ATLANTA- The elephant in the room during Brent Key's Tuesday media avail was the status of star quarterback Haynes King for Saturday's game at Virginia Tech. King missed his first game in two seasons on the Flats last Saturday with an undisclosed injury.
Key responded to a report from a 247Sports reporter covering Virginia Tech that declared King was out for the game against the Hokies.
"Haynes is still day to day," Key said. "Mike (Flynn) told me before we came down there that there was some report that someone said he is not playing. There is one person in this entire stratosphere or universe, something only Shane Kimbrough (GT grad and NASA astronaut) would know of that makes that call and that's myself. There has been zero call made on that, zero. He is day-to-day."
Zach Pyron started for the first time since 2022 against Notre Dame last week and true freshman Aaron Philo assumed the QB2 duties for the game. Key said they are preparing all of their quarterbacks for Virginia Tech.
"Are we preparing other guys to play? Yes. Have we ruled (King) out? No. You heard it from the horse's mouth right there."
Key said that he was pleased with Pyron's performance in King's place on Saturday. Pyron threw for 269 yards and one touchdown but two interceptions including a pick-six against the highly-rated Irish defense.
"Zach is full of grit and toughness and he wills people around him to play that way. He started off hot, really hot and I thought Buster (Faulkner) did a really good job of getting a rhythm going and completing passes early to move us down the field," Key said. "I was very proud of the way he went in and performed. That is not saying the 72 plays were perfect, there are things we got to do better, but the guy made his first start in two years and gave us what he has."
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Key opened up the presser talking about how he was real with his team after the win over North Carolina about the issues they were having and the differences in that game that made that game close and then mistakes in the Louisville game that cost them a win, he said they have to be honest with themselves and they were as they watched the Notre Dame tape and it showed what he thought it would show and it was a culmination of issues that were cropping up before. They had things they needed to address and clean up and they didn't accomplish that and get them cleaned up properly. He talked about how you practice is how you play and what matters is winning a football game on Saturday and what occurred and what didn't occur last week is on him and it starts wit him and begins and ends with him as the head coach.
He said they don't have effort issues, it is not a playing hard issue, there isn't an issue competing for the whole game either, he said it comes down to the detail and execution within the game where they are struggling in multiple phases as well as the deep down belief and expectation that they are going to win the football game. He said from the staff down they have to instill that belief they can win and that confidence. He thinks the guys wanted to win and were playing to win, but they didn't play like that the whole game. He said they can't just flip a switch in the second quarter and start playing harder from the start to the end of the game. Making a block, tackling one-on-one in space, blocking one-on-one, running routes, everyone has to do their job and have confidence built on the repetition of practice and those experiences of doing the job.
Key said the identity of his team is a one that competes hard for four quarters and prepares the right way and then coaching them up to their best of their abilities and he spoke to the team on Saturday about that. They have been working on identifying those issues, GT's Achilles heel and fixing it. They had a lot of conversations about it this week and things have started to take place to ensure there is not a repeat at VaTech which is a hard place to play with a good fan base and it is going to be loud. He thinks they are two evenly matched teams in a lot of ways.
I asked him about the special teams issue and how it seems to be a different problem each time there is an issue and it getting worse over the last four games. Key said there is no seems to it, they have issues and he is has made some adjustments to get them fixed. He said they made massive improvements in special teams for a year and four games and then the second four games it has been an issue. They did a deep dive into and have made the necessary adjustments.
Key said he can live with a missed tackle here or there, it happens and you aren't coaching it to happen but multiple missed tackles is an issue and he knows they aren't afraid to hurt the other person, so are you afraid of contact, are you not confident in your ability to do? They don't go into the game saying I don't want to make a tackle. Ability is ability, that is built into your DNA, they coach up ability, you are not changing that, but are you afraid to get hurt, are you afraid to miss the tackle, you can't be scared out there and in those one-on-one situations, you have to have the confidence to do it, also it helps if people swarm the ball, have the 10 other guys come help you clean it up, gang tackle and leverage the football. It comes down to understanding your keys/responsibilities and then having the confidence the player behind you is going to step up and make a play if you miss.
