordinator either at Florida two hours. end recruits who are commit- Tech — Paul Johnson could game) be Paul Johnson’s last Beyond a team’s record, its or Mississippi State, his two
Tech fans, at least, know ted to Temple, Jacoby Sharpe coach his final game for the game,” Beck said. “It just fan base and teams’ interest previous stops before becomthe rest. Collins’ hire to suc(Lanier High in Gwinnett Yellow Jackets at Navy-Marine didn’t work out that way. It level are also factors. ing head coach at Temple in ceed Paul Johnson as Tech’s County) and Zaylin Wood Corps Memorial Stadium in was a clear decision, from “We want teams that want December 2016. coach was finalized Friday. (Heard County High). After Annapolis, Md., where he our perspective.” to be here, and I can say this, “Another Western CaroHe flew back from Philadel- that, he flew from Atlanta to had coached the Naval AcadTech has not sold out its that Duke and Temple, they lina guy,” Johnson said of phia to Atlanta, encounter- Tampa, though not before emy for six years. But the ticket allotment in its past wanted to be here really Collins, who like Johnson ing more flight adventures. he met with Tech president record pace at which tick- three bowl games and likely bad,” said Trey Giglio, the graduated from the school. However, not even the plane G.P. “Bud” Peterson. ets and suites were being going back farther. At the Taxchairman of the IndepenPastner greets Collins: ahead of his getting a flat Stansbury and Collins snapped up by Hokies fans Slayer Bowl in Jacksonville, dence Bowl. “So that carTech basketball coach Josh tire nor his own plane flying “were having this converlast week was all of the con- Fla., in 2016, Tech didn’t ries some weight.” Pastner sent Collins a coninto strong headwinds could sation, we’re having this dia- firmation he needed. hit a 7,000-ticket allotment, The Sun invited Pittsburgh, gratulatory text message keep Collins from what he logue about the future here As the Military Bowl bene- despite the Jackets having keeping the title-game runafter his hire Friday. Pastand his wife, Jennifer, have at Georgia Tech, but out of fits Patriot Point, a Maryland won five of their last six regner-up in the first tier. The ner said he told him that considered their dream job, respect for where I’m at, I’m retreat for recovering service ular-season games (includ- Gator snapped up N.C. State, there weren’t two better peoat a school where Collins had going to go 1,000 miles an members, their families and ing over Georgia), Jackson- which, by virtue of its 9-3 ple to work for than Athletic previously worked twice and hour at the job that I have,” caregivers, game organizers ville being roughly 5½ hours record, had to be picked by Director Todd Stansbury and close to Collins’ family (he’s Collins said. have a fiduciary responsi- from Atlanta and an alumni one of the four bowls. (ACC school President G.P. “Bud” from Conyers). He also continued to talk bility to do what they will base in central and north rules dictate a bowl can’t pick Peterson.
Colli n s’ path back to with Stansbury by phone. raise the most money. That’s Florida. Kentucky, mean- a team that has two fewer “I obviously don’t know Atlanta began Nov. 28, when Stansbury actually was still what Beck did, and he wasn’t while, sold out its allotment wins than another team, and him, but what I hear, just Johnson announced his deci- in New York on Thursday, alone. Concern about ticket in three days. after the Wolfpack, every high energy, just a really sion to step down after 11 seahaving already scheduled a sales is what caused the JackFor the Orange Bowl trip in other available team was 7-5 good guy, going to do a great sons. Collins was happy after dinner meeting with three ets to fall through the ACC’s 2014, Tech sold less than half or worse.) job in recruiting,” said Pasthis second season at Temple Tech alumni. Then came “tier-one” bowls to the Quick of its allotment of 15,000 tickThat left the Pinstripe and ner, echoing wordsascribed and excited about a promisCollins’ flight and, after Lane Bowl, according to a ets, while Mississippi State the Belk, both of which were to him upon his arrival from ing team in 2019. “But when landing, a phone call with bowl industry executive. sold about 11,000. For the appealing destinations for Memphis in April 2016. this job came open and the Sexton. He then called his “We all have businesses to Music City Bowl in 2013, Tech Tech. Athletic Director Todd Pastner then served up a conversation began, it was wife, who informed him that run, and we had to go with was assigned an allotment Stansbury and deputy athnice plate of high expectasomething that we knew we this conversation was not what we feel is right for our of 10,000 and fell far short. letic director Mark Rountree tions for his new colleague. were meant to do, and I’m going to take place over the business,” Beck said. “A lot There are mitigating facmade their cases with both “Let’s be one of those four excited that we get to do it phone. That was followed of times, that’s not the emo- tors. In 2016, many Jackets bowls and others. It would (College Football Playoff ) now,” Collins said. by a 40-minute drive home, tional thing or what hapfans likely passed on Jackson- be reasonable to assume the teams next year,” he said.
