Thursday was an emotional day for some Georgia Tech players with all of the unrest in the sports world Wednesday. A trio of single-digit Jackets spoke with the media following practice about how fall practice is going while corner Jaytlin Askew spoke about the elephant in the room with grace and eloquence.
"I use my Twitter a lot to talk about social issues that are going on because when I first came in, I was just a football player and I didn't really have anything. No purpose outside of that but as I've been here I've been around great coaches and I became a man of faith for sure," Askew said. Just seeing someone dying repeatedly over and over this just wrong because all I know is right or wrong I don't care about, right or left party or anything or black or white, all I know is right or wrong. So, for, for me to see on social media repeatedly people die, over and over on there. You know people like to say oh they had a history of this but the police don't have the right to decide who lives and that's not their job, their job is to protect and serve."
"It really has taken a toll on me being a black man just having to come out to practice every day and just thinking know when is it gonna be over when is the next shot and noise. It's like being in a nightmare that you can't wake up from you just want to walk away from but you can't. Everything is happening. It's like it's new to some people but it's something that a lot of people, a lot of African American people, have been going through since they were little kids."
"I'm lucky to be in a program where coach Collins, allow us to express our feelings without any consequences, he does a great job with allowing us to know if we feel something or we don't like a certain thing, he will allow us to talk about it in a controlled environment. Just he is allowing us to use our platform to talk about this. Right before I came up you told me that no matter what I say he's 100% down with me and he's always got my back. So just know. We want to see change, you know change can occur right now but action needs to some somebody needs to decide to step up because what's going on right now, is it isn't what's right for me I don't see sports being bigger than a person life."
Askew said the single-digit from coach Collins means a lot to him and it an acknowledgement of hard work and is a great topper for his career at GT.
Askew said that the progression of the DL has really helped the secondary and now Ahmarean Brown for example can't get over the top on them because the DL is forcing a decision before he has time to get past the secondary. He said they are doing a better job of disguising coverages as well.
Askew said his role is to play wherever he is needed, CB, S, NB and his specialty is special teams in a lot of ways and he is really proud of Nate Cottrell and he is showing an nontraditional path to the NFL. Askew said his goal is to just help the team wherever they need him. He said that Nate is one of his best friends and they had a great competition last year as gunners on the punt team on who could get there first.
Askew said the team is just bigger overall. He said last year they felt a little small getting off the bus and that the staff challenged them to get bigger, stronger and faster. He said that Collins staff does a great job of getting people in the right spots where they can contribute the most to the organization.
Askew joked that Tobias Oliver is on a farewell tour like a retiring player like Kobe Bryant did as he moves around every position on the team. He said that Tobias does a great job of just listening and the effort he gives and attention to detail have made him an unbelievable addition to the secondary room.
Tariq Carpenter said he is up to 240 and feels the best he ever has in his life physically. He said he is stronger and is glad to be back to work again.
Carpenter said they are working a lot of different combinations in the secondary and coach Burton has them playing all three spots, FS, SS and nickel.
Carpenter said that Wesley Walker has really stepped up his game in a big way. He joked that Walker has been teaching him some stuff.
Carpenter talked about the nature of his tweets and why he was upset. He said that he didn't want to lose games as a senior due to COVID because of another team being irresponsible. He said once the NCAA said they'll give everyone the year back he was very comfortable playing. He said that was a blessing from God.
Carpenter said his goal is to win championships at Georgia Tech and that they only play CFB for so long so an additional year is a major blessing.
Carpenter said he has not thought about the draft or what he will do after the 2020 season, he said he trusts coach Collins to give him good advice and he wants to do whatever is best for his family whether that is coming back to GT in 2021 or going pro.
We also spoke with Djimon Brooks
Brooks said last year was a huge transition learning coach Knight's techniques and getting used to what they were asked to do.
Brooks said that Ja'Quon Griffin has looked really good in camp with his pass rush and explosiveness. He said that TK Chimedza also looks really good coming off his R-Fr season and that they like having Jahaziel Lee back and even young guys like Akelo Stone are coming along.
Brooks said that the improved OL has really helped them get better inside on the DL. He said they are much bigger and stronger on the OL now.
Brooks said he spent a lot of time in the offseason working on his and he was joking with his dad that his weight is the same but he looks totally different now. He said he is really proud of how much he has changed his body since he got to GT, but still has a ways to go.
Brooks said the DL knows they did not have a great season last year and they are trying to take it up another level this year.
