Georgia Tech

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plays 3 SEC opponents this year...should we just trade them for Mississippi State?

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LSURulzSEC

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Hold up. I thought we weren't supposed to live in the past.

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Why are you not letting them back in?

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Dodd's tenure included Georgia Tech's withdrawal from the Southeastern Conference. The initial spark for Dodd's withdrawal was a historic feud with Alabama Crimson Tide Coach Bear Bryant. The feud began when Tech was visiting the Tide at Denny Stadium in 1961. After a Tech punt, Alabama fair-caught the ball. Chick Granning of Tech was playing coverage and relaxed after the signal for the fair catch. Darwin Holt of Alabama continued play and smashed his elbow into Granning's face causing severe fracturing in his face, a broken nose, and blood-filled sinuses. Granning was knocked unconscious and suffered a severe concussion, the result of which left him unable to play football ever again. Dodd sent Bryant a letter asking Bryant to suspend Holt after game film indicated Holt had intentionally injured Granning. Bryant never suspended Holt. The lack of discipline infuriated Dodd and sparked Dodd's interest in withdrawing from the SEC.

Another issue of concern for Dodd was Alabama's and other SEC schools' over-recruitment of players. Universities would recruit more players than they had roster space for. During the summer practice sessions, the teams in question would cut the players well after signing day thus preventing the cut players from finding new colleges to play for. Dodd appealed the SEC administration to punish the "tryout camps" of his fellow SEC members but the SEC did not. Finally, Dodd withdrew Georgia Tech from the SEC in 1963. Tech would remain an independent like Notre Dame and Penn State (at the time) during the final four years of Dodd's coaching tenure. In 1967, Dodd passed the head coach position to his favorite coordinator, Bud Carson. Dodd simply retained his athletic director position, which he had acquired in 1950. He would not retire from athletic directing until 1976.

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If a university left once because they didn't like the way things were or going what would keep them from doing the same thing again instead of sticking it out and continue to fight for change instead of bailing and disrupting the balance of your conference?

Yes you could say they learned from their mistake and wouldn't do it again, but IMO you don't let any team that left a conference back in, you give another school that has never been a member of your conference the opportunity...

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not one to defend Tech, but i think Dodd had legitimate grounds for a beef.

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