Kirby Smart explains what stands out to him about JT Daniels
By Keith Farner
Published:
Georgia QB JT Daniels is widely viewed as one of the top two quarterbacks in the SEC, and in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy as long as the Bulldogs at least come close to their national championship goals this season.
At SEC Media Days, Smart explained what sets Daniels apart from other players and quarterbacks. Daniels last season offered a significant glimpse into his potential for Georgia when he started the last four games of the season. He finished with 80 completions out of 119 attempts for 1,231 yards and 10 TDs.
“His ability to retain information,” Smart said. “I think when you sit in a meeting and when someone discusses something especially with the generation of young men we’re dealing with now, in terms of being on their phones needing constant change and you know they can’t watch a video for more than 30 seconds without moving on to the next thing. JT has unbelievable retention. He can stay in a meeting, he can take notes, he can get us question the next day or three days later, the situation reappears, he knows the answer from what he learned in the meeting. So when you have someone like that, now you need physical tools, but when you have the mental tools to be able to do that, he’s able to draw on those experiences and learn in the meeting room which is a big part of being a quarterback.”
Since last season, Smart said Daniels has become more familiar with his teammates, and there’s a stronger connection since more activities are in person versus being on Zoom. Smart also said Daniels is more mobile, healthier, stronger, and more confident in his knee, which kept him from getting in the starting lineup sooner last season.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