Brooks said he spent the offseason in the country back home and he was working out with bricks and tires and a curl bar he had along with the bands that coach Lew sent the players to use.
"I use my Twitter a lot to talk about social issues that are going on because when I first came in, I was just a football player and I didn't really have anything. No purpose outside of that but as I've been here I've been around great coaches and I became a man of faith for sure," Askew said. Just seeing someone dying repeatedly over and over this just wrong because all I know is right or wrong I don't care about, right or left party or anything or black or white, all I know is right or wrong. So, for, for me to see on social media repeatedly people die, over and over on there. You know people like to say oh they had a history of this but the police don't have the right to decide who lives and that's not their job, their job is to protect and serve."
"It really has taken a toll on me being a black man just having to come out to practice every day and just thinking know when is it gonna be over when is the next shot and noise. It's like being in a nightmare that you can't wake up from you just want to walk away from but you can't. Everything is happening. It's like it's new to some people but it's something that a lot of people, a lot of African American people, have been going through since they were little kids."
"I'm lucky to be in a program where coach Collins, allow us to express our feelings without any consequences, he does a great job with allowing us to know if we feel something or we don't like a certain thing, he will allow us to talk about it in a controlled environment. Just he is allowing us to use our platform to talk about this. Right before I came up you told me that no matter what I say he's 100% down with me and he's always got my back. So just know. We want to see change, you know change can occur right now but action needs to some somebody needs to decide to step up because what's going on right now, is it isn't what's right for me I don't see sports being bigger than a person life."
Askew said the single-digit from coach Collins means a lot to him and it an acknowledgement of hard work and is a great topper for his career at GT.
Askew said that the progression of the DL has really helped the secondary and now Ahmarean Brown for example can't get over the top on them because the DL is forcing a decision before he has time to get past the secondary. He said they are doing a better job of disguising coverages as well.
Askew said his role is to play wherever he is needed, CB, S, NB and his specialty is special teams in a lot of ways and he is really proud of Nate Cottrell and he is showing an nontraditional path to the NFL. Askew said his goal is to just help the team wherever they need him. He said that Nate is one of his best friends and they had a great competition last year as gunners on the punt team on who could get there first.
Askew said the team is just bigger overall. He said last year they felt a little small getting off the bus and that the staff challenged them to get bigger, stronger and faster. He said that Collins staff does a great job of getting people in the right spots where they can contribute the most to the organization.
Askew joked that Tobias Oliver is on a farewell tour like a retiring player like Kobe Bryant did as he moves around every position on the team. He said that Tobias does a great job of just listening and the effort he gives and attention to detail have made him an unbelievable addition to the secondary room.
Tariq Carpenter said he is up to 240 and feels the best he ever has in his life physically. He said he is stronger and is glad to be back to work again.
Carpenter said they are working a lot of different combinations in the secondary and coach Burton has them playing all three spots, FS, SS and nickel.
Carpenter said that Wesley Walker has really stepped up his game in a big way. He joked that Walker has been teaching him some stuff.
Carpenter talked about the nature of his tweets and why he was upset. He said that he didn't want to lose games as a senior due to COVID because of another team being irresponsible. He said once the NCAA said they'll give everyone the year back he was very comfortable playing. He said that was a blessing from God.
Carpenter said his goal is to win championships at Georgia Tech and that they only play CFB for so long so an additional year is a major blessing.
Carpenter said he has not thought about the draft or what he will do after the 2020 season, he said he trusts coach Collins to give him good advice and he wants to do whatever is best for his family whether that is coming back to GT in 2021 or going pro.
We also spoke with Djimon Brooks
Brooks said last year was a huge transition learning coach Knight's techniques and getting used to what they were asked to do.
Brooks said that Ja'Quon Griffin has looked really good in camp with his pass rush and explosiveness. He said that TK Chimedza also looks really good coming off his R-Fr season and that they like having Jahaziel Lee back and even young guys like Akelo Stone are coming along.
Brooks said that the improved OL has really helped them get better inside on the DL. He said they are much bigger and stronger on the OL now.
Brooks said he spent a lot of time in the offseason working on his and he was joking with his dad that his weight is the same but he looks totally different now. He said he is really proud of how much he has changed his body since he got to GT, but still has a ways to go.
Brooks said the DL knows they did not have a great season last year and they are trying to take it up another level this year.
Brooks said he spent the offseason in the country back home and he was working out with bricks and tires and a curl bar he had along with the bands that coach Lew sent the players to use.
