Georgia Tech Football: Brent Key Being Sure Not to Take Virginia Lightly, Despite Record

Georgia Tech's interim coach had praise and respect for the Cavaliers on Monday

Georgia Tech is 2-0 since firing Geoff Collins and is looking to extend its winning streak on Thursday against Virginia. This is a game that Georgia Tech is actually favored in and a win would keep Georgia Tech in contention for the ACC Coastal. 

Georgia Tech enters the game on Thursday with more momentum / Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech interim head coach Brent Key spoke with the media on Monday ahead of the Yellow Jackets' game against Virginia and discussed the Yellow Jackets' opponent. Despite the Cavaliers in the midst of a losing streak and a 2-4 start, Key has plenty of respect for Virginia and spoke highly of the team and their starting quarterback, Brennan Armstrong:

"It is all 11 pieces working together on either side of the ball and special teams. For that quarterback to have the confidence in the guys up front and in protections and how they adjust up front and those kind of things, that kind of trust is built over time. I turn on the tape and I don't see it. I see a dangerous guy, I see a guy that has elite receivers on the edge that have playmaking ability. They are long, they have extended reach where they, even if a ball is off, they have length at the receiver position that allows them to overcome that with the catch radius and he is able to get that ball to those guys and push the ball down the field."

"One stat that is really interesting, that you very rarely see is Virginia in 2nd and long, which is 2nd and 11 plus and 3rd and 11 plus, they are like one of the top teams in the country and that is terrifying. That is scary to see, just statistically, usually you see, you are coaching your defense and trying to get them off schedule and get them behind the sticks and these guys are one of the top teams in the country in 3rd and 11 plus so when you are looking at the overall game plan,it kind of throws a little wrench in your plans."

"I guess you could say that he is having a down year, but I don't know and I don't see that. I see what he has basically done on film these first six games and I see a dangerous quarterback and one of the better quarterbacks in the league."

Georgia Tech should still worry about Virginia's Brennan Armstrong / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Key itirated that this Virginia team is not defined by their record and pointed out that they have played well against some good teams:

"You just turn on the film and watch them and people can make a big deal about teams records and this and that but obviously in the position that we are in, there is no way we are going to talk about a teams record. When you look at them, you see a team that plays hard and plays good football and early on, they have had some turnover issues on the offensive side of the ball but then again they are a defense that has created turnovers and gained a lot of turnovers and that is a part of the game that we have to be able to swing into our balance is the turnover game. We have been good on offense and have not turned it over and our defense is good at getting them but we have to be able to turn that part of the game."

"One of their losses was 22-20 against Syracuse, who is a 6-0 team and Old Dominion is a pretty good team as everybody is starting to see, so I don't see a team that is defined by a record at all and then we have to take those things that we have defined during the week, offensively, defensively, and special teams and be able to put the whole pie together and be able to play complete football and play a complete team game across the board."

This is a big game for Georgia Tech. It is the first time they have been favored against an FBS team this year and a win would move them closer to bowl eligibility and keep them in second place at minimum in the ACC Coastal. 

Georgia Tech vs Virginia is slated to kickoff at 7:30 on Thursday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium. 

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