Kirby Smart updates health status of Chris Smith, Jamaree Salyer

Neither Jamaree Salyer nor Chris Smith dressed for No. 1 Georgia’s game against Georgia Tech on Saturday. After the game, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart gave an update on the Atlanta natives.

Salyer has been dealing with a foot injury and was wearing a walking boot as he walked out for the coin toss. Smith, meanwhile, suffered a bone bruise in his right knee during practice last week.

Smart said Georgia tried getting the two ready to go, but they just weren’t ready and couldn’t play on Saturday.

“It was not precautionary,” Smart said, according to Seth Emerson of The Athletic. “We tried to get both of them ready to go. They were both fighting back. We thought Jamaree was back and he had a little setback. I don’t know if it was Tuesday or Wednesday. It wasn’t the same injury he had before, it was some scar tissue. But we’re hoping we’re able to get him back, and hopeful for Chris, too.”

Kirby Smart sends message to Georgia fans after perfect regular season

Georgia headed to nearby Atlanta to play annual foe Georgia Tech on Saturday, but if you’re around Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, don’t refer to it as a rivalry. It’ll lose its luster.

On Monday, Smart spoke with the media about the historic matchup, what it means to his team, and why the word “rivalry” can be overused to a detrimental point.

“I wasn’t a big college football fan as a recruit, so it’s hard for me how I viewed it,” Smart said when asked how he viewed the annual contest with Georgia Tech prior to moving to Athens. “I didn’t come to the Georgia-Georgia Tech game. I didn’t grow up going to those. I grew up going to high school football games and watching TV on Saturdays.”

Smart is a Southern Georgia native. He grew up in a small town called Bainbridge and went on to play defensive line for the Bulldogs from 1995-1998. An All-SEC defender as a senior, Smart notched 13 career interceptions, which ranks fourth all-time in the Georgia record books. Smart went undrafted in 1999 and signed a contract with the Indianapolis Colts shortly thereafter.

“It’s not about the history of the rivalry because our guys weren’t even born when I was playing,” he added.

With the 45-0 victory, Georgia finished off a perfect 12-0 season. The Bulldogs carry that momentum in to next week’s SEC Championship against Alabama.