5 takeaways on what Jamie Newman's opt-out means for Georgia, JT Daniels, SEC race
Ho hum. Another afternoon, another massive opt-out. No big deal.
The Jamie Newman era ended before it ever really began. Well, I shouldn’t say that it didn’t begin. Before the grad transfer opted out of the 2020 season, he got preseason Heisman Trophy buzz, he had a few cool workout videos posted and he became as polarizing a topic as any for SEC fans the past several months.
Needless to say, Newman’s decision to leave Georgia and prepare for the NFL Draft has an impact that’s far more than just 1 player on the depth chart who won’t play football.
Let’s dig into that:
1. I’m truly bummed we won’t get to see Jamie Newman in Todd Monken’s offense
Yeah, I was excited to see what Newman was going to do airing it out. This is a Georgia offense that has been starved for someone who can consistently stretch the field. Only Joe Burrow had more touchdown passes thrown into a tight window last year than Newman (PFF). Call me crazy, but that sounded exactly like the type of quarterback that Georgia needed.
His skill set was going to be fun to watch with George Pickens, who sometimes just needs a quarterback who trusts him to go up and make a play even if there isn’t much separation. That’s not to say that Pickens won’t still get those opportunities, but Newman was a proven deep-ball passer.
Highest-graded passers on throws 20+ yards downfield last season:
1. Joe Burrow
2. Jamie Newman pic.twitter.com/4swkNTvdRc— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 2, 2020
I can say I was excited about Newman’s skill set while also acknowledging that I didn’t think he was worthy of starting 2020 as the No. 3 quarterback in the nation like Pro Football Focus. Newman still had too much work to do in the intermediate passing game and against elite defenses to make me think he was worthy of that. Those reasons are why I think he’ll be an extremely polarizing draft prospect who has a wide variety of opinions.
But still, it felt like this was this great experiment that we’re just not gonna get to see play out.
2. Maybe Kirby Smart knew what he was doing after all?
Remember when Smart got blasted for recruiting JT Daniels? It was seen as a move that didn’t make sense because of how highly regarded Newman was. It was another sign to the anti-Smart crowd that his over-recruiting of the quarterback position was going to again result in transfers.
Well, maybe Smart knew what he was doing. I wrote after Daniels transferred that it actually made sense from a depth standpoint. Behind Newman, Georgia had a redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis coming off a year in which he had emergency brain surgery, true freshman Carson Beck and Stetson Bennett IV, who initially walked on to the program.
Given the turnover on the offensive line and the running duties expected of Georgia’s quarterback in a new offense, it made sense that Smart was potentially concerned about depth. It makes even more sense that he was concerned about depth in May, when there were unknowns about what rosters would look like in this weird season. The fact that Daniels got immediate eligibility a month later was a boost for a Georgia team that didn’t want to waste potentially its best defense ever just because it didn’t add enough depth at quarterback.
No, I don’t think Smart foresaw Newman opting out. In hindsight, though, was it a smart move to add Daniels and load that quarterback room? Absolutely.
3. So is it Daniels’ job to lose? Or are we overlooking someone?
The assumption upon hearing Newman’s news was that Daniels went from battling for the quarterback job to now owning it. I’ll admit, I was guilty of that, as well.
But there are a couple of things worth remembering before we get carried away on the Daniels hype train. Yes, he’s a former 5-star guy who would still be starting at USC if he didn’t tear his ACL in his sophomore season. Speaking of that, he’s still not cleared for contact. That is, in my opinion, significant.
At a time when reps in this new offense are incredibly important, I wouldn’t assume that Daniels is the default winner of the job because he has the starting experience. It’s Mathis who has been getting a lot of buzz in camp. Georgia defenders are plenty high on what Mathis can do:
Dwan Mathis 🔥
— Malik Herring (@HerringMalik) July 14, 2020
Mathis, who they call “Deuce,” is 6-6 with a cannon. There are people who cover the team who believe Mathis wins the starting job, not Daniels:
I’ve got my money on D’wan 🤷🏻♂️
— Jake Reuse (@ReuseRecruiting) September 2, 2020
Remember that this is all about system fit. Monken is going to start someone based on who can do that. Daniels, even when he’s been healthy, hasn’t shown yet that he can stretch the field.
