Foot injury sidelines UGA linebacker Robinson
Another week, another injury to a key Georgia linebacker.
Christian Robinson will miss at least a couple of games with a foot injury sustained in Saturday's loss to South Carolina, UGA coach Mark Richt said Sunday.
The injury, coming one week after Alec Ogletree suffered a broken foot in the season opener, leaves Georgia (0-2, 0-1 SEC) without both of its starting inside linebackers.
Compounding the problem, inside linebacker was probably the thinnest position area on Georgia's defense and the one in which the team was least equipped to withstand injuries.
"We've definitely got a challenge at the linebacker position right now," Richt said.
Ogletree, who underwent surgery last week, is expected to be sidelined up to six weeks. Richt did not have medical details on Robinson's injury -- he suggested it might involve a hairline fracture -- but said it was not as severe as Ogletree's.
The first names Richt mentioned as candidates to fill in for Robinson in the next two games -- Saturday at home against Coastal Carolina and Sept. 24 at Ole Miss -- are from the same trio that competed last week for Ogletree's spot: junior Michael Gilliard, freshman Amarlo Herrera and senior walk-on Jeremy Sulek. Herrera started against South Carolina, but all three played.
Richt suggested that freshman Ramik Wilson or perhaps Chase Vasser might shift from outside linebacker to get some work at the depleted inside position. Moving Richard Samuel back from tailback to linebacker, or moving Jarvis Jones from outside linebacker to inside, are not wise options at this point, Richt said.
"You might weaken two spots if you take Jarvis away from what he's doing and put him inside," Richt said.
Robinson's position is the on-field leader of Georgia's defense. "Somebody is going to have to really get in there and be able to handle a lot of the communication issues," Richt said.
Robinson, a junior, had a team-leading eight tackles Saturday before he was injured late in the game. He was unable to play on the Bulldogs' final defensive series. He was in the locker room afterward with a bag of ice on his left foot.
Among the other topics Richtdiscussed Sunday:
- Although left guard Kenarious Gates is expected to play this week after missing the South Carolina game with an injured ankle, he "is going to have to compete to get back in the starting lineup," Richt said. A strong performance by Dallas Lee in his first collegiate start Saturday is the reason. Right guard Chris Burnette also played well against the Gamecocks after he "quite frankly didn't play all that well in the first game," Richt said.
- After reviewing film of Isaiah Crowell's costly third-quarter fumble, which led to a South Carolina touchdown, Richt indicated the freshman tailback might have taken too much responsibility when he said after the game the botched handoff was entirely his fault. Quarterback Aaron Murray was "hobbling" from a hit on the preceding play and "didn't bring the ball as deep as he normally would," Richt said. "Isaiah should have been more patient, but certainly the timing, in my opinion, was different because of Murray hobbling back there instead of really sprinting."
- Although tight end Orson Charles did not catch a pass Saturday, he "had his very best game as a blocker," according to Richt. "Run blocking, pass protecting –- I don't think I've seen him play with that kind of intensity."
- Richt liked what he saw from the wide receivers. "You see Malcolm [Mitchell] coming on and Michael Bennett having a big day and making some plays. I think we have at least six guys who can make plays out there. I'm encouraged, definitely."
About the Author
Tim Tucker, a long-time AJC sports reporter, often writes about the business side of the games. He also had stints as the AJC's Braves beat writer, UGA beat writer, sports notes columnist and executive sports editor. He was deputy managing editor of America's first all-sports newspaper, The National Sports Daily.
