ATLANTA- Georgia Tech continued to work ahead of Saturday's home opener with South Carolina State with a two-hour practice in full pads on Wednesday. Following practice a quartet of Yellow Jackets players spoke with the media both recapping action in the Louisville game, but also sharing thoughts about the upcoming game and what the team is working on this week.
Clayton Powell-Lee spoke with the media first and he was clear from the jump that they need to work on and fix their tackling issues. That has been the main focus and a lot of things wouldn't have happened in the Louisville game if they just tackled better. They could've stopped some drives and big plays. He said they are also working on their communication as well pre-snap.
Powell-Lee said the positives were the team played with great energy and they started with a good opponent and had an opportunity to win the game. They just have to put that game in the past now and focus on SC State.
I asked him about playing with Jaylon King for the first time in a game, since they've both just played with LaMiles Brooks in the past and he said that he knows both FS and SS and when LaMiles went down it didn't really change anything they just did their jobs and that Jaylon knows everything about playing the safety positions. He said the biggest change was just that they had to communicate a little more.
Powell-Lee said they were focused on treatment and staying prepared and getting their bodies right for SC State.
Powell-Lee said the whole team was devastated that they let that one slip away, but it is a new week and they are focused on making corrections and getting ready for the next one. You can't dwell on Louisville for too long.
Powell-Lee said he expects a big jump this week for the defense and they just need to stay together and focus on communication and tackling.
Powell-Lee said seeing the offense put up numbers in the 2nd QT was encouraging for the defense, but they still have goals each week they need to hit and eliminate the explosives and tackle better because that will help the offense get the ball back.
Trenilyas Tatum said it was great to play a full game again for the first time in a long time. He said they need to be more physical and attack the ball more this week. They had goals for the Louisville game they didn't complete and they've got to tackle better as a defense.
Tatum said he just went out there and tried to play his best.
Tatum explained the Darkside term for the defense as he was wearing a "Darkside" shirt. It is the standard they set for themselves as a defense and it about how they attack teams and they came up with the Darkside because it means a lot to them, but there is no real meaning behind it. It just what they call the defensive group.
Tatum said he maturation into a starting LB started back in the winter when he realized that his moment was here and he better take advantage of it. He needed to be the best player, teammate and best person in the moment he could be. He said it was just a different approach he has taken mentally to everything as he tries to elevate his game to another level.
Tatum said that playing alongside Paul Moala is great. He is a 6th year guy and he can give him all types of pointers and just handles everything like a pro out there. He said Moala has really helped the LB room.
Chase Lane said it was amazing to be back on the field in the Benz after he missed much of 2022 with a back injury. He said he felt the love of the game again and he had a great time especially during the 2nd QT run.
On his long TD on the screen, he said he told Haynes he needed a ball before they went on the field and then that call came in and everyone executed and as soon as he caught it and saw the blocking he knew it was a touchdown.
Lane said the biggest change in King is that he has a lot of confidence and neither of them have to walk around on eggshells. He felt like they had to play perfect at TAMU and couldn't make a mistake and King's energy was just totally different here compared to TAMU . He was pulling people up on the sideline and he was really impressed with his confidence.
Lane said a good takeaway from the game is that the offense was able to put up 28 points in a quarter and they haven't done that here in a long time. The loss was devastating to the team and everyone in the locker room doesn't want that feeling again of blowing a big lead. They know they have to work hard to finish each quarter and the game.
Lane on Eric Singleton Jr, he said that is his little brother and he had told all of us to watch out for him. He was impressed with his composure. He said it was really impressive seeing how he played in his first college game and he had to remind him to celebrate his first career college touchdown.
Lane said there is a lot of pent up aggression right now and anger that they want to take to the field on Saturday.
Lane said that he is very excited about his first game at BDS. He really enjoyed watching the spring game and seeing the fans and how excited they were for that and he is looking forward to being on the field this time playing.
Weston Franklin said it was encouraging how well the guard box played in the Louisville game and they made a smooth transition from camp to the game. He said he has been working to make the best calls possible and they are on the same page.
Franklin said with the inside runs they need to improve their double teams and getting to the LB on the second level.
Franklin said the tempo is a lot faster than what they ran last year, but it throttles up and down and they know ahead of time when they are going to push with Coach Faulkner. He said the second quarter was a lot of fun for them when they were coming together and playing well as an offense. He said he is excited to see how much they improve from week one to week two.
Franklin said he was impressed with Connor Scaglione and how he has fit in and how he handled himself when Jordan Williams went out and he had to go in at RG. He said that Scaglione has played a lot of ball at Princeton and he was ready to roll as soon as they called his number.
Franklin said that Ethan Mackenny did great coming in at LT in his first college game as a true freshman. He didn't let the moment get too big for him. He said he also talked with him some during the game having been in his shoes before and knowing how overwhelming that can be, but Mackenny handled it well.
