The Quarterback Controversy at UGA

Yeah, so the title says it all.

Everyone else seems to be talking about it (ESPN, SEC Country/Dawgnation, AJC, Saturday Down South, etc.) so I figured that it's best we just get it out in the open. I debated talking about this in the Fields commit thread today, but figured its deserving of its own conversation and also, I respect your opinions far more than I do that of the aforementioned groups.

Let me say that if you are of the mindset that Eason is the end-all-be-all diamond that needs polishing and that if UGA wants to win the whole thing, it needs Eason - I don't blame you and you won't get a fight out of me. If you are of the mindset that Fromm has the moxie, the poise, and the smarts to win it all and you couldn't think of pulling him, you won't get a fight out of me. I just have my opinion and it's not say I'm right, it's just to say that this is how I see it and I'm going to try to be as objective as I can:

I do believe Jacob Eason has earned his right to start, and.......he got it - last season.

I want to put this bluntly, while still saying I think Eason is and will be a fine QB somewhere in the pros - but here's the thousand pound gorilla in the room that I haven't seen ANYONE, ANYWHERE have the courage to say because they're too afraid of stating the absurdly obvious: If Jacob Eason lived up to his billing as this once-in-a-generation monster 5 star QB that was going to destroy worlds and humble the proud, then he would have played so well last season when he got his shot that it would take a momentary lapse of sanity for him to be benched for Jake Fromm. But he didn't. He didn't play poorly, he just didn't play lights out. He struggled at times, he was confused, he had accuracy issues, he had overthrows because of his cannon of an arm which he can't quite seem to tame. That said, he also showed moments of brilliance, and he also showed a TD to interception ratio of 2:1 (16:8). He showed resolve and poise in an SEC schedule that isn't kind of true freshmen under center. But he didn't show it consistently, and consistency is the bedrock in the game of football if you want to win it all.

Some will argue that Eason didn't have nearly the offensive line last season that Fromm does this season. Fair point. And...we're still 5-0 under Jake Fromm. Sorry.

Look, it happens. College football is replete with examples of this happening. It's not to say that Jacob isn't a supremely talented QB, it's just to say that he didn't light it up, which he was expected to do.

Fromm doesn't have Eason's arm, or any of the other physical gifts Eason has. But what Fromm has is that which Eason doesn't: consistency, accuracy, and mobility. I'm perfectly fine with us going 12-0 and having a QB who averages 150 yards and one TD per game. Does anyone need to be reminded that the last time we won a national championship, our QB completed one pass for seven yards? It was clear from the start that the team responded to Fromm right out of the gate. That isn't a coincidence.

Until Fromm starts showing obvious weaknesses, which he might, Kirby can't pull him. I'm sorry, but you don't mess with an undefeated streak. You don't mess with chemistry. You ride that horse until it bucks you.

With Justin Fields coming in, things got real interesting.

With regards to this 'well-they'll-split-snaps' stuff, I'm just going to lay it out there that football has never been a game by committee. I dislike RB committees and I dislike QB committees even more. You have one horse (RB) on the track and you have one rooster (QB) in the hen house. That's it. Period. Fromm earned it, and as long as keeps earning it in practice and on the field, it's his to keep.

I'm not willing yet to say that Eason transfers like I'm seeing in other places. For a variety of reasons I am not rushing to say he transfers, but we can talk about those reasons later in this thread if ya'll want to go down that road.

Southern Dawg...good points.... first I think we are in a win -win with our QB situation..

Jake is the starter until he falters.....as you correctly stated

Eason will think twice before transferring and having to sit out a year....

Makes his playing Sunday’s put off a extra year...

His best course is to learn and earn his way back... Jake can teach him about leadership

Rust has built up...needs game snaps

Could very easily become his turn.... one play away from being the starter again

Not being ugly...best if Brick Ramsey stays on the sidelines...

Go Dawgs

Fromm is a Georgia boy. It means more to him than a path to the next level. Let that kid play. And when Fields comes in oh dear lord.

Fromm has not shown he can make the throws that Eason can. Arm strength is not on Fromms side.

QB controversy not really, until Fields comes aboard, then there will be controversy

Firmly convinced that Eason will be the starter if not next week then against FU

Until such time as we have an offensive line comparable to the folks in Tuscaloosa, quarterback is not my main train of thought. This has been proven through senseless recruiting and coaching prior to 2016. The real "ammunition" is the offensive and defensive lines, this post primarily focused on the offensive line. Some quarterbacks reach "greatness" and have found over many years that the offensive line was the "ammunition" that produced greatness.

I dont see a controversy until the time that Fields actually gets to Georgia, too many things can happen , Tunsil anyone!