Everything From Georgia Tech Head Coach Brent Key After the Yellow Jackets' 2nd Spring Scrimmage

Georgia Tech completed their second spring scrimmage today and the Yellow Jackets now have just one more week until their annual White and Gold Game game. After the scrimmage today, Brent Key met with the media and here is everything that he had to say.

Opening Statement...

"Got through our second scrimmage today. No, I was hoping it was going to be, it was a little warmer, but breeze, you know, actually the wind was blowing out there. So I was hoping it would be a little hotter, a little warmer on them, but it looks like we'll probably, because I think next weekend's supposed to be a little bit cooler again. So I'll have to wait until really summer to get to some of the elements and the heat out out there but a little bit warmer so provided a little bit more to go against and hit really what we wanted to get with 156 plays, really 18 drives involved in it. We started on the minus 25 and working the field to then going a session of you know backed up on the minus three yard line and working the length of the field and we started putting the ball at 50 and we go 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, working down into the red area there. But I wanted to see the guys really play the game today, not as much situational scrimmage, not really any situational scrimmage. We wanted to play them as they came up in the game, play the DNDs as they came up in the game. All four special teams were used today, utilized today. We're scrimmaging those and we weren't live or thud in the special teams part of it, but live, everything else.

And some of the things that stood out to me were we had no turnovers today. We had a few last week, we took care of the football. All three quarterbacks led touchdown drives out there today. Thought all three running backs ran well. We had four out there. Then it was Jamal, Trelain. Man, Trelain just continues to impress. Daylon continues, Daylon Gordon really earned himself a role in this football team. More than just special teams, I mean, he had a really, really good camp. Just shows it and it's a credit to guys that stay in the program and stick around and former walk -on that's earned a scholarship last year. And speaking of that, actually, another guy that has had a really, really impressive Yeah, it's Chris Elko, and I rewarded him on Friday with him on scholarship. That was one that, especially this time we're in right now where everybody's, these guys are worried about, they're gonna be walking home, they're not walking. I wanna reward these guys and guys go out and perform, performance is rewarded here. So with that, Zion Taylor had another good day today, Bailey Stockton. Last week, we struggled past pro, so we got a ways to go with it. We were much better today. I mean, it might have been one or two sacks that didn't blow as opposed to last weeks, I think there were, and when it's situational, it's a lot different too.

Guys showed up today, I thought, Peyton Joseph in the front, just as far as a guy that can get some movement at the point of you know, in some of the short yard situations, there's been a lot of time on short yardage and goal line, and you know, had a lot of those come up today, so we were able to execute those, but, and then defensively, just as a whole, the linebacker group, I thought he's grown each day to spring, you know, 0 -35, which I'll figure those numbers out. Melvin (Jordan) and Cayman (Spaulding), Tah'j (Butler), and Tah'j's really, I thought Tah'j showed up today doing a lot of really good things. We've got a really solid, deep core there that any of those guys can start on any given day. I mean, we're really, really happy with that group. And you see that group really, you know, Darius (Eubanks) got here what a week before practice started. And I think you really start to see the impact he's had on those guys as a whole. And the coaching and the teaching and the drill work they've been doing when they go out and play.

On the back end, I was very impressed with Ahmari today. Ahmari was battling through some things. He went out there and played every snap, showed the toughness that he normally does, and his cover skills, his tackling ability. The whole back end as a whole, we tackled much better today than we did last week. We worked to get off well, it's ebbs and flows right you got to sustain them now on the other side of the ball so but I thought they were striking using their hands and that really started on Tuesday. You can tell the coaches really took the message that we had and delivered it to the players and the players Accepted the message and and worked on it all week You know CP and Omar (Daniels) I think continue to show up very positively, you see two older guys back there They play a lot of football, that they've seen a lot of things on the other side, and they're in the right places. And I think Clayton's picking a lot of pride and improvement, tackling. He's done a much better job of that. So I've been pleased with those guys back there. Elgin Sessions is another one that continues to impress and show up.

