One Power Five program’s coaching gain will prove to be a Group of Five school’s loss.
Over the past couple of days, the noise connecting Geoff Collins to the Georgia Tech had grown increasingly louder. Friday, that chatter turned into reality as Tech confirmed that Collins has been named as the football program’s 20th head coach.
Collins replaces Paul Johnson, who stepped down as Tech’s longtime head coach late last month.
The move to the Yellow Jackets serves as a homecoming as the 47-year-old coach was born in Conyers, Georgia. Additionally, Collins served two different stints with the Tech football program -- graduate assistant and tight ends coach under George O’Leary from 1999-2001, recruiting coordinator under Chan Gailey in 2006.
The past two seasons, the former Florida and Mississippi State defensive coordinator has been the head coach at Temple. Collins has gone 15-10 in that span, leading the Owls to bowl berths in each of those seasons.
“We wish Geoff, Jennifer and Astrid all the best in Atlanta and we thank them for their service to Temple University,” a statement from Collins’ former employer read in part.
“While it is always difficult to lose a head coach, it is a testament to what we have built at Temple through our students, our fans, our alumni and our donors that we can continue to have success. We have a world-class university, strong support staff, excellent facilities, passionate supporters and a very healthy culture and I am confident that there will be great interest in our job yet again.”
Collins will not coach the Owls in their bowl game, with those duties falling to tight ends coach/special teams coordinator/assistant head coach Ed Foley.