Georgia Tech Could Prove To Be The ACC's- And Maybe The Nation's-Most Underrated Team in 2024
When you read a lot of the predictions in preview magazines and hear those that cover the sport talk about underrated teams in the ACC this offseason, a lot of that talk is going to be centered on teams such as Virginia Tech, SMU, NC State, or others. All of those teams are thought of as possible dark horse teams to make a run at the ACC Championship, but you don't hear much mention of Brent Key's Georgia Tech team.
The same goes for nationally. You don't hear a lot of talk about the Yellow Jackets being an undervalued team around the country. For a team that is returning the type of firepower they are on offense, other teams are getting the spotlight.
Well, I am here to tell you that Georgia Tech deserves a lot more attention than they are getting nationally.
Last season there were a number of first-year head coaches around the sport and despite leading his program to a bowl game for the first time since 2018 and a bowl win for the first time since 2016, Brent Key did not get the kind of attention that coaches like Deion Sanders did at Colorado and Matt Rhule did at Nebraska. They both fell short of a bowl game and did not have any notable wins to speak of. Key took down Miami, North Carolina, played Georgia tougher than almost anyone else did, and then beat UCF in the bowl game. He took over a program that had turned into an afterthought under former head coach Geoff Collins (now at North Carolina) and made them competitive during his first season. I would bet that most don't realize that if Georgia Tech had not blown a double-digit lead against Louisville in the season opener, the Yellow Jackets could have made the ACC Championship.
Yeah, that almost happened. The Yellow Jackets finished in 4th place in the ACC behind Florida State, Louisville, and NC State. A couple of games go the Yellow Jackets way and they would have faced the Seminoles in Charlotte for a shot at the ACC crown.
That fact has gotten lost on people when talking about the ACC race this year and other ACC teams, Virginia Tech in particular, are getting more love in early top 25 rankings this offseason despite not beating quality opponents like Georgia Tech did last year and returning the offensive firepower they do.
Let's talk about why Georgia Tech is going to be one of the nation's most underrated teams this year.
Quarterback Haynes King was one of only two players in the nation with at least 2,700 passing yards, 600 rushing yards, 25 touchdown passes, and five touchdown runs this season (joining LSU’s Jayden Daniels), and one of only six ACC players to achieve those numbers in a regular season since 2000. He led the ACC in touchdown passes and was fourth in passing yards. He is back for another season on The Flats and might be the best quarterback in the conference this year. One reason to buy into the Yellow Jackets is that they might have the best quarterback on the field against many of their opponents.
Jamal Haynes was such a great story last season. He made the change from wide receiver to running back during fall camp and that move paid dividends. Haynes earned all-ACC honors as a running back (third team) and was an honorable mention all-purpose performer. He led Georgia Tech with 1,059 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, and six yards per carry ranked second on the team. Those numbers ranked fifth in the ACC in rushing yards and he was tied for sixth in the conference with seven rushing touchdowns and his 6.0 yards per carry ranked third in the league. Haynes had a strong bowl performance against UCF rushing for a game-high 128 yards on 18 carries. He also had a good outing against the Georgia Bulldogs rushing for 81 yards. Haynes was the second highest-rated player on the Yellow Jackets per Pro Football Focus with a 76.9 score and looks primed for another big season in 2024. I think he is in for a huge season and is not getting the recognition he has earned.
This is going to be one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the ACC and there are some newcomers that could bolster the group.
Eric Singleton Jr was the highest-rated player in the Yellow Jackets 2023 recruiting class according to 247Sports and he looked like he might be a potential superstar last season.
Singleton Jr. ranked fourth among all freshmen nationally (true or redshirt) in 2023 with 59.5 receiving yards per game and was tied for fourth among true freshmen nationally with six touchdown receptions. His 714 receiving yards and six touchdown catches both ranked among the top 10 overall in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while his six TD receptions were the second-most by a freshman in Georgia Tech history. Could he have an even better season in 2024? I think it is certainly possible and the chemistry between him and King was noticeable last year.
Singleton is not the only dangerous receiver for the Yellow Jackets.
Malik Rutherford was the second-leading receiver on Georgia Tech. He caught 46 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 10. 5 yards per catch. His biggest performance came in Georgia Tech's big win over North Carolina. Rutherford caught six passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns. He was a reliable player and can stretch the field with his speed and is also a player who can get the ball in a variety of ways.
Christian Leary was the fourth-leading receiver for Georgia Tech this season, catching 25 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns, while also returning kickoffs.
Chase Lane had a good start to the year, but injuries cost him some time. I think he could have a really good 2024 season if he stays healthy. Duquesne transfer Abdul Janneh had six catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. He will once again provide depth for Georgia Tech next year.
Leo Blackburn is one of the most physically impressive players on the Georgia Tech roster at 6'5 220 LBS and if he is able to stay healthy this season, he could add a whole new element to the Yellow Jackets offense.
