Everything From Brent Key Ahead of Georgia Tech's Matchup With Louisville

Key spoke with the media on Tuesday ahead of his team's game vs Louisville

Sep 14, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key on the sideline against the Virginia Military Institute Keydets in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

After defeating VMI on Saturday, Georgia Tech went back to work at practice today to get ready for No. 19 Louisville. After practice, Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key spoke with the media and here is everything that he had to say.

Opening Statement...

All right, we had a good game on Saturday. Spoke after the game already. So we're able to play a complete game with the ability to get people in the game. Play a bunch of young kids, bunch of guys that had earned that right through the week of practice, through the culmination of several weeks of practice. So it's good to give those guys that opportunity to get out there, to play, the opportunity to have success, and also opportunity to fail and be able to correct those mistakes. And that's the big thing you get is when you're on the field playing, it's different than practice. So it's a real game, there's people. And so it helps guys and you know continue to get more guys ready to play which we're going to need is the season continues to go but you know to play full 60 excuse me play full 60 minutes of all the very encouraging for the football team you can start to finish and that's what we asked them to do as we challenged them to do and now we're on a new week and in a new challenge and we'll challenge the team to be at their their best when Saturday comes. So, got a big challenge in front of us. Very good Louisville team. Coach Brohm, Jeff does a great job. Not just coaching and developing his team, but, you know, as a game manager as well. It's fun to be able to go against other coaches like that, that are good football coaches, good team day coaches. You know, the strategy and the, you of the gamesmanship within the game, that's a fun opportunity, a fun challenge for myself as well. So he's got a good football team, he's recruited well, doing a good job developing his team in the last really two years since he's been there. Another guy that's at his alma mater, so I know how much it means to him to make sure they have success and that every day is the best they can possibly be. So I'm looking forward to going up there and looking forward to a good football game."

1. On the health of the team after four games...

"Yeah, I feel very comfortable. I think we've been banged up. It's probably about as full a go as we've been in the last three weeks, three and a half weeks. So we still got nicks and bruises and bumps, but that's football, it's nature -based."

2. On how the SYracuse game helps them prepare for Louisville and the adjustments that have to be made...

"Yeah, I mean, totally different offense. But they're a very balanced attack, balanced in their run the ball and passing their fore -running backs that they feed in there to get the ball. And they're explosive players, they have explosive receivers on the outside. They have big physical offensive line and tight end group. It's the whole game and it's a pro style offense in a lot of ways. But it's also very adaptable to the college game and some of the spread elements and you know they can line up in two backs under center and you know run just as much as they do you know in the shotgun spread out empty sets so you know big challenge for us to be able to defend it play sideline sideline in mind in line and it's a big challenge for us as a defense as a whole to be able to get off blocks pursuit of the football affect the quarterback, and be able to contest his throws. When the ball's in the air, we have an opportunity to come down with it."

3. On how the program's identity has growns since the loss to Louisville...

"Yeah, I think everything, everything comes back to really talk about it for several weeks now about consistency and working to build consistency within the program. That was the epitome of non -consistent in the game last year, where I think it was 0 points in the first quarter, 28 in the next quarter, 7 in the fourth, none in the third, like a roller coaster. So that's what we're working towards. And a lot of that's the mindset of the team, staying in one place the whole time. I don't like saying never too high, never too low. Because in games, you want to be at a high level, but you just don't want to peek and then go back down those valleys. You've got to be able to stay. And I think we've done a better job of maintaining that. Regardless of opponent, to be able to sustain for 60 minutes, still sustain for 60 minutes. So we've made progress. We are still no where near where I think this football team has the ability to go though."

4. On the linebacker depth...

"Yeah, I mean, depth -wise, I mean, we're two deep. Like all the other ones, we've got some young guys, they're doing a good job on the scout field for us. So the depth is there, we've got the four guys that are really playing. And I think they played better when the other guys are in there playing with them. It's mentally, we don't have just a guy that's had four years of experience in there playing. Tren has been probably the best version of himself the last couple of weeks, which has been really, really good to see. He was player of the week last But I also think it's a big chunk of that is because Jackson has been able to come in and meaningful reps as well and play fast and you know the development of Tah'j. I think it's really exciting He's gonna be a really good linebacker for us. He's well on his way to being that I mean if you turn the game on and just watch him with 15 on defense in that second half You talk about a guy running on having fun and playing the game the way it's supposed to be I mean he did supposed to be. He was having a good time out there. That's fun to see. Kids have to see development. They have to see progress. They have to see themselves improving. I walk into a meeting every day and I don't see myself improved, especially with a young kid. You don't see improvement. Why do you want to go out the next day and continue to work? Now it's on them to improve, to a point where they can improve but you know you have to show it to them they have to feel it and all of a sudden you see those guys that are those young guys especially like Tah'j or Taye Seymore is another one that's a young guy that's really improving every week you see you see the smile on their face because now they truly do understand why it's a fun game to play because they see themselves improving so we have to continue to make sure when when guys do show progress that we're pointing out to them and showing them."

5. On if there is enough similiarity from last year's game to prepare for Louisville this season...

"Yeah, I mean, same coaches, but different players, different quarterback. So, you know, there's always similarities somewhat, but we put together different game plans each week for teams. You know, when you have 15 games prior, I mean, it's almost non -existent as far as what we look at."

6. On the Louisville defense...

"Well, we've got to be efficient. We've got to be able to be efficient around the football. We have to-- you know, I think we've done a good job in our efficiency throwing the football. We've got to protect it. Can't have turnovers. I mean, they have 19, you know, nine sacks, 19 TFLs, something, you know, in two games. I've got to hear somewhere. Yep, that was right. 19 TFLs, nine sacks in two games is pretty good. So we got to be able to protect the quarterback when we throw. Pick and choose when we have our explosives and we got to convert them. I mean, we got to-- this is championship week, right? Every game moving forward, we talk about having goals in front of you and not behind, and then that's where we're at. So we're not leaving anything at home, I'll tell you that."

7. On the emergence of Trelain Maddox and Chad Alexander and how that helps Jamal...

"Yeah, and I don't know if it's pressure. It's reps. It's reps. I mean, there's very, very few running backs that, you know, carry the ball 30 times a game. And there's one guy. Y 'all heard me say many a times that how at that position you need minimum three guys to be able to play in every game minimum. It's usually forward and in my world that I've been involved with for my entire career, you have to have five guys that are ready to play. I mean you talk about you know one ankle and then One helmet pops off and you third guys in already. So You know, it's a singular position They are doing something physical every play or strenuous running but they're getting they're getting tackled. I mean it's a collision sport and they're a collision position. So continue to have guys that can then step up and elevate themselves and be able to play complete games running back. Obviously number one is the ball security too is being able to protect and and three's been able to get the tough yards. So we'll continue to have those guys. And that's why we practice. And that's why we do a lot with developmental guys and practice those young guys. Practicing them Thursday mornings in pads before the older guys come out. It's for this reason, it's to be able to develop guys throughout the season. So when 30%, 50%, 75 % of the season gets here, We'll continue to have young guys who are able to play and help us win football games."

8. On the health status of LaMiles Brooks and Trey Cooley...

"Yeah, LaMiles is full go. He's full go. He's out running around today. Look good. Look really fresh. Trey is still the same. Status quo."