Georgia football already has its starting quarterback in JT Daniels, who earned the role after the way he performed last year.
However, who would get the nod if something happened to him?
Would it be Stetson Bennett who started the first half of 2020, or could it be one of the guys who have yet to prove themselves like Carson Beck?
Could Georgia even go all the way down the list to true-freshman Brock Vandagriff? Likely not, but things have been weirder in Athens.
Georgia Football’s safe choice
The safest choice would be Bennett because of the experience he gained last season.
He took over the starting role when Jamie Newman opted out of the season, and Daniels wasn’t quite yet healthy. Regardless of where you sit on that topic, Daniels wasn’t ready, and that is all there is to know.
Yes, D’Wan Mathis was there and started against Arkansas, but it didn’t work out, so they brought in Bennett, who got the win. Beck wasn’t ready either because COVID-19 shut down the opportunity to get the work in with the team that can be so crucial to youngsters.
Last year’s smartest and most logical choice, with the circumstances, was Bennett, no matter what anyone says. Remember, he was on the team before and was how the defense prepared for Baker Mayfield.
Those three interceptions against Alabama changed everyone’s opinion on Bennett, and while I understand why people felt the way they did, it was terrible how fans talked about him. Anyway, that is a topic we’ll leave at that because it’s in the past.
While nobody will agree, it wouldn’t be surprising if Smart when with Bennett if Daniels needed someone to come in for him. Last year Bennett completed 55.48% of his passes for 1,179 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions.
That experience equals trust, and while the end of his starting career ended terribly against Alabama, he knows that playbook by heart.
Georgia Football’s smart choice
Even though the experience is great to have, talent sometimes trumps it, especially when it comes from a guy like redshirt freshman Carson Beck. He didn’t make much noise last year, but with COVID-19 shortening everything, it wasn’t surprising.
College football is so different from high school, so when Newman left, it wasn’t surprising that the two guys who knew the system beat him out in the quarterback competition.
However, now that Beck has been able to get to know the system and work on things, he has been someone to explode on to the scene.
The Jacksonville native has made a name for himself this offseason as he shined in the G-Day game and continued to get praised throughout fall camp.
In the annual spring game, Beck completed 22-of-31 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns. He showed off and looked extremely composed in the pocket, making some excellent decisions.
After G-Day, and as fall camp ended it seems Beck has the backup position on lock.
His performance wasn’t surprising because there is a reason Georgia choose him — he can flat out ball. When Beck won the starting job as a junior in high school, he led Mandarin to its first-ever state championship in Flordia’s highest classification.
He went 25-of-36 for 329 yards and five touchdowns in that game, earning him Florida’s Mr. Football title.
As a whole that year, Beck completed 209 of 356 attempts for 3,546 yards and 39 touchdowns. As a senior, he led Mandarin to a 7-4 season going 136 of 278 for 1,843 yards and 20 scores.
Beck has shown against Georgia’s stout defense that he can impress the coaches, so in Week 2 against UAB, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get a chance to get some game experience in the second half.
After the way he has worked this offseason, Beck is Georgia’s smartest choice for a backup right now.