Amarius Mims learns 'he's got heart' in recovery, return from ankle injury

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims was hurt in the Bulldogs’ third game of the season. A projected first round pick by many, Mims underwent tight rope ankle surgery and missed UGA’s next six outings entirely.

Mims made his return in a limited capacity against Ole Miss. This past Saturday, he was in the starting lineup for Georgia in a win over Tennessee. Not only is Mims being back out on the field good for the Bulldogs, but it’s also good for Mims’ mental health.

“The toughest part for mentally me was just like watching my teammates every day. Usually, I’m out there practicing, joking with my team, having a good time practicing, learning new plays, having a good time and things like that,” Mims told reporters on Tuesday.

“It was just an awful feeling for me,” he added. “Six games is a lot man. I tried to stay level-headed during that time because during six weeks you can easily get off track. You can easily be like okay, ‘I’m done with this, I’m not going to come back the same and all that good stuff.’ But really from the help of my teammates just staying on course and all that good stuff. Now I’m back so that’s good.”

In watching Georgia’s offensive line, Mims said he saw the phrase “next man up” lived out. Xavier Truss moved over to right tackle from his starting spot at left guard. That opened the door for Dylan Fairchild and Micah Morris to get more action. Truss also went down with an injury at one point, and freshman Monroe Freeling stepped up.

“In the o-line room, we always say next man up because we’ve got a lot of guys that can play. And it truly showed,” Mims said. “I know Truss started at left guard this season, but it just shows, you have to stay ready whenever your number is called. I wasn’t expecting to go down when I went out there, but like I said, Truss did a great job while I was out. Like I said, next man up and we really tried to hone in on that.”

While learning about his fellow offensive linemen was great, Mims also took the time away from football to learn about himself. It was the first time he’s been forced away from the game, and it allowed him to reflect on what he truly brings to the table as a player.

“What I learned about myself is that I’ve got heart,” Mims said. “A lot of people could’ve been like, ‘You know what, I’ll shut it down. I’ve missed six games, that’s a big majority of the year.’ But I’ve learned that I can come back and play as good as I’ve been playing or whatever and all that good stuff. I’ve got heart, man. That’s the main thing.”

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Mims’ teammates see that too. His commitment to not only getting back but also getting better showed in the rehab process as Mims did all he could to get back on the field.

“He knows how to work, knows how to rehab. He was here early and stayed late for all his rehab sessions. He was committed to that part,” Smart said. “He cares about his body. He’s one of the lowest body fat guys we have on the team. For that size, it’s crazy what his body fat is. You can tell, he takes care of his body and knows that’s important. It was the same way for the rehab process. He was committed to it.”

“He’s a tough guy,” Georgia receiver Dillon Bell added. “You can see him going in the training room, working hard. Every week I’m asking him, ‘Hey, you coming back this game?’ He’s like, ‘I don’t know. We’ll see,’ and then he surprises me going back to doing what they do. He and Tate (Ratledge), they had a crazy block in the game. I was like, ‘Ooo wee!’ It’s great to have Mims back for sure.”

Speaking of that block that Mims and Ratledge shared this past Saturday, it acted as a sign that Mims truly was back. He had studied Tennessee’s pass rushers all week and knew exactly what to expect. It showed as Mims, along with Ratledge, sent Dominic Bailey off his feet before bouncing back out to the other oncoming Volunteer.

“Oh man. I just remember a pass play. I know coach was talking this week that their end guys are good, they’re fast, they get up the field. So I tried to take a good vertical set. Tried to get him to come under, I knew I had Tate’s help. So I saw him go up under and I tried to catch him with my left hand. I caught him, and then Tate finished him. That’s all.”

The top-ranked Bulldogs will be looking for more plays like this out of their potential first round pick in Mims. After all, his return could just be the spark the Georgia offensive line needed to play its best ball down the stretch.

Georgia takes on in-state rival Georgia Tech this Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff time is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.