Georgia QB Jamie Newman cites pandemic as reason for opting out

But Newman’s comments indicate he’ll be moving on.

“I would like to thank coach (Kirby) Smart for extending the opportunity for me to be a part of the University of Georgia football program,” Newman posted on his Twitter account. “Although my time has been short I’ve built some great relationships and I’ve had a chance to continue my development. As I prepare for the journey ahead, I remain hopeful and excited about what the future holds especially during these challenging times in our world.”

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, Smart said, “One of the guiding principles of both the SEC and UGA return-to-play protocols has been the health and safety of our student-athletes. We have emphasized continually that any student-athlete who decides to opt out because of health and/or safety concerns related to COVID-19 would be fully supported to include honoring scholarships, access to academic facilities, etc., and would remain in good standing with the team.

“While we will miss him being part of our program, I fully support Jamie’s decision and we will continue to regard him as a Georgia Bulldog. Certainly we wish him nothing but the best in his quest for an NFL career, and he knows he will always have a home at UGA.”

At this point, Newman is the only Georgia player known to opt out of the season because of COVID-19 concerns. On Tuesday, senior defensive back Mark Webb was asked why the Bulldogs seemed determined to stick it out and play.

“We love the game, I would say,” Webb said. “It’s nothing against those payers; I’m sure they have many reasons to do what they’re doing. But I feel like everybody on this team is looking to push forward into the season and put the best thing we can on the field. You know what I’m saying? Nobody’s worried about that. We’re just strictly pushing forward and trying to better ourselves every day."

As for why Newman decided to quit now, he wrote, “due to the uncertainties of this year amid a global pandemic.”

It’s not known exactly how many Georgia football players have tested positive for the coronavirus since they returned to campus for summer training June 8, but persons with knowledge of that number say it is “several.” Last week, UGA reported 173 positive tests among students, faculty and staff. That was more than twice as many as the previous week.

On Wednesday, the school website reported another 95 from the previous work week (Aug. 24-28). That prompted UGA President Jere Morehead to send out a message Wednesday urging students to take infection-prevention measures more seriously in the wake of a rising number of positive cases since classes began Aug. 20.

Newman recently was given the highest grade among SEC quarterbacks as a potential NFL draft choice by Pro Football Focus. At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, he is considered a dual-threat quarterback who is as effective as a runner as he is a thrower.

Newman transferred to Georgia in January after playing three seasons at Wake Forest. He was considered the prize transfer catch in college football for 2020. As such, he was expected to be the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback this season.

However, quarterback J.T. Daniels, a two-year starter at USC, surprised the college football world this summer when he announced he, too, was transferring to Georgia. Daniels’ waiver for immediate eligibility was approved in July. Although barely a year removed from ACL surgery, Daniels has been practicing with the Bulldogs and performing well, according to coaches and teammates. He has not been cleared for contact.

Daniels is one of at least seven quarterbacks to whom the Bulldogs can turn. The others are junior Stetson Bennett, redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis, freshman Carson Beck and at least three invited walk-ons.

Newman, who is from Graham, N.C., announced his decision to attend Georgia in January. He immediately enrolled and has been working with the Bulldogs ever since.

Newman took the first snaps with the first-team offense in Georgia’s scrimmage Saturday. He was followed by Daniels, then Mathis and Beck also got snaps with the No. 1 offense.

Smart said too much shouldn’t be read into the QB rotation at this point.

“I don’t think anybody’s separated,” Smart assessed. “As far as a timetable for that, I don’t have one.”

Coincidentally, former Georgia quarterback Justin Fields, who played last season at Ohio State, was reported to be at the Bulldogs’ scrimmage Saturday at Sanford Stadium. The Big Ten has announced that it will not play football this fall. So, Georgia fans lit up social-media sites Wednesday with speculation about whether Fields could be contemplating a return to UGA.

Not likely. Fields played one season at Georgia as a backup to Jake Fromm, who was drafted by the Buffalo Bills this year. Fields transferred to Ohio State, where he sought and was granted a “special circumstances” waiver from the NCAA for immediate eligibility.

In the meantime, because of the COVID-19 shutdown, the NCAA Council never got to vote on a initiative to liberalize its transfer policy for all college athletes. In Fields’ case, considering the circumstances he cited for needing to leave UGA, the fact that he already has transferred once, his status as a potential early first-round NFL draft choice and the time constraints of Georgia opening the season in just three weeks would all seem to make such a move unlikely, at best.

“I don’t think there’s anything to this at all,” said Tom Mars, the Atlanta attorney who represented Fields during his transfer from Georgia. “I’d think I’d get a phone call or at least a text from Pablo (Fields, Justin’s father). But I guess stranger things have happened.”