Everything From Georgia Tech LB Melvin Jordan Ahead Of Matchup vs Virginia Tech

Georgia Tech LB Melvin Jordan talked to the media on Wednesday ahead of Saturday's game vs Virginia Tech. Here is everything he had to say.

On what it was like in offseason getting the guys on the same page with all the transfers…

“I feel like it was definitely a challenge. I feel like we took the challenge. We did pretty good. I feel like we put it all together. Offseason, just working out together, going through that pain together, I feel like it builds chemistry automatically for sure. I feel like we just put it all together. Everybody was accepting of our transfers when we came in. Yeah, it was just a loving culture. It was really good coming in. It's pretty easy to transfer in. Well, I wouldn't say the workouts was easy, but it was easy. The team welcoming me in was easy. Workouts definitely wasn't easy.”

On areas they can clean up on run defense…

“I think just being more disciplined in our run fits. When you're in your gap, not jumping out of your gap. We've been working on that. We're constantly working, so we'll definitely get it down pat. It's going to look how we want it to look when we put it all together and do what we're supposed to do. So just got to keep working at it. Nothing perfect. It's not a perfect game.”

On the rotation of the linebacker room and who he usually is out there with…

“That's what the offseason was kind of about. Just getting comfortable with everybody in the room, learning to play more than one position. My coach is pushing us to play more than one position, learning mike and will. So honestly, it doesn't really matter who I'm out there with because we built that chemistry. I feel like in the offseason, I feel like I could go out there with Kyle, I could go out there with Tah’j. I can go out there with EJ. It doesn't really matter. I feel like all of us, and vice versa, we all can flip around and do different things, especially Tah’j. Tah’j has been learning all three positions right now. So, you know, I definitely think it's not it's not that difficult. It's nothing confusing. It's just know, go out there, communicate with your brother, and execute.”

On the Virginia Tech offense…

“They got they got some good athletes. Virginia Tech a really good team. We can't come in and play around. They can come in and put up some points. They got a nice quarterback, some good running backs. So we just gotta do our job like we do every game, attack this week how we attack every week, and go out and play as hard as we can.”

On if he thought Georgia Tech would be in a good position when he chose them last year from the transfer portal…

“I definitely had a few different choices coming out of the portal, and I definitely chose G-Tech because I feel like we had the best team like all around. So with that comes competition and everything. So yeah, we definitely have a good team. We have a good two deep, I feel like, offense and defense. We've got guys that can go. Coming here was it wasn't a mistake. I knew it. We were gonna be able to do I knew how competitive the team was. I was just trusting Coach Key and what he was telling me when I was coming in. He kind of reminds me of my high school coach, Harvey, so it was very easy, you know, respect to him and trusting what he was saying.”

On his point of emphasis, personally and as team out of the bye week…

“Personally, just probably having more urgency to get out there and get in line, get set, and play. So once my eyes are in the right spot, I can just go, you know, because I feel like my eyes are really good as a player. So I feel like once my eyes are in the right spot, I can just go and play as fast as I can. Then, as a team, the goal was just to get better all around, you know, tackling, getting off blocks, just to get back to the basics and make sure we're hitting on the things that we messed up the first few games that teams might see on film. So just working at those things.”

On how the competition from the linebacker room has made him better…

“Yeah, I feel like it's definitely made me better. You can't just come out and play around. You can't come out and BS, you know. You gotta be on your stuff every day. Got guys like Kyle and EJ in the building, and guys that have been here, done it all right for a long time. Then you got young guys like Tah’j that's just a baller, he's learning every day, getting better every day. Then you got a dude like Cayman, he's just an athletic freak, so you just gotta come to work every day. You can't get comfortable, you gotta keep going. Eventually, you'll get better over time. You might not feel it in the time being, but over time you'll get better, you just keep working.”

On how important it is for the defense to slow Virginia Tech down….

“I think it's huge to come out and get the first few stops just to get the game, just to get comfortable in the game, slow the game down for yourself, get your offense going. I think it's even more important to maintain that throughout the game, not just start fast, but maintain it through the second, third, fourth quarter so you can put together four good quarters, a whole good game, not just the first.”

On being closer to home….

“I mean, it's great to be closer to home, closer to family. I feel like I'm a family guy. I like to call myself a family guy. So it feels good having my family come out to the games. It's not that far, just a six-hour drive from home. So it's definitely better being closer to home. I can go back sometimes. They come up here and visit. Yeah, it's definitely easier. I feel like going away earlier in my career helped me mature, helped me learn had to do things on my own and figure things out. I feel like that's what college is about, so that's what I did.”

On whether the Wake Forest game was a wake-up call…

“Yeah, for sure. I wouldn't say we took them lightly though, but yeah, I feel like it's a wake up call. Every team needs a wake-up call. You come out, but I feel like that's college football in general. You come out playing against any team; anybody can come and beat you. Everybody has athletes now; everybody is getting players transferred. So you come out any given Sunday, you can lose. So I feel like that's something I definitely learned playing college football for a while.”

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