Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is a defensive coach at heart. He hates when his defense gets put in a bad position and knows that when you win the turnover battle you are much more likely to win the game.
Smart wants his quarterbacks to put the offense in good situations with sound decisions. Quarterbacks have to make more decisions than any other player on the field.
I can get the stats, but a true quarterback is a decision-maker. In our system, because some systems take all the pressure of the quarterback and they just go really fast, we don’t do that. We’re a quarterback driven offense. So, can you process the information?
Georgia’s previous starting quarterback, Stetson Bennett, threw only seven interceptions in each of his last two seasons. Bennett’s decision-making, durability, and mobility were big reasons why he prevailed over JT Daniels in Georgia’s last quarterback position battle.
Quarterback Carson Beck may have a leg up, in terms of decision-making, on Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton thanks to his experience. However, Beck is not as mobile as Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton.
Carson Beck has attempted only 58 career passing attempts in 10 games, so he does not have a ton of game experience, but that is the most of Georgia’s trio of quarterbacks. Vandagriff has only three career pass attempts and Gunner Stockton, who has been mostly practicing with the third-team offense, has not attempted a pass in college.
It sounds like avoiding mistakes is something Kirby Smart really values. He makes it clear that sometimes an incomplete pass, or even a sack, is not a bad play compared to an interception.
Which of these three choices Coach Bobo’s given me am I going to utilize on this play? And then the play happens, and there might be a mistake or a breakdown, and you do not go full metal jacket and have catastrophe mode and put us in a bad situation.
Ultimately, Kirby Smart is looking at good decision-making as the most important thing he hopes to find at the quarterback position this spring. The best decision-maker will probably win the starting job for the Bulldogs.
Decision-making is the number one thing I want to see at the quarterback position.
For now, Brock Vandagriff and Carson Beck have an edge over Gunner Stockton as they are getting more reps with the starters. Perhaps it is because they are making more consistent decisions.
Brock and Carson are both getting reps with the ones.
Overall, Kirby Smart made it clear that scrimmages don’t tell the full story. Quarterbacks react differently when they get hit in live action. Some quarterbacks are able to dodge sacks that are automatic in scrimmages.
Georgia fans will get a chance to watch the Bulldogs on G-Day, which is scheduled for April 15.
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