ATHENS — The Georgia football team has lost contributors at many key positions due to players graduating or declaring for the NFL draft, but their loss of fifth-year senior quarterback Hutson Mason may be the biggest loss so far. Replacing Mason will be a tough task for the Bulldogs coaching staff not only because of a lack of depth but rather the large amount of talent and depth they do have.
The three main competitors for Mason’s old job are redshirt freshman Jacob Park, redshirt sophomore Brice Ramsey, and junior Faton Bauta. Each of these three quarterbacks have many similarities and many differences as well. Jacob Park and Faton Bauta are considered to be more athletic style quarterbacks, while Brice Ramsey is less mobile and more of a pocket passer.
Jacob Park
Jacob Park has the least amount of experience out of the three quarterbacks but should have an active role as a main competitor in this quarterback battle due to his mobility in and out of the pocket along with how he excels and grows in practice.
After the conclusion of the 2014 football season, Park was given the UGA coaches’ scout team award, which is given to members of the scout team who demonstrate great effort and ability while on the scout team during practice. If Park continues to work hard and becomes a better pocket passer, he may go from the dark horse for the starting job to the frontrunner.
Faton Bauta
Many people forget how athletic Faton Bauta is at the quarterback position, His mobility is his greatest weapon and could end up earning him the starting role for the Georgia Bulldogs. Coming out of high school, Bauta was given the nickname “Tebow Jr.” because of his ability to create time and space due to his increased mobility.
Bauta could end up in a Blake Bell role if he does not earn the starting job but if he can prove to the new offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, that he has the ability to make plays in and out of the pocket then he may find himself under center for the Bulldogs next season.
Brice Ramsey
Brice Ramsey has been the frontrunner for Mason’s jobs before he even left. Ramsey got many snaps in the late stages of the Bulldog’s bowl game this past season, which gave many the belief that he had already won the job. However, the coaches on the Bulldog coaching staff have long stated that the starting quarterback position would be an open competition for all three quarterbacks.
Ramsey definitely has the most in-game experience which bodes well for him. He also is a pocket passer which fits the style of play that the Bulldogs offense should run under Schottenheimer. Ramsey may not be as mobile as the other quarterbacks but he does have great arm accuracy and has demonstrated that he is an effective pocket passer. These skills along with his experience could end up winning him the starting job.
As of right now I fully believe the job is Ramsey’s to lose but Bauta or Park have the skill set to overtake him for the starting spot. Bauta had a very impressive spring game and may have inched closer to overtaking the starting job from Brice Ramsey, but as of right now I believe Ramsey still holds a very slight edge over Bauta.
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