Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said Thursday he’s still not ready to rule out starting quarterback Haynes King ahead of Saturday’s game at Virginia Tech.
“(King), if we were to play right now, it’d be a no,” Key said of King’s status. “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.”
King missed Saturday’s 31-12 loss to No. 12 Notre Dame, the first game he has missed of 21 in his career at Tech. King left a win at North Carolina on Oct. 12 when he was injured in the fourth quarter and did not play the final 11 minutes of that contest.
Sophomore Zach Pyron started against Notre Dame and played every offensive snap. Pyron was 20-for-36 passing for 269 yards and was the team’s leading rusher with 45 yards on 13 carries.
King rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 127 yards on 11 completions in the win at North Carolina. He has 4,410 passing yards (eighth most in a Tech career), 35 touchdown passes (sixth most in a Tech career), 1,090 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns at Tech. This season, King is completing 71.2% of his throws (which would be a Tech single-season record), has thrown just one interception and is averaging 5.69 yards per carry.
Key also updated the status of four other key Yellow Jackets in wide receiver Malik Rutherford, linebacker Kyle Efford, defensive back Rodney Shelley and running back Trey Cooley. Key said that Rutherford will play against the Hokies, Efford (the team’s leading tackler) likely will be a pregame decision, Cooley had the most practice reps he has had since the preseason, and Shelley is trending toward a return after missing the Notre Dame contest.
“I know there’s, like, questionable, doubtful, probable,” Key said about injuries. “I’ve got hopeful on a lot of them right now.”
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