Saturdays in Athens
by George Somerville
WEEK T-1
21st August 2021
Welcome to our weekly round up of life in the Southeastern Conference.
This week we hear about JT Daniels popularity and his generosity, a QB change at Kentucky, a hammer blow for the Gamecocks and Auburn Cornerback, Roger McCreary tells us all about football IQ.
Yup, It’s Saturdays in Athens.
Here are this weeks headlines….
sharing the love
revolving door at uk
early blow for gamecocks
A football iq
Sharing the love
Athens, GA
When JT Daniels left the Californian sunshine for the peaches of Georgia, we all thought that this was a career enhancing move, football wise.
However few if any thought that the move would be enhancing, financially for the young Californian.
But since Daniels arrived in Athens Name, Image and Likeness rights became a thing and the UGA quarterback found himself in demand. And I mean in demand.
Daniels, who signed this week with Everett Sports Management has been racking up endorsement deals like they have been going out of fashion.
Most recently Daniels signed an endorsement deal with Southern fast food chain Zaxby’s which in itself is seismic. However it is the deal that he has signed with ESM which has caught the attention of everyone in Athens, particularly Daniels UG teammates.
Under the deal Daniels has an exclusive trading card agreement where he earns $100 per signature and 50% on each signed and unsigned card sold. Per a report by Darren Rovell of the Action Network, this deal could net Daniels a seven figure sum.
If you recall the State of Georgia introduced legislature which would allow Schools to claim a share of any endorsement income – although there seems to have been something of a retreat in this respect. However Daniels was already thinking about this and has pledged to share the income from this marketing deal with his teammates.
Daniels is fast gaining a reputation as not only a great quarterback but also a shrewd operator.
Well done Young Daniels, well done.
#HowBoutThemDawgs
revolving door at uk
Lexington, KY
As we discussed last week with the injury of Myles Brennan, QB1 at LSU, the life of a quarterback can be one of highs and lows.
This time last year, Auburn QB Joey Gatewood transferred following the news that Bo Nix had won the starting job for #WarEagle. Gatewood’s destination was still in the SEC with Kentucky and hopes were high.
However this week, Kentucky Head Coach, Mark Stoops named Penn State transfer Will Levis as his starting Quarterback. Which did not go down well with Joey Gatewood.
Stoops told the media on Sunday,
“I told him how much I appreciate how hard he’s worked, and I know he’s been through this before so I knew it would be an especially tough decision, not what he wanted to hear,”
Stoops continued,
“We had a good talk. He handled it completely professional. I really appreciate him. At that point he did inform me that he thought it would be in his best interest to enter his name into the portal, so that should happen here soon. …
I have great respect for Joey. He believes he can go somewhere and be a Power Five quarterback and a difference-maker, and I believe that as well.”
Shortly after Stoop’s press conference, Gatewood confirmed that he would enter the transfer portal.
On the decision to go with Levis, Stoops said,
“I feel very clear on this decision’
Stoops said,
“He has a lot of talent, He’s been doing some things really good. He’s been very efficient, He’s got unbelievable arm strength, He’s a big, strong guy – He won the job.”
Footnote: As this article goes to press, Brandon Marcello of 247Sports is reporting that Joey Gatewood has confirmed his transfer destination as UCF. The transfer reunites Gatewood with his old Head Coach, Gus Malzahn.
#GoWildcats
early blow for the gamecocks
Columbia, SC
With less than two weeks to the start of SEC football it’s fair to say that lady luck has not been kind to the quarterback fraternity thus far.
And news of Luke Doty’s injury will have Gamecocks fans hiding behind the couch.
Doty had been named QB1 early doors by new South Carolina Head Coach, Shane Beamer – as far back as Spring Football. Beamer has been preaching the power of positive thinking since he arrived in Columbia and has built some real momentum so far. News of Doty’s ankle injury will certainly test that positivity.
However all is not lost as Beamer updated the injury situation earlier this week. Beamer said,
“We will re-evaluate him here in a couple weeks. Luke is in great spirits and optimistic he will be able to play in the first game. If not, it will be soon after that.”
With Eastern Illinois in that curtain opener, Beamer will be relatively relaxed that he can start with either Colton Gauthier or Jason Brown under center. Meaning he can give Doty extra time to recover.
#GoGamecocks
A football iq
Auburn, AL.
Across the Plains in Auburn, Alabama there is a growing confidence that War Eagle has a damn good defense. And with a secondary that boasts Seniors Smoke Monday and Roger McCreary the Tigers believe they have the best secondary in the Conference.
Roger McCreary met with the media on Wednesday which the Touchdown attended.
A topic of great interest to the media pack was what ex Vandy Head Coach, now Auburn Defensive Coordinator Derek Mason has brought to the Auburn Party. The answer? Football IQ…..McCreary elaborates,
“With the off-man, it’s all about with the eyes and feet and all of that stuff and recognizing, like, what’s going on with the offense like FBI–football IQ and all of that stuff”
McCreary went on,
“It gives us more time to think, playing off when you see everything from the offense.
It’s about being more patient when the receiver gets into your cushion and when to open up or when it’s about to come down. It’s all about field awareness…..you’re just with this man locked on. No matter where he goes, that’s where you’re going.
This defense, we are playing it like zone. We are passing off the man if he doesn’t come right to us. You know, that stuff and if he comes to us we have got man all the way so I feel like it’s more simple, and I feel like it’s better for the defense, too.”
Asked how Coach Mason had impacted his now play, McCreary said,
“That was really my weakness, the football IQ, I really didn’t know that much of the schemes, I was just out there playing. The new coaches are trying to teach me all about that. I was just learning off experience and playing. I feel like with that and my experience I can actually see the play before it happens. With my experience and them teaching me more football IQ it’s going to improve my game this year.”
With the experience that returning seniors Smoke Monday and McCreary gives this Auburn Secondary, McCreary’s confidence must be music to Auburn fans ears.
And as I write this news has just arrived that 4* Safety Tre Donaldson has committed to the Tigers for the 2022 season. Future is looking bright under the Harsin era….
#WarDamnEagle
GEORGE SOMERVILLE
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WRITER
A GLASWEGIAN LIVING IN LONDON, GEORGE IS A COLLEGE FOOTBALL FAN WHO FOLLOWS THE ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE. HE PROVIDES CFB CONTENT FOR THE TOUCHDOWN AND IS ONE THIRD OF THE COLLEGE CHAPS PODCAST.
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