Zamir White Puts The Nation on Notice
Early in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game against Arkansas, Georgia was driving once more down the field. They were leading 27-0 at that point and had dominated their top 10 match-up with the Razorbacks. With 12 minutes left in the game, Georgia made it to the Arkansas 15 yard line, first and ten. Stetson Bennett would take the snap in shotgun, and hand it to Zamir White who would run to the right off tackle. The box score would go on to show this play as a 15-yard touchdown run, but for Zamir White, and Georgia players, coaches, staff, and fans, that run was a whole lot more.
The box score won't tell you about how a 5-star running back from North Carolina tore his ACL in his Senior Season in high school, an injury that can severely hamper running backs. In the midst of a 2017 season that had brought new life to Georgia Football, one of its future stars was struggling just to play football again.
It won't describe how that running back came back from the injury and lit it up with his new team, how he opened eyes with his work ethic and ability. It also won't inform you how fate once more cruelly looked upon him. Another ACL tear in his other knee ended his 2018 season before it had even begun.
The box score doesn't describe the emotions, the pain, the physical and mental trauma that Zamir White dealt with in those moments. Moments that had White feeling "lost" and asking "why me?" It can't express the pain, the rehab, the medical facilities, the strength and conditioning, and the patience that Zamir White had to have.
The box score won't tell you about the tireless work ethic that brought him back once more in 2019. It won't tell you about the time he spent behind Deandre Swift and Brian Herrien. It cannot force to mind the time White spent gaining the confidence and ability he once had in high school to get back to where he was then.
It also won't say how everyone who watched him knew that he was going to get back there one day. It was not a question of if, but when.
That "when" was answered on Saturday against the Razorbacks. When he rushed to the right, exploded through the line, and was tripped up by an Arkansas defender on his way to the 5-yard line.
Zamir White stumbled. For a moment, everyone waited with bated breath. His feet came down at the 4, his knees bent. His entire weight turned on those ACLs that had been surgically repaired just 2 and 3 years prior. That moment was a test of everything that Zamir White had done up to that moment. His knees held. And he forced his way to the endzone, never once fully regaining his stride, but there was no doubt when he crossed the plane of the endzone. A loud "ZEUS" could be heard from the fans in the stands, and his teammates all congratulated him.
The box score would say it was a 15-yard touchdown run, but for Zamir White, it was a sign, a notice, a warning to everyone that he was back.
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