ATHENS — Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint has had the two best statistical games of his career in consecutive weeks. He hauled in 7 passes in the win over South Carolina and followed that up with a personal-best 94 receiving yards in the win over UAB.
Yet for the senior wide receiver, the numbers carry almost no weight.
“I really don’t care about stats or catches, anything like that. I care about winning. I don’t like to lose. I am a sore loser, I think everyone knows this,” Rosemy-Jacksaint said. “My goal is no matter what I have to do at the end of the day no matter what I got to do, if I got to go to tight end, whatever. I just want to win.
“The stats and catches are cool and all that. At the end of the day, you can have all the stats [but] if you’re losing, I don’t care about stats. I want to win.”
This mindset helps explain why Rosemy-Jacksaint is the best perimeter blocker on the team. Prior to becoming a trusted target for quarterback Carson Beck, Rosemy-Jacksaint carved out a role for himself thanks to his blocking. He famously helped clear the way for Brock Bowers’ touchdown in the national championship game win over Alabama.
In Rosemy-Jacksaint’s fourth year in the Georgia program, the statistical production is finally catching up to the other areas of the game where Rosemy-Jacksaint excels. Despite missing the team’s first game due to internal team discipline, only Bowers has more receiving yards than Rosemy-Jacksaint’s 182. He also caught a touchdown in the win over Ball State.
“His confidence and just leadership is incredible. He pushes people. He’s a fearless leader,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said after the Ball State game. “He practices every day. He goes out on special teams, starts on two units as a starting receiver. I don’t know that you can find a receiver in the SEC that starts on two units and starts at receiver. He’s passionate about that. He gives us a confidence and an aura about us that I think is very good.”
Dillon Bell and Sedrick Van Pran have both recently noted what kind of positive impact Rosemy-Jacksaint brings as a team leader. His voice and personality are different than that of Van Pran, a captain on last season’s national championship team, and Rosemy-Jacksaint has no problem making himself heard if he notices things are trending in the wrong direction.
Rosemy-Jacksaint was asked about his recent statistical uptick and he quickly pointed to his teammates as to why he’s been able to enjoy the most productive stretch of his Georgia career.
“The work that we put in this offseason,” Rosemy-Jacksaint said. “The quarterback trusting me to be in the right spots, hitting me when I’m open and the offensive line blocking, giving us time back there. It’s really just an all-out team effort. I’m just grateful to be the one catching the ball and making plays.”
Beck did note that his chemistry is strongest with Rosemy-Jacksaint and Bowers. The stat sheet reflects that to this point and those two have had a huge influence on Beck as he continues to grow into his role of being a leader on the Georgia offense.
“The chemistry, all the balls we’ve thrown together, the trust factor as well,” Beck said of the pair. “Knowing where they’re going to be on the field. It all comes back down to the veteran aspect. They know what they’re going to do and make plays.”
If the early part of the season is any indication, Rosemy-Jacksaint is in line to enjoy his best statistical season as a Bulldog. He’s already over halfway to the 337 receiving yards he had last season for the Bulldogs.
But unlike a lot of receivers out there, Rosemy-Jacksaint isn’t overly concerned with his production. The most important goal for him is ending the season in the same way the last two have.
Leading Georgia to another national championship.
