Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins is entering his third season, and plenty of Georgia Tech fans already have a pessimistic view of the season, but there is plenty to look forward to and be optimistic about for this upcoming season.
It doesn’t help that we have the 18th hardest schedule in the country next season, along with playing Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, North Carolina, and Miami. Good news is that the young guys can build some early season confidence playing Northern Illinois and Kennesaw State the first two weeks of the season. These will be crucial games for the Yellow Jackets as they try to linger on to hopes of making a bowl game this season.
The Yellow Jackets have a three-game stretch in weeks six through nine where they play Duke, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. This stretch will be crucial for them because if they can win those three games, it will be a huge confidence booster for the team going forward because it would show them that they can win in the ACC conference. The team badly needs wins in those three games because the Yellow Jackets only have four conference wins in Collins’ first two seasons.
Sophomore running back Jamyr Gibbs is named to the All-ACC Preseason Team and could have a huge impact on how the season goes for the Yellow Jackets. He is one of the best up and coming running backs in the ACC, and with this only being his sophomore season, he could be good for the Yellow Jackets for another year or two past this season. Gibbs wasn’t able to get many touches last season, but he looked explosive when he did have the ball in his hand.
Joining Gibbs in the backfield are junior Jordan Mason and sophomore Jamious Griffin. Mason rushed for 352 yards last season, while Griffin ran for 229. The offensive line should get better this season, as the triple option offensive linemen from the Paul Johnson- era are cycled out.
Quarterback Jeff Sims may be the guy that is poised the most for a breakout season for the Yellow Jackets. In his freshman season last year, Sims threw for 1,881 yards and 13 touchdown passes. Sims was highly touted as a huge prospect for most Georgia Tech fans. He was the 6th ranked high school quarterback in the nation in 2019. Sims also led the Yellow Jackets in rushing touchdowns last season with 492 yards and six touchdowns.
It is easy to look at Georgia Tech’s schedule and almost immediately rule them out for the season, but this young team has nowhere to go but up.