The abrupt firing of longtime Georgia coach Mark Richt after the 2015 season left prized quarterback Jacob Eason unsure about his commitment to the University of Georgia. Eason had been committed to the Dawgs since the summer of 2014. The coaching change sent Eason looking at other schools, and on an official visit to check out what the Florida Gators had to offer. Fans quickly became enthralled with the prospect of adding Eason to their roster.
Florida did its best to woo Eason during an official visit the week of the SEC Championship game but he stuck with Georgia, where he has won the starting job. The Washington state native will face the team he thought about and eventually spurned for the first time Saturday and Jim McElwain knows what he’s up against.
“This guy, in my opinion, he’s the future of the SEC,” McElwain said of Eason. “He’s that good. His ability to push the ball down the field is something that is very impressive. The learning curve is natural for anybody at that position. And yet, he can hurt you in a hurry.”
Eason has started six of the Bulldogs seven games this season. He’s a true freshman on paper but also seventh in the SEC in terms of passing. He’s played against North Carolina, on the road at Missouri and Ole Miss and against Tennessee, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. He may be a true freshman on the depth chart but McElwain doesn’t look at him that way.
“He’s played enough now that I’m not sure he’s a freshman,” McElwain said Wednesday. “By now, he’s been in stadiums, big stadiums. He’s played. He’s played on the road. You know, this guy played at a high level in high school football and playoff games and all that kind of stuff.”
He has experience, but Eason still looks like a freshman at times. He’s shown an elite arm but his trust in that arm strength and gunslinger mentality has led to five interceptions with only one game against a top five SEC passing defense (South Carolina) this season.
There have been flashes this season where McElwain’s “future of the SEC” looks almost certain, but Eason mixes in the typical mistakes and head scratching decisions you would expect from a freshman passer. This week, Eason will face his toughest test. Nothing can prepare him for this game and the defense he’s about to face.
Pro Football Focus recently posted a stat that quarterbacks have a 0.4 quarterback rating when throwing Quincy Wilson’s way. On the opposite side of the field, preseason All-American Teez Tabor has four interceptions in five games, including a pick six. The Gators have the SEC’s best passing defense (132.8 yards-per game) and are tied for the lead in interceptions (10).
Georgia is coming off a home loss to Vanderbilt, just the third loss in the last 22 matchups with the Dores, but Eason played well in defeat. He posted career highs in attempts (40), completion percentage (67.5%) and yards (346). A great bounce back from his previous outing where he threw for just 29 yards in a win over South Carolina, showing that the freshman is still, just that.
The game plan this week will to try to keep Eason out of a rhythm. Georgia has Nick Chubb and Sony Michel at their disposal to run the ball and protect Eason. However, Florida is allowing just 119.17 yards per game (4th in the SEC) on the ground. If the Gators can stop the running game, like Vanderbilt did two weeks ago, they could force Georgia into relying on Eason’s arm.
“I think the big thing is we’ve got to make sure he doesn’t get comfortable and throw on rhythm all the time. When he throws on rhythm, you know, the ball gets out. He’s very accurate. Obviously has got a really strong arm,” McElwain said of Eason. “It isn’t about just getting sacks, but forcing him to be off rhythm, shuffle, try to get reset. Those are the kind of things we have to do to get him off his mark and we’ve got to be able to stop the run, too, so he can’t hit you with those play actions and that kind of stuff. That’s really the big thing.”
Eason’s upside is undeniable. His late flirtation with Florida is still on the mind of fans, for sure, but the Gators’ defense is also itching to get a shot at the kid their coach believes is the future of the conference. Eason may have been close to donning Orange and Blue this season, or maybe his visit to Florida was just to check out a new school and he never intended on flipping his commitment. Only he can answer that question but the Gators remember and they’re chomping at the bit to get a chance to face him.
“He chose those guys,” senior safety Marcus Maye said “He has a great arm. He’s gonna be a great quarterback in the future. You know, he can make all the throws. He’s young, but he’s learning as he goes. I’m excited, very excited, to go out against him, see what he’s got.”