Several Georgia players battling injuries ahead of Auburn
No one is going to weep for Georgia but ahead of its 127th all-time meeting with Auburn in The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, the Bulldogs are dealing with quite a few injuries. We’ve known about some of those injuries for weeks but we’re learning more about others by the day.
Kirby Smart met with reporters after Tuesday’s practice where he offered the latest on the injury situation. According to the seventh-year head coach, Georgia is the most banged up on the defensive side of the ball.
ILB Smael Mondon: “Smael is struggling a little bit. He got an ankle during the game. I guess he played on adrenaline because he did go back into the game and play, but he’s been hurting a little bit. He’s been in a brace, but he’s been able to practice some. We’ve got several guys out there where it’s been tough. We’ve got some guys who were beat up in that last game, and they’re hurting a little bit. It’s one of those where we have ‘next man up’ mentality.”
OLB Chaz Chambliss: “Chaz was dealing with a hamstring last week and did not make the trip. He was here rehabbing, and he’s fighting back this week. It’s not as bad as Nyland’s (Green) was, and we hope to get him back. I don’t know when it will be.”
To add context, Nyland Green missed three full games with his hamstring injury. He returned for the Missouri game. Smart made it known yesterday that he expects Georgia to be without Jalen Carter for one to two weeks. He commented on the junior defensive tackle again on Tuesday.
DL Jalen Carter (knee): “I hate it for Jalen as a guy who has had a really good two years. He’s really talented, and the very first play of the year was when the ankle got injured. He played on adrenaline in the Oregon game and then struggled to get back. He got back, and then he felt good. It’s a different injury. It didn’t really have anything to do with the ankle. Tough is the only way to put it, but it’s football. Our mantra around here is ‘next man up.’ We’ve had a lot of that with the inside players dinged up. It’s ‘next man up,’ and they go play the snaps for them.”
The news isn’t all bad for the Bulldogs. Georgia is getting healthier on the offensive side of the ball.
WR AD Mitchell (ankle): “I don’t know. I feel much better. He hit some good speeds yesterday in conditioning and did some cuts. I didn’t get to see him practice as much today because I was with the defense, but he went in some of the scout periods. I’ll get to watch his tape. It looks very promising from him yesterday in terms of what I saw from him running. I don’t know how much the role will be, but we’ll see. We’ve got a lot of guys banged up, so it’s going to be done by committee in a lot of places.”
RB Kenny McIntosh (quad contusion): “Kenny’s been great. He’s had a really good two days of practice, and I think him not getting that hit again last week helped him get ready for this week. He’s been good.”
Georgia also got redshirt sophomore wideout Arian Smith back from a preseason injury on Saturday against Missouri. Smith, who had surgery to remedy an ankle injury, had one catch for seven yards against the Tigers.
