Several former Scotland football players accomplished great things over the weekend. Linebacker T.J. Smith helped Georgia State stun Tennessee. Running back Syheam McQueen ran for 67 yards in his collegiate debut with Western Carolina. North Carolina A&T, which has four Scots on its roster, defeated Elon on a last-second, 52-yard field goal by Noel Ruiz.
And then there’s the man they call Zeus.
Sporting his No. 3 jersey, Zamir White made his debut for the University of Georgia’s football team on Saturday night. He was one of four running backs the Bulldogs used during a 30-6 win over Vanderbilt.
The first couple of plays in White’s debut weren’t remarkable. After faking a handoff for a play-action pass early in the third quarter, White ran downhill on the next play and picked up a short gain. But what was remarkable was the crowd’s reaction. The massive crowd of Georgia fans at Vanderbilt Stadium gave the redshirt freshman a standing ovation after his first carry.
They knew what he’d been through to get to that point: Zamir was given an estimated lifespan of 10 days after being born with some major health issues, including a cleft lip, cleft palate and leaking kidneys. And many years later, he dealt with two ACL tears that prematurely ended his high school football career at Scotland and delayed the start of his tenure with the Bulldogs. ESPN’s commentary team told about how this young man from Laurinburg fought his way back into the mix as a part of Georgia’s loaded running back corps.
His efforts paid off on Saturday, and we were able to see glimpses of the Zamir that ran wild at Scotland for four years. White finished with 51 yards on five carries. His biggest carry was a 23-yard jaunt that ended when a defender caught him from behind – something unheard of during his time as a Scot – before poking the ball out of White’s hands. The ball rolled out of bounds and stayed with the Bulldogs.
After most of his carries, a loud “Zeeeeuuuuuussssss” chant roared around the stadium. The Georgia faithful showed White plenty of love.
“I love him, too,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said after the game. “He’s been through so much. He’s a tremendous kid. I love all our kids and he’s just another one who has been through a tough time. To see him go out there and have some success, he’s so deserving of that and our medical staff is deserving of a pat on the back for getting him out there because they spent a lot time with him on the mend.”
Led by junior D’Andre Swift, Georgia’s group of running backs includes several players capable of making big contributions this year. White should continue to get his fair share of chances in the next couple of weeks as Georgia hosts Murray State and Arkansas State.
White looked good against Vanderbilt, especially considering it was his first live game since November 2017. He still has a long way ago, and his battle-tested teammates in the backfield will certainly be valuable in his development.
But let’s put all that aside and agree on one thing: It’s good to see Zamir White back on the football field.
