ATHENS, Ga. — As it opens SEC play, No. 1 Georgia may be without one of its top defensive players, while one of its key offensive players also appears unlikely to return. Safety Javon Bullard and receiver Ladd McConkey have not been ruled out, but Kirby Smart was noncommittal about each after Tuesday’s practice. Here’s what you need to know:
- McConkey has missed Georgia’s first two games with lingering back problems. Smart said Tuesday night that McConkey is “trying to come back. And we’re trying to do everything we can do to speed that process up.”
- Bullard hurt his ankle in Saturday’s win over Ball State. He was limited in Tuesday’s practice, and Smart said it was “still unknown” whether Bullard could go.
- Georgia (2-0) hosts South Carolina (1-1) in the conference opener for both teams at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What’s the impact if both can’t play Saturday?
Well, don’t look for the line on the game to go down much. Georgia (favored by 28 points) has plenty of other firepower on each side of the ball. The worry is if either becomes a longer-term issue.
Bullard should be short-term. It doesn’t sound like it was a high-ankle sprain, and it’s a good sign that there is at least an outside chance he plays Saturday. And as good as Bullard is — he was the defensive MVP of both the Peach Bowl and national championship game — Georgia has veterans David Daniel-Sisavanh and Dan Jackson to fill in for him.
McConkey is becoming a bigger deal to watch. It seemed precautionary at first when he missed the season opener, but not playing in the SEC opener takes it up a notch. Smart has said McConkey’s injury is one the team hasn’t dealt with much, if at all, before, so there isn’t a firm timetable for it.
“It’s frustrating for (McConkey) because he doesn’t control it,” Smart said last week. “He runs and does great and feels fine, and then one sudden movement can set him back, he has pain, and then he’s back down.”
McConkey was Georgia’s second-leading receiver last year, behind only All-America tight end Brock Bowers, and McConkey was the third-leading receiver in 2021. He brings experience, speed and reliability to the outside receiver spots. Georgia does have depth at receiver, but it definitely has a better passing game with him involved.
Ladd McConkey has missed the first two games of Georgia’s season. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA Today)
Other key players getting healthier
Running back Daijun Edwards is expected to play, Smart said Monday. Edwards missed the first two games with a knee (MCL) sprain, but that was more precautionary.
“We expect Daijun to go,” Smart said. “Like I said, he could have gone last week, the week before that. We’re just trying to go from 80 to 90 to 100. We think he’s going to be closer to that. I can’t say what he’s at. But he certainly felt good enough to go Saturday. So I think — having him back helps tremendously.”
Linebacker Smael Mondon already has returned after missing much of the summer with a foot injury. He made a brief appearance in the opener against UT Martin then started against Ball State. Speaking to the media Tuesday night he said he feels basically back to normal.
(Top photo of Javon Bullard: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
