Kirby Smart: 'It's sad that nobody got to see" Jacob Eason's growth

Jacob Eason entered the 2017 season with a lot of potential. He did everything expected of him from Georgia's coaching staff during the offseason, and he held on to the starting quarterback job entering his sophomore season.

But on the third offensive series against Appalachian State, Eason sprained his knee. During his recovery, quarterback Jake Fromm took over — and never looked back.

Eason has since decided to transfer from Georgia after spending two years with the team. But what's lost in the story, head coach Kirby Smart indicated, is how much Eason had improved heading into his second season.

"It's sad that nobody got to see the growth that Jacob Eason had from year one to year two," Smart said during an interview on 680 The Fan's "The Official Visit." "We never really got to see that, other than a series there against App State."

As a freshman, Eason threw for 2,430 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He only completed four of seven passes for 28 yards in mop-up duty.

Through it all, Eason never voiced a complaint about the situation, Smart said. As Georgia began to win games in impressive fashion with Fromm under center, Smart said even Eason began to realize what was unfolding on the football field.

"He saw the way the team was playing. He saw what was going on," Smart said. "But he never said a foul word. He was the first one to support Jake Fromm. He helped a lot of other guys on the team through their freshman years. He'll always hold a special place in my heart, as well as his family, because of the way he handled everything."

Eason decision to transfer didn't come as a surprise. Given that he is a full class year ahead of Fromm, it would have been tough to win the starting job back. While it hasn't been made official, Eason is expected to transfer to the University of Washington, at least according to a report from The Seattle Times.

Smart said he holds a lot of respect for how Eason not only maneuvered through the situation, but for how he managed the expectations set upon himself as a five-star recruit.

"The first thing you say is he is first class," Smart said. "The kid handled his recruitment the right way the entire time. He handled a lot of pressure and accolades, and even verbal abuse his freshman year, where he handled everything the right way. He kept his chin up."

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 2:24 PM with the headline "Kirby Smart: 'It's sad that nobody got to see" Jacob Eason's growth."