Calibrated to the NFL Without Even Trying

The team currently carries twenty-three wide receivers, but only seven of them have ever set foot on the field.

Two of those seven haven't even recorded a single catch yet.

Likewise, the team has twelve tight ends, but only three ever see game action.

So for the players who spent summer camp chasing a shot at playing time, failure leaves them two paths: buy themselves time to develop under a redshirt, or go hunting for a new team.

Either way, you can only show what you've got by actually playing — and only then can you chase the dream of reaching the NFL.

Of course, some players are perfectly content to take the scholarship, coast through four years, and graduate with a degree in hand.

You might think it's a waste to hand a precious scholarship slot to a guy who never sees the field, but that isn't necessarily the case.

Some players bring such cheerful energy that they lift the entire locker room, and some are so close to the stars that they keep a key teammate's head in the right place.

And then there are those with a sharp mind and a sense of responsibility who handle the single hardest part of college football life — the academics.

Even without playing a down, every player on the roster has a role he can fill.

That is how.

Good teams are made.

#. October 14, 2020

#-1. Athens, Georgia, USA

#-2. University of Georgia

#-3. House of Payne

Practice was winding down.

I walked over to a group of guys.

"Anyone here not too hungry?"

"?"

"I need to drill the Spark play a little more. Wondering if any of you could stick around after practice and help me out."

Of the guys looking back at me, the one who raised his hand was freshman wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint.

Among us, he just goes by Rom.

"Rom? You serious?"

"Yeah."

"Really appreciate it. See you in a bit, then."

"Yep."

After shaking hands with Rom,

I moved on to another group.

I'd found my receivers.

Now I needed a cornerback.

"Hey, guys."

"Me."

"Huh? I haven't even said anything yet."

"Doesn't matter, I'm in. Obvious, isn't it? You just came back from the receivers over there. You're running Spark, right? I'll help."

"Thanks, Ringo. You just saved me."

"Obviously."

It's a genuinely good feeling when teammates give up their personal time for you.

They could want to rest.

There are personal schedules to keep,

studying to think about.

But putting on the coach's hat for a moment instead of the teammate's — moments like these are exactly where you can tell who's going to keep improving and who isn't.

Honestly, I'd wanted Arian.

Arian Smith.

Another freshman who came to Georgia this year, a 4-Star wide receiver rated 97 — the sixth-highest-rated player in this year's recruiting class.

Back when summer camp started, people assumed Arian Smith, not Jermaine Burton, would claim the spot.

But that kid.

He just got comfortable.

With having made it to Georgia.

He'd never admit it himself.

Arian doesn't work hard.

He still leans on his natural physical gifts like he did in high school, and he hasn't made any effort to understand the Play Book or the players around him.

The coaches feel sorry for him.

He's the only one who doesn't know it.

"Just run a few routes for me."

Rom nodded and showed me a handful of routes,

and I delivered the passes to match.

Ringo played defense alongside Rom.

For the record, Ringo was the second-highest-rated recruit to come to Georgia after me — a 5-Star, 99-rated cornerback.

He could have competed for serious playing time, but after summer camp he declared for a redshirt on his own and chose to spend a year training with the team.

He decided to invest even the hours he'd normally spend studying into football, and in practice he really is one of the hardest workers out there.

For the friends who'd helped me out for the better part of an hour,

I said dinner was on me.

There's a Raising Cane's three minutes away by car.

They sell chicken tenders, fries, and toast.

A popular fast-food chain, you could say.

Ding-a-ling—

Ding-a-ling—

I try to eat as well as I can, generally.

But I eat whatever I'm craving pretty often, too.

As long as I'm not living on junk food three meals a day,

the lifestyle of a football player roughly makes up the difference.

Everyone trusts that math and compromises a little.

In my case—

"Damn-it. This is actually so good."

"The curly fries? To die for—"

"I could eat these all day."

What Raising Cane's sells—

I love the curly fries.

"Thanks for helping out today."

"Please. It's not like you ask every day."

Rom answered without missing a beat, though back during recruiting, a redshirt was widely predicted for him.

He was a 4-Star, 95-rated receiver, after all.

And the team already had some very good sophomores.

Not to mention Demetris at nickel.

And Jordan Addison, rated as an ATH (Athlete) during recruiting, had been locked in as a wide receiver too.

But Rom chose to compete.

The kid has serious grit.

Ding-a-ling—

Ding-a-ling—

"Huh?"

We were eating a late dinner and chatting when the door opened and Arian walked in.

With Ty James at his side,

plus a crowd we didn't recognize.

Their company didn't look great.

"Wassup."

Arian gave a lazy nod of a greeting and headed for a table far away from us, and we watched him for a moment.

"Kids who hang around campus. That's all."

"Yeah?"

"Mm. I know one of their faces, and he's not a good kid. I didn't know Arian and Ty were running with that crowd."

When a heralded high school prospect

fails to establish himself in college,

there's usually a reason.

Catastrophic injury, or "turns out he was a bust" — those might account for two or three cases out of ten.

"Alright, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Thud.

