Kirby Smart sets record straight on UGA’s quarterbacks, and where Bennett can improve

Kirby Smart took the podium Monday ahead of the rivalry showdown against Florida. He removed his face covering while knowing what inquiry would likely follow. Smart spoke a few words, and the inevitable came with the first question.

A direct ask about quarterbacks.

“I’m going to be the bad guy right off of the bat here,” the reporter said.

No, no bad guys here. The question needed to be asked. Smart has been mostly hush-hush about the quarterbacks other than restating his confidence in current starter Stetson Bennett each week.

But what about JT Daniels? Can he truly play if needed?

“The only physical limitations (with JT) are still coming off the knee, which he hasn’t shown a lot of ailments coming off the knee,” Smart said Monday. “He’s been out of the brace, been able to throw the ball.”

Daniels suffered a torn ACL at Southern Cal in his first game of the 2019 season against Fresno State. He underwent surgery to repair the tear, then had another procedure in December to clean up his knee. Daniels received an immediate eligibility waiver to play at Georgia, and signs pointed to him being the starter after graduate transfer Jamie Newman opted out. Some have perceived Daniels’ prolonged absence as a connection to his health or a lack of trust in his knee.

Georgia director of sports medicine Ron Courson cleared Daniels for contact, so perhaps health isn’t the full story. Smart said Daniels works frequently with the Bulldogs on the scout team and does “a good job.”

What about D’Wan Mathis, who briefly wiped his Instagram account of any Georgia mention Sunday, and had some fans believing a decision to transfer might be imminent?

“I talked to him before practice—I talked to him for a while,” Smart said. “We kind of visit each week with the quarterbacks to keep them updated on where things are. ... He wants to play. He is a competitor. He wants an opportunity to get in and compete.”

At this time, frankly, Georgia is not budging on its starting quarterback.

“Ultimately, we feel like Stetson gives us the best chance to win right now,” Smart said. “But, at the end of the day, the decision has to be made by us that gives us the best chance to win. We do that based on the total body of work. Those are tough decisions that have to be made.”

The curiosity around Georgia’s quarterback position began once Newman opted out and hasn’t died down as the season eclipses its midway point. The Bulldogs once seemed to have an embarrassment of riches at quarterback with five on scholarship, but it has turned into uncertainty in who can effectively lead the offense. Georgia traveled four quarterbacks, including freshman Carson Beck, to Lexington in the 14-3 win over Kentucky last Saturday.

If there’s any semblance of doubt or second-guessing the quarterback position internally, it isn’t very evident.

“I feel like we have a great plan going forward. Whoever the coaches choose to put back there, my confidence is in them,” offensive tackle Jamaree Salyer said. “Stetson is a great leader who cares about what he does. He trusts the system that (offensive coordinator Todd Monken) puts in. I have all of the confidence in the world in Stetson.”

Bennett took over the role after Mathis earned the season-opening start at Arkansas. Mathis played for four series, threw one interception and was pulled after the Bulldogs trailed 7-2.

Bennett entered and led Georgia to a 37-10 win over the Razorbacks. He followed it with consecutive wins at home over Auburn and Tennessee. In a loss to Alabama and a close win over Kentucky, however, Georgia’s offense has a stagnant feel.

The Bulldogs didn’t score in the second half against the Crimson Tide and only scored on the opening drive of each half against the Wildcats. The uncertainty carries over to a rivalry game with Florida where Georgia will have to keep pace with an offense that averages 42 points per game. Georgia’s defense is decimated with injuries, too.

Bennett has thrown five interceptions over those two games to go with 131 passing yards in a run-heavy game at Kentucky. The 5-foot-11 quarterback also had two fumbles, both of which were recovered by Georgia.

“Everyone played well today — except me,” Bennett said before Georgia departed Kroger Field.

Mathis and Daniels are lobbying to play, Smart said.

“He competes really hard at (practice) and continues to improve,” Smart said of Mathis while echoing that sentiment for Daniels. “When he shows us that he is the better guy, then he will be the guy up.”

Georgia gave the backups extra reps over the off week, but Daniels warmed up with the third-team offense ahead of the Kentucky game. A large block of Daniels’ practice time is spent simulating the opponent.

Daniels has traveled with the team each week, including against Arkansas when he wasn’t yet cleared for contact. A seat on the team plane — when the Bulldogs can only travel 70 players — would seem to indicate that Georgia might be awaiting an opportunity to insert Daniels into a game. Smart suggested that Daniels’ health isn’t too significant of an issue, however, and competition continues.

Smart’s persistent confidence in his starting quarterback is mirrored in how he feels about Georgia’s offense. He thinks it is better than the scoreboard has shown. Smart hasn’t swayed from that sentiment since the season began, and hopes Georgia “gets an opportunity to show it.” Georgia has consistently, other than the Kentucky game, been strong in one half of offensive football while following it with a dud.

Monken has “full autonomy,” Smart said, in his role in offensive play-calling and various decisions. Smart said that’s why he hired Monken, to do his job after a couple decades of coaching experience. In order to see an uptick in points, the Bulldogs have pinpointed a few specific needs for improvement.

“We can improve by protecting the ball, sliding once you make a good decision to run, and when you get near contact you can get down,” Smart said. “Making good decisions with the ball, in terms of if you’re going to throw it out of bounds, throw it out of bounds — and if you’re going to hit the check down, hit the check down. There’s a lot of places we can improve.”

At quarterback, Georgia evaluates the performance each week. Smart and Monken discuss the decision to entrust Bennett with the duties before each game and after each practice. Georgia sees, by all indication, that Bennett’s experience and previous games in leading the team to victory outweigh the recent stretch of stagnant play.

Smart said “a lot of communication takes place,” between the offensive staff. He takes input from Monken, offensive line coach Matt Luke (former head coach at Ole Miss), wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton and assistant head coach Dell McGee.

For now, Georgia isn’t making a change at QB. Smart knows the questions will come. No matter how direct the question, his answers will be the same.

“We will continue to give (backups) reps to grow and get those guys ready to play,” Smart said.

This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 4:30 PM.