Who replaces Jake Fromm? Taking stock of Georgia's sudden QB battle and intriguing transfer possibilities
The Jake Fromm era is over at the University of Georgia.
There are 2 schools of thought when considering whether it was the right call for Fromm to declare for the NFL Draft. Proponents of his decision will say that he proved plenty at Georgia and has a body of work that should land him on an NFL roster. Opponents point to his regression in 2019, either a result of the offensive system installed by Kirby Smart and offensive coordinator James Coley or something between the ears, and a potential dip of his draft stock. (My opinion was that he should have stayed for several reasons — the least of which was one final chance to lead his program to a national championship — but what’s done is done.)
So Smart faces the same decision he faced in 2018: Who should be Georgia’s QB1?
Yet this pending battle is different, too. All Fields vs. Fromm discussion aside, the cupboard isn’t as stocked as it was 2 years ago. In fact, here’s what Georgia’s quarterback room looks like right now:
- Stetson Bennett IV: Fromm’s backup in 2019, a redshirt sophomore that had 27 pass attempts all season but enjoyed a successful JUCO stint in 2018
- D’Wan Mathis: a true freshman that underwent brain surgery before the season whose recovery timetable is still unknown
- Carson Beck: a 4-star high school recruit who started classes Tuesday
Those three are on scholarship. That’s not counting Austin Kirksey, a former Nevada quarterback who has transferred to Georgia to be closer to his home of suburban Atlanta, or fellow walk-ons Nathan Priestley (the team’s 3rd-stringer in 2019) and John Seter.
So there’s a decent, and likely more than decent, chance that Georgia’s starting quarterback isn’t on the roster right now. That’s no insult to anyone, but it might be unlikely to see either Beck, Bennett or Mathis leading the offense in September against Virginia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta barring a massive surprise.
If Georgia’s staff wants to keep the program trending in the right direction despite some key personnel losses, it might need to look to the transfer portal. And after watching LSU ride Joe Burrow’s arm past Georgia in the SEC Championship and humiliate Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl, the potential impact that a grad transfer signal-caller can have isn’t lost on Smart and his staff.
A major name that has been thrown around is Houston’s D’Eriq King, a dynamic dual-threat who threw for 36 touchdowns and ran for 14 more in 2018 before sitting out all but the first 4 of the Cougars’ games in 2019. King’s ability to run (he ran it 111 times for 674 yards in 2018) is a significant part of his game that Fromm, a pro-style player, didn’t possess, so that could add a much-needed extra dimension to Georgia’s offense. It’s important to stress that King hasn’t entered the portal and still might return to Houston in 2020, but if he chooses to use his final year of eligibility elsewhere, he’ll immediately become a hot commodity.
“(N)obody would potentially alter a program’s fortunes for a season like King,” wrote 247Sports’ Chris Hummer in December.
Another intriguing possibility is in the portal: Wake Forest’s Jamie Newman. Newman threw for 2,868 yards and 26 touchdowns for the Demon Deacons in 2019 while running for 6 touchdowns. He’s another dual-threat player, running 180 times for 574 yards this past season, but he doesn’t really have the same dynamic, big-play ability that King did in 2018 (3.2 yards per carry to King’s 6.1). Still, if King returns to Houston or latches on to another program, you could do much worse than Newman.
A third player possibility is Stanford graduate transfer K.J. Costello. Costello threw for 3,540 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior in 2018, but injuries hindered his progress in 2019 as he failed to match the expectations placed upon him. He doesn’t possess King and Newman’s dual-threat tendencies, but he’s certainly worth a long look as he might fill a similar pro-style offensive mold that Fromm filled.
And looking forward, this coming season could very well be a “bridge year,” so to speak, for the quarterback position at Georgia. A grad transfer could give time for Beck to take a redshirt year and take on an active role in 2021. The name to keep in mind for that recruiting cycle is Brock Vandagriff, rated the No. 1 pro-style quarterback and the No. 8 player in the country by 247Sports, an Oklahoma commit up until New Year’s Day, and a recruit who just so happens to play for Prince Avenue Christian School, about a 20-minute drive from Sanford Stadium.
But that’s another story. Here in 2020, despite several other important question marks on the depth chart (the offensive line being one of them), a big part of the Dawgs’ success—or lack thereof—will hinge strongly on who’s behind center.
And it’s a decision Kirby Smart can’t afford to get wrong.
“And it’s a decision Kirby Smart can’t afford to get wrong.” Que the dramatic music! Maybe Law and Order.
Mediocre QB play = More drinking, cat kicking, miserable Sunday’s
You would know far more about that than us.
That’s why i said it. Moron
Calm down, Karen. I think your monthly payment to Georgia State is due.
