Georgia DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins near next step in recovery from foot injury
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia’s injury situation has improved dramatically over the past few games. The Bulldogs have gotten multiple key players back on the field, helping them to a 6-0 record at the halfway point of the 2023 regular season. Still, there’s one potential key player who is likely out for awhile longer — redshirt sophomore defensive end Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins.
Kirby Smart spoke to reporters on Monday, his regularly-scheduled appearance for Vanderbilt media day, where he said that Ingram-Dawkins is almost to the next step in his recovery.
“He’s had a four-week shutdown,” Smart said. “I think we’ll be on five. He’s going to start doing a little more next week, more being jogging and what I call weight bearing, not necessarily practice. So we have a plan, and we have stages, and he’s hit all the markers. So, yeah, we’re hopeful to get him back this year, but when that’ll be, I don’t know. We’re going to do what the doctors say.”
Smart has indicated in recent weeks that Ingram-Dawkins might be able to return soon, but a quick look at the South Carolina native tells a different story. DawgsHQ has seen Ingram-Dawkins around the facility where he is using a boot and a knee-scooter to get around. We’ve seen the same thing on Saturdays as the former four-star prospect joined his teams on the sideline for games.
With Ingram-Dawkins out since week two of the season, Georgia has been short-handed at defensive end. Sixth-year senior Tramel Walthour has seen a ton of early-down work. He’s one of the Bulldogs’ best run defenders regardless of position.
Mykel Williams has also shouldered much of the load outside of one game. He’s second on the team with two sacks, trailing Jamon Dumas-Johnson by a half sack. Williams missed the UAB game with an illness but has played in the other five.
With Ingram-Dawkins out, Georgia has used true freshman Gabe Harris a bit more than it planned. Harris was particularly involved for the UAB game when the Bulldogs were without two veteran defensive ends. The former four-star prospect has been impressive, tallying two tackles for loss in limited action.
As a redshirt freshman in 2022 Ingram-Dawkins played in 14 of 15 games. He tallied 10 total stops, nine solo, and 1.5 of those were for a loss. He also had one quarterback hurry and recovered a fumble.
