Here is everything from Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key after the Yellow Jackets win yesterday
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00:00 Good to come in here after a win.
00:01 Good to be home in our Bobby Dock and
00:07 go out and get a win, obviously.
00:11 Challenge the guys during the week in a lot of areas.
00:14 Challenge them to play a complete game.
00:15 I mean, we had a lot of things to clean up, like there is every week.
00:21 But there's times though that even in the four quarters,
00:24 I mean, guys come from big plays and having a lot of the second defense in.
00:28 And the fourth down stop there was big after the tip ball interception that we
00:34 had, seeing the guys continue to compete and play hard.
00:41 Again, we're talking about playing to our standard and doing what we do.
00:45 And it's individually play for four quarters, and
00:49 collectively play for four quarters.
00:50 And put something, a product in the field,
00:55 put a product on tape that we can go back and
00:59 look at and say this is how we're supposed to do this.
01:02 This is how we're supposed to play the game.
01:04 This is how we're supposed to play when we come out from halftime.
01:06 This is how we're supposed to not get caught up in ebbs and flows of game.
01:10 You play to the standard, you play one play at a time.
01:12 It's a big thing, we always talk about playing one play at a time.
01:15 You forget about the last play.
01:18 The challenge this week was, you've gotta forget about the last play.
01:22 That play's done, it's over.
01:24 But not just the bad plays, you gotta forget about the good plays.
01:27 And that was a challenge this week.
01:29 So really to keep that mindset and play for the whole game.
01:31 A lot of things to continue to build on with this.
01:35 And then things we've gotta continue to clean up and work on.
01:39 So I had to go against Coach Pugh in his final season.
01:45 It was an honor to coach against him.
01:47 And he did a good job getting his team prepared.
01:49 And just a quality man and a quality coach and a legend.
01:54 He's getting college football for what he's done at that school.
01:57 So again, always pleased to come out with a win.
02:01 Excited for the kids to come out here and
02:03 be able to spread the ball around on offense.
02:07 Spread the ball around on the defensive side.
02:09 And then be able to take a look at it tonight, tomorrow morning, and
02:15 be ready to move on and play a quality opponent next week.
02:18 >> Questions, if you could raise your hand so we got a microphone.
02:21 Go ahead, sir.
02:22 >> Coach, that's win number 750 for Georgia Tech football program.
02:27 What does that mean for this program?
02:30 And what does it mean to you breaking your alma mater to 750 as a coach?
02:34 >> Yeah, that's cool.
02:34 I didn't know that.
02:37 It's a lot of wins.
02:38 I used to play football a long time too.
02:41 I don't think that was a lot for me, that 750.
02:46 But now it's good regardless if it's 750 or if it's number one.
02:49 It doesn't matter.
02:50 It's just that these guys have a chance to go out and really establish a listing.
02:56 And continue to get better and improve this team each and every week.
03:01 That's pretty cool.
03:01 >> Next, Kelly.
03:04 >> I was curious how you dealt with the weather delay.
03:10 Those are always challenging for coaches.
03:12 What was your approach to dealing with that?
03:14 >> Yeah, we can't control it, that's for sure.
03:16 We have to prepare for it.
03:17 We have a plan in place.
03:18 When those things happen, we came back in and kept our pads on.
03:24 Kept them, stayed engaged.
03:26 Cuz you don't know if it's gonna be a 20 minute, head back out for
03:30 ten minutes or then continue to go on.
03:32 And that was the plan.
03:33 And then we just really kind of rewrote the clock out.
03:36 And from a flexing, dynamic flexibility on the field.
03:43 So we just backed the clock up for the first time.
03:45 And got it up in the locker room.
03:49 Did a flexibility, forming a flex inside.
03:52 Headed outside, did a dynamic flexibility.
03:57 Did three minutes of MD.
03:58 Went to the sideline, had coin toss, and then went back in.
04:01 So the second one, again, you don't know how long it's gonna be.
04:05 So originally it was a 30 minute, 20 plus 10,
04:09 delayed head back out and we just continued to wait it out.
04:14 As the lightning increased more and more, once we heard,
04:17 we were in communication the whole time.
04:20 Once we heard it was probably gonna be an hour or more at that point.
04:24 Had the guys take their pads off, had some food to make sure they stayed,
04:27 they kept their energy up through the whole game.
04:31 Cuz really you eat pregame meal three and a half, four hours before kickoff and
04:35 we're sustained through the whole game.
04:37 So obviously that number got off a little bit, so we had to refuel the guys.
04:43 So they had enough fuel to be able to finish the game.
04:45 So but we wanted to be loose.
04:47 And first we came in, everybody's kinda being quiet.
04:50 And I said, believe me, this is not the right recipe at all.
04:54 It's probably the third or fourth time in my career I've set through one of those.
04:58 And so we cranked the music up and got the guys staying loose and
05:04 staying engaged, and they were ready to go.
05:07 And we, second time we ended up taking our shoulder pads off.
05:11 But again, they put them back on, ready to go, dealt with it,
05:16 can't control it, so we deal with it.
05:19 >> Steve.
