The Georgia versus Georgia Tech rivalry pits players who once shared high school fields against one another. However, this year’s Georgia-Georgia Tech matchup goes beyond the players with notable crossover among the coaching staffs.
Georgia’s offensive staff features first-year running backs coach Josh Crawford, a longtime high school coach in Georgia who spent last season coaching receivers at Georgia Tech. In February, Crawford made the switch to UGA, taking on a new role with Georgia.
“I don’t know many people that have had to go out and play with three true freshmen in a critical, pivotal game, which really happened against Tennessee. Those kids didn’t flinch, and he didn’t flinch,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said of Crawford. “He’s very intelligent, demands excellence, and has done a great job preparing his players for big moments. He was also a very successful high school coach in this state, which is huge.”
Another former Yellow Jacket now contributing to Georgia is Andrew Thacker, Georgia Tech’s former defensive coordinator, serves as an analyst for the Bulldogs. Thacker has embraced his new role and is valued for his energy and enthusiasm, according to Smart. “He’s been a great asset for us. He knows his role, defines it well, and brings a lot of excitement and energy to our defense,” Smart said.
On the other side, Georgia Tech boasts its own staff members with Bulldog ties, including offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, who worked as an analyst for Georgia during the Dawgs’ back-to-back national championship seasons in 2021 and 2022.
“Buster was incredible in terms of insight, ideas, work habits, and recruiting. He worked extremely hard while he was here,” Smart said. “As an analyst, you have to find the balance between proving yourself and staying within your role. He did that perfectly. He made me a better coach, and he’s a great father and husband as well.”
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Buster Faulkner has revitalized the Yellow Jackets’ offense, showing significant improvement across the board. In 2022, the offense struggled mightily, averaging just 17 points per game and 192 passing yards per game, which ranked second-to-last and last in the ACC, respectively. Georgia Tech managed only 10 rushing touchdowns, placing 12th out of 14 ACC teams.
Fast forward to the 2024 season, and Georgia Tech’s offense has taken a major leap under Faulkner’s guidance. The Yellow Jackets now averages 27 points per game, a 10-point improvement, with a solid passing attack generating 234 yards per game. On the ground, they’ve become a dominant force, tying for first in the ACC with 26 rushing touchdowns.
With connections running deep on both sidelines, this year’s edition of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate promises to be as competitive as ever. Georgia plays Georgia Tech at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday night. The game will be televised on ABC.