Everything From Head Coach Brent Key After Georgia Tech's Final Fall Camp Scrimmage

Georgia Tech held another scrimmage today and Brent Key spoke with the media afterward

Nov 18, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key on the sideline against the Syracuse Orange in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Fall Camp is coming to a close for Georgia Tech and the Yellow Jackets are two weeks away from the season opener in Dublin, Ireland vs Florida State. Georgia Tech held another scrimmage today and afterward, head coach Brent Key spoke with the media and here is everything that he had to say.

Opening Statement

"Final big scrimmage of the preseason camp. So, you know, we had a lot of things we, a lot of things we had to correct from last week, you know, from the scrimmage. And I thought we approach those things during the week. We really honed in a lot of things we had to get done from a technique, fundamental discipline. You know, one of the biggest things today. We had 120 plays, which was right at where we wanted to get for the second scrimmage. And today's a day where it's really important to see who are the twos, who are the threes that are going to be able to get in there and help us play winning football. And that was a big part of the scrimmage today to be able to mix and match the two's, the ones, you know, the threes, the twos, get different guys in there playing next to different people to see who can, who's going to play winning football for us. And I thought we accomplished that today during the scrimmage. One of the biggest things was, you know, last week we had 16 penalties in the scrimmage. Today we had five. That was something we addressed really strongly during the week. Improved there. You know, We had 20 total drives out there. The first group had nine drives, second group had seven, and we had four with the third group. Like I said, there was a lot of mix and match. And after the first couple of drives, we're putting two and ones and seeing different combinations, different looks of people. Because then tomorrow we'll come in and we'll sit down and we'll have some real open conversations and set the depth charts from an offensive defense and special team standpoint. And it's a good thing to be able to have We've got what you'd imagine at this point in a tough camp.

You had bumps and bruises and sprains, things like that. The only one, the big one we've had, DJ Moore, only one to let you guys know that. DJ towards ACL last week. I believe it was last week. Got it confirmed last week. You know, really hated for DJ. Somebody's really worked hard from, you know, being a receiver, transitioning over the defensive side. It was really progressing, doing a good job on that side. He was a huge special team's contributor for us. But he's in the right frame of mind right now to work and get back and be ready to go. So, you know, that's the big one I'm going to let you guys know is he'll be out most likely for the season. So, you know, with that, as I said, we can prove them the penalties. I thought the defense came out. What I wrote down is not what I can say in here, but I thought the defense really came out and played with their hair on fire. It was very encouraging to see the, you know, the energy they played with, the physicality they played with, the ability to not just stop the run, but get after the quarterback and passing downs, you know, transition from, you know, a run stop mode on normal downs to pass rush and still been able to affect the quarterback. So really good to see the defense respond the way they have over the course of a week.

And, you know, a lot of it is some of this is to do a schematic things, but a lot of players. And they thought they did a good job. The offense did respond after the first few drives. They responded, and were able to put some balls in the end zone and connected some big plays. I thought at the running back position, number six, and number 27, you know, Anthony Carrie and Chad Alexander really showed up today. You know, Chad came in last year as a walk-on, first-year walk-on. He's a 10 -3 -400 guy, you know, got good speed, but was really, and in that being said, the defensive line. I mean, what the defense line was able to do, rolling guys in, being able to affect the quarterback, stop the run, you know, and I think the speed in the back end, I was really pleased to see, you know, to see the safeties being able to close, you know, close on the run, also play, you know, tight coverage. So all in all, pleased with the improvement they made on the defensive side of the football this week, pleased with the improvement we've made as an entire team. So, you know, but we still have a long ways to go, and that's why I told the team we're done. We have two weeks from now and we'll be in the middle of the fourth quarter. And so we've got to really focus in and to, you know, there's only one thing, and that's to be consistent. And that's what we've talked about a lot. We're working on to be a consistent football team. And you have to be consistent in your daily habits. You have to be consistent in what you do on a day -to -day It's just day in, day out, before you ever think you can be consistent as a team weekend and week out. So, you know, there's a big difference in guys that go out there and they want to try to be great and try to, you know, go out and be a great player, you know, a great unit, great football team and guys that are really committed to doing that. And you talk about the discipline, the toughness and those things. And, you know, the commitment is one of the four pillars we talk about all the time and have these guys understand what it really means to be committed to being great.

