Monroe Freeling, Earnest Greene injury updates: Kirby Smart reveals latest on rehab process for Georgia OL

Georgia‘s first-string offensive line has been patchwork unit throughout the first six weeks of the season while ravaged by various injuries. In fact, redshirt junior center Drew Bobo is the Bulldogs’ lone offensive line starter to not miss time with injury this season.

But as No. 10 Georgia (4-1, 2-1 SEC) prepares to hit the road for Saturday’s revival of The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry vs. unranked Auburn (3-2, 0-2 SEC), it faces even more questions about its front five. With junior right tackle Earnest Greene III still unavailable with a lingering back ailment, the Bulldogs could be without both starting tackles if junior left tackle Monroe Freeling is unable to go after suffering an ankle injury early in last Saturday’s game vs. Kentucky.

“Monroe’s been able to do a little bit. He’s been able to run and workout and do some things. But it’s still going to be more like today and tomorrow we find more out,” Smart said Wednesday during his weekly appearance on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “He has been moving around on it and running on it and doing some on-air things. But obviously the requirement it takes to be able to strain and play at this level, we’ve got to find out if he’s able to do that.”

Freeling left last Saturday’s 35-14 win over Kentucky after the first offensive series and wouldn’t return. Greene has missed the past two games with his back injury and has played less than a full half of football this season with the lingering issue. Smart said Greene continues to get in work off to the side but remains mostly limited in practice.

“He’s running, moving around, been able to do some pass sets, and do some indy (individual) stuff and just continues to get better,” Smart said of Greene. “He’s just continuing to get better.”

Fifth-year senior left guard Micah Morris is also banged up thanks to a hamstring injury suffered the week before against Alabama and then missed some time Saturday with a dislocated shoulder before returning later in the game. Reserve sophomore tackle Bo Hughley, who started at right tackle against Alabama before being replaced by true freshman Juan Gaston, took over for Freeling at left tackle despite not practicing a snap at the position in practice.

Entering the season, Greene, Freeling and Morris were considered the grizzled veterans along Georgia’s offensive line. Greene had 23 starts under his belt prior to the season while both Freeling and Morris have significant experience at multiple positions along the line, including Freeling replacing Green at left tackle over the final five games of the 2024 season while Greene dealt with a shoulder injury. Bobo is the lone stalwart having started the last six games. Freeling has started the Bulldogs’ last nine games at left tackle, but his status for next week’s rivalry game at Auburn remains in doubt with his new ankle injury.