Georgia Tech Football: Quarterback battle still in early stages

Come August, three prized quarterbacks — junior Zach Gibson, sophomore transfer Haynes King, and redshirt freshman Zach Pyron will be in fall camp for Georgia Tech football, under the microscope, battling for the starting job on the Flats. So what, exactly, is Coach Key looking for in his next starting quarterback?

Coach Key recently said on the ACC Network’s IN PLAY television show that for the quarterbacks, this past spring was not about competition, but how they fit in the locker room as they learn a new offense:

"“Number 1, fitting in the locker room and fitting in with the guys on the team that are already here. It’s a good competition right now, all three made improvements this past spring and at the same time all three have a long way to go before we are able to step out and kick off the season this year.”"

A lot can happen between now and the opening of the 2023 season during the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game. Here’s what we learned about the quarterback situation during spring.

The Freshman
Considering all the hype associated with Zach Pyron since his first start where he led the Yellow Jackets to a comeback victory in the 2022 edition of The Battle of the Techs. He needed to deliver. Deliver he DID!

Zach Pyron
Previous School: Pinson Valley HS.
Hometown: Pinson, Ala.
Class: R – Freshman
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 213
Throws: Right
Notable HS Accomplishments: Four-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports; Won three state championships as a starting quarterback in four high school seasons
Spring Ball Stats: 11-of-16 (68%) 153 yards and a TD

The Transfer
King, who played the past two seasons at Texas A&M and graduated on Dec. 16, 2022, transferred to Georgia Tech football and is expected to battle for the starting quarterback spot along with Zach Pyron and Zach Gibson.

Haynes King
Previous Schools: Longview HS. & Texas A&M
Hometown: Longview, Texas
Class: Sophomore
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 205
Throws: Right
Notable Accomplishments: Four-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports; Led Longview HS to a 16-0 record and the Texas 6A D-II state championship in 2018.
Spring Ball Stats: 13-of-22 (59%) 276 yards and 3TDs

The Transfer from Akron
Zach Gibson announced his commitment to Georgia Tech in early 2022 and joined his brother Tyler (OL) in the 2022 class. Zach started for Georgia Tech football and upset No. 13 North Carolina late in the 2022 season.

Zach Gibson
Previous School: Johns Creek HS. & Akron
Hometown: Alpharetta, Ga.
Class: R – Junior
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 211
Throws: Right
Notable Accomplishments: Three-star prospect by 247Sports; as a senior led team to a 9-2 overall record and 8-0 in regional play won regional championships
Spring Ball Stats: 7-of-12 (58%) 106 yards

To be candid, I think all three quarterbacks played well. I believe that the top two quarterbacks are Zach Pyron and Haynes King and they looked really good. When is the last time Georgia Tech football could say that on the Flats? Zach Gibson seemed to be just a little behind those two but not by much, however, it’s going to be interesting this fall how this competition plays out. It appeared to me that the coaches needed to see more out of Haynes King so by design he received more reps.

Final three thoughts from the Georgia Tech football Spring film:

– Zach Pyron got the ball out on time and made some tough throws using the middle of the field.
– Haynes King didn’t look bad, but didn’t seem to get the ball out as quickly or use the middle as much. He mostly threw jump balls.
– Zach Gibson looks like a solid QB3

To Be Continued
Spring ball is over, but the quarterback battle rages on, though out of the public spotlight. Between now and fall camp in August, the quarterbacks will throw hundreds of passes, and spend countless hours in the weight room and in the film room. Hopefully, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will be better for it in 2023.