Georgia Tech Football: Complete Preview and Breakdown of Defense for 2022

How much can Georgia Tech's defense improve for the 2022 season?

Georgia Tech was near the bottom of every statistical category on the defensive side of the football last year and are hoping for wholesale changes. Head Coach Geoff Collins has said he would be more hands-on with the defense this season and the hope is that will help with the communication at every level of the defense. 

Defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker is back, but there are some new changes on the staff. David Turner is going to be the new defensive run game coordinator and assistant head coach after being the defensive line coach at Florida, Jason Semore is the new linebackers coach after being the defensive coordinator at Valdosta State, and Travares Tillman is back at his alma mater as the defensive backs coach after holding the same position at Michigan State. 

The Yellow Jackets went out in the transfer portal and got some players they hope can be instant impact players and bring depth. Here are the new guys on defense: 

Christian Burkhalter, Defensive End- Transferring from UCLA

Daniel Carson, Defensive Tackle- Transferring from Western Illinois

Ahmari Harvey, Defensive Back- Transferring from Auburn

Eric Reed Jr, Defensive Back- Transferring from Auburn

Khari Gee, Defensive Back- Transferring from Notre Dame

KJ Wallace, Defensive Back- Transferring from Notre Dame

Kenny Bennett, Defensive Back- Transferring from Maryland

Defense

Georgia Tech is hoping to get a big year out of pass rusher Keion White / 247 Sports

Georgia Tech had one of the worst defenses in the country last season, but new coaches and transfers are hoping to turn this unit around.

The defensive line is hoping to see a full and healthy season from Keion White, who missed eight games due to injury last fall. White was a force when at Old Dominion and Collins has praised White this offseason and thinks he is in for a big season:

"I think just who he is as a competitor and a tremendous ability. His focus and his work ethic, his relentless nature, who he is in the locker room, you guys are out there and probably don't see him talk very much, but just in the locker room, his presence, his demeanor, his level of focus, rubs off on a lot of guys on the team and obviously he has tremendous physical ability and he is healthy and playing at a high level and he just wants to continue to get better every single day. Very coachable and wants us to be very good as a team and is driven for team success and the individual success will come with that as well, but we are really proud of Keion."

The rest of the edge rushers are going to need to take a step up this year. Kyle Kennard, Noah Collins, Sylvain Yondjouen, Kevin Harris, Josh Robinson, and Christian Burkhalter are expected to be the other contributors opposite of White. Defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker has had positive things to say about Noah Collins in the offseason and feels he might be ready to turn the corner as a player:

"Noah is one of those guys coming into fall camp where we would have those conversations and think that Noah might be the most talented guy that we have. That is no disservice to anybody else, just as far as true twitch, true flexibility, true pass rushing ability, just natural power. If this kid comes on, he is the most talented one long-term and I feel like the light has come on. CoachKnight has done a great job of giving all the details and giving him confidence and kind of in the same way where Kyle Kennard, Kevin Harris, Noah Collins are all in a competition battle and they all have done a great job of building each other up and being competitive about it."

"I think if we were to go out tomorrow, Kyle and Noah would be very competitive with those reps right now, we would trust both of the guys in the game right now. I am really really pleased with Noah Collins, who is ultimately in his redshirt freshmen year right now."

With the losses of Jared Ivey and Jordan Domineck, Georgia Tech has to find a better pass rush after having one of the worst in the ACC.

Georgia Tech Defensive Tackle T.K. Chimedza is going to be a leader up front  / Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

On the interior, Georgia Tech also has quite a few question marks, but there is experience here. T.K. Chimedza, Makius Scott, Zeek Biggers, and Daniel Carson are going to be the first guys on the field in the rotation, but don't overlook freshmen Horace Lockett and K.J. MIles. Assistant head coach David Turner has said that both players are coming along well and could see playing time this fall:

"Well, obviously we hope Daniel (Carson) will be able to provide either some depth or be a starter. It is a little early for the freshmen, I am about four or five deep right now, I got ten guys, two positions. We have a couple of walk-ons that are starting to come around so I am pleased with the group overall. I don't know, I would like to have roles for everybody, so everybody could have a chance to play. Fact is, everybody, won't but those two guys, the freshmen, I don't know, but Daniel yes. We gotta get him going, obviously, being an older guy he has played college football. Those freshmen, I tell them all the time they are gonna play if they pick it up and if they know what to do. The first thing is knowing what to do and the next part is knowing how to do it, so it is still a little bit early for that."

The defensive line has a lot of questions to answer and I expect to see plenty of rotation of all of these guys this season.

Georgia Tech's Demetrius Knight II will be a key player in the linebacker group this season / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The linebacker group has the most experience and the fewest depth chart questions. Charlie Thomas and Ace Eley are going to be the two starters and Trenilyas Tatum and Demetrius Knight II are going to be their backups. Tatum and Knight could see more snaps this season and linebackers coach Jason Semore has seen growth in Tatum this offseason:

"He is a very instinctive football player. We need a lot from him this year. Not only just dependability during game days but reps off of the other guys. It is a long season and as a coach, you want to play as many guys as you possibly can throughout the course of the season, to take rep count off of guys. That helps prevent injury, that helps guys stay fresh throughout the course of a season. He is one of those guys that has shown through camp that he is really dependable and he is ready to get rep counts up in a game, be a guy that we can depend on as a starter, and things like that. so we are really pleased so far."

"As far as rotation and those kinds of things, right now there is a lot of guys in my room that are battling to be above the line right now and they have a really good approach, so the challenge always is, when you are on the field with the 1s, when you are on the field of with the established dudes out there taking those reps, how do you communicate? Not just do your job, but are you communicating with your guys around you so that you build trust with your teammates and so far, he is doing that."

I expect this to be a position of strength on the defense and Thomas could be an All-ACC candidate this season.

Jaylon King is going to step into a starter's role this season for Georgia Tech / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The secondary is losing players, but new faces could be a good thing for a secondary that ranked at the bottom of the country in a lot of categories.

Zamari Walton and Myles Sims are likely starters at cornerback and Jaylon King and Derrik Allen will be at safety. Unlike last year, I think there is more depth and there has been an extra emphasis on communicating better.

Kaleb Edwards, LaMiles Brooks, Kenny Bennett, Kenyatta Watson, and Kenan Johnson are going to be the main backups and should see snaps in every game. Defensive backs coach Travares Tillman has also given praise to freshmen Clayton Powell-Lee and Jaylin Marshall:

"I think those guys are close. They are impressive freshmen, especially Clayton, I call him the young vet because he studies, he does everything right on the field, he is just beyond his years, the kid is going to be a really good player here, I am excited for him. Jaylin Marshall, he is a big tough guy and I think he will help us as well. Not to leave out Rodney Shelley, he is having a good camp as well but I am really happy with those guys."

Overall, I think the defense has nowhere to go but up, but I am not sure that this is going to be anything other than a below-average unit. I have major concerns about the secondary and defensive line, even if White is healthy as a pass rusher. With Collins more involved and hands-on with the defense, that could prove to be a difference maker. 

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