Tech needs a 4th OOC for 2026. So does Auburn. We should tell J Batt to put them on the Schedule
2026
Sept. 5 vs. Colorado
Sept. 19 at Georgia State
Nov. 28 at Georgia

Home: Boston College, Duke, Louisville, Wake Forest
Away: Clemson, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia Tech

So since he is playing GT I had to listen and watch his presser here are the notable things he had to say.

Collins said he told his UNC players this isn't about him this week and he has deep personal relationships with some of the GT players and he is very proud of them and when he sees them playing well he is very happy for them and their families, but this week is about trying to be the best D they can be and coach his guy at a high level. They have a lot of weapons and have done a great job on offense.

Geoff said he has been friends with Brent for a very long time.

On the explosives they are giving up, Collins said they have long stretches of good football being played and everyone is excited and playing at a high level every now and then there is a critical bust and they find them. He went over that with the D and showed them the things they cannot do, 8 of the plays was half of Pitt's offensive yardage (sound familiar) a stress point being found can be erased and should've been a 25-yard gain (Pitt's RB had 11 catches for 155 yards and a TD) and compounded it by missing tackles.

Lots of his coach speak shit...

They asked him about playing at Temple in 2019 and he said he had those experiences and Coach Brown had them, if he spends time worrying about that he won't be as good of a coach as he should be on Saturday. GT does so much on offense if he doesn't focus on that, he is doing a disservice to his guys. (UNC reporter to his credit pushed him to actually answer it) He thinks having that experience helps, was it hard, sure, but he has gone through and he is better prepared and he has to focus on his job and be the best he can be during the week and for the players. The relationships and love he has for GT guys will be there.

Collins said he had two years to process and he has come to peace to everything that happened. What he walked into, the efforts that they made and what happened at the end. I've come to peace and been self-reflective of what he could've done better and what he would do the next time in similar circumstances. There is zero ill-will toward the GT administration or fan base, I'm at complete peace, I just want to be a really good coach for these guys.

You spend long hours in the man cave and take notes and coaches like Mack Brown and Dan Quinn that I'm close to give you counsel on how to digest and journal what you went through and it has been very helpful. I have an amazing wife of 29 years of marriage that is such a deep thinker and has wisdom beyond her age to process and digest and be real with me and let me move beyond things and learn from things.

On Haynes King, he is really good, Pitt had two designed runs on Saturday they got us on the first one and really just two, one was a TFL and one was for 8-10, this whole offense at GT is designed around the QB. They have a really good one and he operates it really well and sees the D and spits it out on the perimeter and knows when to give it or keep it, what they are doing with his skillset is really good. There are problematic things we have to rep, King's skillsets and competitive nature is really good.

On GT having a throwback offense, you see that in the NFL, Coach Faulkner learned from Todd Monken who is with the Ravens and all the similarities between that offense, what they did at UGA and now at GT and Haynes operates it at a high level. Jordan Williams has started every single college football game of his career I think, Weston Franklin has played a ton and Corey Robinson is playing well and then Joe Fusile I can't tell you the amount of respect I have for him as an OL and the way he is playing, they are doing a good job of controlling the clock and they've given up one sack and it was like negative one yard sack, they are protecting the QB and getting the ball to the perimeter. They are using their really good players.

On Kaimon Rucker, they got 9-10 snaps on 3rd downs and a two-minute drive they used him, they will try to get him in more regular drives this week. Said it was good to get him back out there.

Collins was talking up Jacolbe Cowan who was awful in the Pitt game 40.8 PFF and a 28.6 tackle grade (weird).

Collins said his D has played great for stretches and other times where it doesn't resemble where it should be, he wants to see it for four quarters and they are trying to rise to that challenge, striving to get better and working to get better.

Collins said the way they pressure week-to-week changes and even by halves, they are trying to make it simple each game plan this is the blitz pattern and the coverages for the week and they are handling that when they make changes at halftime.

Collins bragged about his get-back coaches and their successes in life. He said they have to practice it VOMMIT

Collins said his secondary has communication issues especially at the CB spot, they put their guys on islands and they messed up some there.

On missed tackles the last two games, he thought it was a problem against Duke but only two bad ones against Pitt, happened on two explosives, they were just tackling good players in space. Tuesday is their tackling circuit and scout team scrimmage and it looks like a real scrimmage.

Video if you dare

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Damon Stoudamire

My one-on-ones with

Kowacie Reeves

Nait George

Q. Bonzi Wells, obviously had time in the NBA with him with the Portland Trail Blazers. What's it been like to work with him with this team and build these young men after being a young man with him in the NBA?

