Junior Star safety Justin Garrett isn't dragging his feet in his return to the field.
One year after foot injuries cut his promising 2013 season short, Garrett is looking to make up for lost time in fall practice.
"He already knows all the checks and calls and everything," junior linebacker Kris Frost said. "He looks like he's in mid-season form already."
Prior to the 2013 season, Garrett was widely considered one of the most promising pieces in the implementation of defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 scheme.
A rash of foot problems prevented Garrett from starting the year at the Star position however, and a broken foot prior to the Ole Miss game ultimately ended his season.
Garrett turned to doctors in the offseason to help correct his foot problems. Now using corrective orthotic soles and a specialized pair of cleats, Garrett is hoping to cash in on the potential he's shown coaches.
"He made a lot of plays for us in the spring and he had a great spring the year before, but the injuries unfortunately have always kept him from having a really stellar season," defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said. "Hopefully good luck will follow us this year. If that kid can have a full season of practice and games, I think he can be one of our most dynamic playmakers. He's done a really good job out there so far."
Garrett may have been an outside linebacker coming out of high school, but his athleticism made him a good fit for Johnson's Star position, which requires the safety to step up in run support and drop into coverage.
"I think he's a better space player," Johnson said. "He's a great blitzer off the edge and he's improved his cover skills out there tremendously."
According to Frost, Garrett's on-field motor is another quality he brings to the table.
"He brings a different component to everything we do as far as how hard he works and gets after it no matter what," Frost said.
While Garrett is back up on his feet, he's now facing the harsh reality of being a backup after senior Robenson Therezie had a breakout 2013 campaign at the Star position.
Therezie's presence will likely keep Garrett as a backup at Star early on, but depth issues at linebacker could present the junior with an opportunity at his original position.
Either way, Frost said it's good to see his fellow recruiting classmate back on the field, lifting up teammates as much as he can along the way.
"Me coming in with him, I've always known him as the kind of guy you can look for if you're feeling kind of down on yourself or if you're having a hard time with plays," Frost said. "He's always going to lift you up. Having him out there is a really good thing."
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