ATHENS -- It sounds like it will probably be at least another week before we see Darnell Washington and Tykee Smith back on the field for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Coach Kirby Smart on Monday said the tight end and nickelback, respectively, are tantalizingly close to being able to return from foot injuries. Ultimately, though, it probably won’t be against Vanderbilt this Saturday.
“We haven’t ruled out this weekend,” Smart said at his media day press conference on Monday. “They are back. They were running at the end of last week, weight-bearing, like running on their own. We’ve thought all along this would be the target — this week or next — but I can’t say they’re going to be cleared for this game.”
The No. 2-ranked Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0 SEC) are set to practice at 3:30 p.m. Monday during a sessions in which some limited media observation is going to be allowed. To date, the majority of Washington and Smith’s work has been in the training room under the watch of sports medicine director Ron Courson. But late last week, they moved out onto Woodruff Practice Fields and started to do straight-line running.
Both Washington and Smith were expected to be starters and were working with the No. 1 units in preseason camp. Each player suffered almost identical foot injuries on the same day in the second week of practice. They both underwent surgical repairs five weeks ago.
“I’ll find out a lot more (after practice Monday) because they’re going to be able to run, do some exercises,” Smart said. “Not necessarily be in their groups, but they’re going to be running and accelerating on their own.”
It could be a tough call this weekend. As an SEC game, Georgia can travel only 70 players per league rules.
Meanwhile, Smart said he had not heard of any setbacks for JT Daniels. Georgia’s starting quarterback was not quite 100 percent when he returned from an oblique injury against South Carolina last Saturday. After sitting out the previous week, Daniels completed 74 percent of his passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns and an interception in the 40-13 win over the Gamecocks.
“I think JT came out of the game pretty clean,” Smart said. “They had the one sack but he was down before he got hit. I’ll know more today as far as his health. I would think he’s progressed along and doing a nice job in terms of his health.”
Senior Stetson Bennett also quarterbacked two series for the Bulldogs, their third offensive possession and the final one against South Carolina. Smart wouldn’t rule out a rotation for Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt.
“Again, it’ll be based on day to day, how (Daniels) practices and how (the other) guys practice in practice, because practice matters,” Smart said.
