When you read a lot of predictions in preview magazines and hear people covering sports talk about the underrated teams in the ACC this offseason, a lot of the talk is about Virginia Tech, SMU, and NC State. You will probably focus on your university team. or others. All of these teams are considered dark horse teams with a chance to make it to the ACC Championship, but Brent Key's Georgia Tech team hasn't been mentioned much.
The same is true nationwide. You don't often hear about the Yellow Jackets being an underrated team nationally. For a team that has the same firepower on offense, other teams are also paying attention.
Well, what I'm here to say is that Georgia Tech deserves a lot more attention than it's getting nationally.
There were a number of first-year head coaches in the sport last season, but Brent Key was one of those players despite playing in his first bowl game since 2018 and winning his first bowl since 2016. Couldn't attract attention. It's what coaches like Deion Sanders did at Colorado and what Matt Rhule did at Nebraska. Neither team made it to the bowl game, and neither team had any notable wins. Key beat Miami, North Carolina, played Georgia as tough as anyone, and beat UCF in a bowl game. He took over a program that had taken a backseat under former head coach Jeff Collins (now at North Carolina) and turned the team into a competitive one in his first season. Most people probably don't realize that the Yellow Jackets might have won the ACC Championship if Georgia Tech hadn't taken a double-digit lead against Louisville in the season opener.
Yeah, that almost happened. The Yellow Jackets finished fourth in the ACC behind Florida State, Louisville and North Carolina State. A few games will go the Yellow Jackets' way and they will play the Seminoles in Charlotte for the ACC crown.
That fact is forgotten by people when talking about this year's ACC race, as other ACC teams, especially Virginia Tech, weren't able to beat quality opponents like Georgia Tech last year and regained spots. Despite this, he received more support in the Top 25 rankings earlier this offseason. They have offensive firepower.
Let's talk about why Georgia Tech will be one of the most underrated teams in the nation this year.
Quarterback Haynes King is one of only two players in the nation with at least 2,700 passing yards, 600 rushing yards, 25 touchdown passes, and 5 touchdown runs this season (LSU's Jaden Daniels). ), one of only six ACC players to accomplish these feats. He led the ACC in touchdown passes and was fourth in passing yards. He's already back in the season flats and could be the best quarterback in the conference this year. One of his reasons for favoring the Yellow Jackets is that they may have the best quarterback on the field against many opponents.
Jamal Haynes was such a great story last season. He transitioned from wide receiver to running back during fall camp, and the move paid off. Haynes earned All-ACC honors as a running back (third team) and was also named honorable mention as an all-purpose performer. He finished second on the team at Georgia Tech with 1,059 rushing yards, seven touchdown runs and six yards per carry. Those numbers ranked him fifth in the ACC in rushing yards, tied for sixth in the conference with seven rushing touchdowns, and third in the league with 6.0 yards per carry. Haynes had a strong performance in the bowl against UCF, rushing for a game-high 128 yards on 18 carries. He also pitched well against the Georgia Bulldogs, rushing for 81 yards. Haynes is the Yellow Jackets' second-highest rated player by Pro Football Focus with a 76.9 rating and appears poised for another big season in 2024. I think even though he's having a big season, he doesn't get the recognition he has in the past.
This will be one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the ACC, with several newcomers who could strengthen the group.
Eric Singleton Jr. is the Yellow Jackets' highest-rated player in the 2023 recruiting class, according to 247Sports, and looked like he could become a superstar last season.
Singleton Jr. will rank fourth among all true freshmen (true or redshirt) in the nation with 59.5 receiving yards per game in 2023 and lead the nation among true freshmen with six touchdown receptions. He tied for 4th place among them. His 714 receiving yards and six touchdown catches both ranked in the top 10 in the entire Atlantic Coast Conference, and his six TD receptions were the second-most by a freshman at Georgia Tech. Could he have an even better season in 2024? I certainly think that's possible, and the chemistry between him and King was remarkable last year.
Singleton isn't the only dangerous receiver for the Yellow Jackets.
Malik Rutherford was Georgia Tech's second-leading receiver. He caught 46 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 10.5 yards per catch. His biggest performance came in Georgia Tech's blowout win over North Carolina State. Rutherford caught six passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns. He was a reliable player who could stretch the field with his speed and was also a player who could win the ball in a variety of ways.
Christian Leary was Georgia Tech's fourth leading receiver this season, catching 25 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns and also returning kickoffs.
Chase Lane got off to a strong start this year, but injuries cost him some time. If he can stay healthy, I think he can have a really good 2024 season. Abdul-Jaaneh, a transfer from Duquesne, had six catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. He will continue to provide depth for Georgia Tech next year.
Leo Blackburn is one of the most physical players on Georgia Tech's roster at 6'5 220 pounds and will add a whole new element to the Yellow Jackets' offense if he can stay healthy this season. You could do that.
