Kirby Smart updates quarterback battle, addresses distribution of reps

All eyes have been on Georgia‘s quarterback competition between Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff, and Carson Beck this offseason as the Bulldogs are in pursuit of their third straight national championship. Beck got the nod as the starter in Georgia’s annual G-Day Spring Game on April 15, which head coach Kirby Smart attributed experience following the scrimmage.

“Well it meant he had the most practice reps, I mean he’s been in our system the longest and those guys have shared reps really all spring and Gunner’s shared reps with the twos and the threes,” Smart said. “The key is they all get to develop, I can promise you there’s no quarterbacks in the country getting as many reps as ours are because we’ve got enough defensive lineman and offensive lineman to have three units, sometimes four units.”

Smart has some time before he has to name a starter for the 2023 season, allowing him to focus on the development of his quarterbacks this offseason. He continued to elaborate on how the depth of the Bulldogs has a positive impact on the reps of his QBs as they all continue to prepare and work toward landing the starting.

“And in fall camp we’ll have four, and when you have four units you’re able to get twice as many reps. And I’m very pleased with the amount of reps, we count reps in between days of practice so they’re getting better, and the only way you get better is to go out there and practice and get reps. Some universities can’t give kids the reps we can give them because they don’t have the depth,” Smart explained.

With the page being officially turned on spring practices, the Bulldogs will now focus on offseason training as they head into fall camp and eventually the season. A time period that Smart expects all of his quarterbacks to continue to grow and build chemistry with their pass catchers as UGA quarterbacks of the past have done.

“They all have opportunities to throw with guys, receivers,” Smart said. “They’ll have throwing sessions, they’ll have seven on seven, I mean they’re used to doing that. They’ve seen whether it’s Jake Fromm all the way to Stetson (Bennett), all the guys we’ve had do that. So that’s the leadership quality we hope that position possesses to drive the work ethic of the team.