Getting to know Georgia Tech

Earlier this week, Georgia Tech writer Alex Farrer and I exchanged a few questions regarding both programs ahead of the matchup this Saturday.

Here’s my back & forth with him on the Yellow Jackets:

What has allowed Georgia Tech to suddenly become a legitimate contender? Coaching? portal additions? New system? All of the above?

“It really is a combination of a lot of things and Brent Key’s plan coming together over his three years since being named head coach after the half a year as interim. There was a lot of work to do to get the program competitive again after the end of the Paul Johnson era followed by the disaster of the Geoff Collins era. The roster didn’t have a ton of talent when he took over, and morale and discipline was at an all-time low as Collins didn’t have the most organized or controlled team to say the least. They have made big strides in talent in recruiting, where Key has focused on competing in-state, and in the portal. He has also surrounded himself with a very good staff which is really important for a still relatively young head coach who is learning on the go. They have developed a culture of toughness and competitiveness, and in the past I would say year and a half, the players have really bought into that and made it a reality.”

Does the G-Tech fan base genuinely believe this is a national title contender? Or is this just all house money at this point and they’re just riding the wave?

“I think if the GT fan base was honest with themselves, a lot of them would say they aren’t quite sure this is a national title contender but they do believe they can win the ACC and/or make the College Football Playoff. With that said, once you start winning, the fans start to expect more and more. And from my perspective, the fan base showed that by how they reacted to a tough night in the loss at NC State a couple weeks ago. It went from a dream season and a lot of good feelings to the sky is falling and Tech is lucky to be 8-1 from a lot of the fans. The start to the season is great and all, but how they finish will ultimately define how the fans look back on 2025. Going 8-4 or 9-3 and losing to Georgia and going to a mid-tier bowl again would feel like a disappointment based on the hopes of the program taking the next step this year. It truly is “what have you done for me lately.”

Offensively, why has Haynes King had so much success in such a short amount of time?

“The first thing is he has improved dramatically in the past two years since his first reps as starting QB at Georgia Tech. He went from a bit of a gunslinger that first year at Tech in 2023 and throwing a lot of interceptions to a much more intelligent, cerebral QB in these past two years. He rarely turns the ball over now. He is very tough-minded and competitive too and won’t be denied a lot of times. His skillset mixed with offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s creativity has been an incredible combination, and it seems they are only getting better and more sophisticated offensively with each week. King is also healthier this season than he was last season down the stretch when he literally couldn’t throw the ball down the field due to a shoulder injury but still gutted it out in the final few games of the season and was one break away from beating Georgia in Athens.”

Is there any concern of a ‘trap game’ for the Yellow Jackets? Does this fanbase have any respect for the Eagles whatsoever?

“I think the thought of a trap game went out the window after the loss to NC State a couple weeks ago. If they had been 9-0 going into the bye week and then going to BC, I would’ve said yes a trap game was a possibility with Pittsburgh and Georgia ahead to end the regular season. But that NC State loss was a bit of an attention-getter for Key, his staff and his players. Follow that up with a bye week to stew on it and fix the issues, and I think Tech will come out focused and ready to take care of business in Chestnut Hill. The results in the ACC last Saturday gave the Jackets some new life also as the losses by UVA and Louisville put them back in control of their own destiny in the ACC Championship Game race.”

What’s one or two things GT fans are still worried about with this team that could cause them to slip up this weekend? Game prediction?

“I think the biggest thing that is concerning is the defense, specifically the run defense. Teams have been able to line up and run it on Tech pretty consistently all season, and that all came to a head vs. NC State when the Wolfpack ran for 243 yards on 34 carries. That had to be the biggest focus during the bye week is finding some way to at least be average in that defensive category. The good news is the Jackets’ defense should get a little healthier and deeper with the return of some key pieces if not this week then definitely vs. Pitt and Georgia. 

“As far as a game prediction, like I said above, I think Tech has had the wake-up call it needed and used the bye week to figure some things out. I see the Jackets playing well on Saturday, knowing that everything they want to accomplish is still ahead of them despite the loss to NC State. Tech wins it 38-13.”