ATHENS — There’s not much to learn from spring games. Even calling them glorified exhibitions is generous. They serve as offseason fodder, giving fans craving football a reminder that next season is waiting on the other side of summer. But Georgia’s edition Saturday moved an important conversation forward.
The Bulldogs’ spring game generated interest not only because they’re the two-time defending national champions, but because of the sport’s most important position. Stetson Bennett’s illustrious career finally ended. The Bulldogs are tasked with replacing him – a massive storyline for college football’s new most-dominant program.
Many outsiders believe they know who’ll be under center Sept. 2 against Tennessee-Martin. Carson Beck, a junior, was Bennett’s No. 2 and seems primed to have his patience rewarded. He’s competing against sophomore Brock Vandagriff with redshirt freshman Gunner Stockton on the peripherals of the conversation.
The simple stats from Saturday: Beck went 15-for-22 passing for 231 yards and a touchdown. Vandagriff went 13-for-25 for 175 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Stockton went 13-for-22 for 144 yards with an interception and a rushing score.
“I thought both of them (Beck and Vandagriff) had good composure, good pocket presence,” coach Kirby Smart said. “I thought Brock used his legs several times to take off running. Brock unfortunately had some guys drop the ball on him. I thought those balls were really well thrown and should’ve been caught. He did a nice job in the pocket making those throws. Then Gunner did some good things.
“I’m really pleased with all three quarterbacks. What you saw today was similar to watch we’ve seen all spring. We have three really good quarterbacks who can make the throws and do a really good job.”
Credit: Chip Towers
This was Beck’s fourth spring game. It was Vandagriff’s third and Stockton’s second. They’re new in their roles, but not unfamiliar with their surroundings. Then again, about anyone looks inexperienced compared with the man who formerly held this job.
Bennett was a sixth-year senior last season. It felt like he’d been around an eternity, which made him the butt of jokes on social media. What wasn’t funny: He went 29-3 with two national championships, leaving Athens regarded as perhaps the best quarterback in school history.
Despite Bennett being only 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, he’s leaving enormous shoes to fill.
“What he was able to accomplish, overcome; being told ‘no’ so many times, and his willingness to keep coming back and keep coming back, it’s inspiring,” Beck said. “To watch him win two national championships, I’ve learned a lot from not only his game, but the mental side of the game as well. The way he handles adversity. He throws a pick, he runs off the field and acts like nothing happened. I think that’s a really important part of playing quarterback and having composure.”
Each of the three candidates impressed at times Saturday. But no one is going to read much into the G-Day numbers, especially knowing quarterbacks are operating without the fear of being crushed by a Jalen Carter or Travon Walker. Still, the veteran of the group looked the best.
Beck’s process appeared solid. He spread the ball around. He took what the defense provided. He found his best skill players in space. He rarely forced any throws. He showed nice touch on passes down the sideline and zip on throws over the middle. He navigated the pocket comfortably. By his teammates’ account, he’s found his voice.
“He’s a great leader,” receiver Arian Smith said. “He’s not as vocal as, like, Stet, but he’s still vocal. He’ll still let me know if I’m doing something wrong or if I need to tighten up.”
Beck had a rip-roaring start, engineering a six-play, 70-yard touchdown drive for the Red team. He was 3-for-3 for 63 yards, including a perfectly placed floater over a defender to tight end Brock Bowers for a 39-yard gain. He found an open Ladd McConkey for 37 yards during his second scoring drive. It was a reminder that whoever is quarterbacking the Bulldogs will have plenty of help.
The Red team scored on four of five drives in the first half, opening with three consecutive touchdowns. Beck didn’t throw an incompletion until the third possession. He came out of the game in the third quarter, letting the other two receive all the reps, then re-entered in the fourth. Beck’s experience was evident throughout the afternoon.
“My freshman year to now, my confidence has grown exponentially,” Beck said.
Tight end Brock Bowers: “Just mindset wise, (Beck is) a lot more locked in to everything (than the past) and coming every day ready to work.”
Vandagriff and Stockton quarterbacked the Black team before Vandagriff moved over to the Red after halftime. Both led scoring drives, and both had moments of brilliance. Neither, however, showed Beck’s consistency.
Like the rest of the offense, Vandagriff was better in the first half – 9-for-14 for 135 yards and two scores – than the second half, when he went 4-for-11 for 40 yards and a pick. As Smart noted, the skill talent sometimes let Vandagriff down with drops. Vandagriff felt he performed well but admitted there were some nerves. He mentioned Saturday was the most he’d played in front of fans at Sanford Stadium.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
It’s assumed the quarterback competition will come down to Beck and Vandagriff. The duo has a close friendship, leading both to mention how tight-knit the quarterback group is.
“Me and Carson get along well,” Vandagriff said. “I believe that’s a tribute to last year, we had a couple classes together, so we were riding to class together every time. It’s just a good dynamic between us. When he threw his first touchdown pass (Saturday), I jumped up and threw my hands in the air. All the defensive guys on our sideline were looking at me like I’m crazy. Me and Gunner were just happy for him. I want to see them succeed, and they want to see me succeed as well.”
Beck added: “Honestly, I’d say this is one of, if not the closest quarterback (group) I’ve had since I’ve been here.”
There is one area Vandagriff has a perceptible advantage: Making plays with his feet, as he showed with a 23-yard scamper on his first drive Saturday. He more closely resembles Bennett than Beck, who’s more like, say, 2020 Kyle Trask, the Gators quarterback who excelled with touch and getting the ball to his playmakers.
Vandagriff’s running ability is a notable asset. Go back to the morning of Jan. 10, mere hours after the confetti fell on Georgia’s second consecutive national championship. Smart addressed reporters during an exit interview in Los Angeles.
Among the questions he fielded: How did Bennett potentially change how you evaluate the position?
“I definitely put a heavier weight on mobility because of Stetson,” Smart said. “I don’t know if it changes the criteria. It definitely puts more weight on mobility. That’s a really important factor. ... On a scale of 1-10, if Stetson is an 8 in mobility, you probably can’t win without a 6 or a 7 because you have to have someone who can step out of the way and avoid things with his athleticism.”
Beck certainly seems the favorite, but he lacks Vandagriff’s dynamic running ability. Smart did note Saturday that none of these quarterbacks are archaic pocket passers.
“They all have mobility,” Smart said. “There’s not one of them that doesn’t have mobility. So the first thing you do, you want to move the pocket and be creative. I think they’ll all three be benefited by hopefully a better run game come fall because we’ll be healthier at running back. … Our offensive line is one of our strong suits, with four guys coming back who’ve played a lot of football. We need the backs to help the quarterbacks, and set up play action and a strong run game.”
Then there’s Stockton, who received a healthy share of reps on G-Day. He’s been an afterthought in the quarterback discussion. That doesn’t mean he’ll be one this fall. In 2021, two years ago, Bennett threw only four passes in Georgia’s spring game.
Stockton had some good moments. He can make plays on the move, and he’s willing to attack downfield. Unsurprisingly, as the least experienced player, he probably had the worst pocket presence, taking three sacks while trying to extend plays. He also had a delay-of-game penalty in a goal-to-go situation.
Now the three quarterbacks move forward in the offseason, working to best position themselves for whatever role they earn.
“They all have opportunities to throw with guys,” Smart said. “They’ll have throwing sessions, 7-on-7s. They’re used to doing that. They’ve seen, whether it’s Jake Fromm all the way to Stetson, to all the guys we’ve had do that. That’s the leadership quality we hope that position possesses to drive the work ethic of the team.”
