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From a summer quarterback competition that never seemed to be settled, to a major coaching change and staff exodus prior to the bowl game, it’s been an eventful season at Georgia. Here are five moments that defined the season:
5. Greyson Lambert transfers, wins starting nod: A summer that began with the Georgia coaching staff and Notre Dame QB transfer Everett Golson considering a match ended with Virginia QB transfer Greyson Lambert enrolling at Georgia, and eventually winning the starting job over Faton Bauta and Brice Ramsey, who later performed punting duties. Lambert had a roller-coaster season as he set the NCAA completion percentage record against South Carolina then was replaced multiple times during games and didn’t start the Florida game. Even this week it wasn’t clear who would start the TaxSlayer Bowl against Penn State.
4. Nick Chubb’s season-ending injury: An awkward tackle at the sideline against Tennessee ended RB Nick Chubb’s school-record 13 straight games rushing for at least 100 yards. At the time, he was second in the SEC with 745 rushing yards and seven TDs on an 8.2 yards-per-carry average. Chubb’s absence wasn’t as big a blow as it could have been without the play of backups Sony Michel and Keith Marshall, who stepped in to help Georgia finish fourth in the SEC in rushing.
3. Faton Bauta starts Florida game: The lead-up to the Florida game took on an unusual element when word leaked to reporters that third-string QB Faton Bauta would get the start. One theory was that Bauta’s running ability would be just the offensive wrinkle to win the game, but that never came to fruition. Bauta threw four interceptions in the 27-3 loss. Bauta’s Georgia career ended recently when he announced he would transfer to Colorado State to play for former Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
2. Kirby Smart hired: The leading candidate almost from the moment Mark Richt was fired, the Alabama defensive coordinator returned to his alma mater 10 years after he was an assistant on Richt’s staff. Smart’s challenge is to maintain the winning percentage Richt established over 15 years, but also get to, and win, the SEC Championship more often. Smart enters a job with a fractured fan base with many fans who didn’t want to see Richt go. The new coach seemed to understand that in his opening press conference. “I’d like to issue a call to action of sorts to the Georgia people,” Smart said. “We need to channel our faith, trust, and energy in the same direction to support this team and this university.”
1. Mark Richt fired: The second-winningest coach in program history — and first by winning percentage — Richt’s Georgia coaching tenure ended after 15 seasons. Known for his deep Christian beliefs and faith, Richt initially planned to coach Georgia in its bowl game, but those plans all changed in just a few days when he accepted the job at his alma mater, Miami. While Georgia ended the season on a four-game winning streak, it appeared that Georgia’s losses to Florida and Alabama coupled with not winning the SEC Championship for 10 years led to Richt’s exit.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
