Georgia's Greyson Lambert has long learned the business side of football

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Greyson Lambert has seen just about everything when it comes to the outside aspects of football.

He has dealt with numerous coaching changes dating back to high school. He has been through a quarterback competition every year he has been a collegiate athlete. A lack of continuity year in and year out has become a common theme in his career.

As Lambert prepares for his first bowl game, he was able to reflect on how this year has been no different. Former head coach Mark Richt, a longtime symbol of stability in college football, was fired following Georgia's regular-season finale against Georgia Tech, leading to the cycle Lambert has lived through to once again repeat itself.

It actually has been hard not to become accustomed to the change and unpredictability he has endured the past four years at both Virginia and Georgia.

"I definitely understand the business side of this sport," Lambert said. "That's how it is. Honestly, I've seen it in high school, too. From high school up, it's strictly a business."

Lambert went through a coaching change at Wayne County in between his sophomore and junior years. He played for two offensive coordinators at Virginia before playing for Brian Schottenheimer this year. He'll soon play for Kirby Smart and Jim Chaney once this season wraps up.

It hasn't been an easy first year at Georgia for the Virginia transfer who arrived after being beaten out by close friend Matt Johns last spring. But through the downturns, Lambert was the starting quarterback in all of Georgia's nine wins and has thrown 11 touchdowns to only two interceptions.

Lambert also set an NCAA record for completing 96 percent of his passes (24-of-25) in a blowout win over South Carolina.

Interim head coach Bryan McClendon said the extra bowl practices have helped Lambert's game, given Georgia was able to structure some early sessions in a camp format.

"He's had good practices," McClendon said. "Has anything been perfect by anybody? Absolutely not. But I think he's gotten a lot better. You have time during bowl practices to sneak a spring practice basically in there. That's what we did. He has improved. The expectations, and how he's practiced, he's had a good camp so far."

All season long, Lambert has been asked about the kind of expectations bestowed upon him being the starting quarterback for Georgia. It's a position formerly held by recent standouts David Greene, D.J. Shockley, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Murray.

Lambert hasn't posted the gaudy numbers the aforementioned were able to put up at times. In 11 games, he has thrown for 1,844 yards. But it's not like Lambert has held himself to a lower standard.

"Nobody's expectations are any higher than mine," Lambert said. "I'm pretty sure I have the highest expectations about myself."

Lambert described his season as a "roller coaster" multiple times previously, and the term certainly applies now that Georgia's final game is soon to take place Saturday. He started the year strong in an uptempo attack, was benched against Florida and ended the year playing mostly mistake-free football at a controlled pace.

When the spring season arrives, Lambert will be back at square one, going through yet another quarterback competition with highly touted freshman Jacob Eason arriving to Athens. It'll be nothing new for the Jesup native, who has long come to terms what comes along with the sport he signed up to play.

"We're big boys, we understand it's football," Lambert said. "It's the nature of the beast."

This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Georgia's Greyson Lambert has long learned the business side of football ."