Georgia Tech has turned to Temple coach Geoff Collins as it looks to the future of its football program following Paul Johnson's decision to step down after the year.
Collins, 47, led the Owls to an 8-4 record in 2018 and a 7-6 record in 2017, his only two seasons as a head coach, and the team has an 11-5 record against conference opponents in that span. Prior to Temple, he had successful stints as the defensive coordinator at Florida (2015-16) and Mississippi State (2011-14).
Born in Georgia with college playing experience at Western Carolina, Collins has been on Georgia Tech's staff twice already in his career as both a graduate assistant and recruiting coordinator. The Georgia Tech coaching search has been ongoing since Nov. 28 and already has included names like Ken Whisenhunt, but once reports of Collins' interview with Georgia Tech surfaced, it became clear the process was coming to a conclusion quickly.
Johnson elected to step down after 11 seasons at Georgia Tech, ending a head coaching career that dates back to 1997 and has included success at both the FCS and FBS levels. Johnson, 61, said that it was time to "take a break" from the demands of a college football coach to spend more time with his family after 82 wins with the Yellow Jackets.
