Georgia still planning for Auburn's Kamryn Pettway despite leg injury

Georgia had a tough running team to defend against in Kentucky, which went for 186 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 27-24 win. But on Saturday, a tougher rushing team is coming to town that the Bulldogs will be forced to deal with.

Georgia’s upcoming opponent, Auburn, is one of the best rushing teams in the nation. The Tigers lead the SEC in rushing yards at 299.8 per game. Kamryn Pettway is the conference’s individual leaders at 1,106 yards, showcasing that Auburn has been able to run the ball on anyone.

But Pettway is coming off of a leg injury and is questionable for the upcoming game.

While Pettway is one of the better backs in the SEC, head coach Kirby Smart isn’t thinking things will get any easier if he’s unable to play against Georgia.

“They're creative, they know what they're doing,” Smart said. “This isn't their first time with a running back injured. So we have to prepare either way. The number one thing we've got to do is worry about us. We've got to tackle. They've got good people to tackle, whether it's him or somebody else. We've got to tackle better and strike blockers and play backs better. They are really good at running the ball.”

If Pettway is unable to play, Auburn will turn to Kerryon Johnson. Johnson would figure to play a good bit anyway and has 616 yards and nine touchdowns for the year.

But with how Pettway’s been, Auburn will hope to have him available.

“He is a quick healer,” Malzahn said. “I will know more later in the week but he is planning on practicing.”

Like any football coach, Smart isn’t leaving anything to chance. During Tuesday’s practice, the Bulldogs lined up their first-team defense against the scout team with a player simulating Pettway in a No. 36 jersey.

“We have to prepare as if he's going to be there,” Smart said. “Whether he's there or not, they know how to run the ball. Trust me. They did it at the beginning of the year sometimes without him. …  I always thought that he could be a good running back, and he proved that to be correct. He's a real physical, downhill runner. So whether he plays or not, they run the ball downhill. They are going to have ways to do that, whether it's with a quarterback, another running back, another guy.”

This story was originally published November 8, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Georgia still planning for Auburn's Kamryn Pettway despite leg injury."