The Hollywood dream
By George Somerville
With the climax of the College Football season only hours away, we take a look at the extraordinary journey’s that the quarterbacks of both finalists have had to get them to a National Championship game.
The truth of the matter is that Disney, Netflix or Amazon could have – no, should have – screenplays written up about the college football careers of both Stetson Bennett and Max Duggan.
This is no exaggeration, as the Georgia and TCU quarterbacks have had to navigate a long and winding road, not only to become their respective team’s QB1, but also to drive them to the nirvana of a National Championship.
Their stories are quite incredible.
History Will Be Made
Regardless of the outcome of Monday night’s game, history will made.
TCU will become the first team from the BIG12 to win a National Championship should they prevail. But Georgia has never won back to back titles, and would become the first team since the college football play off began to do so. These are incredible feats on their own; but for both to do so with quarterbacks who were once considered backups is quite something.
The phrase ‘Cinderella Story’ has been bandied about repeatedly over the last few weeks and probably overused, especially in the context of TCU making it past Michigan and into the National Championship final. But it is equally applicable to the journey both quarterbacks have encountered.
Stetson Bennett, QB, The University of Georgia
Ask Georgia fans and they will happily rhyme off names like Matthew Stafford, Aaron Murray and Jake Fromm as quarterbacks who rank amongst the best in Georgia football history. Of course, over time fans forget the tremendous contributions that Erik Zeier and David Greene had for the Bulldogs, but that’s the younger generations for you. But the one achievement missing for each of these Georgia stars is that of National Championship winner.
Of the list of quarterbacks prior to Stetson Bennett, only Benjamin Franklin – “Buck” Belue as he is better known – has a Championship ring. But yet when asked who the greatest quarterback in Georgia football history is, either name is rarely shouted from the rooftops.
Which is puzzling given the humble beginnings that Stetson Bennet had at Georgia. A Bulldogs fan from a young age, UGA did not recruit him. Unfazed by this snub, Bennett enrolled at UGA deciding to try out for the team as a walk on. Against the odds, Bennett made the scout team with Jake Fromm as the incumbent QB1 who still had years of eligibility left. Bennett hung in there in the hope he would get his chance, but was left reeling when Georgia recruited Justin Fields as the heir apparent to Fromm.
Bennett took the hint and decided to transfer. Again there was not a long list of suitors. In fact there was not a list at all, and Bennett went to Junior college “JUCO” to find consistent game reps and valuable playing time.
It’s fair to say that Bennett was a huge success in JUCO, which kept him on the Bulldogs’ radar. When Bennett graduated from JUCO, as fate would happen, Fields had lost patience waiting on Fromm leaving, and had decided to transfer to Ohio State. This left an opening for Bennett which he was not going to let slip a second time. Bennett transferred and the rest as they say was history.
Well, not quite.
With Jake Fromm off to the NFL the path was clear for Bennett to step up to QB1. However, life is rarely so straightforward and Bennett was rocked for a second time by the news that Georgia recruited JT Daniels, a much heralded transfer from USC. All of a sudden Bennett was relegated back to role of the understudy.
With this transfer Georgia football fans were of the belief that the Bulldogs were National champions in waiting. Except with Daniels at QB – not Bennett.
What is largely forgotten about the COVID-impacted season was that Georgia started the year with four quarterbacks; Daniels, Bennett, D’wan Mathis and Jamie Newman. All three of his teammates were rated higher than Bennett. A theme had emerged. Much lesser people than Stetson Bennett would have cut their losses and run for the hills.
But yet again, Bennett’s perseverance and determination continued to pay off. Newman didn’t seem to have the heart to fight and opted out of playing that season. Daniels could not keep fit and Mathis was a disaster. In that 2020 season Bennett showed glimpses of what was to come – but not consistently.
By the 2021 season there were still doubts as to whether Bennett could lead his team to victory. The season-opening win against Clemson was a landmark victory. However the SEC Championship loss to Alabama had all the naysayers on Bennett’s back.
The revenge game against Alabama in the National Championship matchup in Indianapolis should have been the point that Georgia football fans declared Bennett to be a state treasure and a statue erected of him in Athens. Yet, it was the defense which took all the plaudits. Georgia won the Natty despite its misfiring offense. It seemed Stetson couldn’t catch a break.
