Georgia Tech Officially Announces Hiring of New Defensive Coordinator and Two Other Defensive Assistants

Brent Key has been busy adding to the defensive side of the ball this offseason

The hires have been in the news, but Georgia Tech made the hirings of three new defensive coaches official today. 

Tyler Santucci (Defensive coordinator/linebackers), Jess Simpson (defensive line), and Kyle Pope (outside linebackers/edge) were announced today by Brent Key. 

“We’re really excited to welcome Tyler, Kyle and Jess to our staff and the Georgia Tech family,” Key said. “A lot of time and consideration was put into these hires because we were committed to finding the right fits for Georgia Tech football and our student-athletes. These three outstanding coaches fit the makeup of our staff as great teachers and recruiters with championship pedigree, and I’m looking forward to them working with our student-athletes.”

Welcome to the Flats, @CoachSantucci!

🔗 https://t.co/ZdMZhGhdLk pic.twitter.com/bfKkLJZv5Z

— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) January 14, 2024

In one season at Duke (2023), Santucci directed the ACC’s top-ranked scoring defense, allowing just 19.0 points per game, which was good for 16th nationally. The Blue Devils also ranked among the nation’s top 50 in rushing defense, passing defense, total defense, tackles for loss, third-down defense, fourth-down defense and red-zone defense. Duke allowed a total of just 10 points in a pair of wins over teams that finished the season in the top 25 – No. 20 Clemson (28-7) and No. 21 NC State (24-3) – and finished 8-5 overall after a 17-10 win over Troy in the 2023 Birmingham Bowl.

Pope spent the past four seasons (2020-23) as defensive line coach at Memphis, which included being elevated to defensive run game coordinator in his final season with the Tigers. In his four seasons at Memphis, the Tigers earned four bowl berths and won all three of their postseason games that were played (2020 Montgomery Bowl, 2022 First Responder Bowl and 2023 Liberty Bowl – the 2021 Hawai’i Bowl was canceled due to Covid-19).

Former Memphis Defensive Line Coach Kyle Pope :: Joe Rondone/The Commercial Appeal via Imagn Content Services, LLC

In his two seasons at Duke, Simpson directed a staunch defensive front that helped lead the Blue Devils to 17 wins (just one shy of the program’s combined win total from the four seasons prior to his arrival), including victories in the 2022 Military Bowl and 2023 Birmingham Bowl.

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