Arian Smith, Arik Gilbert dressed out for Georgia-Kent State
Georgia wide receiver Arian Smith is dressed out for today’s game against Kent State. The redshirt sophomore did not dress or play in the Bulldogs’ first three games after a preseason ankle injury that required surgery.
While Georgia players were going through initial warmups without pads on, Smith – along with AD Mitchell and Arik Gilbert – were off to the side working with strength and conditioning coach Scott Sinclair. Smith and Gilbert had football pants on while Mitchell did not.
Smith’s injury occurred during fall camp and at the time, a timeline for return was unknown. In the days that followed, it was believed that Smith might miss around 4-6 weeks. A return to the field today would be the six week mark.
“Arian’s probably the toughest one,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said on Smith’s injury. “The poor kid can’t catch a break. He’s had an injury right when he first got here, jumping in the long jump pit, then he had another injury his sophomore year. He’s just worked so hard to get back. He gave up track this year, and he’s an elite track runner. Elite. He gave that up so that he could have a successful season. He had a tough ankle sprain. It’s a high ankle sprain. Don’t know how long it’s going to take. It is going to require surgery, but it’s not broken. We’re hopeful to get him back. He’s overcome so much, and he’s such a great kid. Got a great family, such a positive kid, and he keeps getting tough breaks. I know that he’s going to persevere that, and I think he’s going to bounce back.”
Injuries have been a recurring theme for the Lakeland, Fla. native. Smith underwent a minor wrist surgery to repair a broken bone before even arriving. That was an injury reportedly suffered during his senior year of high school but one that he waited to have surgery on. Once on campus, there was another surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee that kept him from playing in the first six games of the 2020 season. Then, in 2021, Smith suffered a wrist injury during spring practice but played in the spring game with a cast on, was shut down during summer workouts and battled turf toe during fall camp all before missing five games early in the season due to a lower-leg contusion on his shin. Finally, after making his way back to the field against Florida and Missouri, Smith broke his leg in practice and missed the rest of the season. He was back on the field this spring in a non-contact jersey going through drills and participating in the G-Day scrimmage.
When Smith has been on the field for Georgia, he’s been incredibly productive. Problem is, he’s only played in four games each of his two seasons on campus. In 2020, Smith caught two passes, one for a 31-yard touchdown at South Carolina and the other for a long 55-yard gain against Cincinnati. Then, in 2021, he added a 61-yard touchdown against UAB and a 35-yard touchdown against Missouri as two of his three receptions on the season. In total, that’s three touchdowns in five career receptions.
As for Gilbert, the third-year third end played sparingly in Georgia’s first two games of the season before not making the trip with the team to South Carolina last week. Afterwards, Kirby Smart indicated that the plan with him was to take it one day at a time.
“All I can say is he didn’t make the trip for personal reasons,” Smart said last Saturday. “Hoping he gets back with us.”
“He’s going to be day-to-day throughout the week,” Smart added on Monday.
No. 1 Georgia and Kent State kickoff at 12:00 p.m. ET, streaming on SEC Network+ and ESPN+.
