Georgia Tech Football: Gophers silenced by Minnesota in Quick Lane Bowl
3. It’s time for something new in Atlanta
Paul Johnson’s retirement came as a surprise. The triple-option enthusiast had seen moderate levels of success at Georgia Tech, finding a way to keep the Yellow Jackets competitive with the somewhat unorthodox scheme. The coaching vacancy gave the administration a clear fork-in-the-road opportunity. Were they going to find another triple option savant (Army’s Jeff Monken comes to mind) or would they choose a coach with a more traditional offensive philosophy?
They hired Temple’s Jeff Collins, opting to move on from the triple option. The transition couldn’t have been made lightly and it will take a few years for Collins to get his personnel and staff in place before Tech can truly think about contending in the ACC and, hopefully, against in-state rival Georgia.
The big endeavor seems all the more necessary now. The talk leading up to the game was all about how Georgia Tech was going to win one for Johnson and play their hearts out for their soon-to-be-retired coach. Instead, the Jackets sustained almost no offensive success, rushing for a meager 206 yards against a Minnesota team that ranked 75th in rush defense entering the game.
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Whether or not the triple option remains a valid offensive strategy in today’s modern college football is a different question entirely. For Georgia Tech, though, it’s clearly time for something new.