Everything Ahmari Harvey Said Ahead Of The Matchup Against Wake Forest

On Wednesday, Georgia Tech cornerback Ahmari Harvey spoke with the media ahead of Saturday's matchup against Wake Forest. Here is everything that he had to say/

On playing against Christopher Barnes of Wake Forest…

“Yeah, he's a fast guy, but we face fast guys all year, so I feel like we prepared for it. We face fast guys in practice. You know, the game speed is a little different, but I feel like we prepared well this week.”

On how to limit explosive plays as a defense and keep plays in front of them all week…

"We really just got to stay disciplined and communicate with our whole defense. When our communication's on point, we limit explosive, but when our eyes are not right, that's when you see dumb plays. So, I feel like if our eyes and communication are right, we're good.”

On how close the defense is to getting interceptions…

“Nah, it's coming. I mean, when it rained, it stormed. So, like, it rained a little bit. We're just waiting for the storm to come. The storm's going to come real soon. I feel like it's coming real soon. I was supposed to get my hands on one last week, but he threw it out of bounds. I feel like our eyes and stuff are going to be in the right place. We're going to have opportunities on the ball, so we just have to make the plays that come to us.”

On how the team is emphasizing turnovers and creating more disruptive plays…

“I mean, we're emphasizing the ball more. We have a whole turnover circuit. We're just emphasizing the ball, getting the ball out, getting the ball back, like, no matter what. Really, you got to practice catching the ball, practice punching the ball out. I feel like we're emphasizing that more, so we're going to see more turnovers coming.”

On how big communication is when facing a dual-threat quarterback…

“Communication is going to be big, but with a quarterback like that, we just have to plaster our receivers. They might run three different routes in one play just because they have an athletic quarterback, and we have to know that. So, we have to follow our receivers wherever they go, and we just have to be prepared for it. Our D-line has got to keep them contained for us, and we're going to be good.”

On this year’s team and the defensive secondary as a whole…

“I feel like we've been performing great. We eliminated a lot fewer explosives. We're, like, together. I've been playing with these guys for a couple of years, so I kind of like what they know, like, what they want to do. They kind of, like, know what I would like to do. So, like, I feel like we play good off of each other, communicating good. I feel like we're a good group together. I feel like we're one of the best in the country.”

On how the team is handling the notoriety of being ranked and more eyes on him…

“I mean, all that stuff, it really doesn't matter. I mean, it's somebody that don't play football ranking you. So, it's like, we all watch college football. You can get beaten any week. So, like, we just focus on going 1-0 every week, 1-0 every week, and we keep doing that week to week. We're going to see where that gets us.”

On last year’s team had limited success on the road…

“This is not last year's team. I feel like we're different. We're going to be ready to prepare on the road. I'm glad we got to open up on the road against a good Colorado team. I feel like it might be a similar environment over there in Wake Forest, but it ain't nothing we ain't never prepared for.”

On the younger guys and how much he has been encouraging them throughout the season..

“I'm seeing a lot of young guys in my room step up. It's good because corners, we can't play every snap of the play, so we need to be at least four deep, like four good deep. So I feel like we're four good deep in our rooms. I'm seeing a lot of growth in them. They want to learn. They're eager to learn. I've been giving them little bits of, like, game and stuff, coming from the sidelines, telling them what I see from receivers in case they go in and stuff like that. I really try to lead it by example for those boys.”

On what is it like having Rodney Shelley back after dealing with an injury…

“It feels good having my boy back. We're rotating good. There's no drop off, no matter who's on the field. That's what we really like. So that's why I say I feel like we really got one of the best DB groups in the country because of guys like Rod, Tobe, Quan, et cetera.”

On where his game has taken the next jump…

“I feel like I'm playing way better man-to-man coverage this year. I can say that. My discipline, on-snap discipline, off-the-ball discipline has gotten better. That jump, I need to take it. I need to make some more plays, and I will.”

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