The latest on JT Daniels, other injuries
Yes, there were quarterback questions for Georgia head coach Kirby Smart during Monday’s press conference to preview Saturday’s game at Auburn (3:30 p.m., CBS).
He did have a few answers.
The biggest revelation Smart had was that JT Daniels’ injured lat would keep him from throwing during practice on Monday afternoon. Smart hopes that will change when the Bulldogs practice Tuesday, and again on Wednesday.
Daniels' status remains day-to-day.
“As far as JT, he’s not going to do anything today,” Smart said. “He’ll be out. He’s practicing. He’s doing everything but throwing. We’ll see how it goes day-to-day. The biggest thing he’s got to do is rest, recover, and heal. So we’re very hopeful that he’ll be able to go Tuesday, Wednesday, and be able to throw like he did last week some days."
Smart continued.
“But he’s not going to do much today in terms of throwing. There’s a lot more to quarterback than just throwing the ball, and he does a lot of stuff well, and he’ll still do all those things today.”
Stetson Bennett will continue working as the first-team quarterback until Daniels is able to return.
“Considering he’s had it for a week and a half, it’s really how long has it been diagnosed and how extreme the injury is,” Smart said of Daniels lat issue. “There’s Grade 1, there’s 1-plus, there’s 1 plus-plus. Ron (head trainer Ron Courson) can give you a two-hour dissertation on it, and I’ve heard them all.”
Although rest remains the best medicine for Grade 1 lat strains, which typically takes 2-3 weeks to heal, Smart said Courson and the Bulldog training staff are taking steps to hurry the process along.
Courson recently touched base with the training staff of the Dallas Cowboys, who have experienced dealing with the injury after working with quarterback Dak Prescott.
“As there is in everything in the medical field, there are these people that think they can fix it really fast,” Smart said. “But that’s not necessarily the case. I know that wasn’t the case with Dak. Dak’s was much more extreme than what JT is going through.”
Rest, it appears, will continue to be Daniels’ best medicine.
“We did some more scans on JT just to confirm what we thought it was and what we’ve thought it was all along, because we did some scans after Vanderbilt,” Smart said. “So, it is what it is, and I think it’s going to be a time thing. It’s really, No. 1, pain tolerance; No. 2, can you get it to heal, so it’s not a nagging, recurring, long-term injury? It’s unfortunate, because it’s a tough injury.”
Other injury news: Defensive back Tykee Smith (foot) dressed out last week against Arkansas but did not play. Per Smart, the transfer from West Virginia is still not 100 percent. However, he hopes he will be able to go Saturday.
Also, Smart said wide receiver Dominick Blaylock (hamstring) is going to loosen up today at practice and get reps. “Whether he’s 100 percent or not, I don’t know,” Smart said. Smart also said that wide receivers Arian Smith (knee contusion) and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (sprained ankle) are further along than they were last week, but said “neither is a definite in.”