Re-evaluating Georgia Tech’s Roster, Ryan Mutombo Commits | Bleav in Georgia Tech ep. 21

Intro welcome back to another episode of the believe George tap podcast we are your co-hosts that is RJ schaer this is Jackson Cale coming to you Thursday May 9th in the afternoon um with our weekly show RJ how you doing man hey it's a great day man we we both see that you know you guys have been loving uh kind of the football talk recently so you know we're bringing more your way hey football is the most popular sport in America by a pretty good margin and it doesn't take a genius to recognize that and neither one of us are geniuses me especially so uh we we do we appreciate all the love we've gotten just top of the show while just you know take the the regular housekeeping if you're watching this on YouTube we appreciate if you'd like the video helps us out there subscribe to the channel um we we we try to make as much weekly Georgia Tech content as possible we know this is we're getting into the dog days of the offseason baseball's winding down uh the portal for football and basketball is closed up we're definitely going to obviously talk about that but we know we're getting into the kind of the dull dull part of the college sports calendar if you can even call it that so um we appreciate that if you're listening on podcast we appreciate if you subscribe follow us there um do all that good stuff but now that that's out of the way Ryan Mutombo um Damon stmy was busy again yesterday and he got somebody whose name you might recognize Ryan matombo son of Atlanta Hawks or former Atlanta Hawks player in NBA I don't know if Legend's too strong of a word but very very good NBA player to kimbe matambo one of the best defensive players of all time for sure um famous for being on the Hawks 76ers and all that his son Ryan matambo who played at the love it school in uh in Atlanta he he started his career at Georgetown spent three years there he is transferring to Georgia Tech and he is a mountain of a man 72 260 um I know a lot of tech fans and i' I've pointed it out as well like this team's just lacked size for a long time like they they just lacked the reliable big man we've talked about it on the shows I don't I'm still trying to judge how big of an impact he's going to make because again he didn't play a ton while at Georgetown um but again just he is by far the biggest presence that Tech has now um what were what were your thoughts on this when the news came out yesterday yeah I thought it was a really solid pickup because what you said Ry Ryan mutumbo is 7 foot2 and there hasn't been a guy like that at tech for a long time so I I think he'll offer kind of this size and the length that we haven't had for a while at Center I'm not sure where he's going to fit in the lineup I'm not sure whether he's you know GNA fight for a starting spot maybe be a guy that only plays the tip off like I just I'm not sure I'm not sure how it's gonna look yeah that's thing I I didn't want to like overe exaggerate it because I do think there's been a lot of oh we got him he's going to start Plug and Play Center I don't know if that's the case I think there's a there is definitely a path to get a ton of play in time we're still waiting to hear what Bayan Dongo is going to do waiting to hear what Miles Kelly is officially GNA do I haven't I haven't seen anything about either one of those guys the NBA Combine is coming up NBA draft lottery is on Sunday um to be exact and then the draft this next month so we'll we're still kind of in Wai and see mode with those guys to see if they come back but he is the third member of the transfer portal class join in jav and McCollum from Oklahoma Luke O'Brien from Colorado who men you are both excited about I I think I don't think it's a bad take like you know Ebenezer did he didn't really do a ton last year he went to the transfer portal is now at James Madison you had to replace somebody with size you know I like I like taking a shot here that that's that's probably where I'm at this just let's take a shot yeah and he's kind of a guy who's you know he was a really big recruit in high school like almost top 100 just outside of that top 100 range so the talent is definitely there you know maybe looking for a big rebound at George Tech and I think well no pun intended on the rebound um you know I I think it's very plausible that you know he can make a decent impact soon yeah that like that's what we got to hope for and we're still we're ways away now there are still players in the portal that haven't committed anywhere so we'll we'll see how that goes I don't really expect much else out of basketball the rest of the time though to be honest honest but that might be a topic for a future episode but you got anything else on Ryan joining the squad not really I just you know kind of want to put out there that this is like one of the strongest classes in general for a very very long time very good portal class very and and not just portal class very good recruiting class like the the additions coming in um that doesn't mean everything's going to click instantly right away but I do think they're on the path to be better this year um but again we're we're ways away I'm have to do some more reevaluating of the roster and kind of look around the ACC as well because like North Carolina's loaded up like they're they're going to be a very good team next year I can tell you that um we haven't done a ton of baseball talk I I Baseball Update know that but season is winding down leading up to last weekend you know Tech had won I think four ACC Series in a row they had beaten pit they had beaten Virginia Tech Virginia they beaten Miami Clemson was number four they lost two out of three they they did get a