Georgia Tech Football Media Day 2017

Yomanser · Aug 3, 2017

Notes I jotted down during Coach Paul Johnson's press conference:

Statement about the upcoming season:
- One of the last teams to get started with fall camp
- Everyone is ready to hit the field and get going
- Team had a good offseason, good spring and summer
- Team has to get ready for the challenge against Tennessee
- Coaches have to make sure the team is ready
  - 3 games in 13 days, so tough but have to be up to the task
- Open floor to questions
Who is out?
- Everyone is ready to go except for Tariq Carpenter
  - Had surgery recently, will redshirt this season
  - Will be back sometime in October
Mindset this year?
- Same mindset as before and years prior
  - Every team in the country has same mindsets going in
- Team has to be willing to get after it
Matthew Jordan?
- No reservations
- Knew he was ahead of schedule 6 weeks ago
- Might be in a gold shirt (non-contact) for first 5 days when team is not in pads
- He'll be ready to go by the time they start up
Anything changed in 10 years he's been coaching?
- Things have changed in just about every way possible
- College football environment is completely different from when he started coaching back in '85
Freshmen competing for spots?
- Freshmen usually do
- Won't know until they get out there and start up
- Will see how they adjust
Returning players?
- Compared team to 2014 team
  - Majority have played
  - Have to replace quarterback
- Hard to gauge until they start up
Preseason polls?
- Preseason polls will continue to exist despite being fairly useless until at least 3 games
  - Gives everyone something to talk about
- Doesn't really matter where Tech is preseason
  - Team doesn't care much either
- Doesn't feel team is underrated
  - Have to win some games first
  (Slight jab at Mark Bradley regarding polls - 9:05 in CPJ presser audio)
Schedule - tougher or easier?
- Doesn't feel tougher than before despite playing Tennessee first game of season
  - Generally play good teams early anyways
- Just have to get ready to play
Most improved player?
- Doesn't like to single players out
- KirVonte Benson had a good spring
  - Will see if that carries over
- See how freshmen do at B-Back and WR
- Jalen Camp starting to come into his own
- AJ Gray has ability to be more productive
- Brant Mitchell working really hard on defensive side
- The guys up front on defensive line losing weight and looking better
Defensive line depth?
- Desmond Branch moved inside
- Have to get something out of Brentavious Glanton
- Hope someone steps up
- Hope to develop a good rotation
Kicker and punter?
- Get them in pressure situations before season starts
  - Get them used to that
  - Can be some big pressure when whole team is out there and runs if they miss
- Have to win the job like everyone else
  - Can't just waltz in and expect job is theirs or get it handed to them
Todd Stansbury?
- Great fit for Georgia Tech
- Really loves GT
A-Back rotation after Green/Searcy/Lynch?
- Lot of guys that can play
Administration pressure/outside pressures?
- Doesn't feel pressured
  - Todd very supportive of CPJ and what he's doing
- At times felt like he was on his own, but never direct pressure from admin
  - Nobody ever came to him and told him he needs to be doing something else or different
- Had great relationship with Dan Radakovich, starting to feel same way with Stansbury
Leaders?
- Find out over next 4-5 weeks
- Generally sorts itself out
- Lots of people trying to step up, talking during summer
- Can approach players, but players have to step up themselves
  - Have to have that innate ability
  - Got to have leadership qualities on and off field

Notes I jotted down from speaking with players:

