Georgia Tech wide receiver Malachi Carter could become more of a focal point of the Yellow Jackets offense following the season-ending injury of wide receiver Jalen Camp. That’s not a problem for Carter, whose team plays North Carolina at 4 p.m. Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
“I always want to step up my game, whether Jalen’s on the field or not,” Carter said Wednesday following practice. “With him being out, I know I’ve got to go out there and make plays now because we’ve got one less guy, but that’s never anything to complain about.”
Carter already leads the Jackets in receptions with eight, for 56 yards. Camp caught seven passes for 134 yards, including one touchdown. There likewise could be a bigger role for wide receiver Adonicas Sanders, a strong candidate to step into the starting lineup.
Camp will be able to redshirt and play next season as a fifth-year senior after having surgery to repair an undisclosed injury.
“Jalen’s my guy,” Carter said. “I’ve known him since last year. He’s a real good friend. It’s sad to hear, but I know he’ll be back.”
While Tech narrowly missed being shut out for the first time since 1997 in Saturday’s loss to Temple, Carter was hopeful in the offense’s progress.
“I feel like we’re just one step away,” Carter said. “We got to the red zone plenty of times (against Temple). It’s just punching it in there. The game could have been a lot different. I feel like just with time, with work, with paying attention to the little details, I feel like we’re just one step closer.”
One part of that development could be quarterback James Graham, who replaced starter Tobias Oliver in the second quarter of the Temple game. It’s possible that Graham could have a bigger role against the Tar Heels.
“He’s got a great arm,” Carter said. “He can throw it just as far as the football field itself. He’s great on his feet and just with him now getting a little more reps, he’s just getting smarter and smarter. Being able to get some reps with some of the starters, we can go ahead and get that chemistry going, and he’s really getting in a groove.”
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