Georgia Tech’s backfield is shaping up to be one of the most dangerous groups in the ACC, and Malachi Hosley isn’t shy about the role he expects to play in it.
Speaking at ACC Media Days on Thursday, the Yellow Jackets running back touched on what it means to suit up for his home state, how he sees the room around him, and why the expectations inside the program are rising.
“I mean, it means a lot. Especially for me being from Georgia, playing for my home state is good.
And I personally didn't want to go to the other school in Georgia. It's just a blessing that I got to go to Tech.
I feel like most of us backs in our back field feel the same way.”
Hosley also pointed to the chemistry he shares with Justice Haynes, saying the two backs often see the game the same way when they’re on the field together.
“I think we're very similar and different in same way, as in with me and Justice, we can literally see the same thing on a play, that we might hit the same hole and do the same thing. So I think our vision.”
When asked about the standard he’s carrying now, Hosley said the answer is yes.
“I kind of do. At this point, yeah, I do. It's like an expectation.”
That expectation fits with the bigger picture around Georgia Tech’s offense. Hosley said the depth in the room matters, especially with the calendar moving toward the stretch where the Yellow Jackets want to be at their best.
“It's very important, especially with us having depth as well. Like Coach Key always preaches, we want to play our best ball in November, December, January when we're trying to compete for a championship. Just us building depth through the portal and getting guys, it's been great.”
Hosley’s production already gives Georgia Tech plenty to build on. He averaged 7.1 yards per carry last season, one of the few runners in the country to clear seven yards per attempt, and his game is built on explosiveness, vision, and contact balance. That combination makes him one of the ACC’s better backs and gives the Yellow Jackets a real chance to push their offense to another level.
The arrival of Justice Haynes only raises the ceiling. If both backs stay healthy, Georgia Tech could have one of the league’s most dangerous tandems.
Hosley is aiming even higher than that, with hopes of being part of a playoff team and a group that can surprise people on the way to the ACC championship game and the College Football Playoff. With the new scheme and system in place, he looks ready to handle plenty of the load.
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Justice Haynes Just Set A Massive Standard For Georgia Tech's Backfield
Justice Haynes has already spent enough time in college football to understand how rare it is to find a place that feels like a fit, and at ACC Media Days he made clear that Georgia Tech is where he wanted his next chapter to land. After stops at Alabama and Michigan, the running back talked through a winding journey that brought him to Atlanta, along with the family support that helped shape him and the kind of player he believes he is: explosive, versatile and able to contribute in more than one way.
Haynes also gave a glimpse of why the Yellow Jackets backfield could become one of the more interesting units in the league. He pointed to the camaraderie in the room and the standard that comes with it, saying there are multiple playmakers around him and that the group expects a lot from itself. The bigger question now is how far that confidence carries once the season starts, and whether Georgia Techs run game can turn that internal belief into something opponents have to deal with every week. [Read more 🡒]