There’s a lot of doom and gloom being bandied about, but I’m not terribly worried. D’Wan Mathis has had more than a year to study our playbook, and even if he isn’t cleared for contact until May, he can still continue to throw passes and develop rapport with receivers. Carson Beck’s a true freshman, but I seem to remember some other true freshman QBs recently who didn’t do too horribly. Stetson Bennett may not be the flashiest guy out there, but we could do worse. And that’s just the guys already on our roster.
And our defense will be pretty stout as well.
I’m with you. I don’t get this doom and gloom. Is it because we don’t have any 5-stars? For Christ sake we had Grayson Lambert at QB, and Hutson Mason and it was nowhere near this much doom and gloom.
There’s a lack of experience at QB, but jeez, Freshman coming in and starting esp after being early enrollees is not unheard of.
I think it’s because the expectation now is to win it all. Nobody thought we were going to win anything with Lambert or Mason. I also agree that we won’t know until the games are played. This day and age freshman QBs can be special. I can think of more than one recently.
Exactly. The only reason their is any sense of doom and gloom is because of the current expectations. Kirby has promised as of 2017 that Georgia would get national championships soon. Georgia’s fans declared last year that they were winning the next 10 straight national titles. Tshirts already printed and in the warehouse up through 2030 and the rings have been ordered. So this is the year to put up or shut up. That’s where the pressure is coming from.
Bullcrap. Kirby didn’t say anything but assure everyone that we would at least be in the national picture more consistently, and I haven’t seen a single UGA fan on this site outright predict a national championship in the future.
I agree our defense is going to be stacked. I also remember Mathis dropping dimes in the Gday game. Interesting to see how it is going to play out but you’re right. This team is too talented to give up on. It’s college football and as long as Kirby keeps loading up with talent the transfers and juniors leaving early is going to continue.
I don’t want to be the doom and gloom guy, but I think the current QBs are going to be a major hindrance to the offense, especially early in the season.
I remember last year when all the receivers left, and everyone brushed it off saying we have plenty of talent. We saw how that played out. My biggest hope is for Mathis to be ready and come out playing well. That or one of the grad transfers mentioned.
I hope I’m wrong though
I’ve said it many times and it bears repeating here.
As we get further and further from 2 and 26, many of our fans will realize just how special that season was.
I’d hate to be the school that has “special” years that end in championship losses. You’re veering into auburn territory.
He’s a florida troll. Not a real UGA fan
Is he Florida or tennessee? I forgot which one of those programs underneath UGA has been supplying which trolls.
I’d hate to be the school with fans that take losing so badly they poison trees, shoot people, or molest people after games.
Well if you want to see a great Auburn fan check out Doug Hamilton’s arrest in Boaz…
The D’Eriq King thing is interesting but I don’t see how he could look at UGAs offense under Coley and actually consider it. Also the fact he sat out a year while healthy doesn’t sit well with me. If things go south would he just quit again?
I could see Jamie Newman or Costello being a good bridge but with the turnover at OL it might be a good idea to go ahead and start developing Beck or Mathis. Lot’s of possibilities out there. Interesting to see how it pans out.
I don’t see the benefit of starting a transfer qb, particularly a dual threat, if they’re only going to stay a year unless you absolutely believe that THIS is the year.
I go back and forth. I think our QBs are good enough the only reason I think Kirby would go transfer QB route is that bama game in early September. It’s a tall ask for a freshman to play in Tuscaloosa his 3rd game as a starter. But hey, in Kirby I trust. Going to be a very interesting offseason. I just hope the drama part is over.
But why not send a puppy who is still wet behind the ears into that game? You can afford to lose that one. It’s early, it’s a cross division. Beat Florida, Auburn, Kentucky and you should be good to go, and essentially have a Sophomore back there (or RS Junior in the case of Mathis) by the SECCG.
I don’t know the right answer. Only Kirby knows if they are ready or not. I trust him, I’m just along for the ride. I’m all in either way.
Fair enough. Either way it goes, it’s not our decision.
King would be interesting given the fact that is who Trask sat behind in Texas at the same high school. The media would have s field day with that storyline!
“Hello Newman!”
I like Newman as far as transfers but Stetson should take the spot as a de facto. He has speed and mobility like Baker Mayfield with a good arm.
Mathis is the more sizable and speed threat as far our QB Arsenal, but still not cleared for contact yet. He has great arm strength. Hope to see him get more playing time as when the season will get under way to mid-way.
Kirksey played at Walton High with Blaylock so there is some chemistry there as he can be a really good backup. Not big size or big arm but he has a great field vision and reading defenses like Jake has. He has a great ability to change or audible plays on the fly. He is a very smart kid and sharp as a tack.
I like Stetson but man he scares me. He came in for Fromm in the SECCG and first thing he makes a boneheaded throw across the middle that should have been picked off. Of all our guys I hope Mathis gets the nod and is able to play. Transfers I’m leaning toward Newman.
