From walk-on to SEC title game starter, UGA’s Bennett set to complete improbable journey

In Week 4 of the 2020 season, Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett lined up under center on the road in Tuscaloosa against Alabama.

After going into halftime up 24-20, Bennett struggled against the soon-to-be national champions, pass after pass batted down at the line.

The Bulldogs didn’t score at all in the second half and Bennett finished with more interceptions than touchdowns. He was later benched for Southern Cal transfer J.T. Daniels and came into this year as Georgia’s third-string quarterback.

But an injury to Daniels in September opened the door for Bennett to once again take control of the offense and he hasn’t relinquished the starting job since. His unconventional career trajectory has made him a different quarterback than he was a year ago.

“More understanding of football and what a game takes to win. Knowing that individual plays are hard to win a game but they’re very easily lost,” Bennett said. “So not pressing and trusting everybody else on our team and defense and offense and knowing that I don’t have to go out there and win the game on an individual play.”

From scout team to starting quarterback

Bennett’s career at Georgia began as a walk-on in 2017, the last time the Bulldogs were in the College Football Playoffs. Bennett had an important role in helping the bulldogs prepare for Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl: The Georgia defense needed someone to emulate Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield in practice.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said Bennett played the role of Mayfield in 12 or 13 practices and Smart learned what Bennett was capable of.

“That’s kind of where his legend began with us because we knew this guy was a really good athlete, smart with the ball, did a lot of good things,” Smart said. “He started as a walk-on, and he’s now playing for the SEC Championship. What a wild ride he’s had from start to finish.”

The wild ride for Bennett isn’t as linear as a walk-on to the SEC Championship. After the Rose Bowl victory and subsequent loss in the 2017 national title game, Bennett announced he was transferring.

He went to Ellisville, Mississippi to play for Jones College, a junior college team. Bennett led the Bobcats to a 10-2 record and a berth in the conference title game.

He threw for more than 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns and showcases his ability as a dual-threat quarterback, rushing for four touchdowns.

In 2019, Bennett returned to Georgia on scholarship, this time after weighing a couple of other options at the FBS level. He did not play much, mostly serving as a backup quarterback for Jake Fromm and only playing after the game had been decided.

He began the 2020 season in a familiar role as the backup to Dwan Mathis but would eventually be named the starter prior to Georgia’s game against Auburn.

Bennett started five of the Bulldogs 10 games but the emergence of USC transfer J.T Daniels once again sent him to the bench. He came into the 2021 season behind Daniels and Carson Beck on the Bulldogs depth chart.

After leading Georgia to a 37-0 win over Arkansas earlier this season, Bennett admitted he contemplated leaving again after the 2020 season ended.

“You don’t play football forever, and you’d like to play football when you can play football,” Bennett said. “It was a tough decision, probably one of the hardest that I ever made. It was tough and, at the end, I broke it down and I decided to stay.”

The luckiest guy in the world

His decision to stay has paid off for both the university, the fans and for Bennett as the Bulldogs head into their game against Alabama at a perfect 12-0.

He took over as the starting quarterback after Daniels went down with an injury earlier in the season. Despite competing for the starting job, Bennett and Daniels are both interested in doing what is best for the team.

“Both of us know that we’re both really good players. And I think a lot of resentment and all that stuff comes from jealousy. Obviously, we both want to be the starting quarterback, but we also know that what’s important is the team,” Bennett said. “Both of us understand that we’re in this spot today, not because of us, but because of what the University of Georgia is, what the SEC is, what football in general is, and I think we have respect and reverence for all of those.”

The SEC Championship will serve as an opportunity for Bennett’s story to come nearly full circle. The former walk-on will have a chance to lead Georgia back into the College Football Playoff just four years after serving as the scout team quarterback ahead of their last appearance in the playoffs.

It is an opportunity for redemption against Alabama, a team who has had Georgia’s number recently but also had Bennett’s a season ago. When Bennett was asked what the coolest part of the journey has been for him, he simply said it is getting to play football.

He may have a different answer once he hangs up his cleats.

“I think just the coolest thing, if you just break it down, is just being able to play football. I love the game. I love the sport.” Bennett said. “I think I’m the luckiest guy in the world to be able to do that and to be able to do it at an institution that is as fine as the University of Georgia

This story was originally published December 2, 2021 at 2:34 PM.