DAMON STOUDAMIRE: It's been good. I think most people maybe don't realize Bonzi was the coach at LeMoyne-Owen for two years, head coach. To have him on staff I think is great for these young guys.

I don't even think -- I think that he's going to assume so much more of a role with us. I don't even think he's put his stamp on the team yet in terms of who he was as a player because I always tell him all the time, let them know who you are.

And it's not about being an NBA player, but most of the guys on our team don't understand he came from Muncie, Indiana. He went to a mid-major school, Ball State, and he was the 11th pick in the draft. That means something, you know what I mean?

He's been an underdog his whole life. For me to see him in this light has been great. I look at him as a brother. I'm excited for him as he moves forward as a coach.

Q. Damon, this is your second go-around. Everything was new a year ago. What have you kind of learned about the league in the year you've been in it and making the adjustments to coach in the ACC?

DAMON STOUDAMIRE: Well, the league is a really good league, number one. I think that I learned a lot last season. You know, for me I was coming into the league, and naive isn't the word, but you are just trying to learn the league.

So when I say learn the league, I'm learning each individual coach. I'm trying to learn their style of play, what they hang their hat on, what going to be the concepts that they love from a basketball standpoint.

What that does for me now is it helps shape your recruiting and how I move forward with my team. So that was really big for me.

I'm excited about coming into year two because I think the biggest thing, as I've been telling these guys from day one, I don't think -- and this is just me personally. See, I don't believe sports are played from the neck down. I think it's played from the neck up, and I think that the smartest teams are the best teams.

I think college has proven that historically throughout the years because the best team doesn't always win in college. The best teams win in the pros because it's the best of seven, so eventually, you know, somebody is going to have a little more talent than the other team and along with the smarts.

For me mentally we have to be better. We have to be more consistent. We showed all last season that we can win big games, but we also showed our immaturity by losing some games that we felt we should have won. If we can make the growth in that area and be more consistent, I think that will lead to a lot of victories.

You know, it's on all of us and I'm holding them accountable, and we're not going to skip no steps. That attention to detail has to be on point this year. I'm not going to settle for less.

Q. Name, image, and likeness, the transfer portal, realignment affecting this conference with Stanford, SMU and Cal coming in. How do you address all of these things that coaches didn't have to address when you were playing?

DAMON STOUDAMIRE: At times it gets on your nerves, but I actually love it. It's probably my background, though, I would say.

It's like coaching, right? When I became head coach, and I reinforce this to myself all the time, I try not to get mad or take it personal when my players don't know something that I know because I've been somewhere where they haven't.

It's the same thing in talking to agents, parents, and recruits about NIL and all the different things because the reality of it is, all I hear people talk about is money.

Obviously it's about money, but most people talking about money right now are talking about money because they don't have money. I have money, so I have a perspective on what money looks like.

Now when you are dealing with people, now you are trying to get them to understand and see a bigger picture. Because speaking for Damon Stoudamire, if I was in a situation where I didn't have a great relationship or didn't feel like I had a relationship with maybe the head coach, I'm not going to that school. I don't care how much money they give me.

But it's because I thought I was going to be a pro. I knew I was going to be a good college player, so I left a little on the table.

Mentalities are totally different, so I get it, because some guys aren't necessarily pros, you know, because we take that word for granted. We always put people and say people are pros, but what does that really mean?

When I played to be a pro, first of all, nobody left school early. You had numbers. You had a body of work. You can start from a guy who was a freshman -- my freshman year to my sophomore year I averaged 7 points, 11 points, 18 points, and 22 points, and I was No. 7 in the draft. They knew I could play, and now you're guessing.

Trying to get parents, trying to get even agents talking for kids, you can't talk about potential of a kid. We get fired for our potential. NBA, right? Coaches get fired for guys with potential, teams with potential. You get fired, right?

So you have to create some type of system to help you out in that NIL space. If somebody is realistic or they don't align with what you are talking about, it's fine. There's a lot of players.

What you have to do is you have to go and evaluate. See what has happened with NIL, this is what's happened with NIL, right? That kid over there on the left or to my left, Nait George, Nait, you had, what, one scholarship offer? If you didn't come to Georgia Tech last year, where were you going to go? Seattle U if I'm not mistaken, right?

Nait George was going to Seattle U had I am not taken him last year. So that's missing the evaluation. So, again, what has happened is that there are people out here that have allowed money to make them lazy. So now you got to do more work.

