POP-TARTS BOWL: BYU COUGARS VS GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS

December 24, 2025

Chris Weinke

Haynes King

Camping World Stadium

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Press Conference

CHRIS WEINKE: Let me open up by saying we're really excited to be here. Our football team is excited. We want to thank FCS, who has done an outstanding job as our host down here.

I know the guys are having a good time. Facilities are awesome. Everything's been firstclass down here. We're excited to be here. Obviously excited to play a really good opponent. You look at who we're facing, and you can make the argument they belong in the Playoff, right.

And so when you look at Coach Sitake and what he's done with that football team, he's had sustained success over the years, we're excited, and obviously it's a huge challenge for us. I do think it will be one of the better bowl games outside of the playoffs, and so we're excited. We're preparing the right way. Guys are having a good time, and look forward to a really good football game Saturday at 3:30.

Q. Has your job changed much from taking over as offensive coordinator? Did you at any point play in Orlando in a Bowl game here when you were a player?

CHRIS WEINKE: Yeah, first, obviously the role's changed a little bit. So from an organizational standpoint, obviously from having the opportunity now to call plays, you know, obviously our whole staff has always been heavily involved in the game planning. But the role changes a little bit with some of our staff having departed. We have less guys, but the routine is the same.

And now I get an opportunity, obviously, to call plays in practice and then an opportunity to call plays on Saturday. So from that standpoint, yeah, there's a little more responsibility.

And then secondly, I have not played in a bowl game down here. I heard about it, and know that this is a great place and historically always put on a good bowl. I think people should be excited about this matchup between Georgia Tech and BYU.

Q. Have you caught up on sleep? You said you only got like nine hours. And how did you go about sitting down and trying to formulate a game plan to attack this BYU defense?

CHRIS WEINKE: Yeah, so still some sleep deprivation but I guess the excitement takes over, right, and the opportunity to be able to step in these shoes and do this is exciting for me.

I always say this: we ask our players to always prepare like you're the starter, and the analogy is exactly what I tell my backup quarterback. As a co-coordinator, I can't tell my players to do it and me not to.

So I've been preparing for this opportunity. You never know when it's going to come up so you don't want to be caught off-guard or be surprised. Over the years as a coach, I've been preparing for this opportunity, to be able to have an opportunity to call plays. So from that standpoint, I feel very comfortable.

You know, I think the biggest thing is we're playing against a really good defense, right? Coach Hill has done an outstanding job with that defensive unit. They are big, they are long and they are strong, and we know what we're going up against. We'll see multiple fronts, multiple coverages, and so not only are they individually really about players but they play well as a unit.

So we've got our hands full, and as we game planned, there's not a lot of holes in this defense. So we're going to have to play sound football, and we're going to have to execute, and I think it's going to be a 60-minute ballgame.

Q. The ACC's motto is accomplish greatness. What have you all done to prepare to live up to the ACC motto?

CHRIS WEINKE: I think there's obviously a lot of chat around college football as it relates to the conferences. I always say this, be where your feet are and be the best that you can be.

When you look at our conference in terms of -- what we see now, there's a lot of parity in college football. Over the last few years, you start to see more of that. I do think that our conference has been represented very well throughout the year. Obviously having an ACC team in the playoff and winning that first round represents that.

We're a good conference. We've got a lot of good players. And I think -- I do like the parity throughout the conference, and I do think there is greatness in this conference. There's good players all over the country but I believe our conference is one of the best.

Q. At this point you could be getting ready for the Combine, getting ready for the NFL Draft. Why did you decide to come back, and what is your mentality going into this game, being your final college game?

HAYNES KING: I mean, throughout this year, we put our blood, sweat and tears into this team, and I'm not one to quit and be selfish and go about my business. I always finish what I start. That's just kind of how I was raised. And then, you know, my mentality going into this game is just we're going to, one, go out there and have fun, but two, try to go out there and execute and find ways to win. It always more fun when you win.

THE MODERATOR: Haynes, playing under a Heisman winner and coach has that played in a National Championship game, what have you taken from that?

HAYNES KING: I can't say enough about this guy. He was one of the big reasons why I came last year and a big reason why I stayed. He's someone I can trust and helped me develop my game. Y'all have seen that throughout the three years that I've been here. I can't say enough about what he's done for me and my development, not only as a player but also as a person.

Q. I know you don't want to talk about your legacy, but when will you sit down to think about what you have done at Georgia Tech?

HAYNES KING: Probably some when I'm training and you have more time on your hands, you don't have to go to class or anything like that. I would say probably there. For the most part you don't really see it happen until later on in life, anyway. It's just kind of like same as feeling it and the feelings that you get with, ‘Hey, this might be my last game at Georgia Tech.’ I don't really feel it until it's over. One of those type deals.

