Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint returns for Georgia Bulldogs after scary injury
Last season under the bright lights of the Georgia-Florida rivalry game, one of the Bulldogs’ young talents suffered a scary moment on the TIAA Bank Field turf.
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint had made it through the halfway point of his freshman season and was starting to emerge. The former four-star recruit was making a name for himself with more playing time in big moments against Arkansas (two catches) and Alabama (an 18-yard reception). Against the Gators, he hauled in his first-career touchdown pass for the first score in a would-be 44-28 defeat to Florida.
Everyone around the then-freshman celebrated after the impressive 32-yard grab, but then Rosemy-Jacksaint came down awkwardly. His ankle twisted in ways it shouldn’t, and Rosemy-Jacksaint suffered a compound fracture on a gruesome injury that many couldn’t bear to watch.
His season ended after four games. About eight months later, Rosemy-Jacksaint has made his return as Georgia begins preseason practice for the 2021 campaign.
“Marcus Rosemy is good. He has been doing everything,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said Friday. “He had a slight ankle sprain around media days, but he is back from that and doing great.”
Friday marked a new beginning for Georgia. The so-called talking season is over. It has turned into a month to come of “coachspeak,” team workouts and preparation before the Sept. 4 opener against Clemson in Charlotte.
Smart and a handful of players spoke to reporters via Zoom before the opening practice Friday. The Bulldogs opted to conduct virtual interviews again due to the surge in COVID-19 cases with the Delta variant, while other Power 5 schools including Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Clemson met face-to-face for media sessions.
“Everybody is excited about what we’re going to do this year,” linebacker Nakobe Dean said.
Bulldogs still cautious with pandemic
As vaccinations became abundantly available across the nation, plenty of optimism spread across the college football landscape. Many thought everything could return to normal with full stadiums, tailgating across towns and greatly loosened restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic that has plagued college football — along with everything else — since its spread began in March 2020.
At SEC Media Days, when reporters met with Smart and two Georgia players in-person, the Bulldogs said they’d surpassed the vaccination recommendation with goals of reaching 100% among players, coaches and staff. Smart said that Georgia has surpassed 90% of vaccinated team members as of Friday, but there’s still concern.
“It is not exactly normal. There are spikes going on across the country, in our state, in our hospital systems across the Southeastern Conference,” Smart said. “It is scary. We are being extremely smart, making good decisions with our players.”
Georgia plans to adopt some of the strict protocols that it had through the shortened 2020 season, while loosening things in other areas. For example, the Bulldogs feel comfortable gathering a bit closer into meeting rooms due to higher vaccination rates. In many ways, however, safety and health stays at the forefront.
Much like last year, it’s the same dreaded thought process.
“You’re only as good as your last COVID test,” Smart said.
UGA injury report
Last season, Nakobe Dean’s performance as Georgia’s linebacker and defensive anchor rose to another level. The former coveted prospect out of Horn Lake, Mississippi recorded 71 tackles.
Turns out, Dean did so with a hurt shoulder. He suffered an injury in the first or second week of the season, he said, and didn’t miss any time until undergoing offseason surgery and sitting out spring practice in 2021.
“It was something I knew I’d have to get looked at,” Dean said. “I decided to play through it.”
A new preseason camp approaches and Dean has a clean bill of health along with the expectations to be one of the SEC’s premier linebackers.
Other injury updates:
Kearis Jackson underwent knee surgery and is continuing to recover and waiting for full clearance. His status for the Clemson game is unknown.
Dominick Blaylock, who is nearing return from his second torn ACL, is awaiting clearance but getting closer. He has progressed with straight-line running and participates in Georgia’s walk-through sessions.
Redshirt freshman MJ Sherman, after missing last season with a shoulder injury, has returned and is cleared for full contact.