To your point, leading all the way up to it, so you're the head coach. You're trying to coach a team. My NBA background makes me a GM and a president as well. So if you are going to talk numbers with me, you got to talk real. We're not going to talk fictitious stuff. We're going to talk honesty and we're going to talk real, because at the end of the day if I do decide to give that guy that money, it's because I don't have no illusions about it.

We all got these collectives and all that stuff, but the collective, they only going to give the money if I say give the money. They don't give the money to somebody that you don't say give the money to. So my thing is what comes with that money is an expectation, and that's what we have forgotten because everything -- we have a lot of rules that are in the gray area.

We have to get out that gray area. If we get out that gray area and get black and white, then it will help the whole out.

It's so complex now, and it's turned into a 24-hour job. You cannot do all these and wear these hats by yourself. So what I try to do each and every day is speed my coaches up because what has happened is it's become an uncomfortable conversation in 2024 talking about NIL money because nobody has ever had to talk about money, but in my world you talk about money all the time. You make money; you lose money. It's just kind of part of it.

I like it, but it don't mean I don't dislike it at times. So for me I enjoy the part of it. The crazy thing about it is now I talk to my kids. These guys will tell you -- these guys will tell you I'm on them about academics, but man, ever since I got back to college I haven't had nobody ask me about graduating. That's a fact. We've lost what this is all about.

The only reason I can stand up here and be a head coach is because I went back to Arizona and got my degree. I never hear people talk about a degree anymore.

Now, that does not mean you can't be successful, but if you are going to start this journey, you might as well finish this journey even if you come back, but nobody talks about it. So for me that's the beauty of what I'm doing now, and I didn't know that when I took this job, but it's the beauty of it.

I had a great conversation with Derrick Favors. Most people in Atlanta know Derrick Favors. These guys in the front row probably know Derrick Favors. He's an east Atlanta guy. He went to the NBA Draft. He was drafted No. 2, okay? He had a long career. He made over $100 million.

The one thing he said to me is, now I want to come back and get my degree because, see, it means something when you get older. You're trying to make it, but it means something.

Nobody is even talking about degrees anymore. So for me that's what I like. I still like the father part of it, and I'm going to always be on my guys about the father part of it. I don't care what they say, and I don't give a damn, but we just got to keep pushing as coaches. We've got to stand for something as well.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you. You can switch spots with Kowacie. Questions for Kowacie, please.

Did anyone ever receive emails from Tech about purchasing parking for this game? I've been checking, can't find anything. For all our other games at MBS we've been able to get spots on the Home Depot lot, but there seems to be nothing about our game this year and parking.

Tech fans will see a lot of familiar names from recruiting battles past as well as others in the state of Georgia that the Tar Heels have come in to get. Overall, pretty even star comparison for the starters at least.

ATLANTA- Georgia Tech football coach Brent Key spoke to the media on Tuesday as the Jackets continue preparations for North Carolina. Key spoke about the challenge the Tar Heels represent along with facing former coach Geoff Collins now the defensive coordinator at UNC. This will mark the second time this season Tech has faced a former defensive coordinator after seeing Kevin Sherrer at Georgia State in week two in Atlanta.

Key was brought home to Tech from Alabama as the offensive line coach for Collins in 2019 and he was quick to shoot down anything about this game being about the former Jackets head coach.

"I wish for nothing but the best for Geoff except for the this Saturday," Key said. "He is a good football coach on a staff of good football coaches and this isn't the first time we've gone up against someone that we worked with before."

When asked if the personal relationship with Collins will impact any of the game plan, Key said that has zero influence.

"It really doesn't and I think I got asked the same question before we played Georgia State with guys that have been on staff here and we worked together, it doesn't (make a difference), you might know a little bit philosophically about the way that they think, but look at Georgia State, you go out there and plan for one thing and get some other things and you have to make adjustments and go play."

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Key said he thought the Duke game was a good football game just as a fan of football with two good teams going against each other and he enjoyed watching the game back and they were fortunate to come out with a win. Key said they looked fresher and faster out there and he talked up the environment the students created and how awesome it was. He said the students have been outstanding this year and he hopes to continue building upon that and get more and more students into BDS to make it really loud for opponents and that is a nice building block for the future of Georgia Tech football.

Players of the Week:

Defense Jordan van den Berg, he said that he got his first start opposite Zeek Biggers and he was able to affect the QB and had a couple of TFLs and he is really proud of his development and the job that Jess Simpson has done with him.

