Stetson Bennett's Heisman weekend 'bigger than the dream' for UGA QB's family, too

NEW YORK — Having a son up for the Heisman Trophy as a finalist calls for dressing sharp.

So Stetson Bennett III ordered a new suit to be shipped to New York for him to wear on the nationally televised presentation of the award for college football’s top player Saturday night.

It didn’t arrive in time so he went shopping Saturday and bought another — it’s blue.

Georgia football quarterback Stetson Bennett IV was the school’s first finalist in 30 years. He finished fourth in the voting with Southern Cal quarterback Caleb Williams taking home the award.

“It’s just a really special weekend, just unbelievable,” his father said speaking less than six hours before the ceremony on a bustling eighth floor of the Marriott Marquis while wearing a “Dawgs” shirt and Georgia cap. “It’s bigger than the dream. Every little boy that plays quarterback has dreamed of throwing a touchdown for a national championship. I don’t know of any that have ever dreamed of this moment. A really, really special moment.”

There was another morning live TV appearance for Bennett but this time it didn’t come after an overnight of celebration and little sleep.

Bennett hit the 8 a.m. SportsCenter 11 months to the day of lifting up the national championship trophy. A bleary-eyed Bennett then did a “Good Morning America,” hit hours after drinking from the bottle of 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.

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During his segment this time, it was pointed out that he will have to handle questions from NFL teams about being a 25-year old draft prospect.

A graphic was shown listing seven NFL quarterbacks younger than Bennett, but he flipped the premise of the question that it would work against him.

“Are all of a sudden quarterbacks dying now at 30?” Bennett said.

Bennett and the other finalists—Southern Cal’s Caleb Williams, TCU’s Max Duggan and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud--posed for photos Friday at The Edge observation deck—which bills itself as the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.

“It was clear so you could see all the boroughs,” his father said. “Just great lighting for pictures.”

There was a Heisman dinner Friday night that included past winners and finalists were presented plaques.

Bennett’s father spoke to Steve Spurrier, the 1966 Heisman winner who made life miserable for Georgia at Florida, and also got a chance to meet two-time Heisman winner Archie Griffin from Ohio State, Tony Dorsett from Pitt and Danny Wuerffel from Florida.

“I ate right beside RG3 and his wife,” he said of Robert Griffin III, the 2011 winner from Baylor and now ESPN analyst. “Probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to shake hands with a two-time Heisman Trophy winner. That was great just getting to visit and mingle for two our three hours.”

Stetson’s mother, Denise, and his four siblings are also here. Some other relatives are here as well.

Bennett said he walked around Times Square with a cousin on Friday night and tried to get a little rest during the day Saturday because he knew "it would be such a big night."

His father said: “We had the Bennett family Christmas this weekend. There would have bene a lot more if it wasn’t for that.”

Bennett is the unlikeliest of finalists.

Williams was a 5-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite, Stroud a high 4-star and Duggan also a 4-star. Stetson Bennett was off the radar with small school offers who walked on at Georgia.

“He’s doing things people on 5-star, 4-star radars hope to do,” Stroud said. “That stuff doesn’t really matter. I told him today that’s dope that you can inspire other people to do the same. That’s the thing about football I love it doesn’t matter the size you are, what color, where you come form this game at the end of the day can make you humble and it will show you what you really are as a man. I think he really stepped up to the plate.

The sixth year senior from Blackshear is the second oldest Heisman finalist after Chris Weinke who won the award as a 28-year old in 2000.

“Stetson has done a great job,” Stroud said. “He is very accurate; he moves in the pocket well and is athletic. He can get out of the pocket and stretch plays longer. He just makes plays. As a quarterback that’s what you want to do.”

Bennett and Georgia quarterback Carson Beck hosted Williams, who played at Gonzaga College High School in Washington DC, on an official visit as a recruit before he chose Oklahoma.

Bennett said they chilled out watching football sitting on a couch.

“He's a chill dude, baller, good football player,” Bennett said. “I am excited about - besides the honor of the award and all that stuff, I'm excited to get to know these guys and who they are. Y'all as fans and media probably know more about each other than we do. We're worried about what they do, if they're running zone or man, not really who they are."

Bennett’s weekend here is another memory that he’ll long remember like his national championship from last year, the unbeaten regular season this year and the SEC championship win over LSU a week ago.

Being with your son as he's up for the Heisman is a long way from coaching him play a travel schedule with the rec team Brantley Bandits in South Georgia when Stetson was 12.

“It’s really been neat,” his father said, “to soak it all in.”

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia QB Stetson Bennett's family soaking up Heisman weekend