There was a ton of hope for the UNC football team’s defensive unit when it hired Geoff Collins, the former Georgia Tech head coach and a proven defensive coordinator in the SEC.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, Collins will get to face the Yellow Jackets squad he led from 2018-2021.
Despite overseeing Top-25 defensive units at Florida, Mississippi State and FIU, Collins struggled as a head coach. Georgia Tech went just 10-28 when Collins was head coach, failing to amass more than three wins in a season. After starting 1-3 in 2022, the Yellow Jackets fired Collins.
Even though his time in Atlanta was marred by his subpar coaching record, Collins took some time to acknowledge his relationship with current Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key, who is 15-12 not even three full seasons in.
“We have been friends for a very long time,” Collins told OnSI’s Jackson Caudell.
Collins then continued and elaborated on how his time in Atlanta ended, which he delivered a very professional answer to.
“I have had two years to process everything, I have come to peace with everything that happened, what we walked into, the efforts that we made and then what happened at the end, I have come at peace,” Collins continued. “I have been really self reflective on what I could have done better and what I would do the next time in similar circumstances. There is zero ill will towards anyone in the administration, fanbase, any of those things, zero ill will. I just want to be a good coach for this group of guys.”
If I had to bet, Collins would be a little extra-happy if he helped coach the Tar Heels to a victory on Saturday. Again, he said no ill will towards Georgia Tech, but there’s a giddy feeling you get when beating/succeeding against your former employer.
Can Collins revert back to his Top-10 defensive coordinator form on Saturday, helping deliver North Carolina one of its more surprising wins of the season?
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.