Offense: The GT O-line and TE Ryland Goede, Ryland played over 70 snaps in the game and had to start with Jackson Hawes out and played a really good football game. The O-line got their groove back again in the fourth quarter and were able tod do what he wants them to do to win the football game.

Key said he has been proud of the defensive improvements they've made week to week, but they still have a long way to go.

Key said when they met on Sunday he noticed how cool it is that Tyler Santucci and Buster Faulkner have the same mindset and same beliefs about football and the improvement they expect to see. They know nothing is ever going to be perfect, but that is what they strive for and they are not going to "kiss the crack of heir butts" all day long on the improvements the team is making either.

They improved dramatically last week especially in run defense and they got an early kickoff at UNC this week against a very talented UNC roster who has been playing a tough stretch the last couple of weeks and those are the scariest teams to go against with some things going on up there and they have talent and they've shown glimpses of how good UNC can be this year so it will be a challenge.

Key said it is cool going against Mack Brown who is the 6th winningest coach of all-time in CFB and has the most active wins with 279. He is a legend and he is excited to compete against him again.

Key said the depth on the DL has really been a noticeable improvement and the guys are down to playing 25-30 plays a game instead of 60-65 a year ago and they are fresher and Jess Simpson's way of having them attack upfront and how they play the game and penetrate gaps and disrupt things up front is big. They aren't always going to pressure the QB straight away but they are taking away gaps and flat walling things allowing the LBs to clean up and run free to make plays. Jess is a great teacher and Tucc behind him coaching LBs has them playing as one unit and playing hard and that is what he wants for four quarters.

I asked about Omarion Hampton and that challenge this week against the top RB in the ACC and one of the best in the country after they shut down Star Thomas last week who had been rolling, he said that Omarion is a really good football player, but the interesting thing about the UNC offense is their balance 55/45 run/pass and they aren't just going to run 70% of the time and they mix in the RPOs and add ons and then take shots down the field. He said the second and third level are very important in this game defensively on the run/pass plays and they have to control the game up front.

Key talked about the flow of the game on Saturday and he said that the first quarter is always about the opening scripts offensively and opening calls on D and then things settle in the second quarter and the third quarter coming out of halftime unless it is a blowout is usually pretty balanced and then the fourth quarter is when you use your best stuff, best calls and you are playing the game and playing situational football. Key said they preach to the team all the time it is about taking the game to the fourth quarter and the body blows start adding up over the course of the game and two or three-yard runs become bigger runs and it isn't necessarily even doing anything differently, but you are getting creased out of a gap or line movement is a step slower. Key said he thought Buster did a great job of not letting Duke create negative plays last week and that is what they've thrived on as a defense and they had just six negative plays which is too many for GT but less than what Duke has been averaging a game.

Key said on Collins D compared to here there are similarities but like any D he tweaks it every week and they have to prepare for things they haven't put on film this year like wrinkles, twists and blitz patterns or matchups.

Key said that Jackson Hawes tried to go on Saturday, but couldn't and he is day-to-day, they think he is really good and really tough but don't want him hurting himself trying to go when he shouldn't. He said he was very pleased with Ryland and how he played and he said that position is banged up. They demand a lot of versatility from that position lining up on the LOS or off the ball or on the ball or split wide and have motions and other stuff so it is a lot but they have a deep group and they have some confidence in the guys that can play.

Key said this week is big about keeping momentum going and they've struggled coming off wins and they are playing on the road at a traditional rival UNC and if you can't get excited about that you have ice water running through your veins.

Key said that Trey Cooley and Trelain Maddox are day-to-day or week-to-week, he doesn't expect you will see either this week.

Key on Chad Alexander he played all over special teams last year as a true freshman and worked his butt off over the last year to become a better RB and he goes back to a moment this summer after a scrimmage in the stadium where he hit full speed and he pulled him over and said that's it. He gives a lot of credit to Norv McKenzie and Buster for helping develop him as a RB and he is a solid #2 for them now and runs really hard when he is in with explosive runs and he was banged up early in the year and he was happy to announce to the team he is on scholarship and he has earned every bit of it.

I asked about the culture of the D and how it is impressive to see a guy like LaMiles Brooks play well despite the emergence of Taye Seymore at safety. Key told the story of recruiting LaMiles at Bama in ninth grade again and then he said the guys are real and know why someone is playing or not playing and there are no surprises on the players side from the staff on either side, their job is to put the best 11 on the field and ideally have a rotation. He said having that rotation has really helped Taye develop and he is getting better and better,

Key said that Jamal Haynes has improved a lot with overcoming setbacks and adversity that used to set him back and he did a great job on Saturday playing at 100% for the first time this season.

