We spoke to Trey Cooley, Eddie Kelly and Connor Scaglione today all three were transfers from various levels ACC, AAC and Ivy.
Cooley said that he thinks his fit in this offense is a good one because he loves outside zone and that is what they ran at Louisville so he is very comfortable with the scheme for the RBs.
Cooley said they need to keep making explosive plays happen on offense and that will be what kicks it to another level. They have a ton of guys who run 20-23 mph on offense so they can be very explosive and they just have to keep putting points on the board.
Cooley said that Norv McKenzie was a big reason why he came to GT. He knew that Coach McKenzie would be the guy who could develop his game and get him to the next level of his game by tweaking things and coaching him up.
Cooley said they've only scratched the surface of the playbook and there are a lot of surprises they have not run yet. He said there are some plays that will raise some eyebrows that folks won't see coming.
Cooley said that Wake Forest is very solid on defense and they hustle to the ball every single play and do a good job with their turnover margin. He said one unique thing they do is they'll use their nickel all over and he will line up like a MIKE LB and the MIKE might lineup as the nickel or a SAM LB, they have smart guys and that is obvious.
Cooley said that Haynes King is a great guy and a great leader and he can go to him day in and day out and he will answer any questions and they have fun on a personal level too and chop it up.
Cooley said he feels like Jamal Haynes and himself are a good 1-2 punch at RB and Haynes is very explosive and does a good job in the open field and he feels like he does a good job taking it home (to the end zone) and those are things you definitely need in the ACC.
Eddie Kelly said that the WF mesh is unique and their offense is a challenge and the WF OL has good size and they are very patient running the offense. Kelly said it is very interesting, but Marco Coleman is the best of the best coaches and he said the key is not peaking at the QB and if you do they might pull it and go for 60. He said Coach Coleman puts them in the best position to succeed in the game and in practice so we are never in the wrong. If they make mistakes they watch that on film and go over it.
Kelly said his back injury was very scary in the SC State game, but thankfully it was not a serious injury and he was able to play last week at Ole Miss and he is back ready to go.
Kelly said that Coach Coleman has been harping on getting more sacks every day and they've been doing drills and working on that and more TFLs and he said he promises those big plays are coming.
Kelly said that Sylvain Yondjouen is a great guy and he loves him and he is his brother. He helps coach him up in practice and it is funny because you wouldn't know he was actually injured when you watch him coach. Kelly said that he works on his motor and has always had that motor inside him to drive him.
Connor Scaglione said that Jordan Williams really set the bar for him on how different the level of competition was and he is really enjoying playing next to him now that Williams is playing RT. He said he looked up to Jordan and it showed what the level of play is like in the ACC.
Scaglione said there is great competition every week and that is different from his last school and you have to prepare differently at this level and hold yourself to a higher level of accountability.
I asked him about earning his rep for being a really physical lineman in camp and he said that was an adjustment he made here and he knew he needed to be more physical and that they want to have a physical line here and the OLs push each other to amp that up. He said the offense has shown flashes over greatness and if they keep playing well on the OL it will help them get there.
Scaglione said the experience at Ole Miss was very different from any road game he had played at before and it took him a series to settle his nerves, but after the first drive he looked around the bench and everyone was ready to play and they had a good mindset to take on that challenge.
Scaglione is studying business here and he said that there are a lot of similarities with the academics between GT and Princeton. He said both push you in football and academics and it is very challenging and he knows had he been here for four years it would've been a challenge academically and that is why GT produces great athletes and better men overall.
Scaglione said that the WF defense is very solid and they are well-coached and fight very hard the entire play. They are tough to block so it will take a lot of effort and physicality this week to move the LOS, but it is something they can do. The GT offense just needs to play sound football.
I asked Scaglione what the biggest adjustment has been to living in the South and he said no one told him how hot and humid the summers were. Camp was a huge adjustment and he had to eat and drink way more than he was used to. He loves living in the city of Atlanta and it is very different from Princeton. He said he is starting to learn more about the cuisine and other stuff.
