ATHENS — Receiver and kick returner Kearis Jackson has had a relatively quiet season, numbers-wise.
But he made his presence known in Georgia’s win vs. Mississippi State on Saturday night, helping the Bulldogs clinch the SEC East. Add his leadership and passion into the mix and coach Kirby Smart referred to Jackson as an “unsung hero” for this Georgia team, even if Jackson’s numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet.
“Value,” Smart said of Jackson. “He’s a guy that’s been there, done that. That catch he made over the middle, to take that shot and hang onto the ball, are you kidding me? I was just waiting on the ball to come out like ‘Dang, he held onto it.’ Then he made a catch over on their sideline. Kearis is a competitor, man. The guy, he’s full of heart and full of love for Georgia. He’s an unsung hero of this group.”
In the second quarter of the 45-19 win in Starkville, Miss., Jackson hauled in back-to-back passes, 28- and 10-yard gains, with Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett polishing off the possession with a 4-yard keeper that put the Bulldogs up, 17-3. Jackson also played a hand in Georgia’s response to a sloppy final few minutes of the first half (with the Bulldogs following up a lackluster three-and-out by allowing Mississippi State’s Zavion Thomas to return a punt 63 yards for a touchdown).
Then came the play Smart pointed out: on third-and-8, Jackson held onto a pass over the middle despite taking that big hit. The 30-yard pickup gave Georgia a boost, and eventually some breathing room at 31-12, after Bennett found wide receiver Ladd McConkey for a 17-yard touchdown pass to end the drive. Jackson finished with a season-high 69 receiving yards on four catches.
This season, Jackson has tallied 246 receiving yards, fifth most on the team behind tight end Brock Bowers (615), McConkey (578), tight end Darnell Washington (392) and running back Kenny McIntosh (322). With so many talented skill-position players on the roster, it’s hard for one guy to steal the spotlight.
But Jackson doesn’t mind one bit, based on what he had to say Monday. He’s happy to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.
“I never was the one to ask for targets,” Jackson said. “I play my role and just was happy with it. I know I’ve stayed patient, I’m a very unselfish guy, so I just knew whenever that opportunity would come, I was going to capitalize on it because I played in big games before. I’ve been here long enough to know how things go here. I’m just excited that when I do get an opportunity to capitalize on that, not only am I doing this for myself but also I’m doing it for my team as well. (NFL teams) aren’t only looking at what you could do with the ball in your hands, you’re looking at what you do outside with the ball not in your hands.
“I know I’m a great blocker, I can help have guys in the right position, I’ll just be a vocal leader, being a leader on the field, just trying to make sure I be the best version of myself that I could be because, at the same time, it’s not about just getting the football every time. You can get the football 100 times in the game and still lose. So, what would that help you with? So, as long as we keep winning, I’m excited. I’m not tripping over targets being thrown my way, I’m just excited to be a part of something great.”
You also have the success of Georgia’s tight ends, namely Bowers and Washington, factoring in. But Jackson sees those two as a strength for the offense, which is the second-highest scoring offense in the SEC at 40.6 points per game.
“If something is working, why stop it?” Jackson said, complimenting the duo. “That’s my mindset. I’m here to win games. I’m not here to have 1,000 yards, 20 touchdowns. I know if I wanted to come in for that, I would have went somewhere else, but I’m trying to put championship years on our walls and trying to be a national champion, an SEC champion, so whatever (offensive coordinator Todd) Monken feels like is going to put us in the best position to win, I’m down for it. I’m a team player.”
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Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
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