Georgia Tech coach Brent Key has hired another defensive assistant, this one to be the program’s defensive coordinator.
Tyler Santucci is expected to join Key’s staff as defensive coordinator, a person familiar with the situation confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday. Santucci spent the 2023 season as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Duke and, in 2022, was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Texas A&M.
Duke ranked 16th nationally in 2023 by allowing only 19 points per game. The Blue Devils ranked 41st in passing defense, 42nd in total defense and 47th in rushing defense.
Santucci, originally from Pennsylvania, played linebacker at Stony Brook before beginning his coaching career there in 2010. He also has held positions at Wake Forest, Texas State and Notre Dame.
Kevin Sherrer has been the team’s defensive coordinator since Oct. 1, when Key moved then-DC Andrew Thacker to safeties coach. Ahead of Tech’s bowl game in December, Thacker and cornerbacks coach Travares Tillman were moved into off-field positions (termed special assistant to the head coach on the school’s online directory).
The AJC confirmed in December that Jess Simpson, a former Buford High School head coach and Falcons, Miami and Duke assistant, was joining Key’s staff. Simpson most recently coached the defensive line at Duke, where he worked for Santucci.
Earlier this week it was reported that Memphis assistant Kyle Pope would be joining Key’s staff. Pope, who is listed in Tech’s online directory as a temporary employee, was the defensive run-game coordinator and defensive line coach in 2023 at Memphis.
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