Everything From Georgia Tech DB Clayton Powell-Lee Ahead of Friday's Game vs Colorado

Georgia Tech defensive back Clayton Powell-Lee talked to the media after practice on Monday. Here is everything he had to say ahead of Friday's game vs Colorado.

How much time has he spent on Colorado’s offense…

“We're watching so much film. We're going back to film when their quarterback, I always forget his name, Salter, I believe. When he was at Liberty, Colorado's offense last year, obviously with Shedeur, the year before that. Because they have so many pieces from relatively the same area, like a lot of Deion's guys came from Jackson State, I've heard, so we've watched Jackson State's film, so just trying to get the film from anywhere possible, honestly, to give us the edge and to really just ball out.

On opening up with a matchup against Colorado..

“I mean, we treat every game as the same. We don't try to make the event bigger than what it is, honestly. We just try to keep a level head and just knowing that, hey, if we go out there and play our best, we can play anybody in the country, and I feel like we've shown that. So just trying to keep that consistent mindset of just don't make the game bigger, don't make the game smaller, don't play down to your opponent. Don't let the event change how you play. Just play the same way that you've been practicing, play the same way that you plan to play in the game. So just keeping a steady mindset.”

On the identity of the defense…

“Toughness, straight toughness. We always preach it. We preach detailed growth and toughness because if we do those things, we can play with anybody, honestly. Everybody's going to say new defense, new players, are they going to gel, blah, blah, blah. No, we're just okay. We're getting better, honestly. So we're going to play fast. We're going to play physically. We're going to make plays. That's what that defense is going to look like.”

On what he has seen from Colorado’s receiving core…

“They have a lot of talent. I will say that they have a lot of talent. They got some experienced guys. They got some guys coming back, but we got a lot of talent on our side, too. So just saying that, it's going to be a great battle between us as a secondary and them as a receiving core, because they do got some talent, but we got some talent. So it's going to be a back-and-forth battle all night."

On his thoughts on playing in the elevation and playing in Colorado…

"Everybody says it's a different experience, but I've experienced some crazy stadiums since being here, so just knowing that, not trying to over hype it, honestly, like it's another game. I know they bring out celebrities, they do all this crazy stuff, but we're playing football, none of them are playing. They can hype you up all they want to but you are on the field, not them. So, yeah, just playing fast. Like, not dwelling on that type of stuff. Like, that's all I can say.”

On if he watches Carrollton High School tape to prepare for Julian Lewis….

“Yeah, I never played him, but I have a teammate, Kelvin, who played with him in high school. So I just try to get tips from him, like what type of quarterback is he, is he a pocket passer, improviser, all those little things like that. Because even though he's never played a down and snap, they've been hyping him up a lot, just saying that he's going to play, supposedly. So whenever he gets out there, we can always just keep on playing, even though he has different keys than his other companion.”

On playing against a former high schooler and true freshman…

“Yeah, it's crazy because I was the same way, honestly. Like, coming on as a freshman and then getting those early plays, early starts, and whatever the case may be, it's a real moment. You get your freshman moments, obviously. So, hey, good luck to him.”

On his advice to young guys/transfers ahead of the big game….

“I've just been telling them, find a process for you. As a freshman, I had to... I come together with a process just for me. Everybody is different. Things get everybody else going differently than how I may be. So I just tell them, find your process, find what gets you locked in before the game. Because once you're out there, you're out there. You just can't think too much. Like you just got to play. You've got to let your body just do what it does. Like that's how I just tell them. Like, find your process before the game. But when you're on the field, let your body do what it does. Because you're going to make the plays. I always tell them that.”

On it being his last first game at Georgia Tech…

“It's crazy because you count down how many days we played in the spring. I don't even remember. It was so many days away, but now it's literally this Friday coming up, and it's like, just trying to make the most of it, honestly, because this is a big game for me, I feel like. It's just me being a senior trying to, you know, go to the next level. So I know this is a step in that direction. It's just trying to make sure I'm locked in, I got my teammates locked in, and we just play because we play together. The individual accolades are going to come along with it.” 

More Georgia Tech Football News: