Stetson Bennett's story is the stuff of Hollywood to everyone except Stetson Bennett
Someone forgot to hand Stetson Bennett IV the script to his own movie.
The Netflix synopsis: With an entire town behind him, a South Georgia kid spurns scholarship offers to walk on at his dream school. When things don’t go as planned, he spends a year in Mississippi finding himself in hopes of a triumphant resurgence.
The lack of stars next to his name and his place on the depth chart heading into this season would seem to cast Bennett as an underdog.
There’s just one problem: If Georgia’s starting quarterback views himself that way, he’s not letting on whatsoever.
“It’s not really my job to worry about that,” Bennett said Saturday night after leading the Dawgs to a 27-6 victory over Auburn in his first career start. “If you think of things that broad or think about I was starting first game, GameDay, Top 10 matchup, you’re going to be like, ‘oh my goodness.’
“But no. I just go out every day and just play football.”
Ironically, that same poise, candor and self-confidence — combined with some good luck — is what’s led Bennett from the Forgotten One to the Chosen One in Athens during a matter of weeks.
But the tale starts much sooner than that, in Blackshear, Georgia. The town of about 3,500 in Georgia’s southeast corner is about halfway between Valdosta and Brunswick, and it’s where Stetson Fleming Bennett IV grew into an all-state high school football player at Pierce County High.
He wasn’t recruited heavily, but he wanted to play at UGA. Both of Bennett’s parents graduated from there, and his grandfather Buddy played quarterback at South Carolina.
Next comes the cute part of the story where our protagonist pays his dues on the scout team for a year.
“He went like 20-for-20 on us in a practice,” Georgia defensive lineman Malik Herring said, “so we knew always knew he was a great quarterback.”
But after that 2017 campaign, a fella by the name of Justin Fields entered the picture. With Fields and fellow blue-chippers Jake Fromm and Jacob Eason all in the mix, Bennett saw the writing on the wall.
It’s at this point a character in Bennett’s position — especially during this transfer-happy era — typically leaves and never comes back. Eason left. Fields eventually left.
Bennett left, too, and admits he never thought he’d return. But when coach Kirby Smart offered him a scholarship out of Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi, Bennett decided to give his aspirations another crack.
Crazily, he found himself in the same situation this offseason, just different names — Jamie Newman, JT Daniels and D’Wan Mathis were all ahead of him in the pecking order. That meant Bennett didn’t get many opportunities this preseason after serving as Fromm’s primary backup last year.
Newman was brought in to start, Smart said. Daniels was there to push him, with Mathis waiting in the wings. One could argue that even freshman Carson Beck was ahead of Bennett at one point in August.
A Newman opt-out, a Daniels delay in return from a knee injury and a rough debut for Mathis later, look at Bennett now.
The 5-11, 190-pound junior speaks with the air of someone with a chip on his shoulder but is intent on not letting you see it. He doesn’t say it; he shows it.
It’s like Bennett knows the part he’s supposed to play but didn’t get here by just going along with convention. During a time when the sport’s top athletes can be prone to pampering and moving on when they don’t get their way, he operates with a persistent defiance — kind of like the 1920s-era bootleggers who are reportedly part of the Bennett family tree.
“I’m sure everybody back home was probably enjoying that, yeah,” Bennett said after throwing for 240 yards against Auburn. “It was pretty cool.”
It also all but pulled the plug on Georgia’s 2020 quarterback carousel. “Right now, he’s the guy,” Smart said before a diatribe that ended with him admitting he and offensive coordinator Todd Monken should have taken a harder look at Bennett.
“I think what’s unique about Stetson is the guy handled everything the right way,” Smart said. “As coaches, we’ve got to look ourselves in the face. I’m charged with making decisions. Some people could probably argue that maybe we didn’t make the right decision in the first game and maybe he should’ve been the guy.
“He didn’t get a lot of opportunities, and to be honest with you, he didn’t cry, pout, leave, transfer, do anything, have his parents call. He didn’t do any of that. He just kept working and working and working and then when he got an opportunity, he took advantage of it.”
How many FBS coaches have you ever heard so much as entertain the notion they might have made the wrong decision about their starting quarterback?
“Stetson’s never lacked confidence in himself,” Smart said. “I’m happy for him. I want to temper that enthusiasm because he knows he’s got to get better.”
Indeed, there are better throws to be made and bigger stages to tackle, starting Saturday against No. 14 Tennessee and ramping up to 11 against Alabama the following week.
But the No. 1 question about Georgia’s SEC title and College Football Playoff hopes now has an answer. It ends with a Roman numeral.
