Everything From Geoff Collins Press Conference Before Matchup With Clemson

What did Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins have to say before the Clemson game?

Jackson Caudell | Sep 1, 2022

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It is officially game week for Georgia Tech, as they play in a nationally televised game on Labor Day night against Clemson.

Head coach Geoff Collins took to the podium on Tuesday for his weekly press conference with the media.

Here is everything that he had to say.

Opening Statement:

"I see you guys saw the ATL depth chart, it must be hot off the presses. The biggest point with the team is, obviously we don't talk about injuries or anything like that, but the key term I used with the whole team, because we are a developmental program, is the word yet. Getting playing time, earning playing, whether that be offense or defense or special teams and this is just a starting point for the season, by no means is it an ending point for anybody."

"Everybody on this roster has unbelievable value, helps this organization in huge ways, so all the love and respect that we have for everyone and their development is applied every single day and this is just a starting point and we've got a lot of work to do before we get to Monday Night in Mercedes Benz."

1. On if he used a different criteria for the ATL...

"That is a great question. The ones that have made it on there for right now, now obviously there are ebbs and flows as we go throughout the game plan and the practice, but it is a starting point and we have told them all along, a lot of competition at every single position. There is competition for reps, competition for playing time, competition for contributions that are going to be made and that is a work in progress every single day and our guys understand that and the way that we will play, the roster will be finalized on Sunday of this week when we have our big players meeting with all the coaches and we go into detail about how we are going to play the game at their position and every position is going to be different relative to the competition to those spots."

2. On the team being healthy heading into the season...

"The partnership that we have with our strength and conditioning, the training room, the nutrition, all of the support that we have been given to invest in certain technologies, all of that plays a part. I am sure luck plays a part in it as well, but the biggest piece is trying to prepare our athletes and our players at the highest level, hopefully, injury free, and to be a very well-conditioned and very competitive group and as healthy as we can possibly be into each game."

3. On what prompted him to want to play the starters on defense more and the backups less...

"The biggest piece is as we have continued to build and grow the program, certain positions there is maybe a bit of a gap and then as long as the guys can play and are competing and contributing at a high level, at some positions we are going to be able to roll with those guys staying on the field a longer period of time. It all depends on the way the game flows, a week of preparation, how ready some guys are to contribute at a high level, and the way those factors through the course of the game and throughout the course of the week as well."

4. On preparing for Clemson and the two new coordinators that were on the staff last year...

"I think one of the biggest things you look at is the amount of success that they have had on both sides of the ball. They have great players in the organization and at every position on their roster and the things that have been successful, we go through all of the spring game footage as well, just to see any nuances that might have been added or taken away. But the biggest piece is the players. When Coach (Dabo) Swinney makes the decision, obviously he respects and values those people that he has elevated and they know the system inside and out and their system has been very successful with very good players and obviously we have to be ready to adjust in-game to any new novelties that may arise that might be different from years past, but it starts with the players and they have really good players across the board."

5. On how this team is prepared compared to his previous years here...

"I think the biggest thing, and I have said it before, having an opponent like this to open up the season with and obviously it is well documented on how strong the schedule is as well, I think it just narrows your focus throughout the entire offseason, throughout summer, throughout preseason camp. I think this team has an edge, has a demeanor about themselves, has a focus about themselves, but that has to continue to build until we get to game time to make sure that we are playing at a high level and our guys are performing and competing at their highest and the whole goal is to make everybody that loves Georgia Tech Football very proud of the way that they play and they compete and the way they represent everyone that has played here before by the way they play and the way that they carry themselves."

6. On the atmosphere of opening up at Mercedes Benz Stadium...

"We were in there last year and obviously we have a run of these games for years to come. Tremendous atmosphere. We took the guys to an Atlanta United game because we have so many new guys on this roster, we did not want these guys first experience in the Benz to be a game that they are playing in and the guys have gone into it. It was a great environment last year, really thankful for the way that our fans supported our players and supported our team, they showed up in a big way and we understand it is going to be a great environment. We have been playing crowd noise in every single team period and doing it every single special teams period this week as well because we know the kind of environment that we are walking into and try to get the guys ready as much as we can for Monday night."

7. On Clemson running back Will Shipley...

"He is a really good player. As we introduced their offense to our defense, it is just the quality that they have at all the skill positions. The way the quarterback, the things that they are saying about how he has dropped weight and those kind of things. He is a dangerous runner, throws a nice deep ball, runs that offense well, they won six straight to end last season, so we have our hands full. They are a really good offense and have really good skill players and they have four returning starters up front that we have to compete against. The guys understand it and they are working every single day to be ready."

