‘Expect something electrifying’ from new Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — New Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza wasn’t among their player representatives at ACC Kickoff this week, but his name was prominent.

Inquiring minds wanted to know Tech’s impressions of Mendoza, the Indiana transfer who’s replacing Haynes King, the most accomplished signal-caller in Yellow Jackets history.

Coach Brent Key didn’t want to share too much about his new quarterback, partly because early-season matchups against power-four opponents Colorado and Tennessee are looming.

“I don’t know, he hasn’t started a college football game yet,” Key said in response to a question during his main press conference, which drew laughs around the room. “I mean, he throws it. You think I’m going to sit here and tell you everything he does well and doesn’t do well?”

Key did eventually heap praise: “He’s smart, cerebral. Sees the whole field, can get us in and out of good plays, bad plays. He’s accurate, has a good release. Mom and dad are great people.”

While Key was being humorous and intentionally coy, he’s right that there’s little data on Mendoza. He’s attempted 25 passes across two seasons. He’s best known for being a little brother to Fernando, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall draft pick.

Tech fans enjoyed a brief preview during the spring game when Mendoza went 12-for-16 for 148 yards and a touchdown. He appeared sharp, but there’s only so much one can learn from an April exhibition.

Junior running back Malachi Hosley provided some insight, endorsing Mendoza as a quarterback with improvisational ability.

“Alberto is going to make the right play,” Hosley said. “He’s not going to make a bad play. He’s a smart football player. He understands what to do, he’s knowledgeable, he’s a true leader. So with those things, if I were y’all, I would expect something electrifying.”

Electrifying?

“Everything,” Hosley added. “He can throw. He can run. He can do anything.”

Nobody expects Mendoza to be King, but Tech’s offense intends to complement him with a prolific run game. King was an integral ingredient to that in the past, but the Jackets are optimistic about their running backs taking on a heavier load — and acclaimed transfer Justice Haynes is a key piece of that.

It’s paramount the Jackets have a good infrastructure around their new quarterback. There’s a lot of newness on that side of the ball — from offensive coordinator George Godsey to changes along the line to fresh faces at receiver — but Tech believes it has a solid foundation to support Mendoza.

“When you have a new quarterback — and, look, quarterback is the most important position, in my opinion, in all of sports — How do you take the pressure off of him?” Key said. “Right there (gestures to Hosley and Haynes). That’s how you take the pressure off of him. Allow him to develop and grow as a quarterback. Doesn’t matter how talented you are. There’s firsts in everything at that position. That’s on us as coaches to make sure we don’t put him in a position to have to win every game all year long, right? Let him grow into that.”