With the Spring Game only 3 days away, we thought it would be a good idea for Tech fans, both new and old, to familiarize themselves with the new coaching faces we’ll see wandering the sidelines taking our players to new levels.

Al Groh: Al Groh's hiring has brought out only excitement and great anticipation for the upcoming football season. All because of his implementation of the famous 3-4 defense of which he is one of the most highly regarded experts. His expertise in this defensive scheme goes back to his time in the NFL where he served variations of linebackers coach and defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells for the New England Patriots and New York Jets. Groh also has head coaching experience with the Jets in 2000.

Lamar Owens: While Lamar is surely not a new face, he does own a new title. Earlier this year when Jeff Monken left the A-Backs coaching position for a head coaching position at Georgia Southern, Paul Johnson did the sensible thing and promoted Owens to A-Backs coach.

Lamar has quite a history with CPJ and it is surely greatly appreciated by the fanbase to see an assistant who ran the offense as a player at the US Naval Academy. Owens was a quarterback in CPJ’s system in the middle 2000's. I have all the confidence in the world in any offensive skills player who played for Paul Johnson to teach another offensive skill-set.

Joe Speed: Speed will be working with Al Groh and the linebackers as they perfect the 3-4 defense. It should be noted that Coach Speed was an assistant under Paul Johnson at the Naval Academy for six seasons.  He is also a graduate of the Naval Academy.

Andy McCollum: Coach McCollum arrives to Atlanta by way of NC State where he will serve as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. His recruiting responsibilities will replace those left behind by Giff Smith who got picked up by Chan Gailey to be an assistant coach with the Buffalo Bills.

Coach McCollum spent three years at NC State where he also served as linebackers coach under Tom O’Brien. The majority of coaching experience McCollum owns was accrued as head coach of Middle Tennessee State where he helped oversee the Blue Raiders’ move from 1-AA FCS to 1-A FBS as well as a variety of roles  at Baylor University.

Now that you know who these new guys are and a little more about them, here’s a chance to study up on the returning coaches.

Al"Buzz" Preston (Wide Receivers)    Charles Kelly (Secondary)               Mike Sewak (Offensive Line)

         Brian Bohanon (QBs/B-backs)                     Todd Spencer (Offensive Line)