There are many meaningless bowl results, and then there are bowl results that matter.
Georgia Tech from 2019-2022 was 14-32.
2019 was a 3-win season. 2020 was a 3-win season, and 2021 was 3 win season. All this was under Geoff Collins who drove Georgia Tech football to its lowest point since the 1980s.
Brent Key was brought in as interim coach and went 4-3 last season.
Georgia Tech needed to make a bowl game either this year or next year to show tangible progress. Brent Key led Georgia Tech to that in his first full season and more. His Yellow Jackets beat a Central Florida team that was largely opt-out free of their best players 30-17 in a memorable win that had Georgia Tech finish 7-6.
That was Georgia Tech’s first winning season since 2018, and their first bowl win since 2016.
This is a big deal for a rebuilding program.
Down 14-0 early to UCF, Georgia Tech’s identity has been built on being resilient. They promptly went on to outscore UCF 30-3, behind a dominant offensive line, and gritty performance from QB Haynes King and RB Jamal Haynes. The maligned defense played their best half of the season, holding UCF to 3 second-half points.
That’s what Key has brought to Georgia Tech – a toughness and resilience not seen since the Paul Johnson days.
Next year expectations will be higher and that’s a good thing. The Jackets will have the ACC’s best returning QB, and arguably the best offensive line in the conference. The defense may undergo some changes, but there’s optimism around the Georgia Tech program we haven’t seen in years.
There won’t be many programs that will enjoy their off-season as much as Georgia Tech will.
Brent Key has Georgia Tech well ahead of schedule, and as an alumn myself it felt really good to watch.