I feel like it's already kind of impacting a lot of people because we had a little signing and a little ceremony that we had during the basketball game at halftime. So it's already kind of building up. But I'm grateful for it, and it's not a one-man show. I'm grateful for this whole team, the whole staff that's believed in me, and got me to this point.

Q. I've been covering this big quarterback that likes to run at BYU all year who you've probably seen a little bit through the Bowl week and maybe on films, I don't know. Owes reminded me all year from a quarterback at east Texas that likes to run a lot. I don't know if you want to give away all your secrets right now but how -- I see your coach nodding a little bit -- how have you been able to stay healthy and still play the way that you play that's made you such an exciting football player?

HAYNES KING: First off, you have to have a little bit of mental and physical toughness.

But other than that, you have to be able to take care of your body, know how to -- you have to surround yourself with the right people that also have the resources and know how to help you.

I feel like we've done a really good job of hiring here, and the staff that's been able to communicate and work with each other and work with me throughout the week to keep me on the field, they have done a really good job.

Q. Chris, I wanted to ask you this, in a day and age where guys are jumping in the portal and you've got so much movement going on, what does it say about your quarterback that he's willing to come back and finish what he started and wants to finish the right way?

CHRIS WEINKE: Yeah, I can't say enough about him. When you talk about a coach, the true joy is coaching young men like this. He was raised the right way. He's wired the right way. He learned at a young age, as he alluded to, that you finish what you start. This day and age, in the landscape of college football and all this movement, I never for one second thought this man wasn't going to finish his mission. He came here with a purpose. He represents exactly what college football is all about. He's old school. He's got an old soul. He lives every single day the same way, and that starts with toughness, he learned that from his daddy.

But I've had the opportunity to coach a lot of quarterbacks. Trained a lot of quarterbacks over the years. This one here is special. Everything he does, he does it for the people around him. It's never about him. It never will be about him. It's always going to be about the team.

So when you can find a young man that takes that approach every single day, that plays this position, you've got a chance. And as we all know, regardless of what level you play at, if you've got a quarterback, you've got a chance.

So I've been very fortunate and pleased for the last three years to be able to help him in his process of achieving his goals. But more importantly, also just observing on game day how much joy he brings to not only me but our team, the fans. His legacy is going to be special. And I know he doesn't talk about it now, but he'll go down in history as one of the best to ever put on this uniform.

Again, he's been the same guy every day. I ask every quarterback: Be the same guy every day. Okay, you can't be great on Monday, average on Tuesday, really good on Wednesday, mediocre on Thursday -- I don't know who I'm getting on Saturday. He's the same guy every day.

So it's been a true joy and honor and a pleasure to be able to coach him. I can't wait to take this last ride with him, and I'll be calling it from the booth. So I'm going to have a lot of fun.

Q. Haynes, you're going to be extremely busy after the Pop-Tarts Bowl, you're going to be at the Senior Bowl. How excited are you for those opportunities, and what do you expect from these particular opportunities?

HAYNES KING: First of all, I'm very excited for those opportunities, just to be able to play in those with a lot of great athletes, a lot of great competitors.

And then just to be able to compete each and every day and showcase my talent against others, as well. That's a great opportunity. And then just really experiencing everything. You're going to have a lot of interviews, a lot of meetings with coaches and stuff, and just to kind of soak that in and be a sponge and learn from each and every meeting and interview. It's going to be special.

Like I said, already being around a lot of great athletes, hearing some of their insights and experiences in college football, and even throughout this training process -- you've got to be able to sponge it all up and understand what's going on.

But I'm very excited for it, and just ready to see what happens. But trying to focus on BYU first.

Q. Graham has moved into the backup role. How has he improved this season?

CHRIS WEINKE: Yeah, I always say that we live in this microwave society where a lot of these high school kids want to leave high school and try to find a place where they can play right away, and I'm old school in terms of trusting the process, right. I know that can be a cliché sometimes.

But to play this position at a high level, there's no better situation than having those young guys watch this guy here. Here is a veteran guy that's played a lot of football that goes about his business the right way and prepares the right way, and to be able to see how he approaches it only helps those younger guys. Sometimes they think they are ready to play but they really don't -- they are not.

I think the most important piece at this position is to make sure that you continue to improve, right, and the opportunity for those quarterbacks to improve from the first semester to the spring ball. And those things, Graham has shown that. Again, Graham is still young. He hasn't played football. Right. He's played one live snap for us. A lot to learn, and the goal to go out there and be consistent and every young quarterback has to go out and learn to do that. He's in that process and hopefully he continues to stay in that trajectory and see where it goes. I can't predict the future. Every high school quarterback that goes to college is really based on potential, and it's our job as coaches to develop these young men and put them in a competitive environment.

That's what I want. I want guys to compete in our room. They have done that. [King] has obviously competed and won the job for the last three years. Deservedly so, and now as we move forward, that room will still be competitive, and we'll find out who is all going to be in there.