Georgia Tech focused on mental rest during bye week
No. 17 Georgia Tech will welcome a few quiet days on campus this week as the Yellow Jackets have their first bye of the season.
After five games, five wins, two road trips and two game-winning plays, Tech (5-0, 2-0 ACC) intends to rest, reset and recharge before returning to its normal schedule Sunday, when it begins to prepare in earnest for its Oct. 11 game against Virginia Tech. Coach Brent Key told radio station 680 The Fan on Monday he would have preferred for his team’s bye to have come a week earlier.
“I think four, after four games, is probably ideal (to have a bye),” he said. “You’re coming out of preseason camp, too, so after four games you’re looking at almost nine weeks that they’ve been going. Four is ideal, five is great on the back end. It’s tough leading up to it though. If you can survive and advance through that, five is great.”
Key said the Jackets had workouts Sunday, but are off Monday to focus on academics and to take a mental break from football. He gave his coaching staff the day off Sunday and instructed them to individually study their position groups and themselves before meeting with Key on Monday evening and into Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the Jackets will watch the film from the 30-29 overtime win at Wake Forest on Saturday, then have a light practice. Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practices will be standard with an internal focus. Thursday’s sessions will also have some Virginia Tech scout sprinkled in.
The players will then be afforded Friday and Saturday to enjoy the weekend.
“It’s good to get our minds reset and get ready for the back half of the season because we expect it to be a long one,” Tech wide receiver Eric Rivers said Saturday. “So we need to get back and focus and rest our minds and come back ready to work next week.”
The Jackets, one of 20 remaining undefeated teams, have a four-game stretch coming up that in many ways will define their season.
After hosting Virginia Tech on Oct. 11, Tech travels to Duke (3-2, 2-0 ACC) on Oct. 18, returns home to face Syracuse (3-2, 1-1) on Oct. 25 and then goes to North Carolina State (3-2, 1-2) on the first day of November. The Jackets then will have their final off-weekend before their final three games of the regular season.
Key added he will spend a lot of time with his coordinators this week, as well as his primary assistant coaches, to evaluate where the team stands and what needs to be done moving forward to continue to pile up wins. The former Tech offensive lineman also said re-evaluating how he is running the organization will be part of the week as well.
“You want people to be very open,” the third-year coach said. “I’ll have every coach get with their players (Tuesday) and Wednesday and be very truthful with them: What are they doing well? What are they not doing well? What’s the evidence to show what they’re not doing well but also how to improve it, what they have to do to get better at those things? A lot of truthfulness across the board.”
NOTES
- Tech has five wins against teams who are now a combined 9-10 and seven remaining games against teams who are a combined 17-15.
- The Jackets are now tied for third nationally in sacks allowed (3), 16th in rushing yards per game (232), 18th in total offense (476 yards per game), 20th in completion percentage (69.8), 22nd in red zone scoring (95%), 31st in scoring (37 points per game) and 33rd in tackle for loss allowed (4.2 per game).
- The Jackets now rank 124th on fourth down (28.6%), 122nd on fourth down defense (75%), 121st in turnover margin (minus-4), 101st with 33 penalties, 100th against the run (166.2 yards per game allowed), 94th with 95 first downs allowed and 82nd with eight sacks.
- Tech quarterback Haynes King is tied for third nationally with seven rushing touchdowns, 12th with 10.5 points per game, 21st with 95 rushing yards per game, 26th with 284.5 yards of total offense per game, 28th in completion percentage (68.5), 30th with 15 points responsible for per game and 32nd with 380 rushing yards.
- King’s 28 rush TDs are the sixth most in Tech history and fourth most by a quarterback, his 1,704 rushing yards are the sixth most, his 5,714 career pass yards are the fifth most, his 496 completions are the fourth most, his 7,418 yards of total offense are the fourth most and his 72 touchdowns responsible for ranks second.
- Tech kicker Aidan Birr is now tied for fourth nationally 10 field goals and 10th with 51 points scored.
- Birr’s 42 career made field goals is the fifth most in Tech history, his 103 extra points is the sixth most and his 229 total points is the seventh most.
- Tech wide receiver Malik Rutherford now ranks 10th in program history with 1,646 career receiving yards. Bobby Rodriguez is ninth with 1,681.
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