Kirby Smart updates Georgia football quarterback competition

There’s no separation in Georgia football’s quarterback competition just yet.

Georgia football’s quarterback competition is among the top storylines for college football this year. That’s saying something considering the chaos of COVID-19 and fall season cancelations.

The Bulldogs have to choose between Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman, USC transfer JT Daniels, former four-star redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis and JUCO transfer Stetson Bennet before the start of the season.

For now, the competition doesn’t have a favorite. At least that’s what head coach Kirby Smart would have you believe.

Kirby Smart sees Georgia football’s quarterback competition as even

After the team’s first scrimmage of fall camp, Smart updated the status of his quarterbacks, who are still taking balanced reps in practice

“I don’t think anyone has separated if that’s what you’re asking,” Smart said, via Georgia’s official website.

Nor does the head coach have a time table for making his final decision.

“It’s got to happen,” he acknowledged.

There are hints as to who is and isn’t involved in the battle.

During Saturday’s scrimmage, Newman and Daniels spent time with the first team. Mathis had one red zone series. Stetson didn’t go with the ones.

Smart claimed Stetson’s lack of first-team reps had to do with his history.

“Stetson had a bit fewer because we had seen his stats a lot more and know more about him because of his time spent with us last year,” Smart said.

You can take Smart at his word if you want. You could also read into the reps splits as favoring Newman, Daniels and, just slightly, Mathis. Considering Newman’s success at Wake Forest and Daniels’ status as a former five-star prospect, they’re the ones who have long been favored in the battle.

Whatever the pecking order currently is, Smart was candid about the struggles his team had in their first scrimmage.

“We’re behind,” he stated.

The assessment applies to the quarterbacks as well as the entire team, though Smart understands the why of it all.

“The tough thing is going against our defense day in and day out,” he said. “I think offenses traditionally start out a little slower than defense. That’s just always how it’s been in football.”

On the plus side, Smart has seen “a ray of light” in the last three or four days.

“Guys were scoring left and right,” Smart said. However, he acknowledged many of those plays came as the offense took on the second team, rather than the stout first-team defense.

Georgia has a few weeks to figure it out on the quarterback front. They start the season on Sept. 26 against Arkansas.

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