Why Jacob Eason should start for Georgia Football in Week 1

Jacob Eason should start on opening day for the Bulldogs.

Yeah, UGA head coach Kirby Smart should pull the trigger and start Jacob Eason at quarterback against North Carolina in Week 1 of the 2016 football season. Simple as that.

This should be one of the easiest decisions Smart has made so far at Georgia. It is a no-brainer to me. Here is why this is an easy decision.

Eason’s Upside

For one, Eason has tremendous talent and upside. The potential for Eason is through the roof. The sky is truly the limit for the gifted freshman.

He had a ridiculous high school career in Lake Stevens, Wash., as he threw for 9,813 yards and 102 touchdowns. He also averaged 258.2 passing yards per game. He was rightfully rated as a 5-star prospect coming out of high school and won countless awards including being proclaimed the 2016 Gatorade National Player of the Year.

Eason has been one of the most hyped UGA recruits in recent memory. The “next Matthew Stafford” has all the tools of a guy who will be very successful both at Georgia and on the next level. The 6-6, 208 pound signal-caller has rare arm strength and is very accurate.

But why would a West Coast prodigy come to Georgia? Eason originally decided to go to Georgia because of Mark Richt and his pro-style offense. When Mark Richt was fired at the end of the 2016 regular season, it made Eason re-evaluate his options.

Eason didn’t know who the new coach would be and if the offense would suit him and give him the best chance of getting to the NFL. Fast-forward to Kirby Smart’s hiring as head coach and bringing in a largely pro-style offense with Jim Chaney as offensive coordinator, and Eason was convinced.

It was huge to sign Eason even after the coaching change, and this will probably be looked back upon as Kirby Smart’s first big “win” at UGA. In the months after Eason signed and enrolled early, Smart tried to desperately take pressure off his blue-chip QB.

We all know what happened next. In Eason’s first game-like experience in the annual G-Day spring football game in April, he had an impressive performance in which he threw for 244 yards and a touchdown. He was clearly the best quarterback that day. And many were impressed. Eason’s talent became even more evident.

Lack of Other Options

C’mon, this is too easy. Greyson Lambert is the primary competition to keep Eason from starting. Lambert started last year after arriving to UGA as a graduate transfer from Virginia. He was not starting there which should have been the first red flag. Lambert was a disappointment to say the least in 2015 besides his superstar performance against South Carolina, which was probably the biggest fluke in modern history, but I digress.

Anyway, Lambert’s only positive was that he didn’t throw a lot of interceptions, but he helped make Georgia’s offense almost completely one-dimensional and limited. Then again, former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenhiemer’s incompetence did not help matters.

Greyson Lambert was the starter in 2015. That needs to change this year. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

Then, Brice Ramsey, the No. 2 QB at that time and the other contender in this year’s quarterback competition, played some snaps in 2015 but made terrible decisions and threw a couple of interceptions. He’s got a lot of talent from a physical standpoint, but for whatever reason, he has never figured it out.

Somehow, despite the horrible quarterback play last year, Georgia still managed to go 10-3 even though they relied on their run game and defense heavily. Just imagine how good Georgia could’ve been with better-than-mediocre quarterback production. That’s why Eason should start. There is not a better option.

The Best Chance of Winning

Finally, starting Eason in Week 1 just makes sense. He gives you the best chance to succeed a.k.a. win of any quarterback in the short term and the long term.

Georgia has to play a very good team against North Carolina in the first game of the season. The Tar Heels had one of the most lethal offenses in college football last year and shouldn’t miss a beat this season with the talented Mitch Trubisky taking over the QB position from the departed Marquise Williams. The Tar Heels also return great talent across the offensive unit.

No matter how Georgia’s defense performs, the game should still see quite a few points scored. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have a guy at quarterback like Eason that can make big-time throws and command the game rather than a guy whose sole purpose is to handoff and not turn the ball over. (Yes, Lambert I’m looking at you.)