Stetson is a midget who, while I like his gutsy style of play and all, put up horrible stats in JUCO and didn’t have a good series when he came in for play.
If Mathis doesn’t get cleared soon then Kirby will likely look to the portal.
“Stetson is a midget” lol tell us how you really feel, dam
Kirby is going to the portal regardless. Stetson does fine. I think he would be capable of running the offense and taking chances. Mathis is basically all but cleared now. Luckily for him he’s been participating in all but the live 11 on 11s. He’s been passing in 7 on 7s and looking pretty good.
Bennett wasn’t any good in JC. He’s not leading anyone to a division title. Gotta go to the portal in case the young and unproven aren’t ready.
The problem at JC was he was playing with JC players. What I’ve seen from him in spring ball and mop up duty us a guy who moves around the pocket well and can make some things happen. Those “things” are sometimes beautiful plays and sometimes they are pick sixes.
why isn’t Justin Fields an option? Kirby had a couple years to work with him.
BwHAhHAHAhhahaabwahahhhhahahaha That’s funny!
Not as funny as paying Ga. St. 1 million $ to beat you at home
Have you not watched your games? Coley is garbage and Justin Fields is laughing his butt off at yall…..
How bout them puppies
Eh, Coley isn’t garbage and Fields has been very classy.
The real funny part is that they haven’t figured out how to fire Mr. Potatohead yet and go find a real head coach.
Funny part is that the dumb lil’ puppy team let you stick around for a half before ramming it down your throat and delivering the hardest, cleanest QB sack of the season.
Still too embarrassed to rep the gators? Pathetic.
UGADAWG78 he’s not a Gator,I think he’s a Bama fan, don’t get why so much hate against Georgia, maybe he’s just pissed about Kirby leaving.
Another writer on a different site even mentioned Mac Jones and Felipe Franks as transfer options. Talk about comedy!
I saw that. Hilarious. Although it would be funny to beat Uf with Franks that literally has 0% chance in f happening.
Yeah I saw that too. Mac Jones has more of a chance but I don’t think either guy would want to go to UGA.
Anyone suggesting Franks as a potential transfer target for UGA should be forced to resign from a career in sports journalism.
It’s a tough situation. Do you go ahead with Mathis or Beck, knowing that there will be a rough acclimation period and that, honestly, you’re hoping to replace them in 2021 or 2022 with Williams or Vandagriff? Do you gamble on a relatively mediocre class of portal QBs? Costello is basically a Pac-12 pro-style clone with solid, but not eye-popping stats. Newman is a dynamic player but he appears to take too many sacks (or else he just tucks and runs for no gain too much) judging by his YPC and he tends to lock onto a receiver. I don’t think King is an option at all.
I think you perfectly summed up this situation. Personally I hope Mathis gets cleared soon or at least by summer. He isn’t cleared for contact but he has been in the QB room for the last year. He has had to opportunity to learn from Jake is probably the most ready (maybe Bennet is too but his throwing scares me). Beck honestly reminds me of Burrow after watching his HS film. Big size and gets positive yards when he runs. Good arm and with the right QB development can turn into a great QB. Not saying he is the next Burrow but has similar characteristics. I personally don’t think we should go after a transfer because in 2021, should bring in a 5 star QB you’ll have a lot of QB controversy and most likely transfers because you’ll also have Beck and Mathis primed and ready.
Brock Vandagriff’s coach is Connor Shaw’s older brother and he’s developing a great relationship with Bobo. Don’t be surprised to see him land to the Gamecocks.
Has any state produced more high-end QBs than Georgia lately? Fromm, Mills, Lawrence, Fields, J Williams, E Jones, Baily, Vandagriff. Georgia is the new California.
Don’t forget Watson too!
Can someone at Ohio St. call JF the n-word so he can transfer back to UGA?
I think what made me about as sad as anything was when I read the reports that he contemplated coming back but his dad wouldn’t let him.
Yeah it sucked when I heard that. The baseball player was an idiot and I’m glad UGA booted him but the “unsafe environment” argument didn’t really fly when his daughter was still there playing softball.
What a pathetic comment.
Lighten up Francis it was a joke.
I’m pulling for Mathis…I was at G-day last year…the guy is huge and can run plus he’s got a good arm…I really think he could be a good qb in this league with a different oc…but I’m not sure Coley could run a offense in a peewee league…I keep coming to this site hoping Smart has moved from Coley…but I guess he’s going to be stubborn about it…
Stubbornness seems to be Kirby’s biggest weakness
Mathis would have been more suited to run the gameplan Coley puts out there than Fromm or Beck and maybe more than Bennett. There were a lot of times that Fromm should have kept the ball on a zone read but he didn’t.
