Georgia Tech Bye Week Report Cards: Running Backs

Jamal Haynes had a rough game last week against Wake Forest as the defense keyed on him. Offensive Coordinator Buster Faulkner talked about what he was seeing from Haynes. 

“You know, Jamal is a guy that we have to get going for us to be explosive, and we know that. So that's why I mentioned that this bye week comes at a great time. You know, I think he was a little, you know, a little banged up last week going into the game. Just not banged up, but tired. You know, he's had a lot of carries. It's been a long, you know, camp and four games. And we know that he's better when he's fresh, right? You can kind of look at his history,” said Faulkner. 

“When he's fresh and fast, he's a lot more productive. So that's some of it. The other part is us designing things that can get him, you know, in space to get him going. We try to get him involved in the passing game as well. You know, that can get him in space and may not have as many carries. The other day, I think it was five catches he had, and give Wake Forest a lot of credit. They made a lot of open-field tackles.”

Haynes is the second leading rusher on the team with 311 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He had one of is best games against Gardner Webb, rushing for 92 yards and two touchdowns. The senior running back has had some good games this season and been a player the Yellow Jackets can lean on.

Georgia Tech ranks No. 16 in rushing offense, averaging 232 yards per game. They’ve rushed for a total of 1160 yards and rank No. 10 in the country. The Yellow Jackets have one of the better rushing attacks in the country and one that is tough to slow down.

Haynes King, a quarterback, leads the Yellow Jackets in rushing attempts, rushing yards, and touchdowns. His ability on the ground has helped the team while they are still fine-tuning the running game.

Malachi Hosley

Malachi Hosley has been a nice addition to the team from UPENN. He has rushed for 255 yards and four touchdowns. Hosley had one of his best games against Gardner-Webb, rushing for 100 yards and two touchdowns. He hasn’t seen a heavy dosage but has been efficient with his touches when he gets the ball. 

Daylon Gordon, despite only having three carries, has taken advantage and has 54 yards and a touchdown on the season. Gordon is always ready to go when his number is called and is a contributor whenever he gets on the field. 

“(Daylon Gordon) came in, played some crucial snaps for us down the stretch. That's just a guy who's been in the program. He was ready when his numbers called, you know, got a late carry. Hadn't had many carries here in his career, you know, as far as when the game's on the line. The game's on the line, he goes in, gets a good five yard run, did a good job on the next play. So, I feel really good about the running back room,”said Faulkner 

True freshman Shane Powell has only five touches, but like Gordon has taken advantage and has rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown. Another big playmaker with the ball in his hands. 

Trelain Maddox has battled through injury this season for the Yellow Jackets and has seen limited time on the field.

Shane Marshall has been primarily used on special teams for Georgia Tech this season.

Despite a tough week against Wake Forest, the Yellow Jackets have been a productive unit and have been a big reason behind how explosive the offense for Georgia Tech has been. They have several explosive plays in the running game that are over 30 yards. They are performing at a good level, but haven't yet reached their full potential.

Grade: B