Brent Key didn’t spend his final pre-Clemson media session pretending Georgia Tech has everything figured out. He leaned into the uncertainty, the injuries, the turnover at quarterback and the reality of a four-game skid, while making it clear the Yellow Jackets are still going to have options when they take the field Saturday.
One of the biggest questions coming out of last week was how Georgia Tech would handle quarterback duties after using Grady Adamson and Alberto Mendoza in a two-quarterback setup. Key said the plan against Clemson won’t be a simple series-by-series rotation, but both quarterbacks are expected to be involved.
“We’ll see both those guys. um you know not necessarily you know, by series you but [clears throat] how we feel like we the those guys can get in and execute what they do uh the best to help give us a chance to win. This is a really good defense we’re going against on the road.
It’s a loud stadium, so some continuity matters in that regard as well. But both of them have things that they do well … and we can benefit the team with.
Both those guys are ready to play, and I would imagine we’d see both of them on Saturday,” said Key.
The offensive setup itself isn’t changing at the top. George Godsey will continue calling plays for Georgia Tech, including in this matchup with Clemson.
“George (Godsey) will still call it. That’s a uh you know like I said offense defense are totally different in regards to calling the game.
All right. And people in place to be able to call it or not call it.
Uh and that’s with a lot of the adjustments and things uh that we’re doing is to put our guys in the best position our players,” said Key.
Key also made it plain that the Yellow Jackets need a much better showing up front after the loss to Louisville. He didn’t narrow the issue down to one player or one spot, but he was direct about what he wants to see from the line of scrimmage.
“When you’re not pleased with a position, it’s not always just the position, okay? There’s other factors involved in that.
… I want to see them strain. … Play low to high, play fundamentally sound, be disciplined before the snap.
Understand that every play is the most important play of the game … and play for 60 minutes.”
The matchup comes at a tough moment for Georgia Tech, which has dropped four straight. Key said that’s exactly why this week matters.
“Times like this are when you really see a team and how they are and what we’re made of. And that’s why I’m excited.
I’m excited this week. I’m excited to go up there and see how our team responds and see how our team goes up and plays.I ’m not going to sit here and say that I think we’re going to play great or I don’t because, you know, as the season’s shown, that doesn’t necessarily uh play itself out the way you want it to.
But they got a really good football team. uh really good defense, uh young on offense,” said Key.
Special teams could also be a factor, especially with the injury situation still hanging over the roster. Kevin Roche Jr., Shane Marshall and Rahkeem Smith are all questionable, and Key said the Yellow Jackets are still sorting through who will be available. He also pointed to Chad being out and the need for whoever is back there to handle the ball cleanly.
“Yeah, he’s still questionable. We’ll see kind of as we move closer in, and you know, but next man up, you know, hopefully get some of those guys back.
Chad being out, he’s the guy that uh was the opposite receiver and also was able to get in when Rock went out a few weeks ago. So you know, we’ve got plenty of guys that can continue to get back there and catch the ball.
That’s as long as we got 11 on the field and can catch it cleanly. Uh, catch it in the proper spot, whether you’re in the end zone or not in the end zone when to bring it out.
So be very [clears throat] very exact with that part of it, depending on or regardless of who’s back there,” said Key.
Aidan Birr’s voice also carried weight in the room after he spoke Wednesday about taking responsibility for Georgia Tech’s early-season struggles. Key said that kind of accountability fits the kicker’s personality and the example he wants to leave behind.
“To hear that Aidan said something like that, it just echoes the type of young man that he is. It’s things we’ve talked about a lot, me and him just one-on-one.
And I’m not surprised that he would say that from an accountability standpoint. And I know that he really wants to leave that message and leave that part of his legacy here to the younger guys.”
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Georgia Tech Needs More Than An Upset Against Clemson
Georgia Tech heads into its matchup with Clemson trying to steady itself after four straight losses, and the timing of the coaching staff changes only adds to the sense that this is more than just another ACC game. The Yellow Jackets have spent the week searching for answers in all three phases, with special teams, offense and defense each needing sharper execution if they are going to make the kind of statement that changes the feel around the program.
Clemson brings a defense that can make life difficult for any opponent, which is part of why ESPNs Football Power Index gives Georgia Tech only a 15.7% chance to win. An upset would obviously grab attention, but the larger question is whether the Yellow Jackets can show enough progress to suggest the recent changes are starting to matter, even if the final result still leaves plenty unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Aidan Birr Made A Painful Admission As Georgia Tech Tries To Recover
Georgia Techs recent skid has put plenty of pressure on the whole roster, and Aidan Birr stepped up this week to address not just the teams struggles, but his own role in them. The kicker spoke candidly with the media about the frustration around the season and the responsibility he feels as the Yellow Jackets try to steady themselves down the stretch, stressing that the standard inside the program still matters even when results are not matching it.
Birr also offered a glimpse into how he is trying to reset mentally as the season moves forward. He said he has been working on his focus and execution by reading a book about the unconscious mind, part of an effort to clear out the noise and handle the pressure that comes with kicking in a difficult stretch. For Georgia Tech, the hope is that his next steps on the field can match the accountability he showed off it. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Mbakwes Return Just Changed Georgia Techs Clemson Week Mood
Jaylen Mbakwe was back in front of the media this week, and the Georgia Tech cornerback had plenty to say after working his way back from the serious injury he suffered against Tennessee. The return alone changes the mood around the Yellow Jackets as they turn toward Clemson, with Mbakwe sounding grateful just to be back on the field and ready to talk football again. He also took a clear-eyed look at the Tigers, pointing out key players Georgia Tech will have to account for in a matchup that already carries plenty of weight.
Mbakwe also touched on the recent changes within the coaching staff, offering a glimpse of a program still adjusting even as it prepares for one of its biggest games of the season. On the field, he said his background as a former high school quarterback helps him read offenses from the defensive side, a trait that can matter a lot against a Clemson attack. For Georgia Tech, having a veteran voice like that back in the mix is a useful reminder that the week is about more than just the opponent. [Read more 🡒]