Is that my way of saying my money is on Mathis to win the gig? Not necessarily. But monitor camp closely because this is by no means a done deal now.
4. Hello, Zamir White
While I don’t think Georgia is about to reinvent its offense as a result of Newman opting out, I do think Monken is going to want to rely even more on White. Yes, he’s had multiple major knee surgeries and it’s been a few years since he’s had a major workload. But in a 10-game season, it wouldn’t surprise me to see White take on an increased role.
I’ve been saying throughout this offseason that I think White can be for Georgia what Nick Chubb was in Monken’s offense in Cleveland last year. By the way, Chubb had a whopping 334 scrimmage touches in 2019. I suppose that makes James Cook the Kareem Hunt of Monken’s offense. I admittedly always forget that Cook averaged 6 yards per carry in limited work last year.
Still, I think a loss of depth at the quarterback position suggests that a true every-down back like White is in for a bump in production in 2020.
5. Florida fans are salivating … for now
I actually think its Alabama and not Florida that could benefit the most from that potential shift in starting quarterback based on when those games are being played in the season. Florida fans might have rejoiced on social media upon hearing Wednesday’s news, and understandably so. They know that the path to Atlanta goes through Georgia (that sounded better in my head).
At the same time, Georgia is probably in better position than most to handle a learning curve on the offensive side of the ball for a lesser-experienced quarterback. The Dawgs have loads of production back from the No. 1 scoring defense in the nation. Can they do the heavy lifting early on while Georgia’s offense finds its identity? I think that’s fair.
But by the time the Cocktail Party (or whatever the politically correct term is for the SEC East Championship) rolls around, I’d expect Georgia’s starter to have plenty of comfortability in that offense.
Interesting times await in Athens.
I think what could be overlooked is UGAs game against Auburn… UGA could have a loss before they get to the Bama game if they don’t settle the QB room..
Then again, Gus has his own issues with COVID crippling his practices.
Gonna be a wild ride this year.
That is true…
At this current time however, I feel like we are more prepared than Georgia. But I cannot fully prove that.
This season will be a crapshoot. No one had a meaningful spring. All incoming freshmen are pretty much equally clueless. The COVID quarantine merry-go-round. Almost half of FBS saying, “nah, not this year.” Opt-out mania gaining steam. Little to no fan presence at games. Political distractions. Who knows how this shakes out?
The huge question is whether more players will opt out. We shall see.
So are the players concerned they will be graded unfairly based off win loss records due to teams being short handed from other players missing time from Covid? Are the SEC players concerned that the 10 SEC game season will be too hard and will affect draft stock due to lacking cupcake games?
What happened to the last UGA quarterback at the NFL draft? His stock dose dive big time! I think Newman was seeing the same thing!
*nosedived
I hope so.
Here’s my takeaway; Newman never was a savior. And it didn’t take long for him to realize that the SEC plays some serious football. Smart showed he was smart to bring in Daniels. Still, it’ll be the Gators taking a bite outta UGA at the WLOCP.
I’m sure UGA fans will assume no drop off from losing the so called #3 PPF qb Newman. Always overly optimistic. Then again who cares about ppf rankings.
Of course we’re concerned. Doesn’t mean we have to be this guy …
i.pinimg.com/originals/99/30/8f/99308fac3b53593b0b78fa5a0e84ac6a.png
ATL Gator, No it’s a hit for sure. Daniels is not quite a year removed from knee surgery. When will he be ready?
After that it’s a true freshman and a player in Mathis with zero experience. Not to mention the ridiculously front loaded schedule.
