Georgia head coach Kirby Smart updates injury situations of players before fall camp
With fall camp opening for the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday, head coach Kirby Smart took the time in his noon press conference to update the status of several injured Georgia players.
One of the most talked about Bulldogs this offseason was rising sophomore quarterback Jake Fromm, who injured his non-throwing hand in a water skiing accident in July. Although the incident left Bulldogs fans on edge, Smart said Fromm is good to go for the start of camp.
“Jake, he’s healing really well,” Smart said. “He’ll have a splint on when you’re out there, but it’s just a precautionary splint. You probably wouldn’t even notice it if you weren’t zooming in on it from 100 yards away trying to get a picture of it. He’s fine. He’ll be able to do everything we need him to do.”
Five-star running back Zamir White was one of the Bulldogs’ premier pick-ups in the Class of 2018, but his availability for his freshman year came into question when he tore his ACL in November. Per Smart, the true freshman has made significant progress in his recovery.
“Zamir will be full go with a protective brace. He’ll have his brace on, but we’ll just have to monitor his volume,” Smart said. “He’s not going to be limited in any way. He should be able to do all drills. He’s just gaining confidence on his knee, but the brace will just help him with that.”
Smart said White’s situation reminds him of Nick Chubb’s in spring 2016, Smart’s first as Bulldogs head coach. Smart added White has followed similar protocol to Chubb by using rehab tactics such as taking karate along with getting on the ground with mats and falling to get comfortable with his knee.
Smart explained White is probably further along at this point than Chubb was that spring, adding that was more of a product of how significant Chubb’s injury was. As far as White’s status for fall camp, Smart stressed the biggest key is for the coaches to not overwork him as he continues down the road to recovery.
“He was able to get a lot of mental reps in the spring, but he’s cleared to do everything,” Smart said. “I think the big issue there is not necessarily is he cleared — it’s what kind of volume can he handle? Can he handle 7,000 yards on our GPS at practice? I don’t know. We’ve got to monitor that and see where he hits each day and make sure we bring him back at the right pace.”
Fromm and White were two of the more pressing injury situations entering camp, but Smart provided information on a few other Bulldogs as well.
True freshman linebacker Azeez Ojulari, who also had offseason ACL surgery, has been cleared for everything but contact drills and will wear a brace on his knee. Defensive back DeAngelo Gibbs has been fully cleared from his shoulder injury, allowing him to participate in all drills going forward.
Smart also said senior wide receiver Terry Godwin has “a minor issue” with his left knee and will be limited for precautionary reasons, while linebacker Jaden Hunter is dealing with a hamstring injury and will be “a little limited” to start camp.
As far as long-term injuries, Smart said he was pleased with the progress by defensive back Divaad Wilson, who tore his ACL during spring practice.
“Divaad is actually progressing really well,” Smart said. “He’ll be able to work into practice as the season progresses. We’re excited about the progress he’s made. He’s a really competitive guy and wants to jump out there and do everything he can.”
This story was originally published August 3, 2018 at 1:18 PM.