ATHENS — SEC analysts Gene Chizik and Chris Doering weighed in on how Georgia football is handling its quarterback situation in ideal fashion following Saturday’s 49-7 win over Middle Tennessee.
The numbers through three games tell part of the story.
Bulldogs starter Jake Fromm and true freshman Justin Fields have combined to give Georgia an 80.4 completion percentage that ranks second in the nation to Ohio State.
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But another part of the story is what having a quarterback duo like that is doing to opponents, according to Doering.
“Jake Fromm is their quarterback and their leader, the team respects him, but as a …. defensive coordinator, you only have a limited number of practice snaps, you only have so much time with your team,” Doering said, “so when you have to prepare for two different quarterbacks — as [Chizik] mentioned, Justin Fields brings a totally different dynamic — it puts stress on the opposition.
“I think that’s the most effective part of this little duo is the amount of stress it puts on the opposition.”
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Chizik, who coached Auburn to the 2010 national championship, said offensive coordinator Jim Chaney deserves a great deal of credit for how he’s managing the quarterback situation.
“I don’t really think it’s a quarterback competition,” Chizik said. “I really see Jim Chaney doing a great job of judiciously inserting Justin Fields the way he needs to. [Saturday,] Fromm went out there and completed 83 percent of his passes, three touchdowns, and [they] got him out and put Fields in, and he completes 75 percent of his passes and got some run game going.
“They are weening [Fields] into the league and they are doing it just right.”
Indeed, Georgia football coach Kirby Smart knows better than anyone how important it is to have a capable backup quarterback after Fromm led the Bulldogs to an SEC title last season.
“You are one play away from playing Justin Fields, there’s no other quarterback,” Chizik said, “so they have to get him reps, regardless of what they are planning on doing with him, they’ve got to get him reps, he’s one play away.”
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