Georgia at the forefront of vaccination efforts among SEC schools. Here’s why

Each time Georgia football players gather for discussion on a pressing topic, head coach Kirby Smart poses a challenge. He doesn’t want “lip service,” as the long-tenured leader of the Bulldogs put it, but instead wants to follow it with action.

Early in the offseason, Georgia coaches publicized their own efforts to get the COVID-19 vaccination with images and statements through a sponsorship with Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare. It didn’t stop there.

Each of the vaccinated coaches stood up. Georgia running backs coach Dell McGee shared a heartfelt testimony as to why taking steps of protection against the virus that has sickened and killed tens of thousands across the country.

“Why do you get vaccinated?” McGee was asked in the meeting, as Smart recalled Tuesday in front of a media conglomerate at SEC Media Days.

McGee, as a Black man, related to a majority of the players on the Bulldogs’ roster. He wanted to be able to reunite with his older family members, such as his father, without any distancing or fear of spreading illness.

McGee also wanted to be a representative in the community, Smart said. McGee has voiced his stance on serious issues on numerous occasions from his days as a high school coach in Columbus and his path through the coaching ranks. He teamed up with wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton and the university’s assistant athletic director for adversity, Courtney Gay, to form the Dawgs For Pups program, which takes initiatives to support children in minorities across the Athens-Clarke County area.

For vaccines, McGee’s action-laden steps aren’t any different. He had a previous doubt with the virus during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Smart said, and wanted to use his vaccination as a symbol of reassurance to those in minorities or those who are hesitant to become vaccinated that it’s a safe step to take.

“He did a tremendous job,” Smart said. “It moved me to hear him speak to our team and say, ‘Guys, I’m from the same community you are.’ ”

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said only six of the 14 teams in the league have met the recommended 80% threshold. Some schools have said they’re nearing the figure — the Bulldogs have already met it.

Georgia has a proactive approach under the leadership of sports medicine director Ron Courson. The Bulldogs have taken numerous steps to educate their athletes on the vaccines, while leaving the choice open for those who are “a bit shy,” defensive tackle Jordan Davis said.

Sankey said the issue of vaccines shouldn’t “be a political football,” and Georgia’s leadership tends to agree. The Bulldogs, with a majority of its team protected from the serious effects of the virus, can have loosened restrictions with mask wearing and social distancing. Those attending SEC Media Days were not required to wear a mask if fully vaccinated.

Georgia also plans to have full capacity inside Sanford Stadium in 2021, similarly to most if not all programs across the country.

“Our group is over 85%, and we’re proud of that, but we’re not stopping there. It’s not about a number. It’s not about a threshold,” Smart said. “I think everybody wants to write who’s over and who’s under. What it’s really about is being able to save our season, being able to keep our players safe. We want to keep our players safe. We want to keep our coaches and staff safe. We want to keep our family members safe, and that comes through vaccinations.”

Last season, prior to the rollout of vaccinations across the country, the Bulldogs powered through a shortened 10-game campaign with extreme limitations. Six feet had to be between players during gatherings, travel, observing action from the sideline and numerous moments that involved larger groups of people.

Smart repeatedly said that the extra precautions taken around playing football through the pandemic made a 10-game season seem immensely more tasking than any other year. He walked away from the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win with pride, solely from the fact that Georgia finished the year without any serious ramifications from COVID-19.

“We wanted to put an emphasis on getting vaccinated,” Davis said. “It definitely will save us in the long run, at the end of the season, but we also didn’t want it mandated. We wanted to make it a choice for others.

“We just want everybody to be safe and make sure our team is protected during the season.”

Georgia finds itself at the forefront of vaccination efforts among SEC schools. For some, an opportunity for protection against a raging virus holds more significance.

Eventually, the Bulldogs hope to reach the 100% mark.

“We can keep our team at a competitive advantage,” Smart said of the vaccines. “We won’t lose playing time with our players.”