Georgia Tech left Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday not only with a win under its belt, but also a new accomplishment: winning consecutive games for the first time in 2023.
Coach Brent Key and players have said that each week is separate from the rest. But the Yellow Jackets’ 45-17 win against Virginia has inspired a new commitment to staying motivated and winning.
“Yes, we just won two in a row, but we can’t be complacent,” running back Jamal Haynes said. “We can’t (settle for) just winning two in a row. We still have to be hungry. We still have to be humble. We have to go into next week ready to work, ready to go 3-0.”
Tech’s victory Saturday was dominant in every sense of the word. Quarterback Haynes King continued to excel, going 23-for-30 passing while throwing for 208 yards and rushing for 83. The defense tallied two interceptions. The Jackets managed to score across all four quarters as well, even putting up 21 in the second quarter.
Now, the Jackets will look to extend their win streak to three against Clemson on Saturday (noon, ABC). It’s a big opportunity to continue their progress, defensive back Myles Sims said.
“Now that we’re on this side of the spectrum, it feels good,” Sims said. “It feels great. We can’t stop here. We’ve got to keep going and keep pressing that gas so we can continue having these moments, continue being better than the next opponent.”
It’s a change from earlier this season, Sims said, when he would put in hard work yet not see the outcome in the games. Those moments led to questions about change and what more can be done, he said.
Now, coach Brent Key said the Jackets’ next step is becoming “obsessed” with winning. He cited Kobe Bryant as an athlete with a dedication to victory, saying he played the team a video of Bryant on Sunday before speaking with them about the obsessive nature of success.
“When we talk about obsessive, we’re not talking about obsessed where you play with anxiety or you slow down or play timid,” Key said. “We’re talking about obsessed (where) you’re going to do everything you can to be the best version of yourself every single play, every single day, every single game, every single week. That’s the challenge I put to the team this week.”
Key said he’s focused on improvement and “raising that ceiling” each week. He said he wouldn’t challenge players to “play over their head,” but wants them to be the best version of themselves.
Some significant areas of growth for Tech in recent weeks: execution and consistency. That was a challenge for the Jackets initially, playing a mix of strong and lackluster quarters.
Defensive back Jaylon King said one of Tech’s goals for the Saturday victory against Virginia was playing a “complete” game in all facets. He felt like they achieved that.
A win over an ACC standard-setter like Clemson would be big, Key said, but he doesn’t want to make the moment bigger than it is. He plans to continue taking things game by game.
“Each week is a season,” Key said. “There is no tomorrow after Saturday as far as we’re concerned. We’re going to lay it all on the line. We’re going to take (our) punches, throw our punches.”
