Dear Georgia Tech community,
Wow – it’s been an eventful week, to say the least. I know from your emails, phone calls and social media that you have questions about our search for a new football head coach and the announcement that we have been selected to participate in the Quick Lane Bowl vs. Minnesota on Dec. 26. I will try to answer those questions in this space.
FOOTBALL HEAD COACH SEARCH
First and foremost, I would be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to once again thank Paul Johnson for all that he’s done in his 11 years here on The Flats. He’s the winningest coach at Georgia Tech since Bobby Dodd, he’s led us to more first- and-second-place finishes in ACC divisional play (7) than every other program besides Clemson (9), Florida State (7) and Virginia Tech (7) and his players are graduating at an 86-percent clip (after the football program’s NCAA Graduation Success Rate had been as low as 48 percent prior to his arrival). I’m saddened that he will no longer be leading our football program but am happy for him to be able to spend more time with his wife, Susan, and his daughter, Kaitlyn, after 40-straight years of coaching. We are planning to have a public event to give everyone the opportunity to show our gratitude to Coach Johnson and his family – stay tuned for details.
Since Coach Johnson told me of his intent to step down last Wednesday, I have been actively working to identify the very best fit for Georgia Tech. That person will be someone who knows who they are, knows who we are, understands that Georgia Tech isn’t a “plug-and-play” situation and has a plan on how to be successful here. The only way to learn who best fits is through the interview process, which is ongoing.
While the search is ongoing, I know that there have already been media reports concerning this potential candidate or that potential candidate, and that those reports will continue throughout the process. While I don’t intend to conduct the search publicly, I do ask that you don’t put too much stock into the media reports – some might be accurate, but many will be inaccurate. I can assure you, however, that there is great interest in becoming the next football head coach at Georgia Tech and we will continue to work diligently to identify the very best person to lead our football program, compete for championships and develop and graduate young people who will change the world.
