Bryan Cook returns to Georgia Tech in analyst role

Georgia Tech quarterbacks and B-backs coach Bryan Cook will become the offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern following Tech’s appearance in the TaxSlayer Bowl. (GT Athletics/Danny Karnik)

Georgia Tech quarterbacks and B-backs coach Bryan Cook will become the offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern following Tech’s appearance in the TaxSlayer Bowl. (GT Athletics/Danny Karnik)

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson has added to his non-coaching staff with the hires of two analysts, including former Tech quarterbacks and B-backs coach Bryan Cook.

Cook will be the defensive analyst for the Yellow Jackets, charged with scouting opposing offenses and helping with game planning. The offensive analyst is Paul Nichols, who was head coach at Davidson for the past five seasons before he was dismissed.

Cook had served on Tech’s staff from 2013 through 2016 before leaving to be offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern. He was not retained in Statesboro when the school made a coaching change.

Nichols, from Dunwoody and a graduate of the Marist School, had also coached at Marshall and Toledo and was director of player personnel at Illinois.

The hires are part of Tech’s efforts to keep up with the trend amongst power-conference teams to increase non-coaching staff, particularly in the realms of recruiting and scouting. Tech’s recruiting office now has seven staff members to go with Nichols, Cook and staff assistant Tim McGrath, who primarily contributes to special-teams game planning.