Kirby Smart shares health update on Brock Bowers

Georgia‘s 38-10 win over Tennessee marked their 11th win of the season as they remain undefeated, but it also represented their second game having star tight end Brock Bowers back in the lineup following his ankle injury that required surgery.

Week by week Bowers seems to be looking more and more like his dominant self, and heading into their regular-season finale versus in-state rival Georgia Tech, Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart was asked about how Bowers has been feeling.

“Brock feels good, I think he’s a little sore,” Smart said. “What’s happening is he’s on his ankle more during the game, and obviously getting live tackled and the catches he got, there’s more soreness after the game than during the week.”

Bowers exited Georgia’s Week 7 game against Vanderbilt with a high ankle sprain, but concern increased even more for Bulldogs fans once they learned he’d have to undergo surgery as well.

A tightrope procedure was done on Bowers the Monday following his injury to speed up the healing process and it worked, with him returning to play in Georgia’s Week 11 home game against Ole Miss just two weekends ago. In that game, Bowers caught three passes for 34 yards and a touchdown as he looked to regain his footing and ease himself into action coming off of his surgery.

But last Saturday versus the Volunteers Bowers looked even more like his old self taking on an increased workload, torching Tennessee for seven receptions, 61 yards, and his sixth touchdown catch of the season.

More touches does mean more soreness for Bowers as his ankle continues to readjust, but thankfully the Georgia training staff and coaches have already had a plan for him in place according to Smart.

“So the recovery takes a little longer with that process, so we go lighter on him early in the week because if you don’t he’ll overwork himself,” Smart explained. “So that’s been the plan each week.”

Hopefully, Bowers’ soreness can continue to decrease as the stakes of Georgia’s schedule increase, as their final regular season game this weekend will be followed by postseason play starting with their SEC Championship matchup with Alabama. The Bulldogs are hoping yet again that their postseason run ends with them hoisting a third consecutive national championship, and Bowers being at full strength will be a major key factor.

Bowers has had great success historically versus Georgia Tech with eight catches for 120 yards and three touchdowns versus the Yellow Jackets in his two games against them, which he’ll look to keep going this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET in Bobby-Dodd Stadium.