Georgia will not have heralded tight end Brock Bowers for the spring after he recently underwent labrum surgery.

A complete recovery is expected.

The news does not come as a big surprise.

You’ll recall in the Orange Bowl, Bowers was forced to come out late in the game against Michigan after aggravating what had been a shoulder injury he suffered earlier in the year.

“He’s had a shoulder for a couple of weeks,” Smart said following the Orange Bowl. “We’ve had him practicing in a black jersey limiting his contact some.”

The rising sophomore was able to play through the pain, returning in the national championship to catch four passes for 36 yards and a touchdown against the Crimson Tide.

It was quite the first season for the freshman from Napa, California.

A member of the Associated Press and Coaches’ All-SEC First Team, Bowers finished as Georgia’s leading receiver with 56 catches for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns. Both established records for a Bulldog tight end, while the 13 touchdown catches were the most by any receiver in Georgia history, breaking the old mark of 12 held by Terrence Edwards.

He caught a career-high and SEC Championship Game record (for a tight end) 10 passes against Alabama, one of four games he had of over 100 yards.

Early enrolees Keithian "Bear" Alexander and C.J. Madden are also out for the spring after undergoing Labrum surgery.

Bowers was twice named the SEC Freshman of the Week.