Bryce Gowdy Was The Epitome Of Geoff Collins' Culture Change

"He saw that it could be really special, and that it could be special for him."

It didn't take long for Bryce Gowdy to be sold on Georgia Tech. He was formally extended an offer to play for The Institute back on May 9th, with his official visit to The Flats coming just a couple weeks later on May 25th. About a month later on June 30th, he declared his commitment to play for the Yellow Jackets.

Not only was Gowdy sold on Georgia Tech, but head coach Geoff Collins was sold on Gowdy. A consensus 4* wide receiver, he was Georgia Tech's 21st ranked all-time commit according to 24/7 Sports. But on top of being a gifted athlete, what he was off the field played every bit of a role in Collins wanting him in a Georgia Tech uniform.

Everyone who's ever watched a Geoff Collins press conference knows the emphasis he has placed on changing the culture of the Georgia Tech football program. He believed that Gowdy was going to be an integral part of that change.

"He saw what we were building here and he saw his place in it," Collins said. "He saw that it could be really special, and that it could be special for him. He was an active proponent of everything that we're building here."

Collins was also a fan of how he carried himself in every day life. He noted that he possessed the ability to "walk into a room and be instantly likable", and that he had the drive to do better and "accomplish things".

Bryce Gowdy was someone who could not only one day help change the end result on the scoreboard at Bobby Dodd Stadium, but someone who could make a significant impact on the lives of those he crossed paths with.

It's what makes his untimely passing an even harder pill to swallow.

On December 30th, 2019 around 4:00am, Gowdy was struck and killed by a train in his hometown of Deerfield Beach, FL. His death was ruled a suicide by blunt force trauma.

"It's heartbreaking. The future that he had earned, working hard to be such a great young man. It hurts." Collins said.

While the Georgia Tech coaching staff was aware of the financial hardships that Gowdy and his were facing, they were completely unaware of the state of Gowdy's mental health. "You think you know what people are really going through, but [you don’t]," he said.

The unfortunate reality is that even if they were aware of the severity of his situation, there was not much they could do in the eyes of the NCAA until he made it to campus. Although it is expected that the coaching staff will attend his funeral tomorrow in Deerfield Beach.

That is why moving forward, the Georgia Tech football program is taking strides to invest in the mental health of their student-athletes and helping to erase the stigma of seeking out assistance with their mental wellbeing.

The Georgia Tech Athletic Association recently hired Dr. Kayla Balcom to be a full time in-house psychologist, and Geoff Collins has started a pilot program for every newcomer within the football program, where they get a baseline and are able to have mechanisms in place so that they get the support they need. The coaching staff can also utilize these resources.

The hope that Collins, the coaching staff, athletic director Todd Stansbury and president Dr. Angel Cabrera have for these newfound measures is that they will help break down that negative stigma to the point where it is "something that can be talked about and just be part of a daily process of improving."

The culture change that Collins continues to instill over his program continues to carry on even as I write this column. While Bryce may not be with us any more, the impact that he has made on The Flats both on and off the field will carry on long after the final whistle has blown from Bobby Dodd.

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