ATHENS — Georgia quarterback JT Daniels and a handful of Georgia football receivers got back to work on Tuesday — in California.
Daniels has been training under the direction of renowned quarterback instructor Jordan Palmer for years, but this summer he’ll be bringing some friends.
Most all of UGA’s top-flight receivers were working with Daniels in Orange County on Tuesday.
Jermaine Burton, Kearis Jackson, Justin Robinson and Adonai Mitchell were all present. Others expected on the California trip — the players will be out there some 10 days — include Demetris Robertson, Ladd McConkey and Braxton Hicks.
Tight ends Darnell Washington and Brock Bowers are also expected to attend, along with the multi-talented James Cook. Redshirt freshman tailback Kendall Milton will also take part in later California workout sessions.
Georgia receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint went back to South Florida to continue to rehabilitate his injured ankle, while Dominick Blaylock and George Pickens remain on the mend from their knee injuries. Tailback Kenny McIntosh is still working in Athens to recover from his dislocated elbow.
Redshirt freshman receiver Arian Smith chose to run track this spring rather than put all of his focus on football at this point in his career.
The Georgia football players’ commitment to the extra workout time together this summer is impressive, as it carries the added -- and some would say necessary -- benefit of team chemistry and bonding.
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and his receivers put forth the same sort of extra time together two years ago en route to their impressive run to the College Football Playoff Championship after the 2019 season.
RELATED: How LSU fine-tuned an offense that ranked among the best in college history
Coach Kirby Smart has suggested the question isn’t whether or not Daniels will be ready to run the offense, so much as the degree of timing and comfort he has with his receivers.
“He has command of it, he understands it,” Smart said. “The key is his decision-making process. We know the quarterback position there is probably a decision that has to be made every single play, and he manages that really well fortunately.”
That has not always been the case with Georgia’s receivers, going back to the first game of last season when Burton made the wrong read on a defensive back leading to a D’Wan Mathis interception.
In the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the talented Burton was a bit off on another deep pass route after missing some bowl practices for Covid-related reasons.
Three feet, literally, can make all the difference in an offense that relies on Air Raid principles. It’s why offensive coordinator Todd Monken has stressed the importance of precise alignment and route depth.
Daniels has had some learning to do, too.
The former Southern Cal quarterback has experienced how the speed of the game is different in the SEC and adjusted his timing to get rid of the football quicker.
That will be especially important against an offensive line that’s expected to experience some dropoff after losing three starters to the NFL each of the past two seasons.
Georgia struggled to protect Daniels and open holes against a salty Cincinnati front in the bowl game, and Clemson’s front seven will be even better.
That’s why it’s important Daniels gets comfortable with his receivers in a Monken offense that offers answers on each play. The Bulldogs not only need to take what the defense gives. They also need to be able to complete passes in the dark, so to speak.
Daniels will also be polishing his mechanics and fundamentals this week working with Palmer, who also tutors such NFL quarterbacks as Josh Allen and Sam Darnold.
The Sept. 4 opening game with Clemson got even more real on Tuesday with the 7:30 p.m. kick time announced.