Report: Former UGA quarterback JT Daniels transferring to West Virginia
Report: Former UGA quarterback JT Daniels transferring to West Virginia
“…Country roads, take me home, to the place, where I belong, West Virginia, mountain mama, take me home, country road….”
Former Georgia quarterback JT Daniels announced on Wednesday, Jan. 19 following the Bulldogs’ 33-18 victory over Alabama in the 2022 CFP National Championship Game that he intended to transfer from the program after he graduates this upcoming May.
On Wednesday, it was reported that Daniels has chosen West Virginia as his landing spot, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Per Thamel’s report, Daniels visited Morgantown, WV. on April 9 and informed Mountaineers’ head coach Neal Brown of his plans via a phone call on Wednesday morning.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound signal-caller will reunite with former USC quarterbacks coach Graham Harrell, who is now the offensive coordinator at West Virginia under Brown.
The pair spent two seasons together at Southern Cal before Daniels transferred to Georgia in 2020. The former Trojans’ quarterback spent the past two years as a Bulldog, although his career was plagued with injuries. Still, Daniels never lost a start for Georgia as he went 7-0.
Daniels took over as the starter for Stetson Bennett in Georgia’s seventh game of the season against Mississippi State in 2020. In his debut as a Bulldog, he completed 26-of-38 passes for 401 yards and four touchdowns. Daniels ended the 2020 season with 1,231 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had a 67.2 completion percentage.
Daniels started in Georgia’s 2021 season opener against Clemson, although he missed the next week versus UAB with a grade-one lat strain. He returned against South Carolina the following week and completed 23-of-31 passes for 303 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Daniels was the starter and appeared in the first quarter of the Bulldogs’ blowout victory over Vanderbilt in Week 4; however, he was replaced by Bennett, who went on to start the rest of the season, helping Georgia to its first title in 41 years. It was later reported that Daniels was dealing with an oblique injury.
The Irvine, Ca., native only appeared in two more games in a red and black uniform after that. Daniels played mop-up duty against both Missouri and Charleston Southern.
He finished the 2021 season by completing 68-of-94 passes (72.3 completion percentage) for 722 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions with an 85.6 percent QBR.
Despite not seeing the field much after being replaced, Daniels was a supporter of Bennett.
Bennett said that his relationship with Daniels was “cool” following Georgia’s win over Missouri last season.
“Any time somebody else goes in there and has success — it’s cool,” Bennett said in November. “We’re buddies and we’re friends. Yeah, it was pretty cool to see him out there.”
Daniels told Thamel that he is “thankful” for getting the opportunity to play at Georgia.
“I love Georgia, and Georgia has always loved me since I’ve been here,” Daniels said. “It’s been a really, really good and supportive fan base. I’m very, very thankful. I had no problems adjusting. I wouldn’t even consider it an adjustment. Everyone here has been good and honest and good people.”
Daniels will have immediate eligibility for WVU as a graduate transfer. He will compete for the starting job during summer workouts as the Mountaineers prepare for the 2022 season.
Daniels told Thamel that his top priority is staying healthy.
"The No. 1 thing [that I need to prove] is that I can stay healthy," Daniels said. "If there's one thing I haven't proven, it's that. I have missed 35 games in three years."
WVU will open its 2022 season against rival Pittsburgh in the ‘Backyard Brawl’ on Thursday, Sept. 1. Daniels could face his former USC teammate Kedon Slovis in that matchup. Slovis transferred to Pitt in December 2021 after being with the Trojans for three years.