Watch: Brent Key answers questions after loss to Georgia
Post-game press conference with Brent Key
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00:00 I thought the kids played hard.
00:05 Our plan was to take the game to a four quarter game.
00:08 We did not play a four quarter game this season.
00:12 And we wanted to get the game to the fourth quarter, continue to play, and
00:16 be able to win the game at the end.
00:19 So proud of the guys' effort, proud of the thing they did,
00:22 played four quarters of football.
00:23 They've got a mentality of playing that way, playing for four quarters.
00:27 But at the end of the day, we're not coming here to play a good game.
00:34 We're not coming here to play well, I mean, there's no more victories.
00:38 I said today I was hired that our goal is to beat the team in the state,
00:44 and that still is our goal.
00:46 And that's what we'll work to do every day.
00:49 And we came up short today.
00:51 That will not stop the work, that will not stop us continuing to progress,
00:55 and get that done.
00:57 The kids played hard, we need to make some plays,
01:01 we need to make some plays, and with that I'll open up any questions.
01:07 >> Questions?
01:08 Go.
01:09 >> I thought two of maybe the big plays that
01:13 swarmed momentum negatively against you was,
01:18 the two plays where Eric stepped out of bounds,
01:24 both very good plays, but one he just maybe lost what he was in the field.
01:30 Other one was a great play, he just wasn't on top of his game.
01:33 >> Yeah, so we would have on Eric really stepped up his game,
01:37 he really did, he really progressed when he came out.
01:40 He played that game the way he did,
01:42 we had a couple of rough games leading up to that, and he came out and played.
01:47 The one early on in the game, he got jammed with the line of scrimmage,
01:51 he got played by the corner, nothing wrong with that.
01:54 As he was going down the field, he reset himself, reestablished himself,
01:58 reset, and just momentum came a little bit out of bounds there.
02:03 Then, I went up to him, I mean, I thought he was getting anxious,
02:06 and that's what he was, he was getting anxious there.
02:09 [BLANK_AUDIO]
02:12 >> Check.
02:13 [BLANK_AUDIO]
02:16 >> I feel like this was a game of fence out and panic, period.
02:19 Anytime you don't count winning football games,
02:22 there's usually reasons in their mind, which always, look,
02:25 I've said it before guys, there's a lot of missed opportunities when we win
02:30 football games, and that's our job as coaches is to make sure what you win or
02:34 your blues is to point out the missed opportunities that you have and
02:38 make a correct performance.
02:39 And emphasize the things you've done well and continue to do this as well.
02:44 >> Yeah, there was missed opportunities.
02:49 It was third down, third down opportunities were two of 11 on third down.
02:57 Some of those went forward, but two of 11 on third, those were big.
03:02 And then we scored in the red area, but
03:05 came up with a lot of field goals as opposed to touchdowns.
03:09 >> Right.
03:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]
03:15 >> 205 yards rushing going into the game, did you feel that you guys could
03:19 control the ball and rush the ball like we did?
03:22 >> Yes, we did.
03:23 [BLANK_AUDIO]
03:27 >> Yeah.
03:28 [BLANK_AUDIO]
03:31 >> Thanks.
03:32 >> Check, sir.
03:33 [BLANK_AUDIO]
03:36 >> With the end of the year now and getting the program back,
03:38 this first ballgame in a little bit and fighting tooth and
03:41 nail with the number one team that hadn't lost in a couple years.
03:45 In the year that you've been here,
03:46 do you think this program's in a better shape than it was when you took over?
03:49 >> Yes.
03:50 [LAUGH]
03:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]
03:59 >> Defensively, you guys did a pretty good job.
04:01 There was a couple breaks in the run defense, but just overall,
04:06 what was your kind of impression when the defense played tonight?
04:08 >> Yeah, I thought they played hard, really good.
04:10 The run team played hard.
04:11 We had some third and long opportunities to get a stop.
04:17 Had a big swing pass out to the wide side of the field one morning.
04:21 Had a scramble in another.
04:24 So, again, we got a chance to get those guys in third and
04:30 long and get them off the field and change the position.
04:33 We got to take advantage of them when we're playing a team like that.
04:38 >> John.
04:39 >> End of the first quarter there, it was 4-1 at the 8.
04:42 Wanted the field to go on you, and you thought they were gonna go for it in that
04:44 situation?
04:45 >> No, no, it was a game plan going into the game.
04:49 It was, we were in the first quarter, it was to take points.
04:53 We were keeping within a one score game.
04:56 When you're looking to play a game like that, you're gonna play a four quarter
04:59 game, you're trying to keep it within a one score.
05:02 You're really a one possession, no more than a two possession game.
05:05 So the points right there was critical.
05:06 As we move into the second quarter,
05:08 the plan was to open it up and become more aggressive.
