Chris Huston (00:04.732)
All right, Haynes King, senior quarterback for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, welcome to the Heisman Trophy Podcast.

Haynes King (00:10.594)
Yes sir, thank you for having me.

Chris Huston (00:13.038)
Georgia Tech is 7-0 for the first time since 1966. What's the mood like with the team after that big win over Duke? And what are the coaches telling you ahead of the game with Syracuse on Saturday?

Haynes King (00:25.484)
I mean, it's full of excitement, but at the same time, we know that we hadn't really played a complete game yet. So we're still out there trying to find ways to play a full four quarter game, offense, defense, and special teams. So that's our goals. then coming in in this game with what happened last year versus Syracuse as well.

So we know that they have a really good staff that they're going to be coming for us and going to give us our best shot. So we also got to give them our best shot.

Chris Huston (00:59.824)
The team won seven games each of last two seasons. What do you think is the main difference for the team this year that it's starting out so strong?

Haynes King (01:06.478)
I'd just say, know, just willing ourselves to win, you finding ways to win, different scenarios. You're going to go through adversity, but how do you respond? How do you overcome it as a team and stay together? And I think that's probably one of the biggest differences right now. I know that we're a pretty mature and older team. We have a lot of seniors this year, a lot of guys that, you know, been through
stuff and also seen it done the right way as well and just kind of know what's going on. And then the belief and trust within each other to get the job done and never really waver and just keep trusting and building that camaraderie and just keep fighting.

Chris Huston (01:55.928)
Is this start something that you expected in your head when you visualized the season and how it played out? Or do you think that it was just a big variable and it's kind of things have bounced your way? What's your take on this start?

Haynes King (02:07.893)
I mean, obviously, you know, it's a very good start, but that's what we expected as a team. It's how we trained. It's how we prepared. And we believe that this team could do things such as this. And like I said, it just kind of goes through the belief and trust and what we went through this all season and stuff like that. And it's just kind of shown up numerous times on how we respond, how we go through adversity, how we never really waver in it and just keep fighting.

Chris Huston (02:40.176)
This year you're running the ball more than ever. Was that something that was in the plans or have things just kind of worked out that way?

Haynes King (02:44.461)
I'd say things just kind of worked out that way, you know. They already know, all the coaches know that, you know, I really do anything for this team, just put them in the best situation possible, if that's me throwing it, running it, or handing it off, whatever it is. And like I said, that just is testament to what this team is about, you know, just finding ways to win with ourselves to win.

Chris Huston (03:09.286)
You know, you've had so many injuries during your career, but you just soldier on. USA Today just recently called you the toughest player in college football. You know, it's a great moniker, but what keeps you going despite the pain?

Haynes King (03:17.773)
You know, really just family, teammates and really God, you know. Obviously you want to make family proud and just give your all each and every game. You know, that's really what makes my parents proud of what I do and who I am. And then teammates, you know, just fighting as hard as I can for the brother next to me.

And because I know that they'll do the same and then give all glory to God as well.

Chris Huston (03:53.968)
You have a much deserved reputation as a dual threat quarterback, but what's an underrated part of your game? What's something that you're proud that you've developed over the course of your career that maybe doesn't get talked about that much?

Haynes King (04:06.925)
Really just operating it at a high level, taking what the defense gives you. I've progressed as a quarterback doing that. First year here, probably turned the ball over a lot, throwing a lot of picks. And then with last season only having two, I knew I was out two games and then really couldn't throw the other two. But still just ending that season with two picks as well, just taking care of the ball and then.

Like I said, just operating at a high level, giving the team the best chance possible, putting the ball in play.

Chris Huston (04:41.083)
If you could steal one trait from any quarterback that you've faced who's playing right now, footwork, eyesight, pocket feel, whatever, which trait would that be and how do you think it would change your ceiling?

Haynes King (04:56.653)
It's hard to say, but yeah. You know, I'd probably just say someone probably like Pat Mahomes, just the way that he can extend plays and still make plays down the field. He does a really good job doing that as well. I mean, I also train with Jeff Christen, so that helps a little bias there.

Chris Huston (05:21.259)
 You hail from Longview, Texas, where you were an Under Armour All-American. What was your recruiting process like?

Haynes King (05:30.862)
It was pretty good. I guess you say somewhat highly recruited, athlete coming out of Longview, ended up choosing A&M and then was there, tried it out, you know, for three years, graduated from there and, you know, just felt like it wasn't working out there and, just wanted to try something new. And then, you know, when I entered the portal, not a lot of like

I guess you'd say power four teams, one of me. I I guess you say somewhat labeled as broken or bust or whatever it is. But I believed in this staff and what Coach Key, Coach Buster and Coach Winky believed in me. And this is place that I wanted to be and the people I want to be around.

