Collins updates GT football's status during Covid-19

Georgia Tech football coach Geoff Collins got two weeks of spring ball in before the mayhem and confusion of the Covid-19 outbreak in America slammed college football to a grinding halt along with many other aspects of normal life. On Wednesday, the second-year Jackets' coach shared what his team and his staff are up to in this time of social distancing.

Collins spoke to the media via a teleconference and opened up where things left off on March 12th after the Thursday morning practice session.

"I think the last time that we actually worked together was on the media all-access day. That was the last day we were with our team. You guys were there and kind of before the announcements were made that we needed to, you know, cease all activities for the time being. So just appreciate all that you guys do, but obviously the health and safety of everyone in our community, obviously, our football program, our Georgia Tech, you know, family as a whole, the city of Atlanta, everybody, you know matters and that's the first and foremost thing in all of our thoughts. You know, we've been in contact almost on a daily basis with the Institute, with direction from the University of system, Georgia, Georgia Tech and our athletic department, it's actually a conference call for all the head coaches, at least a little bit that I have to jump on as well. So just trying to do the right thing, and trying to be safe. And make sure that all the people that we care for love and even people we don't even know are protected. And we're trying to take care of each other through our activities and things that we can control going forward," he said.

Daily life has changed dramatically for coach Collins and his staff and they are adjusting to it on the fly.

"We were supposed to have our annual bon voyage workout on Friday. And obviously we weren't able to do that. But, you know, we were on spring break last week. So there was a little sense of, you know, you're on there, we're trying to figure out the best way to go about, you know, handling things in the best way possible moving forward once Spring Break was over. And so now, you know, yesterday was supposed to be spring practice number seven. But I think the biggest thing is trying to be creative and innovative, and find ways to best handle the situation, you know, for your safety first, but then the best way to make sure that the unbelievable gains that our football program has made. You know, obviously over the last year, but in particular the last three months, we've tried to be creative and innovative and finding ways to make sure we keep those keep that momentum going. while also keeping everybody safe," Collins said. "And, you know, providing care for anybody that's in need, you know, those kinds of things. I do think the way we kind of set up our communication, you know, is very technologically driven. So I think that those kinds of things we already are predisposed to do, you know, kind of help us navigate, you know, this unprecedented, you know, situation, maybe even a little better than some other coaching staffs. But, you know, it's a new world that we're trying to make sure we're handling, you know, with class and with care, and making sure we're putting people's best interests at the forefront of everything that we do, just like we always do, but definitely in these times."

While Collins was able to squeeze six practices before everything stopped, the Jackets lost out on nine practices that are critical in a season where there is a four-way quarterback battle with all very young quarterbacks including two true freshmen who enrolled early in Tucker Gleason and Jeff Sims.

Collins said he is hopeful that the NCAA will allow either summer practice sessions or an elongated fall camp to make up for those missed practices.

"So obviously, you know, I think the NCAA and the ACC and all the people are trying to navigate, you know, this situation," Collins said. "I think there are there are a lot of really pressing concerns right now as far as health and safety and well being of everybody concerned. I'm sure that's at the forefront of everybody's mind. But then those thoughts do, you know creep in as what it's going to look like moving forward. When we have, you know, this, this outbreak, hopefully under control, what it will look like. I don't know if anybody really knows what it will look like. But I'm sure there's gonna be some accommodations made to make sure that the development of our players the development of our program, and all the programs across college football. I'm sure there'll be some similar sort of accommodations made, whether it be in preseason camp or different things that might happen over the summer. I'm not privy to any of those things. They are being discussed. But I'm sure that at some point, you know, once everybody's health safety well being is, you know, everybody feels good about where everybody is, those conversations will happen."

With campus shutdown and the football offices closed, Collins and his staff are using technology to work virtually together and loop the players in as well.

