ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins fired offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude and two other assistants on Sunday following a disappointing 3-9 season that ended with six consecutive losses.
Co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Nathan Burton and cornerbacks coach Jeff Popovich also were fired. The staff changes were announced less than 24 hours after the Yellow Jackets’ third consecutive three-win season ended with Saturday’s ugly 45-0 loss to No. 1 Georgia.
“As I have begun evaluating our program and identifying the things we need to do to be more successful, I have determined that a change in leadership on both sides of the ball is necessary,” Collins said in a statement released by Georgia Tech.
“I believe that new voices in these key positions on our staff will allow us to do a better job of consistently putting our players in the best position to meet the high standards we all have for our program.”
The Yellow Jackets were outscored a combined 100-0 in losses to No. 6 Notre Dame and Georgia to close the season.
Georgia Tech finished the season ranked No. 97 in total offense and 96th in scoring, averaging 23.8 points.
Defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker appears set to return after Georgia Tech ranked No. 117 in total defense. The Yellow Jackets allowed 33.5 points per game, tied for 110th.
Following the lopsided loss to in-state rival Georgia, Collins on Saturday promised to make “a deep dive into every single phase of our program and then take the next steps in order to get better.”
He said “there’s nobody more frustrated than myself.”
Collins, who was hired from Temple to replace Paul Johnson, has insisted the program made progress in his third season.
Collins acknowledged last week he’ll need to show evidence of improvement in the team’s record next season. “It will be time to take that next step and push over the hump,” he said.
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