ATHENS — Technique, technique, technique – it must be something the Georgia coaching staff is drilling into the heads of their players, because it’s something that keeps being brought up time and time again.

But why use the word technique? Why does player after player after player use the term when describing what’s been going on at practice over the past few weeks? Why not skill, or talent, or approach – why the word technique, especially when it comes to talking to the defense?

Well, as defensive lineman Julian Rochester puts it, that’s because these days there is a technician doing the coaching: Tray Scott, the only new member of head coach Kirby Smart’s on-field coaching staff.

“[Scott] preaches technique, technique, technique,” Rochester said. “He knows we have the skills, the aggression, the talent and being able to make plays, but it is all about the technique.”

That was echoed by other members of the defensive line: Scott is quite meticulous in his coaching style.

“With the new coaches they have us learning a lot more technique,” sophomore David Marshall said. “My progress has been I have been working with my hands, more technique. I expected to be the same player just with more skills.”

There it is again, technique; and the word can be traced back to Scott, who is in his first year with the Bulldogs after being hired in February after two years with North Carolina, and less than a month at Ole Miss. Scott replaced Tracy Rocker, who was let go after signing day.

It’s a transition that Rochester, among others, had to get used to. This meant acclimating to a new style of technical learning on the field.

“I had to adapt to his way of coaching,” Rochester said. “It’s the little things that are going to get me to the next play: The steps, the hand movement, the hand placement, its what is going to make me better when I have these block on me.”

Scott has not been available to the media since his arrival. Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, when asked about Scott earlier this preseason, mentioned the “t” word as well.

“He is a technician,” Tucker said. “He is very good at coaching and teaching in a progression of the run and pass rush.  I think the guys have grown to like and respect him.  They are taking to him and I feel like we have a chance to have a strong unit.”