Coach Gailey Call-In Show

I was able to listen today. However, I want to make sure everyone understands that this is pure paraphrase. I will do my best to capture the spirit of what was said but these are far from direct quotes:

WES: Tickets are still avaiable for UConn

WES: Coach, you've had 7 consecutive conference games and now you head out of conference to play UConn.
CG: It would be ok if UConn weren't that good, but they are. It is harder this way. That's just the way the schedule works out.

WES: This is not the same UConn team you faced two years ago and beat.
CG: No doubt. Most guys on that team were sophomores and now they're seniors. Both teams are looking for bowl eligibility. They've had an extra week to prepare. They're a good team.

WES: Their QB has come a long way
CG: Some scouts say he might be one of the top 2-3 QB's in the country right now. He can put points on the board with that offense and he is doing a great job.

WES: You went into the NC ST under-manned at tailback, but R.Grant responded, didn't he?
CG: He responded for sure. He ran the ball well and he held onto the ball in traffic, which is as important as anything. That game was a wonderful game for our players. Let me re-phrase - it was not a pretty game, but it was a wonderful win. We held our composure in the 2nd half and responded to the pressure maybe a little better than they did.

WES: You really kept the crowd out of it.
CG: Only 2 or 3 times did the crowd really get fired up and our group responded well.

WES: Talk about injuries for this week
CG: Woods is out, PJ Daniels is doubtful. Everyone is should be ok. We are a bit banged up, but then who isn't at this time of year.

WES: The 1-handed catch by Calvin Johnson. You've had to answer a few questions about that one.
CG: Yeah, a few.
WES: In all your years of coaching, have you seen better?
CG: I haven't seen a lot better.
WES: It even looked like the ball was tipped at the line.
CG: No, we went back and looked at the film and it wasn't tipped. You know, usually the best catches come in practice. You get a lot more reps and other things are going on, but in this case we may have seen one of the best in a game.
WES: James Butler told me about a catch he made during the summer where the ball was thrown basically out of the endzone and he somehow went and got it.
CG: Yeah, he has done a few of those in our practices.
WES: I sure hope that people get a chance to speak to that young man before he leaves GT because he is just such an outstanding young man
CG: If they do, they'll end up doing most of the talking. He's just not a talker.

WES: One more win and you're bowl eligible. You don't have to tell your team that I suppose.
CG: I don't have to, but have a couple of times anyway.

WES: Since this is a group that has been through ups and downs, is this a group that can maintain that focus?
CG: Our group understands what's at stake. That doesn't guarantee they'll play well, but it allows some kind of momentum in practice because something is at stake. You need that in practice.

CALLER: There were a few specific plays at NCST where our players didn't give up on the play (Reggie after the INT, Grant batting away a potential INT) and it made a difference in the game.
CG: Usually there are 4-5 plays and sometimes 8-10 that are critical every game. They may happen in the 1st quarter and you don't realize how important that play was until you go back and review the film.

CALLER: Why are we calling so many early timouts?
CG: Sometimes Reggie is getting the plays wrong, or reading them wrong from his wristband. That's something we are taking a look at and making some changes with this week.

CALLER: Why the squib kicks out-of-bounds in the last game?
CG: That wasn't by design. Sometimes your kicker just gets hyped up and overcooks it a bit and it goes out-of-bounds. That's something we are dealing with.

WES: The deal for the UConn was signed before Randy Edsell took the job and before you took the GT job. It is a 1-for-2, so UConn will be in ATL twice back-to-back. Also, the ACC announced the schedule for 2005 and it is important to note that division games will not be used as a tie-breaker (I didn't catch all this). That's probably good as GT will have games AT VT, AT UVA, AT Miami and AT Auburn as well.

WES: What has it been like for R.Grant prepping as the starter this week?
CG: When you are the starter it is a different mindset. It is not the same, I don't care what you say. He has had to up his practice tempo and he almost didn't know how. So we had to talk with him a couple of days ago and now he has done that.
CG: Also, Ace and Eddie Ivery practiced this week at TB. Eddie is very talented, just not that big.
WES: What about 175lb........... with weights??
CG: yyyeeeeaaahhh........maybe..... But he is quicker than he is fast, which is saying a lot. He has some unique talents when he gets his hands on the ball. Curtis Modkins, the RB coach has told me he is impressed with how quick ELI has picked things up this week.
WES: Is the move to RB for ELI permenant?
CG: No. He'll probably move back to CB or WR by spring.

CALLER: Is the offensive line right now ahead in run-blocking or pass-blocking?
CG: We have 3 seniors on the O-Line. They are steady, but they all have little things, being banged up. Recently M.Rhodes has really come on. Brad Honeycutt is playing good but not consistent enough. In fact, you have to tame him down a bit before games. He is like a wild animal and is a great competitor. You just have to get him a few snaps first to get him in the flow of the game.
CG: The run-blocking is ahead of the pass-blocking right now.
WES: Continuity issues?
CG: No doubt. I don't think we've had the same 5 on the field for 3 games in a row. We also have to remember that there are some very good D-lineman in this conference right now.
CG: We have moved to "area pass-protection" instead of individual pass-protection. It takes a little bit away from the passing game, but it helps protect your QB. Right now we are +10 in sacks and that's where we need to be.

