High school coaches make cases for Brice Ramsey and Greyson Lambert at Georgia

ATHENS -- Brice Ramsey has the live arm. Greyson Lambert has the football IQ.

When narrowing down Georgia’s perceived top two quarterbacks’ best traits, these are what they are. With the competition ongoing, Georgia’s coaching staff believes both offer a package at quarterback that can succeed within the framework of the offense. But it’s likely going to come down to preference.

While it appears Ramsey and Lambert have created separation in the starting quarterback race, head coach Mark Richt has stated twice that he hasn’t eliminated anyone from consideration at this time. Yet this week, Ramsey and Lambert received the most reps with the first team, with Faton Bauta spending most of his time as the No. 3 quarterback.

With the season just a little more than a week away, and with no decision made, it’s very plausible that this competition carries into the first game against Louisiana-Monroe.

THE CASE FOR RAMSEY

Jeff Herron knew he had an exceptional athlete when it was Ramsey’s turn to start. Herron, Ramsey’s head coach at Camden County and now at Prince Avenue Christian, said his former signal-caller was the kind of player who could pick up a sport and excel at it, whether it was golf or soccer. He wasn’t the fastest player but operated Camden County’s wing-T offense efficiently.

Ramsey possesses a calm demeanor, especially off the field. He’s not the in-your-face kind of quarterback, which is often stereotyped with the position. Getting past Ramsey’s persona is important, Herron said, because when he’s on the field in the moment, he is easily a difference-maker.

“Sometimes as a quarterback, you want that rah-rah, natural leader,” Herron said. “That’s not Brice’s personality. Yet he is always an excellent leader. Kids respond to him. He is a good leader. He just leads in a different way. Put him in a game situation, and he’ll come through.”

Maybe that’s what Richt was referring to when he said he didn’t sense the kind of needed energy from Ramsey until the spring.

“Starting in the spring I saw a difference in him,” Richt said. “I think it had to a lot to do with him thinking, ‘Hey, I’m in this thing.’ I don’t know if he was mature enough before to really be prepared for the moment.”

Herron complimented Ramsey’s smarts on the field and his ability to transition from an option attack to Georgia’s pro-style under former offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.

Ramsey possesses the live arm and quick release that wowed recruiters at a young age. He had play in a run-first option offense in high school games but impress coaches and recruiting analysts at camps. Ramsey was receiving college offers before he ever took a starting snap with the varsity team. He had all the physical tools to succeed at the college level.

“From an athletic standpoint there isn’t much he can’t do,” Herron said.

THE CASE FOR LAMBERT

Jody Grooms knew Lambert would be a Division I quarterback the first moment he saw him throw a football as a sophomore.

Grooms, Lambert’s high school coach at Wayne County, had just taken the job and switched his team’s offense from a wing-T to a spread. While the transition in Grooms’ first year was tough on the offensive line, receivers and running backs, it wasn’t for Lambert.

“He had a football IQ,” Grooms said. “The transition for Greyson went rather smoothly. It’s more the teammates had a tougher time picking up the concepts.”

Lambert wasn’t supposed to wind up at Georgia. He committed to Virginia out of high school and went on to start 16 games in three years. Following an injury and losing his starting spot this past spring, Lambert decided to it was time to leave. Landing at Georgia and able to compete immediately, he’s now in the mix to start.

After a rough first practice this preseason, Richt said Lambert bounced back quickly.

“I’d say for the amount of time he’s been here and been in the system he’s done a good job of learning what to do, and he’s got himself into competition,” Richt said. “Because if he was a low-processing guy and a high-rep guy to figure things out, it would have been hard for him to be in the race.”

Grooms said that despite not having much quickness on his big 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame, Lambert has a knack for sidestepping rushers and delivering a ball before being hit. This was evidenced by being sacked only 16 times in 16 career games at Virginia.

“You have to have a dual-threat multi-faceted guy or have a big, strong pocket passer that can take a lick or two every now and then,” Grooms said. “Georgia has that with Greyson. He can stand back there and take a lick.”

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 10:12 PM with the headline "High school coaches make cases for Brice Ramsey and Greyson Lambert at Georgia ."