Georgia Tech coach Brent Key completed the hiring of his coaching staff with the addition of Western Kentucky wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Josh Crawford to be the Yellow Jackets wide receivers coach, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday.
Key also made another significant move for his support staff by hiring Louisville director of football operations Josh Thompson for the same position at Tech, the same person told the AJC.
Crawford filled the lone remaining opening on Key’s 10-person assistant coach staff. The hire was first reported Tuesday by On3. Crawford has coached for the past two seasons at Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers finished the 2021 season ranked first in FBS in passing offense and ranked second this season going into Thursday’s bowl games.
Among Crawford’s pupils was Jerreth Sterns, who, in his first season at the FBS level, earned All-American status in 2021 by leading the country in receiving yards per game and receptions per game and tying for the most touchdown receptions. Sterns’ 150 catches in 2021 were the third most in a single season in FBS history.
Western Kentucky’s top receiver this season (Malachi Corley) averaged 7.2 receptions per game, sixth most in FBS.
Crawford brings to the job significant experience coaching at the high school level in Georgia, which figures to benefit his recruiting work. The Western Kentucky role was Crawford’s first at the college level after coaching for 11 years (2010-20) at five Georgia high schools – Greater Atlanta Christian, Jefferson County High, Colquitt County High (twice), Lee County High and Valdosta High. In that span, he coached six wide receivers who earned all-state recognition. Crawford played at Morehouse.
Thompson was director of football operations at Louisville for the past four seasons. He was at Appalachian State the previous 10 seasons. The position can cover a wide array of responsibilities, including oversight of team travel, camps, meals and the budget, among other duties, and typically works closely with the head coach.
Thompson replaces Scott Wallace, who had been DFO for former coach Geoff Collins and stepped down at the end of the season and has begun work at CSE sports agency as a coaching agent.
