Georgia got its first real health update of the week, and the picture is a mixed one heading into Saturday’s matchup with Arkansas.
The SEC’s opening availability report showed three Bulldogs already ruled out: outside linebacker Chase Linton, defensive back Justice Fitzpatrick and defensive back Tyriq Green.
Green’s absence is the one Georgia fans will feel most immediately. He exited the win over Western Kentucky with an ankle injury after getting rolled up on a kickoff return in the fourth quarter. Before leaving, he had already made a major impact, bringing back a kick for a touchdown and later recovering a fumble in the end zone for another score.
Georgia has high hopes for Green, who has been a steady playmaker in practice, but the Bulldogs will have to keep moving without him for now. That means more responsibility at the top of the depth chart for veterans KJ Bolden, Kyron Jones and Khalil Barnes.
Linton has not played in a game this season, and Kirby Smart said he is dealing with a lower-extremity injury. With Linton and outside linebacker Amaris Williams both unavailable, Georgia will again turn to freshmen Khamari Brooks and PJ Dean.
Williams remains sidelined after suffering an ACL injury in the spring, and he is expected to be out for the foreseeable future while recovering. Running back Dante Dowdell is in the same boat after suffering multiple injuries in an ATV accident.
FitzPatrick’s situation has also been handled carefully. Georgia has been cautious in bringing him back after a knee injury he suffered in high school.
There was one small positive on the offensive side: wide receiver Thomas Blackshear was not listed on the report after missing the Western Kentucky game with a wrist injury. Georgia also has Isiah Canion available, though the Georgia Tech transfer has yet to catch a pass for the Bulldogs this season.
Georgia and Arkansas are set for a Noon ET kickoff on ABC, and the SEC will continue releasing availability reports Thursday night, Friday night and again 90 minutes before kickoff on Saturday.
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For a Bulldogs offense that is about to face a much stiffer level of competition, that kind of early contribution matters. Dandridge has not just flashed in limited snaps, he has shown enough to suggest he could keep earning opportunities once SEC play begins, which is exactly the sort of development Georgia wants from a young receiver. The bigger question now is whether his role keeps growing when the games tighten up and the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolinas NIL Spending Picture Just Got Much Clearer
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Georgia Fans Suddenly Have One Clear Case For A Home Night Game
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There is, though, one matchup that suddenly looks like the clearest candidate to change that. Vanderbilts Jared Curtis, who flipped from Georgia to the Commodores, has now been named Vanderbilts starting quarterback, giving the Georgia-Vanderbilt game a fresh layer of intrigue that the league could use if it wants a more compelling nighttime window. Nothing has been announced yet, but the storyline is obvious enough that it may be hard for the SEC to ignore. [Read more 🡒]