Georgia Tech B-back C.J. Leggett will likely be hands off this spring as he completes his return from an ACL tear suffered near the end of last year’s spring practice. Monday, following the team’s first practice, coach Paul Johnson said that Leggett will probably participate in practice on a no-contact basis.
It will make him more difficult to evaluate, no small matter as he is one of six B-backs competing for the starting job. The others are Marcus Marshall, who started three games last year and led the team with 654 yards, Marcus Allen, KirVonte Benson, Quaide Weimerskirch and early-enrollee Dedrick Mills. Benson is also returning from an ACL tear suffered while playing for Marietta High in 2014, and Weimerskirch suffered a foot injury at the end of spring practice that contributed to him taking a redshirt last season.
In 2014, his first season, Leggett was a possibility to have his redshirt removed until Synjyn Days claimed the job late in the season. He then missed last season as he recovered from the ACL tear. From a physical standpoint, Johnson said he felt Leggett was back and healthy.
“Certainly we feel like he had a chance to be a good player a couple years ago, and I don’t have any reason to believe that’s changed,” Johnson said.
It’s a young mix of player among B-backs. Allen is a rising senior. However, Marshall and Leggett will be sophomores in the fall. Benson and Weimerskirch will be redshirt freshmen and Mills will be a first-year freshmen. In his first spring practice, Marshall said he found himself in the role of being the one who’s answering questions about the scheme and sharing pointers.
“There’s going to be some good competition there,” Johnson said. “I’m anxious to get the pads on and see how it goes.