WES: The defense. G.Wilkinson and J.Anaoi are playing well and probably won't get the credit they deserve.
CG: Certainly Anoai won't. He is great at getting penetration but maintaining his gap responsibility. Also, D.Richard is playing well. Mansfield Wrotto and A.Oliver are getting their reps, and we are able to rotate them on occasion.

WES: G.Wilkinson has really adapted well in his new Linebacker position. Going from defensive end to linebacker, and not just LB, but middle-LB, is amazing.
CG: And remember, two years ago he was playing the SAM-LB. So he has gone from SAM LB to DE to MLB. It is a totally new position and he has really made strides this season.
CG: Chris Reis is really learning his position well. KaMichael Hall don't forget has a brand new position also and he's done well and is learning.

WES: You have one senior. Moving forward, they should only get better
CG: Well, you cannot assume everyone will be back. You just never know how those things will work out. But assuming they are back, then you add the new players like Anyaibi, Chambers, Guyton, D.Brown, Lewis, Gaston, etc. Bringing all these guys into the mix next season should really help.

WES: Talk about Elris Anyaibe.
CG: He is about 6'3" 270 and can run. He will probably be able to carry another 10-20 pounds. He is a great young man and is learning to play defensively on the inside. I am really excited about his future.

WES: One thing is still constant - the focus on speed.
CG: It's about speed, speed, speed. You have to have some size, but you have to have guys who can run to play in this conference.

CALLER: What's up with L.Newberry and Eddie Parker
CG: LN had a knee injury when he got here and he has never gotten back his 1st step quickness. Maybe he will. It took R.Grant about 18 months. But LN's progress is not great right now. EP is just starting to get back to 100% after a shoulder injury, then he broke his foot. Now he is getting strong in the weight room and working hard.

CALLER: Talk about recruiting needs.
CG: We will probably sign 20-21 players this class. We will sign 11 on the Defense, 3-4 O-Lineman, 1 QB, 1 RB, 1 TE, 2 WR's, or if we move P.Carter to WR, just 1 and then maybe an all-purpose guy or maybe a safely. We need some depth there.

WES: You have had a lot of players adjusting to different positions. Are you pleased with how they have handled the transitions?
CG: I am because it is not an easy thing to do. But that's why we focus recruiting more on "athletes" instead of locked-in position players. You focus on guys who can run, jump and it gives you flexibility.

CALLER: Are you pleased with R.Grant's pass blocking? That was a weakness early on
CG: He has definitely improved in this area.

CALLER: How is Reggie Ball's confidence? Do you see an improvement in his play?
CG: I wish I could say yes, but there has been no proof of his progress. It seems that when he gets the furthest down he plays his best. This is nothing he doesn't already know and that we have not talked to him about. He has to be more consistent and make the kind of plays he is capable of. He doesn't have to do it by himself. But Reggie is too confident to let negative things eat on him or drag him down.

CALLER: PJ Daniels made comments about having to make a decision about going pro after this season. Does that impact your decision on recruiting RB's?
CG: Right now we just have to assume everyone is coming back. We are in the hunt for some really good tailbacks right now. Anyone coming in knows that PJ will be a senior and that they'll have to compete for a starting job with the group, including R.Grant.

CALLER: I hear there is quite a recruiting hotbed in Hawaii. Who handles that territory.
CG: I am responsible for the territory myself.... Seriously, we don't recruit there. And even west coast recruiting in California is basically word-of-mouth. A kid usually has to have some strong tie to GT or a strong desire for us to recruit out there. It is usually just not worth the effort because of distance and cost. There is no doubt that a lot of recruits on the west coast would love a chance to come to ATL for a weekend, but how many would be seriously interested - hard to say. The good thing is that there is enough quality in the southeast, northeast and Texas.

WES: What about 8-man football or 6-man football. Do you look at those kids seriously?
CG: Nebraska has some of that. It is really hard to recruit a small school player unless he visits one of your camps. Usually they don't have good A/V equipment so you don't even have good video of the kid.

WES: Tonight FSU/NCST after 5 days rest. The Jackets have done that a couple of times and it is tough.
CG: In my opinion, it is not fair to the players.

WES: The home teams in the ACC are 19-14. Where is the home field advantage?
CG: First there is a lot of parity. Second, it is hard at home when kids get booed, they get down, the pressure mounts and they don't handle the pressure. It is a tough situation for 18-20 year old kids who think everyone is against them. Sometimes they panic. It weighs on kids more and more.

WES: What are the keys to the UConn game? They have one of the best pass defenses in the country.
CG: We will have to run the ball primarily, but the way they play their secondary, there is a chance for some big plays. We will have to contain their running game and try to keep their QB off-balance.
CG: