ATHENS — If there’s some deep-seated resentment over Demetris Robertson’s decision to transfer to Auburn this summer, the Georgia Bulldogs are disguising it well.
Robertson, a former 5-star wide receiver from Savannah who began his career at California, left UGA in July to enroll at Auburn and complete his final season of football eligibility. On Saturday, the Bulldogs will see their former teammate dressed in orange and blue in person for the first time since his departure as Georgia visits Jordan-Hare Stadium (3:30 p.m., CBS).
Wearing a No. 0 jersey for the Tigers (4-1, 1-0 SEC), Robertson has played in four of the five games this season and ranks second on the team in receptions with 17, for 172 yards and two touchdowns. That’s already more production than Robertson had for the Bulldogs all last season (12-110-0). He also is Auburn’s primary punt returner with three for 54 yards, an 18.0 average.
The Bulldogs insist there are no hard feelings between them.
“He wanted an opportunity to get more reps and an opportunity to play more and he felt like the opportunity was probably better there than it was here,” Georgia coach Kirby smart said Monday. “We didn’t want to see D-Rob go. I’ve always thought a lot of D-Rob. He’d gotten better and the situation we’re in now is because some guys decided to leave. That’s why we’re so thin, along with injuries. But I’ve wished D-Rob nothing but the best. Great young man, respected a lot.”
Therein lay the irony. Had Robertson hung around, he’d surely be getting a lot of action with the Bulldogs. Georgia’s receiving corps has been ravaged by injuries this season. As a result, three of the Bulldogs’ top receivers are freshmen, with the other one being sophomore Jermaine Burton.
But Robertson chose to move on, hastened, perhaps, by a bit of on-campus trouble. Robertson had to pay the city of Athens-Clarke County $750 for destroying a parking boot that had been placed on his car for parking illegally. He also faced felony charges for destroying government property in that case, but those charges were dismissed shortly after Robertson enrolled at Auburn.
Robertson explained his decision to Auburn reporters last month.
“The reason I transferred from Georgia was to capitalize on my opportunities,” Robertson said. “I am playing for a program that fits me best.”
As for his role with the Tigers, he said it is, “to be a leader for the younger guys, to be consistent and to show them the ropes on how to practice and how to play in games. And, also, to be a reliable person on special teams.”
The Bulldogs say they get it.
“I mean, I think it will be refreshing in the sense of D-Rob was a very good friend of us, a teammate and stuff. He’s family,” Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran said seeing him in orange and blue Saturday. “So, honestly, seeing him just being able to play and getting some valuable work in for himself, I think will be refreshing for us just because we want the best for him. We love D-Rob, we don’t have anything bad to say about him.”
That said, the Bulldogs said they won’t take it easy on Robertson when it comes to defending him.
“D-Rob used to play on our team, and we’re pretty good friends,” Georgia senior safety Christopher Smith said. “But once we step between those lines, it’s time for me to do what I do best.”
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