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Brent Key Gives Update On The Quarterback Battle for Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech has three players competing for the starting QB job

One of the least talked about quarterback battles around the country is going on at Georgia Tech and it is a quarterback battle that I anticipate carrying on through the summer and the fall. 

Two players that started games for the Yellow Jackets last fall, Zach Pyron and Zach Gibson, are competing with Texas A&M transfer Haynes King for the job to be the starting quarterback on September 1st against Louisville. 

Tech held a scrimmage last Saturday and today, head coach Brent Key talked about the scrimmage and how he thought the quarterbacks played:

"It is a competition for sure. It really is. Zach has experience playing games here and Haynes has played games somewhere else and both of the Zachs... when there is a familiarity with the guys around you, it puts the guys on offense at ease a little. It is a voice they recognize, a cadence, rhythmatic coming from that person so there is a familiarity that both of the Zachs came in with.

I think all three have strengths and all three have things they need to continue to work on but all have shown at different times and in different situations, the poise and the ability to take advantage and execute what we want them to do. Now, as the situational part of the game really kicks up as this week continues to go on and through the scrimmage on Saturday, that is where you really have to see the command really start to take place and then as tempo starts to increase, increase, and increase, it is the ability to play at a high level and tempo on offense and play really fast but that quarterback have that command and control of the offense and keep them calm while they are doing it.

I have been pleased with the progression of all three of them. Buster (Faulkner) does a really good job... it was the first time on the headsets hearing him call an entire game so that was good for me to hear how he calls it, the flow of the game and how he really adapts how he calls it with each quarterback that is in there so it puts them in position to make plays and take advantage of our strengths and make sure we stay away and kind of disguise and hide some of our inefficiencies."

Haynes King

Haynes King is one of three quarterbacks competing for the starting job

Key also talked at length about King and how he has been adjusting to being the new face in the quarterback room and the offense:

"He has a high IQ, a high football IQ. Anybody that has played in games, that is the real advantage we have, all three quarterbacks have played in games, in college football games. You can't replace experience at all. As someone who is new to the team, he commands respect in the locker room and respect on the field and that is something you look for. One of the top qualities of quarterbacks is leadership and the ability to lead others and I have been encouraged with that out of Haynes."

The spring game is almost one week away and will be a chance for all three guys to show if they have the edge in the competition. Whoever wins will be leading a team hoping to make a bowl game for the first time since 2018.

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