Georgia Tech B-back Synjyn Days was asked Monday about the return of the player who will cut into his playing time. His face practically lit up.
“It’s great,” Days said of B-back Zach Laskey’s clearance to play in Saturday’s game against Clemson. “Zach, he’s one of my best friends, so I’m glad to see that he’s healthy and will be back in action.”
Speaking after practice Monday, coach Paul Johnson said Laskey and A-back Charles Perkins were “full go” after sitting out with shoulder and knee injuries, respectively. Both took part in Monday’s practice. While Laskey had started the first seven games before his injury, Johnson said that Days will start, given his productivity (three consecutive 100-yard games) in Laskey’s absence. Both will play.
“It’s always better to have two than it is one,” quarterbacks and B-backs coach Bryan Cook said. “They’re pretty similar, but there’s a couple things that each guy does a little better than the other.”
Perkins’ return will be similarly welcome. Perkins missed the past two games with a knee injury. He has started the seven games he’s been healthy for and is the team’s best perimeter blocker.
Laskey separated his shoulder against North Carolina Oct. 18, his second separation. To speed his recovery, he took daily rehabilitation treatments at 6:30 a.m. of ice, massage, electric stimulation and exercises.
“This one took an extra week or two to heal up,” Laskey said. “I’m just really excited and blessed that I’m going to be able to play for my senior day.”
Laskey averaged 85 yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry in the first seven games of the season before the injury. Days has averaged 138 yards per game and 6.4 yards per carry in his three starts in Laskey’s absence.
“I’ve been really proud of him,” Laskey said. “I think he’s really starting to fully get the whole concept of B-back. It’s going to make us stronger as a team.”
Having sat out the past three weeks, Laskey said his legs feel fresh, which Tech will need against the Clemson defense, No. 1 in the country in yards per play. He pronounced himself “ready to rock.”
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