Georgia Tech football held a short practice session Friday morning ahead of what is likely to be a padded practice in Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday. In shells the Jackets went for about 90 minutes on Grant Field marking the 7th practice of Fall Camp and the eighth day overall. After practice, offensive line coach Brent Key and veteran offensive linemen Kenny Cooper and Mikey Minihan spoke to the media about Fall Camp. Key was surprisingly enthusiastic about his group and the way the team looks overall in camp.
Going into camp, three linemen seemed pretty locked in position-wise with Devin Cochran at left tackle, center Mikey Minihan and right guard Ryan Johnson. Key said they've been working on the left guard and right tackle spots in camp to find the best five and develop some depth for the season.
"We are moving guys around trying to find the right combination," Key said of his offensive line in camp.
Kenny Cooper has been one of the players who has stepped up and the sixth-year lineman has impressed coach Key with his approach this fall as he tries to get into the starting rotation again.
Key said he has been really pleased with Kenny Cooper at guard. "He is blocking and I've been really pleased with Kenny Cooper since we came into camp. From the off the field things, accountability and the responsibility he needs to have as a young man. He is a young man now and not just a football player. There is a lot of carryover from how you do things off the field to how you do them on the field. Kenny is doing the right things off the field. He is punctual, he is on time and actually early. He is helping the young guys and he is taking care of his body. He is getting himself in playing shape, all of the things we expected from Kenny the last couple of years. Finally, knock on wood, he is staying healthy out there. He has repped both guard spots and center. I've been pleased especially the last couple of days since we put pads on."
Cooper credits the training staff and a renewed focus for his on the field success this fall.
"My body feels good. I've been living in the training room getting rest and everything and mentally I just flipped a switch I needed," Cooper said. "That has helped me out and also getting motivated by everyone on the team as well. They've been giving me encouragement."
The decision to come back for year six wasn't an easy one and that is something to Key admires about Cooper.
"To be a student at Georgia Tech, we all know, is a privilege. A lot of people take that as a privilege. A lot of people take it and they talk about how fast they can get out of here. But I think it's it's noticeable to everyone out there that it's enjoyable to be a student here at Georgia Tech. It's a joy to be a football player here at Georgia Tech. It's a fun time in your life. And I think Kenny's enjoying that. Kenny is seeing those things now and at the same time, he has expectations and high expectations for himself number one and for us as a group number two, and as a football team."
For Cooper, it was a simpler reason that drove his decision to come back for one more year.
"The thing that made me want to come back and it is something we talk about every day, is winning," he said. "We are at the point now where we can turn this around and win some games."
Key said he has been pleased with how the three transfers have acclimated to the program with KJ Kirby joining in the summer and Devin Cochran and Nick Pendley already on campus for spring ball.
Coach Key said the DL is doing a very good job and he gives credit to that side of the ball and how they've developed their rooms. He said on the good teams he has coached on they had balance in practice drills between the OL/DL in who would win. He feels like they have competitive balance now on the lines of scrimmage.
Coach Key on playing bully ball, "the more you can line up and play bully ball or as a coach in my past called it 'wad ball,' when you can line up and do that and you can control your side of the line of scrimmage, the game's usually going to tip in your favor whether it be the outcome of the game or just the momentum of the game and the physicality of it. We are able to line up and run the ball at will and run the ball, we want to do it and that's something that we've all pride ourselves on working on every day, trying to be in that position to be able to go out and run the football when we want to how we want to, and the amount of times that want to."
I asked Brent about the RT spot and how KJ Kirby is looking he said that they've kept KJ in one spot instead of moving him around since he is new. They are rolling guys and trying to build depth and cross training as well and they'll do that some with KJ as well eventually.
Key said that Mikey Minihan has done a helluva job this fall and the mistakes they made last year on himself and the players not just the players. He said they needed to fix how they manage the offense and Minihan has done a tremendous job of managing the offense, controlling the game, making his calls and being physical. He said he is extremely pleased with Mikey Minihan.
On Weston Franklin, Minihan said he will be a great future center. Key is also bullish on Franklin, "Westin is gonna be a tremendous football player guys he is he's got all the tools you want. He's got the work ethic he's got the size. he's tough physically, tough mentally, just a tough guy. Every day's a new day for him right now. It's as many reps as he can get in the next three weeks to solidify that spot. Because as we know, you're only one play away from being the mix and playing a lot of football this season."
I asked Key about Devin Cochran teaching Jakiah Leftwich and being a mentor for him at LT. Key said across the board the older players are embracing their roles as teachers and coaches to the young guys with Leftwich being mentored by Cochran as a good example, "I'm not trying to be happy go lucky, but I'm much happier than the last time I saw down with you guys in the springtime about how the guys and how the older guys are developing the younger guys. It is a process and it takes time to develop these guys. It's not just going to be a finished product in the beginning of the season, it's going to take time to take time to gel together. But the more depth we can have like Jakiah or a guy like Weston to develop those guys. Jakiah has a really, really bright future now, how much he's going to play this year is still yet to be determined. And then that's really up to him on how he continues to develop these next several weeks."
