Head coach Brent Key gave insight in the Yellow Jackets program after the spring game here is everything he had to say.
Opening Statement:
“We had a simulated game today where we get out there and play. It really played out the way I wanted it to play out, how we match the teams up, things we wanted to see, things we wanted to get done. I don’t think we tackled really well last Saturday That was a big point of emphasis. We’ve had 270 plus live snaps this spring. So we made a real effort this week, improving our tackling. The best way to improve tackling is when you get in these situations. That’s why we didn’t go to the ground today. I wanted to see guys get body positioning from the guys, not tagging, you saw one of the couple of runs that spin as touchdowns. Guys come up, and they like to put a hand on him. Okay, well. Now if you’re live deal, where they gonna do? They went up diving, half of them tackles, half of them miss tackles. So now you got the ability to coach up these guys on being in position, being frontal on the guy. I to make those plays, whether you get hung up on a block, not using their hands to get off the block. So I thought there’s a lot of positives there and things we can coach up and that’s what reason I decided to go that today. But I it was good energy still, they came out and thought both groups really, it was a mix of guys throughout. The first D line was really a first, you almost don’t really consider a first D line right now because we have a lot of, I think, really good players that can help us this year on the defensive line. Yes, I did just say that. It’s great to say it. So I thought those guys did some good things. The first team offensive line. Big emphasis this week were our line games. Finishing on the line games on the defensive side, blocking movement in line games on the offensive side. thought we made improvement there. Kevin and Gavin had a catch for a big play and you guys see why I’m so high on Kevin Roche. mean, he’s got a chance to be a really, really good football player. I mean, a high level tight end, still got a long way to go. But all in all, come out of banged up a little bit going into today.
We had some guys, was game time, might have been able to push the envelope and play. But it was a physical spring, we were banged up. Other than guys that might have been prior to spring that had surgeries coming out at the end of last season. uh No one was lost for any extended amount of time. So that’s a huge positive too. So I thought we’ve come out of spring, we can look back and say now we did a better job. I think this year developing young guys, new guys at a quicker rate. So those guys are playing at a higher level late in the season, midpoint late through the season, more so than last year that we were. I think we have a chance to have a solid football team. Now that being said, we have a lot of work. They’ll walk out of here today, come back in, start preparing for finals, get ready to take the finals. Hopefully have a finish with another really strong semester there. Take a little time away and then come back in and after Memorial Day we’ll be back together completely as a team and ready to rock and roll and put two months of training in leading into preseason training camp.”
On the starting quarterback for the Yellow Jackets….
“Who do think it is? Yeah, you’re right. But I don’t know, I can’t predict the future. That’s why those guys all got reps, right? We started a game today, he would be our starting quarterback. Pretty simple. I thought the other guys showed progress. I think probably two throws Grady would love to have back right now. Then we’re just like, what in the world that come from?
He had a couple really good ones. He tried to throw some in some those tight windows across the middle. But and then, I mean, how about the freshman? He can spin it now, but it’s gonna take a while. Cole’s (Bergeron) gonna take it. It takes time to learn, not just the verbiage and just how to call play, but then what you have to do on every play. But he’s got talent. He’s got big, I think, really, really good arm talent. No, but I’ve been very pleased with Berto, very pleased with his progression over the last two weeks. Not just as uh the trigger man, but his overall leadership, how he’s running the offense, managing the offense, how he’s settling in to the role here. I’ve been very pleased with him and his development, not just over the course of spring, but especially over the last two weeks.”
On the running backs…
“They exceeded it. mean, I don’t know what type of expectations they are. My expectations are high for every position. Um, we have a lot of talent in there. We’re a deep room. They all want the football. they’re also, mean, Jimmy Smith’s been an unbelievable addition to our staff. Not only just the way he coaches, but the way he manages those guys, runs the room, recruits. I’ve really been pleased with him and his addition to the staff. We have some talented guys back there. They take a lot of pride in their craft, they push each other. That’s the beauty of things that George Godsey is able to do and put those guys all in positions to be able to help us this season.”
On the plans for the defensive line…
“Number one, stop the run. Number two, generate pass rush to create negative plays, and affect the quarterback and get sacks. Bam. Everybody here knows it was a mission of mine to set out to increase the size and length of our defensive line, right? You want ends that look like a Amontrae (Bradford) right? Well, now we do. uh We needed more girth inside, we needed more depth inside. That’s what that has been very encouraging. We put a lot of defense in this spring to really see what sticks and see what these guys, what their attention level is. I’ve been pleased with those guys. But being able to play technique up front, being able to play attack mode, single gap up front, being able to play varying fronts. I’ve been pleased with the coaching of them. I think Jess and Kyle have done an outstanding job with those guys. Simplified a ton of things, especially at the edge position, where those guys can just feel free to go play. Obviously the acquisition of talent. Like I said earlier, this week was a big work on our line games. Big work with playing technique in the run. These guys though, can play on the edge with speed. A lot of them, they showed how the ability to play with power. They have girth to them, size, and we’re deep there. So I’m not trying to oversell it and act like we’re the best that’s ever come, but I’m damn excited about them.”
On what has been the most enjoyable part about all the new pieces on the staff and team…
“Waking up every day coming in. mean, it’s a joy. The adjusting and not just the staff and not just the roster, but just some organizational things that would structure wise in the organization that really allowed me now going to the fourth year. We really started to settle in and see things and learn from things in the past. Have allowed me to do a lot more things, whether it be hands on with coaching, being part of the offense defense special teams or uh more hands on in recruiting. But still being able to handle the other things. There’s three guys on our staff right now that I can’t say enough great things about. That’s Josh Thompson, Donald Hill-Ely and Brian Bohannon. Those three men, in the way we restructured this thing this year and have those guys things reporting up to them and then those three to me. That’s been a game changer. An absolute game changer, for me as the head football coach. I can’t thank those three men enough.”
On Tae Harris, Fenix Felton and the secondary…
“Yeah, it’s hard today. There’s a lot of things going on out there. You’re trying to manage the game, but also you got some of the guys from last year out there, you got different people. So I mean, we had the world record extra point try today. So you want to have some fun out there too, right? The back end has really developed come along. Jaylen Mbakwe, he’s been a great addition. I thought he looked really good today, really good. We were not good tackling the last two scrimmages. That’s when I said, well, so you’re not gonna tackle to get better tackling? I was like, yeah, I mean, cuz it’s getting yourself in position. I thought it really showed on Thursday and I thought it showed today being a much better body position they need to be in…