Georgia’s Southerland on the mend from broken foot

Athens — Brannan Southerland strolled into Georgia’s team meeting room wearing not one, but two red-and-white Nike sneakers.

Southerland received the results from Monday’s CT scan on Wednesday, and he got the news he was hoping for.

Though his fractured left foot still has some healing to do, he can start making the transition from his walking boot to a regular shoe. He will switch between the boot and a shoe for several hours every day, and he hopes to be done with the boot by Monday.

“This particular bone is just very, very slow healing. But [the doctor] was very happy with where it was at today,” Southerland said. “We’re going to progress as [the foot] will let us now.”

Southerland still expects the same time frame for his return: at best, Arizona State on Sept. 20; at the latest, Tennessee on Oct. 11.

“Of course I want to be out there and play in the first game and all the games, but anytime I think about that, I just remind myself of the disappointment I had when I found out I had to have the second surgery,” Southerland said. “I don’t want to have to have a third surgery.”

Almost the real thing

Thursday’s practice will be the first in which Georgia takes on its scout team, who will be emulating Georgia Southern.

Everything will be modeled after a real game day: stretches, pre-game routine, a coin toss, normal running clock and a united first-team offense and defense.

“It’s a big day for trying to simulate the game the best we can to get a taste of it,” coach Mark Richt said. “Even for our coaches to react to what might happen.”

Since the offense and defense have usually squared off during scrimmages, Thursday’s practice will be the first time the two have joined since the Bulldogs’ Sugar Bowl victory.

“It’s always fun to get everybody on the same sideline, put the enemy on the other sideline,” Richt said.

Richt said the Bulldogs usually start preparing for their first opponent 10 days in advance, but the team started a few extra days early because Georgia Southern’s offense and defense are so different than most teams.

The Eagles run a version of West Virginia’s 3-3-5 defense and their traditional option offense.

“That’s very different from how we line up. We don’t have anything that looks like that,” Richt said. “Their offense, we expect a spread. We do some of the things they do, but … we don’t do as much as they do.”