Key talked a lot more about the confidence piece as part of culture building, check out the audio or video. He was asked how long it takes to develop that and he said it took a few years when he got to GT as a player and 5-6 years at UCF for them to build that consistently within the program where the 60 players who carryover year to year taught the new ones the culture in the locker room. He said last year's team by the end of the year had confidence off the charts and played like that, but it took some bad things to get there and he isn't sure how to bottle what makes that happen into something he can just use at the start of each season. Key said at Alabama it was year nine of Nick Saban being there and 11 out of 12 times they got off the bus the game was over before it started.
Key also said Notre Dame is a good team and they had good players who were disciplined and played a lot of tight man-to-man coverage and their QB did a great job of running the offense. He said that some plays that would've been a 30-yard gain the week before were a 1-2 yard run or catch and run because of guys playing really well. He said at this point in the year there is also a book on every team and things you got away with early in the season and those small margins are erased by good teams exploiting your weaknesses. He said he works every day to build up the culture of the football team and in their locker room so they can be one of those good teams who play like that.
I asked about Kyle Efford's status and he said that Kyle was at practice today in the black non-contact jersey and he is improving but is day-today, they don't want to rush him back if he isn't ready and put the rest of his season in jeopardy.
I asked about EJ Lightsey's first game playing real defense since HS, Key said that EJ has been through a lot since HS and he is excited to see him back out there and the improvements he is making, he said that he could see him improving as his snaps went up during the game and he got more comfortable.
Key then sidetracked into talking about the middle eight of the game and how awful the defense was during those 22-25 plays and they haven't really seen that his year, it is not acceptable and not Georgia Tech defensive football.
Key said that Zeek Biggers is really coming into his own now and their big thing with him is to just do his job and not try to do too much. Key said that he thought that was the best the D-line has played all year against ND. The depth they've added has been crucial to their success and he is enjoying seeing the improvement week-to-week.
On Aaron Philo, Key said he is a freshman and he had the luxury of being here in the springtime and he is ahead of some of the younger guys, but he is a great kid and is awesome to be around. He loves playing football and the guys rally around him and raise up around him. He broke some records in the state of GA for QBs and he is going to be a really good player for him, he is happy with how he is developing.
Key responded to a report from a 247Sports reporter covering Virginia Tech that declared King was out for the game against the Hokies.
"Haynes is still day to day," Key said. "Mike (Flynn) told me before we came down there that there was some report that someone said he is not playing. There is one person in this entire stratosphere or universe, something only Shane Kimbrough (GT grad and NASA astronaut) would know of that makes that call and that's myself. There has been zero call made on that, zero. He is day-to-day."
Zach Pyron started for the first time since 2022 against Notre Dame last week and true freshman Aaron Philo assumed the QB2 duties for the game. Key said they are preparing all of their quarterbacks for Virginia Tech.
"Are we preparing other guys to play? Yes. Have we ruled (King) out? No. You heard it from the horse's mouth right there."
Key said that he was pleased with Pyron's performance in King's place on Saturday. Pyron threw for 269 yards and one touchdown but two interceptions including a pick-six against the highly-rated Irish defense.
"Zach is full of grit and toughness and he wills people around him to play that way. He started off hot, really hot and I thought Buster (Faulkner) did a really good job of getting a rhythm going and completing passes early to move us down the field," Key said. "I was very proud of the way he went in and performed. That is not saying the 72 plays were perfect, there are things we got to do better, but the guy made his first start in two years and gave us what he has."
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Key opened up the presser talking about how he was real with his team after the win over North Carolina about the issues they were having and the differences in that game that made that game close and then mistakes in the Louisville game that cost them a win, he said they have to be honest with themselves and they were as they watched the Notre Dame tape and it showed what he thought it would show and it was a culmination of issues that were cropping up before. They had things they needed to address and clean up and they didn't accomplish that and get them cleaned up properly. He talked about how you practice is how you play and what matters is winning a football game on Saturday and what occurred and what didn't occur last week is on him and it starts wit him and begins and ends with him as the head coach.
