Georgia Tech Football: Everything From Brent Key After The Loss to Notre Dame

Georgia Tech lost to No. 12 Notre Dame today 31-13

Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key shows emotion on the sideline against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It was a tough game today for Georgia Tech against the No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The offense could not get anything consistent going and the special teams was a disaster and full of mistakes. The Fighting Irish controlled the game and won 31-13. After the game, Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key spoke to the media and here is everything that he had to say.

Opening Statement...

"Credit, credit to Notre Dame, had a plan for getting a win today. But speaking of ourselves, we did not play well enough to win, the things we did. You don't deserve to win when you play that way. There's some things we did today that we did and some things we didn't do. chance to watch the film tonight and really make sure that we're correct on And I'll save a lot of judgment until we have a chance to go back and have a chance to watch the film tonight and really make sure that we're correct on everything and what we saw. But we missed two field goals. In the game, critical time is right before half. We're getting the ball to second half coming out and then you have a chance to get a swing there in the middle eight of the game. And then, not only is it points, when you down to the red area, but it's also a momentum. And then, I thought in the first half, we missed a lot of tackles in the first half. You didn't come up and you make the plays we needed to, too many extra yards out there, way too many extra yards. And then we were challenged and I thought the second half, they did a little better job. But you know, it's not good enough to come out with a win, so credit to those guys, but we got a lot of work We have to do we have to get to work on this and be critical of it, you know special teams is something that is you know for three weeks now, we've not been up to expectations or you know play, play the way that I that I think we should play, know that we should play. And then, you know, it's every game that is in the game of football, it's a line of scrimmage game. And whether you're going to throw the ball 60 times and run it 10, all right, when you run it 10 time or run... it doesn't matter. You've positive plays. Otherwise, it puts a lot of pressure on the throwing game and the timing throw a game and you know we weren't able to do that today so we didn't. Credit Notre Dame but we got work to do there's lot of season left, we got to get these things correct and we got to be able to move forward and all right I said that very specifically. Not move on because move on means you don't worry about it and forget about it all right that's not the case all right we've got to move forward."

1. On if there was a lack of focus...

"Yeah, you know, that's the greatest thing about the game. I thought we had a very focused week of practice. I thought we were very focused before the game leading up into the game. I thought, you know, the guys have been detailed during the week. You know, execution and then, you know, during the week, then, you know, we get out and get out in the arena and, you know, get in the arena and the lights come on and we're not going to execute. So, and when you play a good football team, you've got to be able to execute and, you know, make plays."

2. On his thoughts about Zach Pyron's performance...

"Yeah, a good defense. But it was a gutsy. I mean, the kid's tough. He's nails. He's tough as nails. He went in there and gave everything and then we got to step up around him and be able to compliment him and help him,"

3. On the linebackers and if there is an update on Kyle Efford's Health...

"Yeah, we won't have any updates on anybody. I have not talked to the trainers yet. With any of those guys, so, you know, we guys have played in Tah'j and EJ played today in his place, you know, we'll look at the tape and see, you know, and see really how those guys did and what they needed to improve on and what they needed to get better at. You know, with stepping in, I don't think that it was too big for them. You know, they both They played football, they played a lot of snaps, he's been hurt early on so giving him back in there but last week I think it was the first game back. So we'll evaluate and see what they're at."

4. On the special teams miscues and the long snapping...

"Yeah, I mean, I saw the same thing you saw. Again, we missed two field goals, and then that goes with everybody and everything. I'm not going to say anything about one individual, individual player, you know, to see it and see why it was and what happened. But then today player, you know, to see it and see why it was and what happened. But then today we missed two field goals, they were more critical times."

5. On what led to the missing tackles...

"Yeah, well, really, I think the big big ones in the first half. That was one where they extended a lot of drives. A lot of hidden yardage that was very, I mean, there's obviously a chance to get a guy down for two or three. Two or three yard gain. They ended up getting 9, 12, 14 yards. That's where a lot of yards came from. It was really in the first half. I thought they came down and started supporting harder and faster in the second half. But once you reach your keys and see what it is, you've got to do a transition. I told then in the halftime, I said, "We were tentative, very tentative, and come up and wait and see what they were going to do. We've got to go take our shots. We've got to be aggressive in the thing and trust the other ten guys that are coming behind you to help you."

6. On the lack of a run game today...

"It was not there. So, I guess, like I said, we weren't able to establish a lot of scrimmage and get positive plays. You know, to be efficient. The bare minimum of efficiency on first down is four yards. Second down is half the distance. And third down is to be able to get the first. And I don't know if we accomplished that more than you know, a handful of times."

7. On Warren Burrell's Interception and the team getting a takeaway in three straight games...

"Yeah, I mean, it was good to see him get a pick. That was a good momentum change early in the football game. But obviously, we want to capitalize on them, so consistently capitalize on them, I'm saying. And you get those big, that's why you want to get takeaways, you want to be able, was really a momentum swing, you want to go change the whole game, a little bit of fear in your opponent of being able to throw those balls, so We've got to continue to improve that area."

8. On if he got an explanation for why there were no penalites called on Notre Dame when David Shanahan went down...

"Yeah, we speak after every one of those situations. We communicate with each other. But I'm there once again by officiating after the moment."

9. On Haynes King...

"You know, it's, you know, you're going to get crazy and say day-to-day, but that's kind of what it is. I mean, you know, I don't know. I don't know where it's at as far as... it's not, it's not season-ending. I can tell you that. It's not a season-ending injury. You know, it's going to depend a lot upon just, you know, how quickly you can, you know, react and come, you know, ready, ready to roll."