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Georgia coach Kirby Smart opens up on D'Wan Mathis in portal, pending transfer

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Comments

  • DallasDawgDallasDawg Posts: 1,262 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Just a few random thoughts on the Mathis situation.

    1. I wish him well wherever he winds up. I think D'Wan is good, but not nearly as good as he thinks he is. Time will tell.
    2. I don't care what anyone says, he could have waited 2 weeks to announce this. Kirby says he wants him to stay with the team so if he does that, then why not just wait. If he's as good as HE thinks he is, another two weeks isn't going to hurt him. I'm sure these guys have back-channel ways of reaching out to the schools they want to attend to gauge interest. I don't think they just wind up at certain schools by happenstance.
    3. If he didn't want the word to come out until Monday, then why not just go ahead and travel to South Carolina with the team. He and Kirby could have had an understanding that he wouldn't play. Then he could have just come back and announced everything today.
    4. I don't think Mathis and his family did anything that much better than Justin Fields and his family. Justin Fields' family has NEVER said publicly why he transferred. Much has been speculated, but they have never said. And if Jake Fromm had been leaving UGA after Justin's freshman year, I have ZERO doubt that he would have returned to the Dawgs, regardless. And unlike Mathis, Fields stuck it out with UGA through the bowl game.
    5. I don't know what Beck (or his family) is thinking. But I do wonder about the mentality of these kids who come to college these days. They're think they're all that and then they get on campus and find out that there are one or two or three other guys who are just better (or at least play better). Then they pout and decided to transfer. And yes, we know of a few transfers that do hit it big, but in most of those cases, those kids were good at their previous schools. They weren't going to a new school looking to prove themselves. So if Beck is thinking about leaving, he needs to think long and hard. But, I'm pretty sure he could start at Florida State tomorrow. They got issues.


  • TrippTripp Posts: 512 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

    I'm on the fence about this one. On one hand I would really like D'Wan stick it out and compete for the starting roll after next season, on the other hand I'm not sure he would beat out Beck or Vandergriff. D'Wan has great physical tools, very mobile with great speed, great arm strength but D'Wan is lacking in fully understanding this offense creating an issue with decision making, accuracy and confidents. Decision making and confidence improves with experience and repetition. Accuracy improves through development and hard work. I want to see D'Wan succeed and not sure he'll get that chance here so I support his move. Maybe he ends up somewhere on an offense more designed to his talents.

    Many so called experts mistake what it takes to be a true "dual threat" QB. A good runner with a cannon does not mean you are a dual threat. You may do both but not really be a threat at one or the other. However a great decision maker who throws accurately and effectively who also is a good runner with good field vision will make you a dual threat. I fully believe Mathis can and will become a very good dual threat QB but currently lacks some of the intricacies that make him a true dual threat.

    So hopefully we keep Daniels around for the 2021 season and invest a lot into Beck and Vandergriff. I hope Smart lets Beck get some quality playing time the rest of the way this year. Vandergriff is not yet in the fold, Mathis is in the portal, Stetson ceiling is not high enough to lead the Dawgs to the top and JT will probably have options and a decision at the end of this season. Beck needs some quality game experience now because Clemson is just 3 or 4 games away. Won't be a pretty sight if we go in to that game with Bennett starting or Beck not having quality game reps. Mike said it best, a pro style offense takes time to learn. Very very few kids will walk in to a prostyle offense out of high school and be ready to go in months. Justin Fields struggled with it, D'Wan was struggling with it and I'm sure Carson is or I feel sure we would've seen him on the field with the lack of production out of the QB room prior to Daniels.

    If Beck is thinking about the portal then I sure hope we get Vandergriff inked. I don't count anything until its happened and even then, Evans showed that still may not be the Gospel!

  • E_RocE_Roc Posts: 1,218 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
    edited November 2020

    1. What are you basing that impression on? Is there a quote or something?

    2. I don't understand this fixation with the timing aspect (obviously it's come up in posts from multiple people). He wasn't going to see the field again this season, so what difference does it make if he enters the portal now or in a few weeks?

    3. I suppose that could've been done. But there's a limited number of players that are able to go on road games, and Smart was probably (and correctly) anticipating a bench-clearing win.

    4. For the sake of brevity (I had a dissertation going for a minute there), I'll just say I disagree. Or, more precisely, I don't think the two situations are very comparable. And again, I don't really see what was gained by his being around for the bowl game if he knew he was gone at that point.

    5. I generally agree.

  • VenomGAVenomGA Posts: 336 ✭✭✭ Junior

    good luck to Mathis. He's had a helluva last 2 years. I wish him nothing but the best.