The offensive line is going to be one of the best in the ACC as well.
In just one season, head coach Brent Key and first-year offensive line coach Geep Wade turned Georgia Tech's offensive line from its biggest weakness to perhaps the best unit on the entire team. Georgia Tech went from one of the worst rushing teams in the ACC to leading the league in rushing. It was a pretty stunning turnaround if you had watched the line in 2022 and the good news for the Yellow Jackets is that the offensive line returns four of the five starters and added an All-Conference transfer this offseason.
Our own Rohan Roman provided a nice summary of the jump that the offensive line made last season:
"In 2022, per PFF, the unit graded out with an abysmal 42.8 pass-blocking grade and a run-blocking grade of 50.8. The grades matched up with the on-field results.
The 2022 Jackets ranked in the bottom four of the ACC in passing yards, yards per game, passing yards per play, passing TDs, and offensive efficiency. On the ground, they were in the middle of the ACC in yards per carry and rushing yards per game. The combination of a struggling passing offensive and mediocre rushing offense resulted in an offense that struggled to get first downs and could not convert third downs. In short, the struggles of the offensive line were central to many of the Jackets' 2022 offensive woes.
The starting five - left tackle Ethan Mackenny, left guard Joe Fusile, center Weston Franklin, right guard Connor Scaglione, and right tackle Jordan Williams - changed the narrative in 2023. Per PFF, their 64.0 pass-blocking grade and 59.4 run-blocking grade denoted them as an average unit with a reliable baseline.
On the ground, they opened running lanes that helped the Jackets lead the ACC in rushing offense with 197.1 yards per game. Starting running back Jamal Haynes was top-five in the ACC for both yards and yards per carry. Their performance in the ground game was one of the most consistent aspects of the season for the Yellow Jackets. Even against Georgia's defensive line, they were able to open up holes and keep the backs clean. Haynes had 5.4 yards per carry in the game and based on their 2023 performance, the Jackets should be able to run against any defensive line they encounter.
When quarterback Haynes King dropped back to pass, the line was able to keep him relatively clean. Their 1.25 sacks conceded per game was second in the ACC and 20th nationally. They allowed King to throw for the second-most passing touchdowns (26) and fourth-most passing yards (2755) while racking up the second-most offensive yardage (3403) in Georgia Tech history. However, this unit was much more of a mixed bag in pass protection. King had to use his legs quite a bit to escape from pressure and the youth of the left side definitely showed at times."
While those are the things that make the Yellow Jackets an exciting team in 2024, there are concerns.
The two biggest concerns standing in Georgia Tech's way this season will be the improvement of the defense and the schedule.
Georgia Tech had one of the nations worst defenses in 2023, but they have been working to make improvements to that this offseason. Brent Key overhauled the defensive staff this offseason bringing in former Duke defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci to lead the defense along with Jess Simpson (defensive line), Kyle Pope (outside linebackers/edge), and Cory Peoples (defensive backs). They were active in the transfer portal in both the spring and winter windows, bringing players at every level of the defense. How much can they improve? That question could determine the outcome of the season.
The schedule is always daunting and that is no different in 2024. The Yellow Jackets face 11 teams who made bowl games last season and among those teams are rival Georgia and Notre Dame. While those won't count toward the conference record, they are still going to be very difficult. They open with defending champion Florida State in Irleland and also face NC State, Louisville, Miami, and Virginia Tech. It is one of the nations toughest schedules and it will be a challenge for them each week.
Another thing that they will have to fix is the turnovers on offense. As good of a season as Haynes King had last year, he also led the ACC in interceptions and several of them proved to be costly. If he can cut those down, this offense could see another step forward.
If all of this has not convinced you yet, take it from one of the leading voices in the sport, Josh Pate. On a recent episode of the Late Kick, Pate called the Yellow Jackets one of the nation's most underrated teams going into the year:
"Georgia Tech I could also call a little bit underrated. The difference with Georgia Tech is the schedule is pretty stiff, I am not going to lie and they have Georgia every year. They were 7-5 last year and their win total is at 5.5, I think due in large part to how tough it is. Haynes King is still there, that is their quarterback, their offense is top ten in returning production this year, a deep wide receiver room. The defense was bad last year, 123rd in yards allowed last year I believe, but they overhauled their defensive staff, they overhauled their roster on the defensive side. They are the inverse of Nebraska in the sense that if I get C+ or B- defensive play, that should be good to get over 5.5 wins"
Georgia Tech is by no means a perfect team, but the progress they have made under Key and the amount of talent they return this season are not getting talked about nearly enough. It might not take long for the Yellow Jackets to make their presence felt this season. They have a nationally televised game on ESPN against Florida State in week zero and the entire country will be watching. It could be an opportunity to show why they are one of the nation's most underrated teams going into 2024.
JACKSON CAUDELL
Jackson Caudell covers Georgia Tech Athletics and the Atlanta Hawks for FanNation