While most would assume that grad transfer Jamie Newman will be the starting quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs, head coach Kirby Smart wasn’t about to make any declarations Thursday morning during an interview on radio station 680 The Fan.
“He knows it’s a competition, and he knows he’s got to beat guys out,” Smart said. “That’s the way it’s always been.”
Although Newman certainly has the most experience, having started for Wake Forest the better part of two years, Smart said quarterbacks Stetson Bennett, D’Wan Mathis, and early enrollee Carson Beck will each receive equal opportunities.
“Certainly, (Newman) is going to be thrust to the forefront--given reps, just like Stetson, just like D’Wan, and just like Carson are going to be given the opportunity,” Smart said. “I don’t ever look past and say that it’s this guy’s job. He just has the most game experience, and that’s the advantage he has.”
Under normal circumstances, Bulldog fans would have gotten their first look at Newman Saturday, during what was scheduled to be Georgia’s annual G-Day game.
Of course, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic took care of that, forcing Newman and the Bulldogs’ other quarterbacks to train on their own, along with taking part in online Zoom sessions with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Todd Monken.
“Yeah, we're very fortunate that you get a little time prior to spring practice. You know, we went on spring break, and from spring break on, we really have never come back together as a team,” Smart said. “We were getting in two hours a week of football. We were getting 15-20 minutes, a couple of days a week sharing that time, whether it’s install, defensive ID for the quarterback, things like that.”
Smart said Newman and the other quarterbacks were able to get some 7-on-7 work before school was ultimately closed.
“Yeah, we did some 7-on-7, but we weren’t allowed to be out there with them. It had to be quarterback led, quarterback run,” Smart said. “And those guys did a great job. D’Wan Mathis, Carson Beck, Stetson Bennett, and Jamie, who as you know is the oldest, most mature guy. But it was nice to see them learn and understand some of the language changes that we may be going through.”
However, as far as how it’s going to look once the season starts, that’s an answer Smart doesn’t yet have.
“I think the biggest thing we look for the difference in is going to be who the playmakers are,” Smart said. “Last year, D’Andre Swift was a feature presentation; early in the season, Lawrence Cager was that. Right now, it’s who are those guys going to be? As you know, the offense is built around what guys you have to get the ball to.”
Smart mentioned Zamir White and James Cook as two of the players he believes will help Georgia’s offensive cause.
But he’s on the lookout for more.
“We’ve got some tight ends we believe are going to be some really good players. George (Pickens) is another, but we’ve got some wideouts we’ve got to get involved for this offense to be as good as we want to be,” Smart said. “So, how different is it going to look? That’s going to be based on who those playmakers are. I just hope we get that opportunity to find that out.”
