Practice Notes 12/19
Georgia Tech returned to the practice field on Monday after a day off following a scout team scrimmage on Saturday. Jackets head coach Paul Johnson was pleased with the focus heading into the final few days before Christmas break.
"We had yesterday off and came back today and the energy level was good. We got a lot done. We played live for five to ten minutes, which we haven't done for a while especially offensively," Johnson said.
The Jackets let the scout team players and guys not in the two-deep scrimmage on Saturday and Johnson said he was impressed with his two youngest quarterbacks, Jay Jones and Lucas Johnson.
"We let the kids scrimmage Saturday morning... guys who are redshirting or aren't going to play in the bowl probably," Johnson said. "The quarterbacks both looked good. Lucas Johnson had a really nice 70-yard drive and so did Jay Jones. They both looked good making plays."
Along with the two quarterbacks, redshirting freshman receiver Steve Dolphus got high marks from other players for his performance Saturday as well.
A hot topic on Monday was potential NFL draft picks sitting out their bowl games. Freshman B-back Dedrick Mills who missed three games due to suspensions said he values every game and never wants to miss another game at Georgia Tech.
"I want to play in every game I can and have those memories. If I get the chance to play in the NFL, I wouldn't sit out for a bowl game. Football is my life. Every time I touch the field I feel like I owe my teammates something and my family something. That is how I play and that is my mindset," Mills said.
Johnson talked about how Mills has developed this year and why he thinks he is so effective at the B-back position.
"I think it really helped him to come in this spring and he got a jump start on everybody. He is a guy who loves to play and loves to play the game. I wish he got to play more games this year, but I think if he will continue to work and do the right things he has a bright future," Johnson said on Mills.
Mills said he is up to 225 pounds now and is looking forward to playing every game next year.
"When I first got here I would go the wrong way on a play even though I knew where I was supposed to go. You have to think fast and do it on the motion. I spent a lot of time working on it and I've got it down pat now," Mills said.
Academically Mills was struggling through the first half of his freshman year, but after his suspensions he says he got his act together.
"It was pretty tough, but at the end of it, I did what I had to do and ended up with mainly all Bs this semester. I'm trying to maintain a good GPA and play football at the same time," Mills said. "I'm very pleased and I made my family happy. At first I was struggling (academically) during the season, so to end the semester with almost all Bs is a goal for me and my family is pretty happy."