Jay Rome has missed very few games for the Bulldogs, at least when he has been healthy. But the junior tight end did not play this past Saturday against Florida despite traveling with the team and without having any obvious injury issues.
Georgia coach Mark Richt and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo each confirmed his absence against the Gators was merely a “coach’s decision.”
“We just felt like the other guys were more prepared to play,” Richt said. “He’ll be okay. He is banged up and a lot of guys are sore right now, but we plan on him being in the (Kentucky) game.”
Rome’s career has been an exercise in patience. Rated the No. 1 tight end in the nation by at least one recruiting outlet, the Valdosta High graduate was redshirted as a freshman and played behind Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Offseason foot surgery interrupted his preparation for this season. But after starting the first two games of the year, Rome lost his position on the No. 1 offense to freshman Jeb Blazevich. This past Saturday, both Blazevich and redshirt freshman Jordan Davis got playing time while he did not.
Blazevich finished with two catches for 44 yards and Davis had the first catch of his career, a 24-yarder in the fourth quarter.
“It was just kind of how the game went,” Bobo said. “Jordan got in late. Jordan’s a guy who can run for us and stretch the field in passing situations. He did a nice job of getting down the field when they were doing a lot of two-deep stuff.”
Blazevich, a freshman from Charlotte, leads the tight ends with 11 catches for 201 yards. Rome has eight catches for 36 yards and has caught the only touchdown pass in the group.
