Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech
When Geoff Collins arrived in Atlanta from Temple, he posited himself as a tech-savvy disruptor. Always intentionally toting a Waffle House cup, Collins enjoyed posting to Twitter and speaking in various life coach-style platitudes. It was a painfully obvious attempt to reclaim Georgia Tech’s standing within the state, as UGA rose to national prominence, and reaffirm the program’s place in Atlanta.
Ahead of his first game with the Yellow Jackets, Collins made waves by having his players lift weights pre-game on the field at Death Valley. As the ACC Network launched its live football programming, Clemson went on to throttle Georgia Tech, 52-14.
Look, there’s no shame in losing on the road to Clemson; it’s especially tough when that’s the first game for a new head coach. However, the result is emblematic of Collins’ tenure with Georgia Tech: all sizzle, no steak.
Following another 3-win season, Geoff Collins enters the 2022 campaign with a cumulative record of 9-25 (.265) with the Yellow Jackets. During his tenure, Georgia Tech has won a total of seven conference games. In each of his three seasons, opponents have outscored Georgia Tech by more than 110 total points. In fact, Tech’s point differential under Collins (34 games) is a whopping -432.
Collins has dropped his two matchups two rival UGA by an aggregate score of 7-97.
Projecting out, it certainly doesn’t bode well that the Yellow Jackets are coming off a disappointing offseason. First, electric running back Jahmyr Gibbs — the signature player of the Collins era — transferred to Alabama. Next, running backs coach Tashard Choice, who played at Georgia Tech (2005-07), also left. Choice, now at Texas, is an ace recruiter. These moves were followed by other player exits, including promising edge rusher Jared Ivey.