Prather Hudson following example set by fellow Bulldog running backs

Prather Hudson won’t admit it, but there’s a solid chance the redshirt sophomore could see extended playing time when Georgia hosts UMass Saturday (4 p.m., SEC Network).

The Minutemen (4-7) enter Saturday with a defense currently surrendering just over 40 points and nearly 442 yards per game. ESPN’s matchup predictor, as of Nov. 14, gives the Minutemen a 0.6 percent chance to beat the Bulldogs (9-1, 7-1 SEC).

So, for players like Hudson, a potentially comfortable and out-of-reach scoreline could provide the chance for more reps on the offensive side even if he doesn’t want to say it.

“We’ll see how that goes,” Hudson said. “Fortunately I’ve been playing on special teams. I get a couple of reps there, I get some more experience. But, just however the game plays (out), I’m ready for it.”

Of course, it’s not like Hudson has warmed the bench all season. The Columbus, Ga, native, who played his preps football at Brookstone High School under Scott Pethtel, has appeared in all 10 games thus far and run for 55 yards. Primarily, though, he does most of his work on special teams.

Offensively speaking, well, call it the luck of the draw.

After joining the program as a preferred walk-on and redshirting his freshman year in 2016, Hudson sat behind now-NFLers Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, as well as D’Andre Swift, Brian Herrien and Elijah Holyfield on the Bulldogs’ College Football Playoff team a season ago.

Now, he sits behind Swift, Holyfield, Herrien and James Cook on the depth chart. So it’s safe to say there aren’t many carries to go around, especially with Swift and Holyfield seemingly peaking as a matchup in Atlanta with top-ranked Alabama looms large.

Given the massive talent disparity between the two teams taking the field inside Sanford Stadium Saturday, that could certainly change.

“We’re going to go out and give them our best shot,” said Bulldogs tight end Jackson Harris. “... (The freshmen and players who don’t play as much) have done well. All of those guys, just being how freshmen are supposed to be, and that’s just work hard, get better every day and wait for your time to come.”

Hudson’s time may come Saturday, to put it dramatically.

To put it in much less climactic terms: Players like Hudson who primarily contribute primarily via special teams will likely take the majority of reps once the game is out of reach.

And for Hudson, it’s a pretty nice luxury to practice with, and learn from, arguably two of the top running backs in the Southeastern Conference — Swift and Holyfield, that is.

Swift just enjoyed a career night against Auburn, running for 186 yards and a touchdown, while Holyfield added 93 yards on the ground.

“You just watch how they practice,” Hudson said. “That obviously translates on the field, because how hard they practice, that pays off in the big-time games. You just try to take little bits here and there on how they play.”