Why Georgia made the right, Smart decision starting Greyson Lambert
Thursday morning’s report that Greyson Lambert would start for Georgia against North Carolina in the opener was the culmination of an offseason’s-worth of anticipation.
The decision was not an easy one I’m sure, nor was it the popular one.
As preseason practice progressed, the notion that 5-star freshman Jacob Eason would get the start seemed to increase. He had been getting first-team reps late in the process, and reports surfaced that it was his job to lose.
Then, things became a little muddled when Lambert was seen working with the starters during the media period in the practices leading up to Saturday. Was Kirby Smart pulling a fast one on the media, or was this an indication of the decision to come. Turns out it was the latter.
While there are many Georgia fans who are disappointed by the news, the Bulldogs made the right move by naming Lambert the starter.
There is no doubt that Eason offers more than Lambert in terms of raw talent. He tantalized 93,000 fans during the G-Day Game with his strong arm and sideline precision. In addition to his bright moments, however, there were several negatives as well. Most notably, the free rushers he failed to identify who would have taken Eason to the ground in a live game.
Against North Carolina, the defense won’t breeze past Eason as the whistle blows. They will hit him, and if he’s not ready, they will hit him hard.
At this point, it’s unclear how Eason will respond to that. He is physically gifted, yes, but there is a difference between dominating during recruiting camps and scrimmages and making the right read, knowing he is a second from taking a hit.
What is clear, is how Lambert will perform in that situation. He’s proven that he can play efficiently in the SEC, if not spectacularly. But the Bulldogs don’t necessarily need spectacular quarterback play to beat the Tar Heels.
It’s been well-documented that North Carolina’s biggest weakness, defending the run, plays right into Georgia’s biggest strength. With Nick Chubb fully healthy, it won’t be the quarterback who wins the game but rather how well the team executes on the ground.
The coaching staff knows that better than anyone, and they also realize that their quarterback won’t need to win the game, but he could potentially lose it. Clearly Smart wants to win his first game as the Bulldogs’ head coach, and he believes Lambert gives him the best chance, not because of his talent, but because of his ability to make good decisions.
North Carolina has a veteran secondary and a good defensive coordinator in Gene Chizik. Eason’s talent is enough to make him a star in college football one day, but mentally he would be outmatched on the field in this game. That’s not a knock on Eason, that’s just the reality of being a true freshman in the SEC.
When I spoke with former Georgia great D.J. Shockley about Eason, he harped on the mental aspect of the position.
“Mentally, there’s so much asked of the quarterback,” Shockley said. “You have to know where everybody is at all times, and not just the 10 other guys on offense, but you’ve got to know what the 11 guys on defense are doing as well and you’ve got to get your team out of bad plays and into good plays.”
Lambert didn’t win the starting job because he had more ability, but because he will offer more in terms of his pre-snap judgment and decision making during the play.
Bulldogs fans shouldn’t be worried that Smart’s decision is an indictment of Eason’s talent or development. On the contrary, I believe the fact that Georgia’s quarterback competition went to the very end is a testament to how good the freshman really is.
If the 2016 season began against an FCS program or a weaker team, it’s possible that Eason would have gotten the nod. After all, the best way to get in-game experience is actually in a game.
Against an opponent of North Carolina’s caliber, though, the coaching staff decided to go with the proven commodity. Georgia has a major advantage with Chubb in the backfield, it just needs to minimize the risk in the other facets of the game and keep the Tar Heels’ potent offense on the sidelines.
When looking at the decision from that point of view, it’s clear that Smart made the right choice by giving Lambert the start.
William McFadden covers the University of Georgia for Saturday Down South. For news on everything happening between the hedges, follow him on Twitter @willmcfadden.