Eason is at ease in his role for Bulldogs

Former starter knows Fromm is No. 1 unless he struggles or gets hurt.

Jacob Eason started 12 games as a freshman but is now the backup. “He’s handling things the right way,” his coach says.

ATHENS — Jacob Eason had a good practice Tuesday, according to his coach. Eason was in a good mood, as he is every day, according to a Georgia teammate and classmate.

“I see him smiling every day,” fellow sophomore Julian Rochester said. “I mess with him every day. That’s my dog.”

But that’s not Georgia’s starting quarterback anymore, at least until Jake Fromm gets injured or struggles. It’s a remarkable change in a relatively short amount of

time for the once-hyped recruit who started 12 games as a freshman and entered the season as the entrenched starter.

So how is Eason handling it? “I think he’s doing a great job,” coach Kirby Smart said after practice Tuesday. “He’s very mature. He’s handling things the right way.”

Smart has never come out and proclaimed Fromm is the new starter, and that may be because

CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM Quarterback Jake Fromm (11) has led the Dogs to a 6-0 start and a No. 4 ranking after he stepped in when Jacob Eason (10) was injured in the first game.