"We've got such great communication, already amongst our entire coaching staff, with our players, there are so many group texts that are already built into our culture, group messaging pathways that are already in place, and it's been in place for a long time. Those continue, and it's really cool that they're able to continue organically, like even myself, I mean, it's, you know, I've got a straight, straight staff setup. I've got a full-time staff setup, a recruiting setup, Ops, academics, nutrition training room. You guys know that we separate our team into 10 different offseason teams. So all those captains of those teams I'm in a group message with and we are just constantly in touch with our guys and motivating them inspiring them, connecting with them, making sure that their families are safe and protected. You know, so I think that we're pre predisposed to be able to handle this. You know, this time really well. And you know, we have such great relationships with our players, you've been around us, you're going around how we interact with our players, even how we interact with them on social media. It's real. We love our players. We care about our players. They know that. And so the flow of communication is really positive. Obviously, our string staff does an amazing job. I think coach Carolla has gone viral. And no less than six times over the last two weeks, with his messaging with his workouts with the way he engages, and they do a great job with that, and, you know, I'm probably on a message with the string staff probably 15 times a day, just to try to be innovative and creative. Obviously, we can't make any of the workouts mandatory and we don't. But I think the cool thing about having such a young, energetic coaching staff is that our coaches are actually doing the workouts that coach Lou with his staff, you know, provide to us and, you know, I think that's motivating and inspiring when our players know that the coaches are in it with them, like we always are, even in real-time in person, our coaches are in there working out with them and engaging with them and sharing any of the adversity that comes through the hard workouts that we do. And I just think the trust is built in the bonds that have been built, you know, help us navigate. You this time with class and with care. And, you know, all of those things."

Collins said that his players are also more capable of working on things individually now versus a year ago when everything was brand new to the entire team.

"I talked about this a long time. Last year, I think it was quite noisy a year ago because everything was so new. The things that we expect in our culture, the way we run our program was so new to everybody. I think there were so many changes and so many new things and exciting things going on that certain core pieces of who we are and how we build our team, you know, kind of get overlooked, but I think one of the biggest things is our football team. And it's been in play everywhere that I've been, especially when I've been the head coach, is made in the months before spring ball starts. That's when the team is made, the workouts that we do, the development that we do, the gains that we see. From a physical standpoint, obviously, strength and size, which the numbers are through the roof. And actually I can go through those if you want me to the strength gains, the size gains, and just the attitude confident understanding what we do and what we're all about. We didn't have to start zero as we did a year ago. So the team is made during those months, but football pieces great, and we had six great practices. And obviously Tori alluded to the fact of, you know, some young guys needing to get a lot of reps or old ones still developing in the things that we do, to run a modern NFL style, spread offense. So all those things are important, but who we are in our DNA, who we are in our culture, who we are and our mindset, belief system. Those things happen in the first couple of months before spring ball even starts, and we got to go through the whole thing. The only workout we didn't do was the bon voyage workout. And that's understandable and we get it but the other pieces We get to see a real lot by how we do things, the nature of how we work. You know how we go debrief every single day after every workout. So that's when the team's made. And I feel really good. We got to get those experiences in and those development pieces in the challenges now that the guys are away from, how they sustain those gains in size and strength."

On the playbook side of things, Collins feels confident that his players are working on their own to master that aspect as well.

"And you know, the playbook piece you know, they have access to all have iPads and laptops. They have access to our entire film library. There are cut-ups available to them, so they can watch and our coaches already do this. We do this every time we watch a piece of tape. We have comments sections, exactly what positionally needed to happen on certain plays. That is what we do in season. It's what we do out of season. And our Players have access to all of that tape. And, you know, I'm sure a lot of them are, are diving into all those things trying to get better on a voluntary basis while they're away from us," he said.

One other strange aspect of the shutdown this spring is the lack of a spring evaluation period. That coupled with a dead February could make recruiting tougher for some programs. Collins thinks the early work done by his staff and Tech's location will help negate some of those issues as well as some tricks of the trade and technology.

