UGA football news: LB Jermaine Johnson backpacking his way through break

For fans looking for some good UGA football news, outside linebacker Jermaine Johnson is ready to oblige.

Here’s a piece of fun UGA football news making it’s way out of the coronavirus pandemic. Georgia linebacker Jermaine Johnson is backpacking his way to staying sharp while things are on a break.

No, he’s not hiking through the North Georgia mountains or spelunking in some neighboring Alabama caverns, he’s simply doing his daily drills with a backpack slung over his shoulders.

Oh, did we mention that backpack has a 25-pound weight in it?

Check out this tweeted video from Johnson posted earlier this month.

In addition to his playground backpack regimen, Johnson has also been doing his own weightlifting and strength training, trying to stay sharp for when coach Kirby Smart calls the team back into the locker room to begin drills again.

Johnson was an impact player in his first year with the Bulldogs after spending two seasons at Independence Community College in Kansas, home of the hit Netflix series Last Chance U.

After struggling in high school with his grades Johnson had to take the JUCO route before landing with Georgia in 2019. He’s a linebacker with a real nose for the ball and seems to be at his best during the big moments of key games.

During his first season with the Dawgs, Johnson had 20 tackles (nine solo), 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and two tackles for loss. He was a key component in wins over both Notre Dame and Auburn last season.

It’s clear that Johnson’s maturity is really singing through as the UGA football team wades through uncharted waters here, and hopefully, his younger teammates will get the message he’s sending out and are doing all they can to stay ready for that first whistle.