As a non-graduate transfer, Georgia’s newest quarterback isn’t eligible to play in the 2020 season without a waiver from the NCAA. Seth Emerson ($$) wrote yesterday that Daniels does intend to apply for a waiver once he’s enrolled at UGA.
If that’s what he wants, more power to him, obviously, but speaking selfishly, it sure seems like it would be better for the program if Daniels didn’t get the waiver. For one thing, there’s a question about his health.
Daniels is still less than a year removed from the knee injury that ended things right out of the gate. He wouldn’t have been a go in spring ball had it gone off, and part of the reason he’s transferring is because he likely wouldn’t have had the shot to beat out Kedon Slovis.
It’s not 100% certain that he’ll be 100% healthy by the time Georgia fall camp rolls around, either.
In a perfect world, Newman is fantastic, Daniels gets a full year to heal up and get ready to roll, and then the offense is his in 2021. But if there isn’t a season, then he gets the time off to get stronger and learn the system, Newman will be off to the NFL, and Georgia has its guy.
I assume, given the times, that Georgia hasn’t had the direct opportunity to evaluate the state of Daniels’ knee yet. I would also assume that’s something of a concern until Courson can check it out and recommend if any further rehab is needed.
Beyond that, though, assuming that Newman is up to the job (that also being something the staff hasn’t really had the direct opportunity to evaluate), spacing out a line of succession from him in 2020 to Daniels in 2021 seems advantageous. As far as what happens after 2021, Daniels would have two years of eligibility left once five-star Brock Vandagriff arrives on campus and you’d have to think there’s a legit chance Daniels doesn’t stay for both if he takes off as Georgia’s starter in 2021.
Where that leaves the three other scholarship quarterbacks on Georgia’s roster is a good question. I’d have to think Smart has already taken the time to meet with them about their prospects. I’d also have to think that with the roster being several players over the 85-man limit, one of them will be going into the transfer portal in the near future. It’ll be a shame for the odd man out, but Kirby has shown he’s pretty relentless when it comes to roster management. As I’ve already noted, he’s got a quarterback room in much better shape today than it was in January, and that’s what counts from his selfish standpoint.
Get The Picture 
I wonder what’s going thru Stetson Bennett’s mind right now?
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“Perhaps I’m not a SEC-caliber quarterback?”
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that certainly went through my mind when he attempted a few passes last season…
OTOH, he gave it a try and ultimately came home to get a degree more than play. I’d guess that Mathis might be stopping by the registrar to double check his records right now. He’s been on campus long enough for Kirby to decide if he wants to encourage him to leave.
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“perhaps I’m not an SEC-caliber quarterback, but damn I’m living the good life!”
Is what I’d be thinking.
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“Perhaps I’m not an SEC QB but I could be the starter and star of the team at an FCS school” is maybe what he’s thinking.
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Probably already mentioned, but the last injured player who transferred from USC worked out pretty well for us. Here’s hoping he’s just as successful here.
And yeah, keeping him for next year would be preferable.
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I think he knows coming in he’s probably gonna be riding the pine till next year. But it’s nice, after hearing a fair amount of “WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NEXT YEAR AT QB???”, that CKS is on the mother.
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Not only Kirby’s selfish point of view, but ours as well.
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You can look at a knee with these crazy things called pictures, MRI’s, and x rays.
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I imagine Courson and staff looked at the knee prior to Kirby’s official offer.
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You can look at a player with these crazy things called video.
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Worst case scenario, Daniels never sees the field at UGA. But he never sees the field at Tennessee either.
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Senator, the last line of your post (re: his selfish standpoint) really struck a chord with me. I have always been a big fan of Coach Mark Richt, mainly because I think he sincerely cared about his players. I also think Kirby cares about his players, but in a different way that I had trouble understanding. But after reading your post that difference became clear to me. CMR may have cared more about the players as individuals while CKS may care more about them as players on HIS team. And if that gets us to the next level, I’m okay with that 🙂
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Daniels made an enlightened choice in transferring to UGA. Great facilities and a proven staff under Courson for his rehab. Talented and deep O line to protect him if he proves capable of starting with experienced coaches who are hungry for a championship. Five star receivers and excellent RB’s as a supporting cast and a Defense that will take the pressure off him from having to play catch up. And don’t forget a fan base that will support him 100% as long as he’s winning by their accepted amount of points.
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while true, none of this changes the cold hard fact that he is leaving In-n-Out Burger and there no burger joint on par with them in Athens…
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😳
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Not a fan of chain burgers, you can find Mom & Pop locally owned places that do it better.
