Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for All Yellow Jackets' Jackson Caudell
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The 2023 college football season is finally here. Louisville will kick off the season under the lights, traveling to the Peach State for a showdown with ACC foe Georgia Tech in the Aflac Kickoff Classic.
Ahead of the matchup, Louisville Report sat down with Jackson Caudell of Sports Illustrated's All Yellow Jackets to find out more about the Yellow Jackets:
1. What is the overall vibe around the Georgia Tech program heading into the start of the Brent Key era?
The overall vibe is much different than a year ago. This team and fanbase has a a believe in Brent Key and this team is going to play hard for him every single game. Key got wins over Duke, Pitt, and North Carolina last year and all of those teams won at least nine games. This team played a tough first half against Georgia and it showed how much buy-in there was to what Key was selling. There is still a ways to go in getting the program back where the fans want it, but the vibes are good starting out.
2. With Texas A&M transfer Haynes King being named the starting quarterback, what does he bring to the GT passing game, and how intense was the competition for QB1?
He brings athleticism and arm strength and I think that is what the staff was drawn too when they targeted King in the transfer portal. He does not have the cleanest throwing motion, but he can get the ball and make plays on the perimeter and outside of the pocket. The competition for the starting job was very intense and it could have gone either way. Zach Pyron showed incredible toughness and competitiveness when he stepped in last year and he still has his best football ahead of him, but it is Haynes King's team now.
3. Considering Tech returns four starting offensive linemen and Key is a former OL himself, should we expect the run game to be a heavy factor in the offense? Especially with backs like Dontae Smith and Trey Cooley?
The run game is certainly going to be a factor, but Key and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner are going to put the ball in the hands of their playmakers, whether it is running or throwing. Smith and Cooley are likely to be the top two backs, but Key has said to expect a running back by committee approach to the backfield.
4. Georgia Tech had the worst run defense in the ACC last year. How can they take a step forward even with the losses of guys like Keion White, Ayinde Eley and Charlie Thomas?
I think the players on the interior defensive line are going to be a reason the run defense gets better. Defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker has talked about the depth they have on the defensive line and guys like D'Quan Douse, Makius Scott, and Zeek Biggers are going to be playing a huge role for this team in 2023. Georgia Tech also dipped into the transfer portal for linebacker help and players like Trenilyas Tatum and Paul Moala are guys to watch.
5. LaMiles Brooks is one of the best safeties in the ACC. What makes him such a threat to opposing quarterbacks?
LaMiles is just a complete safety. His instinct and ball skills are what set him apart from so many other defensive backs in the ACC, but his leadership on and off the field are crucial too. He gets everyone lined up and in position to make plays and Georgia Tech went from having a poor secondary in 2021 to one that improved significantly last year with Brooks as a starter. The sky is the ceiling for him.
(Photo of the Ramblin' Wreck: Brett Davis - USA TODAY Sports)
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