Jae Lamar is not only back with the Colquitt County Packers, but it didn’t take him long to get back in the end zone.
The 4-star Georgia football running back commitment scored two touchdowns in the first half of a key region game Friday night against Camden County.
Colquitt County went on to a 45-28 win against the Wildcats.
“He looked like he was his old self tonight,” Colquitt County coach Sean Calhoun said. “Had two really good touchdown runs. In one, goodness gracious, he looked so fast.”
What did it feel like to be back?
“Great,” Lamar shared in a message with DawgNation. “Love this team.”
The senior has not played for the Packers since a 31-14 loss to Lowndes on Sept. 26. His season was halted during practice the week of the Valdosta game.
Lamar did not play in that game and was not allowed to dress. Colquitt County coach Sean Calhoun said, at the time, that Lamar was no longer with the Packers.
A WALB-TV report from the Friday night of the Valdosta game cited a midweek practice incident and described behavior by Lamar as being “disrespectful” toward his team.
Lamar started his season strong with 568 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first six games, including a five-TD night against Lee County.
The senior was allowed to return to team activities shortly after that incident, but was not allowed to dress out until senior night against Camden County.
“The kid was going down the wrong path, straightened it out, then got a big head and had to take a big three-week suspension, and hopefully it was a reset,” Calhoun said after the Camden County game. “That’s it.”
Lamar has had a rocky high school career, playing in just one ninth grade game before going to an alternative school — where he was unable to play varsity football.
“Man, coming up, I was a troubled child,” Lamar told DawgNation in February. “I mean, I honestly thank God for what he has done for me in the past few years, you know? Just because of the simple fact of if I was able to play football and keep doing what I had to do on the football field and be a troubled child, I would not be in the position I am today.”
Lamar returned to Colquitt County’s football team for his junior year and made an immediate impact, scoring eight touchdowns in his first six games.
He finished that season with 112 carries for 885 yards, averaging 7.9 yards per carry, and 11 touchdowns. He also scored two touchdowns on pass receptions.
If Lamar had not been able to finish out his senior year in good standing with his high school team, it would’ve brought up considerable questions for his future in Athens.
While it is not a UGA rule, scholarship offers are typically contingent on each prospect finishing their senior year in good standing.
“We’re trying to set him up for Georgia,” Calhoun said. “If he can learn from these times and use this stuff as a learning tool and to continue improving as a person first and a football player second, he’ll make it at Georgia. That’s always my number one. As a coach with kids who are going to go on and play, and just any kid in general, but when we’re talking about these kids like Jay with so much talent and so much potential. Because that word ‘potential’ is very dangerous. We want him to make it. We want him to make it at Georgia.”
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