Flip that schedule around and it gives Ga time to adjust. As it is, better be ready for Auburn in week 2.
It’s a huge drop off. JT Daniels is great and all but he doesn’t bring the dimension that Newman would have. The real wildcard now is Dwan Mathis. He’s not really “mobile” but he runs similar to the way Trevor Lawrence runs. If he gets into the open field he can out-stride anyone, kinda like Lawrence did to Ohio State. Daniels can’t and won’t. Dwan also has a rocket for an arm but I wish we could have had a better look in some sort of spring game at his medium and short accuracy, which Daniels had in spades. Newman had it all though.
For me, this changes nothing. Georgia still has an elite defense and its offense is still going to struggle this year. And I think I wrote in a comment, a couple months back, that I could easily see Georgia falling back on the running game with Zamir White.
There’s a new old Sheriff in town, enter Stetson Bennett, the feel good rocky story…
Agreed,, Newman never has or wil take a snap.. Time will tell on his abilities,,, but Kirby has talent in wait … Freshman and R-Fr both talented and Daniels from USC (there’s only 1 ) … I believe this will be outstanding season with a major underdog winning it all !!!!!
It’s funny you’d say Floriduh fans are salivating, Connor, given every single ‘turd in existence has been screaming from the hilltops dressed in their Sunday best cutoffs and wifebeaters that Jamie Newman was overrated and would suck.
So which is it, ‘turds? Are you happy or worried or maybe just a little confused? LOL.
Newman had technique and/or mechanical issues that would not have gotten worked out being the back-up. Then, as a bench warmer, he had 0.0% chance of getting drafted.
Newman gets an off season to work on his technique with a semi-pauseable excuse (COVID-19)
That’s my working theory.
Didn’t mean for that to be a reply to corch, dang these cell phones
You mean you didn’t mean to reply to your alt troll account?
I knew it would befuddle you, point proven.
Thanks
First, our Sunday best is flip-flops and a Ron Jon tee shirt.
Weeeeeeeee!
Hah! Nice to find one in on the joke!
Man you dress up.
LOL now that’s funny right there
Corch, I do not know who these Turds are that you speak of. As for Gator fans, I guess you did not see my comment immediately before yours. Nothing’s changed.
Could care less.
Maybe he was not the #1 Quarterback in camp because Georgia’s great defense ate him um in picks…*like Clemson’s did last year. He surely has hurt his draft stock…if he has any left. The hype-train concerning him was out-of-control from the beginning. Next man up.
His INT ratio at Wake Forest was 2.4 to 1. It’s likely Newman was having a rough time learning a new offense against the UGA defense.
And incidentally, while I think J.T. Daniels is talented, his INT ratio at USC (12 games) was 1.4 to 1 and he was chased out of L.A. by a 3-star quarterback.
In JT’s defense
He was an early high school graduate, literally a college starting QB at age 17/18.
USC was terrible that season.
JT’s numbers were much better at the end of the season compared to the beginning. He turned in some great peformances late, ie UCLA.
When Daniels transferred I wrote that I thought he was a really talented quarterback and a much better player than Newman. And I still do. But he has a lot of work to do to live up to his high school evaluation.
I was looking forward to a QB that could both pass and throw, Hoping to see a good season from Newman then a really good succession plan being executed.
But, I have faith in Kirby and company.
Maybe this means Daniels is in better shape then we initially thought.
I wonder if Newman regrets leaving WF?
From everything I reading about buzz out of training camp, it’s Mathis that is lighting it up.
5. Florida fans are salivating … for now……..
I agree this helps Alabama more than Florida. It also helps Auburn more than Florida because those games are early and the Dawgs meet the Gators in November.
Today’s event may equate to UF winning the East but I don’t think the Gators will beat the Dawgs.
By the time the WLOCP rolls around, UGA should have it together on offense.
Go Dawgs!!
Go Dwan Mathis!!