Key also said there was a major heart-to-heart after the season with head coach Geoff Collins and the staff about all the penalties and self-made errors that killed them last year.
"Since the last day of the season last year, on the first day we're all back together. Coach Collins stood up in front of the offensive staff, the defensive staff, and the football team. He said that's what beat us last year we beat ourselves with mistakes, self-inflicted errors, and to sit there and not take those things seriously and understand the penalties and turnovers are part of the game that we have got to control. We got to control the amount of times that we have self-inflicted errors because those do end up costing you football games, that costs you field position that costs you games. And the guys that make those mistakes will not play. Flat out. We cannot afford as a football program to have guys that that make mistakes out there."
Cooper said he is comfortable playing anywhere in the guard box this season, but he enjoys guard because you don't have to make the calls or snap and can just focus on your assignment and blocking.
Cooper said the confidence level is really high around the team right now and you can feel in in the room.
Cooper said he is getting used to playing with Devin Cochran but he has four years of work with Mikey Minihan next to him so they have good chemistry.
Cooper is amazed by DT Zeek Biggers and how large he is for a 17-year-old and how quick his feet are.
"I'm enjoying playing guard and I'm able to play loose and do what I'm supposed to do," Cooper said.
Minihan said fall camp has been a lot of fun because the new guys are making his job easier at center. "It's just been really easy to go out there, get the call and play fast with a bunch of great players around me."
Minihan said that Kenny and Devin have been playing great in camp. He said he missed playing next to him and Ryan Johnson is doing really well and KJ Kirby is doing really well too. Said it is hard for him not to play well when everyone else is balling.
Minihan said that Jahmyr Gibbs and Jeff Sims are both freaks and it is a lot of fun to play with them on offense.
Minihan said they are trying to smash the football with an aggressive run game.
Minihan said they finally are developing some good depth on the OL and he is really excited about all the young players in their room now.
Minihan said the OL this year has a much tighter bond than in the past. He told a funny story off-mic about going to a Brazilian steakhouse and how him and some of the OLs ate them out of food to the point where they stopped serving them meat. At one of those places, you get a little chip with a green or red side. If it is green they bring the meat skewers to you if it is red they don't. He said after a while they just stopped coming over. LOL
Minihan made his pitch for a NIL deal from La Fonda or Fogo de Chao during his media session and that was also funny as hell.
On the field, was a light day, but Tre Swilling had two very good PBUs while we were out there including one that forced a fumble situation on a pass behind the LOS.
Going into camp, three linemen seemed pretty locked in position-wise with Devin Cochran at left tackle, center Mikey Minihan and right guard Ryan Johnson. Key said they've been working on the left guard and right tackle spots in camp to find the best five and develop some depth for the season.
"We are moving guys around trying to find the right combination," Key said of his offensive line in camp.
Kenny Cooper has been one of the players who has stepped up and the sixth-year lineman has impressed coach Key with his approach this fall as he tries to get into the starting rotation again.
Key said he has been really pleased with Kenny Cooper at guard. "He is blocking and I've been really pleased with Kenny Cooper since we came into camp. From the off the field things, accountability and the responsibility he needs to have as a young man. He is a young man now and not just a football player. There is a lot of carryover from how you do things off the field to how you do them on the field. Kenny is doing the right things off the field. He is punctual, he is on time and actually early. He is helping the young guys and he is taking care of his body. He is getting himself in playing shape, all of the things we expected from Kenny the last couple of years. Finally, knock on wood, he is staying healthy out there. He has repped both guard spots and center. I've been pleased especially the last couple of days since we put pads on."
Cooper credits the training staff and a renewed focus for his on the field success this fall.
"My body feels good. I've been living in the training room getting rest and everything and mentally I just flipped a switch I needed," Cooper said. "That has helped me out and also getting motivated by everyone on the team as well. They've been giving me encouragement."
The decision to come back for year six wasn't an easy one and that is something to Key admires about Cooper.
"To be a student at Georgia Tech, we all know, is a privilege. A lot of people take that as a privilege. A lot of people take it and they talk about how fast they can get out of here. But I think it's it's noticeable to everyone out there that it's enjoyable to be a student here at Georgia Tech. It's a joy to be a football player here at Georgia Tech. It's a fun time in your life. And I think Kenny's enjoying that. Kenny is seeing those things now and at the same time, he has expectations and high expectations for himself number one and for us as a group number two, and as a football team."
For Cooper, it was a simpler reason that drove his decision to come back for one more year.
"The thing that made me want to come back and it is something we talk about every day, is winning," he said. "We are at the point now where we can turn this around and win some games."
Key said he has been pleased with how the three transfers have acclimated to the program with KJ Kirby joining in the summer and Devin Cochran and Nick Pendley already on campus for spring ball.
