Georgia coach Kirby Smart continues to be optimistic when it comes to the injuries that are mounting for his team ahead of the Bulldogs’ Sept. 4 opener against Clemson.
Following Georgia’s final scrimmage of fall camp Saturday, Smart listed all of Georgia’s injured players as day to day and said some of them are even back practicing, though he didn’t identify exactly which players those were.
“Each one is a different situation, but I expect to be full tilt when Clemson comes when it comes time to play them,” Smart said. “We had more guys healthy (Saturday) than we did the last scrimmage. We’re in a good position.”
Receivers George Pickens and Dominick Blaylock, who are recovering from ACL surgeries, may or may not be available for the opener, and the Bulldogs’ injury list got longer earlier this week when tight end Darnell Washington and defensive back Tykee Smith sustained foot injuries. Both underwent surgery and are expected to miss at least a few weeks, according to various media reports, including Dawgs247.
Washington’s injury could be another blow to Georgia’s tight end room. Arik Gilbert, who transferred in from LSU, isn’t currently with the team as he deals with Smart has deemed personal issues, and when he might return is unclear. Meanwhile, Smith, a West Virginia transfer, is expected to be a starter at cornerback for the Bulldogs.
Smart’s comments Saturday reiterated a statement he released regarding Washington and Smith shortly after their injuries in which he referred to their statuses as day to day, which, coming from coaches, could mean anything.
Maybe Smart wants to keep Clemson guessing and make the Tigers spend time preparing for the possibility of Georgia’s injured players being ready for the Week 1 matchup. But he’s steadfast in his optimism.
“We’re hopeful to get all those guys back soon, so that’s the plan really on all the guys that are injured,” Smart said. “We don’t have an injury that those guys are out for a long amount of time.”