After dropping Rom and Ringo off in front of their dorms one by one, I drove on toward Vandiver Hall.

Ever since fans were allowed back into Sanford Stadium, campus had definitely picked up its pulse.

Freshmen belatedly savoring the romance of college life filled the late-night streets, and with music and laughter drifting from every direction as my soundtrack, I continued my short drive.

And then, when I'd parked and stepped out of the car,

a few girls came up to me.

"Hiii~"

"…."

"The four of us could all hang out together tonight, you know…."

A four-person sleepover offer is, on its own merits, extremely tempting — but I did all that plenty back in my old life, thanks.

Most of all—

"I appreciate it, but I'll pass."

They weren't much to look at.

Most Black guys would lose their minds over them, but

this particular flavor has never done anything for me.

"Ugly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ass Bitch."

I opened the door and stepped into the dorm, shaking off the girls drooling behind me, and shuddered from head to toe.

Gives me goosebumps, that.

I need a shower. Immediately.

A hot one, at that.

#. October 15, 2020

#-1. Athens, Georgia, USA

#-2. University of Georgia

#-3. Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall

Thursday.

The atmosphere was different from the very start of morning practice.

"ONE MORE!!!"

"LIFT IT!!"

"You weak-ass—!!"

Wherever heavy iron was being hoisted, voices erupted to spur each other on, and anyone who failed felt as though he'd committed some great sin.

Everywhere your eyes landed, you could feel it: the game against Alabama was right around the corner.

And that—

Was confirmed on my social media too.

Want to take a look?

For the record, the Boomer Remover

is what the younger generation calls COVID.

Since a large share of the people dying from COVID are elderly, they coined the term to mean a disease that wipes out the Boomer generation.

I ought to catch it and die myself, so I'd finally come to my senses.

Though by then, I'd hardly be in any state to.

"Whoa. These are pretty rough?"

"During recruiting it was ten times worse."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

Back then, Alabama fans burned the Under Armour uniform I'd worn at Kahuku High School, built effigies of me, and held burning ceremonies.

My whole family had to shut down their social media.

The ratings at our family restaurant still haven't recovered.

And there's one thing that absolutely has to be pointed out here.

I never asked for any of this. I never beat a single drum.

The Crimson Tide fans believed I was coming to Alabama in the first place only because of local Alabama news — I never rose above "one of many candidates" on any list.

I'm waiting for the right moment to say it.

"Nick Saban benched me as his backup, apparently."

That moment.

If I said it now, anyway,

I'd just look like I was whining.

Whatever you want to claim—

you claim it after you win.

"Damn— you've really got it rough."

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Whoa. That's cold-blooded as hell."

Zamir thought I was cool.

Maybe I am.

But the way I see it,

I'm just tempered.

Did you think there were no trials on the road to winning Super Bowls as head coach of the New York Jets?

Every time I made a mistake and the team lost a game, the most rabid fanbase on the planet — New York's — acted like they wanted to kill me with words. And then showed me, in person, exactly how.

Trauma jokes.

Divorce jokes.

Rumors of every kind.

After nearly a decade of that,

this much is genuinely nothing.

I'm only worried about my family.

Still—

"But we ARE gonna obliterate those bastards, right?"

"Obviously."

I can endure it.

That doesn't mean I'm not angry.

After morning practice, Zamir and I walked the campus talking, and by lunchtime I learned that Alabama fans had been sending Alexi insane DMs too.

Alexi ended up closing her account.

And I got a little angrier.

Really know how to push my buttons gently, don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you?

She sounded better than I'd expected, which was a relief,

but I still filed today's events away in the back of my mind.

Really something, though, isn't it.

I've never uploaded anything to my feed except football or family photos, and Alexi keeps every picture she's taken with me set to private.

Well.

There are people who know about us, after all.

Something definitely leaked from somewhere.

Of course it did.

"MO-I!!"

"?"

"Go blow up Alabama!!"

"Yeah!! You HAVE to win!!"

At the shout from a total stranger,

I answered with a thumbs-up.

All week long, every time I walked across campus, the thing I heard most was exactly that — go destroy Alabama.

Not that I needed convincing.

Though I can't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠promise anything.

And in the evening,

I put in extra practice again today.

This time Darnell and Peter helped.

And again, dinner's on me for both of them.

For now, practice first.

"Can you slip it past coverage like this?"

"…Guess we'll find out."

"Damn-it. Wish we had the defensive guys here."

"We'll make do with what we've got."

"Yeah. Let's Go."

While we stayed after for extra reps,

I kept asking myself one question, over and over.

Am I prepared enough

to beat Alabama?

"Go!"

Pop!

Honestly.

I'm not sure I can swear to it one hundred percent.

"Go!"

Pop!

(Mike Harmon) — FS Radio Host

"The day is finally here. THE DAY!! All week long, people have been talking about one football game and one football game only. An NFL game, you ask? No. NCAA college football. GEORGIA. VERSUS. ALABAMA. Tomorrow, the Georgia Bulldogs football team travels to Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama's home fortress. These two SEC powerhouses have always delivered compelling matchups, but this year the storylines are stacked even higher. And on top of everything, the SEC championship hangs in the balance. The winner tomorrow has the inside track to the SEC crown at season's end."

