Two days and counting until the Chick-fil-A Bowl, and we'll have plenty of coverage for you in the paper (all also online, of course) and the blog. Today's Virginia Tech practice -- or at least the part the media were allowed to see -- was a light affair, with players wearing only helmets and no pads. Everyone seems really relaxed, which is usually the case with a Frank Beamer-coached team at a bowl game. Tech's non-football activities included a visit to the local children's hopital and a trip to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center here in Atlanta.
Haven't seen too many Tech fans out and about as of yet, but I'm sure they're either on their way or simply dining in classier joints than me.
Here are some quotes from today's practices and press conferences, courtesy of Chick-fil-A Bowl PR man Matt Garvey:
VIRGINIA TECH
Defensive coordinator Bud Foster
Defensive Summary: "We’ve had a good week of practice this week, here and in Blacksburg. I think our timing is back, we’ve had up tempo practices and picked up where we left off. These last few days we’ve been very sharp, very enthusiastic, I think we’ve got a good game plan and now we’ve just got to execute that. We’re looking forward to playing this ball game. We’ve got a great match up, I think they are two similar teams and it should be a great match up for the Chick-fil-A Bowl."
Bryan Stinespring, Offensive Coordinator
Offensive Summary: We’ve had a good week. "Back in Blacksburg, we felt like we finished strong and had a great rhythm and we want to continue it. Sean [Glennon] is very indicative of where we are as an offense. I think because of him taking control as a quarterback and steadily getting better, it’s carried over to our entire offense. We’re excited about being here. We feel very welcome and appreciated being here, and we appreciate the opportunity to be in this great bowl."
Sean Glennon, QB On his first bowl start: "I’ve been blessed to be starting at such a big bowl game and I’m looking forward to it. I know if I have a big game, it will be a big jump start for next year. But I think as long as we get the win, that’s what’s going to jump start me more than anything. I’d rather have a win and not be a huge part of it than put up great numbers myself and not win. As long as we get the win, that’s the biggest thing.
On impressions of the Dome: "Anytime you get to play in a Dome where NFL teams play it’s a special feeling. It just feels like a big game even though no one was in the stadium."
Xavier Adibi, LB On Georgia’s limited offensive line: "The way we practice and all the conditioning that we do, we go in to the game thinking we’re going to wear anybody down. That’s the aspect that we concentrate on as a defense, just
wearing the offense down, playing on their side of the line of scrimmage, and making them a one dimensional offense."
On his impressions of the Dome: "It feels like a big game environment, it feels like a BCS game. I just can’t wait to get out there in front of 75,000 people and have a chance to play in front of them."
On the importance of this game for the ACC: "I think it’s a big one. I think we really just want to come in and be a good representative for the ACC."
Receiver Eddie Royal on the matchup: "Both teams have quarterbacks that have been producing all year, great defenses and great special teams. But for those who say it’s going to be a low-scoring game, I disagree."
On playing in the Dome: "It puts a little extra pep in your step to play on the same field as so many great NFL players."
Offensive lineman Duane Brown on preparing for the game: "It’s hard to prepare for things like that. We’re just focused on Georgia and playing our kind of game. They’re [Georgia] a powerhouse and always have been. It’s gonna be a pretty good dogfight."
Head Coach Frank Beamer on the Chick-fil-A Bowl: "This is a good bowl. We’ve been to 14 straight and these people do a great job. Everyone’s very efficient and very helpful. It’s been a great trip."
GEORGIA
Neil Callaway, Offensive Coordinator
Offensive summary: "We’re a fairly healthy offense, everybody is full speed. I really think all of our practices have been very good, very competitive on both sides of the ball."
Matt Stafford, QB: On what he’s learned as a quarterback: I started out slow for a while, but I picked toward the end, and I think I did a pretty decent job in the last few games trying to move the offense along and make plays. The biggest thing I’ve learned is, at this college level, is when it’s time to try to make a play and when it’s time to just throw out of bounds."
Willie Martinez, Defensive Coordinator
Defensive summary: "I think that we’ve done a good job preparing in Athens and here in Atlanta. The players are focused and excited. They understand it’s a huge challenge for us defensively, because Virginia Tech plays a very similar style to what we want to play. They play solid on defense and play with a lot of energy. We’ve got a huge challenge, we know they’re not going to make a lot of mistakes, but we feel prepared."
On his defensive line: "The game of football starts up front, that’s never going to change. We felt good coming in to the year; we felt like we have the most athletic group we’ve had in years. The linebackers have major experience together. Anytime you have experience up front it helps. On the key to late season improvements in defense: Our guys were making more plays. Football is a team sport. We didn’t play like a team [in the beginning], we played like a team the past few games. That will always be true – on both sides of the ball and special teams. A lot has had to transpire for us to be successful the last few games. We’ve done it because we’ve played really well together."
Tra Battle, DB
On learning from last year’s bowl experience: "It’s an extreme motivation, looking back at how we performed last year against WVU. It was embarrassing to perform in that fashion. We use that as motivation this year, and we don’t want to let it happen again. If we perform that way again, that will destroy everything we’ve tried to do in these last two games to regain the respect of the national media, the football critics and the fans."
On the senior class: "I know as a senior class this game means everything. We did some soul searching after some of our losses this season, and talked about the legacy we’d like to leave at Georgia. We don’t want to be the worst team in the Richt era, we want to be the team who ran in to some adversity, but in the end, we bounced back and proved ourselves. That’s our motivation. We want to be the best. If we didn’t, why would we play this game?"
Defensive end Quentin Moses on comparing this year’s bowl with last year: "WVU was a fast defense and I think VT is the same. VT has great tools, fast receivers and they are smart."
Defensive tackle Ray Gant on the defenses: "It’s going to be fun to see these defenses play. I think we are both capable of causing a lot of damage."
Tailback Kregg Lumpkin on the SEC and the ACC: "With these two conferences anything can happen. It one of those match-ups where any team can win on any given day. I think the SEC is a powerful conferences but this will be a great game."
Head coach Mark Richt on the defenses: "These two defenses are just so talented. Plus, they are capable of creating points by themselves. I’d be surprised to see a lot of points scored. I’d just be surprised to see the offenses really moving the ball up and down the field."
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