North Carolina has hired former Georgia Tech football coach Geoff Collins as its new defensive coordinator, a source close to the situation has confirmed to THI.

Collins, 52, replaced Gene Chizik, who parted ways with UNC earlier this week. The head coach at Georgia Tech from 2019-2022, Collins’ Yellow Jackets were 25-38 overall and 10-28 in the ACC. Before that stop, he was the head coach at Temple for two seasons, leading the Owls to a 15-10 overall record, including 11-5 in the American Athletic Conference.

Some of Collins’ other jobs as defensive coordinator have been at Mississippi State, Central Florida, and Florida, plus he also worked at Alabama in 2007.

He was fired in 2022 by Georgia Tech after the Jackets started the season 1-3. In addition, they were outscored 210-20 in their last five games versus Power 5 teams. It was 97-7 in his last two games.

"Geoff Collins did a tremendous job there recruiting,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said last season the week of the Tar Heels’ home loss to the Yellow Jackets. “They have really good players. (Jeff) Sims did such a great job at quarterback against us last year. Brent Key has stepped in for Geoff.

“I hated to see Geoff let go so early, he took over for an option team and I thought he did a really good job rebuilding it and getting great players and having a chance, like I said in our game, he totally dominated our game."

Collins,who played linebacker at Western Carolina, did not coach this past season nor did he serve as an analyst anywhere.

Current UNC Assistant A.D/General Manager of Football, Pat Suddes, worked for Collins at Georgia Tech.

UNC is set to host Georgia Tech next season.

The news was first reported by Football Scoop and multiple other media outlets have also reported it.

*Collins has been nominated for the Broyles Award at three different schools: Florida International in 2010, Mississippi State in 2014, and Florida in 2015.

*Florida defense in 2015 finished No. 8 nationally and third in the SEC

*3 Florida defensive players were named First-Team All-SEC that season

*In 2016, Florida led the nation in pass defense efficiency, fourth in red zone defense, No. 5 in total defense, No. 6 in scoring defense, and No. 7 in first downs allowed.

*In 2014 at Mississippi State, the Bulldogs won 10 games and were ranked No. 1 in both major polls for part of the season.

*That year, MSU led the SEC with 37 sacks, were No. 1 in the nation in red zone defense, No. 9 in scoring defense,

1993-94 – Western Carolina (student assistant)

1995 – Franklin (N.C.) H.S. (assistant coach)

1996 – Fordham (linebackers coach)

1997-98 – Albright (defensive coordinator)

1999-2000 – Georgia Tech (graduate assistant)

2001 – Georgia Tech (tight ends coach)

2002-05 – Western Carolina (defensive coordinator)

2006 – Georgia Tech (recruiting coordinator)

2007 – Alabama (director of player personnel)

2008-09 – UCF (linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator)

2010 – Florida International (defensive coordinator)

2011-12 – Mississippi State (co-defensive coordinator)

2013-14 – Mississippi State (defensive coordinator)

2015-16 – Florida (defensive coordinator)

2017-18 – Temple (head coach)

2019-22 - Georgia Tech (head coach)