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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Georgia Tech will be without star quarterback Haynes King against No. 12 Notre Dame this weekend, sources told ESPN, giving veteran backup Zach Pyron his third career start.
King has been dealing with an upper-body injury and has been considered “day-to-day” by Tech coach Brent Key heading into the matchup with the Irish (5-1).
He’ll be replaced by Pyron, an experienced backup who has played in 16 career games and started twice as a true freshman in 2022. Pyron has played situationally in all seven games for Georgia Tech (5-2) this season, accounting for five combined touchdowns.
Pyron is the rare veteran backup who stuck around, embraced his role and has been patient in a transient environment. He has also logged a lot of important snaps for the Yellow Jackets, which included a rushing touchdown in Georgia Tech’s upset of then-No. 10 Florida State in the opener in Dublin.
He’ll play in place of King, a redshirt junior who has been a staple at Tech the past two seasons after transferring from Texas A&M. King has thrown for 5,989 yards in his career and has eight passing touchdowns and just one interception this year. He also rushed for 353 yards and six touchdowns last season and threw for 1,568 yards.
In Pyron, Tech has a gutsy backup who brings a dual threat and familiarity with Buster Faulker’s offense. He has completed 5-of-7 passing this year for 64 yards and a touchdown. He has rushed 17 times in seven games this season and has four rushing touchdowns.
Pyron’s starts in 2022 included a memorable comeback over Virginia Tech that proved to be a key victory in coach Brent Key’s interim tenure.
Pyron engineered a comeback trailing 27-16 in the final 10 minutes, putting together consecutive scoring drives of 90 yards and 73 yards to give Georgia Tech a 28-27 victory. That included a 9-yard game-winning touchdown run with 3:30 left. Pyron passed for 253 yards and a touchdown in that upset win, and he rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown.
The Yellow Jackets will be facing a Notre Dame team without its best defensive player, as star corner Benjamin Morrison will be out for the remainder of the season with a hip injury.