So that being said, we made strides from last week to this week. The things I was looking for, I wanted to see consistent energy from the team. Not fake energy, out bull crap, but guys on both sides of the field into it. And supporting their teammates, and I saw that today. I was very encouraged by that. Didn't see the individual part. I mean, there was a group going down, and they were with each other and stayed into it good and bad. The ball security was a big one. We challenged the back end, like we said, with the tackling and getting off blocks that improved. So we got to be very critical of it again this week and take that with the last week of spring practice. A week from now we'll be wrapped up and getting ready for finals and May break and get ready back for summer. So we've got an important week coming up. We've got a lot of guys that continue to improve and mature and grow and learn. And then be able to go execute it next Saturday. So special teams, like I said, we've got all of them in.

Man, We got something with the punter now. He is-- I'm not going to put a number on it. It was long, a lot of them. And then he's got touch. He can put it down inside the five. So that is a huge, huge addition for us. And he was a good football player last year. He was able to come back home this year for his final year. Been really happy. Aidan (Birr) had a really good day with a really good kick from the 32 yard line on the right hash so that was a little of a crux force last year and he's worked hard and you're seeing the impact of the revamping of the special teams out there in all phases and really pleased with the progression we made we've got a lot of guys now that can play special teams so really moving forward after spring ball we'll start pairing those down who the two people will be on those spots but anytime you Increase your ability, increase your depth at linebacker and safety. And there's corners and backs and tight end. I mean, that's your core special teams guys. I mean, we've definitely done that. So we're by no means ready to play a game. Not saying we wouldn't go play one if we gave the opportunity. We could play this afternoon if we could, but we've got a ways to go. But I don't think there's a team in the country right now that doesn't say they're a good team. I mean, they're looking at it different if they are. But I think we got a chance as we go through these next several weeks. And everything kind of lands out and we got a chance to have a good core football team. And I saw the offense come together, I saw the defense come together.

So now next steps, everyone coming together. And I saw that this week, that It was a big part of the thing I wanted to see this week. I thought I started to see that. So all in all, though, we had a clean scrimmage, made improvements. We have to understand that we have to be critical on this thing, and continue to make improvements, so."

1. On the defensive line...

"I actually got Brayden Manley's name written down here. Brayden and, and you know, (Ronald) Triplette, I had a really good camp. Tell him I started seeing Amontrae (Bradford) show up the other day, which was good. He's, I just told him he's got to stop over thinking things, just go play. And he's long, he looks apart, he can run, so he's starting to show up. That's been very encouraging, very encouraging to see. Christian, talk about an athletic big man now. I mean, he can move, he can bend, he can do those things. He's also got that, you know, he was out with the shoulder surgery previously. So he's getting back to the, you know, the strength levels and whatnot, you have to play it. Then inside on the D -Line, I think we all know who 99, I think everybody knows who 99 is. JJ's a good football player now. He's disruptive. And he's the heart and soul of this team, and I believe all great teams are bred through the lines of scrimmage. And the way him and Keylan Rutledge go about their business every day, and compete, work against each other, motivate by any means necessary others, man, after my own heart. And they are, those two right there, that's the poster child of what I want this program to be defined as. Physical toughness and Matt Alexander's been a really good addition for us. And the young guys are growing up, they're coming along. We had some offsides today, with a lot of those young guys, Landen's another one that's really come on. So I've been pleased with the development.

Look, I don't say it lightly when I talk about Jess Simpson either now. Jess Simpson and Kyle Pope, I mean those two guys, and they're as good as there is anywhere. And you see guys that, being able to come into this program, whether they came from you see guys that, being able to come into this program, whether they came from somewhere else, or they came from high school, and how quickly they're able to develop, when you look at the progression last year of JJ, from where he came from, and what he was able to do last year. And look, in the day that's coaching. That is coaching, it's one two in his part, but that's coaching to. And we have a great group of men over there that work to develop these guys and do it in a short amount of time and make impact on guys very quickly."

2. On the development of the young defensive coaches...

"Blake is fire now like you talk about you know somebody that gets them playing hard and you want your side of the ball or your team or your position to be a reflection of you and I'm seeing that now in some of the tweaks we've made defensively and some of the things we're doing defensively are to be able to get guys, you know, rallying the ball, game tackling, turnovers, interceptions, hands -on ball. You know, at several times we got hands on the ball today. You know, and we've made a ton of improvement. I mean, Kobie, to walk into that age and be able to coach a room that is, oh, that's not an an easy room to coach. You have to have presence about yourself. They have to believe you and trust you, but you also have some presence and no one to get on when they love them up and he's done a really good job. I mean look, Ahmari Harvey just went through a whole scrimmage today and he probably could have not done it, right? Last year I don't know, but I look at his coaching. I look at that as the people that are around him every day, the people that are talking to him and motivating him, and telling him what it is about. And that's coaching. I mentioned CP and Omar. And I said last week what I think is about Corey. I've been very pleased with the coaching staff and their relationships with the players, how they work with the players. And if you're going to coach a guy hard, you have to have a relationship with them.

