Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman has been hard at work amid the coronavirus crises, per his former high school football coach.
“Jamie’s been training and working out since all of this (pandemic) has been going on,” said Anthony Timmons, who coached Newman in his hometown of Graham, N.C.
“He’s trying to be like everyone else there at Georgia, working to perfect his craft.”
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UGA offensive coordinator Todd Monken has been in contact with Newman and all the Bulldogs’ quarterbacks.
Timmons said it’s his understanding Georgia players will make use of technology to make the best of it amid these unprecedented and trying times.
“Kids are resilient, and they understand technology like FaceTime,” Timmons said. “I’m sure there’s the time to dive into the playbook with FaceTime and go over that and through scenarios with your teammates.
“It’s like I’m telling my players, the mental aspect of it is huge right now.”
The coronavirus has spread rapidly across the country, and Georgia has not been spared. At the time of this writing (March 20), AJC.com is reporting 287 confirmed cases in Georgia including 8 in Clarke County, which is home to the University of Georgia.
On Wednesday, DawgNation reported that a UGA sports staffer had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The University of Georgia was on break last week, however, and in-person classes were cancelled before students returned, mitigating the spread.
UGA athletic director Greg McGarity told DawgNation the cancellation of the remainder of spring semester classes essentially rules out spring sports activity on campus.
RELATED: Georgia spring football, SEC sports seasons officially shut down
But what Newman experienced at Georgia in January, February and the first week of March, he truly enjoyed.
Timmons, now coach at Knightdale High School just outside of Raleigh, N.C., said he’s received nothing but great feedback from Newman on his recent spring term stint at Georgia.
“He said it was awesome, and he loved every minute of it,” Timmons said. “it’s a different world with SEC football.”
Newman, as Timmons said when the former Wake Forest quarterback chose Georgia as a graduate transfer, has made an instant impact.
Several sources in and around the Bulldogs’ program have talked about the maturity and leadership the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Newman has already brought into the program.
The Wake Forest players at the NFL combine couldn’t wait to talk about their former teammate, and they all predicted great success for him at Georgia.
RELATED: Wake Forest players say ‘Georgia should be really excited’
“You’re going to get the hardest worker in the whole entire football program,” said Wake Forest offensive tackle and team captain Justin Herron.
Wake Forest cornerback Essang Bassey agreed.
“Guys are going to feel him in the locker room, on the field, in the weight room,” he said.
Timmons said that while schools are shutdown, there are still gyms Newman has found to work out in.
But more than anything, he believes Newman has invested his time looking to learn the offense.
“Now is a good time to do some film study and learn the offense,” Timmons said. “That’s what I’m doing with my guys right now, too, pushing the mental aspect.
“You stay in the best shape you can with home workouts, and then once all this clears up, you will push the physical part when you’re back together, and hope they’ve got the mental part down.”
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