ATHENS, Ga. - Several Southeastern Conference football teams played multiple quarterbacks this past weekend, with Auburn employing three during Saturday night's 19-13 loss to Clemson.
Georgia used both Greyson Lambert and Jacob Eason in Saturday's 33-24 win over North Carolina, but coach Kirby Smart isn't sure whether that will continue to be the case. The Bulldogs play their Sanford Stadium opener Saturday against Nicholls State, which is located in Thibodaux, La., and is a member of the Championship Subdivision.
"I think every situation is different," Smart said Monday. "Everybody has their own quarterback situation, and a lot of quarterbacks are different on each of the teams that I see play from time to time. In our case, we're growing and we're trying to get the best unit we can get out there.
"We're trying to do what each one of these quarterbacks can do and what's good for the people around them. It won't be based on what's going on in college football. It will be based on what's best for us."
Lambert, a fifth-year senior who made 12 starts last season after transferring from Virginia, and Eason, a five-star signee in the 2016 class, will continue to vie for the starting role this week in practice. Smart announced last Thursday that Lambert would start the opener.
In the win over the Tar Heels, Lambert completed 5 of 8 passes (62.5 percent) for 54 yards. Eason entered for the first time early in the second quarter and for a second time midway through the third quarter, when he rallied the Bulldogs from a 24-14 deficit.
Eason completed 8 of 12 passes (66.7 percent) for 131 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah McKenzie. Those two hooked up for a 51-yard gain midway through the fourth quarter, which was Georgia's longest pass play since Aaron Murray and Todd Gurley connected for 73 yards against Florida in 2013.
"Whatever gets us a win is however we need to draw it up and get things happening," junior tight end Jeb Blazevich said. "I don't know when the coaches are going to decide or what the plan is going to be moving forward, but it worked out for us Saturday and hopefully can continue to repeat itself."
Said junior fullback Christian Payne: "It doesn't matter who's in there. We're going to play our best for whoever."
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn started Sean White but also used Jeremy Johnson and John Franklin III, who played last season at East Mississippi Community College. Alabama's Nick Saban announced last week that either Cooper Bateman or Blake Barnett would start, but Jalen Hurts replaced Barnett after a couple of series and led the Crimson Tide to a 52-6 dismantling of Southern California.
Hurts was the top dual-threat quarterback in the 2016 signing class, with Eason the top pro-style quarterback. Both showed immediate promise, which surprises coaches less and less these days.
"Since the advent of high school 7-on-7, they see so much more and they throw so much more," Smart said. "They've seen a lot of the defenses before, and there are a lot more prolific offenses out there in high school football."
'Last Chance U'
Nicholls has two defensive linemen, Ronald Ollie and Marcel Andry, who played last season at EMCC and are prominently featured in the Netflix series "Last Chance U." Ollie will wear jersey No. 72 this Saturday, while Andry is No. 77.
"A few of us were talking about that a couple of days ago," Bulldogs defensive back Maurice Smith said. "We definitely watched it, and I'm definitely going to say a couple of words to them."
Said junior outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter: "I haven't had a chance to watch it, but I heard they had a couple of players. I might have to watch it."
Odds and ends
Freshman receiver Riley Ridley, who played against UNC, is limited this week with an ankle sprain.... Smart said he is still waiting on doctors to clear junior tailback Sony Michel and said freshman tailback Elijah Holyfield (ankle) could have played last week but didn't get enough repetitions in practice.... Carter on facing Nicholls: "A lot of people on the outside come into a game like this thinking that the opponent is on a lesser level, but they put in the exact same amount of work as we do. It's just going to come down to who wants it more."... Sophomore receiver Michael Chigbu is Georgia's only player from Louisiana, while Nicholls does not have a player from Georgia.... Former Georgia quarterback Faton Bauta is the new starter at Colorado State, which is coached by former Bulldogs offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
Contact David Paschall at doaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.