The 4 most intriguing position battles to watch as Georgia begins fall football camp
Preseason football camp is finally underway around the Southeastern Conference. Conversations and storylines have, at least in part, shifted from the off-field battle against COVID-19 to the on-field X’s and O’s.
That’s no different in Athens, where the Georgia Bulldogs are practicing in preparation for their Sept. 26 season opener at Arkansas. Several positions are up for grabs, with competitions that will likely last close to or until kickoff.
Here’s a look at four intriguing position battles to watch during Georgia’s fall camp:
Quarterback
It doesn’t get much bigger than the most important position on the field.
The quarterback competition will be between a pair of players who weren’t Bulldogs at this time last year. Graduate transfer Jamie Newman arrived from Wake Forest in January, while J.T. Daniels announced his transfer from Southern Cal in May and got his immediate eligibility waiver approved in July.
Newman started 16 games in his career as a Demon Deacon, throwing for 2,868 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as the starter in 2019. Unlike Daniels and former Georgia starter Jake Fromm, Newman also has the ability to utilize his legs, as he ran for 574 yards and six touchdowns in 2019.
Daniels missed most of 2019 with a torn ACL, an injury from which he still hasn’t been fully cleared. He posted solid numbers as a freshman, however, with 2,672 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 11 starts.
One of Newman’s most positive traits is his ability to throw the deep ball. Pro Football Focus had him as third in the country in deep pass percentage (passes of more than 20 yards downfield) at 19.8%. That skill set should fit well with the downfield passing attack of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Newman has also been with the program for several more months than Daniels, which will likely help him in the race for the starting job. But head coach Kirby Smart has always said he wants to play the player that gives the team the best chance to win, no matter the position. Whether it’s Newman or Daniels, the Bulldogs have solid options at quarterback in 2020.
Right tackle
Junior Jamaree Salyer seems like the clear front-runner to take over for Andrew Thomas at left tackle. The battle for right tackle, however, is a little more open.
The competition is shaping up to come down to three players. The eldest is redshirt sophomore Owen Condon, although he only saw the field against Arkansas State in 2019.
There is also a pair of redshirt freshmen, Xavier Truss and Warren McClendon. McClendon played in four games a year ago, while Truss saw action in three.
Any one of this trio, as well as an incoming freshman such as Tate Ratledge or Broderick Jones, could step up in camp and seize control of the starting spot. Whoever wins the job will have big shoes to fill in replacing Isaiah Wilson, a 2020 first-round NFL Draft pick.
Safety
Senior and All-American candidate Richard LeCounte has a stranglehold on one safety spot. His running mate J.R. Reed, however, departed for the NFL, taking with him 32 starts worth of experience.
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, the secondary might be the deepest unit on the team. There are plenty of talented candidates to take over Reed’s role, starting with sophomore Lewis Cine.
Cine played in all 14 games and earned starts against LSU in the SEC Championship Game (a contest where Georgia deployed a seven-man secondary) and against Baylor in the Sugar Bowl with Reed out due to injury. He notched six tackles in both games he started and also recorded a goal-line interception against Arkansas State, showing flashes of his four-star recruiting ranking.
Two other experienced Bulldogs, juniors Christopher Smith and William Poole, will push Cine for the starting job. Whoever comes out on top will round out arguably the most talented group for the Bulldogs.
Tight end
Could this be the year throwing to the tight end actually becomes an emphasis in Georgia’s offense?
It’s certainly possible with a coordinator like Monken who likes to push the ball down the field. While redshirt sophomore John FitzPatrick and redshirt freshman Ryland Goede return from last year’s team, neither saw the field much behind Charlie Woerner and Eli Wolf.
Like the quarterback position, newcomers might be the ones who elevate the tight end to a true weapon in the Georgia offense.
Graduate transfer Tre’ McKitty arrived from Florida State after 50 receptions for 520 yards and two scores in 35 career games. While he provides the experience, true freshman Darnell Washington provides the freak athleticism.
Washington, the second-ranked athlete prospect in the Class of 2020 according to the 247Sports Composite, stands at 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds. He’s the classic matchup nightmare at tight end, too fast for linebackers and big enough to box out safeties and corners that attempt to cover him.
These four players are all capable of starting, and they will all likely see the field no matter who is deemed the starter. But if Washington progresses enough to earn the nod, it will make the Georgia offense that much more dangerous.
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "The 4 most intriguing position battles to watch as Georgia begins fall football camp."