Since Will Muschamp’s resignation, South Carolina has seen its two main defenders pull out of the season in Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu.
Georgia safety officer Richard LeCounte made it very clear that he will not do the same thing, as he announced in a tweet on Tuesday night.
Two things I want to address:
1. No, I am not opting for the season, I will end my career as a bulldog in that field with my brothers!
2. That hunger inside me only grew 💙– Richard LeCounte III (@ LilEasy_35) November 18, 2020
Finish with our heads up,
– Richard LeCounte III (@ LilEasy_35) November 18, 2020
LeCounte is one of the best players in the country and was playing at the All-American level before suffering injuries in a traffic accident following his victory in Kentucky. LeCounte had three interceptions this season and in his last game against Kentucky recorded 13 tackles as the best of his career.
Georgia’s security guard was released from the hospital and started working in an attempt to return to the field. LeCounte suffered a concussion, a shoulder injury and also some scratches and bruises after the accident.
Related: Georgia captain Richard LeCounte was discharged from the hospital, rehabilitating himself in a football building
CBS said LeCounte’s injuries would take four to five weeks to heal, which could put him back on the pitch for the game against Vanderbilt on December 5.
LeCounte was eligible for the draft last season, but he, along with a handful of other Georgia defenders, decided to return to school this year.
Player withdrawal has become a trend in recent seasons, although this traditionally happened before the bowl game. Last season, Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson opted for Georgia before the Sugar Bowl. But both players were chosen in the first round.
There have been a number of opt-outs this season due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. One of them was Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman, who chose to start preparing for the NFL’s 2021 draft just before the start of the season.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart was asked about the exclusion trend on Tuesday night and gave a long answer.
“If you have a genuine first-round player, that’s a completely different matter, but that’s not the case with many of these opt-outs,” said Smart. “Our children care about each other. They want to win. They want to have a productive crop and, ultimately, they want to improve their draft stock. What do you really think about the fact that you choose not to go training and not play if you are chosen in the first round? This is an easy decision. But when you’re not, they think about it. “
Smart continued to emphasize that NFL assessors take these exclusion decisions into account when designing stocks and futures. He also added that there is some uncertainty about whether or not there will be a combination of the NFL or even professional days this year. Newman, striker Malik Herring and Tre ‘McKitty have accepted proposals for the Senior Bowl, where they will have a chance to showcase their talents.
It’s official! Welcome @GeorgiaFootball Malik Herring (@HerringMalik) for 2021 @Reeses Senior Bowl! 👏👏👏#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE #Best of the best #GoDawgs@JimNagy_SB @PaniniAmerica #RatedRookie pic.twitter.com/OXv0Pe8bjC
– Reese’s Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) November 16, 2020
LeCounte will not play against the State of Mississippi this weekend. But the Bulldogs hope to have Lewis Cine, who was in concussion protocol after a coup against Florida, back. Bulldogs face the State of Mississippi at 7:30 pm ET on Saturday.
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