Jess Simpson Reveals Why He Wanted To Come To Georgia Tech: "This was absolutely no brainer for me and my family."

Jackson Caudell | Apr 5, 2024

Jun 12, 2019; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive line coach Jess Simpson on the / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech is nearing the final stages of spring practice and with the White and Gold Spring Game just a week away, there are plenty of things to be watching for next Saturday.

One of the most intriguing things about Georgia Tech this spring is its defense, particularly the new coaches that the Yellow Jackets have brought in. Brent Key remade the defensive staff, hiring new defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci, defensive line coach Jess Simpson, outside linebackers coach Kyle Pope, and safeties coach Cory Peoples.

Simpson brings a wealth of experience to Georgia Tech. He was a great high school football coach in the state of Georgia, coached some of the ACC's best defensive lines at Miami and Duke, and also spent time with the Atlanta Falcons.

For the first time since being hired, Simpson met with the media yesterday and when asked, he gave an in-depth answer about what made him choose to come to Georgia Tech:

"A lot of reasons made me want to come to Georgia Tech. First, like starting with this place. This is a special place. The opportunities that, you know, guys that I've known my whole life and what Georgia Tech football has done for guys that have come here and been able to get a degree, certainly me growing up just up the road from here, well aware of this institution, this degree and this football program and the tradition here is very, very special. Go the way back. Coach Key and his vision, you know, the excitement he's created being a Georgia Tech man, I think anytime, you know, a place has one of their own there, like people just seem more excited, more invested and you can kind of feel it. the energy. You sense the arrow is up, like this place is doing football right, and so that's a big deal for me. I think lastly, you know, what's really special, you know, on top of that is family for me. Born and raised in Marietta, Georgia. Spent most of my coaching life here in the state of Georgia as a high school coach. Spent three years with the Falcons here in Atlanta as well. And then, you know, I've been down in Florida a little bit, been in North Carolina, but getting to come back home. I have four kids. They're all within 20 minutes to an hour of right here. I got a new grandbaby in January and she's up in Duluth and little, ittle Melda. And my mom lives in Marietta now and being able to help her and take care of her like so for, for like professional and personal reasons, like this was absolutely no brainer for me and my family."

Simpson also has a unique perspective of recruiting in the state of Georgia, something he also went in-depth on yesterday:

"You know what I think you know recruiting is, is finding a fit for everybody and when you feel like you fit as a coach and you understand the people you're working with or working for you understand your university and what it has to offer you understand the defense that you're coaching and how to feature players within that defense and then obviously for me as an old Georgia high school coach, I'm just a high school coach. I'm just a high school line coach that got to coach at Georgia Tech. That's literally what I am. And a lot of great relationships in this state. A lot of guys that I really trust that I feel like can trust me. And when you're honest with folks, they're honest with you about their players. And you're looking for that fit. You're looking for a guy that fits what we need. And we fit what he needs. and that's the that's the cool thing about it because I've sat on the other side of the table as a high school coach and you want to send your player and families want to send their kids to folks that they can trust and they're going to develop them as students and develop them as athletes and develop them as young men and obviously I believe wholeheartedly that's what we have here at."

Simpson has coached up some of the ACC's best defensive lines over the past few seasons. Can he raise the level of play at Georgia Tech?