Georgia Bulldogs: Gotta Give Smart And Staff Benefit Of Doubt With QB

The Georgia Bulldogs sit at (6-0) halfway through the season. Oddly, the Quarterback situation dominates the conversation.

You know that old football axiom, “if you have two Quarterbacks, you don’t have any.”? Well, forget it. In the case of the Georgia Bulldogs, anyway. In a season that has seen UGA blow away opponents for three weeks now, the QB situation is at the fore of any conversation. And regardless of what the message board table-thumpers and fist-clinchers think, it’s not a bad situation to have.

Yes, it is possible to have divergent opinions about whether (5*) Jacob Eason or (5*) Jake Fromm should be starting. Both points of view have merit, and some very convincing arguments. With Eason, you get a kid who changes the field with an NFL ready arm. The type of kid that Defensive Coordinators can’t scheme for. With Fromm, you get a kid who is undefeated and seems to thrive in tempo.

Both Quarterbacks, and their respective throngs of Dawg Nation supporters, have merit and good arguments for why they should see major PT. And these types of conversations can be a luxury when the team is winning. Especially, when they are winning everything by large margins. Kind of like having to choose whether to take your $70K F-150 or your $70K Porsche out when you go to dinner, it’s a good problem to have.

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But the conversation is starting to get a little shrill, if you ask me. Meaning, it seems to me there is a third way. There is the Eason camp. There is the Fromm camp. But, there is also the Kirby Smart camp. Count me as in the latter.

Think about what Kirby Smart, and coaching staff, have done with development of talent in the two years they’ve been there. Think about it. Dom Sanders? 3* starter who just tied Smart’s INT record/place. Solomon Kindley? 3* starter who has made the right side of the O Line functional. Aaron Davis? Walk-on starter who will probably get drafted. Tyrique McGhee? 3* starter who is getting better. Deandre Baker? 3* starter who is getting better.

Yes. I understand that, other than Kindley and McGhee, these guys were recruited, primarily, by the previous regime.

The point is, at this point, you have to start giving Smart and Co. the benefit of the doubt when it comes to player evaluations and development. If they think Eason is the dude, then he’s the dude. Same with Fromm. Same with 5* Justin Fields when he gets to Athens.

At some point, fans need to relax and let Coach Kirby handle it. So far, from year 1 to year 2, and the improvements made, he’s proven he can handle it. Dude is winning while starting 3* players over 5* players at multiple positions. That’s the definition of player evaluation and development.

Fans need to get to the place where they say, “OK, let’s ride with the Dawg Kirby races.”

Next: Atlanta Braves: Should Target Todd Frazier

And no offense to Coach Donnan or Coach Richt, but if they were there, I wouldn’t, or couldn’t, write that.

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