Report: Former Georgia Tech Head Coach Geoff Collins Joins South Carolina's Staff

Sep 5, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Geoff Collins on the sideline against the Clemson Tigers in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Former Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins has reportedly found his new job. According Ralph Russo at The Athletic, Geoff Collins is going to be a senior defensive assistant coach at South Carolina.

South Carolina announces former Georgia Tech coach and veteran defensive coordinator Geoff Collins has joined the staff as senior defensive assistant coach.

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoATH) July 27, 2025

Collins was, of course, the head coach of the Yellow Jackets from 2019-2022 and was most recently the defensive coordinator for North Carolina for one season. Collins' exact role was not specified, but he is going to be helping out a team that is hoping to make a run to the College Football Playoff this season.

How bad was Collins at Georgia Tech? CBS Sports analyst Will Backus named Collins the 6th worst hire in the last 15 years:

6. Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech (2019-22)

Record: 10-28

"Collins is the college football definition of all flash, no substance. He carved a solid reputation as a top-shelf defensive coordinator through stints at Mississippi State (2011-14) and Florida (2015-16) followed by a decent, if unspectacular, two years as the head coach at Temple. Apparently, his 15 wins with the Owls -- a program that had 20 wins under coach Matt Rhule from 2015-16 -- were enough to sell Georgia Tech on the largely unproven Collins as program legend Paul Johnson's successor. He never won more than three games in a single season and had an average finish of sixth out of seven teams in the ACC Coastal."

Collins finished with a record of 10-28 as the head coach of the Yellow Jackets and 0-2 against rival Georgia, losing by a combined score of 97-7 in two meetings.

Sep 17, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Geoff Collins celebrates with defensive back Jaylon King (14) after an interception against the Mississippi Rebels in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

After being named the head coach following the 2022 season, Key went to work in trying to build a winning team and program. He landed Haynes King in the transfer portal and hired Buster Faulkner away from Georgia to be the offensive coordinator. The Yellow Jackets would pull off more ranked wins in 2023, beating Miami on a miraculous last-second play and beating North Carolina for a second consecutive season. He led his team to a win over Syracuse in November which clinched the Yellow Jackets' first bowl bid since 2018. Key got the Yellow Jackets within eight points of No. 1 Georgia, the first time that single digits had decided a game since the Yellow Jackets' last victory in the series in 2016. Georgia Tech would end the 2023 season with a win in the Gasparilla Bowl over UCF, giving them a winning season and their first bowl win since 2016.

This season has a chance to be Key's best as well. The Yellow Jackets are getting a lot of buzz as a potential dark horse contender in the ACC, which could mean a potential run at the playoff. The Yellow Jackets are bringing back veteran players on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Haynes King, they have a good recruiting class and transfer class, and the schedule is very favorable for the first time in years. They have to earn it and find more consistency (Key's biggest weakness so far), but the chance is there for Georgia Tech to contend in the ACC in 2025.