Earnest Greene, DJ Waller injury update: Thursday availability report reveals latest ahead of Georgia-Kentucky game

Both Georgia and Kentucky will be seeking to get back on the winning track in Saturday’s SEC showdown inside Athens’ Sanford Stadium. The game will kickoff at 12 noon ET and be televised on ABC.

The 12th-ranked Bulldogs (3-1, 1-1 SEC) are coming off their first home loss since 2019 after Alabama upset Georgia 24-21 last Saturday in Athens, while the Wildcats (2-2, 0-2 SEC) remain winless in SEC play this season after dropping games vs. Ole Miss and at South Carolina already.

Georgia has dominated the series with Kentucky, winning the past 15 straight meetings for a 64-12-2 all-time advantage, though the host Wildcats put a scare into UGA in a 13-12 loss last season in Lexington. Vegas isn’t betting on another home upset for the Bulldogs, who enter the game as a 20.5-point favorite according to BetMGM.  

Since this is an SEC matchup, Georgia and Kentucky will both release availability reports throughout the week. In addition to Wednesday’s and Thursday’s injury reports, there will another Friday before the final report that comes out 90 minutes before the 12 noon ET kickoff Saturday.

No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs

Out:
TE Ethan Barbour
WR Talyn Taylor
OL Malachi Toliver
OL Earnest Greene III
WR Thomas Blackshear

Kentucky Wildcats

Out:
RB Jamarion Wilcox
DB Nasir Addison
DB Jaden Smith
DL Nic Smith
WR David Washington Jr.
TE Elijah Brown
WR Preston Bowman

Questionable:
TE DJ Waller Jr.
LB Devin Smith

Probable:
QB Zach Calzada
OL Aba Selm

Georgia already ruled junior right tackle Earnest Greene III (back) out for Saturday’s game against Kentucky in Wednesday’s initial availability report. This came after On3‘s Pete Nakos described Greene’s playing status as “doubtful” for what will be his second straight game out of commission. In reality, Greene has barely played a full half of football this season after starting but exiting in the first quarter of the season-opener against Marshall. Greene also started against Tennessee but didn’t play much before his lingering back injury forced him to the sideline once again.

With Greene out, the Bulldogs started sophomore Bo Hughley at right tackle against Alabama, but also worked in talented true freshman Juan Gaston at the position. UGA head coach Kirby Smart said the 6-foot-7, 360-pound Gaston is currently battling Hughley for reps in Saturday’s game against Kentucky.

“The plan is to play the best guy that gives us the best chance to win. That’s the decision we have to make at every position,” Smart said during Wednesday’s weekly SEC Coaches Teleconference. “And right now, that’s those two guys (Hughley and Gaston). They are battling, they’re both growing and getting better. Both relatively young players, very different players.”

Meanwhile, Kentucky is dealing with its own injury issues, especially within its secondary having already ruled out DBs Nasir Addison and Jaden Smith, while DJ Waller Jr. was listed as “questionable” with a hamstring injury that forced him to miss last weekend’s loss to South Carolina.

“I was hoping (Waller would be back vs. South Carolina), but it’s one of those injuries with a hamstring that’s touchy,” Stoops said Monday. “You know, it’s very frustrating for him. He’s worked very hard and you heard us talking a lot about him in camp and throughout the summer. He worked really hard and continues to work hard and it’s frustrating for him.”

On the bright side, Kentucky starting quarterback Zach Calzada could return to action this week after being ruled “probable” in Wednesday’s availability report. Calzada hasn’t played since suffering a shoulder injury late in Week 2 against Ole Miss, as freshman Cutter Boley has started the past two games at quarterback. Meanwhile, Wildcats offensive lineman Aba Selm and linebacker Devin Smith were both listed as “questionable” on Wednesday’s report.

— On3’s Chandler Vessells contributed to this report.