The One Area Georgia Tech Must Improve On Defense To Be Successful

There are several areas you can point to where Georgia Tech must improve on defense to be better in 2026, such as run defense, pass rush rate, sacks, turnovers, scoring defense, and more. However, there is one area the Yellow Jackets must get right if they are going to have any chance of taking the next step.

The One Area They Have To Improve

For the Yellow Jackets, it comes down to third-down defense and the conversion rate. Last year, Georgia Tech ranked No.71 in third-down defense in the country. They gave up 71 third-down conversions and allowed opponents to convert on those plays at nearly a 40% rate. They won nine games last year with that as the reality, but it will not get the job done in 2026.

So how do you improve it? It is simple: Georgia Tech needs more game-changers on defense who can make plays on the key down. I think for the first time they have it, especially in the pass rush department. The difference is the depth at that position this year and the ability to rotate guys in without missing a beat.

You couldn’t say that a few years ago about this Yellow Jackets defense line, but now you can. In some of the games they lost to NC State, Pittsburgh, and even Georgia, they couldn’t get the quarterback on the ground enough.

The other area is their coverage. I think the new scheme change will make a major defense here for the Yellow Jackets. Instead of playing passively on third down, Georgia Tech can bring more pressure and put its cornerbacks and secondary in a position to make plays in 1-on-1 coverage. With Jason Semore as the defensive coordinator, it will be a more aggressive defensive style that favors the new cornerbacks they brought in, like Jaylen Mbakwe and Jonas Duclona.

The final element to improve the third-down defense is tackling. People often overlook this, but it plays a key role in getting off the field on defense. If you can open a field tackle in space by yourself and stop the runner short of the first down, it helps a bunch.

Oftentimes last year, the Yellow Jackets would have the offense dead to rights, but a playmaker would make a couple of guys miss and pick up the first down to move the sticks. If they are going to improve it, they have to tackle better and not miss so many tackles in the open space.

It is certainly doable for the Yellow Jackets to improve on defense, but it comes down to stopping teams on the quintessential down in college football.

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