Everything From Georgia Tech Punter Marshall Nichols In His Wednesday Media Availability

ACC Specialist of the Week Marshall Nichols talked to the media ahead of their matchup against Wake Forest. Here is everything he had to say.

On how difficult the first punt is after sitting for a while… 

“I wouldn't say it's difficult. It's been, especially the first three games, a little bit of a weird start, not punting as much as some other teams, but that's a good thing. Obviously, our offense is rolling, scoring a lot of points. I would say you have your routine, things you do. I always kick a few in the net and get someone second down. Then across the 50, then I'm getting ready to hold. So hopefully I'm still on the field at the end of the drive holding a kick. When I'm out there to punt, I'll be ready.” 

On how pleased he has been with his season so far… 

“I definitely was pleased with last game. I thought I had a tiny bit of a slow start. I just kept telling myself that it was like a small sample size and not to overreact about it. I don't think it was necessarily bad. Last week was good to get some big punts under my belt and build off that, and a lot of confidence going into the next couple weeks. I'm excited about it.”

On being a weapon for the team and being a part of its success… 

“It's cool. It's cool to just be a part of this team in general, but this special teams unit. I think we really have a chance to be special when it's all said and done. We have great snappers, great returners, great gunners. So it's cool to be a part of and kind of just go out there and attack teams and put the whole team in good spots and good positions to win, whether it's a big punt, that game-winning kick versus Clemson, or just making big tackles, returns. So it's been cool to be a part of.” 

On his two big punts last week…. 

“I'll say the first one, like, it's kind of weird. So we have kicked in the stadium like probably 100 times this offseason, and we always kick on the 30-yard line, on the right hash, go right hash, go left hash. So that like 65-yard kick, 64-yard was on the 30-yard line. So I walked out of there like I've been here a thousand times, so just go out there and kick it, and it worked out good. Then the other one was I put it down there, and then it just got a great bounce. I kind of just got to thank God for some of those bounces like that. So hopefully, get a few more of those this year.” 

On how much work he puts in during the week… 

“We put in a lot of work, especially a lot of work on field goals, too, with holds and their laces. It's kind of just an everyday thing. We get out there and practice a lot earlier than the guys, so we have a lot of field space and just get a lot of punts in and get that chemistry and get in a good rhythm as we go into Saturdays each week.” 

On why the special teams unit can be special… 

“I'll just say how much work we've put in, like the guys we have, and obviously Burr's had a great start to the year, and it's been really cool to see him make those kicks, and especially that game-winner is awesome. So I think each week that we perform and do a good job, we have confidence going in, but it just raises your level of confidence. If you keep doing that 12-14 times this year, then you'll be in a good spot in December.” 

On the communication with the special teams unit and his responsibility. 

“I mean, we work it a ton. I would say I'm not as much of the guy in charge of everything. We have like, the shield guys are the ones that call the cadence and all that for punt, but I'd say for field goal, I'm more of like the quarterback, calling the cadence and stuff. But it just goes down to, like, Coach Salem, Coach Farrell, they put us in good spots, and we rep everything. When we go out there on game day, it's, I mean, it's like second nature on us. We know what the calls are, and we just go out there and do it.” 

On the young players stepping up on special teams. 

“Yeah, definitely. I mean, I'd say, on all the units, but just, like, punts specifically, a guy you probably don't hear is Myles Forristall, who is doing a great job at right guard. We put, like, Dalen Penson in at gunner last game. He did a nice job, and thankfully, we didn't have to, like, make a lot of tackles, but he would have been ready to go make tackles down there. He was getting down there real quick. But, yeah, I mean, I think everybody's doing a great job, and just the more guys you can get out there, the experience is good for, like, the team and everything.” 

On the helmet stickers for special teams… 

“I think it's a really cool idea. I think Coach Farrell did a great job of coming up with the whole, like, the blacksmith and the hammers, and we keep trying to get them for the specialists, but, I mean, we're not technically part of the core four, like, two of the core four, because field goal is not one of them. I think it's cool, and it's good to have, like, some of those guys get good recognition, and they're treated well for it, and it's cool.”

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