Georgia QB Jacob Eason to make first start vs. Nicholls State

True freshman quarterback Jacob Eason will make his first career start for the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday versus the Nicholls State Colonels in Athens.

According to Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald, Jacob Eason will be the starting quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs in their home opener versus the Nicholls State Colonels on Saturday afternoon.

Eason did enough on Saturday versus the No. 22 North Carolina Tar Heels to usurp redshirt senior quarterback Greyson Lambert on the Georgia quarterback depth chart. Head coach Kirby Smart primarily went with Eason after Lambert had been ineffective on a few early drives.

This is a smart move by the Georgia head coach, as Eason was the 2016 Gatorade National Player of the Year out of Lake Stevens, Washington. Eason committed to Georgia back in July 2014 and remained steadfast to the Bulldogs even after Mark Richt’s November dismissal.

Saturday will give Smart an ample opportunity to see what Eason can do against a smaller school in Nicholls State before SEC play begins in Week 3 versus the Missouri Tigers in Columbia.

This news from Smart signifies that it is truly the Eason era in Athens. In high school, he drew favorable comparisons to former Georgia signal caller Matthew Stafford. Eason is 6’5″ with NFL arm strength. He’s bulked up since arriving on campus in January.

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Starting Eason at home on Saturday should help him get ready for a few of the next big games on Georgia’s slate: Week 3 at Missouri, Week 4 at the Ole Miss Rebels, and Week 5 at home versus the Tennessee Volunteers. Eason was 8-12 for 131 yards and a touchdown pass on an Isaiah McKenzie jet sweep against North Carolina on Saturday night.