Wide Reciever Malik Rutherford Loves Fit In Buster Faulkner's Offense

Rutherford is going to be featured heavily in the Yellow Jackets new offense

Author:
Jackson Caudell
Publish date:
Apr 8, 2023 1:23 PM EDT

In this story:

Georgia Tech is going to have a new look on offense this season under Buster Faulkner and they will look almost completely different at the wide receiver position. Josh Crawford is in as the new wide receivers coach and guys like Nate McCollum, EJ Jenkins, Malachi Carter, Ryan King, and Kalani Norris are gone and projected starter Leo Blackburn is out for the season with an ACL injury.

One of the guys that is going to be counted on this upcoming season is Malik Rutherford, who has dynamic speed that is going to be utilized plenty this season. Rutherford talked about his fit in the new offense yesterday and he is excited to see the results that come:

"Coach Faulkner wants to use me in all kinds of ways. Getting me the ball on the perimeter, quick pitches, deep balls, everything. I am really loving the offense, it is really dynamic and we are going to throw the ball a lot."

Rutherford also took time to praise Crawford and the work that he has done so far this spring:

"He is a great teacher, he coaches us really hard and all the same, even the walk-ons. He coaches the walk-ons that he would coach them just like they were on scholarship. He is a great coach overall and does a lot of great things."

Earlier this week, both Crawford talked about Rutherford and what he brings to the team:

"There is no question that the kid is really special and he is electric and here is the thing... what makes him great on the field is his off-the-field. Great kid, he practices hard every day, tough, just never hurt, he is always available. He ca run a thousand reps in practice and never get tired. All of that also translates into him being a really good football player on top of that so he has God-given talent and ability and he has the intangibles that go along with it so we are excited.

He is a guy that has shown the ability to being able to handle playing multiple positions, very savvy route-runner, picks up everything and a smart player so he is creating value for himself because he is a good player in his own right and he can also play multiple positions so he has been someone that I have been really pleased with."

Key also spoke about how Malik's love of the game is something that has stood out to him this spring:

"Malik is a guy that really started coming on at the end of the season and if you go back and look at some games at the end of the season and the things that he was doing in a little more limited role, he was someone who really caught our attention then. His love for the game and the energy that he brings, all 150 LBS in his body is full of energy, they really are and he plays like he is 190-200 LBS, he is tough and not afraid to get in there and do the dirty stuff and block and his personality is infectious and he elevates the play of others around him because he has so much energy and he loves playing football.

At the end of the day it is still a game. It is a hard game to go out and practice every day but it is a game and when you can take the qualities of your football team and you can work and prepare every day for the toughness that you have to, the physical toughness, the mental toughness, have the discipline, but still go out there and have fun, that is when you have a chance to do something really good."

The White and Gold Spring game is set for next Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

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