Why Georgia is sticking with its QB plan despite JT Daniels’ good health

On Georgia’s second offensive drive, quarterback Stetson Bennett found freshman receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint for a 32-yard touchdown pass. His target went down with a gruesome ankle injury, and Bennett suffered an injury of his own.

He began to move his throwing shoulder around, and the Bulldogs took their starting quarterback into the locker room. Bennett received treatment from head of sports medicine Ron Courson for a right shoulder AC sprain.

Georgia backup D’Wan Mathis entered while Bennett received an injection. The Bulldogs punted, and Bennett returned on the following drive. He was 2-for-4 passing at the time of injury while Georgia had an early lead.

“He wanted to keep playing,” Smart said. “He thought he could still throw the ball.”

Smart said the offensive staff liked Bennett’s early performance. He stepped up into the pocket, found his receivers and moved the Bulldogs offense. When he was ready, Bennett was allowed to re-enter.

Once he did, however, the success dropped drastically in Georgia’s 44-28 loss to arch-rival Florida in Jacksonville. Bennett was 3-for-12 with 33 yards, a touchdown and an interception when coming back in the game to replace Mathis. It marks another chapter in the team’s season-long quarterback drama that a network probably could’ve picked up for primetime television through six games.

Bennett started, he left, then returned. Mathis took over the duties to finish off the game. But if not for the injury, Smart said, the former 5-foot-11 walk-on would’ve returned. After scoring on its two offensive drives, Georgia stalled regardless of who was under center. The unit couldn’t keep pace with Florida’s high-powered offense, which topped its average of scoring 42 points per game.

Meanwhile, Georgia (4-2) traveled four quarterbacks on its 70-seat team plane. JT Daniels and Carson Beck didn’t see the field again.

“I’ll leave the quarterback questions up to coach Smart,” receiver Kearis Jackson, on the receiving end of Mathis’ first-career touchdown, a 25-yard pass.

Smart, the fifth-year head coach, knew the questions were coming, too, as the Bulldogs have lost two regular-season games for the first time since his debut campaign in 2016.

Daniels, who received a waiver to play immediately at Georgia after transferring from Southern Cal, remained on the bench. Georgia turned to Mathis, who played for the first time since recording 55 yards and an interception through six drives at Arkansas. Mathis threw for 32 yards, a touchdown and an interception against the Gators at a 4-for-13 clip.

“We felt like D’Wan gave us a chance to do some things,” Smart said. “We were going to find out what D’Wan could do. Stetson wasn’t 100 percent. D’Wan’s our second quarterback, so that’s who we went with.”

Smart’s comments indicate that the quarterback change wasn’t strictly a result of Bennett’s performance. Smart said it was based on “how he was feeling,” and that’s why Georgia didn’t make the second switch to Mathis sooner.

Smart noticed the injury when Bennett overthrew a receiver on the Bulldogs’ sideline. That right shoulder AC sprain will limit Bennett in practice this week.

Mathis took over midway through Saturday’s third quarter.

The question remains each week: Why won’t the Bulldogs turn to Daniels, a former five-star prospect who tore his ACL a year ago? Georgia is sticking to its plan.

“Right now, we feel like the other two give us a better shot,” Smart said. “They have more of a body of work. I don’t think, necessarily, that he has anything with his knee. He doesn’t wear his brace anymore. He reps. He takes reps with the scout team and gives us a good look. He’s still rolling and getting better in the offense.”

Georgia has four games remaining on its slate. A two-loss record puts it out of reach of a College Football Playoff berth and likely eliminates a return to the SEC championship. But the Bulldogs are confident in their offense, aside from missed opportunities.

And the quarterback pecking order won’t change — Bennett starting with Mathis behind him. Daniels is on the outside of contention for playing time.

“Obviously, right now, where we are, those two guys give us the best shot,” Smart said.

No. 12 Georgia (4-2) at Missouri (2-3)

Time: Noon Saturday (Eastern time)

Place: Faurot Field at Columbia, Missouri

TV: Noon

Line: Georgia by 12

This story was originally published November 7, 2020 at 9:30 PM.