NC State Has a Plan to Stop Haynes King

RALEIGH — While Georgia Tech's rise to No. 8 in the country might come as a surprise to some, those familiar with quarterback Haynes King knew the Yellow Jackets would go as far as their dynamic quarterback could take them.

With a perfect 8-0 record, including five conference wins, King and Georgia Tech look poised for an ACC Championship berth and a bid to the College Football Playoff.

The next challenge in King's journey to national stardom comes in the form of Dave Doeren's wounded NC State program. During his Monday press conference, the Wolfpack's veteran coach shared the approach his team is taking to stop King and the Yellow Jackets.

Unstoppable Force Meets Movable Object

Oct 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) avoids Syracuse Orange defensive lineman Denis Jaquez Jr. (11) in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Through the 8-0 start, King tallied up 1,480 passing yards and seven touchdowns through the air. On the ground, he rushed for 651 yards and an additional 12 scores. The Wolfpack defense allows 139 yards per game on the ground and has proven to be fairly stout against the run at times. King is a different animal. No one is more aware of that than Doeren.

"I have so much respect for how he plays," Doeren said about King. "He's a tough kid. He's throwing the football really accurately. He doesn't turn the football over. He gets yards on designed runs and on scrambles."

King does it all 👑

Haynes King threw for 309 YDs on 25-31 passing for 3 TDs while running for 91 YDs on 12 carries for 2 TDs@GeorgiaTechFB | @GTAthletics | #StingEm | @DrPepper pic.twitter.com/HTtp9ArMUE
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 25, 2025

NC State's defense allowed 439.4 yards per game, good for 116th in the nation, through the 4-4 start. The collapses against Duke and Pittsburgh certainly inflated the total yardage allowed, but this defense failed time and time again in stopping dynamic offenses.

The Yellow Jackets run for 230.7 yards per game, just outside the top 10 in FBS. King is obviously a major contributor to that total. So, how does a defense stop a player like him?

"You've got to have a lot of people getting off the blocks. You've got to leverage plays and fit runs well, but you've got to tackle him like he's a running back," Doeren said. "He's not going to just go down. He lowers his shoulder. He'll sidestep guys. He can accelerate. He's got quick acceleration, and he's a long strider, so when he gets around the edge, he can eat up some yardage."

Oct 11, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren claps as he walks onto the field against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

In the 2024 matchup between the Yellow Jackets and Wolfpack, Georgia Tech rotated King and Aaron Philio in and out of the game. Philo, a freshman at the time, led the Yellow Jackets to a 30-29 win with his passing. So long as King is healthy, there won't be any rotating in Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday. However, Doeren has seen a lot of talented quarterbacks in his 13 years with the Pack.

"To play a guy like him, and we've had several in my tenure, it takes a lot of people to stop him. It takes a lot of effort getting off of blocks," Doeren said. "They're going to have plus one in some cases, where you're going to have to defeat a block to get an extra hat there.

Haynes King and Brent Key — Oct 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) and head coach Brent Key celebrate after a 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

It's unclear whether the Wolfpack will get any of its key defensive players back from injury for the game, but as the week moves along, there will be more clarity. As Doeren indicated, it will take all hands on deck to stop King.

NC State will likely load the box and force King to be a passer. This past Saturday, King threw for a season-high 304 yards and three touchdowns against Syracuse. While stranger things have happened, it looks like another rough night for the Wolfpack defense is on deck.

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