Everything From Buster Faulkner After Georgia Tech's Second Practice

Buster Faulkner Spoke With The Media After Georgia Tech's 2nd Practice on Thursday

Nov 21, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets helmet is seen on the sideline in the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech wrapped up its second practice of fall camp on Thursday and afterwards, offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner spoke with the media. Faulkner is coming into his second year with the Yellow Jackets and after helping guide Georgia Tech to massive improvement on that side of the ball, he is hoping for similar success in 2024.

Here is everything that Faulkner had to say after practice No. 2 for Georgia Tech.

1. On how install has been compared to at this time last year...

"Well we're light years ahead of where we were last year, you know obviously just from coming back and you know a lot of guys being back and you know we're a deeper football team you know from recruiting and added to our roster and you know we started the install process back in back in February when all the guys got here and they've been through it through spring and then they went through it through you know all summer long you know when we were able to be with them and then obviously you know when they were on their own so there's a lot of retention you know we've obviously got a great staff you know and now with the new rules it really helps out with some of these other guys that were quote -unquote analysts You know, they're able to coach and I've told everybody all the time, you know, Nathan Brock's been here for a long time and does a great job. And he's, you know, coaches our tight ends and that's what he's been doing. And, you know, now that he did it as a GA and now that it's legal, the guy has done a phenomenal job. Obviously he's done a great job recruiting. He's been here for a while and, you know, he's not the only one, but it's opened up a lot of other guys to be able to meet with guys, A .J. Erdely has been here for a while now, and Dylan Dockery and DeAndre Smelter, who played here. We were able to keep this offseason. And having all those guys back also helps with the install with the young guys, being able to bring them along. Now they're able to meet with them. Now they're able to instruct on the field. All those things really help. And I think it's a great rule that college football made you know, and it benefits the players."

2. On the running back room...

"First of all, Jamal can carry as much load as you'll let him. He's a guy that-- and I've said it many a times, I mean, the guy loves football. He's ate up with it. He's highly competitive. Really, he's a football junkie. So he can carry as much as will let him. You know, it's hard this day and age to be the sole back. So the rest of the room's coming along really good. Trey Cooley's had a great, great spring, a really, really good summer. He's gotten bigger. He's stronger, he's one of the fastest guys on the team. The bigger he's gotten, the faster he's gotten. And he played a lot of football for us and played a lot of football in his career. Got nothing but confidence in him to go out and play. Evan Dickens is a guy that you have no worries when he's in the game, he can do it all. He's getting better, obviously he's a year under his belt. And then you've got the freshman that we brought in and Chad Alexander's a guy that's competing right there. So we feel good about the room. Really, really tough kids, and they're all eager to learn. And we look forward to, you know, battling out over the next several weeks."

3. On the offensive line depth...

"Well, I feel great about our depth compared to where we were a year ago. Obviously, we obviously, we brought some guys in. Keylan Rutledge is a guy that we brought in that has played football to add some depth. We lost a right guard. Felt like it was a need for an older spot. He's been great all summer long. He wasn't able to go through spring because of an injury, but he's brought a lot of energy to that room, a lot of passion. Another guy that loves football, they've embraced him. Absolutely loved that room. Tough. They do everything we ask them to do, you know, and obviously Coach Wade, I've said it before, I think he's the best in the country. And he demands a lot out of those guys. He's recruited really, really well. Brought some depth in here and some talent, you know, some guys that can really move. Harrison Moore has been very impressive. So Jameson Riggs had a great summer, you know, he had to take a lot of reps in the spring because Corey Robinson was down and, You know got a chance to play we've shown we're not a you know afraid to play a freshman like we played Ethan last year So the best are gonna play. We've got a lot of depth and we've got a lot of competition going on."

4. On Haynes King being back...

"The positive is, I mean, number one The positive is, number one, in the case that we have right now, we've got a kid that's highly competitive, extremely tough. He does everything you want him to do. He's obviously one of the leaders of the football team. So that's where it starts. What it allows us to do is it allows us to continue to grow. We were able to really take a year and really find out what he can and can't do. And now it's our job to really hone in on all those strengths and do the things and get the people around him to give him a chance to continue to be successful and be better, right? And I think anytime you're coming back in those other guys' cases, they play 13 games. I mean, the kid played 13 games. He played some games before that. So we've got a lot of confidence in him and what he can do. And we just keep putting more and more on his plate. And like I said, he's got great players around him. And he understands that. And he knows he gets them the ball. It makes them look really good."

