Key said they will practice again tomorrow morning before they fly to Miami as part of the night game routine they have set up and the players seem to enjoy the decompression of that practice and the lead up to the night games a little more as they are able to flush the week of school and relax their minds a little more and that could be why they are playing a little better at night. Key said for him the games are the same regardless of the kick but with all the stuff going on for GT SAs maybe it helps having that extra bit of time.
"We are excited to go down they're excited to go down there and get on the field again. I told the team today you can accept the identity that's been out there that takes place from the previous game or you can go out and project a different identity to others and to the teams that you play. That's the choice that we have to make as a football team. Individually first, and each person has to make that choice to go out and play the game the right way and play four quarters extremely hard."
Key said there is also a difference between trying hard and competing and he wants his guys to compete.
"Trying hard is nowhere close to the same thing as going out and competing. They are two totally different things. When you try hard, you use you're using energy. It's all you're doing. And when you compete. There is no scoreboard there is no one thing you're playing up against other than how good you can play individually. If everybody makes that decision to do that thing collectively you will be better because there's times in every game we've played this year that this team has proven to go out and competed at a at a level with anyone that's been across the sidelines from us. But it hasn't been consistent and that's the reason you're sitting here and don't have the outcome you want in some of those games. That's the thing that they have to understand is there's a big difference in going out and trying hard and having a little success and not just thinking you're gonna go out on the field and things are gonna happen. You've got to go out and compete every single play."
Key said he doesn't need to be having fire and brimstone speeches at the end of quarters or halftime, they've got to make the decision as a team that they are not playing to the standard they expect from the team. He said they are continuing to address that mentality with the team to get them to play four solid quarters and not relax and not take their foot off the gas.
I asked Key about the alignment and missed read key issues in the Bowling Green game that both Sed and I pointed out over since the game ended and why guys are trying to do other jobs or not doing their jobs, he said that part of that is confidence in the call, confidence in the players on the field with you and that they'll be in the right position and know what to do with confidence. He said they are working to make sure everyone is on the same page as a unit, but they also have to execute their part of each call.
Chad asked him about his relationship with Mario Cristobal as they worked together at Bama for a year. Key said that Mario is a no-nonsense coach and he is an O-line coach by trade and he believes in physicality on the lines of scrimmage and stopping the run, running the football and creating explosives. Possessing the football, not necessarily time of possession but possessing the football when you want to. They've shared some things over the years and they are in similar situations as former O-line coaches at their alma mater building a football program to be what they want. He does things the right way and he believes in his process and there is very evident improvement in their football team from year one to year two. He isn't a first-time HC either and he has stuck to his game plan.
Key said the leadership piece on the team is something they've worked on since January 6th to develop those guys to speak up. Guys like to talk about leading by example but he thinks that is a fancy way of saying I don't want to speak up. He said that is hard in this society for people to speak up and challenge their peers. He said times change, but 18 to 23 year-olds are still the same and it is hard to speak up to your peers and take that risk of saying something others don't want to hear and they don't have the singular person who is wiling to do that. There are guys on the defense that can do it and they've got to collectively improve there and when you are truly a team anyone on offense, defense or special teams can speak up.
Key said they've worked Corey Robinson at RT a lot this week behind Jakiah Leftwich so he can be the third tackle with Jordan Williams still down. They are working Patrick Screws this week at LT some as Corey learns more RT. They are trying to develop both of them.
I asked very specifically about the play where Haynes King took the sack against a zero blitz look and how much latitude he has there to change calls and protections and if they thought about calling a timeout as well there.
"Haynes knows the offense inside and out. In that particular situation, when they come up and show a zero blitz look, we have a lot of different mechanisms to be able to change plays the line of scrimmage, flip protection calls. One way to another way to take care of things. When you bring an all-out blitz like that, it also means that there are guys that are running in the back end free. They can also line up at the line of scrimmage and then all drop out as well. So you're not going to waste a timeout when it comes to that.
Alright, do you know where your receivers are, and it becomes now that one person was one-on-one because now you have a chance to really big plays and that's the risk-reward versus the zero blitz. It is the big play versus the big play either way. That's not a situation whether he flipped the protection one way or the other way, it doesn't matter. It's still going to be a blitz look like that and there's still gonna be barreling down. He knows what he should have done in that situation. And that's why we coach it up and continue to move forward and make better decisions and in those times, he knows what he should have done in that situation. And that's why we coach it up and continue to move forward and make better decisions and in those times, but now he has a good amount of latitude to make changes at the line of scrimmage."
Key said you could definitely see more of Dontae Smith this week.
Key said that Christian Leary has done a good job and has really improved his ball skills as well and they like his versatility. He lined up as an outside receiver a bunch last week and even in the backfield and they are working on ways to get him the ball. Key said he has been pleased with his growth as a player.
I asked about James BlackStrain and he said he was cleared Sept. 1 and is coming off his second major knee injury and he has been mostly an emergency WR the last two weeks as he works his way back into the rotation. He is making progress. He should start showing up on special teams as well.
I asked about Leo Blackburn, "Leo is a machine. The progress he has made in his rehabilitation and how far he is ahead of schedule is." impressive. He said he isn't the doctor so he isn't putting a date on his return, but he is running and cutting already and he did his knee in April. He is away ahead of schedule and just getting stronger and bigger every day. He is a freak of nature as an athlete. He wishes he could be back today.
