Everything From Georgia Tech Coach Ricky Brumfield After Monday's Practice

Brumfield spoke with the media after Monday's practice

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 continued with fall camp today and the Yellow Jackets now have under four weeks to get ready for their season opener against Florida State. After practice today, Georgia Tech associate head coach for special teams/cornerbacks coach Ricky Brumfield spoke with the media and here is everything that he had to say.

1. On if he has a good idea of who he wants to punt on special teams coverage by coaching cornerbacks...

"Yeah, it does. Being able to be in the room with them and kind of see what they can do personally on the field individually. Like, obviously, last year, I was able to kind of look over at everybody and still could do that this year as well, but just knowing their temperament, their mental, and what they do best at and putting them in the best position. So it does help out a little bit."

2. On the division of responsibility now that he is also coaching defense...

"Well, you know, I got a lot of good help. Coach Salem obviously helps with special teams, with the specialists and different things like that. And then I also have Coach Tanner Cotman, who does a really good job with the cornerbacks. He knows the defense. He was with Coach Santucci over at Duke. So him coming in was instrumental in helping me develop as well knowing the system. So he does a good job helping out with that. So what I can't do or what I don't have With the corner position, you know, he kind of takes over that and vice versa with Coach Taylor. So it's a good It's a good mix of those guys helping out and us putting it together."

3. On replacing Dominick Blaylock as the punt returner...

"Dom, I miss Dom and he was a you know, Steady Eddie kept calling every single return, and he was trustworthy back there. You know, he was pretty good in getting North and South, but right now we got Rodney Shelley back there returning punts, we got Malik. Shoot, we got Bailey Stockton back there returning punts as well. And, you know, a couple other guys, and those guys do a really good job. They are more electric, you know what I mean? Those guys are more, hey, watch out. They get the ball in the open space, watch out. And it's nothing against my man, but I think these guys are a little bit faster, a little more electric, and I think we're going to be pretty good in the part return game."

4. On figuring out who can help on special teams...

"Seeing them during just team, and seeing how they play in team. A lot of times in the drills, You see them do the drills, whatever drill it is, the cones and the cans and all of those things and tackling the donut, but when this team work, when this team run and you actually see somebody fitting up and setting the edge and you see somebody actually coming in and putting their face in there, making a tackle, you know, that sets them apart. And so somebody may look good running and doing the drills and you know, we call it underwear Olympics when they're out there working in the summer and all that other stuff like that. They look good doing that but we got to see what they're doing team and a lot of things right now in the beginning is it's a lot of drill work and so we do a lot of drill work and then once the live team things come in now I see okay he can tackle he can tackle in space he's more of a box tackler he can run and tackle he can do you know what I mean so then I start seeing who can do what once we do all of these team reps you know offense against defense."

5. On Haynes King and his leadership and how crucial that is...

"He's always telling the guys come on up. You know, I see him talking to the offense. You know, even though I'm on defense, you know, I see what he's doing over there. And I see him talking to the team and I see him getting those guys ready, I can hear him when I'm going by. So he has stepped up being a leader. You know, in my opinion, he's always was a leader. I think he's a little more vocal this year. And I think that's what he's doing now is being more vocal. So that's what I've seen on my end. You know, even when we're doing other things, special teams and stuff like that, I think he's being more vocal with the guys so that's what I've seen on my end. You know, even when we're doing other things, special teams and stuff like that, I think he's being more vocal with the guys. It's crucial because, you know, being a quarterback, everybody looks for that guy to leave it's kind of like the stereotypical leader of the team but not all of them are leading on and off the field and so a lot of problems come when they leave and they talk on the field and it's you know try to gather everybody up in the team setting but when they go in the locker room they're a whole different person and he's not that person you know what I mean he's he's a leader on and off the field and I think once you do that the players around you really truly buy it And that's what I've seen from him, you know, not just on the field, but in the locker room and walking by in the meeting rooms and different things like that. You know, I've seen him be even more vocal of a leader."

