Quarterback JT Daniels cleared for contact. What it means for UGA ahead of Auburn game
Georgia’s quarterback competition has another name in the mix.
Head coach Kirby Smart announced Monday that Southern Cal transfer J.T. Daniels has been officially cleared for contact in his recovery from a torn ACL last season. This paves the way for him to potentially appear in a game after he did not play in the season opener against Arkansas.
Smart said Daniels has hit the strength percentages and passed all the tests the medical staff put him through on the injured right knee. Mobility-wise he’s fine, but the coaches still want to see him do it on the field.
“He’s still got to be able to go out there and prove to us that he can do it in the game-like situations and the practice-like situations,” Smart said. “That’s not easy to do during the week at times.”
Against Arkansas, redshirt freshman starter D’Wan Mathis got replaced by junior Stetson Bennett IV after Mathis completed 6-of-14 passes for 37 yards and an interception in over a quarter of action. Bennett fared well, going 20-of-29 for 211 yards and two touchdowns, but Daniels comes as the option with more upside.
Smart said Bennett provided a spark to the offense, bringing experience and composure that was desperately needed after a rough start. However, he reiterated Monday that the miscues don’t fall solely on Mathis.
“It’s not his fault a play got called back for holding,” Smart said. “It’s not his fault a guy missed a pickup on third down, and he almost turned that into a first down. He did a lot of good things early on there, and we just never could put good things back to back.”
Being cleared doesn’t guarantee Daniels will be the starter. Smart said he still has to show he can function within the team’s offense and stand up to the contact with his injured knee. The staff will evaluate him in practice throughout the week along with Mathis and Bennett.
Each quarterback will rotate with the starting unit during practice, along with the second and third teams. Smart also left open the possibility of playing more than one quarterback if he thinks that gives the team the best chance to win.
For the Bulldogs to have success against Auburn on Saturday and against the rest of the SEC slate moving forward, the entire offense will need to improve.
“It’s a lot more important how we play around him and how we support him because whoever’s able to do that the best and get the most out of the people around him is probably going to be the guy that moves the ball and produces,” Smart said. “At the end of the day, that’s what we want to do.”
Note: Georgia junior punter Jake Camarda on Monday was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week. Against Arkansas, he punted seven times for an average of 49.9 yards (second nationally) and for a 47.0 net (fourth nationally). He finished with four punts of 50 yards or more.
Next game: Georgia vs. Auburn
Where: Sanford Stadium in Athens
When: 7:30 pm Saturday
TV: ESPN
This story was originally published September 28, 2020 at 12:11 PM.