Georgia Tech defensive standout Jabari Hunt-Days is ineligible for the upcoming season, the school announced Friday.
The news is a tough one to take for the Jackets, who planned to rely on Hunt-Days to fill the spot Jeremiah Attaochu vacated at defensive end. Hunt-Days, a starter at linebacker in 2012 and 2013, moved to end in the spring in the hopes that he could develop more into a rush end. Georgia Tech also is thin at the defensive end position, so his departure does not help matters when it comes to depth, either.
Now more than ever, Georgia Tech will have to rely on junior college transfer Kenderius Whitehead, who began his career at NC State before transferring to Georgia Military College. The Jackets rarely sign junior college prospects, but Whitehead fit a major area of need. In his only season in junior college, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Whitehead racked up 7.5 sacks and became an All-American.
But early enrollee KeShun Freeman could have a leg up on Whitehead. Freeman, who was second behind Hunt-Days on the depth chart, impressed coach Paul Johnson throughout the spring and earned praised after racking up four tackles in the spring game. Tyler Stargel and Roderick Rook-Chungong also are in the mix. Of course, defensive coordinator Ted Roof could also move other players around the way he did this spring to get his 11 best guys on the field.
Needless to say, the Jackets are losing some big-time experience from this position and might have a tougher time than they anticipated replacing Attaochu.
In addition to losing Hunt-Days, freshman running back Travis Custis is leaving for at least the 2014-15 academic year to attend Georgia Military College.