05:11 And we stuck to the plan.
05:14 And that was the thing, we challenged the kids all week to stick to the plan as well
05:17 as us.
05:18 And when we present these plans to the kids,
05:20 we talk about these things during the week and how we're gonna play the game.
05:24 So we practice those things, we rehearse those things, it takes emotion out of it.
05:29 It'd be really easy to make an emotional decision and go for a one on one.
05:35 Look, I've got confidence in our guys to execute whatever we call for
05:38 them to do it.
05:39 But the momentum there to get points on the board is way more important.
05:45 >> Okay, John.
05:49 >> You're down, you pick a field while you're down, 31-16.
05:52 They drive down the field and you guys get an interception and
05:54 you drive down the field to make it a one score game.
05:57 Huge talk about the fighting teams.
05:59 A lot of teams kind of give up and there's been times where maybe your team has
06:02 not gotten to stop there, not made the play.
06:04 AJ gets the pick and you guys drive in and you guys get an interception.
06:08 >> Yeah, credit to these kids, credit to these kids, credit to them.
06:12 Really, we talk about growing as a football team.
06:15 You see where these guys have gone from really early in the season,
06:18 and some of the ups and flows between games and maybe a week to week.
06:21 And if you take the school board out of it and
06:26 you look at how a team plays the entirety of a football game,
06:30 that's what you coach on, that's what you use to correct and to build on.
06:35 And I think we've made a lot of progress in that area.
06:40 >> Kurt.
06:42 >> Coach, quick follow up, you banged up at one point.
06:46 Did you hear about what happened or any update on his status?
06:50 >> Yeah, he was able to sit up long off the field.
06:53 I have not got a medical update on him.
06:56 >> Anything at the time?
06:57 >> Patrick.
06:58 >> Coach, the upcoming bowl game and how will that change the schedule for
07:03 next week and beyond?
07:04 You don't know the opponent of the day yet.
07:06 How will that change things for this upcoming week?
07:08 You made a point to say the virtue of that is a lot of extra practice.
07:11 >> Yeah, I don't know what the goal is, though.
07:15 >> Right.
07:17 >> Once we find out in a week from now, we'll make the schedule for next week.
07:22 Look, these kids need a little bit of a mental break.
07:25 So we'll give them a day off, a couple days to get away,
07:28 not really focusing on academics, maybe for the last part of the semester.
07:32 And then we'll circle back up with them on Tuesday and
07:35 then proceed as we normally would within a week.
07:38 I told him after the game, that's the big difference.
07:40 Now, the season's not over.
07:42 We're still in season right now.
07:44 So we'll give them a couple days and then we'll get back to it here.
07:46 >> Thank you.
07:50 >> Yeah, Coach, walking off the field there from the seniors,
07:54 there was a lot of emotion your last game here, Bobby died.
07:56 What was your message to them before the game and
07:58 then now after the game, after a tough loss?
08:01 >> Most messages we'll keep between them, it's a locker room.
08:05 But I told him, from the start, walking down Yellow Jacket Alley,
08:09 soak it in, take advantage of these moments.
08:13 These things come one time.
08:19 They need to enjoy the moment, soak it in.
08:22 That's what's great about being a college football player, are those moments.
08:27 And there's a lot of emotion that comes in days like today when players play their
08:31 last game in their home stadium.
08:33 And we convert that emotion to energy and use it for the good.
08:38 I want them to do that every game.
08:42 I told him I'm proud of him.
08:44 Love those guys, man, I really do.
08:45 So thank you for the seniors.
08:47 >> Okay, time for a couple more.
08:51 >> I know it's hard for you to have one of the women's game back there.
08:54 But I guess how much progress do you feel like you've seen now with the way
08:57 these games play down the stretch?
08:59 And if they were playing, as you build your culture and
09:03 trying to get to where you wanna get to, and you're wanting to have being a little
09:08 one on the lips a little bit, and these moments like this to try and
09:13 build your culture in the program.
09:14 I know it's hard to divorce stuff from your heart, but just know.
09:18 >> Everyone here is confident in the way we're building the program.
09:23 But to talk about seniors in one hand and talk about building the future in the other,
09:27 you can't do that.
09:28 It's about what's happening now.
09:30 It's about what you do now.
09:31 It's about what you do for these seniors, it's their last ride.
09:34 And that's what focus is for myself.
09:36 It's about being the best you can be every single day for
09:38 these seniors that are here now, that won't come back.
09:42 >> Look, are you encouraged by the progress?
09:46 Yeah, but we'll sit down again this season and really evaluate after the bowl game.
09:50 What we're gonna continue to do, what we're gonna do better,
09:52 and what we're gonna adjust to.
09:54 >> Anything else?
09:56 Okay, thank you, coach.