3 biggest questions Georgia must address in spring practice
By John Buhler
The Georgia football team must scale the mountain again after finally reaching the summit.
After winning its first national championship in 41 years, the Georgia football program must battle complacency in its long-awaited title defense.
The Dawgs should be the favorite to win the SEC East for the fifth time in six years. Though Alabama looms large over in the SEC West, Georgia should be good enough to get to Atlanta again this year with one or fewer losses. Anything short of a return to the College Football Playoff will be seen as a disappointment, even if the Dawgs end up in the New Year’s Six for the sixth year in row.
Here are the three biggest questions the Georgia program has to answer during spring practice.
Georgia football: 3 biggest questions that must be answered in spring practice
3. Who asserts himself as the backup quarterback to Stetson Bennett IV?
With Stetson Bennett IV deciding to run it back for one more season, Georgia has its unquestioned starter under center. “The Mailman” delivered in the clutch to catapult the Dawgs to their first national tile in 41 years. However, his return to Athens resulted in former Georgia starter JT Daniels hopping into the transfer portal a second time. This means there will be a new backup.
It looks to be a three-man race to be Bennett’s backup between Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton. Beck may be a candidate himself to hit the portal if he does not win the backup job this spring. 2022 will be his third spring with the program. Vandagriff is the local five-star, who may take his game up a notch after playing very sparingly as a true freshman last year.
Though Stockton is a long shot to be the backup, he did enroll early to give himself at least a puncher’s chance in this contest. Ultimately, this will come down to Beck and Vandagriff with the winner possibly becoming the 2023 starter and the loser likely hitting the transfer portal before fall camp. This is a position battle that will have all of Dawg Nation following along very closely.
Most importantly, this battle for the backup has to be prepared if Bennett struggles or gets hurt.