CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Georgia Tech’s victory at North Carolina on Saturday was one for the ages, but there was immediate concern following the victory about one of the Yellow Jackets’ leading players.
Quarterback Haynes King left the game early in the fourth quarter and didn’t return. He watched from the sidelines wearing a Tech baseball hat while running back Jamal Haynes ran in the game-winning touchdown from 68 yards out. King, a junior, threw for 127 yards and ran for 107 and two touchdowns, but he took a hit early in the contest that seemed to affect his right shoulder.
King spent much of the final period in the injury tent on the Tech sideline before emerging later in the quarter.
Tech coach Brent Key did not have an update on his star QB immediately following the game.
“Nah, we’ll know something soon. He’s in there (the locker room) enjoying the victory,” Key said.
With King out, backup Zach Pyron played the final three offensive drives of the day over the final 11:08 of the game. The Jackets went three-and-out on the first series and three-and-out again on the next drive.
But with the score tied at 34-34, and with the ball resting at the Tech 25 and with 44 seconds on the clock, Pyron trotted onto the field at Kenan Stadium looking to, at the very least, get the Jackets into field-goal range. He completed a key, 7-yard screen pass to wide receiver Malik Rutherford out to the UNC 32.
Then Haynes broke off his 68-yard winner.
“(Pyron) prepares every week like he’s the starting quarterback, period,” Tech center Weston Franklin said. “It’s really no change for any of us when he gets in the game. It’s the same no matter what, whether it’s (King) or (Pyron) back there. We get reps with both of them throughout the week. It’s really no change for us, and we expect the same level of play from (King) and (Pyron) and that’s what they do. Can’t be more proud of them for that.”
Pyron has been a key cog in the Tech machine all season. He has four rushing touchdowns, typically coming off the bench in the red zone to punch in scores near the goal line.
On Saturday, he had 6 rushing yards on five attempts (as the UNC defense snuffed out his attempts to score) and the one 7-yard completion. Pyron also lined up on the punt team as perhaps a decoy on a fake punt before punter David Shanahan booted the ball away.
“Been proud of (Pyron) in how he has improved as a football player, improved as a quarterback. He loves playing football, loves playing the game,” Key said. “You get to this point in the season you gotta make sure you have the best people on the field, and I’m starting to work him in on some special teams as well. Have a role for them as well to continue the season.”
Pyron, of course, has been a part of some notable moments the past three seasons. He threw for 253 yards in a 28-27 win at Virginia Tech in 2022 and scored the first touchdown of the season in a 24-21 win over Florida State in August in Dublin. The sophomore from Alabama may be an even bigger part of the game plan Saturday against Notre Dame if King can’t give it a go.
“(Pyron) comes in and works day in and day out, weight room, on the field, off the field,” Haynes aid. “Zach’s a great character guy. He can come in and get the job done same way (King) can. Really proud of Zach and the way he came in and controlled the game today.”
Changing the plan of attack
Key conceded Saturday that the offensive game plan going into Saturday’s matchup was one thing. Then it became another.
Tech’s second-year coach noticed early on that UNC’s defense was not going to allow the Jackets any deep passing plays, and the Tar Heels were looking to keep everything in front of them. So Tech began to do what it does best: run the ball.
“For us, it was just trusting our technique and being patient and just trusting what we were doing,” Franklin added. “We kind of had a game plan going in of what we wanted to do, and made some slight adjustments like coach Key said, and made those adjustments and it worked for us. We were able to capitalize on that.”
Tech would end up rushing for 371 yards, a total punctuated by Haynes’ heroics at the end. The Jackets averaged 7.7 yards per carry, and the 371 yards rushing was the most UNC had allowed since Nov. 3, 2018, when the Jackets rushed for 461.
No. 11 Notre Dame is next
Tech’s scary month of October continues next week when the Jackets (5-2, 3-2 ACC) step out of conference play to face No. 11 Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (3:30 p.m., ESPN).
A win over the Fighting Irish would make Tech bowl eligible. Notre Dame (5-1) defeated Stanford on Saturday.
“We gotta come back (Sunday), go to practice, go to work, reset, refocus and it’s time for it,” Haynes said. “We’re in the Benz, can’t make the game bigger than what it is. We gotta go out there, we gotta be ready to win.”
NOTES
- King now has 362 career completions, the seventh-most in a Tech career.
- Tech receiver Malik Rutherford has at least one reception in 23 consecutive games, the ninth longest streak in program history.
- Rutherford now has 114 career receptions, tied with Robert Lavette for the eighth most in a Tech career.
- Tech had two 100-yard rushers for the first time since Jeff Sims and Jordan Mason had 108 and 105, respectively, against Duke on Nov. 28, 2020.
- Tech has outscored opponents 68-38 in the fourth quarter this season.
- The Yellow Jackets are 4-10 under Key following a victory.
- Key is now 16-12 overall and 12-8 against the ACC.
- Attendance on Saturday was announced as 44,482.
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