Over the past three games, quarterback Jake Fromm has failed to complete 50 percent of his passes. Unless you’ve been living in Timbuktu for the past week, that’s a stat you've probably encountered more than once.
Fromm’s recent inconsistencies have been the talk of the Georgia nation, and during Monday’s press conference to preview the Bulldogs’ game Saturday at Georgia Tech (Noon, ABC), it didn’t take long for the subject to come up again.
“It’s hard to put a finger on it. Auburn played really tight coverages, and they weren’t easy throws. I thought these guys (Texas A&M), their pass efficiency defense is really stellar. They do some good things defensively. Their coordinator was at Notre Dame; he’s done some really good things and makes it tough at times,” Smart said. “But at times, you’ve got to hit the open guy. I think Jake would be the first to tell you that. We missed a couple, made a couple.”
Take Saturday’s 19-13 over Texas A&M, for example.
Fromm’s failure to connect with George Pickens on a wide-open flea-flicker attempt cost the Bulldogs seven. Earlier, Brian Herrien was all by himself on a wheel route, but the throw was nowhere close and sailed out of bounds.
Fromm's close friend. tight end Charlie Woerner, was asked if there were any concerns about the junior quarterback.
“I don’t think it’s a concern, really. I know this last game was tough, as wet as it was, especially the first half. The second half, the ball was awesome,” Woerner said. “But no, I don’t think there’s any concern. I just attribute it to the ups and downs of the season, and Jake’s still playing good football and really helping the offense get in the right situations.”
Woerner acknowledges these issues have indeed bothered Fromm, but he does his best not to let his mistakes consume his thoughts and stay focused on the task at hand.
“You can tell it bothers him here and there. We’re all competitive athletes, and we want to do the best we can,” Woerner said. “But Jake’s identity is not with football, it’s Christ, so he doesn’t let it bother him too much off the field.”
Fromm, who completed just one of his first six passes against Texas A&M, finished the first half 4 of 13 for 72 yards. He did finish strong, completing 7 of 10 passes for 91 yards in the second, which statistically was actually his best second half of football since the team’s win over Florida.
“Everybody has their games,” linebacker Tae Crowder said. “We just want to stay behind each other, tell them (the players on offense) to keep pushing, and just keep encouraging each other. At times it’s tough, but that’s part of the game.”
However, it’s an area Smart wasn’t shy about saying that Fromm needs to improve.
“There are no easy throws; it’s not like there are any gimmes here,” Smart said. “You try to get high-percentage throws, and we had a couple of those back in the flat to Charlie (Woerner), and swing passes, but we’ve got to do a better job of helping him out; he’s got to do a better job of hitting the ones that are open.”
