Summer Scouting Notes: The buzz around FSU's first opponent, Georgia Tech

In the first of several summer scouting reports heading into fall camp the Osceola takes a quick look at Georgia Tech, Florida State's first opponent.

Head Coach: Brent Key

Head Coach Record: 11-10 (One-plus seasons at GT)

2023 Record: 7-6

Over/Under for 2024 per Vegas Insider: 5 wins

Preseason Prediction/Rankings: Athlon's-ACC 9th/Nationally 47th, Lindy's-ACC 9th, Nationally 42nd

ESPN BET preseason odds for FSU vs. Georgia Tech: Florida State (-13), Over/Under 54.5

There is a lot of optimism surrounding the Georgia Tech football program heading into the 2024 season. It will be Key's second full season in Atlanta after taking over for Geoff Collins before the end of the 2022 season. All Key did in his first full year was lead the Yellow Jackets to a winning record and a Gasparilla Bowl victory over UCF. It was the Jackets' first winning season since 2018, when Tech went 7-6.

The return of quarterback Haynes King and running back Jamal Haynes also have Jacket supporters excited. King, a Texas A&M transfer, is a dynamic dual-threat playmaker. Last season he threw for 2,842 yards, 27 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while completing 62 percent of his passes. He was also the team's second leading rusher. King ran for 737 yards and 10 touchdowns on 120 carries.

Haynes ran for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns on 174 opportunities. Georgia Tech hadn't had a player rush for 1,000 yards since 2017 until last season. Haynes is also a capable receiver out of the backfield. Last season he hauled in 20 passes for 151 yards.

Tech also returns both of its leading receivers in catches and yardage in junior Malik Rutherford (46 catches, 714 yards, 6 TDs) and sophomore Eric Singleton (48 catches, 502 yards, 4 TDs).

They also return three full-time starters from last year's offensive line and another lineman who started five games last season. That group led Tech to an average of 221 rushing yards per game, which ranked 12th in the FBS.

The defense is the biggest question mark Georgia Tech has entering the 2024 season. Last year's unit ranked 120th in total defense but they do return seven players with starting experience from a season ago.

Key brought in four new assistant coaches on defense including coordinator Tyler Santucci, who ran Duke's 4-2-5 defense last season.

Leading tackler Kyle Efford is back at linebacker. He made 81 stops in 2023. Safety Clayton Powell-Lee who was second on the team with 70 tackles last season. Defensive tackles Zeek Biggers and Kevin Harris along with DE Makius Scott all return and all have starting experience on Tech's front four.

Key additions to the Georgia Tech roster via the NCAA transfer portal

Rutledge is expected to start at one of the guard spots after starting for Middle Tennessee last season. He was ranked as the 223rd best player in the transfer portal this off-season.

Lightsey has been brought into add depth to the Tech LB corps after transferring from Georgia, where he didn't play very much last season. His Rivals portal ranking is 444th.

Height played 277 snaps at USC last year, where he made 13 tackles and was credited with 14 pressures (sacks, QB hurries, QB hits). His Rivals portal ranking is 566th.

Barton was a preseason All-Conference selection heading into his last season at Furman a year ago. He made 25 tackles for the Paladins. Barton also had three sacks and six TFLs to his credit. His Rivals portal ranking is 797th.

The best of GT head coach Brent Key at his ACC Kickoff interview

Last season you had an opportunity to open the year in Atlanta against Louisville. This year you've got the kickoff game in Dublin against Florida State. Talk about what those big stages have been like for the program, what that's added.

KEY: I think the exposure you get is great for these young men, great for these guys to be able to have exposure on the national level, for people to see them.

That's why they changed these rules several years ago in terms of NIL, name, image and likeness, is to create exposure for these students.

As far as one game being bigger than the other, there is no game bigger than one. They're all the same. Every game is important. You only get so many times to play a year. Winning is a hard thing to do.

To look at one game bigger than another, it's not the way we go about things.

Last year you stole the show at ACC media days, you talked about, 'Don't talk to me about the past, about the future.' Are you guys on schedule to where you want to be here and now?

KEY: Yeah, I mean, you thought about that one for a year, hadn't you (laughter)?

We are. I think where we've improved as a football team throughout this year, you build the culture of your football team January through July. You build your football team in the four weeks in August. It remains to be seen what type of football team we're going to be. I know what type of locker room we have, what type of leaders we have. I'm excited to see where the team is going to be.

The best of GT QB Haynes King at his ACC Kickoff interview:

You have a ton of solid guys around you that are returning. How excited are you for the season with your guys again? What are you hoping to see from yourself for repeated success?

KING: I'm excited. We've been talking about this since the bowl game in December. I've been ready for a long time, ready to get back at it. Tired of just doing workouts, lifting, running. I'm ready to put the pads on and get right to it.

Building off that, building off last season is a big step. Now our expectation and standard has risen. It's not going to be the same. People always say you either get better or you're getting worse, you can't stay the same.

There's been a lot of talk about the returning production from a high-powered offense that averaged over 31 points a game. How does the continuity coming into the season help you come out of the gates swinging in a challenging first game of the season?

KING: It's a big, important step. If you don't have any continuity, if you don't have a strong culture, a good locker room, when things happen, when adversity happens, your team is going to struggle.

But I'd say we're in a good spot, good culture, good locker room. I'd say going into that first game we're coming guns ablazing.

Last year, Georgia Tech, you guys had your best season since 2018. Coming into this season, some would say Georgia Tech is a sleeper to win the ACC title. Would you take that as a form of disrespect or a form that we're supposed to be there anyway?

KING: I'd probably say both. To me that's still disrespect, especially with what we had last year, what we have coming back.

But then the same deal, it's supposed to be like that. We're supposed to be contending for that ACC championship each and every year with the people we have in the building, coaches, players, team, the culture that we've built.