No doubt about it, this has been a year from hell for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Saddled at 2-7, the Ramblin' Wreck became the first team in the ACC to clinch a losing season. While they will always be able to look back on that impressive home win over Duke, Brent Key's alma mater is in a bad place right now. Key just fired four assistants off his staff in the lead-up to the Clemson game on Saturday.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, "Georgia Tech has dismissed four staff members -- defensive coordinator Jason Semore, defensive ends coach Kyle Pope, offensive line coach Allen Mogridge and wide receivers coach Jafar Williams." Georgia Tech has been a revolving door for defensive coordinators ever since Key took over for an ineffective Geoff Collins. Frustrations have boiled over.
Clemson opened as a 13.5-point favorite over the Yellow Jackets on Sunday. While we will continue to monitor the line up until kickoff, one this is certain. It would be a brutally bad loss for Clemson to suffer at home versus the Ramblin' Wreck. Doing so would absolutely end Clemson's slim chances of getting to Charlotte. Key has other things to worry about than playing an additional game this season.
Sources: Georgia Tech has dismissed four staff members – defensive coordinator Jason Semore, defensive ends coach Kyle Pope, offensive line coach Allen Mogridge and wide receivers coach Jafar Williams. Georgia Tech is 2-7 this season and in last place in the ACC. pic.twitter.com/TLm62a3pWT
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 9, 2026
Coordinator attrition has totally unraveled everything Brent Key built
Clemson -- and the rest of the ACC -- can learn a lesson about Georgia Tech's bad situation. With Semore being out as defensive coordinator, Georgia Tech will have a new face leading its defense for the sixth year in a row. This dates back to Andrew Thacker not being retained as a part of Key's first true staff in 2023 since taking over for Collins. You cannot suffer coordinator attrition quite like this.
From Thacker, to Kevin Sherrer, to Tyler Santucci, to Blake Gideon, to Semore, Georgia Tech's defense is in as bad of a spot as it has been in years. While much of the focus has been on former offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner's departure to Florida, the amount of turnover Georgia Tech has endured on defense is simply not sustainable. This could be why Dabo Swinney will try to retain Chad Morris.
For as bad as the Clemson offense has been this season, the Tigers are still playing winning football. It has everything to do with its amazing defense and outstanding specials teams unit. Clemson has become the ACC equivalent of the 2023 Iowa Hawkeyes in record time. Even if the point spread is big, Clemson has not been able to take advantage of many weak defenses it has gone up against this fall.
Overall, Clemson has seen firsthand how amazing it can be to retain a star coordinator. Getting an overqualified Tom Allen back for a second year has pushed this defense over the top. This may only be Year 1 for Rich Bisaccia leading the special teams, but his unit has turned heads all season long. We can only hope that Allen and Bisaccia stick around, and that Morris grows from these struggles.
Key might have been within his rights to move on from those four coaches, but this is now on him.
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