The Yellow Jackets decided to make a change at head coach, this caused a ripple effect regarding assistants. Unfortunately, Tech was unable to retain fan favorite and Jackets legend Tashard Choice. The Jackets looked to a fellow elite academic institution when they hired Vanderbilt running backs coach and run game coordinator Norval McKenzie to fill the same role in Atlanta.
McKenzie is a Georgia native, graduating from McEachern in 2001. He was a four-year player at Vanderbilt, having his best season as a junior in 2003. He took a role at Hiram HS, in Paulding country, before returning to Vanderbilt as a graduate assistant from 2008 to 2009, a term that included a loss to the Jackets in 2009.