Georgia Tech fires nearly half of its coaching staff

Georgia Tech fired four staff members during a 2-7 season that has the Yellow Jackets in last place in the ACC, ESPN’s Pete Thamel shared for the first time this afternoon and FootballScoop can confirm.

The group includes defensive coordinator Jason Semore, defensive ends/outside linebackers coach Kyle Pope, offensive line coach Allen Mogridge and wide receivers coach Jafar Williams. The moves come after a four-game losing streak, including lopsided losses to Boston College (49-27), Pitt (34-11) and Louisville (44-17), with the defense particularly vulnerable against the run.

Head coach Brent Key, entering his fourth full season, entered 2026 after a stronger 2025 campaign and with significant offseason turnover. He brought in Semore as defensive coordinator (reunited after Semore’s 2022 stint as linebackers coach) and George Godsey as offensive coordinator, while adding transfers including quarterback Alberto Mendoza. The results did not follow. Key has previously described the program as needing a thorough evaluation and has been cautious about midseason personnel changes, but the layoffs come with games still remaining, starting with a trip to Clemson.

Looking to replace Buster Faulkner’s job as offensive coordinator last season by hiring George Godsey was considered a stunning move by most.

Jason Semore, in his first season as Tech’s DC after previous stops as DC at Southern Miss (where the defense led the nation in interceptions), Marshall, Valdosta State and Montana, was hired to install a more aggressive scheme focused on takeaways and negative plays. Instead, the unit struggled in total and rushing defense.

Kyle Pope, in his third season at Georgia Tech after previous roles at Memphis (including as defensive running game coordinator), Liberty and as a graduate assistant at Alabama, coached the edge group. He had previous ties to Key through their overlap in the Alabama orbit.

Allen Mogridge returned to Georgia Tech as offensive line coach for 2026 after serving as senior offensive advisor in 2024 and a year as OL coach at Appalachian State. A long-time veteran with stops such as UCF (where he worked with Key), East Carolina, USF, FIU and others, he brought extensive power conference and big-five line experience.

Jafar Williams, a first-year hire at Tech after serving as assistant wide receivers coach at Vanderbilt, has previously held full-time positions as wide receivers or running backs coach at Temple, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue and elsewhere. He was tasked with rebuilding a reception hall that had severely overturned at the gate and during graduation.

Offensive coordinator George Godsey and co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke remain on staff, as do other position coaches, including defensive line coach Jess Simpson, running backs coach Jimmy Smith and the secondary staff. Sources tell FootballScoop that a change of role is expected within this group.

The firings mark a significant midseason reset for a program that has experienced defensive and offensive inconsistency throughout the year. Georgia Tech’s remaining schedule includes the Clemson rivalry game and a season-ending matchup with Georgia.

Georgia Tech has now explained how they will adjust personnel for the remainder of the season. Defensive backs coach Vinnie Sunseri, a former Alabama safety and NFL draft pick who spent time as co-defensive coordinator at Florida, will handle defensive play-calling duties. On offense, DeAndre Hopkins, the five-time All-Pro wide receiver and Clemson alumnus who joined the staff this summer as an assistant wide receivers coach, will take over the wide receivers room. Hopkins has had a long-standing relationship with offensive coordinator George Godsey dating back to his time with the Houston Texans.

Elsewhere, assistant offensive line coach Brandon Torrey, a former NFL lineman, will assume primary responsibility for the offensive line. Defensive line coach and assistant head coach Jess Simpson will expand his role to include defensive ends and outside linebackers, while senior defensive analyst Jack Tyler, former all-ACC linebacker at Virginia Tech and recent defensive coordinator at East Texas A&M, will coach the linebackers. The moves come as the Yellow Jackets, 2-7 overall and 1-5 in the ACC, look to stabilize both sides of the ball over the final stretch of the regular season.

Listen to how Key spoke after his latest loss. It’s safe to say things aren’t going well at Georgia Tech right now.