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Jamie Newman has opted out of the 2020 season.

What social media is saying after UGA QB Jamie Newman opts out of 2020 season

Connor Riley
Connor Riley

Jamie Newman‘s Georgia career was over before he ever played a snap. The much-hyped transfer quarterback announced on Tuesday that he would be opting out of playing the 2020 season and instead will prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Newman made his decision known via Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.

“With much prayer and discussion with my family, I would like to announce that due to the uncertainties of this year amid a global pandemic I will officially opt-out of this football season to prepare for the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft,” Newman wrote.

Related: Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman to opt out for NFL draft

Newman acknowledged his brief time at Georgia but still thanked the coaching staff and players.

“I would like to thank Coach Smart for extending the opportunity for me to be a part of the University of Georgia football program,” Newman said.

Newman had widely been presumed to be the starting quarterback for Georgia this season after transferring from Wake Forest. A season ago, Newman threw 26 touchdowns while also rushing for 574 yards.

A number of prominent faces in the college football world weighed in on the news, including former Georgia players David Pollack, Aaron Murray and Hutson Mason.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart had previously said that no player was opting out this season, and should Newman do so, he would be the first Georgia player to opt-out for the season. LSU recently saw wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin opt-out to prepare for the NFL draft as well.

Newman had not yet officially been named the starting quarterback, as he was battling the likes of JT Daniels, D’Wan Mathis and Carson Beck. Daniels transferred to Georgia in May after spending his first two seasons at USC. He has 12 career starts, but he is also coming off a torn ACL and is not yet fully cleared according to Smart.

Related: Teammates, Kirby Smart discuss what JT Daniels will bring to Georgia football quarterback battle

Mathis also missed all of last season following brain surgery in May of 2019 but he has been cleared to play. Beck signed with Georgia as a 4-star recruit in the 2020 class.

The news brought out a number of reactions from the various people in the national media and Georgia fans alike.

Smart did add that a number of quarterbacks worked with the first team at this past Saturday’s scrimmage.

“I’m pretty sure we had every quarterback go with the 1s at one time,” Smart said. “Jamie [Newman] operated with the 1s, and JT [Daniels] operated with the 1s. D’Wan [Mathis] got a red area series with the 1s, as well.”

Georgia’s first game of the 2020 season is set for Sept. 26 when the Bulldogs play Arkansas. Georgia does have a scrimmage this coming Saturday, which will go a long way in determining who ends up starting that Week 1 game.

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