Everything From Georgia Tech DL Tawfiq Thomas After Thursday's Practice

Georgia Tech acquired Tawfiq Thomas from the transfer portal from the Colorado Buffaloes. He talked to the media for the first time. Here is evrything he had to say.

On his journey to Georgia Tech…

“I thought I entered the transfer portal, and I set my visits up. I had a couple of people help me, but my first visit was to USF, and then I came to Georgia Tech. Then went to Nebraska in Auburn and then made my decision from there. I feel like Coach Simpson had the best game for me that fits me. feel like he kept it real up front. He told me what I was coming into. He said I'll be an older guy in the group, so I'll have to lead these guys. I have no problem doing that since I'm an older guy. It's my last year. He was just telling me, like, this is a big year for me. He knows I can have it, so he will help me have that big year. So I was all in for that.”

On whether he ever thought he would end up at Georgia Tech, and looking at the Colorado game Week 1 last season…

“At first, I didn't know Georgia Tech played Colorado in the first game. I have a lot of respect for Coach Pram and the staff over there. I have teammates over there that really close with, check in with. My guys had their pro day there. So I just checked in with them for their pro day. But this is gonna be an exciting game for sure. A lot of emotions, but I'm excited for it.”

On what he is working on to improve….

“The mentality of the group for our d-line is to be physical, violent and fast. I feel like spring ball, we've been doing that, but we just gotta be more consistent. I'll be having a splash plays. I just feel like I have to work on. When I came here, I was a big pass rusher. So here I'm working on my run game now, setting edges, getting up blocks, defeating blocks, and just helping the younger guys be able to recognize the blocks and be able to defeat the blocks as quick as I am.”

On encouraging Christian Speakman….

“I started at Louisville. So when I was there, I was a young guy that was big too, just like Speakman. So I came in at like 330, 350. So I was a bigger guy at Louisville, and I always got help by the older guys, and that helped me a lot. So when I see Speakman, he's very talented. He's an early enrolled freshman. So he's not going to be used to it. So I try to tell him, like, don't be, don't get too frustrated about it. You just got here like you're fine. Just keep on doing your thing, and just focus on the details, really. He plays fine when he does that.”

On the battles with the offensive line in practice….

“It’s making us better because it's big on big and physical on physical. So like I was in the Big 12. I first started in ACC and linemen are physical and athletic in ACC. So I feel like you have to be more quick and more, you gotta have more attention to your details. The moment you slip up, you won't have to strain just to recover, because these liners are athletic just like us. Going against the O-line up here is great because the double teams are great work. They're big guys, so we're fighting to stay in the gap, and we're both getting better every day.”

On his approach to his final season…

“I actually had a lot of injuries. So this year I'm trying to keep my body healthy and just stay prepared because I feel like I was prepared last year, but things came up, and I wasn't ready for them. I just want to be like my last year; I'm putting it all on the line now. I'm just trying to have my body prepared so I can play the whole season.”