But if you're going to play the game of football, you have to be coached hard. It's not an easy sport. It's not an easy game. And these guys have to do things that most normal people don't want to With the era that we're in, the landscape, we're in spring ball now, almost like a mini camp, like a trial, to sit down with some of these guys and say, this might not work out. Or vice versa, some other guys maybe earn more of a spot than he thought. They make the transfer portal for and to give guys an opportunity might not have it somewhere. And you see that all the time. You know, there's good reason. I'm not gonna get on my soapbox right now. I'm not, right? Because every second I sit here and talk about something that I don't feel is the right thing to do, I'm losing time. I could be thinking about how to do it the right way and how to impact here at Georgia Tech. That's what we do. That's what I've done. That's what I spent the last week on. That's what I spent a lot of time every day on is how to make it work right for here, right? The most important portal is out there on that football field right now. That's the most important portal that's there. But the guys on our football team, I want everybody to understand that.

The current Georgia Tech football team are the most important, right? Now there's some people that feel like they might not have the opportunity to play here as quickly or maybe it's a senior and they won't. Look, I understand that, That's why they created it and I'm more than willing to help those guys and talk through that you have to you have to be open and honest about it now we all know there's, there's cuts have to be made All right, but just as there's cuts have to be made there's Chris Elko's of the world that you put on scholarship, too Now, right, so I don't I don't, I don't necessarily go the, the status quo whatever else is saying on that, right? I learned pretty quickly, you can't control other people's thoughts and feelings and what they want to do. You can't. If you try to think you can, if you think you can, you've got something going on. You need to bottle it and sell it now because you can't do that. But you have to provide everything around these guys. I have the relationships with them that they know they're going to be. If you guys remember I said this last year that there's really three things. There's that the guys look at in that in this landscape of college football we talk about. Can they be developed? All right be developed to play the game as long as they want to play. I have an opportunity to play at the next level. Win championships where they're at the place.

There's, the, the bonds, the relationships, the friendships that you have in that locker room. All right and then there's the monetary. There's the money bar. And there's and I can't decide for any one person how those three things rank. I know how they rank for myself, but that's it, right? I know how they rank for my family, right? But personally, I believe of those three things, there's not a better combination than here at Georgia Tech. There's not a better combination of those three things, right? But I can't make that decision for other people, right? So I've got to have a plan. I've got to show them how they can utilize those things here, how we can help them utilize those things here, right? And then have a plan when that's not the case."

3.On the spring transfer portal...

"No, and seriously, that's a very valid and good question because that's why it's created. All right, but also believe in building a football team. All right, so football teams are built 12 months a year. You can't just look out there and say, and I tell the coaches this, and we all have to remind ourselves of this. It's a developmental, It's a development game. You can't just look out there and say, hey man, that guy's not getting it done I want to bring somebody else in All right. Well, how about I said that about you?You're not getting it done. So how about we bring some outs in? What's the difference? So I said I want to get my soapbox, but we still have to develop guys, right? That's what it's about Right, then find the right mix and the pieces in and what's in the NFL teams that do it through the draft and supplement through free agency, right? There's a shared adversity that takes place at Georgia Tech and in the Georgia Tech locker room, right? And to bring somebody in who has not had that type of, you know, that day -to -day who's not gone through what some of these guys have gone through. And I don't mean like trials and tribulations, I just mean the day -to -day course of action.

They walk in for, you know, six months and they don't have any connection other than just on the field. It's hard to build real, real relationships and build a team that way. Not saying it can't be done. We've had some really good players. I mean, Thomas Gore actually was the one that got here. He's the heart and soul of what we did. He's a great kid. So, you gotta be very selective and very, it's not just about finding the best player. It's not just about finding the best, this person at this position. They still have to fit here at Georgia Tech in this locker room."

