Stetson Bennett has certainly garnered a lot of respect over the past year for the job he’s done as Georgia’s starting quarterback.

One of those admirers is none other than Florida head coach Billy Napier.

When Napier was the head coach at Louisiana, he offered a scholarship to Bennett, who was then at Jones Junior College. Had Georgia not stepped in, Bennett could well have played for Napier and the Rajin’ Cajuns.

Instead, Bennett will line up against the coach who, to this day, holds Bennett in extremely high regard.

“I just thought the guy had a really good skill set. He was a very, very productive player in high school. He’s a winner, and he had a little bit of a chip on his shoulder that I respected,” Napier told UGASports during Wednesday’s SEC Teleconference. “I thought he would bring a lot to our team and playing quarterback. There’s a lot more that goes into it than physical traits. Stetson’s got those things.”

For Bennett, the feeling is mutual.

“It was extremely hard. There were a few schools like that,” Bennett recalled. “(Louisiana) and Samford were probably my toughest ones. I just love Hatch (Samford coach Chris Hatcher). He was my high school coach’s quarterback in college, so we had a good relationship there and I knew his offense pretty well.

"It was a tough phone call, but I’m sure he had to make those same phone calls when he came to Florida. That’s this game. You make your decisions, let them know, you say alright, they say alright, and smile the next time you see them.”

Naturally, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is glad Bennett made the decision he did. Entering Saturday’s game against the Gators (3:30 p.m., CBS), Bennett has completed 162 of 229 passes for 2033 yards, the third-most in the SEC behind Mississippi State’s Will Rogers (2,555) and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker (2,093).

Although Bennett has thrown for just seven touchdowns, he has rushed for an additional five.

Of course, the fact Bennett quarterbacked the Bulldogs to last year’s national championship is also a substantial feather in his cap.

“It (winning the championship) has not changed him as far as the winning and the role. He’s always been a happy guy. He loves to compete, he loves football. He’s certainly in the spotlight more than anyone else in terms of his reps and his practice habits,” Smart said. “But not much else has changed. I just know he enjoys the game, the camaraderie with the guys, and he likes the big moments of competing. It’s what you look for in a quarterback.”

That’s something Napier realized a long time ago.

“His confidence level comes as a result of a lot of hard work, right? He’s proven to be an effective player,” Napier said. “I’m proud of him for it. I got to know him; I know him, I know his family, and I know where they’re from and what they’re about.”