Tech's Gideon- for the Defense..
Georgia Tech enters the 2025 season with great optimism. The schedule is a bit friendlier than last year, and the offense returns most of the people who led Tech to a very productive 2024.
The big question is the defense. Tech's D last year was a significant upgrade , under the supervision of DC Tyler Santucci. Santucci left to go coach with the Baltimore Ravens. In his place, Brent Key brought in Blake Gideon.
Gideon was the defensive backfield coach at Texas for the past four years. His unit played a big role in the Longhorns' success last year.
Gideon is a former defensive back himself, having played safety in Austin.
This new position is his debut as a coordinator and that role is still growing on him. He yermed it a " walk- around" job, quite different than being a position coach as in the past.
In a press conference on July 31, Gideon shared his plan.
First and foremost he said, " We are going to run to the ball". He added, tongue in cheek, that they may or may not make the play, but they will definitely be running to the ball.
Tech finished in the upper half of the ACC last year, giving up 25.6 points per game- an improvement over 2023. The defense was inconsistent, though and Gideon aims to fix that problem using some new personnel and greater stability in the defensive backfield when it comes to preventing explosive plays by securing tackles.
More than that, Gideon wants to avoid over- coaching his players, allowing them to play with more instinct, as opposed to being programmed " like robots".
He reiterated his plan to play "..more than 11" , rotating players in to keep them fresh and address given situations.
He complimented his players, saying he could see more comfort in their various roles when compared to spring
Gideon was a standout 4 year starter at Texas, and played two years in the NFL before beginning his coaching career at Florida. For the last four years, he worked under Steve Sarkisian back at Texas, where his troops played his style- tough, physical and resilient.
Gideon noted several times in his answers that much will depend on how his players handle adversity.
" The other guys are going to get a first down", he said. When they do, or break a big play, the goal of his defense will be to regroup and perform better on the very next play.
Such resilience, he said, will allow his defenders to be " the best version of themselves ".
Gideon exudes energy and enthusiasm even while just talking about Tech's defense.
If he can successfully transmit that approach to his players, the Yellow Jacket defense can take another step forward to becoming an elite unit in their own right.
Patrick Conarro
RamblinSports.com