"In the whole recruiting landscape for everybody February was a dead period. You know, so that that that month was was, you know, didn't exist as far as recruiting goes. So we focused on our team as their high school, recruiting gotta focus on their winter sports or their offseason workouts with their teams. look really good thing about us being in Atlanta is such a big city with access for people, via highways and all those things and being surrounded by some of the best High School talent and high school coaches in America. We probably had on average 100 recruits that practice every day. And then on the days that we weren't in practice, there were, you know, recruits and their families and coaches coming in and out of the building. That's the really cool thing about being in Atlanta, is just the access. You know, for big-time high school football players that come through and see us and meet us. So, we were able to in that two week period, get a lot of traffic through. And, you know, obviously, everybody's in a phase of trying to be innovative and creative about what they're going to do. Over this next month. And I think that is one of the really good things about our DNA as a culture. And as what we do as a processes we are, we try to be on the cutting edge, we try to be proactive, we try to be innovative, and all the things that we do. And to be honest with you, I don't want to give out to me the secrets that we're doing right now. Because I do think we're doing a lot of things on the recruiting front center to the cutting edge. Now that will eventually trickle out, you know, via social media, you know, the engagement that we're having, that I'd rather keep the process of how we're doing it the recruiting piece during this time, you know, between us right now and the staff, but just know that it's a well thought out, creative plan on how we're going to make sure that we capitalize on the recruiting success that we've had. Since we In here, and even take it to another level moving forward. So I hope that answers enough with the question, Kelly. But it is something that we talked about and we're engaged in every day while still being very, very, very sensitive to you in any of the situations that the young men that were recruiting their families are going through this trying time," Collins said.

One of the few benefits of the downtime for Collins and his staff has been an increased involvement with their families.

"The last week was spring break. So we add my in-laws and my mom here to be with our almost four years old now, can call her three and a half, she's about a month and a half away from her fourth birthday. So they're here, you know, and they had already planned to be with us. And you know, so they've been with us to be able to take care of her. And I never knew how much a three and a half year old or four year old had to do as far as homeschool, work goes, it is. It is pretty is what she's having to do. And, you know, we've been, besides the football piece, spend a lot of family time together. I think every single night, we've actually sat down and had dinner at the dining room table, which I don't know, over the last, you know, 25 years of our marriage that's happened consistently, for any period of time, but every single night we sit down for dinner, we play games. So, you know, have conversations bond, a great deal. So that part has been, you know, of all the tragedy and all the uncertainty and all those kind of things. You know, it's kind of been a you know, a nice piece to have family time-wise, but just the constant communication with the coaches and the staff and the players has been a big piece, but the family time the homeschool part of it. I don't even know if that's the right word," Collins said.

Feeding and taking care of his players is the main priority for Collins in the meantime and he said they are working every day on improving that aspect of the program while they wait for things to return to normal.

"Our nutritionist Leah Thomas, and Chandler do a great job with our football players. And, you know, we were able to get the approval and this is for every school across the country, the approval to go ahead and send out supplemental nutritional boxes or however they send them out, I'm assuming boxes of foo to some of our guys are still working on all the other pieces needed to supplement their meal plan since they're not going to be used it supplement that back into you know, the guys so they can have access to the food and all those things that they would be getting while they were with us. But the big thing is just, you know, continuing the gains that we made in the strides that we made while we were together, even though we're you know, apart, but I think our guys do a good job of engaging our players, motivating and inspiring them, you know, all those kind of things. The academic piece has been we've had two weeks now to get ready. We're going to go live on Monday with virtual classes at Georgia Tech. And so we've been very diligent our communication with our academic staff, Chris Breen, Brandon Pottebaum and their staff do a great job. You know, being having great foresight and making sure our guys have a plan. Home office setups we've been having our players take pictures of their home office set up so we can make sure it's good. Make sure they have a secure internet connection and a you know, good internet connection, so they can access the classes. I've been trying to become adept at Microsoft Teams, which is what our team is going to have to use and really Georgia Tech is going to use to stream the classes and you know, the tutoring sessions, study hall, all of those things are going to continue to happen starting Monday. And, you know, it's a it's a interesting time. And you know, what I think is being creative and innovative. And having such good relationships with our guys allows us to make sure that they handle this seamlessly. And, you know, have as much success as one of the top five academic schools in the country. And now what is going to be a virtual classroom setting a virtual tutoring study hall setting, all those kinds of things," he said.

For all, it is a challenging time, but Collins and his staff are adapting every day on the fly to meet the needs of his players in this trying time.