Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King’s return for a second season with the Yellow Jackets sent his offensive coordinator into an offseason of research worthy of the institute they represent.
The anticipated result is for Tech’s offense to build on its highly productive 2023 season, which was the first year with the Jackets for both King and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.
Throughout the spring and summer, Faulkner and his staff dug into the video of potent offenses at both the college and NFL levels and quarterbacks with games similar to King’s. Faulkner detailed the process Thursday evening after Tech’s second practice of the preseason.
There were “several different teams that we studied and how they were able to utilize their quarterbacks or utilize that guy’s skill set and cut out some things and maybe add some things right here,” Faulkner said. “We did a lot of that. You’ll see what we do this fall with that. But we’re excited about where we’re at right now. Obviously, we’ve got to continue to get better, but he’s a good one to have.”
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Particularly in the era of the transfer portal, Tech returns a massive collection of experience across the offense. It only starts with King, who threw for 2,842 yards and accounted for 37 touchdowns (27 passing, 10 running) in his first season after transferring from Texas A&M. The team’s leading rusher from 2023 (Jamal Haynes with 1,059 yards), the top three leading receivers (Eric Singleton Jr., Malik Rutherford and Christian Leary) and four of five offensive line starters are back.
For that matter, after being considered for head-coaching openings at Georgia State and Middle Tennessee State, Faulkner is another returnee that coach Brent Key has heartily welcomed back (and also handed a raise and extension to).
But that wealth of experience isn’t the only reason for Tech to feel hopeful for this season’s offensive production. It’s also Faulkner’s demonstrated ability to get more from the offense and King specifically in his second season as a starter.
In his history as an offensive coordinator, Faulkner has acquitted himself well in years when he had a returning starter at quarterback. At Middle Tennessee State, quarterback Logan Kilgore’s passing efficiency rating improved from 119.7 in 2011 to 139.9 in 2012. The offense’s yards-per-play average jumped from 5.1 yards to 5.8 and its points-per-possession average (according to the football analytics website BCF Toys) skyrocketed from 1.46 to 2.49.
At Arkansas State, quarterback Justice Hansen’s passing efficiency rating went up from 138.9 in 2016 to 149.6 in 2017. After earning honorable mention on the Sun Belt all-conference team in 2016, he was the league’s offensive player of the year and set Sun Belt single-season records for passing touchdowns, touchdown responsibility and total offense.
(If you’re wondering, Kilgore regressed in his third season as a starter. Hansen’s numbers were roughly similar in his third year as starter and he was named Sun Belt player of the year.)
In a sense, that Kilgore and Hansen both made strides from year one to year two is only logical. But it doesn’t always happen that way. For instance, there were four quarterbacks in the ACC who were full-time starters in 2022 who returned to play a full season in 2023 with the same team. The passer ratings for three of the four declined in 2023.
Teammates, coaches and schedules change. Injuries happen. Players are closer to their ceilings than others. And maybe offensive coordinators don’t always have the creativity that Faulkner apparently does to keep pushing the envelope.
“Coach Buster, he knows we know most of our offense very well, so I feel like he’s just trying to add in stuff that he sees on the Internet or in the NFL, because we watch a lot of NFL teams,” Rutherford said. “I’m not going to tell you all the teams we watch a lot, but they’re fast, just like we are. That should give you an idea. But he puts his little twists and turns on plays that we already had, but he knows that we can handle that stuff, so I feel like that’s why he does that.”
Tech’s endeavors to build on its offensive play in 2023 – leading the ACC in rushing and finishing third in total offense and fourth in scoring – will indeed rely on more than just King and Faulkner. Haynes broke out in 2023 in his first season at running back.
“Jamal can carry as much of the load as you’ll let him,” Faulkner said.
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
King can throw to an array of receiving threats, starting with the swift Singleton, who earned freshman All-American status last season with 48 catches for 714 yards and six touchdown receptions.
The Jackets lost tight ends Dylan Leonard and Luke Benson, but have a group that looks deep, led by Brett Seither. And the offensive line, after significant improvement in 2023 with position coach Geep Wade, figures to be better also with most of the unit retained.
Faulkner recognizes that he has a pretty good hand to play, starting with his quarterback.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence in him and what he can do, and we just keep putting more and more on his plate,” Faulkner said. “Like I said, he’s got great players around him and he understands that and he knows if he gets them the ball, it makes him look really good.”
How well Faulkner and King both handle their second year together will have a strong influence on Key’s second season as full-time coach, which begins Aug. 24 against Florida State in Dublin. After a 7-6 record in 2023, the Jackets hope for more this season against a rigorous schedule.
It carries meaning for Faulkner and King, too. Keeping Tech among the ACC’s top offenses for a second year could earn Faulkner another shot at a head-coaching job and perhaps be enough to launch King, who has another year of eligibility remaining after this one, into the NFL ranks.
Opportunities like this don’t come around too often at Tech. Since George Godsey in 2000, Tech has had two All-ACC quarterbacks in the 23 seasons since (Joshua Nesbitt in 2009 and Justin Thomas in 2014).
A challenge fit for a King.
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