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A final Homecoming Game For Theus Brothers In Jacksonville The Red & Black By Taylor Denman Published on Oct. 26, 2015 ATHENS ----Memories of late wins, recent routes, bitter cold and St. Simons Beach — or the lack of memories, in regard to the latter — come to the minds of Georgia students at the mention of the rivalry game. A couple Georgia students think of something else at the mention of Jacksonville. Home. John and Nathan Theus are brothers, offensive linemen and Jacksonville natives. While the return to Florida is a neutral site for the teams, it’s a homecoming for the Theus brothers. “It’s definitely a little more meaningful,” John Theus said. “You drive over the bridge and see all of the people tailgating.” John Theus has started in all three Florida games over his career, making Saturday’s potentially his fourth. It is interesting for him to play four games in the stadium he grew up seeing games as a fan. John Theus said he had seen two Georgia-Florida games in EverBank Stadium, on top of the handful of Jaguars games he has attended. Nathan Theus said, however, said the Georgia-Florida game was not a Theus family outing. John and Nathan Theus grew up in a household in which their father was a police officer and Nathan
Theus said the rowdy atmosphere was not exactly something a cop would want to take his sons to experience. “We just kind of avoided the big crowds,” Nathan Theus said. “It was the World’s Largest Cocktail Party so I don’t think he wanted his sons to go.” Nathan Theus also said, up until he came to Georgia, he never had a stake in the game. Now he and his brother have “a dog in the fight,” rather he and his brother are the dogs in the fight. Both players said, leading up to the game, the fact that this is their last trip to Jacksonville as Bulldogs hasn’t emotionally sunk in. Nathan Theus said it’s possible when he and his brother step out onto the field, it may become real for them. As for the other team that plays in EverBank Field, John Theus said, rooting for the Jaguars can lead to a hard knock life, but the team’s digitally broadcasted game in London on Sunday provided some relief. “It’s tough to be a Jags fan right now, but I am loyal,” John Theus said. “[Sunday’s game] looked real good and then real bad but they got the win, which is what counts.”
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