Photo: Michael Pope/Bulldawg Illustrated
Yesterday, we started the Top 10 with Daquan Hawkins at No. 10. Today, we move to the offensive side of the ball for No. 9.
At No. 9 on the list, Jacob Eason arrives. I went back and forth multiple times on whether or not to include him on this list but there is a definitive reason why he made this list which I will detail shortly.
At the QB position, heading into fall practice, the starting position is wide open. There is an argument that can be made for each scholarship QB on the roster to be under center Week 1. Furthermore, I believe more likely than not, all three QB’s will see snaps in game action before a starter is locked in before the Bulldogs arrive in Oxford, Mississippi to play the Rebels.
The game against the Rebels is the first time the Bulldogs will face an elite level SEC defense and this is where the Eason’s importance becomes clear. To beat a team like the Rebels, on the road in a hostile environment, UGA is going to need a quarterback under center who can make the explosive plays to win the game. Based upon a weight of the evidence, Lambert is uncomfortable in the pocket and doesn’t trust his reads down the field – he appears to be a game manager and not much more. Thus far in Brice Ramsey’s career he is far too inconsistent with his accuracy, tends to make questionable decisions and appears to lack confidence in himself.
That leaves Jacob Eason. Yes, it was only a spring game, but in front of 100,000 people, with 95,000 of those people looking at him as the savior of the program, he rose to the occasion and exceeded everyone’s expectations. He warmed up with two swing passes in stride to Brendan Douglas and then dropped everyone’s jaws with a beautiful fade pass to Riley Ridley dropping it perfectly over his outside shoulder. It was the first of several wow moments.
Jacob Eason makes this list because with him at starting QB I believe the Bulldogs chances of beating the Ole Miss, Tennessee and Florida increase greatly. Those three programs have the personnel to load the box in an attempt to stuff the UGA rushing attack and the cover corners to make the windows very tight for the quarterback. Eason has the arm talent and confidence to attack those small windows and force the defense to respect his ability to stretch the field.
DawgDaddy Tennessee is important but I think Florida is the biggest game by far!
DawgByte You make a lot of excellent points that are hard to argue with but maybe you will understand my reasoning as my list continues.
I think one can make a plausible argument to make Eason the most important player in 2016. Here’s my case for why Eason should be #1 on your list.
A.) The QB position is arguably the most important on a football team. If you agree with that premise then Eason separates himself from any of the other position players on the list.
B.) Eason has all the tools and pedigree to be a transformational player. In NFL parlance he would be designated as a “Franchise Player”.
C.) The offense needs a QB who can stretch the field. Lambert cannot cannot do that and Ramsey has a proclivity for throwing INTs, leaving Eason as the only QB with the skills to take the pressure of both the OL and RB’s.
D.) If Eason plays to his 5 star abilities he’ll set a new tone for the team and make everyone around him that much better.
E.) Lastly, we need Eason like no other player on the team. He is the hope of today and tomorrow.
No pressure!#
Great stuff Huck, you have been spot on as you have gotten this series started, well done. Eason does give us the best chance to win against Ole Miss, Tennessee and Florida. We absolutely must win 2 of the 3 of those games with Tenn being one of the two IMO.
Greg Poole I am really excited to see what the TE’s are going to do in Chaney’s offense. They are a mismatch nightmare for defenses, especially if we prove that we can stretch the field with our WR’s on the outside.
Reddawg13 Yes he did play against mostly the 3rd string defense and yes they were playing a lot of vanilla Cover 2 but you are correct that Eason made some excellent throws. However, what I was most impressed by was his poise and ability to feel pressure in the pocket and keep his eyes downfield. On several of his completions he had a guy running at him and he stood tall and delivered the pass. On the other hand I watched Lambert watching for the blitz and trying to tuck it and escape the pocket.
MMCSDAWG It will be interesting to see what happens game 1. 20 practices will decide it!
DawgLink We haven’t had a QB willing to do that since Aaron Murray and you saw how explosive he made our passing offense.
“Eason has the arm talent and confidence to attack those small windows and force the defense to respect his ability to stretch the field.”
Eason’s presence will tend to open those windows a bit also. The deep threat that he represents will cause defensive coaches to play a bit more loosely on Georgia’s receivers and the TEs are a real threat when the WRs run DBs deep.
It’s gonna be fun to watch.
Right on Huck! Eason starts game one and IS our best chance to win this year. Yeah that puts a lot of pressure on his shoulder but isn’t that why he came here in the first place? I know folks keep saying well he wasn’t against our first team D in the spring, that has nothing to do with the fact that the throws he made were spot on! His talent far exceeds anything we have right now and one can not get experience standing on the sidelines! Before we play Ole Sis we have three manageable opponents one actually weak, so he will have three games plus early enrollment, plus his work ethic, plus Chaney and that my friends is why all this will work.
Another good choice Huck! I believe he will be the starter game 1. The talent gap will overcome the experience gap.
Nice article. Agree about Eason having the moxy to stand in the pocket and throw someone open