In a small, unadorned locker room underneath the Joel Coliseum stands, Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner is trying to set the stage for a second-half comeback against Wake Forest on Feb. 4. In different moments, he is excoriating players for careless offense in the first half, praising them for defensive successes and then imploring them to sharpen their focus on the details.

Pastner’s team is assembled in rows of four. Team members look intently back at him. Hired to revitalize the Yellow Jackets, Pastner is being put to the test on this Saturday afternoon in Winston-Salem, N.C.

For Tech’s road game at Wake Forest, Pastner allowed the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to accompany the team with access to practice, video sessions, meals and the locker room. This is what it looked like.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Georgia Tech defensive back Jy Gilmore (14) leaves after he got injured during the first half in an NCAA college football game at Bobby Dodd Stadium, Saturday, November 22, 2025, in Atlanta. Pittsburgh won 42-28 over Georgia Tech. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Featured

Cooling towers for Units 4 and 3 are seen at Plant Vogtle, operated by Georgia Power Co., in east Georgia's Burke County near Waynesboro, on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC