Dawgs National Defensive Rankings

[Dawg06]

First, our defense was awesome the last couple games. Props to Blake Baker and the Bulldog defense. Those defensive performances against UTSA and SMU were really fun to watch.

That said... I was surprised when I couldn't find a thread title dedicated to Hester's tweet, but it looks like I've finally found it.

Kurt Hester‏ @TheKurtHester
Winningest senior class in Tech history, only group of 5 with 4 straight bowl wins, 2 records never been done in Tech HISTORY. Now what derogatory comments about this team & coaching staff are fake Tech fans going to say now about this team?

Hester's message is an embarrassment. Total lack of class on his part to send out a message immediately after a big bowl win criticizing the Tech fans who funded his salary and new weight room and equipment, while everyone should've been celebrating. Instead of discussing the dominating bowl win, recruiting, or next season, here we are talking about this. Hester deserves to be strongly reprimanded by Tommy and Skip, and it looks like he possibly was considering his tweet was finally deleted. But the damage is already done. There is absolutely no place or time for any Tech staff member to publicly lambast our fans like he did.

Not only was Hester's message tasteless and unprofessional, he was the one sharing fake news. If you are gonna publicize hot takes like that, you better be right, but Hester wasn't. Winningest senior class in Tech HISTORY??? That's 100% false. This also isn't the first time Tech has won four straight bowl games like Hester adamantly asserted in previous tweets. Tech's senior class of 1974 who went 44-4 with three national titles, four conference championships, and four consecutive bowl wins can only laugh at Hester's ignorance. According to our S&C coach, the golden era of Tech football isn't part of Tech HISTORY. Insulting to our legends and our tradition. What a joke.

Saying things in the locker room or weight room for motivation is one thing, but a staffer publicly tweeting ignorance and unwarranted criticisms toward our stakeholders is another thing. Bad for his brand, bad for Tech's brand, and most importantly, bad for business. It's truly sad his tweet went viral while media members were sharing it and legends like Trent Taylor were endorsing his ignorant and classless message. And this isn't the first time Hester has done something like this. We are all on the same team here, but unfortunately Hester doesn't see it that way. But what makes it so awful is that Hester immaturely acted based on his faulty perspective, and alienating some in our small base is not a position that Tech can afford. S&C trainers like Hester are expendable, but our fans are not. And if Hester can't handle Tech's modest fan base, he would implode if he moved on to somewhere like an SEC school and let their comments get under his skin. Our fan base is so polite compared to most others in FBS. I don't want a forced apology, but if Hester remains at Tech, a public change in attitude toward our fan base and a lesson in Tech HISTORY should be required. A little appreciation to those who made it possible for him would be nice.

Lastly, props to our great fans who care about our football program and all those who laid the foundation and paved the way to get to where Tech is today.

[brtransplant]

I think Hester's tweet has been blown out of proportion a bit. Kind of like drunk posting on a message board, firing off a tweet while still sky high about the teams dominating bowl game performance wasn't a very smart thing to do. It is, however, something I can forgive the guy for being that I think it was done while he was in a state of exuberance after our bowl victory at the end of such a very long and hard season. This coaching staff deservedly took a lot of heat from Tech fans this year. Perhaps Hester and the rest of our staff have been just as frustrated this season as the rest of us and the guy just needed to let off a little steam. I like passion in a coach, so I choose to give Hester a pass this time.

[dawg80]

With the season on the line....well, the "salvage value" of it, the defense gave up a total of 16 points the last two games. That's good.

Now, the caveat. UTSA was not exactly an offensive juggernaut. They didn't score a TD their last couple of games. And SMU, while being fairly offensive during the regular season (pun intended), they had coaching issues for the bowl.

Still, it was good to see a Tech defense stepping up and making plays. Congrats to the players and coaches for getting it done.

[Cal&Ken]

As stake holders, yes it could be deemed our business...

Yes-and telling fans to take it and move on simply fuels the discussion. That may be Tyler’s way to handle things, but the real world doesn’t work that way. Fans will always remember.

[dawg80]

I think Hester's tweet has been blown out of proportion a bit. Kind of like drunk posting on a message board, firing off a tweet while still sky high about the teams dominating bowl game performance wasn't a very smart thing to do. It is, however, something I can forgive the guy for being that I think it was done while he was in a state of exuberance after our bowl victory at the end of such a very long and hard season. This coaching staff deservedly took a lot of heat from Tech fans this year. Perhaps Hester and the rest of our staff have been just as frustrated this season as the rest of us and the guy just needed to let off a little steam. I like passion in a coach, so I choose to give Hester a pass this time.

Okay, fair enough. We've all been guilty of a spur of the moment, not thought out, knee jerk reaction. And, I can understand his venting some frustration in an exuberant moment. But....now that he's had time to calm down and reflect a little, does he still think critics of the coaching staff's performance are "fake fans?" Really? Who else but REAL fans would even give a damn about how Tech football performs?

[stodgdog]

Hester immaturely acted based on his faulty perspective

Please explain Hester's "faulty perspective." Other than using the word "fake" possibly, I don't see too much to get upset about, in the days of social media.

[arkansasbob]

i think the only people being offended by this are the ones who think he's talking about them. it would never occur to me to think that the phrase "fake fans" could refer to a group that includes me. what sort of unconscious guilt must a person feel to react in such a way to that statement?

[JAMROB]

You sound like a 5th grader. It's never a good idea turn turn players and fans against each other. And a coach like Hester should know this.

Good post... So Hester and TECH fans are enemies now ??? I just dont know where to begin with what is wrong with that... You cant blow four solid late leads and expect everyone to be all warm and fuzzy with that..... MSU and FAU were just embarrassing....