pretty exciting for 14 to 12 or is 1412 1413 win uh in the double header last Friday followed it up with a stinker on Tuesday like they I like I don't want to like be too hyperbolic with it like it's I don't want to say their chances are doomed now but like they took a hit losing to Auburn um who is not a good SEC team most of the SEC is a really it's a really good Baseball Conference I don't include Auburn in that they they are not a very good SEC team the pitching has just not um been where it needs to be uh they got two more ACC series left and also a midweek match up against Mercer Duke who they host this weekend for the final ACC Home Series they are number nine in the latest D1 baseball rankings and Florida state is number eight and they go to Tallahassee next week kind of what are you seeing right now and like I guess just looking at the projections they're kind of a little bit all over the place D1 has Georgia Tech in right now and latest rankings of or their latest field of 64 projections this week had them going to Columbia South Carolina to be in that region I've seen a projection that has them going to Athens to be in Georgia's Reon region and then on three Sports in baseball America have them both in the next four out so I don't know I I I I think they're gonna have to finish strong to kind of strengthen their position to get in maybe they have to win both series I don't know if I'd go that far but they're going to have to play well over these next last two weeks yeah I think the realistic scenario is you're going to have to win at least one series because I I think if you go in and you take one game e even though those are good teams you're kind of On The Fringe right now of you know you're a bubble team are you really going to be in are you going to be first four out you're going to be next four out um but kind of looking back at the Auburn game it's the pitching that has struggled like recently and you know I don't want to let the bats off the hook now because true you know only scoring a couple runs through most of that game and then that that last game on Sunday against Clemson the offense just no showed like the pitch and I agree is still the biggest issue but like you just can't combine it with cold bats as well outside of Drew burs who just continues to just break records Drew burus might be the best baseball player in America he yeah yeah he could be I you know that there's there's a discussion to be had there but he he's had a phenomenal season 21 home runs I believe is what he's up to now like it's just been crazy yeah and most people are gonna say that other kid from Athens but I was trying like I'm trying to keep my audience in here like I gotta appeal to somebody but yeah uh or you go ahead but yeah realistically it's a a lot of tech fans are already ruling us out of the tournament it's very realistic to be in the tournament U and I and I think the most realistic scenario is you go out and you take one series and I think that's good enough to get you in because your resume is already strong as is accs a freaking strong conference too in baseball like you know CL Clemson has an argument to be the best team in the country I think um North Carolina I think is a a sleeper in the NCAA tournament with their pitching their pitching is really good and then you can't rule out teams like Virginia NC State Duke Florida State Virginia Tech is still a pretty good team I believe um but it's just losing two games to Auburn and getting swept by Boston College is just no bueno like you can't have you can't have that happen and um we'll see how much it affects their chances but it's going to be an interesting couple weeks but yeah the one thing we got to look for though is I guess there's no other way to put it the pitching needs to get hot and you know kind of if it doesn't you put yourself in a place to where okay you're going to need to take three out of the last three games sweep a series against a top 10 team in baseball so you know kind of back up against the wall Georgia Tech has been back up against the wall many times this season uh so let's just see how they respond yep I mean they were arguably the hottest team in the ACC in the month of April one of those four straight series kind of got off to a bumpy start this month but there there's still time like I there's still hoped to get to the postseason but that's G we're going to be a wait and see we we'll be back next week to talk about the series against Duke and then obviously they've got a midweek game next week against Mercer you cannot lose that game you can they cannot afford to drop to Mercer because I think Mercer's RPI was in it was lurking in the 80s maybe the 90s like it's just not a very good baseball team so you need you need to win that game right there all right enough baseball talk we Football Roster Update need to get back to football talk so we hinted at it last week um we kind of wanted to do a big we know we talked about win totals last week and we kind of wanted to give a look at the roster once the spring transfer portal window closed and kind of evaluate okay they did this pretty well we still have concerns here because the rosters for pretty much every team are more or less set for the 2024 season there are still some kids out there even some kids I think that would be good additions to um Georgia Tech maybe they get some maybe they don't but this is more or less the roster that you have right now and we're just going to kind of go position by position obviously we're not going to spend a ton of time on some certain positions like it's uh we we all know how good Han how awesome hannes King is like I don't know if we need to have a 30 minute discussion about that but that's we're going to