Why did Haynes King leave Texas A&M? A look at reasons behind Georgia Tech star’s exit
Junior quarterback Haynes King transferred to join the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets ahead of the 2023 college football season after spending the first three seasons with the Texas A&M Aggies. There are some questions as to why King decided to leave Texas A&M after three seasons, so let's take a deeper dive into what happened to cause him to become the starting quarterback for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Why did Haynes King leave Texas A&M?
Haynes King spent three seasons with the Texas A&M Aggies before transferring to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He was the starting quarterback for the program during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, but injuries cut his 2021 season short and he officially lost the starting job in 2022. QB2 Conner Weigman took over as the Aggies' starter for the rest of the season.
Texas A&M's then-coach Jimbo Fisher's playing style has also been attributed as one of the reasons King entered the transfer portal. However, King is not bitter about the experience and all that happened as he discussed what he learned throughout those years.
"That year I actually learned a lot," King said (per Sports Illustrated). "Growing up, I did not go through a lot of adversity, it might be some small things, but it hurts when the whole thing turns on you, but you learn a lot.
"One person told me that when stuff goes wrong, you can't let it bother you, and at the end of the day, the sun is going to rise, birds are still going to be chirping, and your family still loves you, and they are going to support you, and you are going to keep on moving.
"At the end of the day, you know who is in your tight-knit circle, and as long as they still care for you and love you, you are going to be fine, but you have to keep moving forward."
Haynes King was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, but with the ability to start again after being benched once the Aggies were upset by Appalachian State, he wanted to be back on the field. He would return to start and play well against Alabama but ultimately made the decision to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
He has started his Yellow Jackets career on the right foot, as in 2023, he went 219 of 354 (61.9%) for 2,755 yards with 26 passing touchdowns to 15 interceptions.