On Jamie Felix, Key said he is working on the scout team right now. He has been battling a series of different injuries since fall camp and that put him behind on reps and he is trying to work his way back, but that cost him valuable time and money.
"We are excited to go down they're excited to go down there and get on the field again. I told the team today you can accept the identity that's been out there that takes place from the previous game or you can go out and project a different identity to others and to the teams that you play. That's the choice that we have to make as a football team. Individually first, and each person has to make that choice to go out and play the game the right way and play four quarters extremely hard."
Key said there is also a difference between trying hard and competing and he wants his guys to compete.
"Trying hard is nowhere close to the same thing as going out and competing. They are two totally different things. When you try hard, you use you're using energy. It's all you're doing. And when you compete. There is no scoreboard there is no one thing you're playing up against other than how good you can play individually. If everybody makes that decision to do that thing collectively you will be better because there's times in every game we've played this year that this team has proven to go out and competed at a at a level with anyone that's been across the sidelines from us. But it hasn't been consistent and that's the reason you're sitting here and don't have the outcome you want in some of those games. That's the thing that they have to understand is there's a big difference in going out and trying hard and having a little success and not just thinking you're gonna go out on the field and things are gonna happen. You've got to go out and compete every single play."
Key said he doesn't need to be having fire and brimstone speeches at the end of quarters or halftime, they've got to make the decision as a team that they are not playing to the standard they expect from the team. He said they are continuing to address that mentality with the team to get them to play four solid quarters and not relax and not take their foot off the gas.
I asked Key about the alignment and missed read key issues in the Bowling Green game that both Sed and I pointed out over since the game ended and why guys are trying to do other jobs or not doing their jobs, he said that part of that is confidence in the call, confidence in the players on the field with you and that they'll be in the right position and know what to do with confidence. He said they are working to make sure everyone is on the same page as a unit, but they also have to execute their part of each call.
Chad asked him about his relationship with Mario Cristobal as they worked together at Bama for a year. Key said that Mario is a no-nonsense coach and he is an O-line coach by trade and he believes in physicality on the lines of scrimmage and stopping the run, running the football and creating explosives. Possessing the football, not necessarily time of possession but possessing the football when you want to. They've shared some things over the years and they are in similar situations as former O-line coaches at their alma mater building a football program to be what they want. He does things the right way and he believes in his process and there is very evident improvement in their football team from year one to year two. He isn't a first-time HC either and he has stuck to his game plan.
Key said the leadership piece on the team is something they've worked on since January 6th to develop those guys to speak up. Guys like to talk about leading by example but he thinks that is a fancy way of saying I don't want to speak up. He said that is hard in this society for people to speak up and challenge their peers. He said times change, but 18 to 23 year-olds are still the same and it is hard to speak up to your peers and take that risk of saying something others don't want to hear and they don't have the singular person who is wiling to do that. There are guys on the defense that can do it and they've got to collectively improve there and when you are truly a team anyone on offense, defense or special teams can speak up.
Key said they've worked Corey Robinson at RT a lot this week behind Jakiah Leftwich so he can be the third tackle with Jordan Williams still down. They are working Patrick Screws this week at LT some as Corey learns more RT. They are trying to develop both of them.
I asked very specifically about the play where Haynes King took the sack against a zero blitz look and how much latitude he has there to change calls and protections and if they thought about calling a timeout as well there.
"Haynes knows the offense inside and out. In that particular situation, when they come up and show a zero blitz look, we have a lot of different mechanisms to be able to change plays the line of scrimmage, flip protection calls. One way to another way to take care of things. When you bring an all-out blitz like that, it also means that there are guys that are running in the back end free. They can also line up at the line of scrimmage and then all drop out as well. So you're not going to waste a timeout when it comes to that.
Alright, do you know where your receivers are, and it becomes now that one person was one-on-one because now you have a chance to really big plays and that's the risk-reward versus the zero blitz. It is the big play versus the big play either way. That's not a situation whether he flipped the protection one way or the other way, it doesn't matter. It's still going to be a blitz look like that and there's still gonna be barreling down. He knows what he should have done in that situation. And that's why we coach it up and continue to move forward and make better decisions and in those times, he knows what he should have done in that situation. And that's why we coach it up and continue to move forward and make better decisions and in those times, but now he has a good amount of latitude to make changes at the line of scrimmage."
Key said you could definitely see more of Dontae Smith this week.
Key said that Christian Leary has done a good job and has really improved his ball skills as well and they like his versatility. He lined up as an outside receiver a bunch last week and even in the backfield and they are working on ways to get him the ball. Key said he has been pleased with his growth as a player.
I asked about James BlackStrain and he said he was cleared Sept. 1 and is coming off his second major knee injury and he has been mostly an emergency WR the last two weeks as he works his way back into the rotation. He is making progress. He should start showing up on special teams as well.
I asked about Leo Blackburn, "Leo is a machine. The progress he has made in his rehabilitation and how far he is ahead of schedule is." impressive. He said he isn't the doctor so he isn't putting a date on his return, but he is running and cutting already and he did his knee in April. He is away ahead of schedule and just getting stronger and bigger every day. He is a freak of nature as an athlete. He wishes he could be back today.
On Jamie Felix, Key said he is working on the scout team right now. He has been battling a series of different injuries since fall camp and that put him behind on reps and he is trying to work his way back, but that cost him valuable time and money.
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