ATHENS — Some of the worst news Georgia could have received with regard to its tailback situation is true. Sony Michel did indeed suffer a non-football injury and his early-season availability is in question.
UGA officials finally confirmed at about 7:30 p.m. Monday evening that Michel had suffered a broken left forearm in "an accident" that happened on Sunday evening. UGA officials would not confirm that nature of the accident, but persons with knowledge of the situation confirmed that it was while riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV).
The 5-foot-11, 212-pound junior underwent surgery on Monday at Athens Regional Medical Center and a full recovery is expected. The team did not say how long his recovery would take. Georgia is about eight weeks away from its season-opening game against North Carolina in the Georgia Dome and four weeks from the start of preseason camp.
Michel, who will be a junior this fall, rushed for a team-high 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns last year. More than 100 yards per game of that production came after previous starter Nick Chubb was lost for the season to a knee injury in the sixth game of the season. Chubb still has not been cleared to play after having surgery to repair several ligaments.
If neither Chubb nor Michel is available, senior Brendan Douglas would assume the No. 1 spot based on the depth charts going into preseason camp. Douglas has never started but has played in 36 games and has 715 yards in his career.
After him, the Bulldogs would have to turn to redshirt freshman Tae Crowder and true freshmen Elijah Holyfield and Brian Herrien.
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