After the presser, Key told me why he called the timeout at the end of the first half after Jamal Haynes' big run. He felt like with the two penalties and then the TD they had surrendered all of the momentum to Duke and Duke was getting the ball out of the half. They wanted to try to hit a quick run and then take a shot down the field. They didn't get enough yardage to take a shot at the end zone but when he saw Duke players jogging off the field after Haynes' run he decided to make them come back out and defend one more play. He felt like that slowed them down a little momentum wise.

Chad Alexander, Ryland Goede and Taye Seymore were the guests of honor for interviews. As I mention in the story, I'll have more on Alexander in a feature about his journey to getting a full scholarship either later today or tomorrow.

Georgia Tech hits the podium at 4pm which sucks for those of us covering the Jackets because we won't be done until 5pm.

ACC Commish Jim Phillips is speaking and he gave a shoutout to GT for investing in athletics as a high point of what ACC teams can do to help the brand.

Pretty messy situation. Anyone have any info in the area?

Kelly, I saw Paul Johnson’s hometown in NC was crushed by the hurricane. Any update on him, his family / friends? Thank you.

KQ- I'll try to reach out to him this week, I've been pretty slammed lately. We usually talk more in the offseason. I'm sure he was in Arizona playing golf and not back home. His main pad is in Arizona now.

What’s a good mailbag question?

…with the answer
KQ- Playing some 3-D chess. I think no one has asked what Brent Key's plan is for the raised scholarship cap. The answer to that is they plan to keep the walk-on program, but as of now use a few more extra ships to cover positions that take longer to develop like OL/DL and to reward the Henry Freer, Jason Moore and Joe Fusile types. I hope to have a more specific breakdown soon.

What are we going to do about outscored in the third quarter, this could kill us in games against more powerful opposition

KQ- It is a combo of not always having great adjustments on the offensive side and some execution coming out of the half by the offense. You are going to get your best shots from the opposing team on D on the opening drives of each half. GT has struggled more with those more scripted moments to open games and to open the 3rd QT than I would've expected.

It is about adjustments and the chess match and GT has to do a better job on both sides of that chess match.

Is the game against NC as much of a “grudge match” for Key and the players as it is for us fans?

KQ- I haven't gotten that vibe. The kids have moved on IMO. Key literally doesn't give a **** (likely what he would exactly say to me off the record if I asked) about Geoff being there or any of that. He just sees a distraction. Key tries to not make any game bigger than any other. Obviously there are moments like playing UGA or like playing FSU in Ireland where that gets harder. I don't feel like this is one of those, but I'm not in the locker room right now. None of the kids have commented on playing UNC or dealing with Geoff prior to the season starting. I think it is much bigger for JOL and the fans than it is for any of them. That is good, you don't want them tight.

How do you get delay of game on the defense? I was at the game so I don't have the benefit of an explanation on TV.

KQ- I was going to ask Brent about this in the presser tomorrow. Generally, it is about simulating the snap count (like a guy ping) or a defender doing something that is not a football move, like if a guy pretended to be an animal or was barking like a dog or some other nonsense. I assume it was something along those lines.

I came into this season thinking Leo Blackburn would be playing more as the season progressed but it seems to be the opposite. I was at the game last night so could have easily missed it but I don't recall seeing him on the field at all. Dude has the physical presence of an NFL-level WR but the few plays I've watched him, his body language and/or effort seem marginal. Is he injured and/or what is your take on his situation?

KQ- He hasn't been blocking well. Abdul Janneh has been so he got more reps than Leo last week. He played one snap in the Duke game. He isn't injured. I think he is frustrated and Trent McKnight because reset the room when he got the job. Eric Singleton, Malik Rutherford and Chase Lane are all being very productive. They would rather have a big guy like Leo out there, but he hasn't beat any of those guys out in practice. People have to remember this guy had two major knee injuries and broke his wrist. That is a lot for a guy who wasn't coming in running like BayBay either. He ran well, but he wasn't a polished product as a WR coming out of HS either. I think he has tons of potential but that room right now isn't going to give up a lot of reps with the way GT is playing (not 75-80 snaps a game) either. We will see what happens with him in the back half of the season. I hope he can find his groove.

I think most have noticed the emphasis on the short passing game with a very limited vertical passing attempts. What do you feel is the largest contributing factor - a matter of our OC philosophy, giving us what the defenses dictate, or player limitations?

