Georgia Tech heads into its ACC trip to Stanford with more than just a chance to get back to .500. The Yellow Jackets are still chasing something bigger: a clear identity.
That search has been ongoing through three weeks, and it’s not hard to see why. Georgia Tech has long been associated with physical football and a strong ground game, but this season has looked different.
A banged-up offensive line, moving parts, a new offensive line coach and a new offensive coordinator have all made the picture murkier. The result is a team that still hasn’t fully settled into what it wants to be.
“We've still got to be able to hang our hat on something as an identity. I'm not there yet at all. Every day's a grind on that, but it was a good start, and it started with getting more guys in there playing, so more opportunity for guys to touch the ball,” said Key.
That’s where Saturday becomes important. One game won’t define the Jackets, but it can push them closer to a version of themselves that feels sustainable.
Maybe that means leaning harder into the run. Maybe it means becoming more comfortable throwing the football.
Either way, Georgia Tech needs something it can trust every week.
There’s also a deeper question behind the offense: who else is ready to step up?
The Jackets already have established names in Justice Haynes, Dalen Penson, Jordan Allen and Kevin Roche Jr., but the next layer matters too. Depth is still a real concern if any of those top pieces miss time.
Gavin Hariss flashed during spring and fall camp, yet he hasn’t been featured much in the regular season. Chris Corbo has been around the edges as well, but his impact has been limited so far.
At receiver, Isaiah Fuhrmann has not been on the field often, and there’s clearly a need to get him more involved. Georgia Tech did get a lift from Jaiven Plummer and Debron Gatling against Mercer, where both made noticeable plays in the passing game.
The question now is whether that carries into ACC play, because opponents are going to start focusing more heavily on Roche, Penson, Haynes and Allen. The Jackets need more than their headliners.
The other major issue is harder to ignore: the run defense has been a problem from the start, and it remains one.
Georgia Tech has given up too much on the ground and sits No. 134 on defense. That’s a number that has to change quickly, especially with more physical rushing attacks looming on the schedule, including Louisville, Duke, Virginia Tech and Georgia. The film is already out there, and opposing offenses have seen enough to know where the weakness is.
There has at least been some encouragement from the younger linebackers getting chances and making plays. That could lead to more rotation at the position and better run fits, which the Jackets badly need. But the bottom line is simple: until Georgia Tech slows the run, teams are going to keep attacking it.
“We got to continue to improve that and do some things to help us out there. I don't need to.
Beat a dead horse because that horse is dead and in the ground and about 12 feet under right now as far as being able to stop the run. Okay, we all know that.
Teams are averaging over five yards of carry on us. I mean, they have not needed to throw the ball at all.
Now we've bowed our necks back a little bit when we've gotten into the tight areas down there. But until we stop the run, teams will not stop running it. Bottom line,” said Key.
Stanford offers Georgia Tech another chance to show progress, but the bigger task is still the same: figure out who this team is, find more answers on offense, and stop getting gashed on defense.
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