4. On Chris Elko's progression at WR...

" It's everything, you know what I mean? I'm not gonna put a guy on scholarship, all right, for a feel -good story. All right, feel -good stories come from when guys perform and earn those things, and that's what's occurred with him. I mean, he's a he's a viable target. I mean, look, you can't, you know, there's not gonna be the, the, when the numbers and things, you know, when they put the numbers to us and how many people are, you know, you can have when you're roster. I mean, you got to do some different things and think outside the box a little bit, but you got to, the guys been in the program for two years, okay? There's not one person on the good Lord's green earth that can say that person wherever is gonna come in and be better than that. I know that person. I know that non -commodity, right? I know how he goes about his business every day. I know how he practices. I know how he works. I know how he works on his craft. All right, his route running, his hands, he's a reliable target. All right, I can get open, I mean, you know, all four special teams. I don't know that about other people. We try to make our best judgment. All right, but when you got a guy that performs, he goes out and he executes and he makes plays. I'd be stupid to look past him. And he's not the only one. There's others that could be in that same situation, moving forward over the next, you know, whatever, six months, seven months, eight months. But, you know, I've been proud of those guys."

5. On freshman offensive lineman Peyton Joseph...

"Moving people, moving people, and stopping people. Third one you run behind them. You can get the first now. No greater feeling to move a man from point A to point B against his will. He's not ready to play a game now, but as he puts his hands on people and locks them down, they don't really go anywhere."

6. On if true freshman defensive end Andre Fuller is ready to play right away...

"I don't know. I do not know if they won't play as a freshman. Ask me in five months, like We had a long time before now and then there's a lot of guys that can play as freshman But it's hard to play as a freshman. It's hard to play as a true freshman be careful what you wish for a lot of the ones that do end up about halfway to that year. Oh, holy cow I mean, it's hard. It's hard. I talked about Andre earlier, I mean, he makes some plays out there today, but he's also I think he's got to continue to get better at... There's not one freshman out there that's ready to walk on a field and play a football game, all right, there's not one player on our team that's ready to do that, much less a freshman. So to be able to predict that with another four months of strength training and weight gains and you know, look, they'll go through this, they'll go through installation another three times, you know, in the summer, in the preseason camp. And I mean, next time they put pads on, they're gonna go out and be like, wow, man, this is so much easier than it was before. Things have slowed down. So, yeah, and he's one of them that has a chance, you know, because he's got some strength, Plays the game the right way, but time will tell if he is, but he's definitely in the mix to be one of those guys."

7. On the H-Backs/tight ends...

"You know, they're very versatile for us because they're matchup guys. We use them all over the field, but you know, it's like those guys are learning two and three positions now. They're learning, you know, the blocking schemes up front. They're learning the wide receiver things. They're learning what running backs do. They're learning a lot of stuff. I mean, it's like three -fold on them, what it is, other people, other positions. So we got a lot of bodies there. I'd like to see more consistency out of those guys Consistency in our alignments and getting aligned and being detailed in what we do. Again, there's a lot of youth there too. So that's the position, I think we'll just hear numbers. We'll settle out as time moves forward, but you know, J.T. Byrne, you know, he's not an H, he's a Y, but I mean, they're all used interchangeably in those things, and J.T.'s come in and done a really nice job for us, really nice job. He's a, he's got a lot to him, a lot of substance to him, really good player for this football team, person in that locker room too. Not sure you want to wrap us up? Yes So coach, you always give a shot opposite to your coaches about just developing and having coach of a certain position group. I do want to actually reflect this really as the weight and strengthening coaches. The impact they've had is freshman coming in, getting them ready. Not only freshman, but also your veteran players. Just talk about that. OK, so there's probably not a greater compliment to give the strength coaches than being healthy. We just finished our 11th day, just hamstring here and there, and ankle here and there, it caused a bit, we hadn't had it really. We had one injury, really, and it was a non -contact freak kind of thing early. One of the first or second day. So I'm gonna tell you, Troy Stevenson. Troy had a knee early in camp and non -contact. Other than that though we've been very healthy and a lot of that's the weight room. It takes, you know, you don't really see the full effects of a strength program until a couple years in and now a couple years in I think we're seeing that."

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