What can we learn from the White & Gold game this year?
As Brent Key gets ready to step into his sophomore season as the full-time head coach for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, the team is sporting a new look personnel-wise. Saturday’s Spring game will be the first opportunity to take a look at some of these changes.
Georgia Tech Offense
Departing Coaches: WR Coach Josh Crawford (accepted UGA RB Coach position)
Incoming Coaches: WR Coach Trent McKnight
The only change to the offensive coaching staff comes with the departure of WR coach Josh Crawford, who left for the University of Georgia to replace Dell McGee as the RB coach. In his place, Tech hired Trent McKnight, who most recently came from Georgia State. It’s just dawning on me how this came full circle.
McKnight did a great job with the wide receivers at Georgia State, notably developing Penny Hart and Jamari Thrash. He also served as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator for the last two years (including the bowl-winning team last season).
Notable Player Departures: OL Connor Scaglione, RB Dontae Smith, WR Dominic Blaylock
The Yellow Jackets lost three key players from last year’s team, but thankfully, they are all from positions with some relative depth, especially with the case of Dontae Smith and Dominic Blaylock.
The position I would say I am most interested to see how it’s handled is that vacancy at guard. True freshman Benjamin Galloway was listed as the first man off the bench behind Scaglione last season, but Georgia Tech also had the flexibility to shift Jordan Williams over from right tackle and let Jakiah Leftwich play, meaning Galloway didn’t play last year. Leftwich transferred, so that will no longer be an option.
The guy we will likely see take the spot is incoming transfer Keylan Rutledge from Middle Tennessee. He was a former multi-year starter at Middle Tennessee who was also drawing pretty solid interest from Clemson. Rivals’ Kelly Quinlan had nothing but good things to say about Rutledge when he initially committed.
Rutledge was involved in a car accident prior to Spring practice. I never heard or saw an update beyond the first one that Key provided:
[E]very two weeks he goes to the doctor. And the last checkup’s been very good, very promising. So, again, we’re going to continue to take it. really week by week with him and make sure that everything heals up and it’s done the right way so we can have him back for summer as well.
If Rutledge doesn’t play (or is limited), that will give us a great opportunity to see how the other folks on the line shake out.
Georgia Tech Defense
Departing Coaches: Everyone
Incoming Coaches: Defensive Coordinator/LB Coach Tyler Santucci, DL Coach Jess Simpson, DB Coach Cory Peoples, OLB/Rush Coach Kyle Pope
Brent Key surprised a lot of folks (myself included) when he decided to pull the plug on his entire defensive coaching staff after just one season. For someone that we at FTRS have talked about as conservative when it comes to game management, Key made a notably aggressive move with his personnel management. But it’s one that was warranted. Aside from Kevin Sherrer, the remaining coaches were all holdovers from the previous administration, and Tech’s defense was not good last season.
With the incoming coaches, Key kept a tight ship, ensuring that none of the news really leaked before he was ready for it to be made public. And I think he picked up some solid defensive coaches.
Notable Departing Players: LB Paul Moala, FS Jaylon King, CB Myles Sims
The defense was not great last season, but they lose three of their best players. I’m particularly concerned with how the defense will replace Paul Moala, who turned in a very strong performance last season. Kyle Efford came on pretty strong towards the end of the season, so it’s possible he could see an expanded role, but with the coaching and scheme changes, I hesitate to make too many predictions.
Questions & Storylines
- What will Tyler Santucci’s defense look like? How does the personnel we already have fit into the new scheme?
- How does the offensive line shake out?
- Who will we see at linebacker?
- How does Haynes King and the rest of the offense look in Year 2 under Buster Faulkner?
What are you hoping to learn in the Spring game this year?