Everything From Georgia Tech Offensive Line Coach Geep Wade After Wednesday's Practice

Fall Camp continued at Georgia Tech today and after practice, offensive line coach Geep Wade, OT Jordan Williams, RG Keylan Rutledge, and LG Joe Fusile spoke with the media. The Yellow Jackets' offensive line was not only one of the most improved in the country, but one of the best in the ACC, helping Georgia Tech to lead the ACC in rushing yards per game. Wade proved to be one of the best hires of the offseason and is looking for more success in year two. Here is everything that he had to say after practice.

1. On Jordan Brown...

"Just very consistent. You know, he got hurt a year ago and we got out of year. And he's worked his way back. He's a warrior every day. You know, he's one of those guys I was telling Coach Faulkner that you, you know, you just trust him to do it right out there. Like if he gets beat, he just got beat. But he's just very consistent. He's earned himself, you know, where he's at right now."

2. On having analysts help with coaching...

"I think it's huge. Mo's been a good friend of mine, Coach Mo, you know, Alan, and, you know, we have a great rapport with each other, and, you know, it's huge. You know, in this thing, you know, you just, and Mo's been great, you know, what's our language? I want to be on the same page with you, you know, because one thing I don't want is I don't want our guys thinking, you know, and I don't want too many calls or, or I don't want them thinking at the, you know, you know, in the moment of a game. So I think it's really even got simpler for our guys. They got more reps early on. You can get too many reps sometimes. You have to back off, but it's been really, really, really good. I was telling Coach, I don't know if I can go back to not have any help like this, you know."

3. On how Keylan Rutledge is coming along...

"Well, yeah. I know he was banged up, but I've kind of, you know, like he fits in with our guys. So like, you know, yeah, I trust Joe. I trust Keylan. So I knew he'd be back. Let's just leave it like that."

4. On Harrison Moore...

"Yeah, it's, you know, he's played multiple positions inside for us. He was at center and then now he's playing guard too and center. So, you know, the one thing about Harrison, he's got a mentality, that's what we want here. So he's ready for the challenge. He doesn't back down for anything. And that's what kind of makes me happy about Harrison is, you And his, you know, he's, his weights up. He's done everything we've asked. He's a tough -minded kid. Every rep out there matters to him. So that's why he's becoming a better, better player every practice."

5. On battling complacency with this group...

"Well, you know, good last year at times. You know, we're watching our cut -ups, you know, and, you know, in coaches, we're like players. We want to become better, you know, with the way all this recruiting is every day, it's hard to professional develop now as a coach, you know, and that's one thing that I don't want to do is ever take a step back from being a coach. So, you know, this summer when we were on vacation, I was calling coaches, zooming some coaches and becoming better because there's things on our zones. we've got to get thicker on, or, you know, so there's a lot of things that we got to get better on. The one thing that I preach these guys, and I truly believe this, and is this, if you have a mentality, you'll be a winner. You might not win every rep, but if you have a mentality, you're going to be a winner in the long run, and that's what I want with these guys. And, you know, I think we'll have 10 guys with mentality here in a couple weeks, And that's, we don't know them yet, but that's what I'm excited about. And, you know, that's all we preach is the mentality, and that's about it."

6. On freshman Kai Greer...

"It's hard to catch up, you know, because the, you know, in camp, I tell our kids every day, the opportunity window closes pretty fast. And, you know, if you don't come in early now with the portals and everything, it's very, very hard. And, you know, the fortunate thing for us is we don't need Kai at this moment. But Kai's a, Joe tell you, he's laughing right now. Kai's, I sleep here some nights, okay? And he woke me up the morning I was like, dude, sleep in, man, you know? So eager, which I like that about it."

7. On how chemistry is building with the young guys...

"It's been great. The competition's been great, both sides of the ball. You know, the defense gets after us, and then we try to get after them. That's what's made us a better team, and that's why these freshman that's why you have to put the foot on the pedal because they can't back off you know you know we some of those are running with the twos and that's what it is right now and I don't look at them as twos you know we do two -minute and there's a bunch of new guys out there I'm like this a couple freshmen out there you know but I like that you know that's a challenge for me as a coach and us as an offense to play with guys like that and you know that's our job as a coach is somebody goes down goes down, we got to have somebody in there. So I think we've got more depth. We just got to hone in on the depth, you know, at the end of this week, and we'll meet with Coach Key and Coach Faulkner and get it honed in to get, you know, you know, our two deep to move forward to game prep."

8. On what they can improve on...

"Well, a lot of areas. You know, I think one thing we can do is we can improve because our kids are in year two. Truly, I'm just going to be honest, you guys. I think we kind of found out who we were, you know, as a group kind of toward the back half the year. And I And that's what we've kind of taken on from there. So our kids, we're putting them in better positions and making it simpler for them. And so I think that really our kids, you know, I just don't want them to have to think. And that's where I think we become good. So, you know, really is our job as coaches is to do the same thing over and over and over and over and over and then just put different, like, lipstick on You know, does that make sense?"

9. On the competition with the D-Line at practice...

"Oh, that's awesome. I've known Coach Simpson for 20 years. I've always loved them and respected the crap out of them. I used to recruit a school, so go hang out all day. I wouldn't get any work done the rest of the day because Such a great coach, great dude. So he's got those guys going, and it's just you've got to bring it every day. It's, you know, and then now in camp you get in situations and stuff, so it's you've got to learn this situation. So there's a lot of things that you don't get through out of game that I tell our kids that going against these guys will make you better and hopefully we'll make it slower once we go play a game."

10. On Ethan Mackenny...

"Ethan has put on the weight we've asked him to do because he came in here and had to kind of play. You know, Ethan, if you look back, he was not a mid -year a year ago. So he got here June 1st and got thrown in the wolves, and I don't think he could breathe until week nine. And So it's hard on those kids. And he's a type of kids, very conscientious. He's played a couple different positions for us, kind of our swing guy. You know, we've got to hone in and find him a spot. But he's doing well. He's a kid that's talented, talented, and we need him to play at a high level this year."