Georgia Tech Football: CFB Analyst Grades the Yellow Jackets 2024 Season

What grade should Georgia Tech get for its 2024 season?

Nov 29, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Dan Jackson (17) sacks Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) during overtime at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

While not a perfect season, Georgia Tech's 2024 season was a success. They started it off by pulling off an upset against Florida State in Ireland, they had an amazing finish in the win over North Carolina, they upset No. 4 Miami and helped keep them out of the College Football Playoff, freshman quarterback Aaron Philo mounted a game-winning drive vs NC State, and the Yellow Jackets were close to ending their losing streak to Georgia. With one of the program's best recruiting classes coming in, this feels like the start of something special on The Flats.

CBS Sports analyst Chip Patterson recently graded each ACC team season and gave the Yellow Jackets a B:

"There is a lot of belief in the future of Georgia Tech football under Brent Key, and 2024 only added to that confidence with the way the Yellow Jackets performed against the best teams on their schedule. Georgia Tech was one of just seven teams in the ACC to finish with a winning record in conference play, and they had to get there playing four of the other six teams (2-2). Wins against Miami and Duke highlight the year, but so too did the gutsy performance from Haynes King and the Yellow Jackets on Black Friday as they took eventual SEC champion Georgia into eight overtimes. If not for some quarterback injuries and a dud of a loss at Virginia Tech, this was an "A," but still an undisputed success of a season. Grade: B"

Will Georgia Tech be able to improve upon their success next season? It is possible.

A big reason for optimism for next season for the Yellow Jackets is that it sounds like quarterback Haynes King is going to be back for one last season in Atlanta. When speaking with the media yesterday, King had this to say about another season with Georgia Tech:

"Yeah I will probably come back. You know, nothing is official nowadays but I mean I have not thought about leaving or this or that but the people that we have in this building, it is rare and I value relationships with people and the direction this program is going, you can't put a digit or a number on it and I am probably going to be here next year, I love this team, love the coaching staff and love what they have done and I am not one to go back on my word either. "

Having King back for next season would be massive for Georgia Tech and would make them contenders to get to the ACC Championship game. King is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country and he makes the Yellow Jackets offense hard to stop. King threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns as well as running for 110 yards and three touchdowns in the eight overtime loss to Georgia and after the game, head coach Brent Key spoke about him and his performance, as well as what this game signals for the program moving forward:

""He's a warrior. He's one of the toughest kids I've ever been around in my life. He wills others around. Proud of him. Proud of all of them.

"Correct, but, the game's-- there's so much about college football that's special, And there's so many things that as a college football coach that you take pride in. Yeah, the judgment comes from when the scoreboard hits zero. But the things we do with these kids and to see these kids grow and mature, to see them do what they do in school, do what they do socially, do what they do each week on the football field, they're special. They're special. And it hurts. It hurts them. That locker room, I've never seen anything like that. What I know about these kids, what I know about this team, what I know about this school, this emotion will turn into fuel, and we'll use that fuel."

Additional Links

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