ATHENS — Based on his work the first two days of the week, it doesn’t appear that JT Daniels’ return to the field is imminent this week.
Georgia’s starting quarterback was able to throw a good bit Monday, then a little less Tuesday as he continues to rehab a back muscle strain under the close supervision of trainer Ron Courson. Daniels has missed the past two games with a grade one strain of the latissimus dorsi. The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs (6-0, 4-0 SEC) are preparing to host No. 11 Kentucky (6-0, 4-0) on Saturday (3:30 p.m., CBS).
“Monday, he threw I’d say 30 or 40 balls,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said during his post-practice briefing Tuesday. “He got upwards of 30 yards (on some passes), felt pretty good. Took some snaps. We didn’t do a whole bunch Monday; we didn’t do as much as we normally do. And then (Tuesday), he probably didn’t as much. He took some snaps, threw the ball some.”
Senior Stetson Bennett has started three of the past four games for the Bulldogs, including Saturday’s 34-10 road win at Auburn. Bennett enters this week with a 206.55 quarterback rating, which would be No. 2 in the nation if he met minimum participation requirements.
Daniels started three of the Bulldogs’ first four games. But he has played all four quarters only once this season, in the opener against Clemson. Daniels played three quarters against South Carolina and one against Vanderbilt before stepping aside for the past two weeks.
But Daniels’ absence hasn’t slowed Georgia’s offense. In the four games in which Bennett has operated as the Bulldogs’ primary quarterback, they are averaging 451.7 yards and 41.7 points. That does, however, include games against Alabama-Birmingham and Vanderbilt.
Bennett’s best work might have been on the road against Auburn. In addition to passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns, Bennett had 41 yards rushing, which included a 10-yard loss on a sack. The Bulldogs were 5-for-5 on red-zone scoring chances and 5-of-12 on third downs.
That production has come despite a plethora of injuries at Georgia’s wide receiver position. Smart said sophomore Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, the starting split end, should be able to return this week after missing the past two games with an ankle injury. Starting flanker Jermaine Burton (hamstring) is also expected to return after sitting out the past two weeks.
Left tackle Jamaree Salyer, who missed the second half of the Auburn game with an ankle injury, should be able to go Saturday.
As for the defense, Smart said the Bulldogs will definitely be without cornerback Ameer Speed (ankle) for Saturday’s game. Starting safety Christopher Smith, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first quarter against Auburn, is practicing in a non-contact jersey but possibly could be available to play.
But it’s the quarterback position that is attracting all the attention for the Bulldogs these days. Georgia has been able not only to remain undefeated but to rise to the top ranking in the country with their preseason Heisman Trophy favorite at quarterback sidelined for most of the games. Now that Daniels is getting closer to a healthy return, how Georgia handles its quarterback position going forward is a fascinating national storyline.
Smart was asked Wednesday if the Bulldogs might consider a rotation to ease Daniels back into action. Georgia utilized that philosophy between Bennett and Carson Beck in Week 2 when Daniels sat out with an oblique injury. Bennett handled two possessions, then Beck every third for most of the first two quarters in that contest.
Smart reiterated what his stance has been all along, that he won’t discuss “hypotheticals” with his quarterbacks.
“We’re just trying to get the guys ready to play against Kentucky and I haven’t really thought past that,” Smart said during the SEC coaches’ teleconference Wednesday. “What we’re trying to do is get JT healthy and get him as healthy as possible.”
To do that, Smart said he is listening only to the medical advice of Georgia’s doctors and trainers.
“We’re kind of going off Ron’s protocol,” Smart said Tuesday night. “He has him on a pitch count, and we’re following that. We check to see if he swells or if he has any soreness afterward. The good news is he hasn’t had any soreness the last two days, not extensive soreness. And he was able to go back the next day and continue to get some work. But he hasn’t been able to do a whole lot, a little more than the week before.”
As for the emerging narrative that Daniels simply is not tough enough to play through injury or is not motivated to play, his teammates quickly and vigorously come to Daniels’ defense.
“I’d definitely say he’s frustrated,” Georgia safety Lewis Cine said. “He’s a competitor. He wants to be out there with his teammates. He wants to be playing, he wants to be throwing the ball around. He wants to be doing all of that. But he can’t. I’d definitely be frustrated and I’m pretty sure he is.”
At one point in the preseason, Daniels carried the best odds all of college players for winning the Heisman Trophy in 2021. Heading into the seventh week of the season, he isn’t even the leading passer on his own team. In three games, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior has completed 76% of his passes for 569 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.
Bennett now has 746 yards passing with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. And, for now, redshirt freshman Carson Beck (38.5%-99-1-1) is the backup quarterback.
Stay tuned.
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