Coach Key said the DL is doing a very good job and he gives credit to that side of the ball and how they've developed their rooms. He said on the good teams he has coached on they had balance in practice drills between the OL/DL in who would win. He feels like they have competitive balance now on the lines of scrimmage.
Coach Key on playing bully ball, "the more you can line up and play bully ball or as a coach in my past called it 'wad ball,' when you can line up and do that and you can control your side of the line of scrimmage, the game's usually going to tip in your favor whether it be the outcome of the game or just the momentum of the game and the physicality of it. We are able to line up and run the ball at will and run the ball, we want to do it and that's something that we've all pride ourselves on working on every day, trying to be in that position to be able to go out and run the football when we want to how we want to, and the amount of times that want to."
I asked Brent about the RT spot and how KJ Kirby is looking he said that they've kept KJ in one spot instead of moving him around since he is new. They are rolling guys and trying to build depth and cross training as well and they'll do that some with KJ as well eventually.
Key said that Mikey Minihan has done a helluva job this fall and the mistakes they made last year on himself and the players not just the players. He said they needed to fix how they manage the offense and Minihan has done a tremendous job of managing the offense, controlling the game, making his calls and being physical. He said he is extremely pleased with Mikey Minihan.
On Weston Franklin, Minihan said he will be a great future center. Key is also bullish on Franklin, "Westin is gonna be a tremendous football player guys he is he's got all the tools you want. He's got the work ethic he's got the size. he's tough physically, tough mentally, just a tough guy. Every day's a new day for him right now. It's as many reps as he can get in the next three weeks to solidify that spot. Because as we know, you're only one play away from being the mix and playing a lot of football this season."
I asked Key about Devin Cochran teaching Jakiah Leftwich and being a mentor for him at LT. Key said across the board the older players are embracing their roles as teachers and coaches to the young guys with Leftwich being mentored by Cochran as a good example, "I'm not trying to be happy go lucky, but I'm much happier than the last time I saw down with you guys in the springtime about how the guys and how the older guys are developing the younger guys. It is a process and it takes time to develop these guys. It's not just going to be a finished product in the beginning of the season, it's going to take time to take time to gel together. But the more depth we can have like Jakiah or a guy like Weston to develop those guys. Jakiah has a really, really bright future now, how much he's going to play this year is still yet to be determined. And then that's really up to him on how he continues to develop these next several weeks."
Key also said there was a major heart-to-heart after the season with head coach Geoff Collins and the staff about all the penalties and self-made errors that killed them last year.
"Since the last day of the season last year, on the first day we're all back together. Coach Collins stood up in front of the offensive staff, the defensive staff, and the football team. He said that's what beat us last year we beat ourselves with mistakes, self-inflicted errors, and to sit there and not take those things seriously and understand the penalties and turnovers are part of the game that we have got to control. We got to control the amount of times that we have self-inflicted errors because those do end up costing you football games, that costs you field position that costs you games. And the guys that make those mistakes will not play. Flat out. We cannot afford as a football program to have guys that that make mistakes out there."
Cooper said he is comfortable playing anywhere in the guard box this season, but he enjoys guard because you don't have to make the calls or snap and can just focus on your assignment and blocking.
Cooper said the confidence level is really high around the team right now and you can feel in in the room.
Cooper said he is getting used to playing with Devin Cochran but he has four years of work with Mikey Minihan next to him so they have good chemistry.
Cooper is amazed by DT Zeek Biggers and how large he is for a 17-year-old and how quick his feet are.
"I'm enjoying playing guard and I'm able to play loose and do what I'm supposed to do," Cooper said.
Minihan said fall camp has been a lot of fun because the new guys are making his job easier at center. "It's just been really easy to go out there, get the call and play fast with a bunch of great players around me."
Minihan said that Kenny and Devin have been playing great in camp. He said he missed playing next to him and Ryan Johnson is doing really well and KJ Kirby is doing really well too. Said it is hard for him not to play well when everyone else is balling.
Minihan said that Jahmyr Gibbs and Jeff Sims are both freaks and it is a lot of fun to play with them on offense.
Minihan said they are trying to smash the football with an aggressive run game.
Minihan said they finally are developing some good depth on the OL and he is really excited about all the young players in their room now.
Minihan said the OL this year has a much tighter bond than in the past. He told a funny story off-mic about going to a Brazilian steakhouse and how him and some of the OLs ate them out of food to the point where they stopped serving them meat. At one of those places, you get a little chip with a green or red side. If it is green they bring the meat skewers to you if it is red they don't. He said after a while they just stopped coming over. LOL
Minihan made his pitch for a NIL deal from La Fonda or Fogo de Chao during his media session and that was also funny as hell.
On the field, was a light day, but Tre Swilling had two very good PBUs while we were out there including one that forced a fumble situation on a pass behind the LOS.
