How does one go about topping the storyline of a former walk-on quarterback guiding a program to its first national championship in 41 seasons?
The college football world will find out several months from now.
Stetson Bennett IV, who essentially spent the entire 2021 season proving doubters wrong in leading Georgia to its first national title since 1980, announced Wednesday afternoon on social media that he would be returning to Athens as a sixth-year senior. Bennett is using the NCAA's one-time allowance of an extra year of eligibility that was implemented at the outbreak of the coronavirus.
"One more year," Bennett posted on his Instagram account that is typically dormant. "Let's roll."
Bennett's announcement that he would stay came the same day redshirt junior JT Daniels, the starting quarterback for the 10-3 topping of Clemson on Labor Day weekend, went into the NCAA transfer portal. Also entering the portal Wednesday was sophomore receiver Jermaine Burton, who amassed 26 receptions for 497 yards (19.1 yards per catch) and five touchdowns this past season.
Both Daniels and Burton hail from California.
Bennett replaced an injured Daniels before the end of September and never relinquished the job, completing 185 of 287 passes (64.5%) for 2,862 yards with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His efficiency rating of 176.69 ranked fourth nationally, and he bounced back from a two-interception performance in the 41-24 loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference game to help the Bulldogs top the Crimson Tide 33-18 last week in Indianapolis for the national crown.
Daniels appeared in just six games, completing 68 of 94 passes (72.3%) for 722 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.