Most of us have picked up on the rather obvious comparison between Cox and Shockley – two patient kids who’ve waited until their senior seasons to get the chance to start and run the offense – but I’m not sure that I’ve seen anyone pick up on the other similarity looming. That would be the quarterback picture for 2010 and how it echoes 2006.
Think about it: 2005 and 2009 are the years of the patient backups. But if things stay true to form in Athens, it’s unlikely that Cox’s backup will see much playing time this season. Here’s the percentage of total pass attempts that Georgia backup quarterbacks have handled over the last five seasons:
- 2008: (15/400) – 3.75%
- 2007: (15/365) – 4.11%
- 2006: (85/342) – 24.85%
- 2005: (52/363) – 14.33%
- 2004: (60/363) – 16.53%
The 2006 number can be explained by the fact that Richt didn’t settle on a final starter (Stafford) until the Mississippi State game. In the last six games of that year, backups were in on exactly zero passing attempts. 2005’s percentage was affected by Shockley’s absence due to injury in the Arkansas and Florida games.
2004 was the only season of the last five where the staff made an effort to involve the backup quarterback in the offense motivated by something other than necessity. And that was primarily due to Richt’s motivation to make sure Shockley saw the field. The big question is whether Richt or Bobo will feel the same way about whichever QB candidate winds up in the second string slot in 2009. (And don’t forget that this year’s schedule isn’t exactly conducive to generating a lot of garbage time for the backups to get a chance to see the field.)
If not, Georgia will waltz into 2010 in about the same situation as it faced in 2006 – a multitude of inexperienced quarterbacks duking it out for the starting slot. Gray will have the role of JT III (they both even had special teams experience!), while Murray and Mettenberger will play Stafford and Cox (or Cox and Stafford, depending).
The downside for the 2010 group over its 2006 counterparts is that Tereshinski did have the experience of a previous start going into the season, not that it made much difference ultimately; barring injury to Cox this year, it’s unlikely that will be the case in 2010. On the other hand, the good news is that the job next year won’t be handed to a true freshman, as things evolved in 2006. Regardless of how the pecking order for next season shakes out, though, it’ll be another green bunch the job will get entrusted to, just like 2006.
It’s just something to be a little nervous about down the road.
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UPDATE: Mike Bobo looks ahead.
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