Georgia Tech Football: Most Important Players in Tomorrow's Game vs Miami

These are the players to watch this weekend if Yellow Jackets are going to defeat No. 4 Miami

Haynes King / Lance King/Getty Images

Georgia Tech has a chance to do something special on Saturday not only for the city of Atlanta but also for the program moving forward. The Yellow Jackets had a special win last season against then-ranked No. 17 North Carolina at home. Georgia Tech is searching for its first win over a top-five opponent in 15 years dating back to 2009 in a victory over Virginia Tech. Here are some players to watch and keep an eye on if they are able to pull it off. 

QB Haynes King- To play or not to play, another game-time decision awaits the dynamic QB who has been sorely missed. King has thrown for eight touchdowns and has just one interception this season. At one point in the season, he led the entire ACC in completion percentage and ranked No. 6 in the country at 71.2% currently. He last played in a 41-34 win over North Carolina where he rushed for a season-high 107 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 127 yards. Before he got injured he had Georgia Tech at 5-2 and in the thick of the ACC race. Now they are ranked No. 8 in the ACC. If you don’t think King is valuable listen to what opposing coach Mario Cristobal had this to say about him, per Jackson Caudell: 

"Haynes King and that offense are really good. Yards per play, they are up there with some of the tops in the country and they are really good at generating chunk plays. They protect him really well and I think they are either No. 1 or No. 2 in the country at pressures (allowed), they certainly do a great job of also getting him loose. He has a lot of explosive playmakers and watching a guy like that play, you have to understand that making them one dimensional is not necessarily the answer because he can chuck it around all over the place too.”

King is a game-changer and gives the Yellow Jackets their best chance to upset No. 4 Miami. Hopefully, he will be able to suit up for Georgia Tech. 

OL Corey Robinson II- We don’t always give a lot of love to the offensive lineman and instead talk a lot about the skill positions, but Georgia Tech has a formidable offensive line. The Yellow Jackets are the No. 2 team in the country with the least amount of sacks given up in the country at four. The only team that has given up fewer is No. 25 Army. There are a number of notable players on the offensive line including Weston Franklin, Jordan Williams, and Robinson. Currently, Robinson is one of the highest-graded pass blockers in Power 4 play. He is currently ranked No.3 with a 90.6 grade by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and has taken his game to another level. In 2023, he appeared in 12 of the 13 games played. This year he has started in every game played and has been a staple at left tackle. Miami is tied-ninth for the most sacks in the country at 29. Robinson, Weston Franklin, Keylan Rutledge, and Jordan Williams will have to be ready to slow down an explosive unit. 

DB Ahmari Harvey- Harvey is one of the best corners on the team. He and Warren Burrell do a good job of limiting those big plays. Saturday poses a completely different challenge for the Yellow Jackets. Harvey will be tested early and often in this game against Miami. He’s had a breakout year and continues to put together good performances each week. He is the second-leading tackler on the team with 42 and leads the team with 32 solo tackles. He is one of two defenders on the team with an interception this season. Harvey also has two games this season with seven tackles in a game. He is a physical defensive back who likes to get hands-on you early at the top of the route. He has natural instincts and plays through the ball leading to pass deflections and interceptions. He also is very physical and loves coming down and making big hits in the run game or on-screen passes. Harvey will likely see a good dose of Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George on the outside. Those are not easy tasks, but Harvey has shown the ability to match up with some of the top players in the country and hold his own. The Yellow Jackets will need Harvey to have a big game and try to slow down the Hurricanes' elite receivers.

Additional Links

Georgia Tech Football: Yellow Jackets Reveal Uniform Combination For Saturday vs Miami

ACC Football: Predictions For Every Week 11 Game

Georgia Tech Basketball: Big Takeaways From Yellow Jackets Season Opening Win Against West Georgia