Ga. Tech demotes Thacker, Sherrer now sole DC

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior WriterOct 1, 2023, 04:12 PM ET
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- College football reporter.
- Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
- Graduate of Northwestern University.

Georgia Tech has named Kevin Sherrer as its sole defensive coordinator and demoted Andrew Thacker after slipping to 103rd nationally in points allowed.

Thacker, the team’s primary defensive coordinator since 2019 under coaches Geoff Collins and Brent Key, will now serve as safeties coach. Sherrer joined the staff in January as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He has coordinator experience at Tennessee and spent the past two seasons on the New York Giants‘ staff.

“Our performance on defense this season hasn’t met the standard that we expect at Georgia Tech,” Key said in a statement. “While the responsibility for that does not fall on any one individual — in fact, as the head coach, that responsibility begins with me – I do feel that a new voice and perspective from the coordinator role is necessary for us to improve. Coach Sherrer is a veteran coach that has had great success in all aspects of coaching defense and at the highest levels of football.”

Georgia Tech has allowed 38 points or more three times in the first five games, including in Saturday’s loss to Bowling Green, which had scored a total of 13 points in its previous two games. The Yellow Jackets are allowing 30.8 points per game and rank 112th nationally in yards allowed (427.8 yards per game). They blew a 28-13 halftime lead in the opener and lost to Louisville 39-34.

After falling to 2-3, Georgia Tech this week visits No. 17 Miami.