A trio of Georgia Tech players spoke on Wednesday after a slightly later practice than normal. Transfer wide receiver Abdul Janneh made his first media appearance as a Yellow Jacket along with media stalwarts Dylan Leonard and Paul Moala.
Janneh said the weather down here has been a huge adjustment from Pittsburgh's weather, but really the biggest difference is the bigger players and more physical play. He said that camp really helped him make the adjustment.
Janneh said that making some big plays has been good for his confidence and a good feeling for him and he is just honored by be at GT.
Receivers coach Josh Crawford challenged Janneh in fall camp and he said that was about how not having a great spring and summer and he said that Crawford was really honest with him and told him he deserves to be here and he gave him a boost of confidence that really helped him up his game in fall camp.
Janneh said his dream was to play at Pitt, but things worked out the way they were supposed and when coach Crawford hit him up after he went in the portal he knew GT was the right spot for him over some other schools.
I asked him about playing X and Z interchangeably. He has basically played Chase Lane's snaps the last few weeks after Singleton emerged at the Z and Lane got hurt and they needed another Z receiver to roll with Singleton. He said that Crawford harps on position flexibility and he knows all three positions and that is a big thing for the whole receiver group.
Janneh said the bye week was about focusing on the small details and watching film and looking for tendencies and tells.
Janneh joked that Haynes King has a little Patrick Mahomes in him and you have to be ready for the ball to come at any time because he can extend plays and throw balls you don't expect.
I asked him about his blocking prowess (he is the best blocking receiver) and he said that Coach Key really harps on that and they are judged every day after practice on their blocking on the edge and they need to run the ball better to help the passing game.
Janneh said he got a wake-up call the first time he got hit by a P5 DL and just the size is different from the FCS and the physicality.
Dylan Leonard was up next he said that Miami had a really good defense and they ran some stuff in the first half they had to adjust to and then they started to get some momentum in the second half and move the ball. He said it was an important lesson on playing until the clock reads zero. He said most teams would've given up and just laid down at the end of the game, but that shows this team's character that they fought to the very end. Leonard said he has been here five years and that was the most unbelievable things he has ever seen and an incredible experience as well.
Leonard said they spent this past week working on fixing things and corrections so they can get the offense back going again this week.
Leonard said that Key has been harping on playing the full 60 minutes locked in and that starts in practice because you can't just show up on Saturdays and expect to play physical for 60 minutes. Tuesday and Wednesday are physical practices and that mindset of putting it together for 60 minutes starts then. They've flashed the ability to play complete ball throughout the year but haven't done it yet. Winning teams play a full 60 minutes and they need to do that. That was a big focus of the bye week.
I asked about the holding calls and Leonard said that it not acceptable to get the flags and he has to get his hands inside and put himself in the best position to avoid getting the call. He has been focused on fixing that and it has been uncharacteristic of him during his time here but those calls happen and it is something he has to fix and he can't let it affect his confidence or his game going forward.
Leonard said he has been impressed with the OL and how Ethan Mackenny has played as a true freshman. He is young and developing and moves extremely well especially on the outside zone and that is truly impressive to see because most big guys don't move like Ethan. He will make freshman mistakes but he is good. He works to communicate with him when they are lined up together as well.
I asked him about these final six games and if he had a message for the team about it as a senior, Leonard said that Georgia Tech means the world to him and he has put his blood, sweat and tears into this place for five years and he only has six games left to out and give it his all. He said it is crazy that his time is almost up, but there is a lot left on the table including the ACC Championship that GT could play for right now with just one conference loss. That is their goal to get to Charlotte and win it.
Leonard on his Jason Witten Award semifinalist nomination, he said that it is cool, but that is not why he does the things he does off the field. He said last week they went to Children's Hospital and hung out with some kids and he brought a few teammates with him and he said afterward one of his teammates texted him that he felt like he needed that more than the kids, just spending time and paying it back to the community and he said that was awesome. It really makes his day to do charity work like that.
Paul Moala said that BC has some tough runners and shifty runners along with a shifty QB so tackling will be a key this week for the D along with reading their keys.
I asked about the changes under Sherrer and he said that Sherrer made the calls and plays a little simpler for them so they could just play fast and physical and showcase their natural talents and abilities on defense. Sherrer took some of the thinking out of the defense and just have the D-line get pressure and the DBs cover and made everything easier to read and it was like backyard football, just showcasing their talents and abilities.
Moala said that they have not added more blitz packages, but he is good at blitzing and that is something he enjoys doing and is good at and he had success against Miami doing it and hopefully he will get to the QB more this season.
I asked him about why they play better on the road so far, Moala thinks it is about the attitude of the team. He thinks at home they've been more lax and comfortable and they have to go into games with the personality that they are going to win and have that mentality for the whole game to push them through lulls in the game and adversity. He said they've also struggled to keep the same mindset at home for the full 60 minutes especially in the second half.
Moala said the Miami game should help the D because it shows they can win in hostile environments and being at home with the crowd this week should help and push up their level of play and that is what is needed in the next couple of games.
On Castellanos, Moala said he is a really good and shifty player and they have to maintain eye discipline with him and that is something they've worked on a lot this week.
I asked about his constant flipping LB positions from middle to weakside and he said that it is not hard because Sherrer has taught all of them how to play both spots and it is really about alignment and what you do on the call more than anything else. He said they've learned both spots especially to help against tempo teams and knowing the assignments in case they are misaligned as well pre-snap.
