The Georgia Bulldogs knew that they would be losing their backup quarterback in Brock Vandagriff, but they didn't expect that the QB would decide to transfer to another SEC school in the Kentucky Wildcats.
Shortly after announcing his decision to enter the transfer portal, Vandagriff quickly decided to commit to Kentucky and head coach Mark Stoops, according to recruiting expert Hayes Fawcett.
BREAKING: Former Georgia QB Brock Vandagriff has Committed to Kentucky, he tells @on3sports
The 6?3 216 QB was ranked as a 5-Star in the ?21 Class ?
Will have 2 years of eligibility remaining https://t.co/fNXwD51jr6 pic.twitter.com/IRdNSfqa1d
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 6, 2023
Coming out of Prince Avenue Christian High School in Georgia, Vandagriff was a 4-star recruit and a top-five quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class. After several years of sitting behind two-time national champion Stetson Bennett, Vandagriff couldn't win the starting battle over Carson Beck this offseason, but managed to see some playing time. He finished the year with 12 completions on 18 pass attempts for 165 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions.
Beck was simply too dominant for Vandagriff to compete with him this season. The 6'4" junior threw for 3,738 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just six interceptions while nearly leading the Bulldogs to yet another College Football Playoff appearance and SEC championship. With those goals falling just short, it's likely that Beck will return for his senior season, which likely played a factor in Vandagriff deciding to transfer.
For the Wildcats, senior quarterback Devin Leary will be graduating after a decent one season with Kentucky following a four-year career with N.C. State. That departure left a massive hole in Kentucky's offense, giving Vandagriff the perfect opportunity to show up and compete for the team's starting quarterback job.
Still, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart probably isn't thrilled that one of his top quarterback recruits decided to stay within the conference for his remaining two years of college eligibility. That will just add some extra motivation for Smart's Bulldogs if they end up facing Vandagriff in 2024 or 2025.
