Medical condition likely ends McCoy's career

By Ken Sugiura

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

After training with them all summer, Georgia Tech defensive lineman Denzel McCoy had hoped to be with his teammates as they opened preseason practice Wednesday. However, McCoy was not there, as a medical condition appears to have brought his football career to a premature close.

Tech’s medical staff did not clear McCoy, a redshirt freshman from Northview High who chose Tech over Alabama, Stanford, Florida State and several other schools, for the undisclosed condition.

“He’s probably finished career-wise,” coach Paul Johnson said following the practice. “It’s disappointing for Denzel, but we’ve got to look out for his well-being and his health, and it’s just not worth the risk.”

McCoy’s condition was discovered last year as he joined the team as a freshman. In the fall and spring, he participated in practice, but was held out of contact drills. He had hoped to be cleared over the summer to practice and play. Johnson said McCoy will receive a scholarship to stay at Tech and will help the program as a student assistant.

“You’re disappointed for him. He’s such a great kid,” Johnson said. “He’s got a great attitude, and we just tell him, ‘Hey, there’s bigger things than football.’”

Jackson, Green practice

The team received better news as two players returned to the fold. Wide receiver Chris Jackson, dismissed from the team in November, and defensive lineman Shawn Green, who broke a bone in his leg in the spring, both practiced. Jackson has been reinstated after meeting conditions set by Johnson and regaining academic eligibility, pending results of summer-semester grades.

“I’m encouraged by the way he’s handled himself off the field,” Johnson said. “We’ll see if that can transition on the field.”

Beating the heat

The team practiced for about an hour and 40 minutes in jerseys, shorts and helmets. By NCAA rule, players can’t put on shoulder pads until the third day of practice and full pads until the fifth. Area temperatures reached as high as 96 degrees.

“You just try to make sure you hydrate and get plenty of water and try to take care of them the best that you can, but it’s always a concern,” Johnson said.

Scholarship in reach

Walk-on offensive tackle Tyler Kidney is in line to be put on scholarship if he can hold onto the starting job he claimed in the spring. Johnson said that usually, if a walk-on starts, he’ll be put on scholarship at the end of the year.

“It looks like he’s going to earn [the scholarship], so we’ll see,” Johnson said.

Kidney’s main competition appears to be Ray Beno, Catlin Alford and Morgan Bailey. Kidney, incidentally, graduated from Northview a year ahead of McCoy.

Etc.

Players went through a conditioning test of 300-yard shuttle runs Wednesday morning. Johnson noted that defensive end Izaan Cross had lost weight and said he “looked really good running around out there.”