It’s one thing when Kirby Smart compliments Jake Fromm because, after all, Fromm is his quarterback at Georgia.
But Florida coach Dan Mullen is known as quarterback guru of sorts, so when he speaks about players at the position, people listen.
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Mullen whose No. 7-ranked Gators (7-1, 4-1 SEC) will travel 71 miles east to Jacksonville to play the No. 10-ranked Bulldogs at 3:30 p.m. next Saturday, had good things to say about Fromm.
“I think he does a great job,” Mullen said on the SEC coaches teleconference last Wednesday. “He’s a really smart player, gets them into the right plays, can check and manage what’s going on.”
Fromm, 30-6 as the Bulldogs quarterback, is coming off two of the more curious performances of his career.
Georgia beat Kentucky 21-0 on Oct. 19, but From was just 9-of-12 passing for 35 yards on a cold, rainy and windy night in Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs attempted just one pass in the second half.
The week before, against South Carolina Fromm attempted a career-high 51 passes, throwing three interceptions in addition to fumbling away a snap. Granted, receivers were at fault for two of the interceptions, but Fromm was a tick off on many other throws.
Mullen, however, recognizes the challenges Fromm presents.
Fromm was 17-of-24 passing for 240 yards with three touchdowns and carried six times for 16 yards including a 10-yarder in Georgia’s 36-17 win in Florida last season.
“He can check the run plays, can check their protections, it looks like, and he’s an accurate guy with the ball in his hands,” Mullen said.
“And then he also has the ability to extend some plays. He’s got some athletic ability to extend plays.”
Fromm said earlier this season he felt one of the areas he improved most since last season was his ability to throw on the run.
Against Kentucky, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior from Warner Robins, had five rushing attempts.
“They don’t do a whole lot of quarterback run game with him,” Mullen said. “But he’s athletic when he starts to scramble and can make things happen.”
Georgia will be counting on it next Saturday.
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