ATLANTA- Bad weather rolled while Georgia Tech football went through practice on Tuesday. Head coach Brent Key opted to move his team indoors for the majority of practice. Afterward, offensive line coach Geep Wade and a trio of his linemen spoke to the media about fall camp.
Finding depth on the offensive line has been a major topic of fall camp. The center position is an area where the Jackets lack game experience behind presumptive starter Weston Franklin. Wade said they are trying out several players including true freshman Gabe Fortson and redshirt freshman Brandon Best. Both are competing for the number two center spot along with a surprise name.
"Weston has kind of been the main show for the last year playing as a young kid and he has really progressed. He is a kid who has really worked himself into what he has become through our weight program and through our offseason program," Wade said. "Behind him last spring, Brandon Best, we gave him a shot there and we told him some things he had to do over the summer to continue to progress to where we thought he needed to be at this level to win and he did it. Gabe Fortson has come in and for a freshman, I'm really proud of where he is at. He missed practice today with an illness, but he has really progressed. Then we are working Joe Fusile a little bit so we have a bunch of different combinations and as a staff, we have to get it honed in the next four or five days before next week starts."
Lots of praise for OT Ethan MacKenny and center Gabe Fortson from the players and Wade. Benjamin Galloway got a shoutout at guard for the freshmen as well.
MORE FROM GEEP
We are looking for 8-10 guys, at this level if you have eight you feel good. The center position is the one we are working really hard at and there are a bunch of different combinations we are working and we have to find some continuity there. That is something we are working on next week to build.
They are a tight-knit group and we recruit guys who want to hang out together and enjoy college. I tell our kids if they are happy where they are at they will play better. I want positive energy in my room and I am a positive guy. If you are not in this profession it will beat you down. As an OL there will be ebbs and flows in this and we want to be on the good end of that. You have your teammates around you and you guys have to fix it
Connor Scaglione is a grown man and is a big guy, he didn’t go through spring ball at Princeton and he has a bum knee, shoulder and wrist and is going through Coach Key’s practices and trying to fight through it. He has been an added bonus.
All these camp reps are invaluable we set the mentality. In the season you are scout teaming.
At OT, he said the guys have done amazing things with their bodies and hips, Corey Robinson and Jakiah Leftwich have worked as hard as anyone on the team and they’ve put themselves into a position to be potential starters and they are both very tough kids.
Ethan MacKenny is running with the twos with every rep. Ben Galloway is very twitchy at guard. Gabe went out there with the twos and ran 50-60 plays with the twos at center. Pat Screws has been limited a little and Elias Cloy has been playing tackle and we will move him around.
With the zone scheme guys can move around so there is less of an emphasis on this guy is a tackle and this guy is a guard.
WESTON FRANKLIN QUICK QUOTES
It is a different staff than with Key coaching us, different terms and it has been a smooth transition and so there are some different terms and words for the same stuff Key had us doing.
It helps having the guys they’ve played games with and they are seeing things with the same set of eyes and we can all play as one unit.
Camp has been difficult and trying to recoup your body after losing body weight while making progress forward with meetings
Weston said that Gabe is learning the offense fast and he is still working on some things and he is trying to help him, he tries to tell him everything he knows. He has to have confidence in that position and it is hard as a true freshman with guys looking at you, but you have to step up.
Weston they have been going out to eat and spending time together as an OL getting to know each other.
Gabe could back me up or Joe. Connor has done a good job joining us and Ethan MacKenny has stepped up as a freshman and is a very physical player. Tyler Gibson is doing a good job, he has to work on a few things, but he makes the right steps.
Weston said each QB has their own style and they have to know each one they are working with, they worked on getting to know each other off the field, it is just about knowing which one I’m playing with at the time.
Weston said the DL all those guys have played together and they feed off each other and talk every play and you have to block them out and focus on your play. They’ve gelled and play really well together.
COREY ROBINSON QUICK QUOTES
Coming out of spring ball, I was 280 before summer training and I came back at 302 and worked with AJ Artis and stayed with the nutrition to get ready for that grind in camp. In May I did a lot of stuff on my own, my mom was feeding me like crazy and AJ set up a good plan and we get after it. Erin our nutritionist worked on making that weight a little better.
I would say we have more confidence and we’ve all played snaps in big games and we were real young last year and now we play with a different edge with the chemistry we have under our belt.
Towards the end of the year we went through a lot as a team and we got to the end of the season and we wanted to play for each other and together and I think that helped us a lot.
I love Joe, our chemistry is unmatched and I love playing next to him, when I’m low he brings me up and I try to do the same for him. I’m happy to have him next to me.
Ethan works hard and he is a dog, he is very athletic and he will develop into a really good player very soon.
JOE FUSILE QUICK QUOTES
Weston is a great center and I’m learning from him as I take some snaps.
Coach Wade is high energy and he is an attack the line. Him and Coach Key compliment each other.
I cut out milk and I lost like 6% body fat from that. We get after it in the weight room too.
Corey is great and I really appreciate that and playing with Weston is great too, we have great chemistry now.
I’m really pleased with them and Gabe has been really good at picking up the offense. Gabe is as strong as of a freshman as I’ve seen. Ethan MacKenny is really good.