[boxerdog]

Did people tweet derogatory things about LaTech or does he read the message board? I mean, if the "fire skip" dude is on Twitter, he seems like a fake fan to me.

[Blue Dawg]

Also, we're ACTUALLY ranked #98 in Havoc Rate when adjusted for how shitty our opponents were.

https://www.footballstudyhall.com/pa...stical-profile

Split out into its components, the DB Havoc Rate is a bit better at #45.

The statistical profile is once again overwhelmingly that we usually don't allow big plays, we just allow down converstions like nobody's business. Maybe Hester should get off Twitter and get our guys some upperbody strength so they can complete a tackle and not let a WR drag them for 4 extra yards.

Oh and the 3rd Qtr defense is ranked #124. So I don't wanna hear any big talk from or about Baker.

Overall the defense is ranked #87. That's much better than the #113 of last year, so props are due. But I see a lot of pretending that we're good. That's just false. Progress is excellent, but let's not be tricked into complacency. Again.

Merry Christmas everyone

[Cool Hand Clyde]

i think the only people being offended by this are the ones who think he's talking about them. it would never occur to me to think that the phrase "fake fans" could refer to a group that includes me. what sort of unconscious guilt must a person feel to react in such a way to that statement?

Epic post. Thanks, Coach Hester, for outing them.

[dawg80]

i think the only people being offended by this are the ones who think he's talking about them. it would never occur to me to think that the phrase "fake fans" could refer to a group that includes me. what sort of unconscious guilt must a person feel to react in such a way to that statement?

Speaking for myself, I don't think Hester knows who I am, even by this BB&B moniker (Dawg80). He definitely doesn't know me in reality. So, I never saw it as a personal attack. Nor did I respond because I was offended, and definitely not out of some guilt. I still want to know who he thinks are these "fake fans."

How does one be a "fake fan?" Is that a bandwagoner who only claims a team as their own when they are winning? Possibly. But he didn't specify. Besides, if these "fake fans" are really "fake" why in the hell does Hester care what they think? Instead of asking about what might occur to a fan, you should ask Hester why did it occur to him to call out "fake" fans.

[Cal&Ken]

i think the only people being offended by this are the ones who think he's talking about them. it would never occur to me to think that the phrase "fake fans" could refer to a group that includes me. what sort of unconscious guilt must a person feel to react in such a way to that statement?

No reasonable person would find his tweet anything other than classless and unnecessary. I have no guilt and there are a ton of people that believe they underachieved and said so. That said, those "fake fans" have most likely bought tickets and donated money for years prior to him coming to TECH, and will be here long after he is gone. Maybe those "fake fans" are the ones that don't expect better things for our program. It was quite stupid to post that rather than allow people to enjoy a very fun win. If he had simply backed away and used good judgment, we wouldn't be discussing him now.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

First, our defense was awesome the last couple games. Props to Blake Baker and the Bulldog defense. Those defensive performances against UTSA and SMU were really fun to watch.

That said... I was surprised when I couldn't find a thread title dedicated to Hester's tweet, but it looks like I've finally found it.

Kurt Hester‏ @TheKurtHester
Winningest senior class in Tech history, only group of 5 with 4 straight bowl wins, 2 records never been done in Tech HISTORY. Now what derogatory comments about this team & coaching staff are fake Tech fans going to say now about this team?

Hester's message is an embarrassment. Total lack of class on his part to send out a message immediately after a big bowl win criticizing the Tech fans who funded his salary and new weight room and equipment, while everyone should've been celebrating. Instead of discussing the dominating bowl win, recruiting, or next season, here we are talking about this. Hester deserves to be strongly reprimanded by Tommy and Skip, and it looks like he possibly was considering his tweet was finally deleted. But the damage is already done. There is absolutely no place or time for any Tech staff member to publicly lambast our fans like he did.

Not only was Hester's message tasteless and unprofessional, he was the one sharing fake news. If you are gonna publicize hot takes like that, you better be right, but Hester wasn't. Winningest senior class in Tech HISTORY??? That's 100% false. This also isn't the first time Tech has won four straight bowl games like Hester adamantly asserted in previous tweets. Tech's senior class of 1974 who went 44-4 with three national titles, four conference championships, and four consecutive bowl wins can only laugh at Hester's ignorance. According to our S&C coach, the golden era of Tech football isn't part of Tech HISTORY. Insulting to our legends and our tradition. What a joke.

Saying things in the locker room or weight room for motivation is one thing, but a staffer publicly tweeting ignorance and unwarranted criticisms toward our stakeholders is another thing. Bad for his brand, bad for Tech's brand, and most importantly, bad for business. It's truly sad his tweet went viral while media members were sharing it and legends like Trent Taylor were endorsing his ignorant and classless message. And this isn't the first time Hester has done something like this. We are all on the same team here, but unfortunately Hester doesn't see it that way. But what makes it so awful is that Hester immaturely acted based on his faulty perspective, and alienating some in our small base is not a position that Tech can afford. S&C trainers like Hester are expendable, but our fans are not. And if Hester can't handle Tech's modest fan base, he would implode if he moved on to somewhere like an SEC school and let their comments get under his skin. Our fan base is so polite compared to most others in FBS. I don't want a forced apology, but if Hester remains at Tech, a public change in attitude toward our fan base and a lesson in Tech HISTORY should be required. A little appreciation to those who made it possible for him would be nice.

Lastly, props to our great fans who care about our football program and all those who laid the foundation and paved the way to get to where Tech is today.

You guys are nuts! Don't be so thin skinned!

[TYLERTECHSAS]

As stake holders, yes it could be deemed our business...

Nah. We don't need to be so dang thin skinned.
Heaven knows we ditch out far worse on them with names in print even.