Stansbury and Collins first then an hour of playtime pened on the football field.” ville, having gone with the potential for ticket sales with “And I believe coach Collins met Wednesday in New York, with their 2-year-old daughTech players and fans team to Ireland for the seaJohnson’s finale was a part will get us to that.” a week after Johnson’s deci- ter Astrid. “She hasn’t seen were disappointed when son opener. For the Orange of the pitch. Jackets open practice: sion was announced. Both me in four days, so my wife the Pinstripe (Miami), Belk Bowl, there likely were fans Tech’s competition Georgia Tech QB TaQuon were in the city for the Colsays, ‘I think you need to rock (Virginia) and Military (Vir- who bought through the sec- included Miami, which has a Marshall affirmed his dislege Football Hall of Fame her to bed,’” Collins said. ginia Tech) went with teams ondary market, where ticket national following that figures appointment over the Yelinductions for two of their Ge o ff a nd Jennifer — the Jackets had beaten and prices were much lower. Furto bring TV ratings (which low Jackets being passed schools’ greats — Calvin John- married for 23 years and finished ahead of in the ACC ther, travel costs were high is what bowl execs want to over by the ACC’s four tierson (Tech) and Paul Palmer together for 25 — had made standings. Tech ultimately and some fans may have not give to sponsors). Virginia, one bowls (Belk, Gator, Pin(Temple). There was a quick 12 stops during that time and dropped to the Quick Lane made the trip after going to while it had lost three of its stripe and Sun) and then the connection between the two twice left Tech wanting to Bowl in Detroit, which has the ACC title game in Char- past four games, had gone Military and Independence as they realized their valreturn. Atlanta was where the eighth pick of ACC teams lotte, where Tech sold out its five seasons without a bowl bowls. Marshall tweeted his ues and visions for the job they wanted to raise Astrid. after teams either in the Colallotment of 5,500 and sold trip until 2017 and might be frustration Dec. 2 after Tech aligned. Both were strong They would be close to famlege Football Playoff or New extras in adjoining sections. expected to draw well for was selected to play in the on the importance of brand ily. And dream jobs don’t Year’s Six bowl games. On However, bowl organizers a game of the Pinstripe or Quick Lane Bowl, which had and culture. Collins demon- often come open. social media, fans alleged deal in volume, not mitigatBelk’s magnitude. Further, the eighth pick of ACC teams. strated a spirit of outside“All I know is the end game the ACC failed to protect the ing factors. Tech was up against its rep“You have to take it with a the-box thinking — he uses is exactly what Jenny and I Jackets’ interests. The four tier-one bowls — utation. A home attendance grain of salt,” Marshall said analytics and outfits players wanted it to be, and to be at Bowl officials said they the Belk, Pinstripe, Sun and, average that was the lowest Saturday after practice. “... with GPS tracking devices to a place that we love and in a take into account factors this year, the Gator – pick in since 2001 didn’t help, either. Once we got to six (wins), monitor workload in praccity that we love, being able like record and head-to-head cooperation with each other “You need to be supporting that’s what we were kind of tice — that Stansbury believes to invest in a place and make play, but also other matters and the ACC. The bowls subyour team wherever they go,” playing for, for a better bowl is integral to the school and it something really special,” more central to their inter- mit their preferences 1-4 and, the executive said. “That’s game, and we thought that necessary to win. Collins Collins said. ests. as long as there are no con- what drives it.” we did it.”