Elle Duncan comes full-circle on Stetson Bennett, wants you to bark
Elle Duncan shared a sentiment that a lot of Georgia fans felt at the start of this season. Why is Stetson Bennett coming back for another season?
He already won a National Championship. Just end on a high note, dude.
The Mailman didn’t always have games that made her change her mind, or yours, or your buddies’.
But he had enough of them to make Duncan do a 180 in her assessment of The Mailman.
“I feel like if you are going to be very loud and wrong, you have to match that same energy on your contrition tour,” Duncan told us on our Wednesday episode of The Georgia Show.
Back when Georgia’s 2022 season started in its infancy, there was a Stetson Bennett sentiment that I know you pondered
At the very least, you know someone who pondered it. I know I did.
Shouldn’t Stetson Bennett just ride off into the sunset?
Elle Duncan was one of those people. She said as much on the Paul Finebaum show.
“I’m concerned because of Stetson Bennett,” Duncan said in August.
“Every Dawg has its day. Quite literally, that Dawg had his day back in January. But I don’t really want to tempt fate by seeing if he can do it again.”
At times, Stetson Bennett may still frustrate you
Before his Midnight Miracle drive to win the Peach Bowl, he certainly had some head-scratchers.
Even though it was statistically his best passing yardage game to date, Kirby Smart said Bennett will need to play better than he did against Ohio State if Georgia has a shot at winning another title.
Despite the Mailman’s roller coaster, there’s no denying that this return decision was worth it.
He won a SEC Championship and Peach Bowl MVP Award. He made it to New York as a Heisman finalist, and needs just 71 yards to break Aaron Murray’s single-season passing yards record.
If he throws for 177 vs. TCU in the National Championship, Bennett will be the first-ever Georgia quarterback to hit the 4,000-yard mark.
“Even if they don’t repeat, which I’m hoping that they will do. Stetson was so much more integral,” Duncan said.
“…Stetson in many instances was the reason that we won. That was always my critique of him. I felt like he was complementary to what they were doing. But they weren’t winning because of him. They were because of the defense. I think that he sort of turned us on our head a little bit there.”
Now it’s full speed ahead toward another National Championship
Duncan left the SEC Championship game and the Peach Bowl with some concerns about Georgia’s defense.
You probably share some of those, too.
But she won’t carry any of those doubts into this National Championship game against TCU.
“I just feel like what TCU does, Georgia will be able to plan and prepare for that.”
The Horned Frogs do have some resilient DNA, however. And that gives Duncan some pause if Georgia can’t put them away.
“I’m concerned *if* this is a close game in the fourth quarter. Because I don’t think we’re going to cover. This spread (-12.5 in favor of Georgia) is insane. And I’m so pissed that Vegas did this. Why would you make them the Underfrogs? The biggest underdog of all time in National Championship history.”
Regardless of how the game goes, Duncan has some instructions for Dawgs fans
Whether she lost you with her criticism of Bennett earlier this season, or if you can relate, here’s what Duncan hopes to see in L.A. this January after watching Georgia win it all in Indy last year.
“I don’t give a damn what SoFi says, we’ll find a place to tailgate. I want grown men barking at children in L.A. That’s the kind of energy I’m bringing.
I like her chances.
And I have full confidence that y’all will find a place to tailgate.
