Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports

The vast improvement in Georgia Tech‘s defense has apparently been noticed by more than just Yellow Jackets fans and opponents. On Wednesday, Yellow Jackets defensive coordinator Ted Roof was named as one of 40 nominees for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach.

The swing of stats for Tech’s defense this year is practically unparallelled, as the Jackets went from giving up 40 points or more six times last season and finishing 43rd in the country in total defense, to giving up 21.0 points per game and sitting at 17th in the nation in total defense.

While there is still some work to be done, it’s apparent that whatever elixir Roof brought in for the Yellow Jackets lax defensive squad was just what the doctor ordered.

This is Roof’s second stint with Tech, serving as linebackers coach in 1998, and then defensive coordinator from 1999-2001. He was nominated for the 2000 Broyles Award when his defense finished 12th in the nation in rushing defense and 20th in scoring defense, followed by a no.23 ranking in scoring defense the following season. Roof, who is an alma mater of Georgia Tech, couldn’t resist the chance to come back and face the challenge of turning things around defensively on The Flats.

Before returning to Tech, Roof served as the D.C. at the embattled Penn State program. Even under the heavy sanctions and penalties imposed by the NCAA, Roof’s Nittany Lions defense was ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring defense, led the conference in sacks, and was ranked first in red-zone defense and third in turnover margin.

Roof has done a remarkable job of turning around what was a porous defense in just one season, and should be able to take things even further in 2014.

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