You know, it's a big difference and go out and trying and actually being committed to doing it, you know, day in and day out. So, you know, along the same lines with the defense. We had 11 TFL, six sacks. I thought the defensive end spot really showed up today. Sylvain, some of the young guys, I mean, Amontrae Bradford, Jordan Boyd, Romello Height, and then I think Kevin Harris played as good football he's ever played in his career. I mean, I'm really proud of that kid. And it's just a continuation of the progress he made coming out of spring and into now. So all in all coming out pleased with the scrimmage, pleased with the effort, pleased with the attitude, but we still have a lot of improvements we have to make to replay in two weeks."

1. On how D.J.'s injury highlights them being smart with the portal in the spring...

"Oh, no question. You know, I look at it no different really than the NFL. There's two philosophies. You build your team in the national football league. You build it through the draft and supplement through free agency, or you lean a little heavier towards the free agency part of it. It's really no different in college now. You have the high school recruiting part of it, and then you have the acquisition through transfers, which is really collegiate, free agency, for lack of a better word, but the way they can move. And, you know, I think when you look at the teams in the NFL that, you know, we really study and that I've studied a lot over the last couple of years, the guys have done a really good job in the draft. You know, I think one that comes to mind right now over the course of the last, and you've seen it over the last three or four years, really the Detroit Lions. They've done a great job in the draft, you know, drafting guys. A lot more depth on the football team because of it."

2. On the progress of the defensive line...

"Well, I mean, it's kind of like the last question about the portal. I mean, you're addressing needs you have in the portal. You're addressing those needs to come in and be immediate factors for you. And it might not be the first play of the game starter, but they're guys that can come in and be factors for us to be able to roll guys in on the defensive line. We have guys fresh. You know, a lot of the impact on that side of the ball are guys that have transferred in. But it's also, we have guys, they're a true freshman out there. So hand in hand, I mean, you can't point it to one over the other as far as a fourth or fifth year guy. You know, yeah, you want a guy that's been a all those things. So my expectation is that everyone comes out there and really feeds off each other and it's been a good combination to this point of that."

3. On the depth of the running back position and how they might manage Jamal's workload...

"I mean, he's a fire plug. I mean, he's like to energizer bunny. He can go all day. I mean, I've told you guys before. You'd be on the sideline last year, and, you know, he'd jump in and tell whoever's on kickoff, you know, right before we were not on the field. Get out because he wanted to go. You know, so you have to watch him real close to make sure he's not trying to jump in to get more plays. But today was the day to see who was going to be there with him, right? And that's why, you know, we had a few guys that we were able to, you know, really sit out today to see the other guys. And it's not, look, Jamal is a really good football player. But we also know running backs, I mean, very quickly you can be the second, third, fourth guy, fifth guy even in the game. So we had to see those guys today and see what they could do running behind, you know, the first and second offensive line and run against the first and second defense. So it's been a work in progress to this point. You know, I think Norv does a tremendous job with those guys of developing them, coaching them hard, holding them to a standard. And it's good today to see, you know, because up to this point today, you know, it was really a by committee. We hadn't, but I think we'll be able to come in tomorrow and really start to put some slittification on who's behind you all.

4. On if the defensive line is ahead of the other units on the defense...

"No, I think it's not at all. I don't think anyone's ahead of anybody. I think we all understand that we have a long way to go. I don't think anybody's leading this race by any means. All you've got to do is turn the tape on and watch it. And if you're truly being honest with yourself and the players are being honest and the coaches are being honest, which they all are, there's no one that thinks that they're out ahead of anybody. I think I've been complimentary of them because that's probably the positions had the most influx of new guys, whether it be freshman or transfers. And let's be honest now, I mean, we've got a pretty good offensive line here, and they've been punched in the mouth. I mean, these guys have been punched in the mouth for the last three weeks, and it's pretty good to see. It's been really good to see."

5. On how they will operate with school starting on Monday...

"Yeah. So kind of the latter part of that question, we're going to hole up in there. Everyone's going to watch the film throughout the night tonight. In the morning, we're going to hold up tomorrow and go through this thing, but it's not going to be completely black and white as we go through it tomorrow. There's going to still be questions. There's going to be guys that are kind of neck and neck. We have to make decisions. But because of the next week, look, we're not going to go out and practice more than we normally would, but it does give us a little more time as coaches to make these decisions and see some of these things but look this isn't something we're going to let you know drag on out and have this by committee at every position all right 11 guys start the game on both sides of the ball 11 guys are on the kickoff team or the kickoff return team and we got to come in to make a decision on who those guys are all right are there one -offs here and there right that's a good thing usually that guys are you know pushing each other but you know we got game planning We have work to do as coaches. Yeah, we've got time with them next week, but also gives us time to get to their staff and game plan. In order to game plan, you've got to know who you're two deep are going to be, who your guys in all three phases are. So we can't let this hang over our heads and go into next week and the next week and the next and whatnot. I mean, we're in game planning as coaches. I mean, we have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday on the field practicing, you know, mandatory off day, and we're in Florida State now. So, you know, we're going to come in tomorrow. Like I said, hard conversations, hard talks. Everybody's got to be willing to look themselves in the mirror and do what's best for the Georgia Tech football team."

