Tech Coaches' Plan: Alberto Is Now The Man
Somebody had to do it. Somebody had to be the guy to follow up the spectacular offensive heroics of Haynes King, an all- time great QB at Georgia Tech, now making his mark in the NFL.
That someone is Alberto Mendoza– a native of Florida, and former player with Indiana, the reigning national champs. And regarding the upcoming season, Tech fans should know that an exuberant Mendoza says " I'm ready to go!"
Mendoza will step into the void left by King , who departed Tech holding numerous program records. Records aside, King's legacy will be more about how he played the game. Nameky, all-out, all the time. His All-ACC guard, Keylan Rutledge, now of the Houston Texans, famously said King was " tougher than a two dollar steak". It's a trait that inspired his teammates and impressed his opponents.
It's certainly not reasonable for Tech fans to expect precisely similar from Mendoza, or any of the other QB's on the Yellow Jacket roster. Besides, Alberto Mendoza an additional standard of comparison , also unrealistic, right in his own family– older brother Fernando, Heisman Trophy winner and now QB for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Alberto has two years of college football under his belt, mostly in mop-up duty. His stats are as sparse as they are irrelevant– 19 of 25, for 292 yards, with five touchdowns and one interception.
What matters now is that Alberto Mendoza has won the starting job at Tech, and with the season's kickoff fewer than two weeks away, he will quickly gain more meaningful experience, that will certainly provide him accelerated development . There's no experience like game experience.
At the same time, this is a fresh edition of Georgia Tech football, with many changes from 2025, especially along the offensive line. Along with Rutledge, Tech must replace Harrison Moore and Joe Fusile. How quickly and how smoothly the new O- line takes shape will have a profound effect on Tech's ground game as well as the passing game.
As for Mendoza, he feels prepared. "I think I have a fairly good grasp of the offense", said Mendoza at a recent press conference. He went on to praise his O-line, his receivers and his running backs, as they all work together to prepare for kickoff th 2026 on Thursday September 3 at home vs. Colorado.
If the energy of Tech's new QB is any indication, it will be an exciting night on the Flats .
Patrick Conarro
RamblinSports.com