ATLANTA- Georgia Tech football continued preparations for the annual spring game with a morning practice session on the turf at Grant Field on Friday. After practice a trio of offensive players spoke to the media sharing updates on various topics including the progression of the offensive line and the quarterback competition.
Slot receiver Malik Rutherford spoke about the slot receiver position and said that newcomer Christian Leary has impressed him and the two of them are probably the fastest players on the team. He said that Leary ran a 10.5/100m in HS so he can fly. They are both Florida boys so they've bonded over that. He said that people shouldn't sleep on Jamal Haynes either and he feels like they have a nice rotation at slot receiver.
Rutherford said playing some last year gave him a lot of confidence going into this spring and he has big shoes to fill with Nate McCollum leaving, so he is trying to be a better leader and help the receiving room get better.
Rutherford said he had been waiting for his chance to be the guy and he just wants to make plays.
Rutherford said he really likes Josh Crawford (his third WR coach at GT) and he loves that he coaches the walk-ons with the same intensity he coaches the scholarship guys.
Rutherford said that Buster Faulkner's offense will use him in all types of ways from the slot to outside to even lining up off the tackle or with the RB taking quick pitches. He said it is really dynamic.
Rutherford said his toughness comes from his childhood and being undersized so he just never shies away from contact and plays like he is a bigger guy.
Rutherford said that DJ Moore has really stepped up this spring and Abdul Janneh has stepped up since Leo Blackburn got hurt and knows he has to play a larger role.
Weston Franklin said he has had to change his mentality this year and even though he still is a young guy he has had to step into a bigger leadership role so he is trying to be the best leader he can be. He said he is not by nature a vocal leader and more of a lead by example type so he has pushed himself to be more vocal.
Franklin said last year was him just trying to figure everything out on the fly and know he has a base of knowledge and game experience to build upon.
Franklin said he has worked a lot on cleaning up his technique and that Coach Geep Wade coaches it differently than Coach Key so that has been an adjustment along with what they are doing offensively as blockers. He said they know they can't be perfect especially at tempo so they do the best they can. He said that Wade is a fun guy to be around and a good coach and he said they are seeing his teaching translate on the field and he wants perfection with technique.
At center, Franklin said that Brandon Best is doing well and they've tried some other guys including Elias Cloy and Jordan Williams taking some snaps to build some depth.
Franklin said the OL room is very close and everyone comes in early and talk about their previous day and hang out and he will be friends with them for life.
Franklin said the tempo of Faulkner's offense is a little different and they are adjusting to that and trying to get calls quick and knowing you won't be perfect against the front the D is showing, but you have to execute anyway. Just set your eyes and roll with it sometimes.
Franklin joked that Brent Key tries to stay away from the OL but drifts over during practice anyway and occasionally gives his thoughts.
Rutherford and Franklin both said they feel good about the QB situation and the battle there and they think it will continue after the spring.
Fusile said that they are doing more Olympic training with AJ Artis and his staff and more power clean and a lot of work with their hips and he feels great and is moving better on the field.
Fusile said it has been good working with Franklin and Corey Robinson on either side of him again especially as they put more in offensively and change things.
Fusile said he is a little stiff and that is something he works on a lot and improving his movement, he joked that he is "stiff as a board."
Fusile said the techniques and teaching is a little different with Coach Wade than Key and the scheme is different because they come off the ball much faster in this scheme and he said you can get a better idea watching some App State clips from last year.
Fusile said that Akelo Stone is having a great camp for them and they've had some great battles.
Fusile said it is different now being a guy expected to start and contribute compared to before, but it is really exciting for him to be in that situation and he is just trying to get the scheme down perfect and tighten things up.
Fusile said that Mike Maye is a guy who has come on this spring along with Brandon Best and he likes the OL rotation they have, he thinks they will be in that top 8 group that Wade is trying to build.
Fusile said he is down 6 pounds and has dropped his body fat significantly.
OF NOTE:
Former Yellow Jacket PJ Davis was at practice today with several of his players from Columbia, SC.