The offensive line will also be one of the best in the ACC.
In just one season, head coach Brent Key and first-year offensive line coach Jeep Wade have transformed Georgia Tech's offensive line from its biggest weakness to perhaps the best unit on the entire team. Georgia Tech went from being one of the worst rushing teams in the ACC to a team that leads the league in rushing. For those looking at the 2022 line, this was a pretty surprising turnaround. The good news for the Yellow Jackets is that the offensive line returns four of its five starters and added an all-conference transfer this offseason.
Our own Rohan Roman provided a great summary of the offensive line's leap forward last season.
“According to PFF, this unit had an abysmal pass-blocking grade of 42.8 and run-blocking grade of 50.8 in 2022, which matched its performance on the field.
The 2022 Jackets ranked in the bottom four of the ACC in passing yards, yards per game, passing yards per play, passing TDs, and offensive efficiency. On the ground, they were in the middle of the ACC in yards per carry and rushing yards per game. A combination of a struggling passing offense and a mediocre rushing offense meant the offense struggled to get first downs and was unable to get third downs. In short, the offensive line's struggles were at the heart of much of the Jackets' 2022 offensive woes.
The starting five (left tackle Ethan McKennie, left guard Joe Fusiel, center Weston Franklin, right guard Connor Scaglione and right tackle Jordan Williams) changed the narrative in 2023. Their pass-blocking grade was 64.0 and run-blocking grade was 59.4, according to PFF. We presented them as average units with a reliable baseline.
He opened up running lanes on the field and helped the Jackets lead the ACC in rushing offense with 197.1 yards per game. Running back Jamal Haynes finished in the top five in the ACC in both yards and yards per carry. Their performance in the ground game was one of the most consistent aspects of the season for the Yellow Jackets. Even against Georgia's defensive line, he was able to open holes and keep the Bucs clean. Haynes had 5.4 yards per carry in this game, and based on his performance in 2023, the Jackets should be able to run against any defensive line they encounter.
When quarterback Haynes King dropped down to pass, the line was able to keep him relatively clean. His 1.25 sacks per game were second in the ACC and 20th nationally. They had King throw for the second-most passing touchdowns (26) and fourth-most passing yards (2,755) in Georgia Tech history while gaining offensive yards (3,403). However, this unit had a more complicated situation in pass protection. King had to use his feet quite a bit to escape pressure and his youth on the left side certainly showed at times. ”
These are things that will make the Yellow Jackets an exciting team in 2024, but there are also concerns.
The two biggest concerns facing Georgia Tech this season will be defense and an improved schedule.
Georgia Tech had the worst defense in the nation in 2023, but has worked to improve it this offseason. Coach Brent Key revamped his defensive staff this offseason, bringing in former Duke defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci and adding players like Jess Simpson (defensive line), Kyle Pope (outside linebacker/edge), and Corey Santucci. He will lead the defense along with Peoples (defensive back). They were active in the transfer portal during both the spring and winter periods, bringing in players at every level of their defense. How much can they improve? That question could determine the outcome of this season.
Schedules are always daunting, and 2024 will be no different. The Yellow Jackets are playing 11 teams that made bowl games last season, including rivals Georgia and Notre Dame. These won't count toward your conference record, but they'll still be very difficult. They open in the Irish against defending champion Florida State and will also face North Carolina State, Louisville, Miami and Virginia Tech. With one of the toughest schedules in the country, every week will be a challenge for them.
Another thing they need to fix is turnovers on offense. As great as Haynes King was last year, he also led the ACC in interceptions, but some of those turned out to be costly. If he can cut those down, this offense could take things even further.
If you're still not sold on all of this, just listen to what Josh Pate, one of the leading voices in the sports world, has to say. On a recent episode of Late Kick, Pate called the Yellow Jackets one of the most underrated teams in the country heading into this year.
“I would say Georgia Tech is a little bit underrated. The difference with Georgia Tech is they have a pretty tough schedule. I'm not going to lie, they played Georgia every year. Last year. are 7-5, with 5.5 total wins, and I think it's mostly because of their quarterback, with Haynes King still there. Their offense is top 10 in their return this year. The wide receiver room was 123rd last year.I think they had a lot of yards allowed last year, but they overhauled the defensive staff and the defensive roster as well. They're the opposite of Nebraska in the sense that if you get that defensive play, that's a good thing.''
Georgia Tech is by no means a perfect team, but not enough is said about the progress they have made under Key and the amount of talent they have returning this season. It may not take long for the Yellow Jackets to make their presence felt this season. In Week 0, the game against Florida State will be broadcast nationally on ESPN, and the entire country will be watching. This could be their chance to show why they are one of the most underrated teams in the country heading into 2024.
