Georgia Tech football turns focus to offseason

“If we can do that, I like our chances of continuing to come together as a football team and have a chance to play good football this year.”

Key’s team, his third at Tech, went through 14 practices and Saturday’s scrimmage as part of forming the foundation of the squad that will make its debut Aug. 29 at Colorado. It’s a team that already has high expectations after the two that preceded it each won seven games and played in bowl games.

The past month and a half served as a vital evaluation period for Key and his staff as they looked to determine who can seriously contribute in 2025 and who still has a long road ahead. And there were specific areas within that scope that were under more magnification than others.

Key studied an offensive line that not only needs to replace departed starters Weston Franklin at center and tackles Jordan Williams and Corey Robinson but also needs to cement backups across the board.

The line of scrimmage on defense was also an area of interest throughout spring with tackles Jordan van den Berg and Jason Moore leading a group that has been supplemented by multiple transfers over the offseason, and needs young and inexperienced pieces to increase their roles.

The entirety of the defense also was earning the ways of first-year defensive coordinator Blake Gideon.

“A little bit different style that we brought in,” Gideon said Saturday during halftime of the scrimmage. “Obviously we expect our playmakers to make plays. That makes us be a better defense. It’s good to see those guys here now, the culmination at the end of the spring, be able to apply some concepts that we brought in and use it here in a competition setting.”

The return of quarterback Haynes King and running back Jamal Haynes (who each played minimally Saturday), as well as wide receivers Bailey Stockton, Isiah Canion and Malik Rutherford (the latter two did not play Saturday), allowed Tech to survey who else could produce at the skill positions within offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s system.

New wide receivers Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson, both transfers from Florida International, and running back Malachi Hosley, a transfer from Pennsylvania, were brought in to give the Jackets event more firepower, but all three were held out of Saturday’s event because of minor injuries. That gave Zion Taylor a chance to show out and freshman running back J.P. Powell to score the day’s first touchdown.

“We talk about every rep matters, everything you do matters, everything’s an evaluation, and they know that,” Faulkner said at halftime Saturday. “We want ‘em to have fun, but we also want ‘em to go out and execute.”

Tech stayed relatively healthy throughout spring practice, losing only defensive back Troy Stevenson for the season because of injury. Three other players, running back Anthony Carrie, defensive back Nehemiah Chandler and defensive lineman Cade Adams, have announced their intention to transfer.

The rest of the Jackets will have a little more than a month off before reconvening for summer training ahead of the start of fall camp.

“I’m pleased at the point where we are right now from where we started,” Key said. “Now that’s not saying anything about what the season’s gonna be or how we’re gonna go once we get back here in five weeks and start into summer. But if we can continue to pick up where we left off right now throughout the summer, I’m excited about our chances.”