Mailman delivers: Georgia’s starting QB is set with a former walk-on behind center
Stetson Bennett stood in Sanford Stadium’s east end zone with an ESPN microphone and a prime time crew waiting for his reactions. Millions of eyes were fixated on the small-town kid who led Georgia to a signature win. As you might expect, Bennett tried to remain serious and stay in line with his blue-collar, business-like approach.
He waited for the interview to begin when Bennett heard chants from a sparse Georgia crowd. All the fans wanted to do was celebrate a win. They had found their newest beloved player — following the famed Rodrigo Blankenship specs, of course — after Bennett earned their trust with a 27-6 win over archrival Auburn.
“MAAAAAILMAN !” the fans said as Bennett heard the chant echoing throughout an emptying stadium.
His teammates wanted to join in as they raced by Bennett in the middle of his on-air conversation. They flashed wide grins in jubilation. The Bulldogs adored their quarterback just as much as the next outsider.
One Bulldog patted Bennett on the head, mimicking the crowd’s remark. Adam Anderson, in the midst of celebrating a two-sack performance to his own name, stepped alongside Bennett to speak into the microphone.
“Mailman!” Anderson said while pointing at Bennett. “Mailman!”
The nickname — earned from wearing a postal hat at recruiting camps — is what Bennett is oft-referred to. It has been known from the moment he walked onto the team and was buried on the quarterback depth chart. If there ever comes a day where he’s honored around Sanford Stadium, it likely won’t go without the mention of “Mailman.” But at that very moment, Bennett broke character and exposed his softer, fun-loving side. He smiled. He laughed.
Almost as if someone was to say, “It’s OK. Soak it in.”
Because what isn’t normal is how the moment came about.
Bennett flashed his talent on the big stage Saturday with 240 yards and a touchdown on 17-for-28 passing. He took the reins in ways other than mop-up duty (which he became known for last season) in consecutive weeks. He allowed the Bulldogs’ offense to shine, with credit due to his playmakers and linemen.
The swagger showed itself again along with the production. Bennett cemented his place as the Bulldogs’ QB1, with a few contingencies, and the storybook journey of the walk-on-turned-starter lives on for the foreseeable future.
Georgia fans, your packages can be delivered to Sanford Drive on Saturday afternoons.
“Right now, he’s the guy,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “He understands what we’re trying to do and gives us some continuity.”
The odds, and depth chart, weren’t in Stetson Bennett’s favor
He cherishes the chance, because he didn’t know if it would ever come. Bennett’s reality feels almost dreamlike for a south Georgia native who had Bulldog passion flowing through his veins growing up.
Bennett, after transferring back into the program and receiving a scholarship, backed up Jake Fromm last season and received a plethora of reps on the scout team. That experience was key to Bennett to earning his first-career start Saturday, but Smart never felt 100% sure the return would happen.
He called it a “unique situation” for many reasons, but the fact that Bennett signed his national letter of intent around midnight in December validated the strange circumstance — along with the announcement being temporarily deleted on social media and many thinking that promoting the signing was a technical mistake.
“We knew he would be a productive player and a good player,” Smart said. “Stetson has never lacked in confidence for himself.”
A year after returning from Jones Community College in Mississippi, the quarterback picture became more blurred for Bennett. Georgia brought in two transfers — Jamie Newman and JT Daniels — to compete for the starting role. Smart admitted Saturday that Georgia brought Newman in with the intention of starting. Daniels had the caliber to match his five-star recruiting moniker.
Bennett was an afterthought when the Bulldogs seemingly had an overload of options.
Newman opted out in August, but it still didn’t seem to change much for Bennett. He wasn’t going to be the season-opening starter. Everyone spoke about D’Wan Mathis or Daniels. The coaching staff had similar thoughts, too, and Bennett might not have been seen as a viable candidate.
Bennett had to inquire about his role. His answer came under the spotlight, and the former two-star prospect beat out a list of highly-touted names.
“Stetson handled everything the right way. As coaches, we have to look ourselves in the face,” Smart said. “I’m in charge of making decisions. Some people could argue he should’ve been the guy. Not only was he not the guy, but he wasn’t getting a lot of reps in camp.”
The Mailman? ‘The crowd loves him’
Georgia didn’t tip its hand ahead of the Auburn game. The reaction to Daniels’ clearance for contact was overwhelmingly seen as significant. It never was. The Bulldogs knew.
They rallied behind Bennett and informed him Monday of their plans to start the former back-of-the-depth-chart quarterback. He got to work with the first-team offense in practice, which meant getting accustomed to talented playmakers.
Bennett had his goals, which were set each time he arrived at Georgia. Personally, he had no choice but to be the right fit.
“It’s pretty easy to get comfortable with those guys,” Bennett said.
He gave Georgia’s offense a rapid pulse and brought Todd Monken’s vision of the team’s new offense to life. Peach County native and sophomore receiver Kearis Jackson became the go-to option with a career-high nine catches and 151 yards. Bennett had a crisp touchdown pass to wunderkind receiver George Pickens — after taking a significant hit on the previous play, no less.
On third down, Bennett turned from good to great in those crucial spots. He finished 8-for-11 with 111 yards on those plays. Most of his production came in the 24-point first half. Then the Bulldogs’ offense stalled to a three-point draw with Auburn over the final 30 minutes of play.
“He is just a natural baller,” Georgia running back Zamir White said. “He’ll just go out there and he loves the game. We love him. The crowd loves him. Stet’s just that guy.”
Bennett has taken the approach of handling every game as his last. He doesn’t want the position to be pulled away after climbing his way — and maybe skipping a step — through the depth chart. There’s a determination for the kid from Blackshear to defy everyone’s odds.
But there might be a few more chances to smile, too. The Mailman isn’t going anywhere just yet. He wants to lead his team to more spotlight.
“I came here to play football and win a championship for the Georgia Bulldogs,” Bennett said.
Next Georgia football game
Who: Georgia (2-0) vs. Tennessee (2-0)
Where: Sanford Stadium in Athens
When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday
TV channel: CBS
The series: Georgia has won three in a row vs. the Vols
This story was originally published October 4, 2020 at 10:01 AM.