5. On the tight end room...

"Yeah, it was. Obviously, depleted through injury in spring, right? And then obviously, we lost two really, really good players. It played a lot of football last year. And like I said before, Nathan Brock's done an unbelievable job of recruiting and obviously coaching those guys and develop them, and that's where it all starts. Brett Seither didn't go through spring. He finished the season. I thought playing the best football of his career. He had back surgery, and he is full speed now. He's back. He was able to get back in June. We added Josh Beetham, a transfer from Michigan with some experience. Really, really excited about him. He's had a great summer, he's got a bright future here. He's got two years left, all right? Now, obviously, we added Jackson Hawes from Yale, who has come in and been nothing, but what we really thought he was gonna be. One of the strongest guys on the team, hardest workers, and that's what you look for in that room, you know? Tell everybody all the time, you got the quarterback who's got everything on him, the tight end's got a lot on him, and what we ask them to do offensively, right? They gotta be able to block, they gotta be able to catch, they gotta line up They got to do run blocking, they got to line up, do perimeter blocking, right? So they got to do everything, and we asked them to do that. We're excited about that room. I think it's really, really deep. We got two young guys that are developing, really excited about Luke Harpring and David Prince, so just bring those guys along, and we want to always keep a deep, tight end room."

6. On the freshman quarterbacks...

"Yeah. Well, obviously, you know, the good thing is we've got two guys that are back. All right, Haynes being the starter and then obviously Zach has got a ton of reps over since we've been we've been here, and truly, he's gotten just as many as Haynes has gotten in practice, probably right down to the exact rep. So last year, we had those two guys. And this year, you're bringing in two young guys, Aaron Philo, and Graham Knowles, and both of them. The best thing about them is they're really smart. They're really competitive. Everything that you want right there, they study the game. Got a great coach coaching them, which that helps out a lot the biggest thing for us is we've got to have somebody else ready to play right so those two guys are really battling for that third spot right and once one of those guys kind of shakes it out and they'll compete for you know to be the backup in the starter right just like we do at every other position but we have to have somebody prepared to play you know and that's what we're doing right now with those guys."

7. On Eric Singleton and what he has to do in his progression...

"Just finishing plays, right? And I think he'd tell you the same thing. He's conscientious about everything that we do. He's a guy that doesn't want to come off the field, right? And the biggest thing we have to do with him is crazy the sounds we got to slow him down sometimes right because he's full speed all the time and even in walkthroughs I mean the guys were like running faster than everybody else and we wish we want to slow him down but biggest thing is it's just like anything else it's continuing to detail the routes right and when he adds that part to his game he's going to be really tough to cover."

8. On building on what Haynes King does well...

"Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think that's a great question. We spend all spring, all summer long studying other really good offenses, other quarterbacks that I think that are similar to um, whether it's NFL or college, we did a lot of that, uh, several different teams that we studied and how they were able to utilize their quarterbacks or utilize that guy's skill set and, you know, cut out some things and maybe add some things right here. We did, did a lot of that, um, and you'll see what we do this fall with, with, with that. So, um, but we're excited about where we're at right now."

9. On the wide receivers...

"Yeah, absolutely. We have, obviously, Malik and Eric returning. They were lead receivers. And both had great camps, great summers. Chase Lane's a guy that, at the time when he got hurt, he was our leading receiver. It was only a game and a half. but he did have a bunch of catches and a bunch of production at the time. And he has had so far probably the best two days of anybody, which is exciting. Young guys, Bailey Stockton's a good kid that just shows up and makes plays, got great hands, really good route runner. We're excited to where he's at. Zion's got a great skill set, just continuing to learn the offense. Still haven't seen much yet of Isaiah Canion. He's a guy that we're excited about recruiting, he wasn't able to go through spring. So it was just his second day. Leo Blackburn has shown up the last couple of days, made a couple of flashes. And then Christian Leary is another guy that we're going to find ways to utilize his skill set. He played a lot of football for us. He can really run. And the best thing about him and what he's been able to do is he's really been able to bounce around and learn all the spots to add depth. And it's like I tell the guys all the time, just because you're an ex -receiver doesn't mean you're not competing with the back -up Z. All right, we're looking to get the best guys on the field that help this offense go. And I think they, you know, they realize that, and we, I really, really like that room. Abdul Janneh is another guy who put on about 10 pounds and looks faster than he was a year ago. And that's exciting. He's been our best blocker. And, you know, and then Avery Boyd, we've kind of bounced him and out of the receiver tight -end room as well, so we're excited about those guys."