The Georgia Bulldogs fell just short of the College Football Playoff after a devastating loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game. Though many believe Kirby Smart’s team was among the four best in the sport, the Bulldogs will square off against Texas in the Sugar Bowl and, in short, that probably isn’t an exciting outcome for a program with incredibly lofty aspirations.
With that said, the Georgia coaching staff would likely prefer not to deal with an intriguing subplot that is reportedly developing, as Dan Wolken of USA Today brings word that backup quarterback Justin Fields intends to transfer from the program.
Fields, who was a consensus five-star prospect as a dual-threat player from nearby Kennesaw, Georgia, was used sporadically during the 2018 season, compiling 328 passing yards and 266 rushing yards for the Bulldogs. However, Georgia has an impressive incumbent at the position in Jake Fromm and, given the way that the sophomore played this season, it was clear that Fields would likely have to wait his turn until Fromm progressed to the professional ranks in some capacity.
During the 2018 season, Fields’ future was a constant topic of conversation, as he is clearly an immense talent. Georgia seemingly elected to deploy him in a larger role than you might expect, perhaps in an effort to keep the young and talented player happy and in Athens, but that effort seemingly failed and Fields will be the hottest name on the non-graduate transfer market in the near future.
It remains to be seen as to where Justin Fields will land for next season and beyond but, to put it plainly, he is the type of prospect that could be a program-changer wherever he lands and that will lead to quite a circus in the coming days.
