Kirby Smart quarterbacks Georgia

ATHENS — Kirby Smart wants an explosive Georgia offense as much as anyone in the program, but first things first, he wants a quarterback that won’t get the team beat.

New offensive coordinator Mike Bobo oversaw the SEC’s all-time leading passer, Aaron Murray, along with the highest scoring offense in UGA history -- both while working under former coach Mark Richt, so he wants to light up the scoreboard, too.

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As Murray said last week, “Bobo likes to throw the shit out of the ball,” but that comes with a qualifier, as Smart explained on Saturday.

Decision-making will be the top priority in determining the Bulldogs’ quarterback position, Smart revealed.

There are no plans to go away from playing a Pro Style offense, which empowers the quarterback to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

“We’re a quarterback-driven offense, so can you process the information?” Smart said, addressing the media at a press conference following Scrimmage One on Saturday.

“That means get the signal, get people lined up then see what the defense is in and figure out are we in the right situation? (And then) which of these three choices that Coach Bobo is giving me am I going to utilize on this play?

“And then the play happens. There might be a mistake or a breakdown, and you not go full metal jacket and have catastrophe mode and put us in a bad situation.”

Georgia fans watched as former UGA quarterback Stetson Bennett was a work in progress throughout the 2021 season before developing into an NFL prospect in 2022, improving his mechanics and decision-making.

Smart reiterated Saturday he’s comfortable with his returning quarterbacks, Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton.

‘”I’m going to keep repeating myself, but we’ve got three pretty good quarterbacks,” Smart said. “They’ve grown, each one of them, and they’re all three different in their own right.”

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It will ultimately come down to who can win the confidence of the head coach and Bobo.

“Demeanor and communication,” Smart said, sharing what he’s looking for. “A true quarterback is a decision-maker in our system — because some systems take all the pressure off the quarterback and they just go really fast. We don’t do that.

“So, decision-making is the number one thing I want to see at the quarterback position. Can you make consecutive decisions over and over that don’t cost our team games?

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“Because we have enough playmakers and we have enough plays that you will make a play inevitably. Don’t make a boneheaded play, and that’s what we’re trying to avoid.”