Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson offered a number of updates on depth-chart matters in his Monday and Tuesday media sessions following practice. Among them:
1. Freshman defensive lineman Quon Griffin is on the scout team as of "right now," he said. Johnson said that a number of younger defensive players will move between the "varsity" (starters and backups expected to play) and the scout team.
2. Johnson said that Jack linebacker Victor Alexander has worked hard and had his moments and "had some good days" as he learns the position. Regarding the competition between him and Jaquan Henderson for the starting job, Johnson said that "I couldn't tell you. They rotate those guys like clockwork."
3. Johnson said that at defensive end, the starters will be Anree Saint-Amour and Desmond Branch.
“After that, we’ll see,” he said.
He suggested Antwan Owens and Brentavious Glanton as the likely backups, as Tyler Merriweather has been out for a week and a half. He also mentioned freshman Justice Dingle as a possibility at end. Dingle came to Tech pegged to play linebacker.
4. Redshirt freshman offensive tackle Zach Quinney has been working with the first-string offensive line at left tackle the past few days as Will Bryan was out. Bryan returned Tuesday and practiced at guard, as right guard Brad Morgan was in a gold (non-contact) jersey.
“He does OK,” Johnson said of Quinney. “He’s about like all of them.”
Other possibilities at tackle include Jack DeFoor, Andrew Marshall, Bailey Ivemeyer and Bryan.
Johnson said coaches have been “guarded” with the amount of practice time that Marshall gets as he comes back from ligament tears in his foot.
“After every so often, he gets a break or two,” Johnson said.
5. Freshman Jaylen Jackson moved from A-back to wide receiver about a week and a half ago, Johnson said, adding depth to a position that had been thinned by injuries. Freshman quarterback James Graham had moved there briefly before the season-ending injury to Lucas Johnson required his return to quarterback.
6. Center Kenny Cooper is on schedule to begin practicing next week as he returns from a foot injury suffered in spring practice.
7. Christian Campbell, who moved from free safety to Stinger (a hybrid safety/linebacker) during camp, remains there. Johnson said last Saturday after the team's second scrimmage that grad transfer Malik Rivera and redshirt freshman Kaleb Oliver were playing free safety while Campbell was at stinger.
8. Wide receiver Stephen Dolphus has been playing with his hand in a cast. It is to be removed next week.
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