ATLANTA- Georgia Tech football returned after a 10-day break for spring break to the practice fields on Tuesday morning. After practice, it was offensive line day for the media, led by offensive line coach Geep Wade, assistant offensive line coach Mike Polly, and senior guards Joe Fusile and Keylan Rutledge, all speaking to the media for the first time in 2025.
Heading into the 2025 season, the Jackets have to replace two starters on the offensive line at center and right tackle with Weston Franklin and Jordan Williams both out of eligibility.
The center position is a battle between sophomores Harrison Moore and Tana Alo-Tupuola. Both played last season with Moore playing guard, tackle and tight end as well as a couple of center reps. Alo-Tupuola played extensively on special teams.
“At center,r we had some guys that had a lot of reps here at Georgia Tech over the years with Harrison and Tana. We feel like we got some leadership at the center position,” Wade said. “We are working a bunch of centers and then we have one that is still not here (Jimmy Bryson).”
At right tackle the Jackets have rolled with redshirt freshmen Jameson Riggs and Jordan Floyd through the early part of camp.
“So at right tackle, it is a little bit by committee, trying to figure out who can take over J Will’s role,” Wade said. “I’m proud of what he did last year, and I thought he took his game to a new level…That is a position right now that I’m not saying we are worried about, but that is a position we’ve got to hone in and figure out who is going to take that position.”
Polly joined the staff this offseason after spending most of his career at Middle Tennessee State as the offensive line coach. Polly replaced Allen Mogridge, who left to become the offensive line coach at Appalachian State.
I asked about the depth at RT, and he said they are working Riggs, Floyd and freshman Peyton Joseph there. He said all three guys at RT are freshmen just two are redshirt guys, they’ve got to get the game reps and walk-throughs and all of that experience because every rep is invaluable to them because they are really talented.
Wade said Jakolby Jones moved to LT and is working behind Ethan Mackenny along with Andrew Rosinski and Josh Petty. On Petty he said that he is a freshman and adjusting to the learning curve here and he is a smart kid and they like where he is at right now, getting the mental part of the game down and they aren’t in game plan mode or anything, but they have some ideas on how to use the young guys as well during the season.
Wade said at LG it is Fusile and then either Moore or Tana and Kevin Peay. He said that Peay is doing a really nice job in camp as a freshman.
The RG spot is Rutledge, Benjamin Galloway and I would assume Xavier Canales is the other guy with Joseph playing RT now. Canales and Joseph can play inside and outside. Wade said that Galloway has been in the program for two years and he has played LG, RG, RT last year and they haven’t found him a home until now at RG behind Keylan.
Inside it sounds like Harrison Moore is the early leader for the center job as expected but they are getting Tana work with the ones according to Wade as well and sliding Moore and Tana out to LG for some work. Wade said that he isn’t worried about naming a center yet, he just wants to find the best five guys and build out the depth. They are not doing game planning yet or anything. They have Moore on a limited snap count so he can do some guard work as well getting Tana one reps.
Wade said the Jacket Drills they did in the offseason was really big for the OL group. He said that Joe Fusile was hurt all of last year as was Keylan Rutledge coming off his car accident and they are healthy and able to lead more than they did last year and he feels really good about Harrison and Tana leading as well and are really good kids.
Wade said he feels like they are very deep on the OL and the kids are tough which is what he likes.
Wade said that having Mike Polly around has helped a lot with the young guys and he can work with them when he is doing something else. They feel like they have good leadership in that room.
Wade said he is really impressed with the depth they’ve put together with Brent Key and Buster Faulkner in terms of building out an OL room compared to when he got here and now they have guys like a Josh Petty they can develop and he has helped from a Coach Mo or now Coach Polly who can help develop guys year-round.
Polly was up next and he explained his background, he was with Buster at Murray State and that was how they met when Buster was the OC there and he went over to MTSU and brought Polly over as RB coach and then when Geep and Buster both left to go to different schools Rick Stockstill moved him to his natural spot of OL coach. He was a HS coach last year for the first time in his life and it put a lot perspective on things so he is thankful for the opportunity. He had stayed close to Buster and Geep as well as Keylan who was his guy at MTSU who he turned into an OL from a TE. So when Coach Key called in January after Coach Mo left for App State, he said was a huge honor to come to GT.
