Jamal Golden’s 2013 season lasted only three games because he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against North Carolina.
Unable to contribute on the field, the Georgia Tech safety invested his time the remainder of the season in a way that figures to benefit him and the Yellow Jackets in his final two seasons. He returned to the practice field Monday for the start of spring practice.
Said Golden, “I got my football IQ a lot higher than it was before I got injured.”
Before tearing the labrum in his left shoulder, Golden’s ability to understand and read the game hardly was poor. It helped him get on the field as a freshman in 2011 and as a sophomore, it gave him the ability to play safety, nickel back and cornerback and excel as a returner. But after the injury finished him for the season last year, Golden devoted himself to studying the game more.
To keep his mind fresh, Golden said he probably spent more time studying game video after his surgery than he did while he was playing. He continued to attend game-plan meetings with the secondary and defense. During practices and games, he paid close attention from the sidelines. What resulted, Golden said, was a deeper understanding of offensive tendencies and personnel.
“Oh, man, I learned so much about the game, learned so much about what an offense can do from this formation and what they can’t do from that same formation,” he said.
During games, he watched opposing offenses and tried to call their plays before the snap. Watching special teams, he tried to get a feel for which players would get downfield fastest. In the Georgia game, he saw the Bulldogs overload their offense to the wide side of the field and then run stretch plays to the short side. He remembered telling fellow defensive back Corey Griffin on the sideline when he thought it was coming, and being correct more often than not.
The objective, he said, was “to slow the game down for me so when I come back, I can be as productive as possible.”
Golden will wear a shoulder harness at least through the spring and gave a positive report on his shoulder Monday.
“For me, it was just good, a good feeling to get back out on the field and get to moving around with my teammates,” he said.
Earlier this month, Golden received an NCAA medical hardship waiver for an additional season of eligibility and will again be a junior this fall. His return, as well as that of safety Isaiah Johnson, who redshirted last season as he recovered from an ACL tear, gives Tech’s some solidity in the secondary.
Tech graduated starting defensive backs Jemea Thomas and Louis Young, but would have considerable experience and intelligence in the last line of defense with Golden and Johnson at safety.
On Monday, Golden was stationed at free safety with the first-team defense, with Johnson at strong safety, D.J. White and Lynn Griffin at cornerback and Demond Smith at nickel back.
With Johnson, Golden said, “Now, it’s just like we picked up where we left off from. That’s the type of chemistry between him and me.”
Golden probably could spot it in the film room.
About the Author
