The things Stetson Bennet fixes to be successful vs. Alabama

Georgia football starting quarterback Stetson Bennett has done more than enough to earn the starting job for the national championship game.

Still, some fans worry about how he has played Alabama in the past.

It’s no secret, Bennett’s worst games in the Red and Black came against Alabama in 2020 and the 2021 SEC Championship.

These games have made half the fan base loath Bennett and deem him unworthy, but he isn’t the same quarterback he was last year or just a month ago.

Stetson Bennett must fix these things to overcome Alabama and lead Georgia football to a national title.

Bennett can improve on a handful of things, and some of these he did just that against Michigan. If anyone wants to compare how far he has come since last season, just look at what he did against the Wolverines.

Sure, the one terrible throw could have been detrimental, but it wasn’t, and no quarterback is perfect.

Some of the things Bennett needs to improve are his decision-making, remembering to use his legs, playing to his strengths, and remembering it’s okay to throw away the ball sometimes.

Against Alabama, Bennett has a 5-to-5 touchdown interception ratio. If he can limit the number of turnovers by simply making better decisions with the ball, it would go a long way in helping Georgia win its first national championship in 41 years.

This thing goes with remembering he can throw the ball away if the coverage is good. There were times against Alabama he should have just thrown the ball away instead of forcing throws. It’s okay to throw the ball away if the play isn’t there, and sometimes Bennett struggles with that because he wants to make something happen so badly.

If he doesn’t throw it away, another option is him using his legs. Bennett’s ability to tote the rock and get out of sticky situations is one of the reasons he gives Georgia a better chance at winning than JT Daniels.

Against Michigan, Bennett used his legs to keep drives alive and evade their pass rush. When guys aren’t open, and the opportunity presents itself, take off and run. There is nothing wrong with doing this because other quarterbacks like Bryce Young do it. Remembering to use your legs is just smart football.

Maybe a pass play is shut down because of good coverage, or he gets pressured. Instead of seeing a loss of down, take off and earn some positive yards to keep Georgia ahead of the chains.

When Bennett gets forced to play behind the chains, he can be a liability, thus resulting in back-breaking turnovers that can quickly lose the game for Georgia.

He doesn’t have to be the hero every down because if he makes the right decisions and remembers, he can take off and run. By the end of the game, Bennett will be the hero because he made those smart decisions.

Piggybacking on the decision-making aspect of the position, Bennett has to understand who he is as a quarterback and work with what he has. He has to do what he does best without trying to do too much, and his Orange Bowl performance is a great example.

Bennett went 20-of-30 for 313 yards and three touchdowns, completing 66% of his passes. He also had three rushes for 32 yards. There isn’t much more you could want out of your quarterback.

However, that decision-making goes hand-in-hand with seeing what the defense gives you. If the defense is sitting in the zone, find the guys in the pockets of those zones and hit them. If Alabama forces Georgia to methodically move the ball down field, hit your running backs in the flat or your wideouts on underneath routes.

There is no reason to put the ball in harm’s way. If there’s an opportunity to pick up yards with your legs, do it.

Bennett doesn’t have much to fix because he already improved much of what he struggled with a year ago, but against Alabama, it’s still evident he can grow. He has the talent to win this ball game, and it’s just time Bennett remembers who he is and doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks. This team is his, and he is their leader — nothing else matters.

Georgia has everything needed to win a national championship. The only thing standing in their way is Alabama. Bennett can be the one who ends the drought, but he has to remember how to play the position like he does every other game. It’s achievable, and these things he needs to fix are minor in the grand scheme of things.