Everything From Georgia Tech Defensive Line Coach Jess Simpson After Wednesday's Practice

Defensive Line Coach Jess Simpson spoke with the media after Georgia Tech's Latest 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

Fall Camp continued for Georgia Tech on Wednesday and afterward, the media got to hear from first year defensive line coach Jess Simpson after practice. Simpson is a very experienced coach who has spent time at Duke, Miami, and the Atlanta Falcons, not to mention his years as a high school football coach in the state of Georgia. He is hoping to turn around the Yellow Jackets defensive line this season.

Here is everything that he had to say after practice today.

1. On having more bodies at defensive tackle and the new players that were brought in...

"t's been great, honestly, you know, going from having a lean room in the spring to bring it in some really good pieces. I think the theme in our room easily is competition, like those guys know. And there's a lot of guys getting ready to play, and a lot of guys competing for snaps. And if you look around and you hesitate or you wait a second, somebody's going to pass you up. So, you know, I don't know. I think any coach in the country today today, if you have good competition in your room during summer camp. That's a great thing for your room and your defense."

2. On how much the relationships have been strengthened through the summer and into the fall...

"You know what? I've said this already a couple times. Like when I first got here, I asked these guys to take a leap of faith and trust us and they bought in. And, you know, we went through spring and guys see themselves improving. That always helps. They get to know you and they know you love them and you care about them and you get closer. Then you bring in guys in the room that the guys love, that fit. And that's what Georgia Tech is about. Find the right people in the right fit. And we, you know, we brought some guys in, some transfer guys that they just personalities, character, intangibles, work ethic, fit our style of play. So it's, the guys have gelled really, really well. And they're doing a good job."

3. On the new transfers...

"Thomas Gore from Miami. He's here, JJ Vandenberg, and then Jaymo, Jason Moore, who also used to be here. These guys are back, and all of them are in it. I mean, they are pouring it out for their brothers every day. They're working their tails off. They're good players. They're going to help this defense."

4. On if Thomas Gore and Makius Scott can play inside and outside...

"I think, you know, Thomas right now, probably going to stay inside. But certainly, Makius is a guy that has a real position flex playing our, you know, three technique, playing our base end. And we've worked him extensively at both. Like, he's gotten a lot of equal reps playing inside and outside. He's doing a really, right, he's doing a really nice job. He's in a really good place. Smart kid. He's learned what to do, and I think he'll play winning football in both positions for us."

5. On how deep he would like his position to be...

"Deep as I can be. You know, and it's funny, yesterday, I told him today, I said, guys, one of the beauties of ball is it takes all of us. And there's going to be times when somebody gets nicked and somebody gets injured. Somebody's over there cramping and it's been, you know, and it's going to take more than what they can even see right now. And, you know, I think they're getting a vision for that of what it could look like, how many guys we could play. You know, if I had six guys ready to play, five guys ready to play, that's a pretty deep D-Tackle room here in this league."

6. On Shymeik Jones...

"Funny you ask that, man. We've had some real hard to hearts. You know, Shymeik is, he's growing. Like today, we had a hard to heart, and, man, I challenged him, and, man, I thought he really answered the bell. And he's certainly a young player and learning what to do. But you see real potential there. And I was like today, you know, you take these things one day at a time, but, like, today I was really proud of how he responded to the challenge."

7. On Zeek Biggers and Horace Lockett...

"For sure, man. I mean, I'm looking for athletes at defensive tackle, you know, in this defense. I always tell them big guys who are down a dozen. I want big guys who can run. And particularly like Zeke, I think he has really, really worked hard and what folks probably underestimated, you know, about him is his ability to rush, his ability to move and stunt and his ability to run out of the stack and chase the ball. The kid can really, really cover ground. You know, Horace has made some real strides this summer. You know, he did a good job working. I think he is in a good place like learning how to work, how to train, keeping his body right, learning the defense. He's a lot of fun, man. He's the guy that lights up the room, but a really good kid."

8. On Zeek Biggers leadership...

"Yeah, he has to be. You know, there's no, there's no option and no choice for Zique in that way. Like, he has to be the bell cow for us. We need him to get up front of the lead."

9. On where his passion for coaching came from...

"I probably started like you know who I started coaching for you know whether it was watching you know Dexter high school or going and playing and then for a Coach Dye, you know, say it once, make them do it a thousand times, chase the players out of the stack. I know every moment in practice is a teachable moment to me. I play center in the walkthroughs because I want the backup D -Tackles standing next to me, the other two tackles stand in front of me, and every rep, we are literally taking mental reps and talking through, and I just don't want to waste a second. There's too much because we throw so much at this kid and once the mastery takes place, they play fast. When we're out there, you know, because we throw a lot of our kids. This is not a small playbook. And I always say, you know, when you think you stink, when you know you go, I want them to know, I want to take the hesitation out of their game and I want to play fast. And that comes from knowledge and it comes from them making a commitment to like playing that way because it's hard to play that way. But I see these kids really buy into that. It's been exciting."