Stetson Bennett credits teammates for Heisman Trophy invite

The Stetson Bennett story reached yet another level of unbelievable on Monday. The Georgia quarterback was named as one of four finalist for the 2022 Heisman Trophy, joining USC’s Caleb Williams, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, and TCU’s Max Duggan. All four of the finalists play quarterback.

This season has been, far and away, Bennett’s best as a Bulldog. With that said, he responded to the Heisman Trophy invitation by showing some love to his teammates.

“I don’t even know what to think right now,” Bennett said. “We have a lot of good players who make me look good.  It’s special.  This honor is all about my teammates and this team.  I wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have the team that we have.  This honor is for them.  I understand what Coach Smart means when he says that success comes to those who don’t look for it or are too busy working to look for it. 

“I have never thought about the Heisman.  I just wanted to play quarterback at Georgia.  I just wanted to play football.  I’m thinking of the players and people who have been in this with me.  Regardless of who wins, it’s a huge honor to be in this group.  The wideouts, tight ends, running backs, offensive line, defense, coaches – I wouldn’t have this opportunity without them so a ton of gratitude for them.”

Bennett started his college football career as a walk on where he had his day in the son during the College Football Playoff. The Bulldogs were squaring off against Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl and Bennett, a true freshman, terrorized the first-team defense while mimicking Sooner quarterback Baker Mayfield, that season’s Heisman Trophy Winner.

With Jake Fromm coming back for his sophomore season and the Bulldogs bringing Justin Fields, Bennett left for Jones County Community College where he spent a season. Fields decided to transfer out of UGA before the end of his freshman season and Bennett was brought back on the first day of the 2019 Early Signing Period.

He was Fromm’s backup for the 2019 season and wasn’t a part of the Bulldogs’ quarterback plans entering the 2020 season. But when Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman opted out and USC transfer JT Daniels wasn’t medically cleared for the start of the season, D’Wan Mathis and Bennett stood at the top of the heap with Carson Beck, a true freshman with no real spring of preseason camp due to COVID-19, lagging further behind.

Mathis started the opener, struggled, and Bennett came on to save the day as Georgia won at Arkansas. Bennett went on to start the next five games with Georgia beating Tennessee, Auburn, and Kentucky but losing to Alabama and Florida.

Daniels took the job after the Florida game where Bennett suffered a shoulder injury, leading the Bulldogs to four straight wins. Daniels entered the 2021 season as the starter, representing the Bulldogs at SEC Media Days.

He sustained a couple of injuries to his core early in the season, forcing Bennett back into action. This time Bennett took the job and never let go, leading the Bulldogs to the National Championship.

This offseason was the first time in Bennett’s career that he actually got to prepare like the starting quarterback. Bennett got all of the first-team reps and responded with the first 3,000-yard passing season for Georgia since Aaron Murray in 2013. He has amassed over 3,400 passing yards in 2022 with over 3,100 of those yards coming in the first three quarters.

Bennett has accounted for 27 touchdowns on the seasons with 17 of those coming against the five ranked teams that the Bulldogs have beaten. With the sixth-year senior leading the way, Georgia has the nation’s No. 15 pass offense in terms of yards per attempt. It ranks No. 19 in passing yards per game.