I’m very surprised Fromm left early. Taking nothing away from his UGA career, he was a really good QB. I just thought he wanted more for this teams total outcome. This was to be the Dawgs year. So much hype. The Great Wall of UGA fail to convert a Natty. With Fromm, Swift, 4 of 5 OL starters now gone, with one true difference maker at WR, 2020 is starting with a huge ? mark. Kirby toughest job so far is ahead of him.
Obviously it’s his decision but I thought the Bama game would be intriguing for him to consider. Thought he would want another shot at Bama. But it’s CFB. Kids come and go.
This year is his best shot at being drafted 1at round. There’s nothing more he could put on tape and not much left for him to improve on that a college coaching staff would do better than an NFL coaching staff. I think he maxed out on improvement potential at UGA and another year wasn’t going to do him much better anyway. And THIS year the pats and saints are probably looking for a QB at the back half of the first round. Gotta go ahead and get it now.
Bruce Arians at Tampa Bay raves over and over about Jake Fromm. Fromm could go 1st round to Tampa Bay.
Wake Forest kid seems like the best option. King in Georgia’s O dont even make sense to me he’s probably better at running the ball then the guys they’d be having him hand it off to
If you watched UGA’s offense last year the one dynamic they were missing that bogged down the run game was the threat of the QB pulling the ball and keeping it on the zone reads. UGA called a LOT of zone reads for a team that didn’t plan of letting Fromm pull it.
Yeah, ok. So now King is a better runner than White, Cook, McIntosh and Kendall Milton. Don’t forget he was doing all this offense in the AAC, not exactly SEC defenses.
GatorTrav, you sure do seem to miss the mark a lot in your comments.
If Beck isn’t ready they’re gonna be in trouble. They better hope they get a transfer.
He might be and they will regardless. Hopefully it works out better than your Malik Zaire experiment.
Forgot about that guy. He was going to lead the Gators to the promised land. Sort of like this year Franks was going to be NFL material after a year with the QB whisperer. Meet the new Franks, same as the old Franks.
I dare you to find proof of Gator fans ever proclaiming Malik Zaire leading Florida all the way. There are ample examples in the past few years alone however, of UGA fans guaranteeing that Kirby is going to bring Georgia the next 10 straight national championships.
I’m thinking it’s gonna be Newman and I’m totally good with that. But I also like the prospects of Beck being ready to go day 1. He’s already on campus and he’s going to have a rapport with the WRs. Look for the news coming soon that Newman is coming to UGA though.
Just remember that Fromm was not supposed to start as a true freshman. But behind a great running game and a very good defense (that’s even better now), Fromm the true freshman won the SEC, Rose Bowl and did everything he needed to in the NCG.
Yes. The question is does Beck have the “moxie” that Fromm had in his freshman year?
I hope that UGA gets Vandagriff and people sleep on him as being a “pocket QB”. Dude is an athlete who ran for over 1,000 yards and 23 TDs his sophomore season. I don’t wanna see another Watson/Lawrence/Newton type leave the state.
I agree. He’s a very good all around athlete.
As of right now, Vandagriff is predicted 100% to Oklahoma. Plenty of time for that to change, but the top pro style guys want to play for a quarterback guru like Riley. You guys got Murray, Stafford and Eason because Richt was a quarterback guru, dating back to his days as FSU’s OC. (Kirby sold Eason on sticking with his commitment, but Eason was really a Richt guy.)
Another issue: To play next year, a transfer needs to be a graduating senior. While a hardship waiver is possible, the outcome isn’t predictable.
I think King is a senior. But K.J. Costello, a Stanford grad transfer, would be the best fit for James Coley’s dynamic and highly complex offense; you know, the one that Justin Fields supposedly couldn’t figure out.
He shows as 100% Oklahoma because he was committed there until a week back when he decommitted and the predictions are from that time era.
Pay attention son.
Jamie Newman is transferring to Georgia.
Everyone keeps talking about how Georgia let Fields get away. The biggest goof was Ohio State letting Joe Burrow get away. They would have beaten Clemson with Burrow at quarterback and would win this year’s NC.
The Ohio State qb that started over Burrow accounted for over 50 TD’s and ended up being a mid first round pick. Burrow had also gotten hurt and lost ground in that competition. Big difference in what happened at UGA.
Yeah I’m not so sure about all of that. Burrow wasn’t Burrow until this year working with an NFL level coach developing the passing attack.
Georgia absolutely needs to bring in a transfer QB. For depth, if no other reason is needed.
Beck sounds like a great prospect. Mathis is a player I’m really pulling for, but who knows with his health? Bennett has done a good job, but I wonder if he can get it done against the best teams.
Best case is Kirby brings in a transfer, and he turns out to be the right transfer. That would give Mathis and Beck time to heal up, get in the training room and learn the system…
Half the roster is 5 stars. I could QB and win 10 games.
You got any eligibility?