A year ago this week, Jay Rome from Valdosta became another high-profile addition to Georgia?s ?Dream Team? football recruiting class.
Now he?s a two-sport athlete for the Bulldogs.
The tight end redshirted last season on the football field and is getting some minutes now as a reserve post player on the basketball team.
Rome spoke to reporters before basketball practice this afternoon.
Here?s some of what he had to say:
Q: What?s this last year been like for you being on campus and involved in two sports?
A: It?s been fun. It?s always a big jump going from one level to the next and coming from high school to college, everything you have to get used to. With the football and the basketball both, everybody?s better. You have to push yourself to be better. With playing? both sports, I?m just grateful that coach (Mark) Fox and coach (Mark) Richt gave me the opportunity to do both. I?m just having a fantastic time getting to know the guys on the football team and now being able to bond with some of the guys on the basketball team. I just feel like I?m just making a lot of good friendships that will last for a lifetime.
Q: Are you comfortable at the weight you want to be? (Rome is listed at 6-foot-6, 254)
A: I?m actually a lot smaller than I was. During football season I was around 262 and now I?m probably around 254, 253. The weight came off just getting into basketball shape. I feel great. I?m moving better, just getting up and down the court. My quickness and rebounding and just going up for the ball, I feel great. I feel like that?s going to transfer over to the football field once I get back and just make me a better tight end and route runner and just better footwork.
Q: How will it work when spring football starts?
A: Once basketball is over with, I?m jumping straight back into football with weight lifting and training. Even though I got down in weight a little bit now for basketball, I want to keep going down in weight and put back muscle mass once football season?spring?starts back. I?m going to hit the weight room really hard and just try to put back on muscle and get back in weight the right way and still keep all the athleticism I?ve gained from basketball.
Q: What was your response when you heard Orson (Charles) was going to be going pro?
A: It was something I kind of anticipated, but I really wasn?t sure if he was or not. When I heard it, I was happy for him. Me and Orson, I?ve only known him for a semester, but he?s just a great guy. He just deserves it. He works hard and he tries to teach me everything he could whenever I was around him. I just knew once I heard it, I just kind of told myself `OK, I know I?m in basketball right now, but by the time basketball season is over with, there?s no time for rest.? I?m just going to jump right back into it and I?m going to fill that spot the best that I can.?
Q: How are you juggling it? Are you like 85 percent a basketball player now? Are you doing any football this week?
A: No. Right now it?s all basketball.
Q: How do you think playing basketball might help you going into next season in football?
A: I think it?s going to help me tremendously. Just in the last month or so playing basketball, I can feel myself being way more athletic. Coming into basketball, I was getting tired coming up and down the court a little bit. I wasn?t able to kind of jump with the rest of the guys for rebounds or maybe dunking the ball. Now I just get up and down the court. I know I?m quicker than I was. I?m a lot more explosive. I?m dunking the ball with no problem. I know it?s going to transfer over to the football field just being faster, quicker out of my breaks, quicker out of my cuts, footwork and blocks. If the ball?s a little high and I have to go up and get it, I believe I?ll go up and get it over anybody.
Q: What do you need to work on most in the spring as a tight end?
A: I?m going to work a lot on my blocking technique and just my strength and just the little things in my route running. Just steps here and steps there, getting in and out of breaks. Just polish the little things.
Q: Do you plan on playing basketball next season and beyond?
A: I?m going to try to play as many years as I can, but right now I?m just taking it one year at a time. As of now I plan on doing it as much as I can. I know that with Orson leaving that next year I?m going to focus a lot more on football. I mean, throughout the years I?m here football is going to be my primary sport. I?m going to do whatever I have to do for football first and then whatever I have left I?m then going to come to basketball. As of right now I think I?m going to try to do it every year.?
?Please follow me at Twitter.com/marcweiszer
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