Kirby Smart Updates Situation at Georgia's Running Back Position Heading Into Week One
Dating back to the spring, Georgia's offseason has been plagued by injuries at the running back position. Kendall Milton, Branson Robinson, Andrew Paul, and Daijun Edwards have all missed varying amounts of practice time due to an assortment of ailments, leaving the Bulldogs short on experienced depth entering the 2023 season. On Monday, Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart met with the assembled media and updated Georgia's situation at running back entering Saturday's against UT-Martin.
Last week, Smart announced that sophomore Branson Robinson would miss the entire 2023 season with a ruptured patella tendon. Robinson had established himself as Georgia's top running back before suffering a toe injury in the latter stages of spring practice that kept him out of Georgia's spring game. The sophomore had recovered well enough to take part in individual drills and even took snaps in Georgia's second fall scrimmage before suffering the non-contact patella injury.
Georgia RB Branson Robinson celebrates a touchdown against TCU in the CFP National Championship Game. Robinson has been ruled out for the season with a ruptured patella tendon.
As the projected starter at running back, Robinson's injury was enough of a blow itself, but it is far from the only injury the Bulldogs are dealing with at the position. Senior Kendall Milton missed a significant stretch of spring practice due to a hamstring injury and reaggravated the injury at the outset of fall camp. The California native missed all of fall camp, but Smart painted a more encouraging picture regarding Milton's health heading into the game against UT-Martin.
"Kendall, he's been dealing with a hamstring most of, almost all of camp. He feels 80, 90 percent. And we're hopeful to get him back today as well in terms of practicing and taking reps."
While not as severe, Georgia's other senior running back, Daijun Edwards, has been banged up at various times during both spring practice and fall camp. According to Smart, however, the Bulldogs are optimistic about the Colquitt County, Georgia native's availability heading into week one.
"To answer your question specifically, Daijun was dealing with an MCL. He had one last year, but he's actually doing great. I think he's going to be able to practice and do everything today. So we feel good about Daijun's status. It happened in the second scrimmage. I don't know what that date was. But would have been, I guess, a week ago Saturday, and he's bounced back pretty good from that. He looks good."
Dealing with injuries to talented veterans certainly presents a challenge, but it also opens up opportunities for younger players hungry to earn meaningful snaps and smart expressed confidence in how Georgia's young backs have taken advantage of the opportunity for more practice reps.
"Feel good about Andrew Paul. Roderick Robinson has had a good camp. Cash [Jones] has had a good camp. Really got a bunch of guys who have repped and done some good things there.
Georgia freshman running back Roderick Robinson carries tacklers during Georgia's 2023 "G-Day" spring game. Robinson has impressed since arriving on campus and is in line to receive carries early in the season. Photo VIA Tony Walsh
Over the weekend, rumors began to emerge that sophomore wide receiver Dillon Bell, who started five games at wideout for the Bulldogs as a freshman, had taken reps at running back. When asked about the veracity of those rumors, Smart declined to directly refute the rumors but emphasized the need for Bell at receiver.
“We're looking at everybody at running back. We'll try to find the best way possible to get the ball in the hands of the playmakers...But, Dillon, we need Dillon at wideout. We need Dillon on special teams. He's had a good camp in terms of being wide receiver. He played it some in high school. It's something he's done before. But the way offenses are nowadays you can get your touches a lot of ways. And we've got a lot of plays that involve perimeter blocking, direct runs, perimeter runs. As a defensive coach, every offensive play has three plays on it. It could be a direct run with this and this. In those ways you can get a lot of people touches. So that would be the plan."
While Georgia's healthy backs have impressed during fall camp, Smart expressed a lingering sense of unease at the unknowns of the situation heading into the new season.
"I feel good about the backs we have. I'll feel a lot better if Daijun and Kendall are 100 percent, but we'll see where they are today."
How to Watch Georgia vs. UT-Martin
- Gameday: Saturday, Sept. 2. 2023
- Game time: 6:00 pm ET
- TV: ESPN+, SECNetwork+
- Location: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (Athens, Georgia)
- Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!
- Stream on ESPN - HERE
- Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Aaron Murray (color) will both be on the call.
How to Listen
The Georgia Bulldogs Radio Network is readily available with Scott Howard on the call.
Other Georgia News:
- Despite Injuries, Smart Bullish on Georgia's Running Backs
- Practice Observations - Georgia Priming for Second Scrimmage
- Preseason All-SEC Teams Released
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