Everything From Buster Faulkner After Georgia Tech's Second Spring Practice
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Wednesday morning, Georgia Tech held its second spring practice of 2024 and after practice, offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner spoke with the media for the first time this spring.
Here is everything that Faulkner had to say.
1. On what the next step for the offense is...
"Well, I think the next step of everything with me revolves around winning. And what do we got to do to continue to win games and take that next step forward and be able to compete for an ACC championship? And the most exciting thing about it is we got a lot of guys back, right? And then we got a lot of guys here that were early enrollees that we signed in January and so I think we've got like 38 of the 43 guys that are on scholarship going into the fall already here. So just continuing to build continuity. Obviously, it's a new season, but we did last year. It doesn't matter right? So we're just looking to improve every day. We obviously got to be more explosive, be more explosive in the passing game, and continue to run the football. That's going to be who we are.
2. On if having so many players back helps make installing things easier...
"Definitely. Um, you know, we've got a great group, you know, playing in a bowl game really helps because you get that extra 15, you know, practices. Um, and you know, we're able to get them back and the retention has been really, really high. You know, these kids have done a great job of, you know, retaining a lot of the information we gave them in the fall and the new things that we've added and kind of added different things and putting guys in different positions to try to get them on the field. And that's really what we're looking for this spring. And again, just trying to get better every day with fundamentals and the things that make you in football games."
3. On having Haynes King back...
"Yeah. That's huge because we've got a guy that's experienced, and then Zach Pyron, the same thing. I mean, here's a guy that got a bunch of reps last year in practice. And both those guys are really smart. And obviously, they were coach Weinke on a day in, day out basis. And their retention is high. They're highly competitive kids. And that's a huge part of it. He's been probably since mid -summer last year, really took on a leadership role. And that's continued to grow. And it's been great this off season. And I think the rest of the guys look to him as well. And that part's established. So obviously we've got a year under our belt, kind of, of, you know, know what his strengths are and know what our receivers and running backs and o-line strengths are, and we want to play to those strengths."
4. On if they have what it takes to be more explosive in the passing game...
"Yeah, and I do think at times last year really, you know, we were explosive in the passing game. but that that goes hand -in -hand all 11 right that's not just the quarterback that's not just the receivers that's the line the tight ends and protection and the running backs as well so yeah we got to be more explosive do we have the pieces yes I believe we have the pieces but that's not just the pieces on the perimeter that's pieces up front and then also in the backfield in a tight end so to be able to make it all go we need all 11."
5. On what he is wanting to see from the two freshmen quarterbacks...
"I think the biggest thing is it's great they got here in January right and you're seeing that across college football and now really at every position but it started with quarterbacks with the kids enrolling early so they could learn the offense and compete for the job. The best thing for those two kids and their future is, is they don't have to play right now. So we can bring them along slowly, continue to develop them, get them as many reps as we can get them. And I think that gets lost a lot of times in college football. The older you get, the better you are. And those kids don't have to play right now and we're excited they're here. We look forward to seeing, forward to you know, developing them and it's good that they are here because these are going to be 15 practices that you normally wouldn't have if you aren't here till the summer and then obviously all summer they'll be here and have a chance to compete and they both got bright futures and we're excited they're here."
6. On if there have been any significant position changes...
No, nothing significant um I think it's just more of finding different roles for different guys to get them on the field more, right? You know, I do think that we are very, very deep in the receiver room. And, you know, so you got to find ways to get multiple guys on the field at the same time. And we know we're experimenting with some of those things right now."
7. On the receivers that were injured last season (Leo Blackburn, Chase Lane, and James Blackstrain)...
" Yeah, no, absolutely. All right, we'll start with Chase. You know, Chase was off to, I think he was a leading receiver at the time when he went down. last year. Came back, game eight or game nine, but he was never 100%. Just whenever that injury happens, it takes longer than you'd think. But he was able to get a bunch of reps in the bowl practice and get back. He looks great. He's had an unbelievable offseason. Probably looks faster and more explosive than he did a year ago, so we're excited he's back. Get him back in the mix. You know, and then obviously Leo. I think four practices maybe three practices last year and you saw flashes of a guy that could be really really good you know one thing he brings is you know some size in that room I mean getting any room he's gonna bring a lot of size but we're excited we're gonna bring him back slowly right be smart with him it's still a year out you know we want his confidence that we want the confidence to get really high and we're gonna be smart with the way we wrap him and do do those things and target him. But I expect him to have a really, really good season.
8. On any examples of Haynes King's leadership growing...
"I think the biggest thing is he'll get in front of the team now, and it's easy for him to rally a group and then go throw. you know, one thing about Haynes is he understands what comes with the position, right? And all the things that entail the way you act off the field, the way you carry yourself. He speaks to everybody in the building. You know, he's awesome. We're glad he's here. And like I said, his leadership is getting better and better every day."
9. On true freshman wide receiver Isiah Canion...
"So Isiah tore his labrum late in his senior season, so he had surgery and he won't practice with us other than a few things, routes on air, or different things. like that, no non -contact stuff. But he looks very explosive and he can catch the ball. Obviously you can watch his high school film and see what he was able to do. But again, he's another guy to throw in the fold. Like I said, I think we've got a really deep room. We've got obviously a new coach in Coach McKnight, who's had a history of not only developing receivers, but building great relationship with those guys. and he's also got a great track record of you know evaluating and recruiting the state of Georgia so big hire for us we're excited we got him to work with those guys and you know he's obviously a guy that's called plays as well so you know he sees it in several different ways so glad he's here and I think the receivers have done a great job of taking to him and I look forward to big things out of that room."
