If Eason doesn't get significant playing time at Missouri...

he would probably be justified not only in transferring but possibly in leaving the team now.

This would obviously be a bad thing for UGA - considering Ramsey would become the backup QB - but Eason really ought to be a little ticked off after the Vanderbilt situation.

Despite our domination of Vandy, Eason didn't come in until very late and wasn't given snaps with the first team. Kirby explained continuing with Fromm for almost the entire game by saying, "It's a feel thing." When he did go in, Eason had some bad luck...though Kirby basically tried to "own" that sack...moot either way.

My point is, sending in your backup quarterback for the last few minutes of a blow-out makes complete sense in most circumstances.

But does it make sense when that backup quarterback was actually the starter at the beginning of the season and had been out purely due to injury? It's not like he lost his job by being outperformed in a head-to-head battle with Fromm while both were healthy.

Smart's handling of the situation at Vandy sends a pretty strong message to Eason. The message is, "We're winning with Fromm, so even though you're healthy now, you're not going to get an opportunity to win the the job back -- unless Fromm gets hurt."

Fromm seems a better fit for this kind of offense, even if he can't make every NFL throw and won't often have to pass more than 15 times a game.

That said, if I was one of the top 2-3 pro style QB's in the country coming out of high school, started as a freshman with a crappy OL in front of me, and was the starter until I got hurt, I think I would be taking it personally that I was only given a few minutes of garbage time at the end of the Vandy game. I would definitely be paying very close attention to my role at Missouri.

If Eason gets 3-4 minutes with the #2's and #3's at the end of the next game, neither he nor his family owe Smart further allegiance. He could rightfully say, "Since I'm not actually being given further opportunity, I'm going to check out now...not be your emergency QB for 6 to 8 more games."

Smart needs to go with the best QB for this team...and that may be Fromm. (Let's face it, Eason was really Richt's recruit and Fromm was the guy Smart flipped from Alabama in his first real recruiting class).

At the same time, I can't say I would blame Eason for giving Smart the metaphorical single-finger salute if he's wearing a headset on the sidelines after we're up 30-3 at halftime against Missouri. (That is, unless Eason is actually getting some first-team time in practice and simply isn't performing as well as Fromm).