spend more time on some positions and others but we just kind of wanted to give a big picture view of the roster kind of talk about our concerns where we think the team is strongest um because you know it's only going to be a couple more months before a fall Camp's going to start or fall summer camp whatever you want to call it um and then you know we're about three months out from Florida State so that that's going to be exciting but like I was just saying let's start with quarterback most important position in football maybe the most important position in sports and Tech has arguably maybe the best quarterback in the ACC that's a discussion we might have to have but I don't have a lot to say here Hayes King is going to be the starter he needs to cut back on his interceptions um and stay healthy that's it like he stayed healthy last year but just cut back on the interceptions you have a really good backup in Zack pyron you have two talented freshman they didn't need to do anything in the portal here and they didn't so I think we're good to go here yeah and this is the position out of all positions at Georgia Tech where it feels like there's absolutely no rush because you have Hanes king and you have Zack pyron any of the rookies like they're not feeling rushed to be D1 ACC ready right now and they don't have to be so you know there was that much work to do in the portal and you know they didn't do it yep it's all I got said running back is one we talked about um obviously I think we're both on the Jamal Haynes High train for this upcoming season I think he's excellent and I I don't think he's getting the respect he deserves like I see a lot of top 10 running back rankings or you know all ACC projections that don't include him on it I don't understand that but again that's a different discussion for a different day I think he's gon to be awesome this year just needs to stay healthy I don't really have a lot to say about about him other than that we talked about after spring is you know nobody really emerged as that number two back whether it was Trey coie Anthony KY Evan Dickens not that those guys aren't good but just that nobody really emerged where you said okay he's clearly the number two back and who is gonna come in and you know give Jamal some relief you know when that time comes there were there were some reports around Ohio State running back di Hayden being contacted by Tech he ended up going to Colorado there was also something about Michigan State running back Jaylen berer who started his career at Wisconsin who's pretty solid back he was reportedly contacted by Georgia Tech nothing's really come of that yet so it did look like they might have been on the hunt in the portal for a number two back that that's a concern for and I don't it's not like a huge concern either because me and you both said take it into the fall and summer in the fall somebody just put it on somebody that they got to emerge whether it's one of those three guys or somebody else got to have somebody emerge because it would be a concern to me if anybody got hurt but Jamal haes especially just because there's some uncertainty there yeah and running back is a position that you know I kind of disagree with the general audience like I think the running running back position is probably one of the most deep on the entire roster um but but I think it's still it's still viable to go out there and look for a number two option and you know there are still transfers out there so that it's still possible but yeah this is another position where I thought if we didn't do anything I think it'd be fine just kind of looking for who's going to step up could it be Anthony KY uh could it be you know any of the other guys you mentioned just a very interesting position but not one where I think a lot of work needed to be done y I agree with you there and we we'll just have to see I I think it's just going to be interesting to see and it could be like a running back to by committee like you might see Trey get some carries one game you might there's going to be some unities early in the season uh to maybe rotate some guys in there but um we'll see and just piggybacking off your point like you can never have too much talent at a position yeah like you know look like I for example like take a look at and this is again this is a very different example but Ohio State quarterback room you know they they get a borderline five-star quarterback in Aaron Nolan this past cycle they bring in Kansas State transfer will Howard but once all once Nick sain retired and they had a lot of roster shuffling going on and the number one QB from this past cycle Julian saan jumps in the portal Ohio State didn't didn't sit there and say well we got enough quarterbacks here no they went out and got him they didn't need him but they went out and got him just because you can never have too much talent at any position like quarterback running back offensive line like it doesn't matter like if there's a talented guy that you think fits on your roster and it makes sense go get him any position now that doesn't necessarily apply to the receiver position because me and me and you talked about it like there was no need to go go get another receiver like you have Eric Singleton Malik ruford Christian Larry you have talented freshman coming in Leo blackburns coming back from injury like they're they're pretty set you have Abdul Jan and Avery Boyd as well like there's just not there wasn't really a need to go add another receiver that wasn't like a clearcut like Alpha like if there was somebody in in the that jumped in the portal where he's like a future first round pick or something and he was interested in coming to Georgia Tech that's that's a scenario but