Rece Davis cites quarterback questions for ranking Georgia at No. 2

Georgia has been the undisputed top dog in college football over the past two seasons. While that’s the case, though, Rece Davis had a very specific reason why he had Kirby Smart’s team at No. 2 coming into this year.

Davis explained his decision to vote Georgia as No. 2 with his ballot for the AP Poll on ‘The Paul Finebaum Show’ on Monday. While he knows that decision has made the sky fall in Athens, he made it clear that he only did it because of the current question mark that is Carson Beck as their new QB1 coming into the year.

“I voted Michigan No. 1, Paul, in the Preseason AP Poll. You would have thought that I said Georgia was gonna go 5-7. But I didn’t,” said Davis. “I did the Bulldogs the greatest disrespect one can imagine since I don’t believe in their program at all! I voted them all the way down at No. 2!”

“That probably speaks to the fact of the regard that I have for the entire roster,” Davis continued. “But I don’t know how productive Carson Beck is going to be at quarterback.”

Davis’ reasoning is sound considering Beck’s lack of experience so far his college career. As a backup to Stetson Bennett, he has thrown just under 60 passes.

However, with quality play once he gets the starts and snaps under his belt, Davis is more than willing to move the ‘Dawgs back up. For now, though, it’s one question that he doesn’t feel that the Wolverines have entering the year.

“I just want to see the quarterback play,” Davis said. “And, as I’ve said several times, if he plays extremely well? Even against lesser competition? There’s a good chance — because I think they have the best overall roster — that I’d move them back to No. 1.”

“But I think Michigan has fewer questions going into week one from a personnel standpoint,” said Davis. “I just think they have fewer personnel questions and they don’t have a question at the most important spot, which so many other teams do.”

Klatt downplays concerns about a new quarterback at Georgia

The shift from Stetson Bennett to Carson Beck as Georgia’s QB1 has been one of the very few concerns for this upcoming year in Athens. However, FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt doesn’t see that replacement as an issue whatsoever.

Klatt addressed the Bulldog’s call at quarterback on his show on Monday. He said that the team handing the baton off to Beck won’t make that much of a difference because, with how they’re constructed, the quarterback is only the icing on their cake. To him, the foundation that Georgia’s program has been built on has nothing to do with who’s taking snaps for them.

“They’re not quarterback-centric. As good as Bennett was, they’re not a quarterback-centric program,” said Klatt. “They don’t rely on their quarterback to be a world-beater or a Superman. It’s not a quarterback-centric program so it doesn’t really matter.”

“They’re about roster, they’re about culture, they’re about speed and athleticism,” Klatt said. “They have still have that with one of the best roster if not the best roster, in college football.”