BREAKING: Georgia Tech Hires New Defensive Assistant

Jess Simpson has experience in the ACC at Duke and Miami

Georgia Tech has hired a new defensive assistant. 

Former Duke defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Jess Simpson is going to be joining the Yellow Jackets staff in a role to be announced at a later date according to Kelly Quinlan of Rivals 

#GaTech head coach Brent Key is starting to build out his defensive staff for 2024 and he has added former Duke Co-DC/DL coach Jess Simpson, a Georgia HS legend to his staff as a defensive assistant. A home run hire for Key on D. https://t.co/raUDVImnRO pic.twitter.com/mCNPIjWEkJ

— Kelly Quinlan (@Kelly_Quinlan) December 29, 2023

While Simpson will be a part of the defensive staff, Brent Key has yet to find a defensive coordinator. That search remains ongoing. 

I think this is a strong hire for Key. Simpson was a fantastic high school head coach while he was at Buford from 2005-2016. He spent a year as a defensive assistant with the Atlanta Falcons before joining Mark Richt's staff at Miami in 2018. After a year with the Hurricanes, he returned to Atlanta to coach the Falcons defensive line for two seasons before heading back to Miami for another year with the Hurricanes. After Manny Diaz was fired at Miami, Simpson joined Mike Elko's staff at Duke, where he was the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the past two seasons. 

Simpson brings not just experience as a defensive coach, but as a recruiter in the state of Georgia, which will be huge for Key. 

Jess Simpson has been a coach recently at Duke and Miami / Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Whether it was with Duke or Miami, Simpson has gotten production from the units he coaches and Georgia Tech needs a huge step up from every level of its defense in 2024 if it wants to improve its win total from 2023. 

From his bio at Duke Athletics: 

"In his first year in Durham, Simpson mentored All-America and All-ACC selection DeWayne Carter, who finished the year with 36 tackles, a team-best 11.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, four pass breakups, three caused fumbles, three fumble recoveries and five quarterback pressures. Carter’s fumble recoveries and forced fumbles ranked third and 13th nationally, respectively.

As a unit, Simpson’s group helped Duke rank first nationally in fumbles recovered (16), second in turnover margin (+1.23), ninth in turnovers gained (26), and 23rd in sacks (2.8). In addition, Duke’s defensive unit ranked fourth in the ACC in rushing defense, allowing just 121.08 yards per outing, and held five-of-12 opponents to under 100 yards rushing for an average of just 3.73 yards per carry with eight rushing scores. 

Under Simpson’s guidance, Duke became the seventh team in program history to hold its opponents to less than 15 rushing scores in a single-season after allowing just 10 in 2022."

SIMPSON’S COACHING CAREER

• 2023-pres. – Duke (Associate Head Coach - Defense/Defensive Line)
• 2022 – Duke (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line)
• 2021 – Miami (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line)
• 2019-20 – Atlanta Falcons (Defensive Line)
• 2018 – Miami (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line)
• 2017 – Atlanta Falcons (Defensive Assistant)
• 2005-16 – Buford High School (Head Coach)
• 1999-2004 – Buford High School (Defensive Coordinator/Strength and Speed Coordinator)
• 1998 – Buford High School (Offensive Coordinator/Strength and Speed Coordinator)
• 1997 – East Paulding High School (Head Coach)
• 1995-96 – Buford High School (Offensive Coordinator)
• 1994 – Marietta High School (Assistant Coach)
• 1993 – Auburn (Student Assistant Coach/Offensive Line and Tight Ends)
• 1992 – Auburn (Student Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers and Tight Ends)

2025 Five-Star Center Oswin Erhunmwunse Lists Georgia Tech Among His Final Four Schools

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