Georgia Tech’s first week of fall camp has already given a pretty clear snapshot of where this team stands: new faces in key spots, real competition in the trenches, and a program that believes its defense can be better this season.
The Yellow Jackets are coming off their best season since 2016, and with plenty of roster turnover, camp was always going to matter. So far, the early returns around The Flats have centered on two new coordinators and how quickly the team has settled in with them.
George Godsey is back in the building to run the offense and call plays, and it’s his first time doing that at the collegiate level. Jason Semore, who was Georgia Tech’s linebackers coach in 2022, is also back after helping Charlie Thomas and Ace Eley earn All-ACC recognition. That transition could have taken time, but early in camp the vibe has been that the group is already comfortable with both coaches.
Brent Key said the teaching has stood out, and he praised the way the staff and players have connected.
"There's not a person in this building that doesn't want to go out and win every football game." said Key. "There's not a player in the building that don't want to go out and be the absolute best player they can possibly be.
I don't buy into that, oh, he just doesn't care, he's not giving it his all. Our job as coaches is to pour into them.
They have to trust us and what we tell them is the right thing. And then we have to trust them that when we're not around them, they're going to do the right thing to make themselves the best player.
So I think the rapport that's been built, offense, defense, with those two new guys, has been really good. It's been evident throughout the offense, defense, with those two new guys, has been really good. It's been evident throughout, so, like I said, time will tell here in the next few weeks."
Veteran linebacker E.J. Lightsey also pointed to Semore’s football mind as something that has already made an impression.
" I feel like he knows the game very well inside and out from the offensive perspective and the defensive perspective. That's one of the things that he said to us that stood out to me.
For a long time, he studied offense just to be able to put us in the best predicament when we go against them. Just the way he anticipates plays and stuff like that, he knows things are coming before they come.
So it's been kind of crazy to see how he's writing his brain and how he thinks about the game."
The running back room, meanwhile, looks every bit as crowded as expected. Georgia Tech has leaned on the run under Key, and this group appears loaded enough to keep that identity rolling.
Malachi Hosley, Trey Maddox, Chad Alexander, Shane Marshall and J.P. Powell are all part of a deep rotation, and the competition inside the room is pushing everybody.
Key pointed to the way the group has built chemistry over the summer, especially between Malachi and Justice.
"You bet Malachi Hosley, Trey Maddox, Chad Alexander, Shane Marshall, J.P. (Powell), we have a lot of really good running backs.
And that's been the cool thing, I think, this summer. Anytime anybody's new somewhere, things really start off like gangbusters, right?
Then you hit a lull. It's not until the summer where you really start to see how guys build relationships and bond with each other.
I think one of the cooler things I've seen have been Malachi and Justice's relationship and how those guys play off each other and want to complement each other, and want to be able to go out there and both of them compete at the highest level.
This group has lofty expectations and not everyone is going to get carries, but iron sharpens iron and Georgia Tech has a lot of good options to choose from in this backfield.
There’s also real movement along the offensive line, where a few jobs are still up for grabs. The most interesting battle right now appears to be at right guard, where Malachi Carney was expected to slide in after starting at right tackle last year. Instead, Oklahoma State transfer Markell Samuel is pushing him hard, and that could trigger changes elsewhere on the line.
Ethan Mackenny and Joseph Ionata are locked in at left tackle and center, while Kevin Peay Jr. is expected to start at left guard. If Carney wins the right guard job, the other option could shift to right tackle, though that role could also go to third-year tackle Jameson Riggs. For now, Georgia Tech says it has eight linemen it feels good about, and the next few weeks should help sort out the order.
On defense, the tone around camp has been even more encouraging. Key has made it clear he likes where that unit is headed, and Semore has echoed that confidence. Still, Semore stressed that the defense has work to do, especially when it comes to forcing turnovers.
The pieces are there: a deeper defensive line, a linebacker group that sounds like it has its confidence back, and a secondary with talent. Whether that becomes the kind of defense Georgia Tech needs for an ACC Championship push will be one of the biggest storylines to watch as camp continues.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Offense Is Giving Fans A Reason To Believe Early
The first week of Georgia Tech fall camp has done more than get the Yellow Jackets back on the field. It has started to offer a clearer picture of an offense that needed signs of stability, with head coach Brent Key pointing to noticeable progress up front and at quarterback. The offensive line has produced seven players who have stood out, while Alberto Mendoza has settled into the role of starting quarterback as the staff begins to sort out what this unit can be.
There is also reason to like what has shown up in the backfield, where Justice Haynes and Malachi Hosley have helped give the running back group a deeper look and a strong work ethic through camp. For a team trying to build confidence early, that combination matters because it suggests the offense is not leaning on one area alone. The next questions are more about how quickly those pieces turn into something dependable once the pads stay on and the schedule pressure starts to rise. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech's Backfield Battle Is Bringing Out Something Chad Alexander Loves
Georgia Techs running back room has turned fall camp into a true proving ground, and Chad Alexander sounds like a player who is enjoying every bit of it. After practice, the Yellow Jackets back described a group that is deep, competitive and pushing each other every day, the kind of environment that can sharpen everybody involved if the room stays locked in. He also said he is open to doing whatever the staff asks of him, a useful trait for a backfield where versatility can quickly become a separator.
Alexanders perspective also reflects how much trust the Jackets are putting in the process after his recovery from injury. He spoke highly of running backs coach Jimmy Smith, pointing to the way Smith coaches and supports his players on and off the field, and said the teams focus remains on getting a little better each day while preparing for whoever is next on the schedule. For a position group that is still sorting out roles, that kind of attitude can matter just as much as the reps themselves. [Read more 🡒]