I asked him how different things are with Buster on the offensive side compared to MTSU and he said they worked together for a short period of time, but he is same guy and keeps the OL in mind with his play calling, but the playbook is very different from what they did at MTSU. He said there are some similarities in there, but it wasn’t going back to the old playbook.
On Rutledge who credits Polly for his development into a high-level OL, he said that his mentality is what makes Keylan special and his heart. He was a non-blocking TE in HS and he went to watch him play and he was just catching passes, but he saw the footwork and size and decided to take a chance on Keylan and he developed himself and still has a ton of room to grow and he has seen how much of an impact Coach Key, Geep and Buster have had on him. Keylan was a captain at MTSU as a sophomore and he has assumed the leadership role in the OL room.
Polly said his job is to help Geep with whatever he can so when they are working blitz pickups and Geep is working with the ones he will stand with the young guys and quiz them on what is happening and talk them through stuff.
Polly said it is very different working for an OL head coach like Coach Key and he is really impressed with what Key, Buster and Geep have built in the OL room and his job is to pull the rope in the same direction as those three and help develop guys.
Fusile was up next and he said he was hurt most of last season and he spent a lot of time getting healthy and fixed going into his 5th year here and he said it gets easier now with time in the program and the system and he got a lot of advice from the older guys along the way to help him get ready for this upcoming season.
Fusile said it is weird not having Weston here anymore and he was so used to looking for him when they huddle up and standing next to him and now he has to adjust to Harrison being that guy. He is very excited about the young OLs on the team and their mindset.
Fusile said that Harrison is a great center and the whole OL room gels really well together.
Fusile said that JJ van den Berg is still a beast and hard to block.
Rutledge said that this is the first time being healthy at GT after he played hurt all of last year coming off his accident. He said that he couldn’t do anything until July of last year. He said the time in the weight room in the offseason really helped him.
Rutledge said he has been helping Riggs adjust and it really helped him having Jordan Williams last year next to him so he is trying to help the young cats during pass rush or whatever. He said the big thing for Riggs is developing his confidence at this level because in HS you are just usually so much more talented than the guy you line up against and it is different and an adjustment when that isn’t the case. He said that Riggs is coming along and he has a ton of potential because he can kick, run, and bend and can move well so he as all the tools to become a great player.
Heading into the 2025 season, the Jackets have to replace two starters on the offensive line at center and right tackle with Weston Franklin and Jordan Williams both out of eligibility.
The center position is a battle between sophomores Harrison Moore and Tana Alo-Tupuola. Both played last season with Moore playing guard, tackle and tight end as well as a couple of center reps. Alo-Tupuola played extensively on special teams.
“At center,r we had some guys that had a lot of reps here at Georgia Tech over the years with Harrison and Tana. We feel like we got some leadership at the center position,” Wade said. “We are working a bunch of centers and then we have one that is still not here (Jimmy Bryson).”
At right tackle the Jackets have rolled with redshirt freshmen Jameson Riggs and Jordan Floyd through the early part of camp.
“So at right tackle, it is a little bit by committee, trying to figure out who can take over J Will’s role,” Wade said. “I’m proud of what he did last year, and I thought he took his game to a new level…That is a position right now that I’m not saying we are worried about, but that is a position we’ve got to hone in and figure out who is going to take that position.”
Polly joined the staff this offseason after spending most of his career at Middle Tennessee State as the offensive line coach. Polly replaced Allen Mogridge, who left to become the offensive line coach at Appalachian State.
I asked about the depth at RT, and he said they are working Riggs, Floyd and freshman Peyton Joseph there. He said all three guys at RT are freshmen just two are redshirt guys, they’ve got to get the game reps and walk-throughs and all of that experience because every rep is invaluable to them because they are really talented.
Wade said Jakolby Jones moved to LT and is working behind Ethan Mackenny along with Andrew Rosinski and Josh Petty. On Petty he said that he is a freshman and adjusting to the learning curve here and he is a smart kid and they like where he is at right now, getting the mental part of the game down and they aren’t in game plan mode or anything, but they have some ideas on how to use the young guys as well during the season.
Wade said at LG it is Fusile and then either Moore or Tana and Kevin Peay. He said that Peay is doing a really nice job in camp as a freshman.