This season, things have been different. The offense has stood up and Bennett has been the leader of this team. The Dawgs are now undefeated in 27 regular season games. One more victory, against TCU, will see this Georgia team go down in history as the greatest Dawgs of all time. In a year where UGA lost its spiritual leader, Vince Dooley – this would be a poignant and remarkable tribute.
And with Bennett as the leader and captain of this team, Stetson will go down in history as one of, if not the greatest dawg of all. Whether folks like it or not.
Heisman, Schmeisman.......
Before continuing this fairytale of two quarterbacks, I will pause for one moment to consider this. Indulge me for a moment.
If the Heisman voting was to be cast today, I doubt that Caleb Williams is the winner. No? Let me explain.
The runners up (or three candidates with most votes behind Williams) were, Max Duggan, CJ Stroud and Stetson Bennett IV.
Since the trophy presentation……
Bennett is on the cusp of collecting his second successive National Championship ring. Not only that, but he and his team took out the 4th ranked team in doing so.
Duggan, who we will discuss next, was nothing short of heroic in his team’s victory over Michigan – a Wolverine team that many thought was the best team in the country I may add. Duggan has been instrumental in the Horned Frogs success this year and has shed blood, sweat and tears to achieve it. Duggan would be my vote.
And let’s not forget that CJ Stroud took his team to within a 40 something yard kick to take out the #1 team in the country 10 days ago. I have been dismissive of Ohio State this season but Stroud’s performance against Georgia was as good as any I have seen from a QB in many a year. He was sensational.
Meanwhile, USC lost to arguably the best story in college football this season. USC fell to the Green Wave, bringing down the curtain on what has been a truly remarkable season for head coach Willie Fritz, his coaching staff and his players. Bravo Tulane.
So, to my mind, in a season where there was no clear Heisman front runner, I would argue that all three of the players who ended in the three spots below Williams deserved to be ahead of him.
To me, the Heisman voting is completed too early. Way too early. But I am not the first or last to present this argument. It’s just that this year’s example is so damn obvious.
There. I’ve said my bit. Let’s move on.
Max Duggan, QB, Texas Christian University
But let’s get back to the main topic in hand – the stories of the quarterbacks of the two National Championship finalists – and turn our attention to the leader of the Texas Christian University, Horned Frogs – Max Duggan.
To say that Duggan has come through the pain barrier is no exaggeration.
Unlike Bennett, Duggan was highly recruited. In fact, amongst the leading teams you would expect to be interested in a highly rated quarterback, Notre Dame were favourites to bag Duggan’s commitment. Duggan had dreamt of going to school and playing in South Bend, so it seemed almost certain that the young quarterback from Council Buffs in Iowa would play his football north of the Mason Dixon line. However, as was in the case of Bennett, Duggan’s career path was not so straightforward.
Duggan who appeared undecided right until the final days, chose not to commit to Georgia or Oho State or even his boyhood heroes the Fighting Irish. Duggan chose TCU. The decision appeared to have been based on TCU’s success in developing dual threat quarterbacks. And so Duggan moved to school in Forth Worth, Texas.
Duggan’s freshman year was considered a great success. His appearances were sporadic however he broke the schools freshman records for passing yards and touchdown’s – 2,077 yards and 15 touchdown’s. So far so good.
This success was unfortunately not to last – at least in the short term.
At the start of his sophomore year – the year during which Covid-19 protocols were implemented to protect players – Duggan underwent a routine medical screening. During these tests it was found that the TCU quarterback had a rare heart disorder, a condition that impacts the electrical system of the heart. Duggan underwent a nine hour surgery to correct his condition. However during his recovery a blood clot was detected, with emergency surgery carried out to save his life.
Duggan’s sophomore year had not got off to a good start. Despite these setbacks he was available to start the season and led his team to wins over Iowa State, Texas, Baylor and Oklahoma. TCU’s winning season got the Horned Frogs an invitation to the Texas bowl, albeit the game was cancelled with the shortening of the season due to measures implemented in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. Duggan’s college career was back on track.
