Mar 17, 2022; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket quarterback coach Chris Weinke on the field during the Georgia Tech Spring Game. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Chris Weinke Echoes Coaching Staff's Belief That Georgia Tech's Quarterback Room Is The Best In The Country

Originally posted on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Aug 12, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The transfer portal era in college football has made it hard to build real depth across the depth, but especially so at the quarterback position. Georgia Tech however is in as enviable of a position as one can be in when it comes to having multiple talented quarterbacks and their coaches have been vocal about their belief that they have the best QB room in the country.

Yesterday after practice, quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke said he agreed with head coach Brent key and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner that the Yellow Jackets QB room is the best in the country:

""Yeah, so I'll second and third that and I sit in that room with them every single day. And I know that I've said this before but they understand that the standard is the standard. And the expectations are very high for that room. We look for that in recruiting. We want to find guys that love the game, that are willing to work, that it's really important to. My room is filled with those guys. They push each other. They're very competitive. They hold each other accountable. I've sat in a lot of different quarterback rooms as a player and as a coach. This is as good as it's ever been."

Best QB Room In The Country?

This has been something that Key has been saying since the spring:

"Well, I mean, I've said this and I'm not afraid to say this publicly. I mean, I do believe we have the best quarterback room in the country. I mean, with all the guys returning, the competition that they have day to day. I mean, it's great from the quarterback room to the offensive meetings, the offensive unit rooms, all of the, really, across the board. I mean, look, you don't do some of the things Haynes did last year. You don't have Aaron Philo in there competing. And you're not able to come in if you're Aaron Philo and compete the way he did last year if it wasn't for the other guys and for Haynes and for Graham Knowles. And when you talk to somebody, it's changed the way they look and the way they throw the ball. I mean, you know, Graham's got as much upside as anybody. So we've got a really good room there. Uh, fully expect these guys to compete every single day from now until the last snap of the last game of the season."

King is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country and one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks as well. After a good debut season with Georgia Tech in 2023, King was showing improvements in plenty of areas last season (particularly cutting down his turnovers and becoming more efficient), but injuries unfortunately played a crucial role in how his season played out. He was forced to miss games against Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, and even when he came back against Miami and NC State, he was clearly hampered by the injury. He came all the way back for the last game of the regular season against Georgia and had one of the guttiest performances of the season as the Yellow Jackets nearly pulled off the upset against the Bulldogs.

Now what can King do for his final season?

He threw for over 2,100 yards and 14 touchdowns, while also cutting his interceptions from 16 to just two. Is there another step for King this season? If so, this Georgia Tech offense should remain one of the ACC's most dynamic. King also ran for nearly 600 yards last season to go along with 11 rushing touchdowns. Having Buster Faulkner for a third straight season is a huge plus as well. King is hoping to continue to elevate the program back to ACC contention and he has everything at his disposal to do that in 2025.

How good was Philo? He finished as the highest graded quarterback in the entire country in week 13 according to PFF (Pro Football Focus). Philo earned a 93.7 grade (top in the country) and a 93.3 passing grade (3rd in the country). How much will he be needed this season? Georgia Tech is hoping that King can stay healthy this season and give Philo more time to develop, but it has to be reassuring to have a young quarterback like Philo who can play when called upon.

Weinke talked about Philo's growth yesterday as well:

""Yeah, so first of all, we all know that the type of high school career that he had, he is a natural passer. He's been blessed, and I think for him it's having an understanding of all the little pieces of our offense. There's so much that goes into playing this position in our offense and there's so much put on the quarterback knowing and understanding. I think he's got a little riverboat gambler,, and he wants to take a shot down the fiel,d and I think the biggest strides that I've seen in his game, his ability to be able to process

But I always have to throw the ball deep down the field and no one understands that sometimes the best throw is to check it down. So I think he continues to mature. He's got a really bright future."

Is it the best quarterback room in the country? You can certainly make the argument, but what you can't argue is that this coaching staff has an unwavering belief in the QB's in that room.

This article first appeared on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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