KeShun Freeman:
- Guys like Ricky as a leader - little quieter, but leads by example like Justin Thomas
- Workouts were harder this offseason, probably best offseason he's had here
- Excited about ACC/SEC games going into season
- Adam Gotsis helped him adjust when he first came to Tech
Lance Austin:
- Everyone has been playing fast, feels like that is advantage of experience in secondary
- Play like one unit, which is the defense's strength
- Ricky Jeune has qualities to be next big receiver coming out of Tech
Matt Jordan:
- Mad after 3-9 season, never wants to experience one again, worst season he's ever had in his entire life, nobody on team wants to go back to that
- Lots of experience in offense has helped him
- His first camp was a blur, everything runs together
- From small town in Alabama - likes small town feel and big city, best of both worlds, can go back when feeling homesick or overwhelmed
- Hasn't started grad school yet so will see how it differs from undergrad classes and schedule
- Narcos is best show on Netflix, would have Mark Wahlberg play movie of his life
Brant Mitchell:
- Taking on more of a leadership role
Qua Searcy:
- Personal goals involve becoming a leader on and off the field
- Adjustment with Matt as QB? - Just have to practice and get used to it
- Works often (about 3 times a week) with the QB's in the offseason, all 4 are great
- Feels if him and Clinton Lynch are on the field, one of them is going to make a play one way or another
TaQuon Marhsall:
- Pushing everyone in offseason, tough offseason, lots of work - upped the rigor of conditioning this offseason
- Polls? - Personally doesn't focus on rankings
- Mercedes-Benz stadium exciting - swallows the Georgia Dome, can see it miles away
- Another opportunity to beat an SEC school against Tennessee
- Matt and TaQuon work together in the offseason, especially with timing on routes
- Most offseason work is on passing and timing for QB's
- Players have talked about breaking the up-and-down cycle that seems to occur - want to break trend of bad year after good year
- Player-led team, and they all push each other
- Less room for error when spotlight is on you, so good and bad from being out of polls
- Everything should play out before offseason as far as leaders, playing time, etc.
- Marcus Marshall would play him in movie of his life, big LeBron fan - follows him on Instagram, would choose him to play basketball with
Corey Griffin:
- Tre Swilling and Antwan Owens have impressed him with work ethic as far as new kids impressing him
Andrew Marshall:
- Freddie and Thomas O'Reilly helped him out when he came in, helped figure out how to adjust from high school
- Players can explain differently from coaches, what they've found that works, helped a lot
Ricky Jeune:
- Tough offseason, hard work, a lot of mental toughness
- All about team, no personal goals
- Close to graduating, ready to have classes done
- First camp is always the hardest coming in as a freshman, seeing what college football really is

Other miscellaneous notes:

Bad idea to have 3 McDonald's cheeseburgers and large Dr. Pepper before conference
Apologies to @CuseJacket - probably talked his ear off afterwards for too long a time
Great event, GT put on a good, fun, organized media days

CuseJacket · Aug 3, 2017

Alright, we're a little out of sequence in merging threads together, but now we have notes and audio in one spot.

@Yomanser and I tried to divide and conquer with the players. There is some overlap between my audio and @Yomanser's notes, however we were mostly with players at different times. Only player I did not have a chance to get with for audio was TaQuon Marshall, however @Yomanser got some good time with him as per his notes.

Some good sound bites scattered throughout the audio. I enjoyed the convos and recommend listening as you have time.

jwsavhGT · Aug 3, 2017

Appreciate all your efforts! Glad we had GTSwarm represented.

CuseJacket · Aug 3, 2017

This year's Media Day schedule began with a 30 minute press conference with Coach Paul Johnson who is beginning his 10th season on The Flats.

Following Coach Johnson's press conference was a round robin of 9 individual player interviews. Representing the Jackets were three waves of three players at a time in the Edge Center trophy room, positioned at their own tables.

Hear what they had to say here.

Head Coach Paul Johnson (28 min)

[audio="type: m4a, id: 716"]https://gtswarm.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GT-Media-Day-2017-Coach-Paul-Johnson.m4a[/audio]

CB Lance Austin (8 min)

[audio="type: m4a, id: 717"]https://gtswarm.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GT-Media-Day-2017-1-Lance-Austin.m4a[/audio]

QB Matthew Jordan (10 min)

[audio="type: m4a, id: 718"]https://gtswarm.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GT-Media-Day-2017-2-Matthew-Jordan.m4a[/audio]

DE KeShun Freeman (3 min)

[audio="type: m4a, id: 719"]https://gtswarm.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GT-Media-Day-2017-3-KeShun-Freeman.m4a[/audio]

AB Qua Searcy (8 min)

[audio="type: m4a, id: 720"]https://gtswarm.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GT-Media-Day-2017-4-Qua-Searcy.m4a[/audio]

LB Brant Mitchell (9 min)

[audio="type: m4a, id: 721"]https://gtswarm.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GT-Media-Day-2017-5-Brant-Mitchell.m4a[/audio]

S Corey Griffin (7 min)

[audio="type: m4a, id: 722"]https://gtswarm.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GT-Media-Day-2017-6-Corey-Griffin.m4a[/audio]

WR Ricky Jeune (5 min)

[audio="type: m4a, id: 723"]https://gtswarm.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GT-Media-Day-2017-7-Ricky-Jeune.m4a[/audio]

OT Andrew Marshall (6 min)

[audio="type: m4a, id: 724"]https://gtswarm.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GT-Media-Day-2017-8-Andrew-Marshall.m4a[/audio]

stech81 · Aug 3, 2017

Thanks for taking the time to do this , now lets get ready the season without getting anyone hurt.

dressedcheeseside · Aug 4, 2017

CPJ sounds like he's not a fan of platooning qb's, imo. The gang of 4 have a small window of time to make their claim to the throne then decision time. You can't split reps 4 ways for long and expect to be ready for UT.

