Georgia Tech coach Brent Key reassigned safeties coach Andrew Thacker and defensive backs coach Travares Tillman to off-field duties, Tech announced Thursday night.
Thacker was hired in 2019 by former Tech coach Geoff Collins to be the program’s defensive coordinator. He was retained by Key when Key took over from Collins in November 2022, and Thacker signed a new contract on Feb. 1 this year to make $650,000 annually. He is scheduled to to receive a $50,000 raise Feb. 1 if his current contract is renewed Jan. 31.
Thacker is also due one month of his base salary for Tech qualifying for a bowl game this season.
On Oct. 1, Key removed Thacker from the defensive coordinator role and made him the safeties coach. Linebackers coach Kevin Sherrer took over as the team’s defensive coordinator.
A provision to Thacker’s contract states, “that if Georgia Tech terminates Defensive Coordinator’s employment without cause, GTAA will pay Defensive Coordinator liquidated damages in equal monthly installments for the remaining contract term.”
Thacker is originally from Cartersville.
“Georgia is special to me,” Thacker said in August. “I’ve grown up in the state and in the framework of football and absolutely love it here. As I grew up in Georgia, there’s an appreciation and respect from my family in this place. The more I’ve been here the more I’ve really grown to love the people. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Georgia Tech. It’s exciting right now.
“I think (Key’s) done a great job. He talks about it a lot, but he wants to bring the amount of respect that he has for this place back to perception and then turn that to reality. He’s getting a lot of things down to turn that.”
Tillman, from Lyons, arrived in Atlanta in December 2021 and was getting paid an annual salary of $350,000. His contract is also scheduled to end Jan. 31 and Tillman is due one month salary for Tech qualifying for a bowl game.
Tillman was an all-ACC cornerback for the Yellow Jackets from 1996-99 and played eight seasons in the NFL after he was selected in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft.
On Wednesday, Tech commit Nehemiah Chandler, a 6-foot-1, 165-pound cornerback, posted a picture on social media of himself, Thacker and Tillman in Chandler’s home, where Thacker and Tillman had been for a recruiting visit.
“I’ll tell you what, I’ve coached 25 years, and I don’t think I’ve ever been on one staff where there wasn’t (staff changes),” Key said Sunday. “You always have to prepare for those things.”
The Jackets (6-6) practiced Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week as they began preparing for the Dec. 22 Gasparilla Bowl, where they’ll face Central Florida (6-6).
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