The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga career of oft-injured running back Bryan Fitzgerald is over. Fitzgerald, who was granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA, informed coach Russ Huesman on Tuesday that he’s done.
“I just don’t want to jeopardize myself anymore with all the stuff I’ve already gone through since I’ve been at (UTC),” Fitzgerald said.
He arrived in 2007 from Northwest Mississippi Community College. He led the Mocs in rushing with 798 yards, and 6.8 yards per carry, that season but then had shoulder surgery.
A knee injury the following summer required surgery and forced him to redshirt the 2008 season. Last season, Fitzgerald showed flashes of the career he could have had when he was leading the Southern Conference in rushing at 109.3 yards per game. But his season ended with a foot injury on Oct. 10 at Samford.
Fitzgerald had three screws inserted into his foot following the injury, but he had to have another surgery last month to remove them. The cast was removed last week, but he said he wouldn’t be able to start running again until July, and he would have to play with a bulky brace on his left foot.
“I’ve never been through three or four major surgeries and had the cast on my leg and tried to rehab,” Huesman said. “You don’t know how he’s feeling and the pain he’s gone through. Would we like to have him? Yeah. Do I understand where he’s coming from? Yeah.”
Fitzgerald, who graduates in August and plans to give pro football a shot once his foot has had plenty of time to heal, played in just 15 career games, with three starts. His final rushing totals are 1,140 yards on 182 carries, 6.3 yards per carry and five touchdowns.
The highlight of his career was a 123-yard performance against Arkansas in 2007.
“The way I feel now, I don’t think I can play any more college ball,” he said. “I hate that because I love it, love being out there.”
The Mocs’ tailback rotation will feature fifth-year senior Erroll Wynn, redshirt sophomore J.J. Jackson and sophomore Chris Awuah. The Mocs will add freshman Keon Williams from Red Bank when players report for preseason practice on Aug. 4.