ATLANTA — Georgia coach Kirby Smart had just one question after hearing star quarterback Jake Fromm broke his hand on July 1.
"Which hand?"
The rest isn't what you'd expect. Smart said a wakeboard hit Fromm's non-throwing hand. He has a cast and hasn't missed a rep. Smart said the rest of the story is sensationalized through social media. That's all there is to it. Really.
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"We're acting like this is a big deal," Smart said at SEC Media Days on Tuesday. "It's only a big deal because you know about it. I think it's great out doing those things. I think it's great that he's not sitting home playing Fortnite all day."
The other reason it's a big deal is the social media hype surrounding incoming freshman Justin Fields, a five-star quarterback and Fromm's backup heading into the 2018 season. Fromm, of course, made his first start at Notre Dame and led Georgia to the College Football Playoff championship game as a true freshman. And considering Jacob Eason transferred to Washington after Fromm took the team over, it poses an interesting question going forward.
"It's a fantastic problem to have," SEC Network analyst Matt Stinchcomb told Sporting News. "You've seen this time and again where the most important position on the field is quarterback. We saw it in the national title game. … If he's game-ready, he can lead you to a national title game in two quarters of play."
Stinchcomb compared the Fromm-Fields dynamic to when Georgia used the two-quarterback system of David Greene and D.J. Shockley from 2001-04. The Bulldogs won the SEC championship with those two quarterbacks in 2002.
"This a perfect analogy to the Greene-Shockley scenario in that you've got two very capable quarterbacks with two very distinct skill sets," Stinchcomb said. "It mirrors that closely."
Other than that, there isn't much drama heading into the season opener against Austin Peay. Fromm is the clear-cut starter. Smart said Fromm has a brace on his non-throwing hand and will be ready to build on last season. Fromm finished with 2,615 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions and fills a leadership void left by running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel — stars who were both taken in the first 35 picks of the 2018 NFL Draft.
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Terry Godwin, Georgia's top returning receiver, said Fromm has taken advantage of his first full offseason as the Bulldogs' starter.
"It was motivation for him to get better," Godwin said. "He took this spring and this summer as an opportunity to better himself and better his team as well."
Senior defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter also has been impressed with Fields, an early enrollee.
"(He's a) gun-slinging athlete," he said. "I mean he can run the ball. That's what he likes to do — he'll tell you that himself. He also has a cannon. He's a good football player, and he wouldn't be at Georgia if he wasn't."
Fields should get more opportunities in fall camp, and Stinchcomb believes there's an opportunity for the five-star freshman to be a player who gets opportunities in specific offensive packages.
"I think he'll play," Stinchcomb said. "Not that they would have to redshirt anyway, but the rules kind of allow for potentially not for Justin Fields for maybe others."
That's how Georgia will enter the 2018 season – with the same quarterback intrigue as Alabama, who has a training camp battle with Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts, and Clemson, which also has a five-star freshman in Trevor Lawrence vying for time behind Kelly Bryant.
Smart has a plan, and it won't change unless there is an injury during the season or prolonged ineffectiveness for either one. Given the talent in Georgia's quarterback room, it seems a given both will contribute to that SEC championship defense.
If that continues, then it will be a sensational story where it matters most.
"I am really excited about watching these two guys come out and lead our program and lead their units," Smart said. "They've both done a tremendous job of embracing that role."