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PTC, you got that right pal. Yesterday was National Burger Day and to celebrate I grilled a 1/2 lb Wagyu burger and had it on a bun with sliced sharp cheddar, lettuce, tomato and Duke’s(because if it ain’t Duke’s it ain’t mayonnaise). Better than any chain restaurant and approaching those wonderful burgers with a cold draft beer at one particular joint on some name-escapes-me Key after a day of fishing.
GOTDAMMITMAN!! I need a vacation or I’m gonna shoot 27 holes in my freezer.
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Yuck, man. I don’t care if it’s Dukes or not, mayonnaise on a burger is border line un-American. Just like ketchup on a hot dog. If I wasn’t aware of your stellar credentials, I’d wonder if you were Canadian. Lol.
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Mayo makes everything better.
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You are wrong..but that’s OK…mayo makes a perfect sauce on a juicy burger.
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So what do YOU use? Miracle Whip?!?!?!
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That should not even be allowed in the mayo section, nor packaged like it. Will never forget a bacon and egg sandwich I got one day in NC that had that non-miracle crap on my bread. Bit into it and turned around and went back to that cafe and asked them WTF? They actually thought it was perfectly acceptable to swap that and not tell me they didn’t have any mayo in their location. I got a refund; they weren’t happy, and neither was I. Was worse than someone giving me a Pepsi when I ordered a Coke product, that isn’t the 2nd, 3rd, or 50th option as a replacement. (Burger can be eaten with mayo occasionally, but French’s yellow mustard and Heinz Ketchup is still the best for a burger)
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I’m flying the entire family to Marco Island, Florida tomorrow 7AM. By tomorrow afternoon I plan to have something frosty in one sunscreen slathered hand and a surf rod in the other. I’ve got a snook and red trip lined up for Monday for the two boys and I, another 1/2 day Wednesday for my wife and daughter. I will check in on GTP and any comments I post after noon please take with a grain of salt as there will likely be libations skewing my already flawed logic. Bottoms up, y’all! Hold down the fort ’til I get back.
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Sounds like a plan to me.
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Tight lines…..
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Good for you,GC. A guide is your best chance of catching in that area. Lot of pressure. Lot of hard head catfish. You’ll be surprised that the sail catfish are fine fare. Clean white meat on par with redfish and speckled trout according to the fish food value chart.
That’s a nice area and I’m envious. Wear your UGA colors, bark and howl at the full moon next week.
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I had to re-read your comment, Russ. I thought it was a golf reference at first!
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I’m with you Russ!! Gotta be Duke’s!!!!
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The perfect burger has a little mayo – some really good cheddar and a slice of Vidalia onion.
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“I like mine with lettuce and tomato, heinz 57 and french fried, big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer…good god almighty which way do i steer”
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I could be wrong but I don’t think Daniels preserves a year of eligibility by not playing this season. He played in 2018, redshirted in 2019 (got hurt in first game), and has 3 seasons of eligibility remaining. He’ll have 2 seasons left after the 2020 season regardless of whether he plays or not. Might as well try and get the waiver.
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You’re correct.
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I wonder what impact, if any, this has on Vandagriff’s commitment?
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According to his dad, zippo.
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Sounds good to me.
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I think the Senator’s timeline is exactly how Kirby would like it to play out. Daniels doesn’t get the waiver and we roll with Newman in 2020; Daniels continues to rehab his knee under Courson’s watch. Newman leaves and BVG comes in as an EE freshman. In ’21, Daniels wins the job with BVG as the backup, getting 4 games experience and preserving his redshirt. Daniels plays well enough to justify turning pro and BVG is the odds on favorite as the starter in ’22 and plays 2 years before he goes to the NFL.
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The kid I’m pulling for is Mathis: 6′ 6″, can throw it 70 yards and has run a sub 11 100 meters. He is coming back from a life threatening brain tumor and, understandably, no one gives him a shot at beating out Newman this year or Daniels after that. But what if he does and plays really well? That’ll be a hell of a story.
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Long as players know up front what they’re getting into, I’m not worried at all about this. You’re the best or you’re not and we’re always looking for the best. We’re not done recruiting just cause you’re pretty good. Be great and you’ve got nothing to worry about.
Never was upset when Saban came under fire for it and a lot of people around here were all high and mighty cause Richt didn’t do it that way. Don’t get me wrong, I was fine with how Richt did it; he recruited very well in large part because of being that kind of guy. If he turned around and started over recruiting and cutting guys, that would have been problematic. But Saban let it be known up front like Kirby does now, that no matter how good you are, if we can do better we will, so work hard and perform.
Don’t come here if you want to be promised a single thing; if you’re that good, you don’t need to worry about the next guy coming in.
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I don’t see a Daniels waiver as a bad thing. I’d be a lot more concerned about the prospect of him sticking around until 2023 and perhaps running off other blue chips.
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