Georgia Tech O-Line Coach Geep Wade Gives Update on Current RIght Guard battle

Jackson Caudell | Apr 3, 2024

Sep 16, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets offensive linemen Ethan Mackenny / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech is returning the majority of their starters on offense, including the majority of their offensive line. The Yellow Jackets had the ACC's top rushing attack last season and their offensive line was one of the nation's leaders in sacks allowed.

One of the only positions where Georgia Tech is not bringing someone back is at right guard. Connor Scaglione is out of eligibility and the Yellow Jackets staff brought in Middle Tennessee transfer Keylan Rutledge in to compete for the position Rutledge is currently injured and Georgia Tech is going through spring practice seeing other compete for the spot.

After practice yesterday, offenisve line coach Geep Wade gave an update on Rutledge and for the position.

"Yes, sir. Keylan's the guy we recruited that I've got total belief in. And he's a special kid. So his progress is progressing. We're taking our time. Coach Key's making sure we're taking our time with his progress, but I have a good feeling about him in the future, so hopefully that comes for fruition. We started out with Ben (Galloway) there, working there, and then we made some changes and we moved Ethan (Mackenny) down, tried to get, you know, just some different looks, and he's done a great job. He moved down last Wednesday, so this was his third practice. at guard, and he's done well. He's a different kid, you know what I mean? Sometimes it takes a year to mature, and he was a kid that came in June, we threw him in the fire, and so I think he's taking a different approach. And the way he works, he'll become a better player. Ben's right now, right there, so he's the ones and twos right there, so we're sure trying to develop him. And I've got total faith in Ben, too. So we're trying to build depth there. Those kids care about that. football. They work their tails off. So I think we'll be OK at that spot."

While I do think Rutledge will assume the spot once healthy, I do think it is intriguing that Georgia Tech is testing guys at the position and seeing how they perform. Depth on the offensive line is critical and Georgia Tech was fortunate last year that their line stayed relatively healthy.

Two guys that will be key leaders up front this year are going to be Joe Fusile and Weston Franklin and Wade spoke highly of the success that they had last year, while also mentioning that there is still plenty to work on.

"Well, in football, last year was last year. And our first meeting here, my first meeting when I first got here, you know I tried to set a standard of what we're gonna play it all that and this meeting this year was different you know, so last year was last year, that's in the past and I told these guys whatever we do, now it's gonna be harder alright so we have to elevate our game and to me those kids being at their age to elevate your game you got to work on your deficiencies. As a coach, I have to work on my deficiencies to be a better coach so they have really, really, worked hard on their deficiencies, and they're great leaders, you know? I go out there and sometimes I'll be coaching the twos, they run four plays, I only watched them, you know, because those guys, it matters, and they're ball guys. That's what the position should be played like. So, you know, we're just trying to build a culture. It's never gonna be right. It's never gonna be perfect, you know? But if you have confidence in yourself, play fast and you hit someone in the mouth, then It'll take care of itself so we have to I mean you know yeah there were some games we played okay last year but there were some games we played bad you know we got to be more consistent we gotta do we do better you know one thing I can say though is I think we kind of find who we are, you know, toward the end of the year, and we've continued that. So I think that helps the kids out, you know, not doing too many things. You know, we kind of, as a new staff, Coach Key's first year, I think we found out who we are, what we do. And so, you know, every day we work, you know, even after the scrimmage, it's okay, we got to do this better. We got to run off the ball. We got to run our feet on contact. So there's always something, especially, we got to run our feet. We got to run our feet. We got to run our feet. We got to run our feet. There'll be something to the last Thursday before the bowl game. That position's always there's something you got to fix and something you got to fine -tune."

There are going to be high expectations for this unit this year, but there is plenty of reason to believe they can meet those expectations.