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Greyson Lambert and Brice Ramsey have known each other since their high school days competing some 60 miles apart from one another in eastern Georgia. With the 2015 season drawing near, the two friends are locked in a battle to earn the Georgia’s starting quarterback nod — along with Faton Bauta.
Georgia coach Mark Richt, a man who has largely avoided quarterback controversies during his 15 years in Athens, has been tight-lipped about the identity of his Week 1 starter.
Here’s a look at the two presumed favorites in Lambert and Ramey.
TALE OF THE TAPE
Greyson Lambert
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 220 pounds
Class: Junior
About: According to 247 Sports, Lambert was a four-star prospect out of Jesup, Ga., with offers from Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi State and South Carolina. He opted for Virginia instead. Lambert started 16 games for the Cavaliers in his first two seasons, before graduating this spring. Eligible to play right away, with two years remaining, he returned to the Peach State for a chance to compete for Georgia’s starting quarterback role.
Brice Ramsey
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 213 pounds
Class: Redshirt sophomore
About: Ramsey was a PrepStar All-American out of Camden County (Ga.) High School. A four-star prospect and No. 14-ranked quarterback in the class of 2013 according to Rivals.com, the redshirt sophomore appeared in eight games in 2014 as a backup. Ramsey took over for the injured Hutson Mason in the Belk Bowl against Louisville.
2014 RESULTS
Lambert: 154-of-261 for 1,632 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in nine games as Virginia starter.
Ramsey: 24-of-39 for 333 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in eight games as Hutson Mason’s backup.
SPRING GAME STATS
Lambert: 6-14 for 79 yards, one touchdown, an interception, and sacked twice as the starter in Virginia’s Red and Blue Game.
Ramsey: 5-of 9 for 174 yards and one touchdown in a loss for UGA-Red.
MARK RICHT’S POST-GAME COMMENTS ON THE QUARTERBACKS
“”It’s still a race. I don’t think there’s any question that it will go through the summer and fall before we make that decision on who will start the first ball game.”
RICHT’S COMMENTS ON QUARTERBACK COMPETITION AT SEC MEDIA DAYS
“I have no idea who the starter is going to be. We are going to have a tremendous competition, continue that competition for the position. It’s going to — I think it’s going to take a while. We have 29 practice opportunities before the first game, and we’re going to get a rotation where we can see the guys that we want to see compete and then make a decision on who should be the starter.”
THE CASE FOR EACH TO WIN THE QB JOB
Lambert: Lambert still has two years of eligibility remaining and more starting experience than Ramsey — even if injuries limited the former Cavaliers quarterback to nine games last season. Despite a 1,632-yard, 10-touchdown and 11-interception season in 2014, Lambert landed behind junior Matt Johns on the Virginia depth chart after the spring. The pro-style quarterback and former Cavaliers captain can expect some hiccups while adjusting to Brian Schottenheimer’s playbook, which features similar routes as Virginia ran. Lambert won’t beat you with his legs (minus-61 yards rushing for his career), but he does have the arm and the smarts to guide the Bulldogs.
Ramsey: Lambert might have more starts under his belt, but Ramsey has more experience in the Georgia offense — and more snaps against SEC defenses. His familiarity, and Lambert’s inconsistency, gives Ramsey an edge as the favorite, but Mark Richt hasn’t budged on which quarterback he’ll go with in Week 1 against Louisiana-Monroe. Ramsey might have an even stronger arm than Lambert, as well as three years of eligibility to Lambert’s two.
Either quarterback will have a fresh crop of young wide receivers filling out the Bulldogs’ once-depleted depth chart at the position. Ramsey could build a rapport with these young wide receivers that will last the next three seasons.
Of course, Richt could always toss a curveball and name junior Faton Bauta as his Week 1 starter.
Some might argue that it doesn’t matter who is under center for Georgia come this fall. The game plan is to place the ball in the hands of standout running back Nick Chubb and get out of the way. The reality is, if the Bulldogs want to compete for the SEC East title, they’ll need a quarterback who can manage a game and stretch the defense when possible.
Chris Wuensch is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers South Carolina and Tennessee.
