Georgia has had drama in the quarterback room ever since a bright-eyed Jake Fromm took over for an injured Jacob Eason in the first game of the 2017 season.
Fromm would go on to lead Georgia to an SEC Championship, Rose Bowl win and National Championship appearance in his freshman season, prompting former 5-star recruit Eason to transfer.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart had a decision to make that offseason. Start Fromm, the guy who just led the Bulldogs to the College Football Playoff, or give true freshman Justin Fields, the most highly touted recruit in Georgia football history, a chance to prove his skill as the starter.
Smart chose Fromm, as most would under the circumstances, and Fields transferred to Ohio State, leaving the Bulldogs with limited options after Fromm left early for the NFL Draft after his junior season of 2019.
To fill the gap, Smart and staff turned to the transfer portal and signed Wake Forest quarterback Jamie Newman and USC quarterback JT Daniels in spring of 2020.
Daniels was set to be a backup as he was nursing an ACL tear, pinning Newman as the perceived starter headed into this fall until the COVID-19 pandemic prompted him to opt-out of the season.
Georgia began the season with redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis at quarterback and quickly turned to former walk-on Stetson Bennett in an attempt to find some cohesion in a new offense brought over with newly hired offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Mathis and Bennett played valiantly, but their experience and intangibles were not at the level of USC transfer Daniels, who took over as the Bulldogs’ signal caller in game 7 vs. Mississippi State.
His knee was in question, but Daniels put the doubters to bed with a 400 yard performance that gave us a glimpse of where Georgia’s offense can be with a gunslinger under center.
That’s what the Bulldogs have brought in with the signing of five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff.
From right down the road, welcome to the hometown kid, @BrockVandagriff.#CommittedToTheG pic.twitter.com/7b3eKtnjto
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) December 16, 2020
The Prince Avenue Christian School star is rated as the No. 2 quarterback, the No. 2 recruit in the state of Georgia and the No. 14 overall recruit in the country, according to 247Sports.
Vandagriff’s poise as a young quarterback is almost as impressive as his athleticism.
Been a long time comin!!! Thank you God! 5 lbs. from school record. 🌊 #315 pic.twitter.com/r7PLssq5eP
— Brock 🌊 (@BrockVandagriff) November 13, 2020
Vandagriff (6-3, 205 pounds) threw for 9, 566 yards and ran for another 1,783 in his career at Prince Avenue Christian.
Check out his junior highlights here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKNH671Bnxk
Looking ahead, we will most likely see Daniels return as Georgia’s starter when the Bulldogs travel to Clemson to start the 2021 season and right behind the arm of Daniels will be Vandagriff, who will be studying how to be an SEC caliber starter.
DawgNation, you have every right to be excited for the future of Georgia football in the hands of Daniels and Vandagriff moving forward.
Did you miss national signing day? I break it all down in this week’s episode of UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton in our national signing day special! I talk about who signed, what guys can make the most impact and how Georgia’s 2021 class relates to the SEC. Listen here: