ATHENS — Jay Rome was, according to ESPN’s 2011 recruiting rankings, the nation’s No. 1 tight end. He was a marquee member of Georgia’s famous “Dream Team” recruiting class. Yet when the Bulldogs traveled to Knoxville last weekend to face Tennessee, Rome remained in his East Campus Village dorm room while his freshman roommate left on the team bus with the rest of the Bulldogs.
“The redshirt life,” sighed Rome, one of 10 from that class of 24 who are sitting out this season.
Rome’s roommate, wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, is one of the first-year players who have played. And Mitchell has seen a lot of action. In fact, Mitchell was the star of Saturday’s 20-12 win over Tennessee. He reaches the halfway point of the season as the Bulldogs’ leading receiver, with 438 yards and three touchdowns.
One might think Rome would be a bit jealous of his former high school teammate, who doubles as his best friend.
“I’ve never been more proud of Malcolm,” said Rome, who was the higher-rated recruit of the two. “Every time he catches a pass, I’m jumping up and down and going crazy. My foot was hurt there for a couple of weeks, and I was jumping up and down on my hurt foot for him. I’m so proud of Malcolm.”
Rome and Mitchell represent the extremes of arriving at college as a highly rated recruit. Mitchell, who was initially recruited as a cornerback, has emerged as a star wideout. Rome gets to pretend to be the opponent’s tight end each week in practice.
“I’ve never had to sit out in my life,” Rome said. “Those first couple of weeks after I found out, I was devastated. I wanted to play so bad. But now that I look at it again, I realize it gives me another year to get stronger, get bigger in the weight room, learn more about the offense. I guess I just have to wait my turn.”
Rome knew it was a possibility. He signed at a school that already had three tight ends. He competed well with Orson Charles, Aron White and Arthur Lynch in preseason practice, but ended up fourth in a four-man rotation.
That is not to say the Bulldogs aren’t getting what they expected out of their ballyhooed class, which drew a consensus top-10 national ranking.
“I would say that we are extremely pleased with the class,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “There is no question that we signed a bunch of great players. I really believe that. Before their careers are over, they are going to make tremendous contributions to this football team.”
Most of the contributors are easy to spot. Tailback Isaiah Crowell, a five-star prospect rated No. 1 at his position, leads the Bulldogs in rushing and is fourth in the SEC with 95.5 yards per game. Three times in six games he has been SEC freshman of the week. It’s hard to imagine where Georgia’s offense would be without him.
“I think he’s done great, especially with the scrutiny that guy’s been under since he came on campus,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “I think he’s responded well. ... I think he has a chance to be one of the best to ever play here.”
Amarlo Herrera, who has started four games at inside linebacker, nose guard John Jenkins, a junior college transfer, Crowell and Mitchell are the stars of the class.
Others are harder to notice.
Former Wilcox County quarterback Nick Marshall also was a marquee member of the class. But the Bulldogs switched him to defense and, other than the Coastal Carolina game, his only playing time has been on the kickoff, kickoff-return and punt-return teams. Marshall has played in all six games, but has recorded just two tackles and has taken no snaps in the “Wild Dog” formation, as was so widely speculated he would do as a freshman.
“I’m not ticked off at all,” said Marshall, who plays cornerback in practices. “I’m just watching what everybody’s doing so I can learn more and add to my game and get better. I’m cool with it.”
Quintavious Harrow, Ramik Wilson and Corey Moore are also getting most of their work on special teams.
Others, such as former five-star defensive end Ray Drew and three-star receiver Chris Conley, are just starting to make their presence known. Injuries have created an opportunity for playing time for them.
“I think we all understand that some guys will play as true freshmen and some guys won’t,” Richt said. “The guys that do, sometimes it’s just a matter of a guy who is just so highly productive in camp that you have to play them. Sometimes it’s a guy who is at a position we are thin at.”
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