Cooley said that he thinks his fit in this offense is a good one because he loves outside zone and that is what they ran at Louisville so he is very comfortable with the scheme for the RBs.
Cooley said they need to keep making explosive plays happen on offense and that will be what kicks it to another level. They have a ton of guys who run 20-23 mph on offense so they can be very explosive and they just have to keep putting points on the board.
Cooley said that Norv McKenzie was a big reason why he came to GT. He knew that Coach McKenzie would be the guy who could develop his game and get him to the next level of his game by tweaking things and coaching him up.
Cooley said they've only scratched the surface of the playbook and there are a lot of surprises they have not run yet. He said there are some plays that will raise some eyebrows that folks won't see coming.
Cooley said that Wake Forest is very solid on defense and they hustle to the ball every single play and do a good job with their turnover margin. He said one unique thing they do is they'll use their nickel all over and he will line up like a MIKE LB and the MIKE might lineup as the nickel or a SAM LB, they have smart guys and that is obvious.
Cooley said that Haynes King is a great guy and a great leader and he can go to him day in and day out and he will answer any questions and they have fun on a personal level too and chop it up.
Cooley said he feels like Jamal Haynes and himself are a good 1-2 punch at RB and Haynes is very explosive and does a good job in the open field and he feels like he does a good job taking it home (to the end zone) and those are things you definitely need in the ACC.
Eddie Kelly said that the WF mesh is unique and their offense is a challenge and the WF OL has good size and they are very patient running the offense. Kelly said it is very interesting, but Marco Coleman is the best of the best coaches and he said the key is not peaking at the QB and if you do they might pull it and go for 60. He said Coach Coleman puts them in the best position to succeed in the game and in practice so we are never in the wrong. If they make mistakes they watch that on film and go over it.
Kelly said his back injury was very scary in the SC State game, but thankfully it was not a serious injury and he was able to play last week at Ole Miss and he is back ready to go.
Kelly said that Coach Coleman has been harping on getting more sacks every day and they've been doing drills and working on that and more TFLs and he said he promises those big plays are coming.
Kelly said that Sylvain Yondjouen is a great guy and he loves him and he is his brother. He helps coach him up in practice and it is funny because you wouldn't know he was actually injured when you watch him coach. Kelly said that he works on his motor and has always had that motor inside him to drive him.
Connor Scaglione said that Jordan Williams really set the bar for him on how different the level of competition was and he is really enjoying playing next to him now that Williams is playing RT. He said he looked up to Jordan and it showed what the level of play is like in the ACC.
Scaglione said there is great competition every week and that is different from his last school and you have to prepare differently at this level and hold yourself to a higher level of accountability.
I asked him about earning his rep for being a really physical lineman in camp and he said that was an adjustment he made here and he knew he needed to be more physical and that they want to have a physical line here and the OLs push each other to amp that up. He said the offense has shown flashes over greatness and if they keep playing well on the OL it will help them get there.
Scaglione said the experience at Ole Miss was very different from any road game he had played at before and it took him a series to settle his nerves, but after the first drive he looked around the bench and everyone was ready to play and they had a good mindset to take on that challenge.
Scaglione is studying business here and he said that there are a lot of similarities with the academics between GT and Princeton. He said both push you in football and academics and it is very challenging and he knows had he been here for four years it would've been a challenge academically and that is why GT produces great athletes and better men overall.
Scaglione said that the WF defense is very solid and they are well-coached and fight very hard the entire play. They are tough to block so it will take a lot of effort and physicality this week to move the LOS, but it is something they can do. The GT offense just needs to play sound football.
I asked Scaglione what the biggest adjustment has been to living in the South and he said no one told him how hot and humid the summers were. Camp was a huge adjustment and he had to eat and drink way more than he was used to. He loves living in the city of Atlanta and it is very different from Princeton. He said he is starting to learn more about the cuisine and other stuff.
