ATHENS – John FitzPatrick wasn’t exactly outraged by the question, but his answer certainly was infused with more passion than is typical for this soft-spoken, unassuming junior.
FitzPatrick was asked by a reporter on the eve of Georgia’s preseason camp if he felt like the “forgotten man” within an obscenely talented tight ends group.
“No, I don’t,” FitzPatrick said in a way that was, for him, emphatic. “And I don’t buy into all that. That doesn’t affect me at all. I’m going to go out there, make my plays, do my thing. I know I can play; I know I do well. So, I don’t even think about that.”
The truth is, while the Bulldogs and position coach Todd Hartley do have a wealth of riches in tight-end talent, FitzPatrick remains the leader of that group. He’s a fourth-year junior, has played in more games than the rest of the tight ends combined (21) and, as was demonstrated on the first day of camp, he is the designated spokesman that coach Kirby Smart trots out front of the media every time there’s an opportunity.
That said, there’s no denying the depth of exceptional talent there is around FitzPatrick. There is the otherworldly sophomore Darnell Washington, who played in all 10 games and started seven a year ago as a freshman. There is the former 4-star signee Ryland Goede, the sixth-ranked tight end in the nation when he signed with Georgia out of Kennesaw, whose contributions have been hindered by injuries to date. Likewise, there is redshirt sophomore Brett Seither, who hasn’t played much to date but has a 12-yard catch versus Arkansas to his credit. Add Brock Bowers, the ballyhooed early-enrollee out of Napa, Calif., and that’s an impressive group as it is.
Then, of course, there is the luminescent late addition of Arik Gilbert. The LSU transfer enrolled at UGA in June after considerable offseason drama and stands as one of the top two or three transfer acquisitions in America, according to football sites that rate such things.
There remains debate and speculation over how much tight end Gilbert will play. That was his position when he signed with LSU as a 5-star prospect out of Marietta last year and earned freshman All-SEC honors with 35 catches in eight games. But he landed at Georgia in part because he wanted the opportunity to flex outside and play some pure receiver. The Bulldogs, in sudden need of an X receiver because of George Pickens’ spring knee injury, were more than willing to accommodate.
Now, five days into preseason camp, Georgia and offensive coordinator Todd Monken are working through the details of that transition.
“That’s been a big part of what he wants to do,” Smart said of Gilbert working at wideout. “We’ve got to find out if he can sustain, if he’s got the stamina to play that position, to play the X, to play the Z, play the slot.”
Asked about how Gilbert was fitting in, FitzPatrick said Gilbert is “doing great” while spending time with receivers coach Cortez Hankton and with the tight ends.
“We flip so many players back and forth, and all our positions are connected,” FitzPatrick said. “A lot of the times we’re all just with coach Monken, so we’re not really individualized at all.”
The reality is, whatever the Bulldogs do on offense this season, the tight ends are going to be a big part of it. And that means FitzPatrick is going to be intimately involved as well.
While he broke in as a redshirt freshman mainly as a blocking tight end, the 6-foot-7, 250-pound FitzPatrick got more involved in the passing game last year. He hauled in 10 passes for 95 yards, including his first career touchdown in the season-opening win over Arkansas.
That actually was three more receptions than Washington, who was slow to work his way into the passing game. But once he did, it was impossible not to recognize the enormous playmaking ability of the 6-7, 265-pound Washington.
Credit: UGA Athletics
Credit: UGA Athletics
Meanwhile, Smart was complimentary about what he’s seen from Bowers. And Goede’s hallmark when he signed with Georgia was flexibility as a hybrid receiving target.
Couple that with Georgia’s depth in the offensive backfield and at wideout, and it’s hard to be certain where the Bulldogs might go with the football on any given down.
“The only problem is there’s only one ball,” quarterback JT Daniels said. “We’ve just got so many guys. It’s not like Arik is just another guy; Arik’s very special. But a lot of our guys are very special. It’s a great problem to have when you’ve got a lot of guys who are going to push each other, and they all can play.”
To this, FitzPatrick reminds one and all that he, too, can play a little. He has a career-long 22-yard catch to his credit and finally vanquished the TD goal last season. But his claim to fame is, in addition to being as big as any tight end Georgia can line up, he also prides himself on being smart and knowing exactly what he’s supposed to do on any given play.
But, ever the team player, FitzPatrick adds that it’s not about him.
“My goals will fall into place as long as my team goals come first,” FitzPatrick said. “And my team goals are dominating this team camp and doing the best I can leading the tight end (meeting) room. Once the first game comes, I know we’re going to do well.”
About the Author
