Georgia Tech Spring Game: What To Watch For On Defense

The Yellow Jackets are replacing a lot of talent on the defense this season

Georgia Tech's Spring Game is set for tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium and it is going to be a highly anticipated event. 

It will be the first spring game under head coach Brent Key and there are going to be some noticeable changes to the format of this one. For starters, the game is on a Saturday afternoon and the format will be two 12-minute quarters with standard clock operations in the first half. Following a brief halftime, the second half will include two quarters with a running clock. Team rosters will be announced the week of the game (Per Georgia Tech PR).

After going over the things to watch on the offensive side of the ball, let's take a look at the defensive side of the ball.

The Edge Rusher Position

Who will be Georgia Tech's top pass rusher in 2023? / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Keion White, the leader in sacks for Georgia Tech in 2022, is gone to the NFL and he has left big shoes to fill in terms of the pass-rushing ability for the Yellow Jackets in 2023. 

There are plenty of guys with experience at defensive end, but can anyone emerge as the top pass-rushing option for this team? 

Sylvain Yondjouen, Kyle Kennard, Kevin Harris, Josh Robinson, and Noah Collins are the guys I am watching closely tomorrow. Here is what defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker had to say about the position this spring:

"Yeah, I'll give you names. Noah Collins, Kyle Kennard, and Kevin Harris have an opportunity to have real downs and have some experience. They are literally in a three-headed competition. At some point they have been with every group in first, second, or third string. This offseason is huge as far as them understanding the position and I would argue that one of the most complex positions is the rush position as far as what we ask them to do.

From the defensive line, hand-in-the-ground mechanics and they are involved in coverage so there is a lot that goes into and I think their development is going to come off the field and I think Marco Coleman, with Brian Baker in the room, knowing where to place their eyes and knowing before the play happens and I have seen that that progress in the first four days and they are playing at a higher level so if we give them a chance to do that then that production will come through but that is a spot by structure of the defense that should create TFL and set up pass rushing situations and then we put more on them in the complexity of the defense and ask them to be coverage guys as well."

Someone is going to have to emerge in this group for the defense to not only not take a step back, but to take a significant one forward. 

The Linebackers

Kyle Efford is going to be competing for one of the open linebacker spots / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech had one of the top linebacker duos in the ACC last season with Charlie Thomas and Ace Eley, but they are off to the NFL and need to be replaced. So who is going to do that and will tomorrow show who might step into those roles?

Maybe. I think that Minnesota transfer Braelen Oliver and Texas A&M transfer Andre White Jr are going to be two of the top candidates to do that. Trenilyas Tatum, Kyle Efford, Tyson Meiguez, Khatavian Franks, Austin Dean, and true freshman Ashton Heflin are the guys to watch tomorrow. Thacker gave his thoughts about this position battle as well:

"As we all know, our linebacker room was very much run by Charlie Thomas and Ace Eley, miss those guys dearly, they had unbelievable careers here and it was awesome to enjoy the arc of their career, but they are gone. They were undoubtedly the leaders of the linebacker room and the defense so that is where he thought we had a maturity and a leadership void, we have a talented room, I want to make sure I say that with some young guys that have opportunities to step up but we felt like we needed to have more competition in that room than any other.

We were able to bring in Andre (White Jr) and Braelen (Oliver) from Texas A&M and Minnesota and that was where we spent the majority of our time. They have an opporutnity to compete.

It is too early for me to stamp someone in the context of that this is day four and day one coming off of a long spring break so mistakes were aplenty as we were building things together but that is where we needed competition in a room. I am proud of them and their hard work during the offseason. They are graduate transfers who have played a bunch of downs in college football and they have been a part of winning programs so they have experience. I appreciate the way they have come int with humility with a new team, although they are older in the group, they understand they have to earn the respect of the room and that is the approach they have taken so far."

Who will get reps as the starting cornerback opposite of Myles Sims?

Will Kenan Johnson step into a starting role at cornerback? / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Myles Sims is a no-doubt starter for Tech this season at cornerback and I think he is ready to have a great season. With Zamari Walton transferring to Ole Miss, that has left an open spot at cornerback that is looking to be filled with veteran players. 

Here is what Thacker had to say about the ongoing competition at corner:

"Kenan Johnson has been behind and another one that I want to make sure that I bring up is Kenyatta Watson and Rodney Shelley is playing the slot nickel position so it is corner and we have the nickel position, we also see the nickel as a corner/slot guy. For example, Rodney is playing outside of the slot corner right now because there are more jobs to be able to do and you can learn the complexities of the defense and then to kick back out and know the complexity of the defense and do a better job but maybe a tougher technique.

So there is some competition outside of that spot, Kenyatta has the most experience and played the most downs, and Kenan Johnson, I would compliment him on his first four days, he has put some good tape out there."

Johnson. Watson and Shelley are the main contenders I think for the starting job. If Tech can have a solid starter opposite of Sims, this secondary has a chance to be very good with the safety trio of LaMiles Brooks, Clayton Powell-Lee, and Jaylon King. Keep an eye on this position tomorrow as well. 

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