The RG spot is Rutledge, Benjamin Galloway and I would assume Xavier Canales is the other guy with Joseph playing RT now. Canales and Joseph can play inside and outside. Wade said that Galloway has been in the program for two years and he has played LG, RG, RT last year and they haven’t found him a home until now at RG behind Keylan.
Inside it sounds like Harrison Moore is the early leader for the center job as expected but they are getting Tana work with the ones according to Wade as well and sliding Moore and Tana out to LG for some work. Wade said that he isn’t worried about naming a center yet, he just wants to find the best five guys and build out the depth. They are not doing game planning yet or anything. They have Moore on a limited snap count so he can do some guard work as well getting Tana one reps.
Wade said the Jacket Drills they did in the offseason was really big for the OL group. He said that Joe Fusile was hurt all of last year as was Keylan Rutledge coming off his car accident and they are healthy and able to lead more than they did last year and he feels really good about Harrison and Tana leading as well and are really good kids.
Wade said he feels like they are very deep on the OL and the kids are tough which is what he likes.
Wade said that having Mike Polly around has helped a lot with the young guys and he can work with them when he is doing something else. They feel like they have good leadership in that room.
Wade said he is really impressed with the depth they’ve put together with Brent Key and Buster Faulkner in terms of building out an OL room compared to when he got here and now they have guys like a Josh Petty they can develop and he has helped from a Coach Mo or now Coach Polly who can help develop guys year-round.
Polly was up next and he explained his background, he was with Buster at Murray State and that was how they met when Buster was the OC there and he went over to MTSU and brought Polly over as RB coach and then when Geep and Buster both left to go to different schools Rick Stockstill moved him to his natural spot of OL coach. He was a HS coach last year for the first time in his life and it put a lot perspective on things so he is thankful for the opportunity. He had stayed close to Buster and Geep as well as Keylan who was his guy at MTSU who he turned into an OL from a TE. So when Coach Key called in January after Coach Mo left for App State, he said was a huge honor to come to GT.
I asked him how different things are with Buster on the offensive side compared to MTSU and he said they worked together for a short period of time, but he is same guy and keeps the OL in mind with his play calling, but the playbook is very different from what they did at MTSU. He said there are some similarities in there, but it wasn’t going back to the old playbook.
On Rutledge who credits Polly for his development into a high-level OL, he said that his mentality is what makes Keylan special and his heart. He was a non-blocking TE in HS and he went to watch him play and he was just catching passes, but he saw the footwork and size and decided to take a chance on Keylan and he developed himself and still has a ton of room to grow and he has seen how much of an impact Coach Key, Geep and Buster have had on him. Keylan was a captain at MTSU as a sophomore and he has assumed the leadership role in the OL room.
Polly said his job is to help Geep with whatever he can so when they are working blitz pickups and Geep is working with the ones he will stand with the young guys and quiz them on what is happening and talk them through stuff.
Polly said it is very different working for an OL head coach like Coach Key and he is really impressed with what Key, Buster and Geep have built in the OL room and his job is to pull the rope in the same direction as those three and help develop guys.
Fusile was up next and he said he was hurt most of last season and he spent a lot of time getting healthy and fixed going into his 5th year here and he said it gets easier now with time in the program and the system and he got a lot of advice from the older guys along the way to help him get ready for this upcoming season.
Fusile said it is weird not having Weston here anymore and he was so used to looking for him when they huddle up and standing next to him and now he has to adjust to Harrison being that guy. He is very excited about the young OLs on the team and their mindset.
Fusile said that Harrison is a great center and the whole OL room gels really well together.
Fusile said that JJ van den Berg is still a beast and hard to block.
Rutledge said that this is the first time being healthy at GT after he played hurt all of last year coming off his accident. He said that he couldn’t do anything until July of last year. He said the time in the weight room in the offseason really helped him.
Rutledge said he has been helping Riggs adjust and it really helped him having Jordan Williams last year next to him so he is trying to help the young cats during pass rush or whatever. He said the big thing for Riggs is developing his confidence at this level because in HS you are just usually so much more talented than the guy you line up against and it is different and an adjustment when that isn’t the case. He said that Riggs is coming along and he has a ton of potential because he can kick, run, and bend and can move well so he as all the tools to become a great player.
