Georgia Tech football seeks to raise win total despite difficult schedule

100-0.

That’s the collective score by which Georgia Tech lost its last two games — 55-0 to No. 8 Notre Dame and 45-0 to No. 1 Georgia — to close out a dismal season that showed just how far a team that played in the ACC title game in 2014 has fallen when measured against the nation’s elite.

The Yellow Jackets ended a 3-9 season with six straight losses, producing their third straight three-win season under Geoff Collins, who could very well be coaching for his job this fall.

Georgia Tech was picked by the media to finish sixth — only ahead of woeful Duke — in the ACC’s Coastal Division, showing how little is expected from a team that gave up an average of 37.3 points in its losses last season.

The Yellow Jackets finished with a losing record just three times in 11 seasons under Paul Johnson, who Collins replaced after the 2018 season. Georgia Tech has gone 9-25 overall, including 7-18 in ACC play, under Collins. It didn’t play in a bowl game for the third straight season, something that hadn’t happened at Georgia Tech since the early 1990s.

Prior to Collins’ arrival, the Yellow Jackets had played in a bowl game in 17 of the previous 19 seasons dating to 1999.

The Yellow Jackets’ nine combined wins the past three seasons are their fewest in a three-year span since going 8-24 from 1980-1982 in Bill Curry’s first three seasons.

But Collins is convinced having gone through three years of futility has made his players tougher, at least mentally.

“They’ve got an edge. They’ve got a chip on their shoulder,” he said. “We are tired of losing.”

It will be up to returning quarterback Jeff Sims, leading receiver Malachi Carter and linebackers Ayinde Eley and Charlie Thomas to lead the Yellow Jackets’ resurgence.

Sims completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 1,468 yards with 12 TDs and seven interceptions, while Carter made 37 receptions for a team-high 489 yards and a pair of scores. Kalani Norris is being counted on a deep threat after amassing 132 yards on just eight catches — an average of 16.8 per reception — to go along with two touchdowns, as is Leo Blackburn.

“Malachi has made a lot of plays this summer, he does understand our offense,” receivers coach Del Alexander said. “He is a leader when it comes to contributing and having stats, but again, having a clean slate also means proving it to me.”

Eley made 90 tackles and Thomas thrived in the 4-2-5 scheme by making a team-high 10 stops for a loss.

But there still are plenty of question marks. Collins is hoping Dontae Smith (378 yards, 4 TDs) replaces the production vacated by Jahmyr Gibbs (team-high 746 yards, 4 TDs rushing, 36 catches, 470 yards receiving 2 TDs), who transferred to Alabama.

The offense likely will be filled with transfers, led by linemen Pierce Quick (Alabama), Paul Tchio (Clemson) and R.J. Adams (Kentucky) and running backs Tassan Hall (Louisville) and Dylan McDuffie (Buffalo).

“We are trying to get as many guys that can play,” offensive coordinator Chip Long said. “I have no problem rotating offensive linemen, some people want to try and keep the same group out there and I think that builds complacency sometimes.”

Georgia Tech’s defense also has plenty of holes to fill, with top tackler linebacker Quez Jackson and safety Juanyeh Thomas having turned pro and defensive ends Jordan Dominick and Jared Ivey having transferred to Arkansas and Ole Miss, respectively.

It will be imperative defensive end Keion White returns with force from the ankle injury that sidelined him for most of last season.

“He is a competitor and has tremendous ability,” Collins said of White. “His focus and his work ethic, his relentless nature, who he is in the locker room, you guys are out there and probably don’t see him talk very much, but just in the locker room, his presence, his demeanor, his level of focus, rubs off on a lot of guys on the team.”

Meantime, transfers, including cornerback Myles Sims (Michigan) and Kenny Bennett (Maryland) and safety Derrick Allen (Notre Dame), will be counted on to improve a unit that intercepted just three passes last year.

Tight end Peje’ Harris has liked what he’s seen so far.

“I know a lot of teams are working hard, but I feel we’ve elevated,” he said. “Everybody has elevated their game.”

But by how much? Georgia Tech’s schedule gives the Yellow Jackets very little margin for error if they are going to increase their win total from a year ago.

The Yellow Jackets open against No. 4 Clemson at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sept. 5 before hosting Western Carolina, which ended last season by winning four of its last five games, on Sept. 10.

Georgia Tech then has a home game against No. 21 Ole Miss, which played in the Sugar Bowl last year, before a road contest against Central Florida, which won nine games last year. The Yellow Jackets close their first five games with a road date at defending ACC champion and No. 17 Pittsburgh.

Georgia Tech also faces No. 16 Miami and No. 3 Georgia in the second half of the season, which will end with four out of the last five games on the road.

“We’re going to go out there and play for each other,” Jeff Sims said. “That’s been one of our big things this offseason. Grow closer as a team. Go out there and play for each other and not worry what others say. At the end of the day, we’re all we’ve got and all we need.”