What Stetson Bennett's decision to return to Georgia off a national title win means for the Bulldogs in 2022
Wed, Jan 19, 2022
NCAAF News (AP)
Georgia starting quarterback Stetson Bennett IV will return to the Bulldogs for his final year of eligibility, the senior announced on Wednesday. Bennett posted a story to his Instagram account with a Georgia graphic that said "One More Year."
Bennett led the Bulldogs to their first national championship since the 1980 season after throwing for 224 yards and two touchdowns in the College Football Playoff National Championship against Alabama. A lifelong Georgia fan and former walk-on, Bennett threw for 2,862 yards and 29 touchdowns on 10.0 yards per attempt in 2021 after earning the starting job midway through the season.
The decision was made public shortly after news broke that former Week 1 starter JT Daniels wasentering the transfer portal following a two-year stint with the program. Daniels, a former five-star recruit, transferred to UGA in 2020 after starting one season at USC. However, Daniels dealt with injuries throughout his career, opening the door for Bennett to win the starting job.
Bennett is able to return for a fifth yearthanks to a blanket ruling by the NCAA granting every player a free season due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite his accomplishments, Bennett will likely face a quarterback battle in offseason camp. His return provides some much-needed veteran presence in the Georgia quarterback room, but it doesn't come without complications. The Bulldogs have three former blue-chip quarterbacks on the roster -- Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton -- who will all be sophomores or younger in 2022. Managing the talented options could be a complicated endeavor for Kirby Smart's coaching staff.
