Kirby Smart praises quarterbacks’ ability to command Georgia offense
The biggest question mark for Georgia entering 2023 is the lack of experience at the quarterback position. Neither Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff, nor Gunner Stockton have any starting experience with the Bulldogs.
According to head coach Kirby Smart, that might not be an issue after all.
“All three of them did [great] executing the offense,” Smart said on Saturday after the first preseason scrimmage. “You have got to remember all three of them were in it last year and have been in it for a while. They know they can execute the offense. … I don’t think that Carson [Beck] or any other of those quarterbacks don’t understand what we are trying to do offensively or what we do to execute. They need 10 people around them focusing at a high level and a couple of those 10 to make explosive plays for them.”
One of the things that made Stetson Bennett so special at Georgia was his uncanny ability to make plays with his feet. Smart doesn’t expect that from this group — not because they lack the ability, but instead he would rather have them focus on other aspects of the game.
While he wants his quarterbacks to focus on passing the football, in that aspect, his QBs share more similarities than they do differences.
“I don’t know how diverse or how all three are really different,” Smart said. “… If you line them up in the 40 [yard dash], one might be a little faster than the other. One might be a little more instinctive in the pocket than the other. One might be just a better runner at reading blocks because he ran better in high school.
“But I don’t see them that different, and we will not have an extensive quarterback-run package. We’re just going to give the ball to our [running] backs and we’re going to put the ball in our skill players.”
Instead of looking for those explosive plays on their feet, Smart is looking for two things: consistency and accuracy whether they’re running outside of the pocket or not.
“Those are the things that always come out. If you’re accurate in our offense, you’re going to have some easy, free throws. Decision-making on third down,” Smart said. “We’re going to be put in some [third down] situations. What you do on first and second down, it’s a shot — it’s either there or it’s not. It’s either a boot or a naked – it’s there or it’s not. If it’s a run play, there’s not a lot of control from the quarterback. It’s going to come down to who’s accurate, makes good decisions on third down and who can be explosive.”