Brent Key Proclaims Haynes King As The Best Player In College Football

Head coach Brent Key had more good things to say about his quarterback Haynes King

Oct 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) and head coach Brent Key celebrate after at touchdown against the Syracuse Orange in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Haynes King has continued to improve each year he has been with the Yellow Jackets. For example, his completion percentage has continued to be in the 70s the past two seasons, compared to the first season as a starter when he only completed 61.6% of his passes. In 2024, that number jumped to 72.9% and this year he is just a little bit behind with a 72.3% competition percentage. However, he set a program record on Saturday with the highest completion percentage (min 30 attempts). He completed 25/31 passes (80.6%) for 304 yards and three touchdowns in a win last week over Syracuse. It was easily his best game of the season. He has also been elite in rushing the football and leads the ACC in rushing touchdowns with 12 this season. He has also rushed for 651 yards this season for the Yellow Jackets. He is on track to set a career high in rushing yards and already has the most rushing touchdowns in his career. King is on pace for a 1,000-yard rushing season, the first of his career.

Taking Care of the Football

Oct 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) celebrates with running back Jamal Haynes (1) after a touchdown against the Syracuse Orange in the third quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

An area where he has taken the next step is protecting the football. King has cut down on the turnovers compared to when he first came into college football. In his first season with Georgia Tech in 2023, he had 16 interceptions. Then last year, he had just two interceptions, and this year he has just one. Head coach Brent Key said that has been the most impressive part of King’s growth as a football player and why he believes he is the best player in the sport.

"That's why I believe he's the best player in college football. Look at his stats. Look at his stats compared to those of other people and other players. Watch Haynes King with the ball in his hand with the game on the line. I just said it a minute ago, he represents all that is great in college football. He is the best representative of any one individual for this entire sport that we play, and we all love. And you can look at stats, you can look at game on the line, you can look at, you know, drop in, you know, and it's not just interceptions, I mean he is he has an innate ability to avoid negative plays, he doesn't take sacks, he doesn't turn the ball over,” said Key.

“Put all those things together and look, yeah, you're exactly right and he's a tremendous football player tremendous competitor. He raises people around him, but he avoids the negative plays, the disaster plays, right? He just, I mean, he's going to pull a ball down and check it down for a two or three -yard gain before he's going to try to force one, force one end that could be an interception. That's not saying that's not going to happen. There are really good players on other teams, too now. But just, you know, the first drive, or that second drop of the game on Saturday, we were able to run out down on the goal line.

“He was about to rip it, and that corner was sitting there playing, you know, playing kind of in between, and he saw it. And he didn't mean that would have been an interception by a lot of people. And he didn't, he pulled it back and tried to layer it over the top, and threw it. We're only one person, either it would be out of bounds or get it to make sure that we can serve, we reserve the right to kick. We end up getting three out of it."

King has been adamant about the respect and adulation that King deserves, and said he deserves to be in New York in December as a finalist for the Heisman. Those close to the program know how close their relationship is off the field and know that it is more than just coach and player when it comes to King and coach Key. It has led to the transcendence of the Yellow Jackets program and one that is being talked about in a new light and with new profound respect.