Private schools back in focus

Recruiting will take broader approach, Johnson says.

Three new assistant coaches and a re-energized recruiting plan will be the basis for an adjustment and broadening of Georgia Tech’s recruiting base.

Coach Paul Johnson said last week Tech will put more attention on private schools, naming Cincinnati and Washington as possible territories. The strategy in recruiting private schools is that Tech’s academic rigor and the power of the school’s degree may be more appealing and conducive to that set of prospects and their families.

Tech has not recruited those cities much in recent years. During the tenure of former defensive coordinator Al Groh, who came to Tech from Virginia, defensive ends Jeremiah Attaochu and Roderick Rook-Chungong and cornerback Louis Young signed with Tech from Washington’s private school league. Tech pulled back after its yield dwindled following Groh’s dismissal.

However, the addition of four recruiting staff members, enabled by donations in a fundraising challenge in which an anonymous donor pledged up to $200,000 on a 50 percent match basis, figures to help Tech evaluate more prospects and earlier on in the process. By last week, Tech had well surpassed its initial goal of $200,000.

“So as we look to broaden out, we’re probably going to broaden out more in the private schools,” Johnson said.

It would seem a redoubling of a strategy that Johnson committed to as early as 2013. That year, Johnson said that he wanted to broaden the recruiting base and place more of a priority on private schools.

“Maybe we go to where the education is a little bigger deal to people or might be what they’re looking for,” Johnson said then.

Before last week’s national signing day, Johnson made the rounds of metro Atlanta private schools. He did so, he said, not to recruit specific players, but “just to say ‘Hey’ to the coach and get into the school.”

Tech has three scholarship players from metro Atlanta private schools in defensive lineman Cortez Alston (Westminster), linebacker Tyler Cooksey (Greater Atlanta Christian), and offensive lineman Charlie Clark (Marist). Including signees, Tech has 16 scholarship players on the roster who are private-school graduates.

By comparison, Duke has at least 31 scholarship players from private high schools.

One city where the strategy has worked is Nashville, Tenn., where inside linebackers coach Andy McCollum has used a network of connections to tap into Nashville schools, including its private academies. Defensive tackle Brandon Adams and signee Jaylon King, a defensive back, are both from private schools in the area.

Staff turnover also necessitated other changes in recruiting. Johnson said that new safeties coach Shiel Wood, formerly the defensive coordinator at Wofford College, will recruit Gwinnett County and follow I-85 up to Spartanburg, S.C., where Wofford is located.

Gwinnett previously was recruited by former defensive coordinator Ted Roof. The talent-rich county is responsible for 13 scholarship players on the roster, including signees.

New defensive line coach Jerome Riase will recruit DeKalb County, a county that has not been fruitful for Tech. Clark (Marist) is the only scholarship player on the roster from a high school in DeKalb.