KQ- Well the two deep shots they took, they doubled one guy and tripled Malik Rutherford, they are trying to contain those two guys, so that limits your vertical game. Chase is solid but not that guy either. King also doesn't always put the ball on the money on the deep shots or make great decisions, he threw into triple coverage to Malik on Saturday on one of the two deep shots, it was a terrible idea to throw that ball.

Below is a chart from the 2023 season that illustrates why they are not throwing as much deep either via PFF. The top of the box are deep shots and his numbers are pretty bad. You should have less picks and a high completion percentage. He only had four drops, most QBs have a higher drop number than that as well.


Do you have an idea of how UNCs defensive coordinator may want to game plan for our
Offense?

KQ- Geoff is very worried about Haynes King running on them. Shocking to people who watched GT with him as the HC but his teams struggle to contain running QBs and tend to give up more explosives in those situations. They will try to box in King and try to disrupt that quick screen game by clocking and being aggressive. King will need to counter that by running some on those plays and hitting on some intermediate and deeper throws and the RBs need to take the pressure off by running well.

How do you propose we attack their defense? (Asking for your own thoughts, but if you don’t want to reveal anything for game week, i understand)

KQ- I think play-action is big against a Geoff defense, he likes to put his CBs on an island and let them play man to man and you need to do some mesh concepts and crossing and maybe even levels concepts in the passing game where you can use Malik and Eric's speed on those cuts to get loose over the middle and then they should have one guy to beat. The slant game may be something in play again for the first time in a minute as GT has seen a lot of zone D.

Now that we’re six games in, what are you:

1. Most surprised by with the team?

KQ- I think the defense has been a little better than I thought it would be and I like what I am seeing from Santucci and what the are trying to do on that side of the ball. I think Eric Singleton and Malik Rutherford have both played really well.

2. Most disappointed by with the team?

KQ- The run game has been inconsistent at times, Haynes King has struggled to run the ball and Jamal Haynes looked like a shell of himself after week 2 until the Duke game as he was banged up. I think the lack of sacks from the DE position has been a major concern, but they are getting some pressure and squeezing the pocket and that really messed with Maalik Murphy last week.

3. Most pleased/excited by with the team.

KQ- You are starting to see the depth on both sides of the ball come into play. They had to play basically a 3rd string TE for 75 snaps against an undefeated team last week and he played pretty good in Ryland Goede. That TE position has been better than I expected with Jackson Hawes and Josh Beetham who were both hurt last week and Avery Boyd looking good and then Goede finally stepping up more the last two games. I really thought they would be burning Luke Harpring's shirt because of production issues.

I like what I am seeing from the LBs week to week especially Kyle Efford and Tah'j Butler and even Tren Tatum. They look more like what I expect. I thought that Warren Burrell and Ahmari Harvey have played extremely well outside and people aren't appreciating how well they have played especially Burrell in coverage.

Here are a few gifs i decided to breakdown to give an idea of what happened on field vs. Duke. These are used to give others a different perspective on how to watch football. I don’t do this to disparage players or coaches, but to give insight to GT enthusiast on what I’ve learned as a player and avid football fan.

Not flashy, not memorable but a good win nonetheless. Not many teams can say they knocked off a 5-0 team.



I thought our QB run game was a bit off. 1) Is this an actual read option? Given how we left the end man unblocked, i would think so. These are the times i wish i had the All-22 view, bc this looks like it should’ve been a toss to Haynes (yes we scored anyway) for a 1v1 opportunity to race to the end zone. 2) Why King decided to disregard his blockers and duck inside? If he stays outside and ducks off Fusile butt, there is a better chance he scores


The biggest bye week adjustment on defense imo, were: improving our contains on the edge and putting Van Den Berg in the starting lineup. Here is a great example of being good at containing. Here the LB and DB do a good taking their inside shoulder and attacking the outside shoulder of blockers to force the ball back inside. The past few weeks our force defenders have been taking on these blockers squarely giving up the edge. We also get to see the poor ACC officiating on display. This was a terrible spot as the runner appear short of the line to gain.




We did a better job at being a good teammate to execute our scheme. Great job by Efford here crossing the guard face and ramming the center in the side. This gets the down block and creates the number advantage for Van den berg loop around in the vacated gap for the sack.




