Tag: stetson bennett

Kirby Smart outlines plan for Georgia QBs going forward

Kirby talks plan at QB if Stetson and JT get/remain healthy

On Thursday, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart told ESPN that quarterback JT Daniels is the healthiest he’s been since the Vanderbilt game on September 25.

According to Smart, though, that does not mean the coaches are going to make any drastic changes in either direction at the quarterback position.

Stetson Bennett did not go into the season as the starting quarterback, but he’s played well while Daniels has been out. Bennett has played in six of Georgia’s seven games this year and has been efficient with the football while Daniels has been battling an injury to his lat muscle.

Georgia has the week off to prepare for its rivalry game with Florida at the end of the month.

“JT practiced [Wednesday] and did about everything,” Smart told ESPN. “I thought [Wednesday] was the first time since Vanderbilt that I could have said, ‘Man, he looks like he could play.’ Now, he’s rusty, and [Thursday] will probably be the telltale practice because it will be the first time he’s gone back-to-back throwing after he threw a lot Wednesday.”

Smart then pointed out that both quarterbacks can help UGA win games. Bennett has been very productive with his feet this year, rushing the ball and escaping pressure in the pocket. Daniels is your old-school pocket passer and throws the ball with great accuracy. Smart commented on how both of their styles of play can help the Bulldogs win football games.

“I’m not sure we know who the better one is based on which game plan we have,” Smart said. “There are teams we play that we have to be able to use the quarterback in the run game. Well, that’s Stetson. There are teams we play that you have to get the ball out quickly and be really accurate. That’s JT. But the first thing with JT is that he’s got to be healthy.”

Bennett was Georgia’s starting quarterback in 2020 and had his ups and downs. Many Georgia fans have not moved past some of Bennett’s 2020 struggles, especially the Alabama loss, and are not willing to accept that the Dawgs can go all the way with him at quarterback.

Smart talked to that as well.

“I think the feeling in the outside world is that you can’t win it all [the national championship] without JT,” Smart said. “I don’t know or can’t say that’s accurate or not. I know there’s nothing that he’s shown that Stetson hasn’t shown us that leads us to believe that’s the case.”

Bennett this season has thrown for 996 yards, 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions this season while completing 69.5% of his passes. He’s only been sacked two times.

Smart also talked about how Georgia’s offense, though not putting up video game numbers like some college fans expect, has been getting the job done just fine. Georgia has been averaging 38 points per game this season.

“Usually, when the quarterback problem comes is when you’re not productive on offense,” said Smart. “We haven’t run into that. Now, we haven’t been blowing doors off, but we’ve scored and done a good job.”

Stetson Bennett hits Brock Bowers for beautiful TD – Georgia leads 21-7

Stetson to Brock for six

Georgia took a 21-7 lead over Kentucky in the second quarter thanks to a beautiful throw and catch from Stetson Bennett to Brock Bowers.

Previously in the drive, Bowers had a 60 yard touchdown that was called back thanks to a holding call on Georgia offensive lineman Justin Shaffer.

This is Bowers’ fifth touchdown catch of the season. Watch as the true freshman tight end high-points the ball and brings it down to give UGA a 21-7 lead over UK.

Stetson Bennett announced as starter against Kentucky

Stetson Bennett announced as starter vs Kentucky

With quarterback JT Daniels still nursing a lat injury, Stetson Bennett will get the start against the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday.

Bennett was announced as the starting quarterback ahead of No. 1 Georgia’s game against No. 11 Kentucky.

Bennett has performed well filling in for Daniels, and many are starting to wonder if he should be “filling in” or if he should just takeover the starting position.

Auburn vs Georgia: Grading the Bulldogs

Here’s how we graded Georgia.

Georgia has been… dominant, to say the least so far this season.

The Bulldogs are outscoring their opponents 205-23 through five games. They already have two shutout wins, one over the current No. 13 team in the nation (Arkansas). Georgia hasn’t needed great quarterback play. They haven’t really needed offense yet this season. The defense has been stellar, and it could propel them to the SEC championship game.

Auburn may be the only team that truly stands in the way.

The Tigers have had their ups and downs, but couple Bo Nix overcoming his road demons against LSU this past Saturday with the fact that the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry is being played inside Jordan-Hare stadium, and we could find ourselves watching a competitive game.

Here’s what the Georgia Bulldogs look like at each position.

Georgia vs Arkansas: Stetson Bennett announced as starter at QB

UGA announced Bennett as the starter…

And it’s official.

Georgia quarterback JT Daniels, who is dealing with a lat injury, will not start today when No. 2 Georgia hosts No. 8 Arkansas in Athens.

Kirby Smart had mentioned Daniels would be a game-time decision and it all depended on how the quarterback did during warmups.

I guess the below video, in which Stetson Bennett is announced as the starter, tells us Daniels was hurting through warmups.

This is awfully unfortunate, but hopefully the UGA defense can lead us to a win here.

 

Kirby Smart explains giving Stetson Bennett playing time vs South Carolina

Georgia football HC Kirby Smart explains decision to give backup quarterback Stetson Bennett playing time vs South Carolina

Georgia fans – and really anybody who was watching Saturday night’s Georgia vs South Carolina game – were scratching their heads when UGA quarterback Stetson Bennett checked into the contest.

The Bulldogs’ offense was grooving with Daniels under center. He had missed the previous game against UAB due to a core injury, and was now playing lights out in his first game back.

Georgia had scored on its first two drives and things were rolling.

