With the opportunity to earn bowl eligibility for the second straight season under second-year head coach Brent Key, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will have to do so without starting quarterback Haynes King. King left Georgia Tech’s October 12th win over North Carolina in the 4th quarter and didn’t return, and for the second straight game, an upper body injury will keep the fifth-year junior out of action.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel notes that Georgia Tech’s plan is for Haynes King to return for a crucial November 9th matchup against the 6th-ranked Miami Hurricanes.
“Sources told ESPN that he’s improved enough where the staff expects him to be able to return for Georgia Tech’s next game against No. 6 Miami on Nov. 9,” Thamel wrote on Saturday morning.
Though there was some hope throughout the week that Haynes King could potentially return to the field for this matchup against Virginia Tech, on Thursday, Brent Key provided an update that cast some doubt on King’s availability.
“(King), if we were to play right now, it’d be a no,” Key said of King’s status, per Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’re still gonna keep him day-to-day, but it’s a capital ‘H’ hopeful that he would be able to go. Those things do have different timetables. He’s improving every day. If it was something that definitely would be out right now we’d say it. But I’m still holding on hope.”
Related Georgia Tech Football NewsArticle continues below
For the season, King has thrown for 1,568 yards, 8 touchdowns and just 1 interception, while adding 353 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground. His 71.2-percent completion is the best mark in the ACC this year, and sixth-best in the country.
In Haynes King’s place, it will be 3rd-year sophomore Zach Pyron getting his second consecutive start on Saturday afternoon. Pyron went 20-for-36 for 269 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions in a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame last Saturday. Although Virginia Tech’s defense doesn’t pose the same problems that Notre Dame’s did, an inexperienced quarterback going into Lane Stadium is a difficult proposition.