Last season was a difficult one for both TCU and for Duggan. Duggan played through injuries including a broken foot and damaged tendons during a time when TCU was losing. Midway through the season and somewhat surprisingly, head coach Gary Patterson left the program. While interim head coach Jerry Kill was settling in, Max Duggan was out as a result of his injuries – which had got so severe that he was unable to carry on. During Duggan’s absence quarterback Chandler Morris filled in and his appearances caught the eye. Prior to the end of the season Sonny Dykes was appointed head coach of the Horned Frogs, who maintained Morris as QB1.
At the start of this season Dykes announced that the QB1 role was up for grabs and would be decided during camps. Rumours were rife that Duggan would transfer, however Max stayed to fight for his place. Despite this valiant effort , offensive coordinator Garrett Riley announced that Morris would start the season at QB for the Horned Frogs.
To his credit Duggan accepted the decision and announced that he would do everything possible to support Morris and the team.
Things were however about to change quickly. During the Horned Frogs’ opener against Colorado, Chandler Morris twisted his knee during the third quarter. This twist of fate opened the door to Duggan and its fair to say the Iowan has never looked back.
Duggan’s season has been nothing short of sensational, and he is the first QB to lead the Frogs to an undefeated regular season since Andy Dalton in 2010.
Aside form being Heisman runner up (winner in my eyes), he also picked up the Davey O’Brien award (for the Nation’s best quarterback) and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award.
To date this season, Duggan has thrown for 3,321 yards and 30 touchdown’s. He is a true dual threat quarterback and has rushed for 404 yards and 6 touchdowns as his feet cause as many problems for opposing teams as his arm. Duggan is a threat, no question.
Should Duggan improve his season by one more win, we know he will create history. Arguably Max Duggan has already beaten the odds – who’s to say he won’t beat the odds again in this game? Not me.
Kirk Herbstreit Talks To The Touchdown
Prior to his sports media role, Herbstreit played for the Ohio State Buckeyes. If you don’t know Kirk’s story I recommend reading his autobiography, “Out of the Pocket”. His words powerfully describe what its like for a student athlete not to live up to expectations – and as a result, to struggle to fit in at college. Herbstreit’s mental health was impacted during his time in Columbus and he considered transferring to another program. This was a big decision for him as his father was a hugely successful player for the Buckeyes who played under legendary head coach Woody Hayes. Growing up, Herbstreit Jr had lived and breathed everything Oho State, and it was his dream to attend school in Columbus and play for the Buckeyes. Which he did – and it was this dream that kept him in Columbus for his senior and final season.
“these guys go in with such pressure and such expectations that when they don’t live up to those initially, I know it can be really hard for a lot of these guys, especially in this social media era that they live in”, Herbstreit told The Touchdown.
“there are some guys that come in as a five star, they walk right on the field and play right away and go off to the NFL three years later. That’s not the norm, but it happens”.
“I think most people have a story where they hit some adversity. That’s why the transfer portal is such an interesting thing. I think it’s good for people, and sometimes I wish guys would be willing to stay in there and kind of fight the fight and really grow and develop as a person… I think most people face whether it’s playing time or it’s an injury or it’s something that prevents you from right away, or a better player ahead of you, whatever it is, you face it”.
“Either it’s a great assistant coach, a position coach, a coordinator, a parent, high school coach, family members, whoever it might be…. I know from talking to guys every week that they rely on whoever their support staff is to help them get through those tough times”.
“I don’t think you’re ever immune to dealing with it. There’s nothing you could ever do to protect yourself from it. You’re going to have to learn to cope with adversity. And these guys are no different today than they were going back in the sixties, seventies, eighties. It’s always kind of been the case. I think the difference is now the coverage and the attention on the sport. And of course, social media and how toxic that can be that these guys have to be able to cope with”.
The Winner Takes It All
So who wins? Well it’s far too cliche to say that both quarterbacks have won already. But they kinda have. Both players will enter the draft and that is of course a different story. But they are leaving their college careers at the top of the game. I know for fact that both players either at the start of their college careers, the start of this season or even at the start of each semi-finals would have paid a huge price (money, body part, soul) to finish their story playing in a National Championship.
Both have made it, despite the odds being stacked against them.
Good luck to both. What a journey, what a ride!