there wasn't really a guy like that in this receiver class and in this portal class I think the receivers a really deep deep position you have a lot of guys that can play and it could be even better than last year with the addition with Blackburn coming back from injury so that's all I really got to say there we've talked about wide receiver a lot yeah and you even have guys like Chris ELO spring game Stand Out by the way stock literally everybody on the Georgia Tech roster receiver can play and can play very well I wasn't looking for them to do anything at receiver even if it was like a guy who would come in and be wide receiver one wide receiver two like we're set for a while that was just the only scenario where I thought it made sense like you weren't going to take a borderline guy that wasn't like why use that roster position on somebody you don't even know if it's going to play so it was just it would have have had to have been like a no doubter for sure but that guy never really emerged and I I never saw or heard anything about te being interested in really any top receiver so um not a lot to say about that position but that that's a good thing for a segment like this if we're brief on a position that means like we're we're not worry about it um tight end I'm kind of in the middle on I didn't really expect them to um really add a bit a big time player like they they've added Ryland God they added Jackson Halls um I'm think the kids name slip in my mind they added the walk on tight end from Michigan yeah yeah he's he's walking on here so not a scholarship player but somebody he could like wones can contribute too so like you can't ever count that out um you obviously have Brett Scyther here Luke haring's coming in in the spring I think he could make make a big impact I I don't I I didn't expect a big addition anything but I also like I'm not like Overjoyed about the position and we talked about it you might not need a first round Talent at the position you just need guys that can do different stuff and they they might have that we just kind of don't know yet yeah and beam the guy they brought in we don't really know a whole much a whole lot much about him um although being able to walk on in Michigan like that's not something to graze by like that's pretty big feet National Champion um also my second favorite team so transfer second favorite first favorite is pretty cool keep say we we only talk about favorites but yeah I I think he I think he did that you know because I'm a Georgia Tech fan but it's whatever yeah right um yeah we Offensive Line we'll just kind of have to see how this plays out in the fall like it's kind of a hard hard position to talk about because not a lot of guys have a lot of career production but you see like um we've seen some guys do some stuff then you've got talent a talented freshman like Luke Harper coming in who I think could challenge for BL time right away we'll see um offensive line they did add Cory Pearson from Kentucky they they they did go out and get him from the portal um again you're returning the majority of your snaps on the offensive line outside of Conor scagle on at Right Guard we've talked about kelen rutage Pro probably going to be the replacement there he was injured Offspring didn't participate so I I still think he's on track there look I I I really don't know what role Pearson's gonna play and um I I don't know if he's going to challenge for star and spart he'll just be depth and for the future but if you can add a add a guy like that you always you always should like we said add to your strengths as well again we hope the depth is not tested because they had good injury luck with the offensive line but I was not expecting any big uh additions to the offensive line just with you know the r return of starters and then they they've recruited the position pretty heavily in high school as well look and I I think oine is the most solid position on this team and I I I think what entices recruits is the ability of Georgia to progress and train offensive linemen like a lot of other schools can't do so I think that's enticing for recruits um but yeah I'm just kind of interested to see how the depth shakes out because it it's kind of a position where we know who most of the starters are going to be we know how mostly it's going to play out but in the event of an injury you know how's it going to look yeah that was Nick Pearson from Kentucky I accidentally said Cory for some reason that was Nick Pearson from Kentucky so apologies there um but yeah offensive line I still think is going to be a strength look overall offensively look they didn't really need to add a whole lot there look at that like some stud became available that they couldn't turn down like that I'm sure that option's always there but other than running back I wasn't really expecting much in terms of offensive additions to the portal and I still think it's a strong position regardless of whether you add somebody or not you're just going to we just don't really know about the depth we don't know much about the depth we've seen glimpses of Trey kulie um in the past and we both are high on Anthony krey and Evan Dickens so we'll uh we'll have to see how that plays out in the in the in the fall but anything else on offense nope all right let's go defensive line which I think the position we're gonna talk probably the most about there have been some bodies added Jordan vanderberg from Penn State was a a spring edition romelo hype from USC also played at Auburn was a big- time recruit coming out um played played High School in Georgia he was added to the defensive line we still I still have questions there especially at defensive men like you still have Kevin Harris you still have