Georgia Tech Football: Quarterback Depth Chart Projection Ahead of Fall Camp

What will Georgia Tech's quarterback depth look like in 2022?

Author:
Jackson Caudell
Publish date:
Jul 26, 2022 11:30 AM EDT

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Entering a pivotal fourth season in Atlanta, head coach Geoff Collins needs to show progress and that the program is moving forward. There are a lot of factors into making that a possibility this season, but the growth of quarterback Jeff Sims might be the biggest key to an overperforming season for Georgia Tech. However, if Sims can't show progress or is prone to injury, there is legitimate depth at the position now that has not been there in years past.

Georgia Tech quarterback Jeff Sims vs North Carolina — Georgia Tech quarterback Jeff Sims
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

It was a huge recruiting victory when Sims flipped from Florida State to Georgia Tech and it gave the program a shot of momentum. However, Sims being a freshman during the strange COVID year in 2020 put a roadblock in his development in my opinion by not being able to be on the practice field and around coaches. He showed flashes during his freshman year but was too prone to turnovers.

It is hard to judge Sims' 2021 season partly because of injuries. He was banged up for some of the time, but he still showed a penchant for turning the ball over, which has been his biggest weakness. His accuracy did improve from 54.9% to 60.1% and there were games (the North Carolina game in particular) where he showed he could be a dynamic threat with his legs.

For the first time since he has been at Georgia Tech, Sims also has a quarterbacks coach, with Chris Weinke coming aboard this offseason. I think that is going to be huge for Sims this season, as is working with an offensive coordinator like Chip Long. These are a great pair of coaches for Sims to work with and if he can pick up the offense quick enough, Sims could be ready for a big season. I think he is going to enter fall camp as the undisputed starter and has the full support of the coaching staff.

Quarterback depth has been a problem for Georgia Tech in the past, but that is not the case this season. Akron transfer Zach Gibson and Clemson transfer Taisun Phommachanh are going to be good backups to have on the roster.

Georgia Tech quarterback Zach Gibson
Source: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Gibson and Phommachanh are going to be battling for the backup job during fall camp and I think I am going to give the edge to Gibson in this one. He has more starting experience than Phommachanh and looked good during his time on the field for the Zips last season. He completed nearly 70% of his passes for over 1,200 yards and ten touchdowns, with no interceptions.

Phommachanh has some intriguing physical tools and was a top dual-threat quarterback coming out of high school. However, he looked very inconsistent during his brief playing time at Clemson, which is why I give the edge to Gibson in the backup race. How Phommachanh performs in fall camp is an intriguing storyline that I am interested in, however.

Georgia Tech Quarterback Taisun Phommachanh — Georgia Tech quarterback Taisun Phommachanh
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The other name to watch during fall camp is true freshman Zach Pyron. Pyron was a four-star recruit and is the future of the position for the Yellow Jackets. I think he is almost certainly going to be in for a redshirt season and won't play unless there is some kind of injury. He is a talented player that will be important for Tech's future.