For the first time this season, the starting quarterback position is up in the air heading into Saturday's game against Georgia (6 p.m. CT, FS South). Incumbent Larry Smith exited Saturday's game at Alabama due to injury and was replaced by junior Jordan Rodgers.
With just one day of practice to see Smith after his injury, Head Coach James Franklin did not commit to either quarterback during his weekly press conference Monday afternoon.
"We are going to determine that this week and have a competition and kind of see," Franklin said.
Rodgers completed 11-of-18 passes for 104 yards and had two interceptions against Alabama. Meanwhile, Smith was 4-of-6 for 45 yards in less than one quarter of play.
Asked to assess Rodgers' performance against Alabama, Franklin said it was a tail of two halves.
"I thought Jordan played extremely well in the first half," Franklin remarked. "I don't think he played as well as he would have liked to have played or we would have liked in the second half."
Franklin named Smith as the starting quarterback during preseason practice, and he has remained the starter each week despite Rodgers seeing time each game either by design or due to an injury.
In five games, Smith has completed 58.1% of his passes for 457 yards and three touchdowns. Rodgers has completed 62.5% of his passes for 189 yards, but has attempted 61 fewer passes than Smith.
No matter who earns the start, senior guard Kyle Fischer is confident both players can be successful.
"We know the coaches have faith in Larry or Jordan and we have faith in whoever the coaches put in there," Fischer said. "We trust anybody that plays is going to put us in the situation to win the game. Whoever they put back there, we are going to protect them and help them and they are going to lead us to victory."
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