Stetson Bennett has emerged as the starting quarterback for Georgia.
His journey in becoming the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback has been one of leaving Georgia and returning.
Bennett redshirted in 2017 at Georgia and then transferred to Jones County Junior College.
He returned to Georgia and has since became the starting signal-caller under first-year offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Todd Monken, who specializes in Air Raid principles.
Todd Monken’s Air Raid versus Jeremy Pruitt’s split safety coverage
During Bennett’s time at Jones County Junior College he played for assistant Brian Hudson.
Hudson previously worked under Monken at Oklahoma State (offensive quality control) in 2011-12, and Southern Miss (graduate assistant) from 2013-14, working primarily with quarterbacks.
Ahead of Bennett’s matchup with No. 12 Tennessee, Hudson discussed his former quarterback’s success so far this season.
“Stetson is everything you want in a quarterback,” Hudson told Vols Wire. “He is a great competitor and extremely smart. He can make all the throws in the offense and moves great in the pocket.”
Bennett will face Jeremy Pruitt and his split safety coverage look Saturday.
Monken will create an interesting matchup between his Air Raid offense and Pruitt’s predominantly split safety coverage defensive scheme, whether it be Cover-4, Cover-2, or any variation.
A way to attack this scheme is through vertical passing attempts and post routes — two areas that give Pruitt’s split safety coverage looks in CONNIE calls a difficult time to defend.
“I worked for Coach Monken both at Oklahoma State and Southern Miss as his graduate assistant,” Hudson said. “He is the smartest offensive coach I have been around. He always had a great offensive game-plan each week.”
During Bennett’s time at Jones County Junior College, they ran a similar offensive system that he is playing in at Georgia under Monken currently — one that adds Air Raid principles with pro-style concepts.
Noticeable Air Raid concepts last week against Auburn, Georgia ran Y-Cross off play-action and mesh on third down.
“We ran a very similar system here at Jones like we did at Southern Miss and Oklahoma State, just dialed it back a tad,” Hudson said.
In Georgia’s offense, Bennett has George Pickens as his X-wide receiver. If Tennessee cannot cover Pickens in man coverage, it will cause the Vols’ defense to rely on communication throughout the split safety scheme.
“Coach Monken will have a good plan going in for his guys to succeed, plus he will always be ready for those half-time adjustments that the defense will throw at him,” Hudson said. “It’s always nice having a weapon like Pickens on the outside. It’s all about finding a way to have explosive plays on the outside.”
CONNIE within the split safety scheme
The CONNIE role stems off CONE. CONE is the ability to take the X-receiver out of the game.
If the defense is playing an offense in which they cannot defend a wide receiver in man coverage, then the defense has to do something.
The cornerback lines up slightly in outside leverage on the X-receiver. If the X-receiver takes an outside release, the cornerback can then defend the X-receiver in man coverage.
If the X-receiver goes inside, then the cornerback and free safety will double-team the X-receiver.
CONNIE protects the inside linebacker as he has the running back unless the X-receiver comes inside and is short. If a CONNIE call is made, the cornerback will get off 4-5 yards and will not be in press coverage. The cornerback needs to be able to see the X-receiver going inside and short, becoming responsible for covering the running back. If the X-receiver goes vertical, then a CONE is still on the receiver.
Communication is critical between the inside linebacker and the defensive backfield, and with the defensive backfield and the inside linebacker, as they work together in CONE turning into CONNIE.