Chris Huston (06:22.063)
You mentioned Chris Wienke, Heisman Trophy winner. This is the 25th anniversary of his Heisman winning season. What kind of lessons have you learned from him so far?

Haynes King (06:29.357)
A whole lot. He has lessons for days and the way that he coaches is really amazing and is really one of the main reasons why my game has progressed like it has. He does a really good job of making things black and white and playing quarterback. it's just, like I said, he has numerous amount of...

lessons to learn and ways he's teaching it and the reasons of why he's doing it. And like I said, I've learned a really a whole lot from him the three seasons that I've been here.

Chris Huston (07:10.799)
Coach Wenke was the oldest player to win the Heisman Trophy. He was 28 when he won the Heisman. He had a stint playing baseball, so that's why that happened. You're in your sixth season of college football. You're one of the old guys, I'm sure, on the team, maybe, if not the oldest. What are some of the advantages of being an older guy playing college football?

Haynes King (07:28.653)
Well, one, guess you said I couldn't quite catch Coach Weinke in the age. I tried, you know, I gave it my best shot. But you definitely gain an advantage. You you've been there, done it. You've seen a lot of things happen, the goods, the bads, the uglies, stuff like that. And that's just, you know, things that you can learn from, lessons that you can learn from. Yeah, you you went through a lot. Sometimes you'd rather.

Haynes King (07:58.092)
you know, learn from others rather than go through it yourself. But at the end of the day, you know, that is still obstacles that you learn from and overcame. And that's really, I guess you'd say why I'm here today.

Chris Huston (08:12.079)
You might have a teammate, I guess this year, who is as much as six years younger than you. Is it harder to relate to people who are basically in another generation on your same team?

Haynes King (08:23.176)
Not necessarily because we have a really good locker room here. Guys kind of all wired the same way, kind of all fighting for the same goal as well. just, it's a really great locker room that we have here and everybody gets along and it doesn't matter. I'm talking to people the same age as me or six years younger. I feel like we get along well and I mean, it even goes to show even in our QB room.

you know, young as Grady come in and they joke around all the time. But, you know, we still go grab food or whatever and link like that and, you know, get to know each other. And like I said, it's just the type of people that we have here at Georgia Tech and in that locker room makes everything a lot easier.

Chris Huston (09:11.119)
You know, this day and age, are so many examples of players doing interesting things. One thing I thought was interesting with you was your children's titled Haynes King, Hell of a Quarterback, available at shopexit56.com. Tell me about how that project came about.

Haynes King (09:27.445)
Andy, he, ended up finding my mom, I think, last year versus Miami during that game. you know, he, he got to know her and reached out and they got to talking and my mom told me as well. And then, you know, we, we all thought it was a really good thing to do. it was different and, you know, just almost kind of giving back and encouraging, you know, young kids to read and stuff like that.

Chris Huston (09:55.824)
Yeah, my plan is to actually, I'm going to read from the book as your intro, because it pretty much has a good bio for you for the beginning. You graduated from Texas A&M back in 2022 in business management. Now you're majoring in history, technology and society. Tell me about that major. What's that all about?

Haynes King (10:10.669)
you know, I guess you'd say in the title, it kind of explains majority of that. and really, I'm kind of in there taking, I guess you say more focused towards like sports and stuff like that, but I'm also doing it kind of part of the, the Grad X program, taking internships, while taking undergraduate classes as well.

Chris Huston (10:33.05)
Mm-hmm.

Haynes King (10:36.523)
trying to do that and learn through internships and doing that while playing football. And it just kind of helps out as well making connections. And the connections that you can get from Georgia Tech is really and truly like genuine 40 year connections.

Chris Huston (10:46.426)
Yeah.

Chris Huston (10:54.779)
Yeah, depending on how football ends up. What are your plans in the sport, whether it's playing or coaching and or commenting or do you have any ideas about what you might want to do in the future?

Haynes King (11:06.744)
I mean, obviously, I want to play as long as I can. But when that gigs up, I'm probably going to end up coaching. I've been around the game my whole life. Dad still coaches. Pretty much grew up in a locker room. So I'd probably say just getting into sport, getting back into it, and going to coaching route.

Chris Huston (11:28.975)
Well, Haynes King, thanks for coming on the Heisman Trophy podcast. Enjoy talking to you. You're off to a great start again. Congrats on that. Good luck against Syracuse and good luck the rest of the year.

Haynes King (11:39.043)
Yes sir, thank you so much.