Spring Position Battle: Who’s QB2?

Who will come out of the spring with the best position to claim the title of “next man up” at quarterback?

Georgia’s quarterback position will be at the front and center of attention this offseason and likely will continue as long as Kirby Smart is head coach. Even after winning his first national championship as a head coach with his alma mater, there is still a very vocal minority who doubt the decision-making at quarterback under Kirby Smart. 

The questions date back to the year after Smart just led the Bulldogs to a national championship game appearance in just his second year at the helm. Then, even after a breakout freshman campaign from Jake Fromm and the incoming star power of five-star prospect Justin Fields, many believed Fields should’ve taken Fromm’s place in the Georgia backfield. 

Ultimately Fromm beat out Fields for the job and never looked back even after the rocky performance versus LSU in 2018, which saw Georgia lose 36-16 in Baton Rouge. Fields would transfer to Ohio State in the offseason before leading the Buckeyes to two back-to-back playoff appearances, one culminating in the 2020 national championship game versus Alabama, where the Buckeyes lost, while the year prior, the Buckeyes lost to Clemson in the semifinal. 

The transfer of Fields and his later success has created this ever-lasting saga and storyline surrounding this program. Every QB decision made and subsequent transfer rehashes a discussion about Fields. 

Now, after a national championship-winning season where Stetson Bennett won the starting job weeks into the regular season after multiple injuries to JT Daniels, the former Southern California transfer entered his name back into the transfer portal to find a new home. With Daniels gone, one could only assume that Bennett will be the starting quarterback; after all, Bennett did use his free year of eligibility to return to Athens for a sixth season. 

Bennett’s position at the top of the depth chart is unlikely to be up for debate, meaning that the three quarterbacks behind him will battle it out to become the “next man up.” However, with one year of experience on Brock Vandagriff and two years on incoming freshman Gunnar Stockton, Carson Beck looks to have the upper hand heading into spring practice. 

But that is not to say that Vandagriff doesn’t have a good shot of beating out the former Florida native. Vandagriff came out of Bogart, Georgia, made a name for himself as a dual-threat quarterback. His ability to move out of the pocket and make plays with his legs is enticing, especially after seeing the plays Bennett made last fall. 

Don’t even have to go to the beach to ride the 🌊

Good work today @BrockVandagriff & @MackSimmonsIV #NewWave #SpringBreak #RipItSmooth #D1Athens #QbCatalyst pic.twitter.com/D9cFHCeFIS

— Coach Richt (@CoachRicht) March 10, 2022

This position battle will likely not be determined in the spring, as it will carry into the fall, which it should as the winner of this position battle will put themselves in the best position to assert themselves as the replacement for Bennett in 2023. 

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