Georgia Tech Football Fall Scrimmage 1 Notes and Quotes

ATLANTA – Georgia Tech football held its first scrimmage of Fall Camp 2025 on Saturday afternoon at Bobby Dodd Stadium, with players’ families in attendance. Third-year head coach Brent Key spoke in detail about the scrimmage, evaluating the Yellow Jackets’ performance and outlining where the team stands as they prepare for the 2025 season opener against Colorado.

Key was pleased with how his team looked on Saturday during the scrimmage.

“As far as the scrimmage goes today, I think it was, it was pretty balanced across the board. Offense and defense were good spots, bad spots on both sides; all three teams went. I think we went right at 140 plays in the scrimmage, about 15 possessions,” Key said. “About halfway through, we came off script a little bit. I just feel like this team just needs to play ball. You know, not as much of the situational things like we do in the second half (of scrimmages). A lot of times, those are all coming up within the scrimmage and the flow of the game.”

Key said part of the decision to go off script was to help get the coaching staff ready for the season as well.

“Coaches have to be prepared, and this is our time to work too. Coaches practice just like the players do for game days, and we needed more of that,” he said.

Defense Standout Performers from Scrimmage 1

The defense caught Key’s attention and got a lot of individual shoutouts from him in his press conference, led by walk-on defensive back Will Kiker.

“Will Kiker had an interception return for a touchdown, just continuing his ascension on this football team, which I think everybody saw in the summer,” Key said of the defensive back. “His strength numbers, weight lifting, speed, explosion, and all of that. He is really showing up, and that shows up when he gets his opportunities on the field too.”

Defensive tackle Shymeik Jones had a key special teams play that stood out to Key as well.

“Shymeik had a blocked extra point. I’m not sure which group was in, but Ahmari Harvey picked it up and ran it back 98 yards for a two-point conversion,” Key said.

Also catching the attention of the head coach were three of his freshmen defensive backs.

“Elgin Sessions showed up today as far as young guys go. Dalen Penson (stood out) and I thought Tae Harris was around the ball a lot today,” Key said.

One of the players Tech coaches have been waiting to see scrimmage is Clemson transfer AJ Hoffler. Key said he is starting to show up as well.

Young DLs Starting to Flash

Freshman defensive lineman Christian Garrett has been crosstraining at both defensive end and defensive tackle in camp after working at end in the spring. Key said Garrett was very disruptive in the scrimmage.

“Christian Garrett showed up with multiple sacks out there,” Key said. “Christian has been playing end and three technique, playing both positions, and I think he can be a force. He got the size and strength that he has and the athletic ability, and the quick twitch. You talk about a matchup nightmare when you move him inside. He has a ways to go, but he is starting to flash and show the real signs of what we thought he was.”

Key mentioned several other young defensive linemen that caught his eye in the scrimmage as well.

“Jordan Boyd, who missed some springtime and was a freshman last year and played a little bit and a lot on (special) teams, is really starting to show up out there. He has power, quickness, and juice off the edge.”

Inside, the two true freshmen defensive tackles had a good day as well.

“I thought Blake Belin and Derry Norris showed up a lot inside. That is all about increasing depth and not just depth to have a body there, but have depth that can play when their time is called and they are ready. We want all the freshmen to come in with a mindset and attitude that they are coming in to play as a freshman, because if you don’t have that mindset, you are never going to play.”

“AJ Hoffler missed some springtime. He showed up today, and I was really pleased with the defensive line spot.”

Overall, Key said the scrimmage was balanced and he has been pleased with the development of the defensive line.

“I don’t think there is anybody better than Jess Simpson and Kyle Pope as far as developing these guys. I think they both do an outstanding job. Seeing how some of these guys have come around in the last week.”

Offense Line Top Performers

South Alabama transfer right tackle Malachi Carney continues to draw praise from Key and the Tech players and coaches. Key said that Carney had a strong scrimmage

“That is a big man speaking of newcomers,” Key said when he saw Carney walk outside the media area. “He played really well. He is a pig man who moves really good. There were a couple of scoring runs that ran right behind him. In pass protection, I thought he was really solid at pass protection.

Moving across the line, Harrison Moore, who played guard, tight end, and three snaps of center last season, has been projected to be the starting center for the Jackets. Key said that Moore spent much of Saturday’s scrimmage working other spots on the O-line and Tana Alo-Tupuola getting the one center reps.

“Harrison Moore, I think this past week has come on. He is playing a couple of different positions,” Key said. “Tana has been playing center, and Jimmy Bryson got in there at center and had a lot of time with the twos.”

Bryson was not a mid-year enrollee, so getting second team reps on the offensive line impressed Key.

“I think other than one time, he executed the snap and got the calls in and got the line in the right direction. That is not easy for a freshman center, especially one who wasn’t here in the springtime,” Key said. “I mean, you are going against Akelo (Stone), JJ (Jordan van den Berg), and Matt (Alexander), some pretty good players that are across from you. I was proud of (Jimmy) today.”

Offensive Skill Top Performers

The running back room, led by Doak Walker Watch List and preseason All-ACC running back Jamal Haynes, is another area of massive improvement in Key’s eyes.

“I think whether I said it or Buster (Faulkner) said it, we have a pretty good running back room,” Key said. “We got a deep running back room, and it was good to see the young guys in there today do some things. JP (Powell), Shane Marshall, and Malachi Hosley, all of them had big chunk runs.”

Another freshman turning heads has been the speedster Jordan Allen at receiver. Allen can play the slot or outside, along with prolific return man abilities. Key said that sometimes Allen was moving too fast for the play.

“Jordan Allen, who has really been flashing this camp. He can roll now and is really fast. Getting out there in a scrimmage that real fast went to really, really fast, and whether you are getting the ball or trying to turn around before he catches it, the balls end up on the ground. So that is one of the things we’ve got to coach up,” Key said.

Key said they are trying to get the most out of all of Allen’s reps.

“Jordan, the same thing with punt returning, he is one of the guys we are working on returning and there are only so many times you can go and so many reps you get, so we are trying to maximize those,” Key said.

FIU transfer Eric Rivers also stood out in his first scrimmage as a Yellow Jacket after being limited in the spring, coming off a pre-Georgia Tech injury.

“Eric can play all across the board. You can move him (and other guys) around, put them in stacks, and different ways to get a clean release,” Key said. “Eric is a smart football player, and he has a lot of experience under his belt. He showed up today big time. Isiah (Canion) is a big target, strong and fast and I think he is becoming more confident as a player too.”

Team health is in a good spot in camp

Injuries happen in football, and Key feels like his team is in the best spot they’ve been in injury-wise since he took over the program.

“Camp wears you down, but we are healthy and as healthy as we’ve been at this point in camp in three years,” Key said. “Massive credit to a lot of areas like AJ Artis and his crew and what they did over the summer, and Brad Kimble in the training room and how they’ve kept guys in position, and the maintenance and rehab. Then what Pat Boyle and Jordan Diaz do with the sports science of it.”

Last week, Key ended up changing his practice schedule on Thursday following the advice of his staff to help keep everyone healthy going into the scrimmage.

“We went hard last week on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I wanted to go hard again on Thursday, and they said maybe you ought to dial it back a little bit, and we used all of those things, you use your gut instincts also and your experiences, but also the scientific data,” Key said. “We aren’t going to be driven by any one thing. We are gonna put our heads together, and I trust our staff.”

Key said he feels like they could’ve gone another 40 or 50 plays on Saturday because of how healthy they are.

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