In unexpected news Wednesday, Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman decided to opt-out of the 2020 college football season, due to concerns amid the covid-19 pandemic and to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
The NCAA is allowing players who are not comfortable playing during the pandemic to opt-out for the 2020 season. They are allowed to remain on scholarship and do not lose their year of eligibility if they chose to return.
Newman’s official statement:
🙏🏽. #GODSPLAN pic.twitter.com/1LMOi1lydF
— Jamie Newman (@jlmn12_) September 2, 2020
After practice Wednesday afternoon, Georgia coach Kirby Smart released a statement regarding Newman’s decision to opt-out, saying he supports players who decide to sit because of safety concerns.
“One of the guiding principles of both the SEC and UGA return-to-play protocols has been the health and safety of our student-athletes. We have emphasized continually that any student-athlete who decides to opt-out because of health and/or safety concerns related to COVID-19 would be fully supported to include honoring scholarships, access to academic facilities, etc., and would remain in good standing with the team. While we will miss him being part of our program, I fully support Jamie’s decision and we will continue to regard him as a Georgia Bulldog. Certainly we wish him nothing but the best in his quest for an NFL career and he knows he will always have a home at UGA.”
Smart has always been a players coach. From his tenure at Alabama as defensive coordinator to now, head coach in Athens.
In that sense, he knows that he has to support his players and that it impacts not only how his team feels about him now but also recruiting in the future, so no surprise here that Smart is backing Newman’s decision.