News and Notes From Georgia Tech's First Spring Scrimmage

Jackson Caudell | Mar 30, 2024

Nov 18, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key on the / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech is still two weeks away from their annual White and Gold Spring Game, but they were hard at work at Bobby Stadium today in their first spring scrimmage, with plenty of recruits on the sidelines.

After the scrimmage was over, Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key was able to meet with the media and here are the notes and takeaways from today's scrimmage.

1. Key mentioned that the Yellow Jackets ran 155 plays today during the scrimmage.

2. Georgia Tech had four, full-field, move the field situations where they started on the 20-yard line. In eight series, there was one field goal and seven touchdowns.

3. Key was very complimentary of the defense today. "So all the defense really stepped up in that situational period, you know. Being able to play the call out,  made some good one-on-ones, one-on-one tackles, one -on -one plays. I thought they did a good job. As the scrimmage went on, I thought the guys up front did a really nice job of containing the quarterback.  Early on, there were some holes in there, some seepage. We know that's been a major, major emphasis every single day of how you rush in the passing game. That's why we have those second 10 play the third series.  All right, I was able to cover those things up. up and I thought Zeek, some of those guys had a nice job of doing their job and their responsibility within the call and containing the quarterback and be able to pull them up a couple of times."

4. Ahmari Harvey blocked one field goal and nearly had another one.

5. The list of guys who stood out is pretty long, but Key mentioned a ton of names today, including some young players. Freshmen offensive linemen Jameson Riggs, Tana Alo-Tupuola, and Harrison Moore, wide receiver Leo Blackburn, cornerbacks Warren Burrell and Syeed Gibbs, and linebacker Jackson Hamilton. Freshman linebacker/edge Jordan Boyd also was singled out by Key as someone who impressed today.

6. The linebackers have been an emphasis this offseason and Key mentioned Hamilton, Kyle Efford, Trenilyas Tatum, and freshman Tah'j Butler were guys that looked good at the position today. He also loved the way the running backs did during different periods and mentioned freshman Anthony Carrie and Chad Alexander as two guys that stood out.

7. I asked Key how the players were adjusting to the new scheme defensively and the coaches and here was his answer:

"I'm really pleased to have those guys here as coaches number one, you know, it's a,  it's a scheme that I'm very familiar with I'm not from I was just seeing it in the league for a couple of years and following those guys,  but very similar to the scheme that Front coverage -wise, that Coach (George) O 'Leary ran for forever when I was with him. So to be able to know it and know the ins and outs of it and know the expectations of it,  and be able to really be comfortable with that as a good fit on this team. You know, it's about... a balance of offense, defense, and kicking game. It's not just about one side of the ball and what scheme they have. The schemes all have to go together,  but they also have to be personnel-driven. You can't just say you're going to run a scheme on defense and not have the guys to do it. So as we continue to recruit towards the scheme, we'll continue to improve with it. The second to play the third. And I thought they really stepped up and did some good things. But like, you know, it's like anything, it's going to take time. But man, they are, the kids are all in as far as the coaching goes. I mean, they're in here, they're wanting to come in and get extra time and, you know, they're in the meetings. I go through and sit in all the different meetings throughout the days, days and they're attentive they're asking questions I mean they're there and they're being coached up they're being taught."

8. Key also had this quote about the amount of recruits they had viewing the scrimmage today:

"I mean we've had more kids on campus in the last two weeks and we've had in the last you know one day there's so many people out of the practice indoor, I'm flipping out. That's getting too close to the sideline. Coach Eley comes up to me and goes, "Hey, young buck, I remember when there's about 10 people here, now we have about 300, so let's count our blessings and figure it out." So the wisdom that I have from Chief. So, no, it's, it has been good. It's good to get the players here.  You know, I'll roll out of here and I'll be in individual meetings probably over five or six weeks. o 'clock tonight with prospects. You know, getting the right guys for us here and we're involved with a lot of really good players,  but I mean, you know, the worst thing in the world is to brag about being second, right? Might as well be tenth or last. So it's all you are.  All right, so our job is to recruit at the highest level we can for the best players schematically for our schemes, all right, and then the best players that fit into what we need here at Georgia Tech. And that is,  you know, it's a level. I mean, look, you don't you don't change where you're at in the scope of anything in life, much less the scope of college football, all right, if you continue to just be comfortable where you're at."

9. Key had a lot of praise for the two freshmen quarterbacks Graham Knowles and Aaron Philo, as well as the wide receiver room, which should be one of the ACC's best. There has been a lot of praise from coaches and players alike about how the freshmen quarterbacks are doing.