Justin Fields, not Jake Fromm, could be Georgia’s best shot at beating Alabama

ByMichael Collins|

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

Freshman quarterback Justin Fields could be the guy who breaks Georgia’s current four-game skid against Alabama in the 2018 SEC Championship Game.

Let’s clarify something right from the start here. Jake Fromm – not Justin Fields – is Georgia’s starting quarterback, and he deserves to be. He’s the guy who led the Bulldogs to the National Championship Game in 2017, and he’s the guy who has kept them on track for a possible return in 2018.

Fromm has looked practically spotless in his last two starts, going 18 of 21 for 281 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in part-time duty. But that was against UMass and Georgia Tech. Alabama is a completely different mythical beast.

I’m a Jake Fromm supporter, and he’s done everything asked of him this season to have the Bulldogs in a position to get back to the College Football Playoff and another shot at the national title. He’s a young professional who leads his team with a calm, quiet confidence, and Georgia fans should feel lucky to have him on their team.

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But there are times when what has worked all year may not work in a given situation, and that may be the case inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, when No. 5 Georgia and No. 1 Alabama will continue their dogfight which began in the same venue just eleven months ago.

True freshman quarterback Justin Fields may be what Georgia needs to pass the huge test in front of them against the Crimson Tide. Why, you may ask?

Going back to 2011 (and dependent on the outcome of this year’s Iron Bowl), Alabama has lost only nine times.

Say it with me in a Principal Edward Rooney voice…Nine. Times.

LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn (twice), Oklahoma, Ole Miss (twice), Ohio State and Clemson somehow all figured out the magic formula to taking down Nick Saban’s mighty Crimson Tide. With the exception of Auburn in 2017, all of those teams share a common thread.

Give up?

Let me throw some names out to you.

Jordan Jefferson, Johnny Manziel, Nick Marshall, Trevor Knight, Bo Wallace, Cardale Jones, Chad Kelly, Deshaun Watson…

Becoming more clear now?

All of those names were the starting quarterbacks who beat Alabama. All of them talented, mobile, dual-threat quarterbacks who could extend plays with their legs and force Alabama into breaking out of their standard defensive sets.

If Georgia wants to pull the upset of the year against what has been touted as the greatest Alabama team in the Nick Saban era, it may take the legs and arm of young Justin Fields to get the job done.

Jake Fromm fared pretty well against Alabama in the National Championship Game…for a half. In the second half, Fromm was able to engineer just one scoring drive, with Georgia’s remaining possessions in regulation resulting in five punts and an interception.

On the flip side, the Crimson Tide’s first-half frustrations and fortunes were completely reversed by the insertion of true freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa – the same quarterback who has shredded defenses and basically run away with the Heisman Trophy in 2018.

ALSO READ: Did Kyler Murray Overtake Tua in Heisman Race?

Kirby Smart shouldn’t wait until the second half of the SEC Championship game to put Justin Fields in the game. The preparation for Fields to start that game should begin now, with Fromm at the ready to be the change of pace and to give Fields a rest throughout the game.

This isn’t a knock on Fromm, who is a superb quarterback. This is about matchups, and right now, in 2018, Justin Fields may match up better against Alabama than Jake Fromm.

Fields can force Alabama’s linebackers to back into a softer zone coverage with the thought of needing to respect both his running and (quite underrated) passing ability. With Fields in the game, Alabama will be forced to employ a “spy” to basically mirror the quarterback, giving one less player to put pressure on the run game.

Georgia will still depend on D’Andre Swift, Elijah Holyfield and the rest of that corral of talented running backs to control the game. Who hands the ball off to those workhorses matters not. It’s what happens outside of the run game that will make a difference against the Crimson Tide.

Fromm can keep plays alive with his legs. Fields can break plays wide open with his. That may be the difference Georgia needs. If the Bulldogs were to win, it wouldn’t mean Fromm loses his starting job, it would only mean Justin Fields has taken the next step to becoming the eventual starter.

Jake Fromm has delivered Georgia to the edge of the promised land, but it might have to be Justin Fields who carries them in.

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