ATHENS — Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm responded well to the Bulldogs’ first loss of the season and has been in good spirits, according to Coach Kirby Smart.
Smart reviewed Georgia’s first two practices of this week with the media on Tuesday night in Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall, taking on questions and painting a picture of how the Bulldogs are progressing leading up to the 3:30 p.m. game on Saturday against Florida in Jacksonville.
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“(Fromm) has been great, he was super out there last week, spirited,” Smart said, asked how the sophomore signal caller is doing after dropping to 18-3 as a starter with the loss at LSU. “There’s a lot of competition. We tried to make competition between the offense and the defense, and he challenged guys and made some plays with the wideouts and the backs.
“Jake’s not the kind of guy that backs down from competition. He’s not going to do that, he’s not going to say, ‘I didn’t play my best game’ and then go into a shell. He’s out there working every day.”
There has been plenty of speculation over how Smart will handle Georgia’s quarterback situation, and while he said the competition continues, there’s been no indication a change is imminent.
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit told DawgNation earlier Tuesday that he would also stand behind Fromm, going into great detail in an exclusive interview.
Smart indicated Tuesday that talented freshman quarterback Justin Fields continues to progress and is growing more comfortable under center each day.
“He’s doing a great job, he’s competing every day, doing a good job, throwing good balls,” Smart said. “I mean, he’s developing. He’s come a looonnngg way [laughs] from the first of the season to now, to where he’s reading coverages, protections. He’s done a really good job of picking up things in this offense, and I think that says volumes about his work ethic to be where he is.”
As good as Fields has looked when given the opportunity to play this season, Smart says there are still many areas left for him to grow.
“All areas, calling the play in the huddle, from when he got here until now, he’s so much further along,” Smart said. “I think seeing Jake do it and watching Jake manage it and seeing Jake do things, he’s learned from that. He’s very bright.”
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