Players leaving practice early to attend class is a routine element of Georgia Tech’s football operations. This year, it could be a bit more impactful on what happens on Saturdays.
On Monday, the first day of the fall semester, among the Yellow Jackets who left practice about two-thirds of the way through was starting quarterback TaQuon Marshall. Starting offensive tackle Will Bryan was another.
“It wasn’t just the quarterback,” coach Paul Johnson said. “We had quite a few, but yeah, (losing) the quarterback is big.”
Johnson said that losing players to class during practice Monday typically isn’t as problematic as other days. That day is typically reserved for reviewing the previous game and conditioning. The Tuesday and Wednesday practices are the most important for preparing the team for the coming game. However, Tech plays Louisville on a Friday (Oct. 5) and Virginia Tech on a Thursday (Oct. 25), meaning the practice schedule those weeks will be abbreviated.
Before those games, “Mondays are going to be work days,” Johnson said. “But school trumps practice.”
Thursday is another day that players often leave practice early, but that practice is typically shorter and not as intensive.
On Monday, Johnson said that Marshall and the other teammates excused early for their 6 p.m. classes left at 5:20, which allowed them to participate in about 16 of the day’s 23 practice periods. The practice began at 3:45 p.m.