※ CTSN : Crimson Tide Sports Network

(Roger Hoover) — CTSN Host

"We MUST win tomorrow's game. Our players need to be ready to lay everything on the line. The Crimson Tide does not lose to Georgia at Bryant-Denny. Ever! And especially not this year!! Look at how high and mighty those Bulldogs are strutting! All that arrogance, acting like they're the best thing since sliced bread. Do you want to see that tomorrow?! HELL NO!! We need to kick their butts all the way back to their doghouse in Athens. It's that simple!"

#. October 16, 2020

#-1. Athens, Georgia, USA

#-2. University of Georgia

#-3. Vandiver Hall, Room 607

I'd done everything a week could hold.

Now I was packing my bag.

Tomorrow we ride the bus to the airport,

then fly to Alabama.

The flight takes about fifty minutes.

Then we board another bus.

"Ah. Socks."

When we leave for an away game,

we wear suits.

It's a team rule the coach set, and on the day I first arrived here, a black suit for road games was already hanging in my closet.

White shirt.

Red tie.

Matched to Georgia's team colors,

laid out and ready for me.

I set tomorrow's clothes on the sofa,

grabbed my bag, and set it by the door.

Preparation was more or less complete.

"Whew—"

In all my time living this second life,

I've never been this tense.

Too much is riding on this game.

For the school, there's the revenge of the 2018 SEC Championship loss to pay back, and personally, I have to make Nick Saban regret not believing in me.

Confidence? Of course I have it.

There's never been a time I didn't.

Every scheme we'll run tomorrow already lives in my head, along with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠contingencies for whatever variables might arise.

But on pure objective talent, Alabama is clearly ahead, so the question remains whether the team as a whole is prepared well enough to close that gap and win.

The coaches worked hard.

What I'm talking about is the players.

College is different from high school, and with the special circumstances of COVID, we couldn't run the Muscle Men sessions we did at Kahuku.

There's so much raw talent here, and everyone's already grinding at a level high school can't even compare to, so it was hard to push anyone to give more than that.

Besides, the results have been pretty good.

Haaah.

This is just my own greed, isn't it.

An NFL standard, calibrated without me even noticing.

I'd planned to rest a while and fall asleep on schedule, but before I knew it, I was sitting at my desk with the Play Book spread open.

"Triple X Gamma… good, checked."

Looks like tonight,

I'll be up a little late.

(James Pitts) — ESPN Host

"That's right! Tuscaloosa, Alabama is beautiful tonight! The matchup everyone's been waiting for is finally upon us!! Georgia! And Alabama! The game of the century, played early in the season—! ESPN Countdown to College GameDay. Sponsored by Coca-Cola Zero."

(James Pitts)

"As always, we have two experts joining us today! Desmond Howard and Jim Mora! Folks, when you say Georgia and Alabama, you have to start with the coaches. The nation's best defense versus the nation's best offense — which side do you take?"

(Jim Mora) — ESPN Analyst

"Whew, that's a hard one. …Wow. Honestly, that's a question that's nearly impossible to answer. I'm naturally a defense guy, but in this case, I'd have to go with the offense. Alabama's attack is just that special. 'Excellent' doesn't even cover it. They're running seventy offensive plays a game and scoring five-plus touchdowns a game."

"And Mac Jones in particular has been stunning. At least so far, he looks like a better quarterback than Trevor Lawrence or Dwayne Moi Stone. The actual numbers back that up. His decision-making, his ball security — both are elite. Look at this. Clips like this show you what a tremendous playmaker Mac Jones really is."

(James Pitts)

"Alabama's offense really is remarkable this year. On a lot of fronts, actually, but the way they deploy their wide receivers has completely changed. Desmond — you're the expert, break it down for us."

(Desmond Howard) — ESPN Analyst

"The first thing you have to say is that their spacing principles are beautifully established. It seems Nick Saban has opened his mind a little. They're running I-Formation, putting two tight ends on the field, or three receivers. He's become very flexible."

"Here's my read. Last year, Alabama had an almost absurd collection of elite wide receivers. But both Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs left for the NFL as first-round draft picks. Even so, plenty of talent remained on the roster. DeVonta Smith. Jaylen Waddle. Saban still has outstanding receivers, and he's found an even better way to use them."

(James Pitts)

"Before we get to Georgia's defense, we have to talk about their offense. Dwayne Moi Stone. I've watched every snap this kid has played, and it is COMPLETELY insane! Talk to me! How is this a true freshman?! I have never seen a true freshman like this in my life."

(Jim Mora)

"That's one of the reasons this game is so fascinating. A few days ago, an article came out about Heisman Trophy candidacy. Some say it's far too early — but the fact that the conversation exists at all is remarkable in itself. Georgia has landed a truly great quarterback, and it's proving exactly why the Dwayne Moi Stone recruitment set the entire nation on fire these past few years."