10 perfects and 1 missed assignment = a 4yd loss. If the LT makes the reach block just slightly, this loss turns into a big gain with only the deep middle safety to beat

Van Den Berg got his first start for GT and made it clear that it was his spot for good



Great job here taking on the double, creating penetration vs the outside zone and getting in on the tackle. Triple play



My favorite play of the game. Not sure if he lost sight of the back when the OLineman released him but great job by VanDenBerg retracing his footsteps and chasing down the ball carrier on the HB screen. Also, kudos to Gibbs, for taking on and taking out 2 blockers which gave us a clear path to the ball even if Jordan didn’t make the play


DO YOUR ASSIGNMENT!!! Efford knows he has the RB in man coverage . The RB immediately released to the flat. Why are you hesitating???? Run to him and try to beat him to the spot. That slight hesitation allowed the RB to get the yardage needed to convert on 4th down


The biggest area where we need improvement on defense is our man blitz pass defense. If my math is correct, this is the 6-7th TD we’ve allowed off a man



It appears someone didn’t do a man exchange or got the wrong call & is playing zone while everyone else is man. Unacceptable



Here is a double A gap blitz, Tatum completely glitches out. It appears he’s playing zone instead of man and lets the receiver cross his face for an easy TD. This needs to be fixed immediately!!



Haynes King is a man of few words but he was hot here. King reads the slot blitzer taking the RB and he tries to pull. If he pulls, it’s King and the Safety meeting at the 1st down line



Clean up on aisle 11. So glad to see Haynes being back to himself. Very surprised he even played on a high ankle sprain. Another adjustment, We ran less inside/outaide zone and more power and counters. The results were a huge net positive for the run game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D., a servant leader throughout his career in college athletics, has been appointed to the NCAA Board of Governors.



The Board of Governors is the NCAA’s highest legislative body and includes only one league commissioner. Bringing together presidents and chancellors from each division, former student-athletes, along with select leaders from inside and outside the NCAA membership, the board is responsible for leading the NCAA and presiding over issues that affect the entire membership.



The Board of Governors consists of nine voting members and seven ex officio nonvoting members.



Phillips will serve a two-year term, expiring August 2026, representing all of Division I, as a voting member on the board.



"I am truly honored to have been appointed to the NCAA Board of Governors and to be given the opportunity to elevate the student-athlete experience and tackle the challenges in higher education today and in the future," Phillips said. "To be certain, this is a time of great change, and I eagerly anticipate collaborating with my colleagues to prioritize all of our student-athletes and advocate for their best interests."



The fifth commissioner in ACC history, Phillips began his tenure on February 1, 2021. He has more than three decades of experience in NCAA Division I athletics, a track record of tremendous achievement, a vision for the future of intercollegiate athletics, and a passion for helping student-athletes thrive in competition, the classroom and their communities. 



Phillips has guided the ACC to becoming a national conference that spans coast to coast. With this summer’s addition of the University of California, Berkeley (Cal), Southern Methodist University (SMU), and Stanford University, the ACC has a presence in each of the country’s five most-populated states, and its footprint includes four of the 10 largest media markets. 



Under Phillips’ leadership, the ACC moved its headquarters in the fall of 2023 to Uptown Charlotte as part of Legacy Union’s Bank of America Tower – mere blocks away from the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC, Charlotte Knights, and Charlotte Hornets. In alignment with the conference office relocation and following an eight-month strategic and comprehensive process, the ACC launched ACCOMPLISH GREATNESS, a multi-part brand campaign highlighting the vast success of the ACC’s athletics and academics. 



That balance of academic and athletic excellence continues to be a top priority for the ACC. Since the 2021-22 academic year, the ACC has won 23 team national championships, more than any other conference. Academically, the league’s unique blend of public and private institutions continues to lead the way among Football Bowl Subdivision conferences in the “Best Colleges” rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. The ACC has led in the best average rank of its collective institutions in each of the last 18 years. In the 2025 rankings, the Conference leads all FBS conferences with two ACC schools rank in the top 10, four in the top 20, six in the top 20 and 14 in the top 70.



Phillips is renowned as one of the leading voices across the college sports landscape and his inclusion on national boards and committees is beyond significant. He was elected as the inaugural chair of the NCAA Division I Council in February 2015 when he served as the first-ever sitting Athletic Director on the NCAA Board of Directors and Board of Governors. Phillips was selected to serve on the 28-member NCAA Constitution Review Committee, followed by an appointment to the NCAA Division I Transformation Committee - the only Autonomy 5 commissioner to serve on both. In March 2017, he was appointed to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee and also served as a member of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and NCAA Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee.



