Time out! The reality of the Georgia football quarterback situation

ATHENS — The Georgia quarterbacks situation has everyone guessing.

That’s not necessarily Kirby Smart’s intent, but he’s fine with it.

The reality of the situation is that Smart himself doesn’t know for sure at this point, and he has said so, most recently after Saturday’s scrimmage.

There are several factors still to be determined. There’s no need to make a decision with nearly two weeks left before the opener.

The most important factor when deciding between quarterbacks or any other position is to figure out who’s available to play.

COVID-19 is a real thing and a player — or players — could be ruled out at any time with the protocols in place.

But in Georgia’s case, most all eyes are on the medical chart of redshirt sophomore transfer JT Daniels.

Smart said last week he assumed Daniels would be cleared for the opening game at Arkansas on Sept. 26, but that hasn’t happened yet.

Thus, redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis got the majority of reps in a scrimmage last Saturday that featured several spectators.

It was Smart’s first — and likely last — chance to see how Mathis performs with a crowd and assess his ability to run the offense in a stadium setting.

There are still two more weeks’ worth of reps for the quarterbacks to compete, just like everyone else on the team.

Fifth-year senior offensive lineman Ben Cleveland says the quarterback competition ‘creates a good vibe on the team.’

Mathis is likely to play at Arkansas, whether he starts or not.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see freshman Carson Beck also play.

If anybody knows the value of quarterback depth, it’s Smart, having seen two potential national championship seasons derailed by Alabama backups.

Daniels has been getting stronger in fall drills even while playing with a brace on his right knee.

He’s in the final stages of recovery from the ACL surgery he underwent last September after getting injured in the second quarter of USC’s opening game with Fresno State.

Daniels’ level of college game experience and familiarity with this offense makes him the favorite to start — but again, only with a completely clean bill of health.

Former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray had some comments about the quarterbacks there were telling, and accurate.

Murray, the SEC’s all-time passing leader and a CBS analyst, was impressed with Beck’s great mobility and ability to make all the throws.

The fact Beck worked with the twos should not rule him out of the competition.

It’s a long season, and where Georgia finishes will ultimately mean more than where the Bulldogs start.

Or who they start, for that matter.

But folks will keep talking and speculating on the Georgia quarterback, and that’s fine with Smart.

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