Georgia Tech boasts one of the best offenses in the ACC, but they didn’t have much going for them defensively last season, but the Yellow Jackets will be hoping to turn that around this season.
In 2023, Georgia Tech ranked 128th in rush defense, 105th in third down conversion percentage, 53rd in passing yards allowed, 90th in red zone defense, 109th in sacks and 120th in total defense. The Yellow Jackets’ pass defense and ability to force turnovers were the only two things that went well on defense last season, but that could change this season.
So, what is the number one thing Georgia Tech needs to improve on defensively this year?
While it’s certainly not the only thing the Yellow Jackets defense needs to work on, I think the run defense is what needs to change the most, and the good news is that there’s no way around it other than to get better.
There are a few reasons why I think Georgia Tech’s run defense will improve. The first reason is that I think the defensive coaching staff has strengthened.
New Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci is looking to rebuild Georgia Tech’s defense and try to compete in the ACC this season. 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.
But Santucci isn’t the only one. New defensive line coach Jess Simpson has plenty of experience, having coached one of the ACC’s top defensive lines during his time at Miami. Kyle Pope (Memphis) and Corey Peoples (Georgia State) are young coaches with bright futures and upgrades to this coaching staff.
Not only have the interior defensive line and linebacker positions been strengthened this offseason, but I also think there are players at each position who are ready to make a leap.
Zeke Biggers (a 2023 All-ACC honoree), Horace Lockett, Macius Scott, University of Miami transfer Thomas Gore and Penn State transfer Jordan van den Berg are some players to watch on the inside and I think they have the versatility to move around on the defensive line.
Gore only appeared in 167 games, but was Miami’s fourth-highest-graded defense last season according to PFF with a defensive rating of 76.7, but his highest rating was in run defense with a 79.2. Georgia Tech is hoping he’ll have the biggest impact.
His best season, according to PFF, was his 2021 season at Georgia State. Gore played 386 snaps and earned an excellent 90.2 rating on defense, including an elite mark of 92.0 in run defense. While this may be due in part to playing in the Sun Belt, it shows that Gore has the ability to be effective against the run. During the 2022 season (his final season at Georgia State), Gore recorded a pass rush rating of 89.6 on 313 pass rush snaps. With 13 career sacks, Gore is not only an effective pass rusher from the interior that can help strengthen any defense, but also an effective run stopper, which is what Georgia Tech needs.
Biggers and Lockett are two players who look to take big steps forward in 2024 and be effective at stopping the run.
Linebacker Kyle Efford had an outstanding season last year, leading the team in tackles, and I think he’ll have a big year in 2024, and Georgia Tech also landed a pair of transfer students who should be able to make an impact.
Jackson Hamilton, a transfer from Louisville, played three years with the Cardinals from 2021-2023, recording 17 total tackles and one pass deflection in those three seasons. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, he will bring athleticism to the position and it will be exciting to see how he fits into the defense next year.
Hamilton was highly graded by PFF last season, but the sample size was small. He played 55 snaps and had a defensive rating of 69.1 and run defense of 81.1. Again, it’s a small sample size, but there’s evidence that Hamilton can take a big step forward as a linebacker.
EJ Lightsey was a signing day addition to the Yellow Jackets in December and is hoping to be one of the missing pieces on defense. Lightsey now needs to prove he can stay healthy. He wasn’t able to do that last season and didn’t play in a game for the Bulldogs. In 2022, he played 19 total snaps and earned a 66.8 defensive grade and good tackle rating.
Tre’Nealous Tatum is back and freshman Taj Butler should do well. The coaching is better than last season and the linebacker position should be better. With a stronger front four, Georgia Tech’s run defense should be better than it was last season.
Georgia Tech has a lot to fix defensively in 2024, but if they can fix their run defense, I think other parts of their defense will improve as well. With an improved coaching staff, some new transfers, and some returning players in the front seven taking steps forward, it’s safe to say Georgia Tech’s run defense and defense as a whole will be improved this season.
