After a Season Away From the Field, Bryant Fitzgerald Says There's "No Better Feeling" Than to be Back Amongst His Teammates

Bryant Fitzgerald is back on the practice field after a season away from his teammates. Image: Matt Weaver Peegs.com

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

Bryant Fitzgerald was one of the higher rated signees in the Hoosiers 2017 signing class. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, Fitzgerald was ruled academically ineligible for the 2017 season due to a clerical error in the Indiana compliance department. To most student athletes this would be absolutely devastating, but Fitzgerald found a way to benefit from his year away from the field.

Fitzgerald told a group of reporters on Thursday that the news that he could not play in 2017 was originally, “shocking. It was more like a ‘ah, this is different’. I have never sat out a year. It was definitely a shock to me, but in other ways it was a good thing, though.”

Fitzgerald, who will be at free safety in the spring, has looked toward his teammates for stability and growth. “Jonathan Crawford and Marcelino Ball. With how they play the game. They play with so much energy and effort. On the offensive side of the ball, you see Luke Timian and Nick Westbrook. Nick tore his ACL and now looks better than ever. So, the way they just come out on the field to perform. I really look up to them.”

A year off the field could send any player into a spiral, but Fitzgerald had someone close to him to help stay mentally sharp. His mother. “My mom was definitely on me. She called me every day to make sure I was focused. It really helped with that part.” However, she wasn’t the only authority figure to keep a sharp eye on the freshman. “My coaches, they were on me too. Even though I wasn’t playing they were still making sure I was getting my school work done.” This young man has a lot of people in his corner.

So, what does a player who cannot practice or workout with their team do during the season?

Well, a little bit of everything. Fitzgerald had time to take in his freshman year and get his feet underneath him. Fitzgerald said, “It was basically being redshirted so you have time to experience the college, how you work out. You see how players play because I still got a lot of practice and understand how they perform on the field. It was so beneficial in so many ways. Got ahead in school work, so it benefited me in a lot of ways.”

Image: Indiana University Athletics

Fitzgerald finally rejoined his teammates in January when Spring semester started. On March third he was finally able to walk out on the field. He called recalled at that moment, “there was no better feeling than that. Strapping on the helmet and putting the shoulder pads on and seeing your teammates to your left and right in front of you and behind you. It is just a great feeling to have out there. There is no feeling like it. I love being back on the field.”

Tom Allen has big plans for the former standout from Avon, Indiana. In an interview after a spring practice session Allen said, “you see (Fitzgerald) out there, and his head has to be spinning, for sure, but getting him and Juwan Burgess going has really been a huge thing.”

Fitzgerald and the Hoosiers will be back on the practice field on Saturday, March 24th and will hold their annual Crimson and Cream game on April 14th at Noon in Memorial Stadium.

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