Former Georgia Football Quarterback Jacob Park Decides on a Home
Former Georgia football quarterback Jacob Park will continue his football journey this fall at Navarro Junior College.
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After reportedly narrowing his choices to TCU and Texas, former Georgia quarterback Jacob Park, will begin his football resuscitation at Navarro Junior College in Texas.
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“He will be the starter (at Navarro) and that’s all he wanted, was to play,” Adam Park said via text message to Chip Towers of the AJC.com.
Park passed for 3,665 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior South Carolina’s Stratford High School while leading his team to the state championship. He signed with Georgia as a 247.sports.com four-star recruit and redshirted, dazzling players and coaches leading the Georgia Scout team.
But in the three man battle toreplace Hutson Mason as the Bulldog starting signal caller. Park became the odd man out, receiving few scrimmage opportunities this past spring. With Brice Ramsey and Faton Bauta ahead of Park and Greyson Lambert recruited to Georgia as a graduate transfer from Virginia, Park decided opted for a fresh start.
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Park is one of many quarterbacks who left Georgia seeking opportunity. Former Dawg quarterback Nate Hybl’s story started similarly. Hyble, a Jeff Davis High School star, came to Georgia in 1998 after passing for over 3,600 yards and 38 touchdowns in high school. After Hyble competed to start for two springs and one fall, Georgia head coach Jim Donnan named freshman Quincy Carter, late of the Chicago Cubs farm system, the starter.
Hybl transferred to the University of Oklahoma, sat out the required year and backed-up Josh Heupel on the OU 2000 national championship team. Hybl eventually earned Academic All-Big XII 1st Team. In 2001 Hybl started 10 games in an 11-2 season. While his time at Oklahoma was not all pleasant, he finished as the MVP in the 2003 Rose Bowl.
Park probably was a player miss-matched with school, coaches, and circumstance. His timing was lousy, Hutson Mason being the clear starter and Brice Ramsey established as the number two. He picked up some poor habits playing Scout team ball instead of learning the Georgia playbook and the Georgia leadership style. And then when the coach who recruited him, Mike Bobo, left to lead Colorado State, the cow was out of the barn.
Park’s high school coach, Ray Stackley spoke to Michael Carvell of the AJC.com, “I think Jacob will improve in time. He’s got a big upside. He’s got a big arm.”
Stackley also said, “There’s a lot of other intangibles he’s got to work on, but he’ll work hard. He’ll get better.”
Jcob Park is on a road often traveled and on it many have found success.