After surprising news broke that Virginia Tech was not retaining RBs coach Elijah Brooks, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported that James Franklin and the Hokies are targeting Georgia Tech RBs coach Norval McKenzie for the same role.
McKenzie has spent the past three seasons in Atlanta and helped Jamal Haynes become one of the ACC’s best running backs while also helping Malachi Hosley develop into a dangerous change-of-pace back.
Prior to GT, McKenzie spent four addition seasons at the Power 4 level at Louisville (2019-20) where he helped Javan Hawkins run for over 1,500 yards as a redshirt freshman, and Vanderbilt (2021-21) where he developed Buffalo Bills RB Ray Davis into a NFL-caliber running back prior to his one season at Kentucky. Here’s the full rundown of McKenzie’s career arc to this point.
- Hiram HS (GA) Assistant - 2005-07
- Vanderbilt GA - 2008-09
- Vanderbilt Assistant Recruiting Coordinator - 2010
- Furman RBs Coach and Recruiting Coordinator - 2011-14
- Furman RBs Coach and Special Teams Coordinator - 2015
- Arkansas State RBs Coach - 2016-17
- Arkansas State RBs Coach and Special Teams Coordinator - 2018
- Louisville RBs Coach - 2019-20
- Vanderbilt RBs Coach and Run Game Coordinator - 2021-22
- Georgia Tech RBs Coach and Run Game Coordinator - 2023-25
If you’re going to move on from someone like Brooks who helped develop Bhayshul Tuten into an NFL running back and turned DII transfer Marcellous Hawkins into a quality P4 starter, then you have to get someone with a proven reputation at this level and McKenzie definitely has that. He will have some work to keep the current RB room in place given the talented 1-2 punch of Hawkins and standout freshman Jeff Overton Jr.
McKenzie also should be an asset on the recruiting trail as someone who has deep ties in the Southeast, a region not as well-represented on James Franklin’s staff so far.
We will have more as this story develops.
