Jacob Eason vs. Jarrett Stidham ranked among best QB matchups of 2017
Welcome to your one-stop shop for Georgia football news and takes every Monday through Friday. Today, we take a look at the much-hyped matchup between Jacob Eason and Jarrett Stidham, a former UGA lineman on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame and a new role for get-back coaches. Let’s go.
Jacob Eason, Jarrett Stidham bring different styles into anticipated matchup
Athlon Sports ranked the top 25 quarterback matchups of the upcoming college football season, and the duel between Georgia’s Jacob Eason and Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham on Nov. 11 at Jordan-Hare Stadium rated No. 23, sixth best among SEC QB matchups.
The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry might be a quarterback showcase in this season’s edition as both sides are hoping for big strides being made behind center after the offensive debacle last year. In beating the Tigers as a freshman, Eason delivered his signature SEC victory but will find things much tougher this time around in trying to outduel the equally talented Stidham.
The Auburn game will be an interesting matchup of styles between the two signal callers. Eason is the prototype of what you want from a pro-style QB, while Stidham has everything you want from a QB running the spread. In his last season at Baylor, Stidham passed for 1,265 yards and 12 TDs to just 2 INTs. He was also 16 of 20 for 267 yards in Auburn’s spring game. Spring games don’t count for much, but it would seem the former 5-star prospect has a full grasp of Gus Malzahn’s offense and will be ready to put up big numbers in that system.
Brice Ramsey returns
Everyone’s favorite backup quarterback/punter, Brice Ramsey, is returning to the Georgia football team for one more year.
“Brice has committed to finishing out his time at the University of Georgia,” his mother, Yolanda Ramsey, told Dawgs247. “After visiting and talking with other schools, he could not get past the part of where his heart was and that is at UGA at the end of the day.”
Ramsey’s decision to return gives Georgia some padding from what could’ve been a potentially disastrous QB situation. Without Ramsey, the only scholarship QBs on the roster were Eason and Jake Fromm. All Georgia fans will hope it doesn’t ever come to a situation where the third-string QB is in the game, but they’ll rest easier knowing it wouldn’t be a walk-on trotting onto the field should worst come to worst.
It also opens up the possibility of giving Fromm a redshirt. I’ve maintained that in an ideal world, Eason would take every snap this season, because anything less would mean burning a year of eligibility for Fromm. Now, Ramsey could step in if Eason goes down in a game, or the coaches want to take him out to avoid any potential injuries in garbage time situations. If Eason is out for a full game or more, I think you have to play Fromm. Outside of that, the coaches should do everything they can to redshirt him.
Matt Stinchcomb on CFB Hall of Fame ballot
Former Bulldog offensive lineman Matt Stinchcomb is in the running to be voted into the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2018. Stinchcomb was named an All-American in 1997 and 1998 before being drafted 18th overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 1999 NFL Draft.
Former #UGA OL Matt Stinchcomb, a 2-time All-American, nominated for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame! Congrats, @MStinch79. pic.twitter.com/e1mQw4udZK
— UGA Football Live (@UGAfootballLive) June 1, 2017
Get-back coaches are now stay-back coaches
Beginning in 2017, referees will flag and assess a 15-yard penalty to coaches who come onto the field to argue a call. With this change, strength and conditioning coach Scott Sinclair’s job on game days will be a lot more important.
This guy who has to pull #SidelineKirby back all the time is #UGA's real MVP. Unenviable game day task. pic.twitter.com/SKl7KIXtnh
— Jake Reuse (@ReuseRecruiting) October 1, 2016
UGA trophy room gets a facelift
Radi Nabulsi of UGA Sports has some shots of the renovated trophy room at Butts-Mehre. Check it out.
Wow. #UGA has reworked its trophy room at Butts Mehre pic.twitter.com/qgvFey1J8l
— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) June 1, 2017
Check out the upgrades at #UGA https://t.co/skNOFcIvJ3 $ pic.twitter.com/a0kF7JZ39U
— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) June 1, 2017
ICYMI
- Tickets available for Notre Dame, but they’ll cost you (Chip Towers, DawgNation)
- Brice Ramsey’s return good for him, good for Georgia (Chip Towers, DawgNation)
- PHOTOS: Gallery from the first day of Kirby Smart’s Football Camp at UGA (Jeff Sentell, DawgNation)
- Kentucky coach John Calipari has another idea, and Georgia coach Mark Fox says it won’t happen (Seth Emerson, DawgNation)
- Georgia hires former Auburn assistant coach to support staff (Seth Emerson, DawgNation)
- UGA recruiting: Shane Beamer’s Tidewater ties pay off with Jaevon Becton (Jeff Sentell, DawgNation)
- Georgia’s SEC opponents set for upcoming hoops season (Seth Emerson, DawgNation)
- Recruiting changes worrisome for some SEC coaches (Jason Butt, The Telegraph)
- Date set for UGA at SEC Media Days (Jake Rowe, Dawgs247)
- With camp season underway, Kirby Smart ponders satellite destinations (Anthony Dasher, UGA Sports)
Good dog
Giddyup!
Only in Georgia! Spotted in Hawkinsville at a McDonald's Drive Thru. https://t.co/jW3NCxnkE9
(📷: Adam Kadan) pic.twitter.com/0qWFEDqEeC
— 11Alive News (@11AliveNews) June 2, 2017