Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Football Offseason Preview

Of all 14 coaches in the Atlantic Coast Conference, none is on a hotter seat than Geoff Collins at Georgia Tech. One could make an argument for Mike Norvell at Florida State, Dino Babers at Syracuse, or Scott Satterfield at Louisville, but Norvell has recruited better, Babers has produced a 10-win season, and Satterfield has made a bowl game at Louisville. Collins has had nothing to show for his tenure at Georgia Tech, and the natives are restless. Most pundits are going to project the Yellow Jackets to finish near Duke in the bottom tier of the ACC Coastal Division, but whereas Duke has a first-year head coach and is in full rebuilding mode, Georgia Tech has turned over its roster the previous few years and is fully expected by the fans to take a step forward this season. If that step forward doesn’t happen, Collins will probably be looking for a new job in 2023. It’s do or die for him and Georgia Tech this season.

Key Personnel Lost

There weren’t any significant personnel losses on the field from a team which completely failed to get the job done in 2021. There was a significant loss from Collins’ coaching staff. Tashard Choice, the running back coach who used to play in the NFL and was regarded as a promising young recruiter, went to the University of Texas. Georgia Tech’s ability to land high-end recruits and give Collins the caliber of players he needs was dealt a noticeable blow when Choice opted to leave the program. It’s one more obstacle Collins has to surmount if he wants to survive on the job and turn the corner at Georgia Tech.

Important Incoming Freshmen

Running back Antonio Martin, safety Jaylin Marshall, and quarterback Zach Pyron are all four-star recruits brought in by Geoff Collins. Receiver D.J. Moore and linebacker Kyle Efford will also try to boost a roster which has simply not made the cut in recent years. Collins can’t be overly choosy; he needs a lot of bodies and has to recruit depth. He then needs to develop the players he brings into the program, and that is something he has not done well on The Flats of Atlanta.

Because Collins has not recruited especially well, he has tried to make use of the transfer portal to boost his roster and get players he thinks can make instant contributions. Defensive back transfer Ahmari Harvey is the highest-regarded transfer portal entrant on the Jackets, but he is one of 17 transfers Collins has brought into the program, hoping for a radical transformation in how the Yellow Jackets perform.

Key Position Battles

Georgia Tech used to have a strong offensive line under former head coach Paul Johnson. That position group has suffered under Collins, so he needs to make the right decisions between and among players competing for spots along the offensive front. If he whiffs on these particular roster choices, he probably won’t be coaching this team next year.

Biggest Offseason Goal(s)

Geoff Collins-coached teams have been sloppy and unfocused at Georgia Tech. Building better habits on the practice field and better instincts which translate into improved gameday results is the task Collins has to carry out in the summer.