Then backup passer Stetson Bennett entered the game. Bennett had a really nice showing against UAB the week prior, throwing five touchdowns. But on his first play against the Gamecocks, he threw an interception that gave South Carolina great field position at the 12 yard line of Georgia.

It was, well, odd. Nobody understood why Kirby Smart would insert Bennett when Daniels, a potential Heisman candidate, was finally finding his rhythm for the first time this season.

“We thought Stetson really practiced well and he and JT rolled all week,” Smart said on his decision. “We told them, I guess it was Thursday or Friday, we called them in and said, ‘Hey look, you’re both going to play. We think JT is healthy enough to go but we’re going to play you, Stetson.’”

Well, that makes a little more sense. But still, not sure what’s up with that decision. Like I said, you have a potential Heisman finalist rolling early in the game. Why sideline him, even if just for a drive?

I’m no coach, but this whole wishy-washy quarterback rotation just does not seem like the best move going forward.

Find your man (JT Daniels) and stick to it.

Georgia QB Stetson Bennett is SEC Offensive Player of the Week

Stetson Bennett named SEC Offensive Player of the Week

Georgia fans were not happy to see Stetson Bennett announced as the starter vs UAB with JT Daniels sidelined due to injury. They wanted redshirt freshman Carson Beck.

But Bennett got the start, and played the best game of his career.

His 10-for-12 for 288 yards and 5 touchdowns vs UAB were enough to earn him SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

From SECSports.com

  • In his sixth career start and first since game six of last year, Bennett torched UAB to tie a school record with five touchdown passes (all in the opening half) after going 10-for-12 for 288 yards

  • Bennett started his day 5-for-5 with four scoring strikes of 73, 12, 89 and 61 yards as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 35-0 halftime edge

  • His scoring pass to freshman tight end Brock Bowers for 89 yards was the ninth-longest passing play in Georgia history

  • Bennett finished the game with a monstrous pass efficiency rating of 422.4

 

Stetson Bennett announced as Georgia’s starting QB vs UAB

Stetson Bennett announced as starting QB

With JT Daniels nursing a minor oblique injury, Georgia will turn to a former starter to lead the Dawgs on Saturday against UAB.

UGA announced that Stetson Bennett will start at quarterback rather than redshirt freshman Carson Beck, who many expected to get the nod.

Bennett started five games for the Dawgs in 2020. Bennett had some up and down performances. He was a steadying presence in Georgia’s season opener against Arkansas.

Last year, Bennett completed 55% of his passes. Bennett contributed 10 total touchdowns and threw six interceptions. He threw for 1,179 passing yards on the season and looked particularly sharp against the Auburn Tigers.

Bennett arrived in Athens as a lightly recruited three-star prospect. He redshirted in 2017, while playing scout team quarterback. He then transferred to Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi. He helped Jones County win their conference, scoring 20 total touchdowns and accumulating almost 2,000 total yards in the process.

Following his junior college season, Bennett transferred back to the University of Georgia and enrolled for the spring semester of 2019.

JT Daniels not starting for UGA football

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback JT Daniels is not expected to start today against the UAB Blazers

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback JT Daniels is not expected to start today against the UAB Blazers. Daniels has been dealing with a core injury.

In his place, Carson Beck has been getting some of the reps with the starting offense. Stetson Bennett is another proven back up the Bulldogs may utilize. Will the Dawgs start Beck or Bennett?

Georgia additionally could still play Daniels, but he is not expected to start. Daniels is suffered from an oblique injury and still got some starting reps this week in practice.

Fortunately for the Dawgs, Georgia is still expected to defeat UAB with relative ease regardless of who starts at quarterback. UAB are the defending Conference USA champions, so they are expected to put up a fight.

Georgia QB Matthew Stafford made his first career start in the last game between the University of Georgia Bulldogs and University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) Blazers at Sanford Stadium. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

No. 2-ranked Georgia is coming off a big-time win over the previously No. 3-ranked Clemson Tigers last week. Kirby Smart and Georgia will look to avoid a letdown against UAB.

The Bulldogs could roll with experience in Stetson Bennett if Carson Beck struggles. The UGA quarterback situation should be viewed as fluid for the UAB game. Freshman Brock Vandagriff additionally could make his college debut in the second half.

Georgia will have a more explosive offensive attack against UAB and that will start with the running game. The Blazers will look to stop the Georgia run game. Georgia is returning to a full-capacity Sanford Stadium for the first time since Nov. 2019.

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Reports: Georgia QB JT Daniels dealing with injury

Reports: Georgia QB JT Daniels dealing with injury

According to Dean Legge of DawgPost, Georgia quarterback JT Daniels is dealing with “an upper-body injury.”

It does not appear to be too serious, as DawgPost reports the quarterback has still been practicing with the team.

Daniels has missed some reps with the No. 1 unit this week that he typically would have taken. However, Dawg Post can confirm that Daniels has taken part in practices this week.

247Sports is reporting that Daniels is considered “questionable” for this Saturday’s game against UAB.

247Sports wrote that Daniels’ injury is to his core, and added that it’s likely his ribs or oblique.

When Daniels suffered the injury is unknown, but if it were prior to the Clemson game that would justify the lack of downfield shots Georgia took.

Per 247Sports, former 4-star Carson Beck received a majority of the first team snaps on Tuesday. If Daniels is unable to play against UAB, expect Beck to get the start.

Head coach Kirby Smart has not yet commented on this.