HOOVER, Ala. — The SEC media got downright uppity last week, displaying disgust for poorly-worded questions, coachspeak and even a broken drink machine dispensing free caffeinated beverages.

Some of this was done in jest, some of it with arrogance and some with a mix of both.

Meanwhile, a chunk of the more than 1,000 in attendance proceeded to oversimplify, read too much into the quotes of certain head coaches (Steve Spurrier and Nick Saban, to start) and, at least in one man’s view, spent way too much time writing about sneakers.

Sounds hypocritical, right?

Anyway, I believe the media, of which I am a part, is overthinking the Georgia quarterback situation.

Not every tumor is harmful. That’s the best way I can explain the mistake that the media so often makes.

The average person hears “tumor” and assumes they have Stage 4 cancer and they’re going to die. Many nurses even flinch when a doctor utters that word. Sometimes tumors are serious, and sometimes they aren’t. But it takes some serious analysis. Where is it located? How big is it? Is it cancerous? Will it grow? If so, how fast?

Whenever there’s a tidbit of credible or tangible news, we latch onto it, thrust it into the narrative before we’ve understood it and insist that it’s meaningful.

This offseason, we’ve gotten these facts about the Georgia quarterback situation:

  1. Hutson Mason, last year’s starter, is gone.
  2. The team exited spring practice without a clear-cut starter. Jacob Park transferred out of the program, while Brice Ramsey and Faton Bauta entered the summer competing for the job.
  3. According to media reports, Georgia was active in pursuing Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson, who eventually landed at Florida State.
  4. The Bulldogs then secured former Virginia starter Grayson Lambert.
  5. Former UGA standout David Pollack, now a media member, predicted Lambert will start for the Bulldogs.

All those facts are true. Cue up the automatic media reaction, much like someone in the general public reacting the the news that they have a tumor.

Georgia has concerns at quarterback. The Bulldogs aren’t confident in Ramsey. Lambert is the best option. The team won’t be able to win an SEC championship with this group of players at the most important position.

Sometimes tumors are dangerous. Other times they’re harmless.

It could be that, despite all the moving parts, UGA is going to hand the offense to Ramsey, and that Ramsey is going to perform just fine.

At 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, Ramsey possesses the size to start at quarterback on an SEC championship team. He performed well in limited duty last season behind Mason (24-of-39, 333 yards, 8.5 yards per attempt). During the spring, the consensus was that his arm was the strongest of the three quarterbacks and his release was the fastest.

Nick Chubb, a stout offensive line and a cadre of other running backs, tight ends and receivers should be more than enough to propel Georgia to touchdowns.

The team’s starter needs to approximate Mason (67.9 percent completion rate, better than 4:1 TD/INT radio) than Aaron Murray (an SEC-record 13,166 passing yards and 121 touchdowns). Just make smart decisions, hit Malcolm Mitchell, Jeb Blazevich and Isaiah McKenzie when they’re open and avoid unnecessary gambles.

That last part, by the way, doesn’t suit Lambert. He threw 10 touchdowns against 11 interceptions last season as the starter at Virginia. Far too many of those were forced darts into traffic.

Bauta can run and presents a different dynamic, but Georgia doesn’t have an issue moving the chains or running the ball.

And to assume that coach Mark Richt and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer lack confidence in Ramsey just because they wanted a veteran transfer is a logical fallacy.

We’ll know more by the end of fall practice and even more by the meat of Georgia’s SEC schedule. But I just don’t think Ramsey, or the quarterback position, will be a major hinderance as the team tries to meet expectations as the SEC East favorites.

Sometimes our need for angles and new narratives adds unnecessary complications. Sometimes it’s as simple as starting the player with the attributes that best fit your offense, which, I’m sure, is what the coaches always have planned to do.

I expect Ramsey to start against Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 5 and play pretty well throughout the season.