JT Daniels Emerging as True Leader

Georgia quarterback JT Daniels began to get his feet wet when he arrived on campus a year ago, and now he's one of the team's true leaders.

Let's go back in time. It's March, 2020, and college students and athletes have been sent home from campuses all across the country. The sport of college football is on a temporary hold and most Georgia fans are excited as the anticipation for graduate transfer quarterback Jamie Newman builds. 

Flash forward two months later and JT Daniels' storyline in Athens begins. 

On May 28, Daniels announced he would be transferring to Georgia. Upon receiving his approval for immediate eligibility, the battle for Georgia's starting quarterback job between Daniels and Newman was underway. Or so we thought. 

Newman ultimately opted out of the season, and Daniels was unsure about the health of his surgically repaired knee. Daniels spent the better part of the first six months on campus — from May when he arrived until November when he became the starter — getting his feet wet. 

He spent six months figuring out life in the southeast region of the country after having grown up in California, never having even been on campus before announcing his transfer. He spent six months learning his teammates and developing relationships with them. 

He spent six months studying offensive coordinator Todd Monken's system and building a rapport with his teammates. 

Now, heading into the 2021 season and comfortable in what Daniels calls his new home, he's emerging as the leader of the team. 

The buzz around the Georgia football program is at an all-time high, with aspirations and expectations of a football team that will compete for a national title this fall. And a lot of that buzz and energy in the building is because of Daniels. 

Sources indicate that entering his second season, Daniels has become much more vocal and more of a source of energy, life and laughter around the program. 

Even head coach Kirby Smart is buying in on Daniels. He told 680 the Fan during a recent appearance that "it's JT's job. He's played the position, he's really on top of it, he's doing a good job in our offense, but it's not to say that we're not giving the other guys a look." 

In the four games he played last season, Daniels showed signs of what the Georgia offense could become. He played the position with a tremendous amount of confidence and poise even when he wasn't totally comfortable. 

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