ATLANTA- Georgia Tech football coach Brent Key continued to prepare his team for the final scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday with a two-plus hour practice session on Thursday. Following practice first-year receivers coach Josh Crawford and a trio of his players, Avery Boyd, Christian Leary and Malik Rutherford spoke to the media for the first time in camp.
Crawford has been tasked with rebuilding a receiver room with two returning members of the two-deep a year ago, Malik Rutherford and James BlackStrain healthy enough to practice. Star receiver Leo Blackburn continues to rehab his torn ACL the lone returning starter from 2022, so it will be a different look in that room.
Tech brought in transfers Leary (Alabama), Chase Lane (Texas A&M), Abdul Janneh (Duquesne) and Dominick Blaylock (Georgia) since Crawford was hired. Those new faces coupled with returning players like BlackStrain, Rutherford, D.J. Moore and Boyd and three freshmen Eric Singleton Jr., Bailey Stockton and Zion Taylor will aim to replace the production of Nate McCollum (UNC transfer), E.J. Jenkins, Malachi Carter and Blackburn.
It will likely be more of a receiver-by-committee approach according to Crawford once the season starts up rather than leaning on just a handful of players.
“The entire room I’m really excited about. If there is a theme in my room it is strength in numbers,” Crawford said. “A lot of these guys at different times have continued to make plays on a daily basis and we have a lot of guys that can run that can make plays on the ball so overall the depth of this room is pretty good right now. I feel good about it.”
Crawford said his goal is to push his players to compete snap to snap and not just jockey for depth chart spots.
“So in the receiver room, we talk about it all the time, we have the cheetah and gazelle mentality. So I never want them comfortable. They have to have the mindset of if I had a good day or even if I’m named the starter, I never want those guys to be comfortable in their position and think hey I won the starting job or maybe I’m going out with the first group so I can rest on my laurels,” he said. “If you’ve got good depth and talent in your room you are able to get pressure that you are able to create and I’m very fortunate to have a lot of guys that I feel like we can roll in. They know when they come to practice they have to be on their A-game.”
JOSH CRAWFORD OTHER QUOTES
James BlackStrain hasn’t been fully cleared but yesterday he made an outstanding one-handed catch yesterday. He is making progress
It is a great group and tight brotherhood and that is something we make very clear. Know your assistment and be where you are supposed to be. There is accountability in the group as well. There is a lot talent in the room.
Zion Taylor and Eric Singleton, beyond strength in numbers the youth movement, I’m excited about the potential and the future of the WR group. Those two guys have come in here and caught everyone’s eye, they can run and make plays. Bailey Stockton is another one, he had an injury coming into camp and he has made some plays.
We try to set it up so the best players play. If you have an X and Z, if the third best player is in the slot, he needs to have the ability to go outside if that guy goes down. It is not about what position they play, but who are our best guys, that is what spring, summer and camp is about. Who are our best guys, who are our best guys and how can we have them out there. When we have depth like we do, we have guys who can roll and guys who can play inside and outside, that creates value for you as a player. That creates value for you and the team.
Abdul Janneh, very proud of him, he didn’t have the greatest summer and we had heart-to-heart and I was very honest and to his credit once camp started he flipped a switch. He is another one I’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about. He has been consistent in camp making plays and he is a kid who is hard not to like. I’m very excited about him he can show his talent and that he belongs here.
Avery Boyd, is a very talented player, he has a unique blend of size and speed, he is one of the fastest guys on the team and strongest, keep your eye out for him. He is a Swiss-army knife and he can help us in a myriad of areas. He has a great attitude and his maturity level has taken another step and he is trying to step into his own, I’m starting to see growth and hunger in him.
When Leo went down, it was a big blow for not only him, but me, he is very talented. He is going to come back and have an extraordinary career, but that said ball has to be played and the addition of Dom Blaylock, Chase Lane, Christian Leary, Abdul we talked about him and we’ve got Malik and there is DJ Moore and also the young freshmen Eric Singleton, Zion Taylor and Bailey Stockton, we have some depth. There is not a lot of experience in that room in terms of returning starters, but the attitude is there but we have to keep working and go out and do it. Potential is potential until it is actualized.
It is truly a blessing to coach at GT, as a coach you show up and do the best you can everyday and you hope and pray for these opportunities. I also realize anyone else can be here, so I’m very grateful to have this opportunity.
On leadership, it is really a cast of character, every day there is a new guy making a play or a wild catch. Malik Rutherford has been a consistent weapon for us and he has had a tremendous spring for us. Christian Leary makes explosive plays for us and his opportunity is special, they are two sides of the same coin. Eric Singleton of the young guys, he ran over 23 mph in practice and catches everything, very mature and calm and level headed you don’t see that often. Abdul is another big play threat. Dom comes in with his savvy and route running experience. Chase is another guy with speed and can make plays. DJ Moore is another guy who can make plays for us.
We throw and catch and do routes on air, guys do individually, we have three capable QBs and a multitude of capable WRs it keeps everyone on their A game and it gives them a hunger to work harder and we are in a great situation where you have three QBs that can do it and have done it during their career. That room will be fine, as WR who have to hold up our end and playing the game with the right effort and attitude.
