Kirby Smart updates injury status of starting quarterback JT Daniels

Georgia quarterback JT Daniels is a game-time decision for Saturday’s game against No. 8 Arkansas. The preseason All-SEC selection has dealt with a grade 1 lat strain for a week, which is unrelated to the Week Two core injury that kept him out against UAB in September.

“It all depends on how JT does during warmups,” coach Kirby Smart told ESPN’s Holly Rowe on College GameDay. “He’s been able to go some this week. We’re hopeful he’s able to go, but we’ll see.”

If the starter is unable to go, former starter Stetson Bennett, who replaced Daniels in the UAB game, is the favorite to take over. Carson Beck is also a popular name on the depth chart and five-star freshman Brock Vandagriff is on the team.

Since the initial core injury, Daniels has played most of the game against South Carolina and played one half against Vanderbilt before leaving with the rest of the starters to rest.

In his three early appearances, Daniels has thrown for 569 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. As the unquestioned offensive leader on the No. 2 team in the country, he provides a steady presence in the backfield and on the sideline.

With a noon ET kickoff set in Athens, Georgia, a decision on JT Daniels’ availability and an update on the severity of his lat injury are not far away.

Previous comments from Kirby Smart

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart hinted at a lingering issue during Wednesday’s SEC teleconference. He spoke about JT Daniels’ lat injury and more during his availability.

“Well actually his oblique is fine, he’s got a little bit of a lat issue that bothered him a bit this week and bothered him a bit last week,” said Smart. “He’s done a good job. He’s sharp, watches all of his tape, gets his reps and does a good job. We’re hoping he can stay that way.”

Against South Carolina, after leading Georgia on back-to-back touchdown drives to start the game, Daniels was pulled in favor of Stetson Bennett on the third drive. Smart explained why last month.

“To be honest with you, JT was not 100 percent all week,” said Smart. “He practiced all week, but he didn’t necessarily go with the ones the whole time. We didn’t know if he was going to be able to go on Monday. We thought Stetson really practiced well, and he and JT rolled all week. And we told them, I guess it was Thursday or Friday, we called them in and said, ‘Hey, look, you’re both going to play. We think JT is healthy enough to go, but we’re going to play you, Stetson.’”

After Bennett threw an early interception, Daniels returned to the game with great results.