ATLANTA- Georgia Tech football spent Friday preparing for the big Saturday scrimmage in Boddy Dodd Stadium with a typical game week Friday session. The players in just shorts and jerseys practiced for just under two hours simulating various aspects of game day scenarios in the stadium. Saturday's scrimmage ends Fall Camp 2022 and is usually the point at which head coach Geoff Collins and his staff set the depth chart/ATL chart and transition to full game planning for the season opener against Clemson in two weeks. Players on the bubble between the scout team and the two-deep will use the scrimmage on Saturday to compete and position for rotation spots while starters will aim to hold off their competition.
Following the light Friday session, quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke and his starting quarterback Jeff Sims and probable backup quarterback Zach Gibson spoke to the media.
Weinke had a lot of praise for Sims' work in the offseason and how he has become more comfortable in the Tech offense under offensive coordinator Chip Long and his coaching.
"I think you can see a noticeable difference from spring to now. A lot of learning in the spring trying to get comfortable with the offense. Anytime that happens, typically with a quarterback. You physically slow down right because you're thinking so much. I think what happened over the course of spring through the summer where Jeff did an unbelievable job of showing leadership and running the summer program. All of those things are paying dividends. Now, as we go into camp, listen the hay is never in the barn right? We're always working. We obviously still have a lot of work to do, but I'm really excited about the progress the quarterbacks have made specifically Jeff, just in terms of having a better understanding of what we're trying to do, which allows him to play faster. He's processing information faster, and throwing the ball as good as I've seen him throw it so feel good about where he's at. He knows he still needs to continue to work and we're moving in the right direction," Weinke said.
Along with Sims development, Gibson has improved as well from the spring to fall camp and Weinke broke down his quarterback room and where things stand heading into game prep.
"It's always a work in progress. So we've got guys that are working hard every day. As you go through camp you rotate these guys we're always evaluating them on every throw they make, every decision they make, and the guys have done a good job. So as we move forward and get closer in preparation for the game, you've got to try to solidify a backup guy," Weinke said. "Clearly Jeff is our guy and we are rallying around him. Zack Gibson has done a nice job in terms of going from the spring now into fall camp and better understanding and is a very accurate passer. So I think he's done a good job being productive throughout the course of camp. Again, he still needs a lot of improvement in some areas, but and then you got Zach Pyron and Tyson (Phommachanh) who obviously came from Clemson and who is still learning the system. We'll continue to evaluate them on a daily basis but feel good about where we're at right now with Jeff and Zach (Gibson)."
Weinke said they have certain landmarks and stats they are looking for from Jeff Sims and the QBs in games, but he will keep those within the team and not for outside consumption. He said he charts every throw in every situation in practice and he runs a daily total and completion percentage adjusted for drops, but he said the most important column he has is danger throws, he said they preach do not put the ball in danger, protect the ball at all times and even if a guy makes a great play on a danger ball it is marked as a bad throw and not a plus for the QB. He said that has been a major focus fo the QB room.
Weinke said that Coach Key has done an outstanding job with the OL throughout camp and they are still rotating OLs trying to find the best five and teaching guys how to play multiple spots. He said he feels like the OL now has some capable backups and they have not fallen off during camp. He said the OLs and other players transformed their bodies a good bit over the summer as well as the RBs.
Weinke said they have a number of RBs they feel good about as well. They have RBs who are dynamic runners while others are better pass catchers and guys who are better in protection so they can use multiple backs in different ways now.
Weinke explained Jim Chaney's role in the offense, he is the eye in the sky and oversees everything and he brings so much experience and understanding of the game to the offensive room, he is their sounding board and everything starts with Coach Long but Chaney is someone he can bounce ideas off or can get suggestions from or maybe adding a certain protections to this package or doing something else. Weinke said he has been a huge addition to the offensive staff.
Weinke agreed with me that Sims seems much happier now and more confident, he said that success breeds confidence and he is moving in the right direction now and he feels comfortable with what they are doing. He said it is hard to be comfortable when you are not comfortable and Sims is not complacent either, he is just more comfortable in their offense than the last one. He is more comfortable being in a leadership role now than in the past as well. The way he operates every day in practice is great and he could not be more excited to see how he grows and progresses. He wants to see how he responds to adversity as well. They have a lot of conversations about that to prepare him for that as well. He wants him to be level play to play regardless of what is happening or happened on the field and keep that even keel because that is what the team needs from him in tough times and good times.
Weinke said that Long has worked with a lot of different QBs and he said the best part of Tech's current offense is it is tailored to the skillset of the QB running it. Sims now understands they are putting him in a position to be successful instead of asking him to do something he is not comfortable with and he shouldn't be asked to do things he is not confident or comfortable in (talking about the old offense). He said that might be the main reason you've seen a lot of growth in Sims. He is a perfect fit for the offense they are running and the #1 priority is protecting SIms so they have to be smart with how they use him and put him in a position to build his confidence.
I asked about Zach Gibson and his moxie and ability to make plays now in the offense, Weinke said that he operates differently than some of the other QBs and he definitely has some moxie to him. He said part of their thing with Gibons is reigning him in a little bit so he is locked in and understands the discipline fo what it takes to be a successful QB, but also doing that without taking his flavor (knack for making plays out of nothing) away. He said he is very accurate and he is respected by his teammates because of what he can do on the field and what he has shown through fall camp, so you have to let the player be the player, but there are certain rules and regulations as well and they know they have to do it the right way too.
