Georgia cornerback to have season-ending shoulder surgery

Georgia cornerback Jalen Kimber will undergo shoulder surgery and is out for the remainder of the 2021 season, according to Dawgs HQ. 

The redshirt freshman was considered a potential starter this offseason with Kelee Ringo and Ameer Speed. Clemson transfer Derion Kendrick grabbed one of the starting spots, and Speed now has the other. Kimber was listed as the No. 3 left cornerback behind Kendrick and Nyland Green last weekend in Georgia’s 40-13 win over South Carolina.

The Texas native saw action against the Gamecocks and against UAB in Week 2. He recorded one tackle. 

The injury is reportedly a torn labrum which Kimber suffered during preseason camp, but he tried to play through it. He aggravated it in practice this week, per DawgNation, who first reported the surgery. He will now have it fixed to hopefully be ready for next season. 

In 2020, Kimber played in three games against Arkansas and Tennessee in the regular season and against Cincinnati in the team’s Peach Bowl appearance on Jan. 1.

Georgia already had depth issues in their secondary

After Tyson Campbell, DJ Daniel, Richard LeCounte, Eric Stokes and Mark Webb left Georgia for the NFL last season and Major Burns, Tyrique Stevenson and Daran Bran transferred out of the Bulldogs program, the team has depth issues at cornerback.

Green, Kamari Lassiter and Lovasea Carroll are now the backups at the position, and all three players are true freshmen. The three newcomers have a combined four tackles on the season.

To date, Georgia is allowing 7.7 points per game, which is second in the SEC, after facing two Power Five opponents in Clemson and South Carolina. Their passing defense has been stout, allowing just 146.3 yards per game.

Georgia faces Vanderbilt on Saturday at noon ET on the SEC Network. The Bulldogs are 35-point favorites in Nashville, and ESPN’s Football Power Index gives them a 98.9% chance to beat the struggling Commodores.

Tight end Darnell Washington and safety Tykee Smith are close to a return from their respective injuries and have looked good in practice this week.

“They both were running and doing cardio yesterday,” Smart said. “Did a good job. They ran today. They did not do their position work. Meaning they didn’t go and take reps. I was just walking off the field, and they both ran really good today. They both hit really good speeds — I talked to both of them walking off the field, they both felt really good about where they were … really comfortable.”