The 2024 college football season is less than two months away, kicking off with a big ACC matchup between Georgia Tech and Florida State/Dublin University in Ireland. This will be the first opportunity to watch both teams and there will be a lot to take note of. Perhaps the thing I’m most excited to see is Georgia Tech’s defense.
It’s no secret that Georgia Tech boasted one of the worst defenses in the country last season, especially when it came to stopping the run attack, and the Yellow Jackets have made fixing that defense a priority this season by making changes to their defensive coaching staff and upgrading personnel through the transfer portal.
New defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci is looking to rebuild Georgia Tech’s defense this season and make it ACC-ready. In his one season at Duke (2023), Santucci oversaw the ACC’s top-ranked scoring defense, allowing just 19.0 points per game, good for 16th in the nation. The Blue Devils also ranked in the top 50 nationally in rush defense, pass defense, total defense, tackles for loss, third-down defense, fourth-down defense and red zone defense. Duke allowed just 10 points combined in two wins over teams that finished the season in the top 25, No. 20 Clemson (28-7) and No. 21 North Carolina State (24-3), and improved to 8-5 overall with a 17-10 win over Troy in the 2023 Birmingham Bowl.
Georgia Tech’s defensive line may be the biggest question mark, especially on the defensive end. On the interior, Zeke Biggers, Miami/Georgia State transfer Thomas Gore, Penn State transfer Jordan Van den Berg and Horace Lockett have potential, but does Georgia Tech have enough power at the edge rusher position? USC transfer Romero Height could help, but Georgia Tech needs production from this unit. The biggest question mark I have about the entire Georgia Tech team this season is the pass rush.
At linebacker, Kyle Efford will look to lead a group that includes veteran starter Tre’Niulious Tatum, Georgia transfer EJ Lightsey, Louisville transfer Jackson Hamilton and freshman Taj Butler.
Georgia Tech returns a strong safety duo in LaMyles Brooks and Clayton Powell Lee, and Ahmari Harvey could have a breakout season in 2024. The biggest question in the secondary is who will start at corner opposite Harvey, with Tennessee transfer Warren Burrell likely be the favorite on the outside and Rhode Island transfers Saeed Gibbs and Rodney Shelley potentially at nickel.
The personnel has improved and I think it will be hard for Georgia Tech’s defense to be worse this year than last, and Brent Key has made a good effort to address the defensive challenges, but will it be enough?
I don’t think Georgia Tech will become a top 25 defensive team overnight, but I think there is reason to be optimistic that they can get better. The job Santucci did at Duke was very good, and they had a talented defensive line with Jess Simpson, Kyle Pope and Corey Peoples. Along with the defensive talent, there is reason to believe the coaching can get much better.
I think this is one of the most underrated questions in the ACC: what is the ceiling for Georgia Tech if they improve enough? With quarterback Haynes King, running back Jamaal Haynes, a deep wide receiver corps and one of the best offensive lines in the ACC, Georgia Tech should boast one of the best offenses in the country.
Assuming the offense remains strong, I think Georgia Tech can push for eight or nine wins with an improved defense, even against a tough schedule like Georgia Tech. The offense should be good enough to score no matter who the opponent is, but as last season showed, that doesn’t mean anything if you can’t stop anyone.
What I like best about this team is the secondary. They have an experienced and talented safety duo and are adding quality players at cornerback and nickel. Same goes for the linebackers. Kyle Efford was one of the Yellow Jackets’ top defenders late in the season and should be able to build on that. The interior defensive line has the potential to be quiet good with the guys they have and the new acquisitions. The pass rush will be the biggest question mark.
If the defense improves enough, this team could be one of the better teams in the ACC and hopefully compete for a spot in the ACC title game. The defense also has no time to settle. Florida State has lost a lot of talent to the NFL, but they have added some through the transfer portal and Mike Norvell is one of the best offensive coaches in college football. It will be a big test for Georgia Tech and their new defense right from the get-go.
Georgia Tech should have its best season in years, but defensive improvement will determine the highs and lows of this team in 2024. If they can improve enough defensively, something special could emerge.
