For the second season in a row, led by head coach Kirby Smart and quarterback Stetson Bennett, Georgia won the College Football Playoff.
Bennett, college football’s most unlikely star, took the path less traveled to become a two-time national champion. He is a former walk-on at Georgia who transferred to junior college before transferring back to the Bulldogs. He was then Georgia’s backup quarterback before eventually earning the starting job.
After so many years playing collegiate football, Bennett is now quite a bit older than even several of the NFL’s starting quarterbacks. Now with two titles under his belt, it is time for him to turn pro.
Bennett’s departure, however, had Smart’s 10-year-old son, Andrew, in tears:
“He’s gotta go. He’s 25 years old!”
Kirby Smart shared a story of his son crying before the game about Stetson Bennett leaving 🤣 pic.twitter.com/GnSxWtBYIP
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) January 10, 2023
When he walked in on his son bawling, Smart had a hilarious way to provide comfort. The three-time SEC Coach of the Year simply reminded his son that Bennett, in fact, is very old.
“He’s 25 years old!” Smart said during a post-game press conference. “He’s gotta go!”
This was the perfect way for the coach to bring some levity to the situation for his son, who will have to root for a new quarterback at Georgia next year with Bennett no longer on the roster.
Rising redshirt junior Carson Beck, who was Bennett’s backup and played well when he saw the field during a blowout victory over Vanderbilt, is the expected replacement. Beck came into the game during the College Football Playoff once Georgia secured the victory.
Smart and offensive coordinator Todd Monken could also consider former five-star recruit Brock Vandagriff or freshman Gunner Stockton.
