For the second game in a row, Georgia will face a backup quarterback making his first SEC start of the season. Bobby Johnson is switching up the quarterback position this week for Vanderbilt, but Mackenzi Adams has been around the block a few more times than Tennessee’s Nick Stephens.

Adams, a 6-foot-3 redshirt junior, played extensively in Georgia’s 20-17 win in Nashville last season, completing 7 of 10 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 46 yards on 14 carries.

You can see Adams at work in this highlight video of last year’s game. He didn’t start the game, but he was involved in both of Vandy’s second quarter touchdowns. He threw a block on the reverse for the first touchdown, and he threw that infamous touchdown pass that was tipped, juggled, and ruled a touchdown upon review in the back corner of the endzone.

Adams isn’t going to light anyone up for 300 yards, but he’s the kind of pesky, athletic, and tough playmaker who can frustrate a defense with his ability to get out of trouble. Vandy’s turned to him several times this season in relief of the starter, and now the starting job is his. It’s not Adams’ first start; he took over last season also when Chris Nickson was injured and started the final six games of the season. Adams in fact was the quarterback when Vandy went into Columbia and upset South Carolina. His passing numbers were only 8-of-16 for 123 yards, but he did throw for 2 TD, and he led the Commodores with 84 yards on just 13 carries. Adams also threw 3 TD in last season’s narrow loss to Tennessee.