Stetson Bennett: "Before Todd Monken Got here I Really Didn't Understand Football"
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ATLANTA - Georgia Bulldogs QB Stetson Bennett talked about getting ready to take on Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2022 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoffs.
Q. Stetson, when you look at this Ohio State defense, what stands out to you about it and just what that defense does really well and how you guys will have to counteract it?
STETSON BENNETT: First of all, they have really good players and they execute their system. They try to cause havoc. They can come from a lot of different places. They do their assignment, and in order for us to be successful, we have to do ours. And that's trusting Sed, whenever he's making the calls and talking to him. But at the end of the day, they've got a really good football team. We've got a really good football team, and it's going to come down to who executes better on Saturday.
Q. Stetson, what has Todd Monken meant to you personally and how has he helped develop you and support you?
STETSON BENNETT: You know, a ton. I feel like before he got here, I didn't really understand football. It's weird, even in 2020, didn't really know what was going on. You know, I guess I knew what play was called. Other than that, you know, I mean, I don't really know how to describe it. But it's just the countless meetings. Maybe I'm a slow learner, but finally it did start clicking whenever he would tell me the same thing for the 20th time and look at me like I was, you know, like why do you not do what I just tell you to do? I'm your coach. And so just repetitive, just doing that. I think honestly, the most important thing that he's done is just stay consistent, you know. Be there, because we do have a lot of knuckleheads who need time and reps and all that stuff to learn. So sometimes he's not very patient, but he's very consistent, and we hear the same thing every single day. And eventually you're going to start doing things right if you hear that every day.
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Q: Coach Smart has talked about it before, your desire to prove people wrong, right, and the chip on your shoulder. Does that stay there even with a Heisman invite and a national championship ring and an SEC championship, and if so, how do you keep that as a motivating factor for you?
STETSON BENNETT: I mean, it's never been a chip on my shoulder or prove people wrong. It's hard to describe, but I don't think of it that way, right? Because, I don't know, but I just want to be the best I can be, and if I'm not, then I start to, you know, be like, I don't know, I don't like it. And I love football, and I want to play football. Heisman ceremony was very -- that was a huge honor. That's not why I play, you know. So that's not going to change the way I play. We've got a game to win, and gotta prepare like it. Otherwise we won't.
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Q. Stetson, in every great Hollywood script, the hero overcomes a low point or some adversity. For you, what was it and who did you lean on to get through it?
STETSON BENNETT: Just in my life? I mean, there's a lot of ups and downs, you know, when I wasn't playing. And when I was playing, I didn't play well enough and then I wasn't playing again, and you know, all those things. As far as leaned on, I didn't really -- you know, I talked to those -- to people who made me feel good, but then at the end of the day, I realized that, yeah, this makes me feel good, but if I want something to change, then I gotta stop leaning on anybody. I gotta go do something to change it. And so I think that's what happened at the end of the day.
THE MODERATOR: Stetson, do you see any advantages that they have?
STETSON BENNETT: That Ohio State has? Yeah, certainly. Yeah. I don't really want to get into the particulars right now, but obviously they were undefeated until the last game of the season. It's hard to do that. And we were, too, last year until we lost to Alabama, and then we ended up winning it all. So we certainly are not taking Ohio State lightly. Like they said, they've got advantages all over the board. So we're going to have to go play football.
Q: I'm just curious, a unique relationship between quarterback and center. Maybe speak about how one has lessened the burden or maybe the workload on Saturdays between the other and how the relationship has developed.
STETSON BENNETT: Yeah, like you just kind of find that mold where you're not -- it happens smoothly, and I don't think we've -- we may have dropped two snaps.
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Q. Stetson, it's not like you guys play any small games. They're all in front of 75, 80 or 100,000 on national TV, but some of your biggest games have come on the biggest stages, playoffs last year, the opener, SEC championship. What is it about the biggest stages that brings out often the best in you?
STETSON BENNETT: I don't know. I think I -- I don't know. I understand the importance of it may be. I don't know. And, again, if there's no choice, it's easy. Right? I mean, if you don't give yourself another choice than to play well or win, then you don't have another option and you don't waste any time looking for that option. You spend all your time looking to win. So that's kind of how I think about it.