JT Daniels’ father comments on Kirby Smart waiting to play his son
By SDS Staff
Published:
There were two common reactions among Georgia fans to JT Daniels’ stellar performance on Saturday night against Mississippi State. Bulldogs fans were thrilled to have a productive quarterback; they also wondered what took so long.
UGA beat reporter Mike Griffith of Dawg Nation spoke to Steve Daniels, JT’s father. The older Daniels approved of Smart’s handling of the UGA quarterback’s situation coming back from injury.
“As parents, Ali and I feel blessed to be at a place like Georgia with a coach like Kirby, who put our son’s health first and foremost,” Steve Daniels said. “Kirby didn’t rush him or put him out there too soon, and that’s why you come to a place like this, for this kind of support.
“Look at the support Kirby and the staff gave D’Wan Mathis the year before,” Daniels said, referencing Mathis’ emergency brain surgery in spring of 2019.
Steve noted that he personally observed JT before the season and could tell his son wasn’t game ready.
“I was out here in August and saw JT in a scrimmage, and you could tell he wasn’t 100 percent,” Steve said.
“You could see it in JT’s throws, he wasn’t able to get the same velocity on some of his passes, and that’s one of the things that separates him, is his accuracy.”
JT will look to stay hot as the Dawgs aim to get revenge on South Carolina for last year’s loss.
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