Thacker had his family at practice today and his kids were providing a good bit of entertainment. Thack as you can imagine is a fun dad with a lot of energy.
Slot receiver Malik Rutherford spoke about the slot receiver position and said that newcomer Christian Leary has impressed him and the two of them are probably the fastest players on the team. He said that Leary ran a 10.5/100m in HS so he can fly. They are both Florida boys so they've bonded over that. He said that people shouldn't sleep on Jamal Haynes either and he feels like they have a nice rotation at slot receiver.
Rutherford said playing some last year gave him a lot of confidence going into this spring and he has big shoes to fill with Nate McCollum leaving, so he is trying to be a better leader and help the receiving room get better.
Rutherford said he had been waiting for his chance to be the guy and he just wants to make plays.
Rutherford said he really likes Josh Crawford (his third WR coach at GT) and he loves that he coaches the walk-ons with the same intensity he coaches the scholarship guys.
Rutherford said that Buster Faulkner's offense will use him in all types of ways from the slot to outside to even lining up off the tackle or with the RB taking quick pitches. He said it is really dynamic.
Rutherford said his toughness comes from his childhood and being undersized so he just never shies away from contact and plays like he is a bigger guy.
Rutherford said that DJ Moore has really stepped up this spring and Abdul Janneh has stepped up since Leo Blackburn got hurt and knows he has to play a larger role.
Weston Franklin said he has had to change his mentality this year and even though he still is a young guy he has had to step into a bigger leadership role so he is trying to be the best leader he can be. He said he is not by nature a vocal leader and more of a lead by example type so he has pushed himself to be more vocal.
Franklin said last year was him just trying to figure everything out on the fly and know he has a base of knowledge and game experience to build upon.
Franklin said he has worked a lot on cleaning up his technique and that Coach Geep Wade coaches it differently than Coach Key so that has been an adjustment along with what they are doing offensively as blockers. He said they know they can't be perfect especially at tempo so they do the best they can. He said that Wade is a fun guy to be around and a good coach and he said they are seeing his teaching translate on the field and he wants perfection with technique.
At center, Franklin said that Brandon Best is doing well and they've tried some other guys including Elias Cloy and Jordan Williams taking some snaps to build some depth.
Franklin said the OL room is very close and everyone comes in early and talk about their previous day and hang out and he will be friends with them for life.
Franklin said the tempo of Faulkner's offense is a little different and they are adjusting to that and trying to get calls quick and knowing you won't be perfect against the front the D is showing, but you have to execute anyway. Just set your eyes and roll with it sometimes.
Franklin joked that Brent Key tries to stay away from the OL but drifts over during practice anyway and occasionally gives his thoughts.
Rutherford and Franklin both said they feel good about the QB situation and the battle there and they think it will continue after the spring.
Fusile said that they are doing more Olympic training with AJ Artis and his staff and more power clean and a lot of work with their hips and he feels great and is moving better on the field.
Fusile said it has been good working with Franklin and Corey Robinson on either side of him again especially as they put more in offensively and change things.
Fusile said he is a little stiff and that is something he works on a lot and improving his movement, he joked that he is "stiff as a board."
Fusile said the techniques and teaching is a little different with Coach Wade than Key and the scheme is different because they come off the ball much faster in this scheme and he said you can get a better idea watching some App State clips from last year.
Fusile said that Akelo Stone is having a great camp for them and they've had some great battles.
Fusile said it is different now being a guy expected to start and contribute compared to before, but it is really exciting for him to be in that situation and he is just trying to get the scheme down perfect and tighten things up.
Fusile said that Mike Maye is a guy who has come on this spring along with Brandon Best and he likes the OL rotation they have, he thinks they will be in that top 8 group that Wade is trying to build.
Fusile said he is down 6 pounds and has dropped his body fat significantly.
OF NOTE:
Former Yellow Jacket PJ Davis was at practice today with several of his players from Columbia, SC.
Thacker had his family at practice today and his kids were providing a good bit of entertainment. Thack as you can imagine is a fun dad with a lot of energy.