CuseJacket · Aug 4, 2017

Yomanser · Aug 3, 2017

Facebook video for first 3 players (Matthew Jordan, KeShun Freeman, & Lance Austin) with Andy Demetra

Link for those who cannot see the video (remove space between https and slashes):
https: //www.facebook.com/gtathletics/videos/10154981366658163/

bennyjacket · Aug 3, 2017

I'm happy to have CPJ as our coach. I hope he is here for a long time. I hope we beat Tennessee's *** all over Mercedes Benz Stadium. Go Jackets!

SlawDog · Aug 4, 2017

tech_wreck47 said:
Take away JJ pushing MJ for the starting spot. Do you think JJ will become the 2nd string guy or someone else?

Honestly no one has seen enough of LJ or JJ to give a informed decision on that. I think the coaches will be sure before Labor Day.

Techster · Aug 4, 2017

tech_wreck47 said:
Where do you come up with Lucas may be the most polished passer? Serious question. Guys on the team have talked about JJ passing but haven't heard anything about Lucas from the players. CPJ even said Jay was not playing like that the other part of the spring. I just don't read much into the spring game.

FWIW, CPJ had Lucas throwing with the first team during spring practice. Not Taquan, who was QB1 when MJ got hurt, and not Jay Jones.

IMO, both JJ and LJ are great talents that bring different things to the table. GT is going to be the biggest winner because the talent is such that whoever end up at QB1 will have beaten out other guys who are capable of doing great things at the position.

CuseJacket · Aug 3, 2017

tech_wreck47 said:
Any audio that will be coming out? Thank you!

We're merging this with the audio thread currently stickied, hang tight.

dressedcheeseside · Aug 4, 2017

Thanks guys!

Deleted member 2897 · Aug 4, 2017

dressedcheeseside said:
CPJ sounds like he's not a fan of platooning qb's, imo. The gang of 4 have a small window of time to make their claim to the throne then decision time. You can't split reps 4 ways for long and expect to be ready for UT.

Exactly. For better or worse, you have to pick a QB now (which is a big advantage for Matthew Jordan). But if he has fumble fingers or scud missles, it is probably going to be a short leash before the #2 guy takes the field.

Thanks to you guys for taking notes on all this.

SlawDog · Aug 4, 2017

MountPGT1990 said:
I am betting that TQM moves to A back by 3rd week of camp and Jay Jones will push MJ to start against Tenn

I bet this post will not age well

OldJacketFan · Aug 4, 2017

tech_wreck47 said:
I get your point about LJ, but being able to handle a pocket good doesn't automatically translate to being a good passer, those are two different things. And I agree JJ holds the ball to far away from his body, but JT did this same thing and we see how well he did. Plus I'm inclined to believe CPJ when he says that wasn't the normal way JJ played the rest of the spring. JMO and I see where you are coming from.

Got it, as I said I'm not downgrading either just going with my eyes showed me

It's a good problem to have trying to decide who gives Tech the best chance to win going forward!

Let me say this though, pocket presence and good mechanics are generally indicative of a good passer.

tech_wreck47 · Aug 4, 2017

OldJacketFan said:
Got it, as I said I'm not downgrading either just going with my eyes showed me It's a good problem to have trying to decide who gives Tech the best chance to win going forward!

Let me say this though, pocket presence and good mechanics are generally indicative of a good passer.

Yes, GT is in a very good place at the QB position.

Oldgoldandwhite · Aug 5, 2017

stech81 said:
Thanks for taking the time to do this , now lets get ready the season without getting anyone hurt.

+++100

Yomanser · Aug 3, 2017

Thread open now for questions, replies, comments and whatnot

tech_wreck47 · Aug 3, 2017

Any audio that will be coming out? Thank you!

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