Georgia heads into its SEC opener with a few familiar injury questions still hanging over the roster.
When the league released its initial availability report Wednesday night, safety Tyriq Green, cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick and outside linebacker Chase Linton were all listed as out for the Bulldogs. Arkansas, on the other hand, will be missing tight end Maddox Lassiter, while tight end Hutson Hendrix and defensive back Brandon Ford were marked questionable.
One notable name was absent from Georgia’s report: receiver Thomas Blackshear. That points to an encouraging update for Blackshear, who had been dealing with a wrist injury and sat out the Western Kentucky game.
Green’s status is the one worth watching closest. He hurt his ankle late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win over Western Kentucky, right after delivering a huge performance. The freshman scored on a fumble recovery in the end zone and added a 91-yard kick return touchdown, the kind of burst Georgia has not seen on a kick return since Terry Godwin in 2016.
On Monday, Kirby Smart left the door open but offered no firm answer on Green’s availability.
"T-Green, we're finding more and more out on," Kirby Smart said on Monday. "We'll see what the deal is with him as the week goes if he's able to play or not."
Dawgs247 reported seeing Green in a boot on his right foot after Saturday’s game, and a source told the site there was no structural damage to the ankle, suggesting the injury is not expected to be a long-term problem.
Linton has been sidelined since fall camp after what Smart described as a "lower-leg injury." Last week, Smart said Linton remains week to week. He was with the team pre-game Saturday wearing a compression sleeve on the injured leg.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Linton played in four games last season and finished with one tackle, coming in the SEC championship game. He was a four-star prospect out of North Atlanta High School.
Fitzpatrick is still working back from a torn ACL suffered during his senior year of high school. He warmed up before Georgia’s first two games but has yet to get on the field.
Georgia and Arkansas are set to kick off Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
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