After two games, Georgia running back Zamir White (3) is finally coming into his own with every rep he gets.
White missed the end of his senior season in high school with a torn ACL and his entire freshman season at Georgia where he suffered the same injury. When White came to Athens he hurt the opposite knee, but this season he has played in the first two games against Vanderbilt and Murray State.
Since the start of fall camp, head coach Kirby Smart has been impressed by what he’s seen from White.
“He’s done a good job,” Smart said. “He looks more and more confident. I think the initial getting the ball, reading his keys, and the burst and acceleration is starting to come back. The acceleration through contact, I thought we saw a little bit last week, and he continues to grow with that. That allows him to improve and get better.”
White’s improvement on the field definitely correlates to the confidence boost he’s gotten during every carry he’s had this year. He has carried the ball 13 times for 123 yards and a touchdown. He is the Bulldogs’ second-leading rusher behind D’Andre Swift (7), and White is averaging nine and a half yards per carry.
Last week against Murray State, White carried the ball eight times for 72 yards and scored his first career touchdown as a Bulldog.
After the game, Smart was asked about White’s production and he said he was thoroughly impressed.
“I was most proud with Zamir today that – all you guys talk about his carries and yards – he picked up a blitzing backer in the A gap and smacked him right in the jaw,” Smart said. “So go back and watch that one. That’s what being a running back is about. He’s playing with great physicality and protecting the quarterback, which is the thing he hasn’t had an opportunity to do. He doesn’t do that often, in high school kids aren’t asked to do that. That’s where he’s going to earn more playing time is being able to protect the passer.”
White has also impressed his teammates as well, and some of them commented on his hard work ethic.
“Zamir is a self-motivated person,” Smart said. “He’s driven by the fact that he’s been through some tough injuries and he’s worked his tail off. He is a self-starter. He is motivated in and of himself. I don’t think he needs Brian Herrien or D’Andre Swift. I think that he’s a great kid that is motivated to do things well and he’s getting better each week.”
White has another chance to impress the Bulldog Nation as Georgia takes on Arkansas State at home this upcoming Saturday at 12 pm eastern standard time.