In addition to being a member of the NCAA Board of Governors, current appointments include multiple College Football Playoff committees and Vice President of the Collegiate Commissioners Association – a role he will serve until becoming President beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.



In addition to his overall Board of Governors service, he will serve as chair of the Finance and Audit Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee. Overall, six members from the NCAA Board of Governors make up the Executive Committee. The composition includes four voting members (chair and vice-chair of the Board of Governors, a voting member from the division not represented by the chair and vice chair, and an independent member) and two ex-officio, nonvoting members (chair of the Board of Governors Finance and Audit Committee and the NCAA president). The purpose of the Board of Governors Executive Committee is to promote and maintain a more effective and efficient governance process.

Getting together what the visitors thought of the win over Duke, the atmosphere, the team, etc. Will post more as they come in.

First one is from OL commit Kevin Peay:

"I feel like the atmosphere was there this weekend. Once the fans bought in and came to support the guys, you can’t ask for nothing else. I thought the visit was great all around and can’t wait to be in The Benz next game."

Also from 2026 3-star defensive end Tristan Lyles from Central-Phenix, Alabama:

"It was a great atmosphere up there. The team played with great physicality and speed. Can't wait to get back up here and congrats on the W."

My son and I are making the trek up and are looking for a couple of tickets in the GT section. Any suggestions? Thanks!

certainly deserved

...I'll let Atlanta Magazine do the heavy lifting.

Every October, a family home in Woodstock becomes a terrifying haunted house←link

​

Not that it's anything new, but man the $EC and B1G bias is completely idiotic. Everybody keeps claiming the SEC just "beats up on each other" but I think the SEC is down as a whole this season. Texas looks to be the clear front runner at this point, but everybody else looks beatable. It just completely baffles me though how Alabama and Tennessee can both lose to unranked teams and remain in the Top 10. Oregon and Penn State both jump 3 spots (and UGAg) but Miami doesn't? Ole Miss back in the top 10 too is a joke.

Bama's loss is to unranked Vandy (and their defense got smoked, it wasn't just a fluke)
Tennessee's loss is to a not great Arkansas team
Ole Miss lost to Kentucky
Clemson's only loss is to UGAg.

Guess which one of those teams is ranked the lowest.

for the Mississippi State weekend according what Jed May from the UGA site told me earlier today. We'll see how this one develops as it progresses toward Signing Day. I think as you could see on the visitor list for this past weekend, Georgia Tech is already looking for other options in case Dinkins is swayed by the folks in Athens.

Nell Fortner

Damon Stoudamire

Baye Ndongo

Lance Terry

Hey all, I've been considering nuking my X/Twitter account finally. I have a number of reasons for this but that's not really the point of this post.

One thing I've always really liked about it, and maybe the only thing I still like about it, is that I can get very up-to-the-minute sports news (and some weather news as well). My question is what other sources do you guys find most helpful in terms of getting that really timely news? Is there another social media outlet or site (looking beyond just GT) that you find really useful? I use Instagram regularly but got off Facebook years ago.

Total defense: 32nd
Total offense: 42nd


Thought offense would be ranked higher and defense lower at this point. Pleasantly surprised by the defense. If the offense can get into a groove like they did late last year I think we will have a chance to win any game left on our schedule.

Updated Standings:

Bronston 29-25
Kelly 26-28
Sed 26-28
Alex 16-38 (I'm going fade myself strategy this week. Whatever my hunch is, I'm going the opposite way. We'll see how it works out.)

Week 6 games:

-Syracuse (+6.5) at UNLV
Cuse: Alex, Cuse, Bronston, Sed
UNLV:

-SMU at Louisville (-7)
SMU: Alex, Bronston
Louisville: Kelly, Sed

-Boston College at Virginia (-1)
BC: Alex, Kelly, Bronston, Sed
UVA:

-Pittsburgh at North Carolina (+2.5)
Pitt: Kelly, Bronston
UNC: Alex, Sed

-Wake Forest at NC State (-5.5)
Wake: Alex
NC State: Kelly, Bronston, Sed

-Virginia Tech at Stanford (+7.5)
VT: Alex, Kelly, Bronston
Stanford: Sed

-Clemson at Florida State (+14.5)
Clemson: Kelly, Bronston, Sed
FSU: Alex

-Miami at California (+10)
Miami: Kelly, Bronston, Sed
Cal: Alex

-Duke at Georgia Tech (-9) ***give score prediction also
Duke: Bronston (GT 27-24)
GT: Alex (39-20), Kelly (28-17), Sed (38-17)