The Georgia Tech football team held its last practice on Wednesday before flying out to Dublin later that evening to play its first game of the season versus No. 10 Florida State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Aug. 24.
After practice, three Georgia Tech football players addressed questions from reporters ahead of leaving campus. Each player spoke to reporters for roughly five minutes each.
Below is a full transcript of what David Shanahan, a native of Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland, had to say.
On his feeling going back home to play a game...
“Yeah, I feel good. I’m definitely excited. I think probably the time adjustment will be the hardest thing, just getting out of bed and going straight to practice and all that. But yeah really excited. I get to see my family, I’ll see them tomorrow evening. So, yeah, just really excited.”
On how he’s been trying to teach Coach Key some Irish slang or customs...
“Yeah, I tried to teach him an Irish greeting, like an actual Irish or Gaelic greeting but I don’t think he quite has the hang of it. But yeah, no, he’s been pretty funny about it all. He just asked me what the food was and what to expect over there. A big thing in Ireland is pudding. We eat pudding for breakfast, like blood pudding. It’s kind of like sausage. When he’s going over there, I told him to try it. I was like, I think you’ll really like it. And then he said he hated it. So yeah, but we look forward to seeing what he thinks.”
On what is the Irish greeting and what he told his players to expect...
“It just means, how’s it going and I’m happy to be here today. I wouldn’t say it’s too dissimilar. Probably the weather, I think they’re probably expecting it to be summertime. It is summertime in Ireland, but summertime in Ireland is probably very different definition of summertime in Atlanta, definitely a little chillier. But yeah, I’m excited to show them around Dublin. Just kind of get the whole vibe of the place, like it’s a cool city.”
On whether he’s gotten enough tickets for friends and family...
“Yes, I have just about. I think I got like 40 something tickets in the end. I think my dad bought another bunch. So I think I’ve got enough just about.”
On the improvement of special teams...
“Yeah, I think we’ve all had a really good camp. You know, it’s just another year of working together. We had a really good offseason. So I think we’re feeling really good. So I think we’re going to be in a really good spot. We’re really excited to get going.”
On expectations this year...
“Yeah, probably the big thing this year is just more direction especially with the rugbys. I think the type of rugby coach wanted to do was new to me last year. So just getting more reps to that, and doing that over and over again, and just be more consistent directionally with those are the main thing this offseason.”
On whether he’s okay not being used if the offense is doing so well...
“Haynes King has been telling me all summer that I’ll just be holding extra points in Ireland. So we’ll see how true that is. But I’d be fine if we didn’t punt, I’d be perfectly okay with that, as long as we win.”
On getting comfortable with Aiden Birr for practice then into games...
“Yeah, definitely. Me, Aiden and Henry Freer, this is going on year three of us kind of being together. Even though Aiden was just a freshman and wasn’t really playing. But, yeah, just having that rhythm of the timing and the tempo of everything. It’s something you get with experience and reps. So I think that’s been really good.”
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