Georgia Tech’s offensive line was a key factor in the significant improvement seen in the team’s offense last season. They made remarkable progress in 2023, leading the ACC in rushing yards and excelling in limiting sacks allowed. With the majority of last season’s starting offensive line returning, along with the addition of Keylan Rutledge, a standout guard from MTSU, the outlook for Georgia Tech’s offensive line remains promising for the upcoming season.
College football expert Phil Steele also recognizes the strength of Georgia Tech’s offensive line. In his rankings of the top ten offensive lines for the 2024 season, Georgia Tech claimed the 10th spot, with Florida State, Miami, and Clemson ranked ahead at 5th, 7th, and 9th respectively.
Under the guidance of head coach Brent Key and first-year offensive line coach Geep Wade, Georgia Tech’s offensive line transformed from a weakness into one of the team’s strongest units within a single season. The team went from struggling in rushing to leading the ACC in rushing yards—a notable improvement. The return of four out of five starting linemen, coupled with the addition of a talented transfer, sets Georgia Tech up for continued success in the upcoming season.
In 2022, according to PFF, the offensive line received poor grades with a pass-blocking grade of 42.8 and a run-blocking grade of 50.8, aligning with the team’s on-field performance. The 2022 Georgia Tech team struggled in passing statistics, ranking in the bottom four of the ACC in various categories like passing yards, yards per game, passing yards per play, passing touchdowns, and offensive efficiency. On the running front, they were mid-tier in the ACC for yards per carry and rushing yards per game. This dual struggle in passing and rushing offenses led to challenges in gaining first downs and converting third downs, with the offensive line being a significant factor in Georgia Tech’s offensive struggles that year.
However, the narrative changed in 2023 with the starting offensive line consisting of Ethan Mackenny at left tackle, Joe Fusile at left guard, Weston Franklin at center, Connor Scaglione at right guard, and Jordan Williams at right tackle. Their improved performance was reflected in their pass-blocking grade of 64.0 and run-blocking grade of 59.4, marking them as an average unit with a solid foundation.
Their run-blocking efforts aided Georgia Tech in leading the ACC in rushing offense, averaging 197.1 yards per game. Running back Jamal Haynes excelled, ranking in the top five in the ACC for both total yards and yards per carry. The consistency in the ground game was a highlight of the season, even against tough opponents like Georgia, where the offensive line created opportunities for the running backs. The Jackets’ performance in 2023 suggests they are capable of running effectively against any opposing defensive line.
In terms of pass protection, the offensive line performed relatively well, allowing just 1.25 sacks per game, which ranked second in the ACC and 20th nationally. They provided quarterback Haynes King with the opportunity to throw for a substantial number of passing touchdowns and yards, resulting in the second-highest passing touchdowns and fourth-highest passing yards in Georgia Tech history. Despite these achievements, the offensive line showed inconsistencies in pass protection, especially on the left side where the youth of the players was occasionally evident.
I anticipate that Georgia Tech’s offensive line will be one of the top units in the country in 2024, which I believe will help maintain their offense at the forefront of the conference.
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