5 questions with Justin Thomas

October 17, 2015 Atlanta - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Justin Thomas (5) runs as Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Jordan Whitehead (9) pursues in the first half at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday, October 17, 2015. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COMt34

Credit: Ken Sugiura

Credit: Ken Sugiura

October 17, 2015 Atlanta - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Justin Thomas (5) runs as Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Jordan Whitehead (9) pursues in the first half at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday, October 17, 2015. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COMt34

Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas spoke with media Monday, reviewing the Yellow Jackets' 31-28 loss to Pittsburgh. In the game, Thomas ran 14 times for 95 yards, his season high. He also completed 6 of 15 passes for 106 yards with one touchdown and one interception. A slice of the proceedings:

On the play of the offense against Pittsburgh:

Definitely, I think it opened up more this past game. There was a lot more lanes for me and for the A-backs and the B-backs, too. I think everybody did what they were supposed to do and I think it opened up a lot more.

On B-back Marcus Marshall’s big-play ability:

It’s fun. Just a guy who you can hand the ball off to and he can break (big plays). It makes your job easier. At first, when he ran (for the 58-yard touchdown), it kind of calmed us down and we knew that we were doing what we needed to do. I think it helped out, truthfully.

On a 7 p.m. start for Saturday’s game against Florida State:

It doesn’t make a difference. It’s a new opportunity, new game. It doesn’t matter if it was 12, 3:30, 7. We’ve just got to go out there and we’ve got to find a way to win.

On younger players feeling a lack of confidence due to a lack of experience:

I don’t know what’s going through their minds but as young guys not playing that much in a new offense, it can kind of happen. You can’t really play how you want to play because your mind’s thinking about what you want to do. I think the more they get in tune with the offense, the faster they can play, which we’ve been seeing as the weeks have been going along.

On developing chemistry with wide receiver Ricky Jeune after he didn’t play much last season:

He didn’t, but you just kind of feel and you know what your guys can do and what they can’t do. So you know how they’re going to play. We’ve been together. We’ve been working a lot this offseason, communicating. Before the touchdown, he communicated with me; he told me how the guy was playing him, and it worked out.