Who is keeping UGA fans up at night: Moore or Garcia?

The Georgia Bulldogs will face two extremely talented quarterbacks in the first two weeks of the 2011 schedule in Boise State’s Kellen Moore and South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia. The Bulldogs will be entering the second year of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 conversion, so one would think that the defense would be ready to face all-comers, but you still freak out when two QBs of that caliber are leading the opposition’s huddle. Which quarterback though should Georgia fans be more wary of?

My answer would be Stephen Garcia. With all due respect to South Carolina back-up Connor Shaw, Garcia will be the starter come the Gamecocks visit to Athens because Steve Spurrier needs a QB in there capable of beating the Bulldogs. If Shaw was ready, Garcia wouldn’t have this 984th chance that Spurrier is currently granting him. But why would I fear Garcia over Kellen Moore? Isn’t Moore a virtual lock to pass Colt McCoy as the all-time winningest QB this season? Didn’t Moore lead Boise State to an undefeated season two years ago? Yes he is and yes he did. However, Moore doesn’t have Alshon Jeffery. Stephen Garcia does and that is why I fear Garcia.

Alshon Jeffery is a freak of a receiver, a notch below AJ Green and Julio Jones, but still scary nonetheless. All Garcia will need to do is lob the ball up and Jeffery will use his speed, jumping ability and 6-4, 233 lb size to haul in catch after catch. Moore of Boise State is breaking in two new primary targets. Garcia already has a rapport with Jeffery that helped South Carolina reach the SEC title game last year.

And let’s not forget either that Garcia, while not as special as Tim Tebow, does have Tebow’s size and is tough to bring down on third and two on a draw. Garcia, with his size and his cannon enough to find Jeffery down the field frightens me far more than tiny Kellen Moore does. Moore seriously looks like he would break in two from a big enough hit from John Jenkins, Ray Drew, Jarvis Jones, Alec Ogletree or Cornelius Washington.

Maybe I am underselling Kellen Moore. Perhaps he comes out and lights up the Bulldogs without his top two receivers from last year. But I am definitely afraid of Garcia, especially as long as No.1 is out there for the Gamecocks.