Will Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart fill Georgia’s new void at quarterback with someone in their system, a transfer or a high school commit?
That’s a question the Bulldogs need to answer before their first game of 2020. That day is nearly nine months away from now on Sept. 7, but this is a pressing matter for the Bulldogs.
Fromm’s announcement on Twitter earlier today was heartfelt and bittersweet:
Go Dawgs and God Bless pic.twitter.com/hz0qxJLumE
— JakefromStateFromm (@FrommJake) January 8, 2020
Looking back at Fromm’s three years
Replacing Fromm will not be easy from a statistical standpoint or what he meant to the Bulldogs as a whole.
Fromm’s three years with Georgia were successful, as he threw for over 2,600 yards and 24 touchdowns in every year. The Georgia native peaked at 2,860 passing yards in 2019 and 30 touchdowns in 2018. Those 2,860 passing yards rank 10th all-time among Georgia QB’s, while his 30 passing touchdowns rank 3rd in any single season for a Georgia QB.
Fromm’s 78 career passing TD’s rank second only to Georgia legend Aaron Murray who finished his four years with 121.
Fromm left his mark on the Georgia record books, and he’ll look to do the same in the NFL after draft day in 2020.
The Bulldogs are looking to replace Fromm’s production, which is a tall task. That said, the Bulldogs do have options.
In-system options for the Bulldogs
There are a few in-system options for the Bulldogs to look at while attempting to replace Fromm.
Stetson Bennett is a sophomore who has never started a game but is likely the guy the Bulldogs trust most right now.
Other than Bennett, current freshman D’Wan Mathis would be the best option. Though incoming freshman Carson Beck was rated the highest among them as a recruit.
But a high-powered team like the Bulldogs may not want to wait until those quarterbacks develop. They may look to the transfer portal for more developed players who could help their situation now as opposed to a year from now or partway through next season.
Potential transfers for the Bulldogs
One potential transfer for Georgia was sidelined with injuries last year, but had a successful 2018 with Stanford and could be a good mentor for the younger quarterbacks on the Bulldogs.
That player is K.J. Costello. Costello was limited to three games in 2019 due to injuries but threw for 3,540 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2018.
Another potential transfer is Jamie Newman from Wake Forest, who is more of a dual-threat than Costello. Newman rushed for 574 yards and six touchdowns last year while throwing for 2,868 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Both Costello and Newman are juniors, but Newman has the advantage of not coming off of an injury like Costello.
Whether the Bulldogs bet on one of their in-system QB’s or use the transfer portal to snag an experienced QB, Georgia will miss the consistency that Jake Fromm brought to the team.