HEAD COACH: Geoff Collins (9-25, fourth year; 24-35 overall)

2021 RECORD: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in ACC Coastal

RETURNING STARTERS: Offense – 4; Defense – 3; Special Teams – 1

PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Jeff Sims, RB Dontae Smith, RB Hassan Hall, WR Malachi Carter, DE Keion White, DT Morris Joseph Jr., LB Charlie Thomas, CB Zamari Walton

VERSUS GEORGIA: Nov. 26 (Athens)

Will tweaks to the offense make a difference?

This year’s team isn’t helped by the fact its best player from 2021—running back Jahmyr Gibbs—is now playing for Alabama.

The Jackets are tweaking their offense. The hope is that new offensive coordinator Chip Long can make the best use of quarterback Jeff Sims, who enters his third year with the program. Georgia Tech also brought in former Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke as the team’s new quarterback coach.

There's some talent at wide receiver, so that’s good news.

Defensively, Georgia Tech could not be much worse than it was a season ago. Only three starters return (which may be a good thing), but there’s a ton of work that needs to be done, and even a small modicum of improvement might not be enough to save Collins’ job if more wins are not the result.

Will the Yellow Jackets be able to shore up their offensive and defensive lines?

Georgia Tech has a lot of question marks with the offensive and defensive lines the two biggest of all.

The only starter back on the offensive line is right tackle Jordan Williams, and the Yellow Jackets have their fingers crossed that a pair of transfers may help soften the blow.

Defensively, the entire defensive front will be brand new, although Georgia Tech did add former Memphis defensive tackle Morris Joseph Jr.

At 6-foot-2 and 275 pounds, coaches will lean on the senior to provide leadership to a unit that does not bring back a lot of experience.

Will Collins still be the head coach after this year?

The leash certainly appears to be a short one.

During his three years in Atlanta, moving the Yellow Jackets from the triple-option of former head coach Paul Johnson has been even more difficult than Collins originally thought.

Georgia Tech simply has not recruited to the level that it needs to get the program back on the winning track, and this year’s schedule won’t do Collins any favors, either.

Take away a Week 2 home game against Western Carolina, and four of the first five games are against the likes of Clemson, Ole Miss, at UCF, and at Pittsburgh.

Collins has his work cut out, for sure.