Smart Updates Georgia's Quarterback Battle
In the aftermath of a second-consecutive national championship, the Georgia football program finds itself in a position to once again have to replace myriad key players from a championship team. That process kicked off in earnest when the Bulldogs opened spring practice on March 14. Among all of the position battles that will play themselves out through the spring and into fall camp, the battle to replace Stetson Bennett as Georgia’s starting quarterback looms the largest.
In his opening press conference of the spring, head coach Kirby Smart expressed confidence that the Bulldogs would be in good hands regardless of which of the three scholarship quarterbacks on Georgia’s roster - redshirt Junior Carson Beck, redshirt Sophomore Brock Vandagriff, or Sophomore Gunner Stockton - wins the competition to replace Bennett, insisting, "We think we have three really good quarterbacks.” Following Georgia’s first intra-squad scrimmage of the spring, Smart again met with the media and provided an update on the quarterback competition.
The first three weeks of spring practices do not appear to have materially altered the dynamics of the quarterback battle as Smart admitted, “I can't sit and say that the dynamic has changed in any way, shape or form.” To that effect, both Beck and Vandagriff continue to receive reps with the first team offense while Stockton is getting “some reps with the twos, predominately the threes.”
In terms of their performance in Saturday’s scrimmage inside Sanford Stadium, Smart revealed, “I can think of some really good things each one did, and I can think of some really poor things each one did.”
While Smart reiterated that “it’s not like one guy is sticking out,” he did assess the strengths that each quarterback has demonstrated this spring.
As a player entering his fourth year in the program. Smart extolled Beck’s mastery of Georgia’s offensive system, explaining, “He understands it inside and out. He communicates it. He gets things correct.” While Smart did admit that Beck “had a couple of poor decisions and choices today,” he praised his “really good presence in the pocket.”
QB Carson Beck taking reps during one of Georgia's spring practices.
Not to be forgotten, Vandagriff and Stockton have also given the coaches plenty to be excited about this spring. Smart revealed that during the scrimmage “Brock (Vandagriff) made some plays. He made some plays getting out of the pocket. Made some good throws” and “did a really good job in two-minute.”
Stockton also “made some nice throws” and “made some plays with his feet” during Saturday’s scrimmage. However, as the most inexperienced of Georgia’s scholarship quarterbacks, Smart explained that Stockton is still working towards mastering “the administration of the offense, getting everybody lined up, getting going, getting the call in.” Still, Smart was quick to point out that “he’s grown. He’s getting better.”
While each of the quarterbacks vying to lead Georgia’s 2023 offense have begun to make their case this spring, the first three weeks of Georgia’s spring practice have yet to alter the dynamics of the competition to replace Stetson Bennett as Georgia’s starting quarterback.
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