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By Olivia Sayer
Georgia running back Branson Robinson (22) runs the ball. The University of Georgia football team defeats the University of Florida 42-20 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. (Photo/Jessica Gratigny; @jgratphoto)
Football season is officially here. The Bulldogs opened fall practice Thursday and are just 30 days away from their season-opening game against Clemson. Prior to the start of fall camp, head coach Kirby Smart provided several injury updates on key players.
Defensive lineman Warren Brinson is dealing with an achilles tendon, but it is opposite of the one he had issues with in spring. Offensive lineman Marcus Harrison has a stress reaction on his foot, with Smart saying both Brinson and Harrison “should be back shortly.”
Defensive lineman Jordan Hall also had surgery on a tibia stress fracture during the offseason. Smart hopes Hall is back by Georgia’s first game on Aug. 31 but said he “will be close.” Fellow defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is working on coming back from an injury he suffered last season and according to Smart, is “not 100%, but is close.”
The injuries to the defensive lineman will allow Georgia to develop its younger athletes at the ever-important position.
“You never have enough defensive linemen,” Smart said. “So just from the jump street, we got some big bodies in that room, but we got some inexperienced big bodies. So it’s really important that we establish depth, that we’re looking at a potentially longer season.”
Linebacker Smael Mondon Jr., who missed spring practice with a foot injury from late last season, is “able to do some stuff, but not everything.” Defensive back Chris Peal will also be limited due to a labrum repair he had at the end of spring.
Some good news on the injury front came for running back Branson Robinson, who Smart said will start camp without limitations after rupturing his patella tendon last fall. However, Georgia will employ load management with him to ensure a smooth comeback.
“It’s not a shock to me that he’s able to start and go without limitations, but the load management is critical because you can’t take someone who hasn’t done everything and just throw them into everything,” Smart said of Robinson. “So we have to be smart about that.”
To round out the injury report, wide receiver Cole Speer is working through a mid-foot sprain. Smart said he will still likely be involved, as is the case with every player on the injury report.
Georgia brought about 120 total players into fall camp, which Smart said is a good number for the Bulldogs.
“We’ve got good depth in camp,” Smart said. “We’re looking forward to creating some mental and physical adversity through the heat and through practices that we can kind of start to form our team.”