05:19 >> Coach, two part, first of all, there's an old song about the period between
05:25 the first game and second game is the one where you can make the most improvement.
05:28 How did you see that?
05:29 >> Yeah, I thought we did.
05:30 I think we proved a lot of areas.
05:31 We really wanted to improve on execution.
05:35 That was a big thing.
05:36 Continue to carry over the things that we did a good job of in the first game.
05:40 The improvement in execution for
05:44 four quarters, I thought offensively we were able to sustain some of those things.
05:48 That was good to see, the discipline that we preach on and we work on so much.
05:56 There was a couple lapses out there, which I was not happy with at all.
05:59 A couple penalties, but for the most part, I thought the guys played discipline.
06:06 Football, it started getting a little chippy there towards the end.
06:09 And the guys continued to play the whistle and
06:11 then go back to the dog hole and get ready to play the next play.
06:15 So some of the discipline that comes with the responsibility of option football,
06:21 that's something we've got to continue to work on.
06:22 And we'll have a big correction period tomorrow with just optional responsibilities
06:26 and that to work with.
06:30 So excited that we made those improvements, excited to carry over some
06:33 of the things that we're working to build on.
06:35 And then we've got a new challenge coming up this next week.
06:39 >> Can I ask you, you had a couple guys from a bitter rival get some
06:43 touchdown receptions.
06:45 How have those two guys, how have you seen them fit in?
06:47 What's been the indoctrination process, I guess, like their Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets?
06:51 [BLANK_AUDIO]
07:01 >> It seems like- >> Don't think I didn't think about it.
07:04 >> [LAUGH] >> Well, thank you.
07:07 >> [LAUGH] >> Thanks for giving that back.
07:11 >> Yeah, it was in jest.
07:16 And when Dom caught his today, he came over, I said,
07:20 now you're official.
07:22 >> Yeah.
07:24 >> Haynes came out there after all that along the way,
07:27 took advantage of what was given to him, I think, his complete 12 of his first 15.
07:32 And that really set the tone for the offense for the day, and
07:35 he did what he had to do out there.
07:38 What did you see from his performance today?
07:41 >> Exactly what you said, it was a good job.
07:42 [LAUGH] No, that's what you asked, what am I doing?
07:46 We wanna be completion driven.
07:48 We wanna be able to work our shot plays in, to be able to set our shot plays up,
07:54 gather information as we're playing the game,
07:57 and I think that's a good job of calculating those shot plays.
08:01 You have to be able to hit on those couple, we left some change out in the field.
08:05 We did, there was a couple, we had to open through the deep post a little bit to Eric
08:10 there early in the third.
08:11 And there had been more that we could have cashed in on,
08:15 on a flood concept, and so, but overall, he's continuing to improve.
08:22 He's a quarterback that can run, but at the same time,
08:24 he's looking to throw the ball, then run.
08:26 Not looking to just run and throw, it's there.
08:30 So he's delivering the ball nice, he's making some really good throws.
08:35 Standing in the pocket, going through his progressions, directing the offense,
08:39 taking information from the sideline, which is a huge plus of that position,
08:44 to be able to come to the sideline, take information from your coach, and
08:46 you'll be able to use that with the board for the rest of the game.
08:50 >> Reggie?
08:52 I'm sorry, we'll go back to you.
08:54 Go ahead.
08:56 >> Coach, you mentioned sustainability.
08:57 I'm curious, was that kind of where the message came from when playing?
09:00 How did you kind of get your guys the same amount of energy throughout the entire
09:04 game and continue to push, even as the score got out of hand?
09:07 >> Yeah, I mean, there is no score to us, and that's the challenging part.
09:12 They're talking about play your play, play to our standard,
09:16 play the way that we want to play football, play one play at a time.
09:20 And not looking at a scoreboard, because inevitably they always do.
09:23 But there were some things that I did,
09:25 some things that the coaches did that made sure that there was no thought that
09:30 there was a scoreboard.
09:31 You probably would have thought we came out of halftime and
09:33 we were gonna be beat by the same score.
09:34 >> Right here.
09:36 >> I think it was, congrats on the win today.
09:38 Trangemont had a hell of a day out there today.
09:41 Both of them ran for a combined 200 yards.
09:43 And one question I wanted to ask you was, coming into this game,
09:46 what things did you see in the locker room or in practice where you guys were
09:50 getting more energetic and electric and ready to go out on the field and make plays?
09:53 Cuz today they were really, really explicit frontrunners.
09:56 >> They were, and they had been.
09:59 Jamal's a matchup guy, whether he's running back or
10:04 a receiver, catching the ball space, his value in special teams.
10:07 I mean, he's playing a lot of snaps right now.
10:10 And he's able to do things with the ball.
10:12 And he's tough, he's tough to bring down.
10:15 He loves playing the game.
10:16 I mean, he's as excited as anybody.
10:20 And he comes out of the game, he wants to be in there, he wants the ball.
10:23 That next person's in there and they get the touch,
10:25 he's just as excited for those guys and fired up for them.
10:28 And then Trey had some big plays today.
