Under former Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, the program’s quarterback future was supposed to be led by former four-star recruit Haynes King. But after three seasons of toughness and inconsistency, he transferred to Georgia Tech before the 2023 season, and has shined every since for the Yellow Jackets.
King’s fit in Fisher’s complex offensive system was always to blame. Beyond injury issues, the Longview, Texas, native was never utilized correctly to take advantage of his dual-threat ability, which we’ve witnessed during his last two seasons with Georgia Tech. With the Yellow Jackets, he has thrown for 6,535 yards and 51 touchdowns and rushed for 1,474 yards and 22 scores.
King has always had the ability. Had A&M’s offense been built around physicality on the ground, as it is under coach Mike Elko and offensive coordinator Collin Klein, King could have reached his potential in College Station. However, some things just weren’t meant to be. Heading into his final redshirt senior season with the Yellow Jackets, King spoke to On3’s Pete Nakos about his decision to enter the transfer portal after the 2022 season.
“When I left A&M, I was looking for people. People I could trust, people who believed in me. Now I’m not saying that A&M didn’t and didn’t give me. But the three years that I was there, something was off.
“It just seemed like it wasn’t meant to be. I gave it three years, and I graduated.”
King’s professionalism has never been an issue. The fact he graduated in three years with an A&M degree demonstrates he gave it his all. Many remember the close road loss against No. 1 Alabama during the 2022 season in which he delivered an heroic effort despite taking multiple blows from one of the top defenses in the country.
The Fisher era is over, and King will always be respected among the fan base. I can safely say watching him succeed at Georgia Tech has been one of the highlights of the 2023 and 2024 season, while his final college encore should be highly entertaining in 2025.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: ‘Something was off’ former Texas A&M QB explains why he departed for Georgia Tech
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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