syvan YN coming back from an injury you have Josh Robinson M Kai Scott can play inside and out so just the lack of proven pass rushers there and obviously the run defense was was very very bad last year but I at least think the interior I would say is probably the position you feel more most optimistic about in terms of defensive line with Zeke um Horus Lockett there you got Vandenburg there now as well so there's some bodies to rotate there but I think the season could be determined by how good the the defensive line is overall and the pass rush especially because you know there's just there's just not a lot of proven players there yeah and the thing is is we don't really know what's going to happen um at well to be fair I mean there's still players who are in the portal that can come uh to Tech but I just don't know if you have a lot of what I would call like very big impact players that you know could be there 100% of the game um and there I just to make a quick comment on that Defensive Line this spring portal was kind of underwhelming in a lot of aspects cuz I know there was a lot of hype about oh there's going to be a ton of like staring caliber players there's going to be a lot of BigTime players there just wasn't a lot of that you know in the portal this uh offseason so it was it was you have to kind of trust your evaluations and guys you bring in and I think Tech does deserve the benefit of the doubt there because they did a really good job hitting on on some of these guys uh last off season so it's just it is by far the number one question I've got on the rock going forward yeah and this is going to kind of be a test you know for the new defensive coaches it it's going to be prove it like here's your chance looking at a dline who has struggled but but I think an Outlook you know onto the season is a lot better than it was last season so you know maybe you have a couple guys step up who we didn't even mention and you know hopefully that's what happens and they prove us wrong and look maybe this scheme and and how Tyler santui and Jeff Jeff Simpson scheme things up that that could help out a ton as well so we I'm just kind of waiting to see mod on the defensive line I I just don't know right now um and it could be the difference in then being a bow Team again or maybe being something better but um anything else on the defensive line like I know we probably both had a lot to say about it but yeah that's about it okay linebacker is a position they added to in the in the winter window I guess is I guess what you can call it we talked about EJ Lighty and Jackson Hamilton already Kyle eford there Taj Butler um look you're you're trus Tatum is still there as well you're hoping some some guys can step up oh just just to mention real quick I guess in that in terms of the edge rusher and passer position we didn't mention was Jacob Cruz um he had been talked about going over to to the Ed rer position and not really playing like that traditional linebacker anymore look I've liked him a lot since high school he he's very toolsy he can he can do a lot he's very athletic we'll see if he can bring some to that position um but just talking about the linebackers maybe think about him I just wanted to mention there for a second I'm not like super concerned about the linebackers I think you brought in additions that can can make an impact and then Kyle eford really came on at the end of last year as well so um you have any any other thoughts like maybe contradict me yeah well the only thing I really you know know had to say is this linebacker position is very deep because you have like your clear-cut number one guy who I think is eort but you have a ton of other guys who can make an impact and like I I think ly could be somebody who is an all ACC talent and I think you have a lot of guys deeper on that roster and you know Jacob Cruz was one of those to where they can make an impact so linebacker is probably the position on defense where I'm worried the least like I can put trust in the linebackers any of the linebackers any Outside Inside Mike whatever versus you know other positions you can kind of struggle with that like we talked about at dline it's kind of hard to find guys that you can rely on but linebacker like there are guys upon guys upon guys that can make an impact yeah I mean I think it it's probably the position you feel most most good about in the front seven um I guess let's transition that to secondary because cornerback was one position that they they definitely wanted to add a little bit we already had we've talked about Warren Burell and S Gibbs already they brought in from Tennessee and Rhode Island respectively they added Zachary to from Illinois we both like that addition he played a ton as a true freshman was it was pretty solid in the Big 10 uh so we look we we'll see what kind of uh competition he brings and if he can challenge for a ton of playing time right away but at least think that's on the table and then they added Jaden Davis from Cincinnati um he only was at Cincinnati for a year he was just a recruit a couple years ago from the state of Georgia so I think we both had concern about the depth of these positions but Gibbs and Burell have played a ton of football toad played a ton of football for only being a Freshman the Illinois so you you already have Amari Harvey there as well we talked about Omar Daniels being being the the nickel guy as well and then you have Lam miles Brooks and Clayton po at safety I'm still there's just unproven depth at safety like Jaden Davis I like him has hasn't played a ton uh T Seymour again he got in a little bit last year hasn't played a ton so hopefully that th those guys can stay healthy but um maybe those guys will be ready to