Paul Hewitt spoke to the Macon Telegraph’s Coley Harvey shortly after being fired as Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets coach. His comments were gracious and respectful, but one note is likely to catch the ear of Tech fans.
Hewitt mentions speaking with a former Jackets coach, presumably either Chan Gailey or Bobby Cremins, about the challenges of coaching at the Institute:
I just wish they would be more protective of Georgia Tech. I respect Georgia Tech and all the people there and all the fans, I just wish people would realize that when these things happen (as far as firings of coaches), it’s a pattern. Anybody who’s been around Georgia Tech the last 20 years can see that." ….(He was referring to fan abandonment of the various athletic programs when firings come to a head. He cited one prominent Tech coach who spoke to him before leaving the Institute. The coach told Hewitt, “I like working here, but I can’t take this. I can’t give people what they want in their expectations.” Hewitt added, “He was very disappointed in the reaction of the fan base” as he left Tech."
“Tech’s a great place, but it should be protected by the fans and encouraged by the fans. They do that, and they’ll do well in everything.”
Hewitt has endured a lot from the school’s fanbase, though it’s up to you whether the record merited it. He’s spoken out about it before, encouraging fans to root for the team instead of criticizing.