Brett Davis/Associated Press
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jacob Eason limped to the locker room in the first quarter of Saturday’s game against Appalachian State with a left knee injury, according to the Athens Banner-Herald‘s Marc Weiszer.
The school said Eason was “out for now” after taking a late hit out of bounds, according to DawgNation’s Seth Emerson.
“Got a little bit of a knee sprain,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said to Chuck Dowdle on UGA radio, per Emerson. “We think he could be back as early as possible. We don’t know when that [would be].”
This is a difficult setback for the sophomore considering he was looking to build on his successful freshman season. He finished the 2016 campaign with 2,430 passing yards, 16 touchdown throws and eight interceptions and led the Bulldogs to a Liberty Bowl victory.
Fortunately for Georgia, it has Jake Fromm to fill in for Eason while the starter is sidelined. Fromm pushed Eason enough before the season to force Smart to declare Eason as the starter in July.
“Jacob Eason is our starter going into the season,” Smart said, per Edward Aschoff of ESPN.com. “Jake Fromm’s got to do something to beat him out. Very similar to a lot of positions. You’ve got to beat them out. But we’re very excited about both of them.”
Fromm was a highly regarded freshman who arrived on Georgia’s campus with plenty of expectations and hype. He will have a chance to prove his mettle in the difficult SEC if Eason is forced to miss significant time.
