CFP SEMIFINAL CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL: GEORGIA VS OHIO STATE

December 29, 2022

Stetson Bennett

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Georgia Bulldogs

Press Conference

STETSON BENNETT: It's 30 days between the past game and this one. So you look at the schedule and know what you have going on and kind of come up with a plan to watch periodically beforehand.

Then when we're here, they space out these events well enough where you can get in the room and watch and have some alone time with it.

Q. I saw something interesting this year when you talk about Monken teaching you and how you felt you didn't know nearly as much as you know now. From an Xs and Os standpoint, do you think, man, I didn't know this front or this coverage or this on this side?

STETSON BENNETT: It was almost more through osmosis with him and just talking in the meeting room and hearing and writing notes down and listening.

But as far as I think it was just learning they are where they are. They're not going to run their third down pressure package on first and ten, so like don't think about that. It was -- personnel groups, they do different things. It's just like offense. Who do they want to do what? I didn't understand that. I didn't understand how they use players, anything like that.

Honestly I was scared to ask because I have been here for so long and I should know, but that's never really true. If you don't know, you don't know. So you need to ask.

He just knows so much that whenever he would say something, it would almost be like a doorway to another answer for something or another idea or, all right, yeah, that's a fact for this.

I don't know, it's probably been some of the most fun of this whole thing was just learning the game and learning how to see it because, if you don't know how to see it, then you don't really know what's going on.

Q. When did you first think that you could be the starting quarterback for Georgia?

STETSON BENNETT: I don't know if I have like a day or a practice or anything like that. It was just like these bits and pieces of plays or things that happened sporadically, and you'd be like, oh, that was good. If I could do that every time, we might have something here.

So it was just always that belief that I'm not there yet, but that's just yet, right? It's not permanent. It's not anything like that. So as long as I can get better, I've got a shot.

Q. Was that as early as 2017 scout team stuff?

STETSON BENNETT: I'd say it's as early when I decided to walk on here. Whether or not I actually thought about it or knew what that meant to be the starting quarterback, I don't think it really matters. I did know that I could make some throws, and I knew I could run around. And I just, I don't know, I had the guts to go chase it and then chase it more once I realized that I'm not there yet.

Q. Can you elaborate on coming back here?

STETSON BENNETT: I put my fate to the wind and said take me where you may. It was a boomerang effect. I was gone for six months and came back. I had no clue where I was going to end up, and I was okay with that. I loved Georgia, but I wanted to play football. So it didn't really matter where that was at that point.

Q. That will to chase something, where does that come from?

STETSON BENNETT: I don't know. I imagine it has something to do with my parents or my raising and all that, but I think what it was was sometimes you've got to make a decision. You can't -- anything that has value, like it's going to be hard to get where you want to go.

I was like, if I'm not good enough here, how am I going to be good enough somewhere else? They've got good players too, so it wouldn't really help me. So I've got to get better.

Q. (No microphone)?

STETSON BENNETT: It's going to be a dogfight. I'm excited. You want somebody's best, and you're not going to get much better from somebody than they just lost their last game to a rival. They're going to be ready to roll.

Q. How good is Brock Bowers?

STETSON BENNETT: He's really good at catching the football. As long as I put it there, he's usually going to catch it, which is all you can ask for. He's unbelievable.

Q. Everyone wants to go out on top, but are you excited to come back? Do you think about that at all, you have that opportunity to end on a national title?

STETSON BENNETT: For me it's not about -- it is about it. That's the goal, to win, to be champions. But who cares what everyone thinks? The risk is if somebody looks at you and thinks that -- I don't know.

Even if we wouldn't be here right now, I'd still be the quarterback for the University of Georgia, and they'd still be my brothers, and we'd still go out and compete every day. That's what it's about. The National Championship is one day of the year. You've got a bunch of other days.

I'd rather find out than speculate.

Q. What's it like having your brother here?

STETSON BENNETT: It's been amazing. Grew up together. I'm a good bit older than him, so there never really was any danger of us being on the same team together until COVID hit and all that. So, yeah, I wouldn't say a miracle, but it almost is. So it's super lucky.

Q. Do you remember when he was considering colleges and he said, hey, there's a chance for Georgia?

STETSON BENNETT: Yeah, I think I told him to come, and he was like, all right, I'll think about it, and then he came.

He does his own thing, and I do my own thing. I don't know, we've got a good concept of what matters, so I think he was going to come. At least until I was out of here.

Q. To have the year you've had and also have your brother here, does that have meaning?

STETSON BENNETT: Yeah, it definitely does. I've seen him at practice and running around. We give each other a high five before every practice, running the stretch lines, and just little things like that. That's what you remember.

There's not been too many grandiose moments, life changers, but it's the little things you're going to miss whenever they're gone.

Q. Your career has seen ups and downs over the last few years. How would you describe the experience?

STETSON BENNETT: I think, if I had to experience it all at one time, I don't know if I'd be here. I don't know if I'd be sane. I just went day by day and did what that day had for me, and it's ended up working out so far.

I don't know. It has been a long, winding journey, and all that stuff. Hopefully I can look back and appreciate it one day. I do appreciate it now, but there's other things that are a little bit more important right now.