I think we will be very prepared for Louisville.
Having an OL HC has been a great thing and I do enjoy his approach very much.
Finding depth on the offensive line has been a major topic of fall camp. The center position is an area where the Jackets lack game experience behind presumptive starter Weston Franklin. Wade said they are trying out several players including true freshman Gabe Fortson and redshirt freshman Brandon Best. Both are competing for the number two center spot along with a surprise name.
"Weston has kind of been the main show for the last year playing as a young kid and he has really progressed. He is a kid who has really worked himself into what he has become through our weight program and through our offseason program," Wade said. "Behind him last spring, Brandon Best, we gave him a shot there and we told him some things he had to do over the summer to continue to progress to where we thought he needed to be at this level to win and he did it. Gabe Fortson has come in and for a freshman, I'm really proud of where he is at. He missed practice today with an illness, but he has really progressed. Then we are working Joe Fusile a little bit so we have a bunch of different combinations and as a staff, we have to get it honed in the next four or five days before next week starts."
Lots of praise for OT Ethan MacKenny and center Gabe Fortson from the players and Wade. Benjamin Galloway got a shoutout at guard for the freshmen as well.
MORE FROM GEEP
We are looking for 8-10 guys, at this level if you have eight you feel good. The center position is the one we are working really hard at and there are a bunch of different combinations we are working and we have to find some continuity there. That is something we are working on next week to build.
They are a tight-knit group and we recruit guys who want to hang out together and enjoy college. I tell our kids if they are happy where they are at they will play better. I want positive energy in my room and I am a positive guy. If you are not in this profession it will beat you down. As an OL there will be ebbs and flows in this and we want to be on the good end of that. You have your teammates around you and you guys have to fix it
Connor Scaglione is a grown man and is a big guy, he didn’t go through spring ball at Princeton and he has a bum knee, shoulder and wrist and is going through Coach Key’s practices and trying to fight through it. He has been an added bonus.
All these camp reps are invaluable we set the mentality. In the season you are scout teaming.
At OT, he said the guys have done amazing things with their bodies and hips, Corey Robinson and Jakiah Leftwich have worked as hard as anyone on the team and they’ve put themselves into a position to be potential starters and they are both very tough kids.
Ethan MacKenny is running with the twos with every rep. Ben Galloway is very twitchy at guard. Gabe went out there with the twos and ran 50-60 plays with the twos at center. Pat Screws has been limited a little and Elias Cloy has been playing tackle and we will move him around.
With the zone scheme guys can move around so there is less of an emphasis on this guy is a tackle and this guy is a guard.
WESTON FRANKLIN QUICK QUOTES
It is a different staff than with Key coaching us, different terms and it has been a smooth transition and so there are some different terms and words for the same stuff Key had us doing.
It helps having the guys they’ve played games with and they are seeing things with the same set of eyes and we can all play as one unit.
Camp has been difficult and trying to recoup your body after losing body weight while making progress forward with meetings
Weston said that Gabe is learning the offense fast and he is still working on some things and he is trying to help him, he tries to tell him everything he knows. He has to have confidence in that position and it is hard as a true freshman with guys looking at you, but you have to step up.
Weston they have been going out to eat and spending time together as an OL getting to know each other.
Gabe could back me up or Joe. Connor has done a good job joining us and Ethan MacKenny has stepped up as a freshman and is a very physical player. Tyler Gibson is doing a good job, he has to work on a few things, but he makes the right steps.
Weston said each QB has their own style and they have to know each one they are working with, they worked on getting to know each other off the field, it is just about knowing which one I’m playing with at the time.
Weston said the DL all those guys have played together and they feed off each other and talk every play and you have to block them out and focus on your play. They’ve gelled and play really well together.
COREY ROBINSON QUICK QUOTES
Coming out of spring ball, I was 280 before summer training and I came back at 302 and worked with AJ Artis and stayed with the nutrition to get ready for that grind in camp. In May I did a lot of stuff on my own, my mom was feeding me like crazy and AJ set up a good plan and we get after it. Erin our nutritionist worked on making that weight a little better.
I would say we have more confidence and we’ve all played snaps in big games and we were real young last year and now we play with a different edge with the chemistry we have under our belt.
Towards the end of the year we went through a lot as a team and we got to the end of the season and we wanted to play for each other and together and I think that helped us a lot.
I love Joe, our chemistry is unmatched and I love playing next to him, when I’m low he brings me up and I try to do the same for him. I’m happy to have him next to me.
Ethan works hard and he is a dog, he is very athletic and he will develop into a really good player very soon.
JOE FUSILE QUICK QUOTES
Weston is a great center and I’m learning from him as I take some snaps.
Coach Wade is high energy and he is an attack the line. Him and Coach Key compliment each other.
I cut out milk and I lost like 6% body fat from that. We get after it in the weight room too.
Corey is great and I really appreciate that and playing with Weston is great too, we have great chemistry now.
I’m really pleased with them and Gabe has been really good at picking up the offense. Gabe is as strong as of a freshman as I’ve seen. Ethan MacKenny is really good.
I think we will be very prepared for Louisville.
Having an OL HC has been a great thing and I do enjoy his approach very much.
