ATHENS \u2014 Georgia football has plenty to prove this season after 13 players were drafted into the NFL and quarterback Carson Beck transferred to Miami.<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs, through two fall camps, have mostly left coach Kirby Smart pleased with their efforts and progress, though not satisfied.<\/p>\n
Smart rarely, if ever, has been completely satisfied with his team\u2019s preparation, as he\u2019s a believer there is always room for improvement.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Smart recently discussed the importance of projected starting quarterback Gunner Stockton improving his decision-making, and hinted that the fourth-year junior\u2019s awareness can get better.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake good decisions, continue to develop, understanding situational football,\u201d Smart said, asked what he expects to see from Stockton.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve made football so complicated. Some quarterbacks, I don\u2019t think they know that down-and-distance. I don\u2019t think they actually know, do I have another down after this play, or is this my last chance to get the first down? It\u2019s just little things, being a quarterback, understanding the game, understanding what the defense is doing. He\u2019s grown so much in regards to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smart recently relayed an instance in fall camp where Stockton took charge of a huddle by admitting he was at fault on a play.<\/p>\n
There are indeed several responsibilities that fall on Stockton\u2019s shoulders beyond finding open receivers and throwing the ball accurately.<\/p>\n
\u201cID in protection, the ID in run game,\u201d Smart said, referring to Stockton\u2019s pre-snap reads.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying quarterback is, it\u2019s like being a computer. He\u2019s got a million things going on at once. And he\u2019s gotten better and better at handling those things, and that\u2019s what I want to see him do when he gets the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smart has said UGA will use the run game to help the quarterback, something it also did early in Beck\u2019s tenure as the starting quarterback.<\/p>\n
The Georgia opening game with Marshall will not be Stockton\u2019s first start — he was pressed into action in the College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl quarterfinal against Notre Dame.<\/p>\n
But Stockton is still relatively inexperienced, and there\u2019s a great deal required from the quarterback in Georgia\u2019s Pro-Style offense.<\/p>\n
Beck shared last fall just how much is going on between the earholes for a quarterback in Georgia\u2019s offense before each play and how the helmet-in-radio communication helped the process.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes when you\u2019d get the play a little late there\u2019s 15 seconds on the (play-) clock or 12 seconds, and against this defense I need to check, but we don\u2019t have enough time to check it and need to run the (original) play,\u201d Beck explained, \u201cso being able to watch the defense lets me start thinking about things that maybe I couldn\u2019t have in the past a little bit quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smart revealed last year the Bulldogs may have been too conservative with their play-calling in their effort to \u201cprotect\u201d Beck from mistakes.<\/p>\n