FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Todd Monken hasn’t been available to answer questions from reporters since the first week of August. But Georgia’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach clearly was excited to have the opportunity to explain himself Tuesday as he shared his thoughts on the Bulldogs’ quarterback situation as they prepare for Friday’s Orange Bowl.
Monken knew what everybody wanted to know: why he has stuck with Stetson Bennett at quarterback even after starter JT Daniels returned from injury mid-season.
In a nutshell, it’s because Monken is convinced that Bennett gives the No. 3 Bulldogs their best chance to win a national championship.
“I think Stetson at times – and I’m talking about me – has probably been undervalued for his skillset,” Monken said. “We tried to elevate guys that have talent on our roster, and we do that at every position. But some guys just combat that and fight and scratch and continue to play well and try to prove you wrong, and that’s what Stetson Bennett did.”
That’s really not anything that coach Kirby Smart hasn’t said over the past 13 weeks in which Bennett clearly has been the Bulldogs’ No. 1 choice at quarterback. But Monken was more frank and transparent.
Bennett took over as Georgia’s starter in Week 5 as Daniels, the designated starter coming into the season, battled back-muscle injuries through the first four games. The more Monken began to see what the offense looked like under a high-functioning and mobile quarterback such as Bennett, the more Monken liked it.
Bennett has started the past nine games while Daniels has appeared in three of the past five only in mop-up duty.
“It wasn’t really anything JT did,” Monken said during a 19-minute exchange with reporters over a Zoom call Tuesday. “It was more along the lines of what Stetson did. We thought he gave us the best chance to win, his mobility, his ability. Those things in the run game and the pass game when things break down, we believe give us the best chance to win.”
And that might even go double in Friday’s game against No. 2 Michigan (12-1) in the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Wolverines feature an outside linebacker in Aidan Hutchinson who leads the nation in sacks with 14 and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. Opposite of Hutchinson is another edge rusher in David Ojabo, who has 11 sacks.
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
The bigger question for Monken is why he didn’t turn to Daniels, generally considered a much more proficient passer, when the Bulldogs found themselves down three scores late in the second half against Alabama in the SEC Championship game.
Monken knew questions about that would be coming as well.
“I’m not surprised we’re circling back to that,” Monken said. “The reality is that … when a player doesn’t play the way they believe they should play, we’re always looking to play our best players. There’s no question. … But the body of work we felt like Stetson had given us carried over. And the reality is … we make the decision based on what we see on a daily basis.”
The statistical comparisons are what they are. In his Georgia career, Bennett is 12-3 as a starter, with two losses to Alabama and one against Florida last season. Daniels remains undefeated seven starts as a Bulldog, with the win over then-No. 3 Clemson in the season opener this year being the highest-ranked opponent.
This season, Bennett has completed 64.1% of his passes for 2,325 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has 251 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Daniels has completed 72.3% of his passes for 722 yards, 7 TDs and 3 interceptions. He has minus-18 yards rushing.
Bennett has been sacked nine times in 11 games this season, while Daniels was sacked twice in starts against Clemson and South Carolina.
Beyond that, it’s a matter of what Monken, Smart and Georgia’s coaches are seeing from the two quarterbacks in practice.
But as Monken continued be pressed with questions about his quarterback decisions, he made the most emphatic statement about Bennett in the final minute of his session with reporters.
“He’s made national championship plays,” Monken said of Bennett. “Just turn on the film and look at some of the throws he makes, some of the decisions he makes, the things he does with his feet. There’s no doubt in my mind we can win the national championship with Stetson Bennett, there’s no question.”
Monken’s interview was immediately followed by interviews with five offensive players for Georgia. That included Bennett, who offered a glimpse into his relationship with his position coach.
“You want your play on the field to be the only determining factor,” Bennett said. “That’s what you sign up for; that’s what you expect. And, so, if that’s been the case, that’s all you want, because then it’s up to you. You don’t want to rely on anybody else to perform or not before. You want it to be in your hands.”
Meanwhile, Bennett’s offensive teammates have made it clear that, in “Stet” they trust.
“He’s been doing what he’s been doing all year, so, I mean, it ain’t nothing new,” senior running back James Cook said. “The stage ain’t too big for what he’s got to do. I mean, just continue to do him and play football and put us in the right situations to win.”
Said junior wideout Kearis Jackson: “We’re just centered around him, pretty much. He’s not in this alone. We know he’s been receiving a lot of bad talk about him. He don’t look at that stuff and we don’t either. But, at the same time, he’s got to know that we’re all here for each other.”