6. On the offensive line depth...

"Like I said, we'll come in tomorrow. We'll hammer it out. There might be one -offs here and there, but I don't want any gray area leaving this building on Sunday night."

7. On what stands out to him about this football team...

"Yeah, there is. You know, we have a good football team. We have a good football team. We do. Now, How we are in relation to our competition, I don't know. That's why you play the games. Have we made improvement? Yeah, we made improvement. We've challenged these guys every single day, right? And it has not been a day go by that they have not answered the challenge as a team. Now, offense might have success one point. Defense might have success one point back and forth, back and forth. But there has not been a day like most coaches are accustomed to where these guys have come out and it's oh I don't know if I can do this again it hadn't happened so they've answered that challenge without me even having to say anything to them that's something I hadn't been a part of and these it's a special group that can go out and do that right but we all know too adversity and obstacles are also what create the character and the toughness and the mental capacity that you have to play an entire football game so whereas those obstacles and those challenges might not have occurred all together on the same day, right? Individually, separately, they have. Okay, so I know, you know, (defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci) has handled that on the defensive side, Buster on the offense. When they've occurred, it hadn't been, you know, one group that it's all come out. And when that happens, when the whole team comes out, look, that's where I've got to look myself in the mirror. That starts with me, right? I'm the head coach, right? How I affect the assistant coaches and guys and get them in the right frame of mind to go."

8. On where they are at with the return game...

"Yeah, we do. That's actually the I actually was working on it last night looking at going through the death charts That's one of the first things we'll address tomorrow We've got some viable guys that they can return Both sides and you work your returners way up way before you start to work your you know the entire team Return teams you know with a punter turn kick off return Because number one thing you better secure the football, right? You better secure the football not put the ball on the ground ground, then it becomes who can help us gain first downs without offense being on the field. Who can get positive field position, who can affect the field position in the game with their returnability. But first thing is, who's going to hold on the football? Last year with Dom, he was a very sure -handed guy that was, we knew that ball was going to be secured. Anything he got after that was a plus. So, yeah, you mentioned Rodney. Rodney's dynamic. He is. He's done a really good job of, you know, fielding the ball. You know, we've got other guys, too. I mean, Malik and, I mean, you know, Eric, I mean, we've got a ton of guys that can return. So we'll start solidifying that down. We'll have three guys we start reping on Monday at the punt return spot. And we'll have really four guys we start repping at the kickoff return spot."

9. On E.J. Lightsey and Tah'j Butler at the linebacker position...

"Yeah, you know, both of them, you can tell both of them during spring it was their first time in a new defense, learning a new defense. Tuch is very demanding on those guys. It very, holds them to an extremely high standard. I think if you ask him, I don't think he'll ever say that he's pleased with the work they do on a day -to -day basis. That doesn't mean he's down on them either. It's just the standard that he holds everyone to, and that's what I love is for people on the staff. I mean, that's why he's been such a great fit here from the time he walked through the door. I mean, his standard is the same as my, it's the same as the offensive coaches. It's the same across the board, and he expects perfection, right? He expects those guys to be perfect out there. We all know that's not going to happen, but what's the old saying? I mean, you shoot for perfection, you're going to land at excellence the majority of the time, and that's what we're trying to do, and that's the standard he holds those guys, too. They're going to be good football players. I'm excited to actually watch the film tonight and see those guys. That was one of the position groups. We mixed and matched some of the guys with the twos with the ones, the threes with threes, twos, and I'm excited to see all these guys did. You know, some runs up the middle that I think we probably should have had a hat on. So we'll look at the gaps and how they're fitting the gaps from that side of the ball where they come in and pulling the double teams off the offensive line. There was also enough that were flat walled at the line of scrimmage where those guys were making plays in the box, but also had the range to make plays out in space. So improvement there from those guys from the week before. But until we watch the tape and really able to put it pencil those guys in the spots they need to be but you know I've been pleased with progression of those guys."