Franklin said he is still adjusting to being the vocal guy in the OL room, but he feels like he is making progress there as a leader.
Clayton Powell-Lee spoke with the media first and he was clear from the jump that they need to work on and fix their tackling issues. That has been the main focus and a lot of things wouldn't have happened in the Louisville game if they just tackled better. They could've stopped some drives and big plays. He said they are also working on their communication as well pre-snap.
Powell-Lee said the positives were the team played with great energy and they started with a good opponent and had an opportunity to win the game. They just have to put that game in the past now and focus on SC State.
I asked him about playing with Jaylon King for the first time in a game, since they've both just played with LaMiles Brooks in the past and he said that he knows both FS and SS and when LaMiles went down it didn't really change anything they just did their jobs and that Jaylon knows everything about playing the safety positions. He said the biggest change was just that they had to communicate a little more.
Powell-Lee said they were focused on treatment and staying prepared and getting their bodies right for SC State.
Powell-Lee said the whole team was devastated that they let that one slip away, but it is a new week and they are focused on making corrections and getting ready for the next one. You can't dwell on Louisville for too long.
Powell-Lee said he expects a big jump this week for the defense and they just need to stay together and focus on communication and tackling.
Powell-Lee said seeing the offense put up numbers in the 2nd QT was encouraging for the defense, but they still have goals each week they need to hit and eliminate the explosives and tackle better because that will help the offense get the ball back.
Trenilyas Tatum said it was great to play a full game again for the first time in a long time. He said they need to be more physical and attack the ball more this week. They had goals for the Louisville game they didn't complete and they've got to tackle better as a defense.
Tatum said he just went out there and tried to play his best.
Tatum explained the Darkside term for the defense as he was wearing a "Darkside" shirt. It is the standard they set for themselves as a defense and it about how they attack teams and they came up with the Darkside because it means a lot to them, but there is no real meaning behind it. It just what they call the defensive group.
Tatum said he maturation into a starting LB started back in the winter when he realized that his moment was here and he better take advantage of it. He needed to be the best player, teammate and best person in the moment he could be. He said it was just a different approach he has taken mentally to everything as he tries to elevate his game to another level.
Tatum said that playing alongside Paul Moala is great. He is a 6th year guy and he can give him all types of pointers and just handles everything like a pro out there. He said Moala has really helped the LB room.
Chase Lane said it was amazing to be back on the field in the Benz after he missed much of 2022 with a back injury. He said he felt the love of the game again and he had a great time especially during the 2nd QT run.
On his long TD on the screen, he said he told Haynes he needed a ball before they went on the field and then that call came in and everyone executed and as soon as he caught it and saw the blocking he knew it was a touchdown.
Lane said the biggest change in King is that he has a lot of confidence and neither of them have to walk around on eggshells. He felt like they had to play perfect at TAMU and couldn't make a mistake and King's energy was just totally different here compared to TAMU . He was pulling people up on the sideline and he was really impressed with his confidence.
Lane said a good takeaway from the game is that the offense was able to put up 28 points in a quarter and they haven't done that here in a long time. The loss was devastating to the team and everyone in the locker room doesn't want that feeling again of blowing a big lead. They know they have to work hard to finish each quarter and the game.
Lane on Eric Singleton Jr, he said that is his little brother and he had told all of us to watch out for him. He was impressed with his composure. He said it was really impressive seeing how he played in his first college game and he had to remind him to celebrate his first career college touchdown.
Lane said there is a lot of pent up aggression right now and anger that they want to take to the field on Saturday.
Lane said that he is very excited about his first game at BDS. He really enjoyed watching the spring game and seeing the fans and how excited they were for that and he is looking forward to being on the field this time playing.
Weston Franklin said it was encouraging how well the guard box played in the Louisville game and they made a smooth transition from camp to the game. He said he has been working to make the best calls possible and they are on the same page.
Franklin said with the inside runs they need to improve their double teams and getting to the LB on the second level.
Franklin said the tempo is a lot faster than what they ran last year, but it throttles up and down and they know ahead of time when they are going to push with Coach Faulkner. He said the second quarter was a lot of fun for them when they were coming together and playing well as an offense. He said he is excited to see how much they improve from week one to week two.
Franklin said he was impressed with Connor Scaglione and how he has fit in and how he handled himself when Jordan Williams went out and he had to go in at RG. He said that Scaglione has played a lot of ball at Princeton and he was ready to roll as soon as they called his number.
Franklin said that Ethan Mackenny did great coming in at LT in his first college game as a true freshman. He didn't let the moment get too big for him. He said he also talked with him some during the game having been in his shoes before and knowing how overwhelming that can be, but Mackenny handled it well.
Franklin said he is still adjusting to being the vocal guy in the OL room, but he feels like he is making progress there as a leader.
