Everything From Georgia Tech's Brent Key After Yellow Jackets 16-9 Loss to Georgia

For the third straight season, Georgia Tech has lost a game to their biggest rival by one score.

The Yellow Jackets had chances today against the No. 4 team in the country but they could not make enough plays to finally get over the hump and beat the Bulldogs.

After the game, head coach Brent Key spoke to the media and here is everything that he had to say.

Opening Statement

"I credit the other team for coming in with a good game plan, especially on their defensive side of football. Same story we've had as far as having field goals over touchdowns. We're going to move the football several times and weren't able to get in the end zone. You can't play good football teams than that happened. In our defense, defense responded, the way I thought they would, and did a good job of limiting their offense."

1. On the costly mistakes...

"They always do. They have the mistakes, you know, depending on the competition you're playing, you know, better competition, the bigger they become, right? You know, especially offensively, you know, prevent you from moving the ball or you move the ball and then it sets you back. Every yard matters."

2. On how Georgia slowed down Georgia Tech's offense...

"Well, the way, they were getting off blocks. They were able to rush the passer. There would be pressure with the quarterback and, you know, normal dialogue or you know play actions, you know, those things. But look, if you're playing teams and they were able to play tight man coverage. They were able to cover the guys and then Haynes needed some more time back there more combat there on some of them and, you know, a combination of all, but we weren't able to establish the run game like we want to. It was a compressed game with the way we were playing it, the way they were playing it. Unless we're new positions, we're going to be limited. We really had the game where we, you know, through the defensive side and from the management side we had what we wanted it. You know, we wanted going into the fourth quarter."

3. On the atmosphere and playing in a big game...

"Yeah, I mean, that's the thing I expect on our team, you know, regardless of what the score is. We want to play every play regardless of, you know, independent of the scoreboard, and independently of the football, they could play. And, you know, all the guys kept competing. We just weren't able to execute when it counted."

4. On freshman safety Fenix Felton stepping up when Clayton Powell-Lee went down...

"We've really been elevating him, you know, getting his reps really, for the last three weeks, three or four weeks, getting a lot of reps. He was ready to go play today regardless of the injury. I thought he went in there and did a really nice job. First time in a game, was not too big for him. He's going to be really, really good football player for us."

5. On how he can continue to elevate the program and what he told his senior class after this game...

"Yeah, well, I mean, those haven't changed. I mean, you play the game, you play college, football, coach college football to win football games, to win championships, playing big bowl games, go to playoffs. That's in all goal. I mean, we're all sitting here talking about setting a goal that's, you know, end of the day, loss is a loss. There's no justification in losing a football game.

Well, I said, we've got more football to play. And I'm proud of them, whether they've been here for six months or six years, seniors have done a hell of a job, really establishing a culture that we can continue to grow from. We've got to continue to grow from."

6. On the linebacker play...

"They were playing downhill They were playing downhill a lot a lot harder, they were filling their gaps faster And that's what we had to have, we had to be able to play at the line of scrimmage And then they got yardage still, but I thought then we settled in."

7. On the unsportsman like conduct penalty on Keylan Rutledge...

"I didn't and I looked up and tried to see it, but I didn't see what happened. I saw it live and I won't make the comments on any judgment things by the means."

8. On the play of the secondary...

" Yeah, I thought they played tight coverage. When they did go back to pass, I thought we were able to affect the quarterback numerous times, which is pleasing to see. It was pleasing to see the improvement It would have to be by four -man rush. And then, I thought, mixing in some of the drop -bait stuff on normal downs this week was a big benefit. It allowed us to be able to throw some zones off in the defense. So it was a good game plan. I thought the guys executed it well."

9. On the lack of a running game...

"I mean, like everything. You look at the tape and see exactly what's going on. Usually, the the game's not working. It's because we're not sustaining blocks. It's usually not a schematic and there's a man across from you. You've got to get your hands inside. You've got to play low, you've got to sustain, you've got to finish. When they come off the blocks, they usually make packages and we're not able to consistently run the football, which was a huge detriment to our success."

10. On getting over the hump and beating Georgia...

"Continue to recruit, continue to recruit continue to coach, continue to become better versions of everything we do."

11. On the defensive line...

"I thought we executed what we're supposed to execute on defense. If you think there's a defensive player in there that's happy right now, you're wrong, because this is a, we're a team, all three phases, all 100 plus guys on the team, we're one football team. So, one side of all, success or not, there's nothing pleasing in there. We executed the way we're supposed to execute."