Kirby Smart opens up on Stetson Bennett's journey from walk-on to starting QB

After starting his college career at Georgia as a walk-on, Stetson Bennett transferred to the JUCO ranks. He then came back to Athens in 2019 to back up Jake Fromm — and the rest, as they say, is history.

Bennett, of course, helped lead the Bulldogs to their first national title in 40 years in 2021 and is putting together another strong season in 2022. But the biggest turn to the long and winding road that is Bennett’s college career is the decision to return to Georgia.

Kirby Smart acknowledged that part of Bennett’s journey from walk-on to starter, which he said is all about mentality. He noted Bennett’s competitive instinct and said that’s the biggest reason why he earned his current role.

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“It takes a competitor,” Smart said. “It takes somebody to overcome the odds because you’re not given the benefit of the doubt. You have to earn it. You have to beat guys out. We, as coaches, did everything we could to not give him the opportunity and he just kept banging away at the door and he was very persistent.

“Thank goodness we decided to bring him back when we were sitting in a tough quarterback situation. Probably the best decision we made when you look back of bringing him back here in what was looking like it was going to be a backup role, but not to him. He saw it as an opportunity to come in and play, and he took advantage of it.”

Kirby Smart discusses this year’s senior class, compares it to a jigsaw puzzle

Georgia will have many players honored on Senior Day this Saturday against Georgia Tech, but only for a few will it definitely be their final home game as a Bulldog. Quarterback Stetson Bennett, defensive back Chris Smith and linebacker Robert Beal will for sure be gone next season, but many Georgia players set to participate in Senior Day festivities have another year of eligibility.

Thanks to the COVID-19 season, that includes players such as kicker Jack Podlesny, linebacker Nolan Smith, running back Kenny McIntosh and many others. Then there are draft eligible juniors such as Jalen Carter and Kelee Ringo who will take part in Senior Day.

“It’s really not a class. It’s a jigsaw puzzle,” Kirby Smart said in his Monday press conference. “I think we’ve got seven or eight guys that will be repeat walkers. They walked last year and they’re walking this year. Then we’ll probably have the same (next year) because the timetable for decisions and things like that is off in college football. When you look at it, you’ve got a kid who’s gonna go out there and walk for his last home game, but he hasn’t decided if that’s his last home game. But that is what we deal with.”