Crawford has been tasked with rebuilding a receiver room with two returning members of the two-deep a year ago, Malik Rutherford and James BlackStrain healthy enough to practice. Star receiver Leo Blackburn continues to rehab his torn ACL the lone returning starter from 2022, so it will be a different look in that room.
Tech brought in transfers Leary (Alabama), Chase Lane (Texas A&M), Abdul Janneh (Duquesne) and Dominick Blaylock (Georgia) since Crawford was hired. Those new faces coupled with returning players like BlackStrain, Rutherford, D.J. Moore and Boyd and three freshmen Eric Singleton Jr., Bailey Stockton and Zion Taylor will aim to replace the production of Nate McCollum (UNC transfer), E.J. Jenkins, Malachi Carter and Blackburn.
It will likely be more of a receiver-by-committee approach according to Crawford once the season starts up rather than leaning on just a handful of players.
“The entire room I’m really excited about. If there is a theme in my room it is strength in numbers,” Crawford said. “A lot of these guys at different times have continued to make plays on a daily basis and we have a lot of guys that can run that can make plays on the ball so overall the depth of this room is pretty good right now. I feel good about it.”
Crawford said his goal is to push his players to compete snap to snap and not just jockey for depth chart spots.
“So in the receiver room, we talk about it all the time, we have the cheetah and gazelle mentality. So I never want them comfortable. They have to have the mindset of if I had a good day or even if I’m named the starter, I never want those guys to be comfortable in their position and think hey I won the starting job or maybe I’m going out with the first group so I can rest on my laurels,” he said. “If you’ve got good depth and talent in your room you are able to get pressure that you are able to create and I’m very fortunate to have a lot of guys that I feel like we can roll in. They know when they come to practice they have to be on their A-game.”
JOSH CRAWFORD OTHER QUOTES
James BlackStrain hasn’t been fully cleared but yesterday he made an outstanding one-handed catch yesterday. He is making progress
It is a great group and tight brotherhood and that is something we make very clear. Know your assistment and be where you are supposed to be. There is accountability in the group as well. There is a lot talent in the room.
Zion Taylor and Eric Singleton, beyond strength in numbers the youth movement, I’m excited about the potential and the future of the WR group. Those two guys have come in here and caught everyone’s eye, they can run and make plays. Bailey Stockton is another one, he had an injury coming into camp and he has made some plays.
We try to set it up so the best players play. If you have an X and Z, if the third best player is in the slot, he needs to have the ability to go outside if that guy goes down. It is not about what position they play, but who are our best guys, that is what spring, summer and camp is about. Who are our best guys, who are our best guys and how can we have them out there. When we have depth like we do, we have guys who can roll and guys who can play inside and outside, that creates value for you as a player. That creates value for you and the team.
Abdul Janneh, very proud of him, he didn’t have the greatest summer and we had heart-to-heart and I was very honest and to his credit once camp started he flipped a switch. He is another one I’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about. He has been consistent in camp making plays and he is a kid who is hard not to like. I’m very excited about him he can show his talent and that he belongs here.
Avery Boyd, is a very talented player, he has a unique blend of size and speed, he is one of the fastest guys on the team and strongest, keep your eye out for him. He is a Swiss-army knife and he can help us in a myriad of areas. He has a great attitude and his maturity level has taken another step and he is trying to step into his own, I’m starting to see growth and hunger in him.
When Leo went down, it was a big blow for not only him, but me, he is very talented. He is going to come back and have an extraordinary career, but that said ball has to be played and the addition of Dom Blaylock, Chase Lane, Christian Leary, Abdul we talked about him and we’ve got Malik and there is DJ Moore and also the young freshmen Eric Singleton, Zion Taylor and Bailey Stockton, we have some depth. There is not a lot of experience in that room in terms of returning starters, but the attitude is there but we have to keep working and go out and do it. Potential is potential until it is actualized.
It is truly a blessing to coach at GT, as a coach you show up and do the best you can everyday and you hope and pray for these opportunities. I also realize anyone else can be here, so I’m very grateful to have this opportunity.
On leadership, it is really a cast of character, every day there is a new guy making a play or a wild catch. Malik Rutherford has been a consistent weapon for us and he has had a tremendous spring for us. Christian Leary makes explosive plays for us and his opportunity is special, they are two sides of the same coin. Eric Singleton of the young guys, he ran over 23 mph in practice and catches everything, very mature and calm and level headed you don’t see that often. Abdul is another big play threat. Dom comes in with his savvy and route running experience. Chase is another guy with speed and can make plays. DJ Moore is another guy who can make plays for us.
We throw and catch and do routes on air, guys do individually, we have three capable QBs and a multitude of capable WRs it keeps everyone on their A game and it gives them a hunger to work harder and we are in a great situation where you have three QBs that can do it and have done it during their career. That room will be fine, as WR who have to hold up our end and playing the game with the right effort and attitude.
