Skip to main content
Georgia

Georgia Football Injury Report: Juan Gaston and Earnest Greene showing 'progress'

Jeremy Johnsonby: Jeremy Johnson8 hours agoJeremyO_Johnson
Earnest Greene Georgia
Georgia offensive lineman Earnest Greene III (71) during Georgia’s game against South Carolina on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. (Tony Walsh/UGAAA)

Georgia is still dealing with a few bumps and bruises going into Saturday's SEC opener against Tennessee in Knoxville. The Bulldogs have earned wins over Marshall and Austin Peay to open the 2025 season.

Head coach Kirby Smart provided another update on a few key names along the offensive line who have been out and dealing with ongoing ailments.

Freshman Juan Gaston went down with an apparent ankle injury after starting at right guard against Marshall. Gaston missed last week's game.

Right tackle Earnest Greene went down with an injury and did not play in week two either. Greene is dealing with lower back stiffness. He had back surgery back in 2022 and missed the entire season.

Smart provided an update on both players on Wednesday's SEC teleconference. Wednesday is going to be an important day for both players. Smart doesn't feel that Saturday is a game in which Georgia can play players who aren't as healthy as they can be.

Smart feels Saturday will be a physical confrontation.

"This is not a game that you want somebody that's not 100 percent healthy out there playing," Smart said. "It's going to be physical. It's going to be quick, and it's going to be violent. I mean, all SEC games are, but this one really is going to be that way...They (Tennessee) play with really big physical guys up front. You need all the power you can get. You need all the stamina you can get."

Juan Gaston and Earnest Greene showing 'progress'

Smart said on Tuesday that Gaston and Greene were 'moving around'.

"I'm not sure where they'll stand. I get to go watch the tape of what they did today here in a few minutes, but they moved pretty good in indy," Smart told reporters on Tuesday.

Upon watching the film of Tuesday's practice, Smart is encouraged by what he saw from Gaston and Greene. He expects both players to ramp up and get even more reps on Wednesday and Thursday.

"Both of those guys showed good progress yesterday," Smart said. "I really like the way both of them looked. I like the reps they took. They'll take more reps today and just see where they are. We've got to make a good judgment. Today and tomorrow are physical days for us, so we still get after it, and we'll find out where they are."

Georgia heads to Knoxville on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff with Tennessee.

You may also like