Georgia Tech football’s annual White and Gold game was played April 13 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The scrimmage, won 27-24 by Team Swarm over Team Wreck ‘Em, was streamed live on ACC Network Extra. During the broadcast members of the Yellow Jackets were interviewed live. Here are some of their more notable comments:
Coach Brent Key, at halftime, on how to distribute playing time: “We know what a lot of the older guys can do at this point. It’s a chance to get a lot of these younger guys that are in there that are new, guys that are really good backups to get in there and get experience and see what they can do, really, in game situations.”
Key on kicker Aidan Birr making a 62-yard field goal: “How about that? We were deciding if we were gonna sky punt it or not, and he comes out and says, ‘Nah, I wanna kick the thing.’ That probably woulda been good for another four or five yards. That was great to see.”
Running back Jamal Haynes on expectations for the offense: “We just wanna build off last season and definitely keep it going. We’ve been working hard trying to hone down on the details and definitely want to get it together before we kick off for college football.”
Haynes on other Tech running backs to watch this season: “(Freshman) Anthony Carrie, great young guy, great character. He’s been working really hard and absolutely a great addition to that running back (meeting) room.”
Haynes on what he has done to improve his own game: “With the change in going from wide receiver to running back, I definitely had to put on the pounds, and I absolutely wanted to get faster. Right now I weigh in at 190, and I will be way faster than last season.”
Defensive lineman Makius Scott on new defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci and new defensive line coach Jess Simpson: “Only difference is scheme and building their terminology, building a bond with them coaches, a relationship with the guys and just trying to move forward every day, just trying to get better.”
Scott on what the defense’s philosophy is: “Our emphasis has been to demand a new line of scrimmage every day at practice through spring. It’s every time we step on the field in these pads, we’re just trying to get 1% better and create a new line of scrimmage for our linebackers to come up and make plays as well.”
Offensive lineman Jordan Williams on raised expectations going into 2024: “The expectation was always the unknown for everybody else, but inside the locker room, it didn’t matter what we were doing, we knew what the expectation was. We were short of it last year. We wanted to at least be at the ACC Championship (game). That’s the expectation this year and just to overall be better than last year – up front, on the offense, on the defense, on everything. Just making sure we’re clicking on all cylinders all the time.”
Linebacker Kyle Efford on the newcomers and younger players in the program: “There’s a constant development for our young guys, especially putting in this new defense, it’s knowledge of the game trying to put it in our heads. Bringing in some new guys. We got a couple transfers, and those guys got experience.”
Efford on how he plans to be better in 2024: “For me right now it’s straight mind. At this level, the margin of talent is so small, everything is mental. At this point it’s just gonna be knowledge for the game, just trying to get everything put in my head.”
Wide receiver Eric Singleton on what to expect out of the Tech offense in 2024: “A lot of big plays, explosive plays. Coach (Buster) Faulkner (the offensive coordinator), he always preaches that. Explosive plays wins games.”
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