He said they don't have effort issues, it is not a playing hard issue, there isn't an issue competing for the whole game either, he said it comes down to the detail and execution within the game where they are struggling in multiple phases as well as the deep down belief and expectation that they are going to win the football game. He said from the staff down they have to instill that belief they can win and that confidence. He thinks the guys wanted to win and were playing to win, but they didn't play like that the whole game. He said they can't just flip a switch in the second quarter and start playing harder from the start to the end of the game. Making a block, tackling one-on-one in space, blocking one-on-one, running routes, everyone has to do their job and have confidence built on the repetition of practice and those experiences of doing the job.
Key said the identity of his team is a one that competes hard for four quarters and prepares the right way and then coaching them up to their best of their abilities and he spoke to the team on Saturday about that. They have been working on identifying those issues, GT's Achilles heel and fixing it. They had a lot of conversations about it this week and things have started to take place to ensure there is not a repeat at VaTech which is a hard place to play with a good fan base and it is going to be loud. He thinks they are two evenly matched teams in a lot of ways.
I asked him about the special teams issue and how it seems to be a different problem each time there is an issue and it getting worse over the last four games. Key said there is no seems to it, they have issues and he is has made some adjustments to get them fixed. He said they made massive improvements in special teams for a year and four games and then the second four games it has been an issue. They did a deep dive into and have made the necessary adjustments.
Key said he can live with a missed tackle here or there, it happens and you aren't coaching it to happen but multiple missed tackles is an issue and he knows they aren't afraid to hurt the other person, so are you afraid of contact, are you not confident in your ability to do? They don't go into the game saying I don't want to make a tackle. Ability is ability, that is built into your DNA, they coach up ability, you are not changing that, but are you afraid to get hurt, are you afraid to miss the tackle, you can't be scared out there and in those one-on-one situations, you have to have the confidence to do it, also it helps if people swarm the ball, have the 10 other guys come help you clean it up, gang tackle and leverage the football. It comes down to understanding your keys/responsibilities and then having the confidence the player behind you is going to step up and make a play if you miss.
Key talked a lot more about the confidence piece as part of culture building, check out the audio or video. He was asked how long it takes to develop that and he said it took a few years when he got to GT as a player and 5-6 years at UCF for them to build that consistently within the program where the 60 players who carryover year to year taught the new ones the culture in the locker room. He said last year's team by the end of the year had confidence off the charts and played like that, but it took some bad things to get there and he isn't sure how to bottle what makes that happen into something he can just use at the start of each season. Key said at Alabama it was year nine of Nick Saban being there and 11 out of 12 times they got off the bus the game was over before it started.
Key also said Notre Dame is a good team and they had good players who were disciplined and played a lot of tight man-to-man coverage and their QB did a great job of running the offense. He said that some plays that would've been a 30-yard gain the week before were a 1-2 yard run or catch and run because of guys playing really well. He said at this point in the year there is also a book on every team and things you got away with early in the season and those small margins are erased by good teams exploiting your weaknesses. He said he works every day to build up the culture of the football team and in their locker room so they can be one of those good teams who play like that.
I asked about Kyle Efford's status and he said that Kyle was at practice today in the black non-contact jersey and he is improving but is day-today, they don't want to rush him back if he isn't ready and put the rest of his season in jeopardy.
I asked about EJ Lightsey's first game playing real defense since HS, Key said that EJ has been through a lot since HS and he is excited to see him back out there and the improvements he is making, he said that he could see him improving as his snaps went up during the game and he got more comfortable.
Key then sidetracked into talking about the middle eight of the game and how awful the defense was during those 22-25 plays and they haven't really seen that his year, it is not acceptable and not Georgia Tech defensive football.
Key said that Zeek Biggers is really coming into his own now and their big thing with him is to just do his job and not try to do too much. Key said that he thought that was the best the D-line has played all year against ND. The depth they've added has been crucial to their success and he is enjoying seeing the improvement week-to-week.
On Aaron Philo, Key said he is a freshman and he had the luxury of being here in the springtime and he is ahead of some of the younger guys, but he is a great kid and is awesome to be around. He loves playing football and the guys rally around him and raise up around him. He broke some records in the state of GA for QBs and he is going to be a really good player for him, he is happy with how he is developing.
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