Not saying they can win the East, but don’t sleep on KY. This is also a big boost for them. I am not convinced that they are not better than TN.
Stoops is a helluva coach. If a coach can coach up players and get more from them than most, it is Stoops.
I can’t image Stoops not getting a better job in the next season or two.
Would Michigan hire Stoops?
He reportedly turned down FSU last year, granted that place is currently a complete an utter joke but it always has potential.
Idk, I could definitely see him taking a job at Mich or some big program but I could also see him staying for years and years a la Patterson at TCU.
I’ve got my own thoughts on Newman’s opt out decision..
I don’t know what was going down in Athens. Maybe it was a real QB competition between Newman and Daniels. Then again maybe one of the two was separating himself from the other.
Note that I don’t know if Newman was declared starter but I don’t recall hearing about it if he was.
I think the case could have been that Newman was falling behind and with a backup role, all of his hot shot first round predictions would have died. Maybe he’s trying to cover up from scouts that he really wasn’t ready for the SEC, and wasn’t even ready to start.
Georgia fans, I have no clue if what I’m proposing is true, in fact it’s probably not. Just a blind sided theory.
Newman could have simply opted out because he has bad health conditions in areas that covid could effect, but I find that unlikely. His opt out decision only helps my opinion that Newman wouldn’t have made it in SEC football.
But this is just a theory. Not reality. So I don’t know what went down.
No starter had been named.
Newman very well could be an at risk person and then decision makes sense. However, Newman would have received top notch healthcare while at UGA. The UGA medical staff literally saved Mathis’s life.
C21, It makes me wonder. Was the competition a problem for Newman.
Was he falling behind another QB and therefore decided to bail out and take advantage of the hype he already was getting? That would’ve dried up if he had gotten beat out as the starter.
If he thought he was going to start why not play and help his draft ranking. I have a feeling the Covid thing was a convenient excuse and there’s actually more to the story.
Daniels is a better fit anyways imo. I think he’s better than Newman too.
Better fit, maybe? Aaron Murray had an article stating Newman was struggling on intermediate passes. Daniels may actually be a better fit.
But he’s not cleared for contact. When will he be 100%?
Starting the season with a Senior QB was one thing. Starting this season with this early schedule and with a young QB with no experience in a new system is a tall order.
Those kind of situations end in two ways. Really great or really bad.
UGA wants to involve more QB runs and deep balls so I don’t think Daniels was always the better fit.
Huh?
I agree, if he’s healthy. I’ve maintained all along that Newman was overrated. He really struggled against the better teams on Wake’s schedule, and put up the majority of his numbers against weak teams. Of course, UGA fans disagreed with me at that time and declared he was the next coming. I’m still surprised he opted out at this late date
Ooof hate to see it.
LOL
Well, I’m optimistic for the 2021 offense at least
Sounds like someone hijacked real TDOW.
I’m honestly hyped for Dwan Mathis. But my worryis that the emergence of a Dwan Mathis might change the math for Brock Vandagriff. But if the math changes for Vandagriff, the math really opens up for MJ Morris.
JT Daniels had to sit out last year so he has had a chance to physically mature from his freshman campaign. He will be a great match for Monkens offense. His freshman campaign began with an early struggle due to his not getting enough reps during fall camp because he was competing against 2 other older quarterbacks who had a season and Spring training under their belt. Clay Helton had to make it look fair. The play calling was atrocious by OC Tee Martin in a confusing lack of tempo offense. SC had a porous line and a running game that no opponent feared. JT had to play for a coach who was on the hottest of seats too. His strength is his short to intermediate passing game. He is stoical and after a mistake will respond with aggression. You are blessed to have the kid.
Jt has a lot of talent. I’m just hoping he sees the game better than he did his freshman year (likely) and has worked on some of his mechanics. He was a little lazy on some of his footwork, especially on intermediate and deep throws and just relied on his arm, and that’s the same thing that got Jake Fromm last year.