Running back Zamir White says Bennett is a “natural baller.” Teammates call him the Mailman because he used to wear a U.S. Postal Service hat to recruiting camps. He’s become somewhat of a social media darling with observers comparing his name to a law firm, a men’s retail brand or a stockbroker.
But at the end of the day, “Stetson Bennett IV” stands all on its own.
Can’t wait to read comments on this. We needed a game manager and seem to have found one. Jeff Sentell of dawgnation called him a gunslinger back before 2017. How prophetic.
Mel Tucker called Bennett a beast. Lorenzo Carter said that Bennett would making defensive starters look silly in practice.
The Prophets from olden days said Stetson would lead the tired, sick and delusional of Athens to the light and all that is wonderful. Amen
Lol that’s pretty good
No. That’s just a Grumer.
I’ll stick to a more realistic and probable prediction
Bennett will lead the boys in Red to yet another hillbilly beatdown
DougVol, Nah. He’s just delivering the mail.
Better make those reservations for ATL. You know, home of the GA State Panthers. Unless UT was too scared to make it a home and home series.
Someone might want to inform the prophets that the tired, sick and delusional of Knoxville are still waiting in the dark. All is wonderful.
Amen
It’s so crazy after 2 games you would think he is the second coming of Christ. I get it he’s had some nice not great 2 games but he is a walk on for a reason. He is not a 3 star or even 2 star but a walk on. He will make one too many mistakes this week.
No crazier than Vol fans talking about winning the East after wins over SC and Mizzou.
Nobody said he’s “the second coming of Christ” It a cool story and it’s nice to see him live his dream. Realistic fans know he’s limited but he playing well. No reason to downplay what he’s doing. He’s been good so far.
You Vol Trolls are something else.
They’ll be gone by Saturday night. For a little while at least.
How are you going to feel when you get beat by a 5’10 walk on? You realize this is a very very real possibility. Maybe Pruitt will get another raise.
I will guarantee you will not win a SEC Championship with a walk on.
I will guarantee you will not win a SEC Championship. Period.
He should have come into the game last year at SC. Maybe he pulls that one out for us. Definitely not Fromms day, and I was hollering for the “MAILMAN”….because he delivers.
He’s a great story. Kind of reminds me of Trask in a way. Guys that basically came out of nowhere that are now enjoying success after getting an opportunity.
The Mailman cometh
Lets just not get to crazy. Let the kid play and enjoy his success, but not start the engines on any hype trains. Bennett has proven he can deliver (pun intended), but tougher tests are to come.
He’s the most overconfident 20-year-old I’ve ever seen in my life. Let’s be honest, had what’s his name not said “peace out” and JT not been nursing an injury for what feels like two years, Bennett would still be keeping the bench warm. And not for nothing, he’s only succeeding now because he has NFL-bound athletes carrying his butt. Auburn looked bad and I’m certainly not taking anything away from Georgia, y’all earned it. But put Stetson in Nix’s place, and he would’ve spent most of the game on his rear. So let’s stop acting like he’s the second coming. He ain’t. He’s a serviceable quarterback when that’s pretty much all Georgia needs right now because they’re stacked everywhere else.
Overconfident?? Is there a college football player that isn’t confident? It’s kind of their thing.
Stetson Bennett:
240 passing yards and 1 TD
Auburn’s entire offense:
216 yards and zero TDs
Actually, in that reversal scenario you propose, Stetson would NOT “have spent most of the game on his rear.” He’s mobile and quick, and practices every day against a defense much better than anything he saw vs. Auburn. When the UGA D says he’s for real, I think that kinda says it all.
Guess you haven’t met many 20 year old starters at the P5 level of CFB.
Stetson pulled UGA’s azz from the fire v. Arky. Better against Auburn. Happy for the young man. The tests become tougher. Keep imitating Karl Malone young man!
After game he put RedMan chaw in mouth like normal. He seems true to his roots and believes in himself and team. Unlike your anointed Bo Nix
And if he lays an egg (since UGA loses one it shouldn’t) will you love him in the morning?
“since UGA loses one it shouldn’t”
Georgia St. beat UT. At home. I’d sit this one out.
Tennessee’s been losing multiple games it shouldn’t. Every year. For this entire century.
I heard Vince Dooley on the radio today talking about 1980. GTFOH. Only one left
I’m sure there’s an attempted insult somewhere in that comment, but I don’t care either way. You’re a boring troll.
SI says Bennett is now in the Heisman race. Not so fast.
I can already hear Bill Murray doing the Cinderella Story bit from Caddy Shack before the Cocktail party as CBS flashes highlights back and forth between Bennett and Trask.