6. On the coaching staff confidence in Aidan Birr...

"Yes, yes, he has a strong leg. You know, obviously when he came in, had the injury that one year he had to rest and get healthy and last year he stepped in and took over. And I personally believe a lot of kicking, in a way, is probably about 90 % mental. Maybe even more than that. There's a lot of kickers that can make 50 yard field goals, can make whatever field goal it is. There's not a lot that can do it in crucial situations. There's not a lot that can do it in situations where we need them to, you know what I mean? And there's not a lot that have that psyche to be able to go in and do it. And we have nothing but confidence in him going out and making a kick, you know what I mean? Like it's just, I honestly, as a special teams coach, I worry about just making sure we protect, you know what I mean? I think that kick is going in every single time. - He has a body language. - I just want him on. He has the body language, he has the mindset, he has the swag, he has the tattoo on his legs, you know what I mean?"

7. On the cornerback position...

"Yeah, I think, you know, Warren (Burrell) coming in, you know, him being in the spring to be able to be implemented in the defense and know what we're doing has been instrumental to his success so far during camp. He's a leader. He's a vocal leader. He loves to get on the young guys as far as getting them right and coaching them up, you know, trying to take shade under his wing a little bit. Ahmari (Harvey) is a player that he has more confidence than anybody you've ever met in your life. You know what I mean? But as a corner, you gotta have that confidence. And I want that confidence. I want that confidence. I want that swag. I want you to think that there's not one person in the world that can beat you on the route. And if they ever beat you, what I did wrong, all right, I gotta get it fixed. But, you know, Warren has that confidence in him. Ahmari has that confidence in him. Big play -making ability. Rodney is electric at what he's doing. You know, Rodney could play at a lot of different positions. And obviously as a punt returner. So he's gonna be beneficial to our success. And then Zach (Tobe) coming in from Illinois is been a pleasure, you know what I mean? Like he's long, he's big, he's strong. He understands defense, he understands our defense. And he's gonna be a force to be reckoned with. So I believe we have four corners that can play all the way across the field. And I think all four of them are gonna play. You know, and then the young Young guys like Nehemiah, you know, was doing a good job. Troy Stevenson doing a really good job. Nico was here last year, he's doing a good job. And, you know. Those guys just have to kind of get more consistent with their technique. And I think once they get that, then they'll be pretty good for us."

8. On David Shanahan and his consistency...

"More consistency. If you kind of go back and look, he had some punch that was kind of short in the middle. He's got to hit that target spot just a little bit more, whether it's the numbers or whether it's the hash or whatever it is. He's just got to work on hitting that target spot a little more consistent. But he did a really good job getting rid of the ball, not holding it, not having a long get off time. But just yesterday, or I don't even know what day of the week it is, whenever we practice last Saturday, I mean, he was booming. It was 50 plus yard punts and he was out there to the numbers, giving us time to get down there and cover, and having great height and distance and placement on the punt. So what I'm looking for is just being more consistent with his placements. His distance is pretty good. He's just got to be a little more consistent with the placement."

9. On replacing Gavin Stewart on kickoffs and the kick returners...

"Yeah, I think in kickoff return, I thought we did pretty good in kick return. You go back and look at numbers, I thought we did pretty good, you know what I mean? I think we put our offense in great field position, which is our number one goal. So for a kickoff return perspective, I felt like we did have some good decisions and we were in good placement in giving the offense. Kickoff, obviously we got to get fixed and we had You know, skiing, we had issues with personnel, we had issues with just kicking the ball. And so it's my job to make sure we get it fixed. And so it's on me. It's not, you know, it never was one person or whatever, but it's obviously our job to get it fixed and put better players or people in better position to make plays. You know what I mean? And if I could do that, then I think we're gonna be pretty good overall on special teams. We have the depth. We got a lot of good players. We've got a lot of young players that can make plays, which will help out our kickoff team and help with the success of it.