10:30 He's continued to, missed a few days during camp and
10:33 now really starting to come back into this.
10:36 You get in the flow of things, you get into a routine.
10:39 You had the play at the one yard line that we can't have.
10:44 He knows that.
10:45 That's not acceptable to put the ball on the ground on the one.
10:50 Cuz that's a momentum killer, it really is.
10:53 So he is, he's making tough yards.
10:56 He's got the ability to run by people, but
10:58 he's also got the ability to put his shoulder down and run through somebody.
11:01 So we gotta continue to clean up a few things.
11:03 And some of that missed time that he had in preseason,
11:05 I think we have a chance to really continue to elevate our running back position.
11:10 >> Okay, in the back and then up here to the front.
11:11 >> Coach, congratulations on going outside of the monetary,
11:16 did you talk about what it means to play these South Carolina State and
11:20 deal with all the ACCU's this opportunity to play as another?
11:23 >> Yeah, I think it's outstanding.
11:25 It's something that we wanna continue to do moving forward.
11:29 We're gonna be able to play HBCUs every year here at Atlanta.
11:33 I think it's great for promotion of the game, for the promotion of the schools.
11:37 Give those guys an opportunity to play on a big stage.
11:41 Give our guys an opportunity to understand what it's about and
11:45 the history behind it.
11:47 So all in all, it's something that we believe in here.
11:51 It's something that we will continue to do and look forward to the upcoming games.
11:54 [BLANK_AUDIO]
11:56 >> Yeah, Coach, obviously Gavin Sear missed that field goal earlier in the game and
12:00 then you guys kind of decided to go with it.
12:02 What was the conversations or
12:03 what was the decision making in that process?
12:05 How did you go and make the bird towards the end of this one?
12:08 >> Yeah, just Aiden, you're up.
12:09 Just let Gavin sit back and see it a little bit.
12:13 Calms up, down some, and he still leads Boone through the end zone.
12:18 He kept the kickoff, which I was really good for the field position.
12:22 But then we just made the change at halftime to give Aiden an opportunity.
12:27 Aiden's got a strong leg.
12:28 He's got a bright future.
12:30 So it's a good opportunity for him to be out there and see what he can do.
12:34 >> Anything else?
12:37 No?
12:39 >> It seemed like maybe the one negative was still some missed tackles in space and
12:44 a couple plays where maybe they get a third down conversion or
12:48 move the sticks where you came out to the field.
12:51 Did you feel like you saw progress there today?
12:53 Is that just something that's more repetition, more kind of seeing it?
12:57 >> Yeah, we definitely saw progress.
13:00 Saw progress in really all three phases.
13:03 Saw progress in all the phases of on defense.
13:07 Are there still some challenges that we're gonna change left on the field?
13:09 Yeah, there is.
13:10 Still things we gotta work on?
13:11 Yeah, there is.
13:13 That's the beauty of the game of football.
13:14 You get to come back and enjoy it for tonight, enjoy the win, and
13:19 we'll enjoy the win, which we always do.
13:21 Things are tough to come by.
13:22 But our job is to create mistakes, is to identify mistakes, and
13:27 things that we have to do better, and that's what we'll continue to do.
13:32 >> Okay, and then Rod, go right up.
13:35 >> Coach, you talked about two big turnovers for you today.
13:38 How important is that for your team, and
13:40 then especially in the beginning of next week against Ole Miss?
13:43 >> Yeah, I thought it was good to see Kyle play well.
13:46 He played well in the game last week.
13:47 We had some things that we did with him, put him in a position to make some plays.
13:53 He did, I mean, he had what, five, six tackles in the game, TFL.
14:00 So to see Kyle really start to assert himself in that rush position,
14:04 we're only one of the guys, and we are, that's by design.
14:08 But to see him make those plays and be in a position to make those plays,
14:13 it was very, very encouraging.
14:15 >> Okay, last question.
14:16 >> All right.
14:16 >> Looking at the linebacker position,
14:19 you got to see a little bit of Oliver and Kyle today.
14:23 How does that position look moving forward to you?
14:28 >> Yeah, that was a plan during the week.
14:30 Those guys played a lot of plays last weekend.
14:34 You've gotta develop depth, and really the only way to develop players,
14:38 young players or new players in the system, is to get a play and
14:43 give them the opportunity to go play.
14:45 And that was a decision we made really last Sunday,
14:49 to make sure we were playing those guys.
14:51 And they ended up being two and three on the team of tackles.
14:53 So that was very encouraging to see,
14:57 very encouraging to develop that depth there.
14:59 You're an ankle away from being ready to play, and
15:02 play, that's a scary thing for the player and for the coach.
15:04 So Kevin did a good job of getting those guys prepared,
15:08 getting those guys ready to play.
15:09 Oliver's been healthy now the last couple of weeks,
15:13 which has been really, really good for him.
15:14 Being able to get those reps in practice to be able to prepare himself for
15:18 the game, he showed up at some really good times today.
15:20 >> Awesome, thank you.
15:22 >> All right guys, appreciate y'all, go Jackets.