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Georgia Tech Football: Four Areas the Jackets Must Improve This Spring

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Geoff Collins of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets reacts during the first half of their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Geoff Collins of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets reacts during the first half of their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 08: Pressley Harvin III #27 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets punts during a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 08: Pressley Harvin III #27 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets punts during a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Special Teams

Special teams were a disaster for Georgia Tech in 2019 at times and they will need to be better in 2020. The Yellow Jackets special teams ranked 72nd in ESPN’s FPI. 

In most parts of the Jackets special teams last year, the performance was passable, by no means strong but passable. They did really well in kickoff returns, averaging 21.02 yards per return but punt returns left plenty to be desired, averaging just a mere 5.0 yards per return.

The punting game with Pressley Harvin III is always strong and Harvin once again showed his strengths again in 2019 with an average punt of 44.8 yards this past season.

The biggest area of improvement needed in special teams is the place kicking. The Jackets kicking game last year left a ton to be desired. While they did go 23-for-24 in extra-points attempts, they struggled when it comes to the three-point tries. The Jackets went just 3-for-8 in field goal attempts, with Brenton King going 3-for-7 and Wesley Wells going 0-for-1.

In 2020, if the Jackets are going to take that step forward, they’ll need to improve their place kicking abilities. Right now, the Jackets will have to pick between Brenton King and Wesley Wells though perhaps they would take a look at the transfer portal and bring in another kick whether it’s a scholarship or as a walk-on.

In a year where the rest of the team should be rather improved especially offensively, field goals could ultimately end up being the ultimate decider in a handful of games.