MIAMI — Not every player was present, but most were accounted for as the Georgia Bulldogs arrived in South Florida on Tuesday evening to continue Orange Bowl preparations.
Notably absent from the team’s arrival at Miami International Airport were tight end Brock Bowers and tackle Amarius Mims. It’s not thought to be a coincidence because both are juniors and highly rated NFL prospects recovering from a major ankle surgeries. If the Bulldogs do, in fact, have any opt-outs – they have none so far – those two certainly would be understandable.
The 6-foot-7, 340-pound Mims had TightRope surgery on his left ankle in September, was sidelined eight weeks, returned to start the last two games, then left the SEC Championship game early in the first half. He’s expected to join the team later this week.
Bowers – one of only three three-time All-Americans in UGA football history – underwent the same surgery for the same injury in October. He made it back to the field in 27 days, which is thought to be a record. However, Bowers has experienced pain and discomfort after his initial return against Ole Miss on Nov. 11 and was limited in Georgia’s last two games.
Bowers was non-committal when asked last week if he intended to play in the Orange Bowl. But he did say he’d been practicing with the team. Coach Kirby Smart was asked for a status update Tuesday.
“That’s up to Brock,” Smart said. “Brock’s been with us the whole time and he’s been doing all the things he’s got to do. It’s more important that he’s 100%. The guy probably played earlier than he should have; he came out there and competed his butt off. He’s done everything he can for Georgia. He’s not 100% so it makes it a little harder to do.”
Smart didn’t address Mims’ availability directly in his quick briefing with reporters, but senior Xavier Truss is slated to start at right tackle.
Smart is surprisingly optimistic when it comes to the availability of Ladd McConkey. The junior flanker had to leave the SEC Championship game in the second half after aggravating an ankle injury. Smart said McConkey is not 100% recovered but otherwise “should be good to go.”
“Ladd’s been great. Ladd’s been practicing with us, working out. Ladd wants to play,” Smart said. “Ladd’s missed some games and hasn’t been able to play in some games. … But he’s out there every day taking reps, catching punts, doing a lot of good things.”
Outside linebacker Damon Wilson also was not with the team. He reportedly had minor knee surgery.
Orange vibes
There’s a decidedly different feel to the Orange Bowl this time around. The Bulldogs last played here in 2021 when they met Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinals. That was also a year after the pandemic, so there were still many precautions. Interviews were conducted via Zoom, and interactions with the public were limited.
Things are back to normal this year. Georgia and Florida State players and coaches each have in-person media interviews Wednesday morning. The Bulldogs will practice at nearby Barry University in the early afternoon. A beach outing awaits them afterward.
There’s an almost celebratory tone in Georgia’s camp.
“We want them to enjoy it,” Smart said. “They’ve earned this opportunity. That’s what bowls are. They’re meant to be fun.”
Rather than focusing on a three-peat or starting a new win streak, the Bulldogs’ motivation is getting a record 50th victory for the outgoing class of seniors.
“This is the last opportunity I get with my brothers, so I want to enjoy it,” senior center Sedrick Van Pran said. “In all honesty, I just genuinely enjoy being around the guys. There’s a love and a connection that you have with guys you’ve been around three and four years. When you’re around somebody that amount of time, you really build a bond with them. If you have an opportunity to go out there and put it on the line one more time, why not?”
Harris in the house
It doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be around for next season, but the fact that cornerback Daniel Harris accompanied the Bulldogs to South Florida is a good sign. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound freshman from Miami announced via his social media Sunday that he was entering the transfer, making him the 20th Georgia player to do so. But since then it has been reported that he was practicing with the team in Athens, and Tuesday he was among the players deplaning at Miami International Airport and boarding the team buses.
Georgia is desperately thin in the secondary after two other cornerbacks entered the portal. Nyland Green already has committed to Purdue, while AJ Harris still is seeking a destination.
But All-SEC cornerback Kamari Lassiter accompanied the Bulldogs here and now is expected to play. After sophomores Daylen Everette and Julian Humphrey, Daniel Harris has the next most experience at five games.
“I expect everybody to play,” junior safety Javon Bullard said when asked if he expected Lassiter to play. “Nobody got together; nobody had no secret meetings or anything like that. We just know how much this place means to us and how we want to finish the season. We want to finish on top and go out with a win.”
There is at least one other Georgia player who entered his name in the portal but plans to play in the bowl. That is senior place-kicker Jared Zirkel.
“Zirkel was a special circumstance,” Smart said. “He’s, I don’t know, a fourth-year or a fifth-year. He’s been here forever. He asked me, ‘Can I go in?’ I don’t even know if he’s going to go anywhere. He’s graduated. He just wanted to stay with us and kick the final one.
“A lot of guys don’t want to go do that. They want to go look, shop around, figure out where they’re going. That was never the intent for him. He just wanted to see what options were out there.”
New faces galore
So far, London Humphreys is the only one of Georgia’s four transfers to accompany the Bulldogs to Miami. A sophomore receiver at Vanderbilt last year, Humphrey can travel because he already has been granted academic admission. Running back Trevor Etienne (Florida) and defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod (South Carolina) may join the team eventually. Wideout Colbie Young was enrolled at Miami until recently but is expected to drop by.
Numerous midyear freshman enrollees also made the trip. They include quarterback Ryan Puglisi, offensive lineman Daniel Calhoun, linebacker Justin Williams, defensive lineman Nnamdi Ogboko, and tight end Colton Heinrich.
All of them can practice but, of course, can’t play in Saturday’s game.
“I’m excited to see how these guys are going to play,” Smart said.
Also present is new defensive backfield coach Donte Williams from Southern Cal.
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