The story of Stetson Bennett already had its storybook ending. The former walk-on from Blackshear, Ga., not only ended Georgia‘s four-decade national championship drought but also won two back-to-back titles as its starting quarterback. He still isn’t finished writing the story of his football career.
The 27-year-old kicked off his third season in the NFL with a bang, leading the Los Angeles Rams to a 31-21 preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys. Playing the entire game as fellow former Georgia star, Matthew Stafford, and backup Jimmy Garoppolo watched on, it was Bennett’s show.
He completed 16 of his 24 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns with just one interception. The lone blemish was an incredible play made by a familiar name to Georgia fans, former South Carolina cornerback Israel Mukuamu.
It was quite the contrast from his performance in last year’s preseason opener, where Bennett tossed four interceptions.
“I think, just more mature, more comfortable in the system, you know, tighter with the guys,” Bennett said of what the biggest difference is from a year ago.
That increased maturity and comfortability showed from the first drive. Facing a fourth-and-six on the opening drive following two incompletions, Bennett converted it with a 39-yard strike to Xavier Smith.
That set the Rams up for a two-yard touchdown run by Blake Corum three plays later.
The following drive would find similar results. Bennett led the offense on a 13-play drive, spanning 64 yards, which included another fourth-down conversion, this time with his legs, though. Before Corum punched it in for another score.
After seeing the first two drives finished off by someone else. Bennett would get his opportunities. The first came via a nine-yard touchdown pass to former Missouri running back Cody Schrader.
The second came on the next drive, as Bennett found Brennan Presley for a five-yard touchdown toss off boot action.
As he continues to prepare for his third season in the league. Bennett acknowledged afterward that the NFL game is starting to “slow down” for him. While much of that has come with time, he also credits it to his time at Georgia.
“I was blessed going in at Georgia, going against, you know, I mean, you see what they’re doing now. I mean, just absolute animals,” Bennett said. “And so I think that helped going into it. And then again, just reps and reps with [Dave Ragone] and these guys just, you know, building it day in, day out, for sure, just slowing down a little bit, becoming more comfortable.”