Janneh said the weather down here has been a huge adjustment from Pittsburgh's weather, but really the biggest difference is the bigger players and more physical play. He said that camp really helped him make the adjustment.
Janneh said that making some big plays has been good for his confidence and a good feeling for him and he is just honored by be at GT.
Receivers coach Josh Crawford challenged Janneh in fall camp and he said that was about how not having a great spring and summer and he said that Crawford was really honest with him and told him he deserves to be here and he gave him a boost of confidence that really helped him up his game in fall camp.
Janneh said his dream was to play at Pitt, but things worked out the way they were supposed and when coach Crawford hit him up after he went in the portal he knew GT was the right spot for him over some other schools.
I asked him about playing X and Z interchangeably. He has basically played Chase Lane's snaps the last few weeks after Singleton emerged at the Z and Lane got hurt and they needed another Z receiver to roll with Singleton. He said that Crawford harps on position flexibility and he knows all three positions and that is a big thing for the whole receiver group.
Janneh said the bye week was about focusing on the small details and watching film and looking for tendencies and tells.
Janneh joked that Haynes King has a little Patrick Mahomes in him and you have to be ready for the ball to come at any time because he can extend plays and throw balls you don't expect.
I asked him about his blocking prowess (he is the best blocking receiver) and he said that Coach Key really harps on that and they are judged every day after practice on their blocking on the edge and they need to run the ball better to help the passing game.
Janneh said he got a wake-up call the first time he got hit by a P5 DL and just the size is different from the FCS and the physicality.
Dylan Leonard was up next he said that Miami had a really good defense and they ran some stuff in the first half they had to adjust to and then they started to get some momentum in the second half and move the ball. He said it was an important lesson on playing until the clock reads zero. He said most teams would've given up and just laid down at the end of the game, but that shows this team's character that they fought to the very end. Leonard said he has been here five years and that was the most unbelievable things he has ever seen and an incredible experience as well.
Leonard said they spent this past week working on fixing things and corrections so they can get the offense back going again this week.
Leonard said that Key has been harping on playing the full 60 minutes locked in and that starts in practice because you can't just show up on Saturdays and expect to play physical for 60 minutes. Tuesday and Wednesday are physical practices and that mindset of putting it together for 60 minutes starts then. They've flashed the ability to play complete ball throughout the year but haven't done it yet. Winning teams play a full 60 minutes and they need to do that. That was a big focus of the bye week.
I asked about the holding calls and Leonard said that it not acceptable to get the flags and he has to get his hands inside and put himself in the best position to avoid getting the call. He has been focused on fixing that and it has been uncharacteristic of him during his time here but those calls happen and it is something he has to fix and he can't let it affect his confidence or his game going forward.
Leonard said he has been impressed with the OL and how Ethan Mackenny has played as a true freshman. He is young and developing and moves extremely well especially on the outside zone and that is truly impressive to see because most big guys don't move like Ethan. He will make freshman mistakes but he is good. He works to communicate with him when they are lined up together as well.
I asked him about these final six games and if he had a message for the team about it as a senior, Leonard said that Georgia Tech means the world to him and he has put his blood, sweat and tears into this place for five years and he only has six games left to out and give it his all. He said it is crazy that his time is almost up, but there is a lot left on the table including the ACC Championship that GT could play for right now with just one conference loss. That is their goal to get to Charlotte and win it.
Leonard on his Jason Witten Award semifinalist nomination, he said that it is cool, but that is not why he does the things he does off the field. He said last week they went to Children's Hospital and hung out with some kids and he brought a few teammates with him and he said afterward one of his teammates texted him that he felt like he needed that more than the kids, just spending time and paying it back to the community and he said that was awesome. It really makes his day to do charity work like that.
Paul Moala said that BC has some tough runners and shifty runners along with a shifty QB so tackling will be a key this week for the D along with reading their keys.
I asked about the changes under Sherrer and he said that Sherrer made the calls and plays a little simpler for them so they could just play fast and physical and showcase their natural talents and abilities on defense. Sherrer took some of the thinking out of the defense and just have the D-line get pressure and the DBs cover and made everything easier to read and it was like backyard football, just showcasing their talents and abilities.
Moala said that they have not added more blitz packages, but he is good at blitzing and that is something he enjoys doing and is good at and he had success against Miami doing it and hopefully he will get to the QB more this season.
I asked him about why they play better on the road so far, Moala thinks it is about the attitude of the team. He thinks at home they've been more lax and comfortable and they have to go into games with the personality that they are going to win and have that mentality for the whole game to push them through lulls in the game and adversity. He said they've also struggled to keep the same mindset at home for the full 60 minutes especially in the second half.
Moala said the Miami game should help the D because it shows they can win in hostile environments and being at home with the crowd this week should help and push up their level of play and that is what is needed in the next couple of games.
On Castellanos, Moala said he is a really good and shifty player and they have to maintain eye discipline with him and that is something they've worked on a lot this week.
I asked about his constant flipping LB positions from middle to weakside and he said that it is not hard because Sherrer has taught all of them how to play both spots and it is really about alignment and what you do on the call more than anything else. He said they've learned both spots especially to help against tempo teams and knowing the assignments in case they are misaligned as well pre-snap.
