That's the thing..he's brought in highly ranked QBs in.. just hasn't used/developed them
-2016 - Eason - 5*, started his entire freshman year and looked good, not great. Lot's of potential. Injured 1st series of downs, game 1 in 2nd year. Never got the job back from Fromm.
- 2017 - Fromm - 5*, took over as true freshman when Eason get's injured. Goes 11-1, with first start on the road against Notre Dame. Protected with great RBs and OL. 11th rated QB at end of year, left NCG with lead in OT.
- 2018 - Fields comes in, but Fromm goes 11-1, no 5 ranked QB, ahead in the SECCG until 5 minutes to go in 4th quarter. Fields can't win the job, transfers to tOSU. Not willing to wait, I can't fault him for doing what he thought was best for him.
- 2019 - UGA flips Mathis from tOSU on NSD - 4*, has brain surgery in the summer and basically misses the year. Fromm digresses under new OC Coley, a bad hire by Smart. Fromm devolves, is outside the top 50 QBs by rating. Decides to leave early for NFL and drops to 5th round.
- 2020 - bring in Beck - 4*, and the top 2 transfers Newman and former 5* JT Daniels. After taking all the 1st team reps up until 3 weeks before the season begins, Newman surprises everyone an drops out due to "covid." JT Daniels coming off ACL surgery 12 months earlier, with an additional surgery in December 2019, isn't medically cleared and per OC Monken isn't game ready until 10 days ago. Start Mathis and he stinks it up against Arky. Former 2* walk-in, 3* JUCO QB Stetson Bennett plays well against Arky with comeback win, then beats rivals Auburn and UTjr, leads at half at Bama, but throws 2 picks in 2nd half loss, and it's down hill from there. Beats Ky, but it's ugly, gets hurt on 2nd series against UF and we have to play Mathis who stinks it up. The week after JTD's knee is good enough to play.
- 2021 - flip 5*, 13 ranked no. 2 dual threat QB Brock Vandagriff from OU. Have to hope Daniels is good and stays, or Mathis or Beck get better, or BVG is really, really good for a freshman.
So, that's it right there. To me, 2 things Smart might have done differently:
- He might use Fields differently. Maybe let him play more wide open in blow outs. But, now way any coach starts freshman Fields over Fromm in 2018.
- Not hire Coley as OC in 2019. Fromm and the O digressed greatly. That lead Fromm to leave early. Fromm under Monken might have been something else.
I don't expect non-UGA fans to follow our QB as closely as I do. I can't say I know this about anyone else's QBs. I know generalities like you do our QB. But there is a narrative, like the one in the OP, that just doesn't fit up to the facts when you dive deeper.