Ken banking material for later in the season when we don't often get non-coordinators asked Weinke about going back to FSU. Weinke said it will be weird going down to Tallahassee this year and being on the visiting sideline there. He said it was a lot different than because he never lost a home game in his career at FSU and he has a ton of memories there and he wants to know what it is like to beat them there now in different colors. He loves the place though and still has a ton of friends in the area.
Following the light Friday session, quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke and his starting quarterback Jeff Sims and probable backup quarterback Zach Gibson spoke to the media.
Weinke had a lot of praise for Sims' work in the offseason and how he has become more comfortable in the Tech offense under offensive coordinator Chip Long and his coaching.
"I think you can see a noticeable difference from spring to now. A lot of learning in the spring trying to get comfortable with the offense. Anytime that happens, typically with a quarterback. You physically slow down right because you're thinking so much. I think what happened over the course of spring through the summer where Jeff did an unbelievable job of showing leadership and running the summer program. All of those things are paying dividends. Now, as we go into camp, listen the hay is never in the barn right? We're always working. We obviously still have a lot of work to do, but I'm really excited about the progress the quarterbacks have made specifically Jeff, just in terms of having a better understanding of what we're trying to do, which allows him to play faster. He's processing information faster, and throwing the ball as good as I've seen him throw it so feel good about where he's at. He knows he still needs to continue to work and we're moving in the right direction," Weinke said.
Along with Sims development, Gibson has improved as well from the spring to fall camp and Weinke broke down his quarterback room and where things stand heading into game prep.
"It's always a work in progress. So we've got guys that are working hard every day. As you go through camp you rotate these guys we're always evaluating them on every throw they make, every decision they make, and the guys have done a good job. So as we move forward and get closer in preparation for the game, you've got to try to solidify a backup guy," Weinke said. "Clearly Jeff is our guy and we are rallying around him. Zack Gibson has done a nice job in terms of going from the spring now into fall camp and better understanding and is a very accurate passer. So I think he's done a good job being productive throughout the course of camp. Again, he still needs a lot of improvement in some areas, but and then you got Zach Pyron and Tyson (Phommachanh) who obviously came from Clemson and who is still learning the system. We'll continue to evaluate them on a daily basis but feel good about where we're at right now with Jeff and Zach (Gibson)."
Weinke said they have certain landmarks and stats they are looking for from Jeff Sims and the QBs in games, but he will keep those within the team and not for outside consumption. He said he charts every throw in every situation in practice and he runs a daily total and completion percentage adjusted for drops, but he said the most important column he has is danger throws, he said they preach do not put the ball in danger, protect the ball at all times and even if a guy makes a great play on a danger ball it is marked as a bad throw and not a plus for the QB. He said that has been a major focus fo the QB room.
Weinke said that Coach Key has done an outstanding job with the OL throughout camp and they are still rotating OLs trying to find the best five and teaching guys how to play multiple spots. He said he feels like the OL now has some capable backups and they have not fallen off during camp. He said the OLs and other players transformed their bodies a good bit over the summer as well as the RBs.
Weinke said they have a number of RBs they feel good about as well. They have RBs who are dynamic runners while others are better pass catchers and guys who are better in protection so they can use multiple backs in different ways now.
Weinke explained Jim Chaney's role in the offense, he is the eye in the sky and oversees everything and he brings so much experience and understanding of the game to the offensive room, he is their sounding board and everything starts with Coach Long but Chaney is someone he can bounce ideas off or can get suggestions from or maybe adding a certain protections to this package or doing something else. Weinke said he has been a huge addition to the offensive staff.
Weinke agreed with me that Sims seems much happier now and more confident, he said that success breeds confidence and he is moving in the right direction now and he feels comfortable with what they are doing. He said it is hard to be comfortable when you are not comfortable and Sims is not complacent either, he is just more comfortable in their offense than the last one. He is more comfortable being in a leadership role now than in the past as well. The way he operates every day in practice is great and he could not be more excited to see how he grows and progresses. He wants to see how he responds to adversity as well. They have a lot of conversations about that to prepare him for that as well. He wants him to be level play to play regardless of what is happening or happened on the field and keep that even keel because that is what the team needs from him in tough times and good times.
Weinke said that Long has worked with a lot of different QBs and he said the best part of Tech's current offense is it is tailored to the skillset of the QB running it. Sims now understands they are putting him in a position to be successful instead of asking him to do something he is not comfortable with and he shouldn't be asked to do things he is not confident or comfortable in (talking about the old offense). He said that might be the main reason you've seen a lot of growth in Sims. He is a perfect fit for the offense they are running and the #1 priority is protecting SIms so they have to be smart with how they use him and put him in a position to build his confidence.
I asked about Zach Gibson and his moxie and ability to make plays now in the offense, Weinke said that he operates differently than some of the other QBs and he definitely has some moxie to him. He said part of their thing with Gibons is reigning him in a little bit so he is locked in and understands the discipline fo what it takes to be a successful QB, but also doing that without taking his flavor (knack for making plays out of nothing) away. He said he is very accurate and he is respected by his teammates because of what he can do on the field and what he has shown through fall camp, so you have to let the player be the player, but there are certain rules and regulations as well and they know they have to do it the right way too.
Ken banking material for later in the season when we don't often get non-coordinators asked Weinke about going back to FSU. Weinke said it will be weird going down to Tallahassee this year and being on the visiting sideline there. He said it was a lot different than because he never lost a home game in his career at FSU and he has a ton of memories there and he wants to know what it is like to beat them there now in different colors. He loves the place though and still has a ton of friends in the area.
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