As expected, running back Zamir White will not see any live contact during spring practice, as he continues recovering from his second major knee injury in less than a year.
According to head coach Kirby Smart, head trainer Ron Courson doesn't want to take any unnecessary chances with the redshirt freshman, who suffered his latest non-contact injury while covering punts.
"Anytime you have a non-contact ACL, then you have a second one, you've got to be careful. Because you're talking about different knees and completely non-contact injuries," Smart said. "When that happens, it makes you wonder if hey, is the kid going to be able to progress as fast as he did last time."
However, Smart is hopeful the North Carolina star will ultimately be a contributing member to the Bulldog backfield.
"For us, he's going to be able to do some running," Smart said. "He's running really well, doing a lot of straight line stuff—he's just not going to be involved in the scrimmaging or contact part."
By now, White’s story is a familiar one.
The Bulldogs signed the North Carolina native two years ago after the former five-star tore his ACL in the second round of the 2017 4A state playoffs.
However, the injury didn’t keep White down, as the 2018 early enrollee returned to take part in limited work during spring practice last year before ultimately being cleared for contact late last summer.
Unfortunately, White would sufferer a second setback.
While working as a member of the punt coverage team, White suffered a similar injury in his other knee, costing him his freshman campaign.
But White hasn’t given up.
Instead, delving right back into rehab, ultimately surprising many when he returned to practice during Georgia’s bowl prep for Texas, albeit in a limited role. White even traveled with the team to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl, where he continued his rehab and continued to do so once back in Athens.
"I think Ron (head trainer Ron Courson) is one of the best in the country with this when you look at the significant injuries he's dealt with, with Gurley and Nick Chubb, especially at that position," Smart said. "He's had somebody really good to rely on with that, and Zamir has managed that really well."
Obviously, if White can make it back to any semblance of his former self, that would be a huge boon to the Bulldogs’ backfield, which must replace Elijah Holyfield, who left after his junior year to apply for the NFL Draft.
Junior D’Andre Swift figures to be the focal point for Georgia at running back, with Brian Herrien, James Cook, along with incoming freshman Kenny McIntosh, who arrives with the rest of the freshmen in late May.
"Ultimately, how is he going to be able to contribute to the team? I don't know that, I won't know that until early fall camp, but I'm very pleased with his work ethic," Smart said of White. "He knows that's his future—he takes care of his knee, he rehabs hard."
