Georgia Football: What does Jacob Eason (re)commitment mean for Bulldogs?

Georgia football fans (and coaches) breathed a huge sigh of relief today when 5-star quarterback Jacob Eason reaffirmed his commitment to the Bulldogs.

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One of the biggest fears for the Georgia Bulldog Nation was that the loss of former head coach Mark Richt would also mean the loss of one of the nation’s top 2016 prospects, quarterback Jacob Eason out of Lake Stevens, Wa.

New head coach Kirby Smart went to visit Eason in Washington as the open contact period was winding down, and everyone attached to the Georgia program was holding their breath and awaiting Eason’s decision after he made an official visit to Florida upon Richt’s dismissal.

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Today, Eason reaffirmed his commitment to Georgia, and Christmas in Athens may now resume as planned.

Depending on which recruiting service you check, Eason is ranked anywhere from the number one to number two quarterback in the nation, and as high as the number two overall prospect in the nation, so it’s not hard to understand why Georgia was concerned about his decision, especially given the issues experienced at quarterback this season by the Bulldogs.

But what does this really mean for the Dawgs, and will Eason’s arrival on campus in January make an immediate impact on this team?

There is no arguing that Georgia’s biggest weakness is at quarterback. The lackluster play of transfer Greyson Lambert as well as backups Brice Ramsey and Faton Bauta (who as already announced his intention to transfer) probably cost the Bulldogs at least a couple of wins this season.

But Eason – who last night was named Gatorade National High School Player of the Year – will be a true freshman, and Georgia will be breaking in an entirely new coaching staff from top to bottom. To expect this young man to walk in and resurrect a dead offense may be putting the proverbial cart before the horse. Eason has to be given the opportunity to fail before he succeeds.

Just as former Georgia star Aaron Murray struggled in his first season as a starter – a season that ended in the only losing record Mark Richt saw as head coach in 15 years at Georgia – Eason will also have his ups and down in 2016…and that’s if he isn’t redshirted.

Photo credit – Chris Nee, 247Sports.com

Kirby Smart may elect to redshirt Eason and work on developing a system with his new coaches before trying to indoctrinate a freshman by the often-failed baptism by fire. Another year of struggles at quarterback with Eason on the sidelines carrying a clipboard and sending in plays would likely cause a few minor strokes among Bulldog fans, but might be the best way to proceed.

In the end, Georgia fans should be ecstatic that Eason decided not to sway from his nearly 2-year long commitment to the school, but they should also realize that the chances of him walking in as a freshman and leading the Bulldogs to any kind of title are slim.

Eason has a chance to be one of the great ones if his growth and training are handled properly. Sometimes proceeding with caution and making a careful evaluation are worth the wait.

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