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Brent Key breaks down Haynes King's growth so far in the 2023 season

Originally posted on FanNation All Yellow Jackets
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated 9/20/23

It has been a great start to the season for Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King. He is the current leader in passing yards in the conference and has thrown only one interception this season. He has done a great job of leading the offense, which has been one of the best in the ACC through three weeks.

So what has been the key to success for King so far this season and how has he grown since arriving in Atlanta? Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key gave a detailed explanation yesterday when asked about his quarterback:

"Yeah he does a good job of running the offense, being a leader on the team and having relationships with other people, with really everyone on the team across the board. He has a unique ability at that position to put a bad play behind him and put a good play behind him and that is what you look for at that position, but he also instills confidence in the guys that are playing with him. In just talking to the guys some in the last couple of days, the confidence that they have when he is out on the field and they know he has the opportunity to make the throw or make the run, pull the ball and do different things with it, making good decisions and he puts the offense in the right position in order to be successful and you know.

A perfect example of that the other night, I think it was at the end of the first half and and we are driving down the field and I think we ended up kicking a field goal at the end of it, at the end of the drive, but understanding the clock, getting the clock, we had some unfortunate circumstances within that drive that ended up stopping it, but when the clock is running and he is letting the thing go down and it is two seconds, one second, and I am standing next to the official getting ready and he knows exactly when it needs to be snapped. That exact management of the game, it instills confidence in people around him."

This season, King has thrown for 910 yards, nine touchdowns, and only one interception. He has also run for 95 yards and a touchdown. He has helped the Yellow Jackets offense rank third in the ACC in total yards per game and third in passing yards per game.

After coming over from Texas A&M, there were some who were unsure what Georgia Tech would get out of King and if he would be an upgrade over the players Georgia Tech had previously.

During this past offseason, 247Sports analyst Clint Brewster wrote about teams that are replacing their starter with a transfer quarterback this season and if the team is better off or worse with the new starter.

Here is what he had to say about Georgia Tech going from King to Jeff Sims, who is now at Nebraska:

"Georgia Tech brought in King, the former Texas A&M transfer signal-caller, with new head coach Brent Key now at the helm. Last year, the Yellow Jackets started Sims at quarterback. He, at times, showed remarkable talent and upside but couldn't quite put it all together. King was a highly recruited quarterback out of Texas. He ran a verified 4.5-second 40-yard dash.

King struggled as a passer at Texas A&M, and many wondered if he would fit better in a different offense. Texas A&M ended up with two different starters by the end of the season and King decided to leave.

Sims didn't light the world on fire at Georgia Tech and also struggled at times to consistently make throws. Although it was just a spring game, Sims looked outstanding for Nebraska in that game and could have his best year yet."

Verdict: Georgia Tech got worse

That clearly has not been the case, as Sims is 1-2 as a starter for the Cornhuskers and has had problems with turnovers. Things can change, but it certainly looks like Georgia Tech has gotten the better quarterback starting for them this season.

King is a former four-star recruit for the Aggies and won the starting job twice. His 2021 season was cut short after being injured early in the season. He started this season off as the starter but was benched after Texas A&M was upset by App State. He did return as the starter and had his best game on the road against Alabama, a game in which he threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns. He has been able to top that game this year and I think he is just getting started.