Todd Monken details Stetson Bennett's improvement, play against Alabama

Todd Monken's press conference on Wednesday had a different tone than his last meeting with the media.

When he spoke to reporters on Dec. 28 prior to the Orange Bowl, Monken spent most of his time defending the choice to start Stetson Bennett at quarterback. Bennett followed up those questions with an offensive MVP performance in the 34-11 win over Michigan last Friday night.

On Wednesday, Monken elaborated further on Bennett's development this season. He also discussed Bennett's past play against Alabama and what he needs to do to lead Georgia to a national championship against the Crimson Tide on Monday night.

Monken said the main reason for Bennett's development this season has been experience. For one, he's in his second season in Monken's offensive system and is playing with many returning pass-catchers from last year's team.

That experience also applies to actual game action. Monken said the staff has forgotten at times just how little football Bennett has actually played in his college career.

"There's just the reps that you get in practice and then games that get into your memory bank, whether they're scars or things you've solved or decision-making, I think all comes into that," Monken said. "The longer you play – a guy like Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady or those guys or Ryan Fitzpatrick – some of the things they do now they didn't do early on in their career. That develops over time."

While he is more experienced this season, Bennett is still throwing the ball roughly the same amount per game. The Bulldogs have continued to rely on a ground-based offensive attack with a stifling defense limiting opponents.

Bennett's statistical production has increased of late. Over the past three games, he's passed for 908 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. To be fair, the yardage total is at least a bit skewed by a bevy of pass attempts thrown in the second half of the SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama.

Monken has had faith Bennett can put up those kinds of numbers throughout the season. He often did not need to based on the nature of Georgia's blowout wins throughout the campaign.

"I think that's probably a little unfair that we didn't trust him to throw it down the field," Monken said of the perception the staff didn't have total faith in Bennett. "It was just a matter of opportunities, I think, is more than anything because the way the games went."

Bennett's next and greatest test comes on Monday night when Georgia faces Alabama for the national title again. While he's been solid throughout his career, Bennett has struggled mightily in two matchups with the Crimson Tide.

Over those two contests, Bennett has completed 47-of-88 pass attempts for 609 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions. A couple of those interceptions have come on very poor decisions when Bennett tried to make a play that wasn't there.

But Monken said he doesn't see it as Bennett having two bad games. He said he views it as a player with a strong body of work that, at times, hasn't played up to his standard.

"We just need to understand that the first two halves of each of those games were outstanding, and I've said that before," Monken said. "He has everything we need to be successful offensively. And our issues with turnovers aren't his issue, particularly. That's everybody in this country – if you turn the ball over you're not going to win, no matter how you do it."

Therein lies the keys to success for Bennett on Monday night. If he plays within himself and avoids turnovers, the Bulldogs have a much better chance of taking down the Crimson Tide.

"I can do better as a coordinator to put him in better position to be successful," Monken said. "He understands that. Our team understands that. So I expect him to play well just like I did last week."