My name is Jep and I am a rising senior at UGA. Ever since I was in middle school, my dream was to play football for the Bulldogs. I grew up in a sports family, and both my father and grandfather were graduates from UGA, so I have been a Dawgs fan since I was born. I started playing football in 6th grade and immediately fell in love with it. No other sport requires the players to trust and rely on their teammates as much as football. Each position is equally important; if one person messes up, the play is ruined. I realized by the time I got to high school that I had nowhere near the talent or measurables needed to play for Georgia, but I was inspired to strive to be the best player I could be for my teammates and to see success as a team. I worked hard to do my part to ensure the team’s success, and in doing so I became a good enough player to walk on at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, where I played offensive line. I played there for two years and won a SoCon Championship in the process. Unfortunately, after back-to-back knee surgeries, my collegiate football career was cut short in my sophomore year. On the bright side, it allowed me to transfer here last fall to finish what I have left of college and graduate from my dream school. I’m looking forward to a fun senior year. Go Dawgs!