CHICK-FIL-A KICKOFF GAME: CLEMSON VS. GEORGIA TECH

September 5, 2022

E.J. Jenkins

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Press Conference

Clemson - 41, Georgia Tech - 10

Q. What was it like to get that first catch under your belt?

E.J. JENKINS: It felt good. It felt good to be back, definitely. There was a lot of mixed emotions in there. But I'm glad, putting some points up for the team.

Q. What was the design on the play where you scored your touchdown?

E.J. JENKINS: You know, corner route. They were in cover 2. They were sitting down low. That's just ordinary football stuff. Got to the hole.

Q. I believe it was after they went up 14-0 Jeff Sims and the offense seemed to be clicking, completing a lot of passes. For you, what do you feel was able to help get things going? Because it seemed like you guys were able to move the football all night. You just weren't able to finish.

E.J. JENKINS: Just really communicating, just keeping each other up the whole game. You know, people see people when they put their head down. There's always somebody come around, make sure everybody's uplifted and just pushing down the field. So just sit there, keep communicating, make sure everybody's on the right page.

Q. Talk about your quarterback tonight. Obviously had to deal with a lot of pressure, but kind of stayed in the pocket, made moves to deliver the ball to guys like you, Nate, others, as well. What did you think of his play tonight?

E.J. JENKINS: Jeff is a soldier. I like Jeff a lot. He sits inside there. Everybody knows he can use his legs, too. But as a quarterback you've got to sit there, sit in the pocket and just deliver passes outside of it.

Jeff is good. Jeff is growing too. I've seen Jeff grow a lot especially since I've been here. I'm just proud of him. I'm glad he's my quarterback.

Q. Looked like there were a couple of balls you had your hands on, weren't able to bring in. Couple other guys did too. How much of a factor do you think that was, not being able to make some of the catches that you maybe could have made on a different day?

E.J. JENKINS: Those catches we know what we left on the field. Gotta sit there, just go to practice and practice on the little things. We know we beat ourselves a lot today. Game one, we're going to make mistakes, whatever, but we'll come back stronger next week, for sure.

Q. You've been saying that although you all lost but knowing you were able to drive the ball throughout the game against that type of defense, how gratifying was that?

E.J. JENKINS: It is. Our game one, their game one. It was good. It was a good feeling, but we've just got to sustain drives, stay on the field, what not, just finish drives. We do that, I feel like we'll be a really good football team.

Q. You've obviously been on both sides -- on two different sides of a rivalry with Clemson now. Just I guess kind of how do you feel like you measure where Georgia Tech is now after playing them? You obviously played them within the last year too. Where do you feel like you guys are right now as a program, a game into the season? Just do you feel like you like where the progress is, where the team's headed and that kind of thing?

E.J. JENKINS: I like the progress a lot. It's in there, especially watching the film from last year and what not, I've seen a lot of people on this roster grow and it's real admiring. It just makes me want to be better every day. And the energy that they come with every day is just willing to work. Take the energy, make it contagious and hopefully pass it on to everybody else, too.

Q. You talked about moving the ball and sustaining drives. What went into the struggles on third down?

E.J. JENKINS: I'm not sure about that one.

Q. You were 2-for-16 on third down. It seemed like you were able to move the ball and third down came along and for whatever reason you weren't able to convert.

E.J. JENKINS: I had no idea we were 2-for-16. I'm not really sure about that one. I'm not sure.

Q. It seemed like you guys had a lot of quick-hitting stuff, getting rid of the ball quickly for Jeff. I'm guessing that was a part that was stressed by Coach Long giving Clemson's defense and the pressure they were going to bring, just make sure you were getting the ball out quick; is that accurate?

E.J. JENKINS: Clemson has a very good up-front line, and they're giving us space and cushion, why not take what they're giving us first? We knew Jeff would be pressured all night. Clemson is known for their front. But it was all part of the game plan. I feel we executed to a certain extent, but we just left stuff on the field that we should have executed.

Q. Curious about the execution, (indiscernible). How frustrating is it just for penalties? And looked like Coach talked about how much you prepared for the environment and the crowd and just trying to make sure everything was in correct standing. To have those penalties, what can you attribute that to?

E.J. JENKINS: The penalties definitely hurt us. Setbacks and stuff like that, where we didn't want to be, especially beginning the game, where to start off the ball with. But just really just responding to those penalties and what not. We've got to cut them down. We know we do. And we're definitely going to emphasize that at practice, for sure.