Any questions? Stetson Bennett-Todd Monken give Dawgs hope for revenge, national title
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MIAMI — Stetson Bennett quieted his doubters and made the decision by head coach Kirby Smart to stick with his senior a wise one, for now anyway. It was a career-high passing game performance that should give DawgNation a bit of confidence in his ability to avenge the SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama when they meet again for the National Championship on Jan. 10.
It should certainly put the Tide on notice that Bennett can, in fact, spin it.
Bennett turned an Orange Bowl Playoff semifinal matchup in which most expected to be a smash-mouth trench war into his own personal résumé-builder, throwing for 310 yards and 3 TDs in a 34-11 victory over Michigan. From the very beginning, Bennett was poised and on target. Those are qualities which must now carry over as the Dawgs go for all the marbles.
He came out of the gates in eye-brow raising fashion, something he absolutely has to do when they take on the Tide in 10 days. Bennett completed his first 7 passes in the Bulldogs’ first 2 drives, resulting in a 14-0 lead, and forcing a stunned Michigan squad to somewhat abandon its own power-run game. That only played right into the hands of the nation’s leading scoring defense.
Jumping on Michigan is one thing; doing it to Alabama is another. But OC Todd Monken has until then to come up with a game plan for the ages. His method certainly worked on Friday.
Credit Monken for the bold approach that took the Wolverines, and an overwhelming Michigan heavy crowd by surprise. He chose not to engage the Wolverines in what was thought to be an all out war between the Georgia offensive line and the Michigan defensive front. Rather, he mixed things up with pass first and then run, catching the Wolverines defense off balance.
Now, can he come up with something similar to keep the Bulldogs competitive against a fully prepared Alabama team? And can Bennett enjoy the same amount of success with it?
Monken’s confidence in Bennett was rewarded big time. The senior did what many believe he could not. He put the Bulldogs on his shoulders and carried them to a convincing Playoff victory over the B1G champions. Now the two will have the opportunity to do it again, this time on the biggest stage of all. After Friday’s boost, they certainly won’t lack for self-confidence.
Bennett came out slinging, ready to prove Monken right and his doubters wrong. Right from the start, Bennett was ready and able to lead his team to the program’s biggest victory since 1980, setting the stage for another date with Bama in another All-SEC title game.
He completed all 4 passing attempts in the opening drive, covering 67 of the 80-yard march. The 9-yard touchdown pass to SEC Freshman of the Year TE Brock Bowers was a record-setter. It was Brock’s 12th TD catch of the season, most by any receiver in one season in program history. The Bulldogs’ leading receiver hauled in 3 passes for 51 yards in the eye-opening, game-changing opening drive.
So Monken pulled out all the stops and Bennett showed his leadership in guiding the way for a Bulldogs team that executed the game plan to near perfection. It opened up the Dawgs’ running game and allowed for an 18-yard TD pass from Kenny McIntosh, who took a toss from Bennett, and threw to a wide open Adonai Mitchell, completing a 6-play, 59-yard drive.
Would that type of trickery work against Alabama? Would Monken have the nerve to pull it? After Friday’s success, it seems as though it might just be on the table and actually remain in the playbook.
It wasn’t just his arm that did the damage. Bennett used his legs when flushed and turned a potential negative play into a 20-yard scramble that set up a 43-yard field goal by Jack Podlesny and a commanding 17-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter.
Bennett’s incredible first half continued with a couple more chunk plays. He completed a 53-yard pass to James Cook, a Miami native who dominated his homecoming game. That set up Podlesny’s 2nd field goal and a 20-3 lead. But it was Bennett’s 57-yard touchdown TD dagger to Jermaine Burton in the waning minutes of the first half that slammed the door on Michigan and gave the Bulldogs an insurmountable 27-3 lead.
It was about as perfect a first half as Monken or Bennett could have hoped for. In two quarters alone, Bennett threw for 234 of Georgia’s 330 yards and 2 TDs, completing 16-of-22 passes and no picks.
Now Monken must go back to the drawing board to come up with yet another game plan that will put Bennett in position to succeed against the nation’s No. 1 team. And Bennett will face his biggest challenge in the execution of that plan against an Alabama team the Dawgs haven’t beaten since 2007.
Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.