8. On if he has talked about last year's game against Clemson with the team...

"Obviously it shows up in the cut-ups, but the biggest thing is this is a whole new team that we have and the biggest thing is us getting ready to play together at a high level and I think the messaging, the way we have talked internally and the way our guys have talked, it is just understanding that nothing is easy. You have to fight through things, there are certain situations that arise, and how we handle the hard things will say a lot about us and how we can overcome that and we have been working towards those things, we have been having those conversations, that handling adversity and responding to things at a high level and then when you get in those kind of environments and that kind of stadium when it is the only show in town on Monday night. How can we handle adversity, respond, and how you handle when we have some success and making sure that we stay focused one play at a time and all those things but that has been the things that the guys have been talking about themselves and hopefully use that to our advantage."

9. On his expectations for the 2020 recruiting class, his first full class at Tech...

"I am really proud of the way the guys have come together and obviously there are a lot of newcomers that have been added throughout this offseason, there has been a lot of football that has been played by the Kyle Kennard's and the Jordan Williams', Jeff Sims, and on and on, I could keep going, but the big focus is just ourselves, getting ready to play a high-quality opponent in a big-time venue and those kind of conversations are for other people to have. I am just focused on this team and getting them ready to play at a high level."

10. On if this team can get to a bowl game...

"I appreciate the question and obviously we have high aspirations, high internal goals that we talk about a lot but it is every single day, how do we handle our business, how do we come into the building, how do we come out to practice, how we compete and work every single day and just continue to stack those days throughout the year and I don't want to be cliche at all but every single day matters, every single game matters and I think our guys have that mindset and that attitude and if we can continue that and work at it that way, then we will be able to accomplish the internal goals that we have for ourselves and that is what we are working towards every single day."

11. On linebacker Taylor McCawley...

"He is everything that is good and right about college football. He is just a selfless player, he is a really good player, he is basically our captain on special teams, he is a vital part of our linebacking corps and he adds a demeanor, a toughness, preparation, and selflessness, every single day. I don't know if there is a player on the team that doesn't just value and respect what Taylor McCawley does and all that he means to the organization and there is a lot of them that are in that same conversation."

I would add Daylon Gordon, he is a running back that is probably going to end up, I don't even know, I don't know if he is on the ATL depth chart or not, but he is going to contribute in a big way at some point this year on special teams and even at running back. Joe Fusile, he is on the ATL depth chart, he is a redshirt freshman offensive lineman that has just come in and worked really really hard to put himself in that position and another one is Jason Moore, is another walk-on defensive lineman that just every single day, his attitude, his demeanor, his work ethic, his selflessness, who he is as a teammate in the locker room. I think Jason Moore has 38 reps at 225 LBS on the bench press, it is him and Keion (White) right there and obviously, we all know what a special player Keion is."

"There is story after story of walk-ons that just contribute and do everything the right way, are highly valued, highly respected in this organization and there is obviously more that I am not even talking about, but there is just, they mean so much to me, they mean so much to everybody in this organization."

12. On how he is playing up the game on Monday night to his players...

"They know what a great opponent it is, they all know the stage they will be placed upon and just the biggest piece is just the daily focus on getting yourself ready to play on a high level and understanding the challenge you have ahead of you and I think that mindset permeates the whole organization. I don't think you have to make it bigger than it is because great players and great coaches and a great environment, the only show that is on TV, all of those things are in line, but the biggest piece is just preparing every single player at every level, preparing the organization to compete at a high level and that is what we are focused on doing until we get to eight o'clock next Monday night."

13. On which members of the defensive staff will be on the field and who will be in the box...

"Up in the box, offensively, running backs coach Mike Daniels and then Jason Semore will be up in the box on defense and all of the GA's will be up there as well but the rest of the full-time coaches will be down on the field"

14. On the matchup vs Clemson's defensive line...

"I think it is arguably the best front four in college football and I don't know how much of an argument it is. They are really good, really good players and they play really really hard as well. They've got a scheme suited for the defensive line to make an impact Obviously we know we have our work cut out for us and Coach (Brent) Key has worked really really hard developing and making sure the right matchups are the right way and the way we line up is complimentary and we can have some success. We know it is going to be a challenge, they are really really good players, they have depth as well across their front and it is a challenge and our guys know it is a challenge and they have to come out every single day and work to be ready to play at a high level."

15. On if the Clemson transfers on his team provide any help...

"Taisun Phommachanh played quarterback there, very fortunate that we have him in our organization. Not only is he a really good player, he has been a great member and addition to the organization and then Paul Tchio has come in and we are excited about his contributions as well across the offensive line but just the conversations out of respect, I don't want to put them in a compromising position but the biggest thing is we are just so glad they are a part of our team and apart of our family and we are just trying to get ready to work. I know they have close relationships on the other sideline as well so I just try to be respectful of that and just glad they are both here on our team working every single day at a high level.

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