step up I think they at least have some bodies at the positions now um we'll just have to wait and see what what kind of impact they made but I at least like the guys they've added at corner um so far yeah and when we talked about what we wish to see in the transfer portal this is one of the positions where we got exactly what we wish for like they added a ton of depth they added a ton of guys who can realistically challenge first starting spot maybe can play on the outside like Zachary TOA was a guy who did play a lot and he played at many positions like he was at nickels sometimes he was outside so just a lot of dep added and you know really what we what we did want coming into the portal because there were a lot of questions like what is the depth going to look like and now we have guys that are proven guys that can be leaders which is really what we needed um so yeah hopefully guys that can make an impact early like I I think to is probably one of the better transfers coming in because you know he has already made an impact so a lot of guys yeah and I'm I'm still on the belief that rod sh is going to have a really good year there as well and and um I know the receivers post during the postgame press conference spring they really pray Cedric Franklin The Freshman defensive back as being somebody that that that caught their eye so um look that I I I feel a lot better about the secondary than the defensive line right now um but again you have a new coach there in Cory peoples we'll see how he can uh you know if he can improve them overall defense just has to be better you I think you have some level of concern in every position just there's just unproven guys there like we don't know how the other Corners outside of Amari Harvey are going to play and he was pretty good last year the depth behind Brooks and pow Lee at safety is a concern and then just look you're talking about a defense that was run defense was horrendous like you're dead last in a lot of categories in the ACC there as well um and then you know pass Special Teams defense wasn't a ton better so there's just a lot of questions to be answered there but no additions were made on special teams obviously but shout out Gavin Stewart for going to Georgia Southern closer to home for him um I don't know if you saw that yesterday Gavin Stewart going to George St I was just kind of shouting him out you know he he did some good things at Georgia Tech um you know when Brink key took over in 20122 hit some good kicks was a really excellent uh kickoff specialist guy as well so just hope he can find some success at Georgia Southern my alma moer um anything else we didn't cover or I me we covered everything but anything else you want to add well I I wanted to talk about Gavin Stewart for a second we're kind of hoping that Aiden bur can fit into that role because he was never really a kickoffs guy at all yeah and that that's underrated like we talked about in the spring like you know if you're putting it in the end zone consistently like you're just kickoff returns are a little rare but Georgia Tech special teams have been a roller coaster for the for a little while now and like you just don't want to give opponents another chance so like having a good kickoff kind of an underrated aspect of football yeah and it's not like the new NFL rules where you know touchbacks penalize you like in college football touchbacks are very valuable and you know that that's just a guy that I hated to see leave but I'm glad he's getting his opportunity yeah as both a kickoff specialist and a kicker yep absolutely so hopefully he can do do some good things there but um that's going to wrap up our show today um I guess you know I guess before we get out of here I still think the overall roster is trending in the right direction yeah I still think there are some positions that I still think are going to need to be addressed and who knows maybe there's some guys that can step up and be a lot better than maybe I'm giving them credit for right here um along the defensive line and just def I just I've just got to see the defense produce like I I just can't buy into hype and hopeful hopefulness for the defense till I see something just because it just it was just very bad last year and it's been bad for the past few seasons so um I'm just going to have to really um I'm gonna have to see it before I can believe in it but offensively I don't really have a bad thing to say about it at all like you know I would I hope somebody steps up at running back too like that that's something I think that could be good maybe you get more of a pass catching threat at tight end I'm just being real nitpicky right there and then obviously the depth along the o line you have a lot of guys that haven't played a ton of football so hopefully that doesn't have to be tested but it's a question mark until it gets answered so um you got anything else before we wrap that up no I I I do agree with what you said though like the roster is headed in a very good direction like there's no position this spring where I would say there was a downgrade or they didn't do enough like I I'd say at every position and every way like offense defense special teams I I think every place besides special teams I guess improved um it stayed the same yeah yep but that that's going to do it for us today we will be back next week with more Georgia Tech stuff um just to wrap it up like always if you're watching on YouTube be sure to like And subscribe to the channel same from podcast go check out all yellowjacket.com where you can find all your all the best Georgia Tech content there is that's going to do it for us today that is RJ Schaefer I'm Jackson codell we will see you next week and thank you for tuning in