Division Coastal AP No. 22 Head coach Paul Johnson | Coaches No. 22 2008 record 9–4 (5–3 ACC) | |
Conference Atlantic Coast Conference | ||
The 2008 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's coach is former Navy Midshipmen and Georgia Southern Eagles coach Paul Johnson. Georgia Tech plays their home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Previous seasons
Georgia Tech continued its 11-year bowl streak under the coaching of Chan Gailey in 2007. Despite this accomplishment, Georgia Tech terminated Gailey the Monday following his sixth loss to archrival University of Georgia. No coach in Georgia Tech history had ever lost six straight to the Bulldogs before Gailey. Gailey failed to finish the season in the Top 25 all six of his head coaching seasons and posted a 12–12 record in November. Gailey's career ended at Georgia Tech with an overall record of 44–31.
Pre-season
Paul Johnson is the new head coach of the Yellow Jackets after posting a 45–29 record at the United States Naval Academy since 2002. Johnson also recorded a 7–1 record in the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy against the Air Force and Army.
Johnson will be installing his option offense at Georgia Tech. In response, 2007 starting QB Taylor Bennett transferred to Louisiana Tech, opening up the 2008 QB job for sophomore Josh Nesbitt and freshman Jaybo Shaw. The Georgia Tech offense returns two of its top four receivers in Greg Smith and Demaryius Thomas, and the Tech defense returns defensive end Michael Johnson and primary interior linemen Darryl Richard and Vance Walker.
In June 2008, former University of Louisville RB Anthony Allen announced he will be transferring to Georgia Tech. Due to NCAA transfer rules, he will be required to sit out the 2008 football season.