Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt is well aware of the circumstances that lie before him coming into 2009-10.
 
Contend in the ACC with the likes of North Carolina, Duke and Clemson, or face the harsh reality of possibly being unemployed by season's end.
 
Because after finishing last in the ACC at 2-14 a year ago, there's no question that Hewitt is one of several coaches sitting high on the hot seat this fall.
 
It doesn't matter that the 2001 ACC Coach of the Year took the Yellow Jackets to the national title game five years ago -- only to get crushed by Emeka Okafor and a loaded Connecticut team.
 
It doesn't matter that he signed a contract extension to stay at Georgia Tech through the 2010-11 season, either.
 
Instead, the 46-year-old Hewitt will be relying on an incoming recruiting class, which ranks among the best in the nation and includes local product Derrick Favors, to turn around a program that has fallen on hard times since freshmen stars Thaddeus Young and Jarvis Crittenton bolted for the NBA after the 2006-07 season.
 
That highly-esteemed recruiting class of Hewitt's, however, took a hit this week when it was announced that freshman Kammeon Holsey will miss all of 2009-10 after tearing his ACL during a pick-up game earlier this month.
 
"This is obviously a blow to Kam getting started in his college basketball career, and our team will miss him on the court," Hewitt said in a school release. "But I'm confident he will get through this and have a full recovery."
 
Even though there was a chance Holsey would have redshirted the season with Gani Lawal and Iman Shumpert returning and Favors a lock to be in the Yellow Jackets' starting lineup, this wasn't what Hewitt had in mind with arguably the most important season of his coaching career three months away and counting.
 
Holsey, after all, was among Scout.com's top 100 recruits in 2009 after averaging 27 points and 10 rebounds as a senior at Hancock Central, and the 6-foot-8 forward from Sparta, Ga., was also the 2009 Class A state player of the year.
 
Still, the addition of Favors, Mfon Udofia, Glen Rice Jr., Brian Oliver and Daniel Miller this year should more than enough to complement Georgia Tech's veterans. 
 
But most importantly, it will be Hewitt's job to ultimately transform a team with loads of potential into an instant conference contender within a couple of months. 
 
It's no easy task, but it's one that's attainable for Hewitt -- even with the pressure to win at an all-time high right now. 
 
Remember, there are always worse positions to be in. 
 
Just look at Rick Pitino right now.