Georgia football has a problem most teams wish they did — two quarterbacks that can lead them to success.
Both Stetson Bennett and JT Daniels have proven they are more than capable of winning. The Mailman has taken care of things while Daniels has dealt with an injury.
Now Daniels is starting to take more and more reps, bringing up the topic — will he start or will Bennett start?
Reporters keep asking head coach Kirby Smart, but the answer remains the same. During his Monday press conference, more questions flooded in about how many reps Daniels was getting, whether he would start and whether Smart wouldn’t budge on the answer.
"“It’s going to be based on practice. No decision has been made, whatsoever,” Smart said in his Monday press conference."
He went on to say that Daniels threw last Wednesday and Thursday and talked about how the goal was to get him to where he wasn’t experiencing pain after he threw.
Daniels got Friday through Sunday off, so he did get some more time to rest that injury. However, just because he is getting back to 100% doesn’t mean he won’t have to compete.
Yes, Daniels runs the offense better than Bennett, but we made that statement weeks ago, and right now, they both are doing a great job. Bennett stepped up when the team needed him, but what kind of coach would Smart be if he didn’t make Daniels work for it a bit.
If he is the quarterback that’ll give the Dawgs the best chance to win, then he will play. However, don’t be surprised when he still uses Bennett in some packages.
Bennett’s ability to use his legs and run for first downs gives him something Daniels doesn’t necessarily has. He is a weapon in his own way and has made sure Georgia stayed undefeated while Daniels got better. Both quarterbacks want to win and play.
They are competitive like that, but these two are teammates too, so they know they’ll have to duke it out, and if they are equal at the end of the week, then the game plan will be ready for that.
Smart flat out said no determination has been made yet, and it won’t until the two compete it out on the practice field.
Bennett could get the start if he outworks Daniels, or maybe Daniels will beat out Bennett. There are four days of practice left until they leave for Florida, and rest assured, Smart will make the best decision for the team.
"“I think it all depends on where JT (Daniels) is and where Stetson (Bennett) is, and who gives us the best chance to win,” Smart said in his Monday press conference. “Stetson has done a good job since he’s been playing and JT has done a good job when he’s played. The good thing is we feel like we have really three-four good quarterbacks who are ready to play.”"
Both quarterbacks can get the job done. They both will likely be used. Just look at the South Carolina game when Daniels started, did his thing, and then let Bennett come in and succeed too.
That kind of quarterback play could be what the Dawgs go with so teams have to prepare for both. It’s not like one is so much better than the other, and Smart is making a drastic decision to play one over the other.
He is letting them compete for it on the practice field, and when you have two quarterbacks that have the relationship that these two do with the offense. It’s a smart decision — no pun intended.
Smart wants Daniels to be able to throw and play without risking another injury flare-up, and that is what the staff will do.
Three of the first six questions in Monday’s presser were about the quarterbacks. Smart never waivered. He laid it out there and refused to give the media much of anything because he genuinely believes they both can get the job done.
He is wise for doing that because he has two weapons in Bennett and Daniels, so if he can force teams to focus on both of them, then so be it.
Smart’s mindset is to play whoever will give Georgia the best chance to win the ball game, and if it’s both of them, he will play both of them. Why not play both of them, they have each earned the coach’s trust to do this job, so it could be beneficial to utilize both of them.
Have plays designed for Bennett and have some ready for Daniels to execute. If we could combine the two to create Stetson Daniels, then by now, they would have.
Daniels won the starting job once, and if he is ready to go, he very well could win it again. Bennett knows he is his backup quarterback, but at the same time, he has earned every right to be on the field.
Georgia has a good problem, and regardless of who starts, they will be the one who helps the Dawgs stay undefeated. If it means both will play, as long as Georgia comes out of Jacksonville 8-0, that is what matters.