Georgia Tech continued its on-field preparation for the Birmingham Bowl on Tuesday, its second practice of the week in the Brock Football Practice Facility and on Rose Bowl Field. Tech’s practices have become a bit more important with each passing day and with the continued departure of key players, such as wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr., left tackle Corey Robinson and defensive end Romello Height.
Those losses open competition for increased in-game snaps for some of the younger players on the roster when the Yellow Jackets (7-5) face Vanderbilt at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 27 at Protective Stadium.
“I don’t want guys on this team that don’t want to compete. The guys that compete, they wanna compete all the time or any time they’re given the chance and the opportunity,” Tech coach Brent Key said Tuesday. “Whether it’s the weight room, whether it’s conditioning, running, our guys have a chance to be together and do competitive things, that’s what they’re gonna do. And have fun while they’re doing it.”
Singleton, who entered the NCAA’s transfer portal Dec. 9, took 754 receiving yards and three touchdown catches with him. His ability to stretch the field on deep throws and his speed — the sophomore also was on the Tech track team and was clocked at more than 20 mph during a game this season — undoubtedly will be missed.
But the Jackets still have leading pass-catcher Malik Rutherford as well as reliable seniors Chase Lane and Abdul Janneh. Tech also has seen flashes of potential from freshmen Bailey Stockton (15 catches for 193 yards) and Isiah Canion (four catches for 63 yards).
The latter two could see an increased involvement in the bowl.
“Should have seen practice (Tuesday),” Key said of Stockton and Canion. “Was really impressed with those guys.”
On the offensive front, Robinson, a left tackle, moved on after 539 offensive plays this season and was Tech’s highest-graded pass blocker, according to Pro Football Focus. Fellow left tackle Jordan Brown, who split time at the position with Robinson at the start of the season, also exited, leaving sophomore Ethan Mackenny to step into the starting lineup.
Mackenny (6-4, 310) had a standout freshman season in 2023, making eight starts at left tackle. He had played only eight snaps this season until Nov. 9, when he was on the field for 32 plays against Miami. The following game against North Carolina State, the Lassiter graduate logged 38 plays, and in the finale at Georgia he played 27 snaps.
Mackenny was Tech’s third best pass blocker in the win over N.C. State on Nov. 21.
“That’s his spot for the future, and that’s where he’ll be now,” Key said of Mackenny taking over at left tackle. “It’s not like you’re putting someone new there or somebody you’ve had to move spots. We’ve got a consistent player there that’s played a lot of really good football for us, played a lot of winning football and is gonna be here for a long time moving forward.”
On defense, the loss of Height cannot be understated. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound junior was Tech’s best pass rusher, with 30 quarterback pressures, 22 quarterback hurries, 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Tech, however, has rotated a handful of guys at Height’s position and along the defensive front, and that should continue with seniors Joshua Robinson and Kevin Harris, who have each played more than 330 snaps, available to fill Height’s void.
Freshmen Jordan Boyd and Amontrae Bradford could be called upon as well.
“We play a lot of guys on defense, play a lot of guys in general on that side of the ball. We’ve got guys on the team — one person is not gonna make a difference as far as the rotational depth and having bodies to play,” Key said. “You see some of those teams out there that are in dire straits right now as far as being able to play a game. That’s not the case at all.
“We’re gonna continue to coach the guys that are here and prepare them, not only for this game, but continue to prepare them for their career here at Georgia Tech.”
Key said the Jackets won’t be introduced to Vanderbilt and won’t start game-planning for the Birmingham Bowl until Friday. The second-year Tech coach also lauded his team for remaining focused despite a long layoff between games.
Tech is scheduled to depart for Birmingham on Monday after practicing earlier that day.
“(Tuesday) was probably one of the better bowl practices that I’ve been around in a long time,” Key said. “Just the physicality, the intensity of it, the competitiveness, the communication with guys on both sides of the ball, it was good-on-good, we did some competitive good-on-good sequences toward the end, some different situational things. Really proud of our team for what they’ve done up until this point.”
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