Tuesday night I did a segment and article on Jake Fromm which you can go back, read and listen here, if you’d like. The point of the segment. was to preview the Georgia/Notre Dame game. As I was prepping for that show I realized something. Not only is this is a must win game for UGA, it feels like a must-win game for Jake Fromm. I laid out 3 main points:
1. If UGA loses this game they are basically out of the playoffs.
2. Fromm has struggled in big games.
3. This is Fromm's last shot. There is no next year.
Did the segment. Thought I nailed it. Moving on....OR NOT...
Now, the day after that segment, it was posted on our 92.9 the game twitter handle, @929theGame, and it blew up. Fans were furious! Hundreds of people commenting that it was, “the dumbest thing they’ve ever heard” and that I was, “completely wrong.”
Not only is this a huge game for UGA, it's huge for Jake Fromm, @RealThomasMott says.1. If Fromm loses, you can basically kiss UGA's Playoff hopes goodbye.2. Fromm has struggled in the big games.3. This is Fromm's last shot. There is no next year.https://t.co/6a8tC6qUBE
— 92.9 The Game (@929TheGame) September 18, 2019Are you ok? Your logic is as if you have had some sort of serious brain trauma. #GoDawgs
— Jerry Heñson --⚫️--⚫️-- (@mejerryhenson) September 18, 2019So with all of the negativity and all of the angry comments. Let’s go back and take an honest look with what I said.
Starting with number 1. IF UGA loses this game, they are basically out of the playoffs. Now, people on twitter saw that headline alone and freaked out.
Guys. I know. Georgia is not MATHEMATICALLY ELIMINATED FROM THE PLAYOFF IF THEY LOSE TO ND. The point is, it becomes pretty damn hard to get into the playoff with an early HOME loss to a team that EVERYONE IN THE NATION IS EXPECTING YOU TO BEAT. Georgia is a 14 point favorite. If they lose this game it will create all kinds of questions. The biggest of which, “Is this team actually good enough to compete?”
YES they can still win out and make the playoffs. But if they can’t beat a 14 point underdog Notre Dame in Athens, what makes you believe they can win against Texas A&M, Auburn on the road, and Bama or LSU in the SEC Title game. Now, could they still win out? Sure, but will they win out if they lose on Saturday? I’m still not convinced.
Plus; (and this was my whole argument on Tuesday night) if Georgia is undefeated all year and loses a close game to Bama in the SEC title game, they could still sneak in as a 4 seed. I don’t see any scenario where Georgia loses Saturday and loses the SEC title game and still makes it in.
Number 2: This was the real controversial one: I said on Tuesday night, Jake Fromm has struggled in the big games.
Good Lord people got mad about this. You’d think I’d committed a crime. It's kind of funny, do you even notice how fans of QB who win but don’t win the big one are super sensitive?
Listen, Jake Fromm has been up and down in big games. That’s okay. Has he played well enough to win? Sure. But has he actually done everything possible to win? I don’t think so. You can make the argument that the 3 biggest games of Jake Fromm’s career are the national championship game against Bama, the SEC title game against Bama, and the Sugar Bowl against Texas last year.
I know...I know he was good in the Rose Bowl against Oklahoma: 2 TDS and 210 yards passing, but let's not forget that Nick Chubb and Sony Michell combined for 326 yards on the ground.
I digress, back to the actual 3 biggest games...in the 2018 National Championship game, Freshman, Jake Fromm had a 50% comp percentage, 2 ints and a 36.9 QBR. Did he play well enough to win? Sure but the final 6 drives he touched the football. UGA went Interception-Punt-Punt-3 and out - 3 and out-Field Goal (that came after Jake took a 13 yard sack on 3rd and 6 in OT).
Next the SEC Title game last year. You screamed at me that, “Fromm had 3 TDS.” “Fromm had an 81.5 QBR in that game”. Okay that’s good. But again, what happened in the second half? On the final 6 drives; game is on the line, Bama comes all the way back. You gotta go make a play. Make a drive. Fromm goes 8-19 for 70yards and 5 drives that ended in a punt or a turnover on downs.
Quickly, the Sugar Bowl against texas. Fromm has a 39 QBR. In the second half he throws 1 TD to Mecole Hardman and 1 in garbage time, when they were already down 2 scores. The rest of his drives Georgia goes interception-punt-punt-punt.
What am I missing here? Why is there such an outrage? Listen, is Jake Fromm a good QB. Yes. Can Jake Fromm lead this team to a national championship game? YES! Has Fromm played well in some big games? Yes. BUT, (And you have to be honest with me) has Jake Fromm struggled late in the biggest games? Yes, and that’s okay. College QBs tend NOT to be perfect.
Finally, the last point I made that people freaked out on: This is Jake Fromm’s last year. “No way Thomas. He could come back for his Senior year?” Really? Does anyone actually believe this? The only reason Jake Fromm comes back is if he struggles mightily this year. And if that happens you won’t be calling me a clown in defense of Fromm in the end.
Listen. I get it. Fromm is a touchy subject. I said some “absolutes” I thought were obvious, that I now know needed to be explained better. The whole point is that Georgia cannot lose to Notre Dame this week and Jake Fromm cannot have a bad game. I will be watching. You will be watching. The nation will be watching. And most importantly, the College Football Playoff Committee will be watching as well. GO DAWGS!
