Georgia Tech quarterback Zach Pyron has played his final snap of the season. The freshman broke his clavicle in the Yellow Jackets’ loss to Miami on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium and is out for the season, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Pyron, who made his second career start Saturday, suffered the injury on a 19-yard run late in the third quarter against the Hurricanes. He stayed in for one more play, throwing an interception. Pyron returned to the sideline, was examined by team medical staff and taken off the field. Zach Gibson finished the game for the Jackets.
The loss of Pyron is a tough break for the Jackets and the quarterback himself. Pyron played the past three games for Tech, the first off the bench against Florida State and then starts at Virginia Tech and at home vs. Miami. He showed himself to be poised and tough, capable of running the offense and finding his targets. He was named ACC co-rookie of the week after leading the Jackets back from a 27-16 fourth-quarter deficit to the Hokies to a 28-27 victory.
In three games, Pyron completed 49 of 82 passes for 565 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also ran 35 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns. One sliver of consolation for Pyron is that this year won’t count against his four years of eligibility, which it would have had he played the final two games against North Carolina and Georgia. NCAA rules permit players to count a season as a redshirt year if they appear in four or fewer games.
Without Pyron, the Jackets’ hopes turn to Jeff Sims being able to recover sufficiently from a foot sprain suffered against Virginia to play at No. 15 North Carolina Saturday. Sims has been available on emergency basis only for the past three games. Without Sims or Pyron, Tech’s two scholarship options at quarterback are either Gibson, who has struggled to lead the offense effectively in limited opportunities, or Taisun Phommachanh, a transfer from Clemson who has yet to take a snap this season.
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