Georgia’s lighter bye-week plan left one big question hanging on Monday: can Isiah Canion and KJ Bolden get back in time for Florida?
Kirby Smart said the Bulldogs handled their off week differently this season, trimming the workload instead of sticking to a normal practice schedule. Georgia went on the field only Tuesday and Thursday, then took the rest of the week off. The idea was simple enough - buy time, cut some wear and tear, and try to come out of the break as healthy as possible.
Even with that extra recovery window, Smart still didn’t have a clear answer on either injured player.
"Really don't know on either one of them because we haven't done anything since Thursday,” Kirby Smart said via 247Sports.com. “Those guys, we had good practices all week last week, and then leading into this week, we'll find out more about where they are today and through the injury report information we have.”
Georgia has been making this kind of tradeoff all season. Smart said the Bulldogs have shortened every practice by 10 or 15 minutes, a move meant to protect the roster without losing too much prep time.
So far, it’s been a workable balance. Georgia sits at 6-1 and remains No. 3 in the country, even though the team has dealt with its share of injuries.
The hope now is that the lighter week helps a few of those banged-up players return, especially with Florida up next. But Smart stopped short of saying Canion or Bolden will be ready.
Bolden’s situation stands out most. Georgia has played only one game without him, and that was the Auburn loss two weeks ago - the Bulldogs’ worst result of the season. There’s no way to prove he would have flipped that game, but Georgia’s defense looked its worst that day without him on the field.
Canion’s absence has been longer, so Georgia has already had more time to adjust on offense. Bolden is a different case.
He’s projected as a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and Georgia would love to have him back against a Florida offense that can put up points in a hurry. If the Bulldogs want their best chance to avoid another upset, getting Bolden back matters.
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Even so, Bowens still has not been cleared for full contact or game action, which makes his status for the upcoming Florida game pretty straightforward. Georgia is expecting him to sit out again, but the important part is that he is back in motion and trending the right way, with a possible return later this season still in play. [Read more 🡒]
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Georgia Faces A Florida Worry Fans Didn't Want This Week
Georgias week-to-week injury watch got a little busier heading into the Florida game, with the Bulldogs official report listing six players across different statuses. Safety KJ Bolden is questionable because of a lower right leg injury, and wide receiver Isiah Canion and running back Chauncey Bowens are also in that same category, leaving Georgia with a few spots on the depth chart worth monitoring as kickoff approaches.
The more concrete part of the report is the group ruled out, which includes safety Tyriq Green, outside linebacker Amaris Williams and wide receiver Thomas Blackshear. Florida has its own uncertainty at quarterback, with Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. both listed as questionable, adding another layer to a matchup that already carried plenty of intrigue on both sidelines. [Read more 🡒]