stetson bennett georgia football 2022 season

After leading Georgia to a National Championship, quarterback Stetson Bennett has announced his return for another season.

Bennett threw 29 touchdown passes to seven interceptions in 12 starts for Georgia in 2021.

The Bennett news came minutes after fellow quarterback JT Daniels put his name in the transfer portal

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett announced he would be returning to Georgia for a sixth season. (custom/Dawgnation)

Bennett first arrived at Georgia as a walk-on before the 2017 season. He first rose to prominence by working as the scout team quarterback ahead of the Rose Bowl against Oklahoma.

After that season, Bennett transferred to Jones County Community College for the 2018 season. The move paid off for Bennett, as he signed as a member of the 2019 signing class for Georgia.

Bennett was thrust into a first-team role at the start of the 2020 season as he replaced D’Wan Mathis against Arkansas. Bennett played well in games against Auburn and Tennessee before struggling in his final three starts against Alabama, Kentucky and Florida. He was replaced as the starting quarterback by Daniels before the Mississippi State game.

Bennett’s time at Georgia was not done though. He started for Georgia against UAB this season after Daniels suffered an oblique injury. Bennett was once again thrust into the starting lineup after Daniels suffered a lat injury before Georgia’s game against Arkansas.

From that point on, Bennett did not relinquish the starting role. He started the final 11 games for Georgia, with the only loss coming against Alabama in the SEC championship game. Bennett and Georgia once again lost 41-24, the same score as the 2020 contest.

But Bennett shined against Michigan, as Georgia threw for 313 yards and three touchdowns in the 34-11 win. After a slow start against Alabama in the National Championship game, Bennett completed his final four passes of the game, two of which went for touchdowns. Bennett completed 17 of his 26 attempts in that game for 224 yards. Most importantly, he did not throw an interception after he had been picked five times in the previous meetings against Alabama.

“We had to look in the mirror. We had to wonder why. We had to fix stuff. And then we did,” Bennett said after the win against Alabam. “And then we got to see them again. And there’s still stuff that we struggled with. But at the end of the day, it was a team win and we won the game.”

With Daniels entering the portal, Georgia will be left with four scholarship quarterbacks. Behind Bennett will be redshirt sophomore Carson Beck and redshirt freshman Brock Vandagriff. Georgia signed 4-star quarterback Gunner Stockton as a member of the 2022 recruiting cycle.

Bennett is the fourth Georgia player to come back for a super senior season, as he joins Robert Beal, William Poole and Chris Smith.

Georgia must replace running backs Zamir White and James Cook, along with wide receivers Jermaine Burton and George Pickens. The Bulldogs do bring back All-American Brock Bowers, along with receivers Ladd McConkey and AD Mitchell.

Bennett and the Bulldogs will open the 2022 season against Oregon on Sept. 3. The Ducks will be coached by Dan Lanning, who was Georgia’s defensive coordinator for the past three seasons.

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