James Cook says farewell to Georgia faithful after four years

To no surprise, Georgia running back James Cook has played his last game between the hedges. The fourth-year Miami, Fla. native capped off his career on Monday night with 92 yards of total offense, including a 67-yard run that set of the Bulldogs’ first touchdown, in Georgia’s 33-18 National Championship victory over Alabama. On Wednesday, he released a message to the fans that have supported him every step of the way.

“Dawg Nation, Monday night still feels surreal. Bringing a National Championship to Athens was the ultimate goal of my College Football career and that has now been completed,” Cook wrote. “I want to thank every single person that has supported us throughout the season and the love I have for you all is forever. I’d also like to thank my family, Coach Smart, Coach McGee, the athletic training staff and the University of Georgia. 4 out. #GoDawgs #Champions #LLJ”

Over the course of his career in Athens, Cook totaled over 1,500 yards rushing and added another 730 receiving. All in all, he reached the end zone 20 times.

During his first two seasons, the production was limited. Cook ran for 284 yards on 41 carries as a freshman, adding eight receptions for 89 yards. Then as a sophomore, he ran it 31 times for 188 yards but upped his receiving numbers to 132 yards and 16 receptions. Both years he scored twice on the ground. However, it wasn’t until new offensive coordinator Todd Monken arrived in Cook’s third season that things really started to click.

In eight games as a junior, Cook carried the ball 45 times for 303 yards and three touchdowns. He added 16 receptions for 225 yards and another two scores. As a senior, with a full offseason under Monken in the rearview, Cook brought it all together and ran for 728 yards and seven touchdowns on 113 carries plus 284 yards and four receiving touchdowns on 27 catches.

His biggest games during those final two seasons came against Alabama (2020) as he brought in an 80-yard touchdown pass to top 100 yards receiving for the first time in his career, a more complete performance versus Kentucky the following week, topping 100 total yards once again with 39 rushing and 62 receiving and his first 100-yard rushing game against South Carolina late in the season. Then, Cook broke out to tie his career-high 104 rushing yards from the 2020 South Carolina game against Tennessee, adding 43 yards receiving as well, before having another performance like that in the Orange Bowl against Michigan with 112 yards receiving and 32 yards rushing.

“I think he’s more just understanding his leadership role, honestly. Helping his performance on the field, understanding that his leadership on the field can make him a more impactful player on the field,” Cook’s teammate and classmate Jamaree Salyer said this week. “I know a lot of guys look up to him take success in what he says. He’s become more vocal leader than in years past.”

“Cook is going to be Cook. He’s a Florida kid. They love football down there, they play football a different way. Not many things affect him, the weather or anything else. He loves the game of football and goes out and plays it hard every single day in practice,” he continued. “The things you see on Saturday is the things we see in practice every single day. Guys not able to cover him when he’s flexed out, him running really hard. That’s just Cook. Not anything special to him. He just is who he is and he plays the game the right way. He’s a special player.”

Georgia’s running back room lineup for 2022 is still in flux. Fellow fourth-year Zamir White is still waiting to make a decision but expected to go. That leaves Kenny McIntosh, Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards as the only returning rushers on scholarship. All three had over 200 yards rushing in 2021, combing for 807 rushing yards and seven scores between the three of them. McIntosh also proved to be a big factor in the receiving game with 242 yards and two more scores there. The Bulldogs also added top-50 player and the No. 3 ranked running back per the On3 Consensus Branson Robinson in the 2022 signing class and still have All-American Jordan James set to sign in February.

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