Report: Four More Georgia Tech Offensive Staff Members Expected To Depart For Florida

Georgia Tech has lost multiple staffers reportedly heading to Florida, following offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner
Nov 21, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets helmet is seen on the sideline in the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Nov 21, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets helmet is seen on the sideline in the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech is experiencing some attrition on their offensive staff so far this offseason. The first one to leave was offensive coordinator and play caller Buster Faulkner, who left for the same position at Florida. While it was not reported initially, Faulkner is taking a few staff members with him to Florida.

Yesterday, FootballScoop reported that assistant quarterbacks coach A.J. Erdely was leaving Atlanta to take a spot on Florida's staff. Today, CBS Sports Matt Zenitz is reporting that H-Backs coach Dylan Dockery, assistant offensive line coach Mike Polly, and Emil Ekiyor are following Faulkner to Gainesville.

Other offensive coaches that have reportedly left Georgia Tech include RB's coach Norval McKenzie and offensive line coach Geep Wade, who have left for Virginia Tech and Nebraska, respectively.

Trying to find a new offensive staff

Brent Key Georgia Tec
Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key on the field during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Brent Key is working on remaking this Georgia Tech offensive staff and arguably the most important hire that he has to make is at offensive coordinator. Last week, former NFL and college coach Chip Kelly and current UNLV offensive coordinator (and former Georgia Tech player) Corey Dennis reportedly interviewed for the position.

Dennis came up through the coaching ranks from Ohio State where he spent nine seasons, including the last five as quarterbacks coach. After taking the lead of the Buckeyes’ quarterback room in 2020, he helped produce three Heisman finalists and future NFL First Round draft picks in 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year CJ Stroud, Justin Fields and the late Dwayne Haskins.

Named to the 247Sports 30-under-30 list in 2021, Dennis also served as senior quality control coach for two years (2018-19). In that position, he was involved in game planning, practice planning and daily organization with the wide receiver and QB units.

During his time on the OSU coaching staff, Dennis was part of four Big Ten championship teams and victories in the 2022 Rose Bowl, 2020 Fiesta Bowl, 2018 Cotton Bowl and 2016 Fiesta Bowl.

Dennis began his career on the Buckeye staff as an intern just before the 2015 spring season and a graduate assistant from 2016-17. A four-year letterwinner at Georgia Tech, he played in all 54 games as receiver, in the secondary and on special teams for Yellow Jacket squads that won two ACC Coastal Division titles and appeared in four bowl games.

Both Dennis and Kelly are intriguing options.

Kelly rose to prominence when he was the head coach at Oregon, revolutionizing their offense and bringing about a new wave of offenses in college football. He was regarded as one of, if not the top offensive minds in the sport. He took the Ducks to the national championship game in 2010. Before he left for the Philadelphia Eagles head coaching job, Kelly had a 46-7 career record.

Kelly was the Eagles head coach from 2013-2015 and then was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for the 2016 season. After taking a year off, Kelly returned to college, becoming the head coach of UCLA in 2018. Kelly's tenure did not start off well, as he missed a bowl game in his first three seasons, but he got things turned around and finished with three straight seasons of at least eight wins. Kelly left UCLA to be the offensive coordinator for Ohio State after the 2023 season and his final record at UCLA was 35-34.

Kelly was a fantastic offensive coordinator for Ohio State last season, helping lead the Buckeyes to the national championship and calling plays for the most talented offense in the country. After spending only one season in Columbus, Kelly left to become the offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was fired after a 2-9 start to the season.

There are some positives to Kelly as an offensive coordinator, but not without their questions as well.

Under Brent Key, Georgia Tech wants to have a physical identity by running the football and having a strong offensive line. Kelly is one of the best run game architects in the entire sport and is still a very good play caller at the collegiate level. Yes, Georgia Tech does not have the level of talent that Ohio State does, but Kelly is still a creative mind and brings plenty of head coaching experience from both levels, which is a plus.

The potential negatives are that Kelly is not regarded as a strong recruiter, which has been a label he has carried since his days at Oregon. Key wants to build his program with strong high school recruiting and Kelly is not exactly a plus in that regard, though coordinators don't exactly recruit as much as they used to.

Kelly also is coming off a very poor tenure as the Raiders OC. Was that just a by-product of him not being a good enough OC for the NFL or a bad sign

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Jackson Caudell
JACKSON CAUDELL

Jackson Caudell has been covering Georgia Tech Athletics For On SI since March 2022 and the Atlanta Hawks for On SI since October 2023. Jackson is also the co-host of the Bleav in Georgia Tech podcast and he loves to bring thoughtful analysis and comprehensive coverage to everything that he does. Find him on X @jacksoncaudell

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