  • SWDawg68SWDawg68 Posts: 1,699 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Wow - Agreed on all points - Read the above and know this posts has it nailed!

    I too, wish him all that he is looking for in a place to land, maybe Mel Tucker could use his talents?

    Without the reference to Mike's article, but I appreciate his point of view as well.....I saw too much "lacking" in Mathis's game to believe he could handle this type offense. He can run, he can fling it out of the stadium and he can handle the stress of a SEC opponent, but that is about it. My father, 85 years old, said right after Bumper Pool's no call targeting foul on D'wan in the Arkansas game - That's going to leave a mark and I hope it doesn't change the way he can play, hits like that will do that. Well, it did and it still does.....against UF, it was the same thing, eyes looking all over the place and ducking out before the 1st down. He needs a simplified check down offense that allows him to role out and roam. This is not that type of offense!

    I'll say it again, he needs to go to Michigan State, closer to home and Jay Johnson as his OC would be a perfect fit. No questions he is a Power 5 talent! Good Luck to him!

    Just like QB4, he provides a wonderful story of "trials and tribulations" but rarely that ends with a SECC or NATTY!

  • Dawg365Dawg365 Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

    I too, like Kirby, am "excited about his future."

    I am not a QB guru but it is very, very clear that Mathis has a LONG way to go before is a productive QB. After the first few series against Arkansas it was clear Mathis was not ready. I hope he takes his education very seriously wherever he ends-up because I do not believe he will ever be paid to sling the rock, hopefully I am wrong.

    I have my doubts about whether or not Daniels will be here in 2021. Dude is draft eligible after this season. And, he is already

    projected to be a first round pick.

    The only evidence we have that Beck is considering a transfer is Kirby saying about Mathis: "We want him to stay here." You read between the lines on that one.

    Last thought, Brock will not be ready to start for UGA through the first half of next season even if he is on campus early. Just watch the clips of his latest game in which he threw for 7 TDs. The numbers are impressive but his play was not. He will be a great D1 QB one day but he, like Beck, will need some time in the system. High School football is slow compared to D1.

    Go Dawgs!

  • joelljoell Posts: 34 ✭ Freshman

    @pgriffith..........."stage fright"

    A perfect description of Mathis play this season. He reminds me of Blake Barnett, who was benched after three series, in the 1st half of the 2016 season opener : Nick Saban said he "looked scared." In fairness to to Kirby, Mathis played six series.

    Mathis has no future as a QB at UGA, so I don't blame him for leaving.

  • David1David1 Posts: 698 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    I wish it had worked out for Mathis. God bless you wherever you go. Go Dawgs!!

  • RealityBasedDawgFanRealityBasedDawgFan Posts: 198 ✭✭✭ Junior

    Everyone banking on Brock Vandagriff being the next great QB should hold your horses, or not count your chickens or whatever we say these days. This kid is talented but he has played strictly 1-2A ball and that is not even close to what he will experience in the SEC. That is the equvialent of playing against 9th grade/JV defenses.

    For example, Malcolm Parrish was an all-world QB/DB at Brooks Co -Quitman, GA. I watched this kid dominate the entire state in AA for 4 years and came to Athens and well, you know how that story ends, something about a 2 and 26 TD. Great athlete, but just not on that level.

  • latemodelraylatemodelray Posts: 155 ✭✭✭ Junior

    Seems to be a good young man. In his time at Georgia I can not recall his name in the headlines for the wrong reasons. nor can I recall him being in trouble for lacking in his academics.

    For all of this I wish him the best in his future and wish to thank him for his time as a Bulldog.

    That being said he is no longer a Bulldog and I dont give a single **** about another college down of football he plays in his lifetime

    That holds true for every former UGA player that transfers to another school at any position for any reason ....... Best of luck in life etc etc etc But I dont give a **** about your college football play all i care about is UGA and if and when will we win another nation title

  • tommieleetommielee Posts: 1,174 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

    Good Luck to you young man, ever where you decide to transfer to.

  • dawg4lyfedawg4lyfe Posts: 22 ✭✭ Sophomore

    Good Luck to him.. It would have been a great story for him at UGA had he excelled in Game 1, but alas it was not meant to be. I think he heads to Michigan State.

  • reddawg1reddawg1 Posts: 3,593 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    I wish him well. I think he will need to mature a lot. What I saw on the sidelines when he didn't do well was a kid who wasn't able to control his emotions. Really can't see him running the show at a major D-1 school. Go to a D-2 and be a really good D-2 QB. Have fun, get a degree.

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