Brock Vandagriff’s most extensive playing time in three seasons as a Georgia football backup quarterback came on Oct. 7 last season in a 51-13 rout of Kentucky at Sanford Stadium.

It included a 7-yard touchdown pass in the waning minutes. He threw just one more pass the rest of the season and hit the transfer portal after the SEC championship game.

Vandagriff, the former five-star from Prince Avenue Christian in Bogart, quickly landed at Kentucky.

That set up a showdown against his former team at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Lexington.

“A lot of respect for Brock, his dad, his family,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Monday. “What Brock did for this university is awesome. He was a wonderful teammate and just a great kid. Always put the team first and would do anything to help the team. He really helped our culture while he was here. So a lot of appreciation for what he did. The fact that he graduated from here is really cool. He told me he was going to do that and he was going to go play.”

The No. 1 Bulldogs (2-0) are 23½-point favorites.

Kentucky (1-1) was drilled 31-6 on Saturday by South Carolina in a game Vandagriff was sacked four times and finished 3-for-10 for 30 yards with an interception returned for a touchdown.

“Brock’s a great quarterback. I know that," safety Dan Jackson said. "I’ve been here for three years with him. He’s a great dude. We’re focused on Kentucky and the game plan and just getting better.”

Said outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss: "What he did last week doesn’t say what he’s going to this week and what we did last week doesn’t mean what we’re going to do this week.”

Vandagriff and inside linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson both transferred from Georgia to Kentucky this offseason.

They were part of the nation's No. 3 recruiting class in 2021.

“Just happy to see them boys,” defensive end Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins said after Saturday’s 48-3 win over Tennessee Tech. “I came in with them actually, COVID class. Just happy to see them succeed and hope the best for them after seeing them next week.”

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: What Kirby Smart said about Georgia football facing Brock Vandagriff