Tray Scott: "Train to the standard, not the time"
Georgia defensive line coach Tray Scott didn’t join Kirby Smart’s staff with any false pretenses.
He knew former defensive line coach Tracy Rocker was popular with the players he’d soon be coaching. Scott also realized the players' trust would not automatically be given, it would have to be earned.
Turns out it really wasn’t that hard.
“It wasn’t, and the reason I say that is because trust is earned. I think if you’re willing to trust and you’re willing to give trust, you really, really don’t mind working for it,” Scott said. “When it comes down to it, it always happens but you can’t control time, you’ve just kind of got to let it flow. It was one of those situations that we all spoke about. I’ve been in that situation a lot of times as a player and as a coach, and the ones who try to do it the right way come in and try to earn that trust.”
That’s exactly what Scott was able to do.
The former North Carolina assistant didn’t come in and try to shake up the position with a bunch of different expectations and demands.
Of course, having a good group of young men helps.
“It’s all about having a group of guys with the will to do and this group has done a really good job of, 'Hey Coach, coach me up on this, coach me up on that,' ” Scott said. “So, it’s been easy with those group of guys.”
Scott’s hands-on approach helped him get on the good side of his players really quick.
It’s not just about verbal instruction with Scott, he’s not afraid to get down in the trenches and physically show a player how to work a drill or technique.
“Everything we do he hops in there,” said senior nose guard John Atkins, who added he and the rest of the defensive line were immediately impressed the first time they met their new coach back before the spring.
“When he came in the room, the way he talked and the way he gave us stuff, you were like, ‘Oh, yeah,'” Atkins said. “You know he knows what he’s talking about.”
Scott believes his ability to get hands-on with his players has always been one of his strengths.
“It’s important, because if you focus as a great player on finding brilliance and doing basic things, then you can really be great and you will have an opportunity to sustain,” Scott said. “That’s one of the things we all really try to strive for, is the standard. Train to the standard, not the time. No matter how long the situation may take, how good can I be for how long can I be. So, the guys have really, really taken to that concept, and it’s showed good dividends for us this year.”
However, it all starts with wanting to be great.
“Guys like John Atkins, Jonathan Ledbetter, have really helped lead the group. Tyler Clark, Trenton Thompson,” Scott said. “Those guys just really want to be good and they know all we care about is their success, so it’s been fun.”