ATHENS — Kirby Smart was decidedly less gracious and accommodating Wednesday when asked about Georgia’s quarterbacks on the SEC coaches teleconference call.
In his defense, he’s been asked about it pretty much every day since the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs played their most recent game, against Kentucky on Oct. 16. Then again, as Georgia gets ready for its nationally televised matchup against SEC arch-rival Florida on Saturday (3:30 p.m., CBS), Smart keeps saying he’ll have to review each day’s practice competition between junior JT Daniels and senior Stetson Bennett before providing an detailed assessment.
Even while talking to reporters after Tuesday night’s practice, Smart said he’d have to review that day’s offensive video cut-ups before evaluating that day’s quarterback work. He had done that by the time he got on Wednesday’s conference call by 11:10 a.m., but was intentionally vague and brusque when asked to assess what he’d seen.
“They both looked good, and they’re both doing a good job,” he said. “So, we’ll go into Wednesday and see how the day goes.”
However, other than private consultations with CBS Sports commentators and SEC Network analysts over the next couple of days, that will be Smart’s last media-based comments on the situation.
As reported Tuesday, Daniels, the starter coming into the season and for three of the first four games, has been able to participate in all aspects of practice for the first time since being sidelined with a strained lat muscle four weeks ago. Meanwhile, senior Stetson Bennett, who has started the past three games and four overall, continues split reps with Daniels with Georgia’s No. 1 offensive unit.
Florida, of course, has been playing two quarterbacks most of the season and will again Saturday, according to coach Dan Mullen. Mullen, whose weekly session on the conference call immediately follows Smart, was asked if it was difficult preparing for the Bulldogs’ offense with their quarterback-rotation plans unknown the week of the game.
“I don’t know that it’s much of a problem,” the Gators’ coach said. “You know, they’re going to run their offense with either guy in the game. I think it’s understanding which guy is in the game and understanding that schematically, it’s not going to be a massive difference or a change. It’s really an understanding of what each guy brings to the table. You know, what are his strengths, what are his weaknesses?”
That’s markedly different for Bennett and Daniels. Statistically, Georgia is a better running team with the more mobile Bennett under center. The Bulldogs tend to be much more of a passing team with Daniels in the game.
To wit, and keeping in mind that other quarterbacks have played in two of the three games Daniels started, Georgia has:
- Averages with Daniels starting: 244.3 yards passing, 2 TDs, 1.3 INTs; 182.0 yards rushing, 2.3 TDs.
- Averages with Bennett starting: 232.3 yards passing, 2.75 TDs 0.25 INTs, 200.8 yards rushing, 1.75 TDs.
Florida and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham undoubtedly have taken note.
“Even if you run the same play with two different quarterbacks, each one’s going to bring a little bit different strength to it,” Mullen said. “So, you just have to have the awareness of which quarterback is in the game.”
