Injury updates on McConkey, McClendon
ATLANTA – Ladd McConkey strolled to his assigned seat inside the College Football Hall of Fame with so sign of a discernable limp.
McConkey and right tackle Warren McClendon have been a major focus leading up to Saturday’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Ohio State after suffering what’s been described as minor knee injuries in the SEC Championship against LSU.
Will the starters play, or won’t they?
“All those questions have to go to Coach (Kirby) Smart; That’s his rule,” McConkey said.
When asked, Smart gave the same answer he’s offered all month.
“I’m hoping to get both of them out there,” he said. “We’re hopeful both of them can play,” Smart said.
It’s understandable why there’s much concern.
McConkey leads all Bulldog wide receivers with 51 catches for 675 yards and five touchdowns, to go with six rushes for 120 yards and two scores.
“It’s a long season; it happens to everybody,” McConkey said. “No one is probably 100 percent this time in the season. It’s a grind, but it’s something you have to get through.”
Wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon did confirm that McConkey has returned to practice.
“In some way, shape, or form it’s been a few,” Bryan McClendon said. “I know we’re trying to be careful with him early on, but he’s been a part of it and done well.”
Like McConkey, right tackle Warren McClendon did not comment on his status, but acknowledged he’s excited about his future.
“I feel good about it,” McClendon said. “It’s great to be back here for the playoffs, and we’re taking it very seriously.”
If McClendon cannot go, sophomore Amarius Mims will start in his place.
Andrew Paul expects to be back for spring
Running back Andrew Paul said he’s recovering just fine from the ACL he tore in the preseason and expects to be ready to take part in spring practice.
“I’m starting to cut; I’ve been running the past couple of weeks,” said Paul, who credits Director of Sports Medicine Ron Courson for getting him back so quickly from the injury he suffered during Georgia’s second scrimmage of fall camp.
"He kept me committed to the same process, so we knew what to expect,” said Paul, who gave an unequivocal “yes” when asked if he would be a participant in spring practice.
In other running back news, both Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards told UGASports they will be back with the Bulldogs in 2023.
Todd Hartley on Arik Gilbert leaving
Tight ends coach Todd Hartley said he wished Arik Gilbert nothing but the best after the former Bulldog placed his name in the NCAA transfer portal last week.
“You never want to lose a kid. Anytime somebody leaves your program, you feel like you lost a kid,” Hartley said. “We tried to give him every opportunity to be a part of what we’re doing. He put a lot of effort into it, but for whatever reason, it just didn’t work out. I hate that, because he is a good kid. We tried to help him the best we could. I wish him nothing but the best.”
Gilbert played in just three games for the Bulldogs, catching two passes for 16 yards and a touchdown.
Ohio State CB coach, Dell McGee longtime friends
Ohio State cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and Georgia running backs coach Dell McGee will renew acquaintances when the Buckeyes and Bulldogs meet Saturday night.
The two have been friends for their entire lives, as both grew up in Columbus, Georgia with Walton playing for Carver and McGee at Kendrick before coaching Carver after taking over for the legendary Wallace Davis.
“We’re childhood friends. I’ve been in the NFL the past 12 years, but me and Dell stay in contact all the time,” Walton said. “We have a great relationship. He’s an outstanding man, an outstanding person.”
In high school, Walton was the starting quarterback at Carver, and in 1987 he led the Tigers to a memorable upset of Valdosta in the first round of the state playoffs.
“He was a great mentor,” McGee said of Walton. “His dad was a middle school coach, his daughter was a very good athlete at Tennessee, ran track; just a lot of headaches for us as our crosstown rival.”
McGee laughed that Saturday’s game won’t be the first time they’ve run into each other since Walton took his job with the Buckeyes.
“We’re in constant contact, we see each other on the recruiting trails as well,” McGee said. “He has some of the same areas.”
Arian Smith healthy; excited about the future
Wide receiver Arian Smith said he’s 100 percent after dealing with various injuries over the course of his career.
One thing he’s learned is to not worry about things he cannot control.
“There were a lot of difficulties that I had to deal with, but I just learned to put it behind me,” said Smith, whose speed the Bulldogs can certainly use Saturday against Ohio State.
He’s also excited about Georgia's receiving room moving forward.
Along with the additions of transfer RaRa Thomas and Dominic Lovett, Smith said the additions of freshmen Tyler Williams, Anthony Evans III, and Yazeed Haynes will make what he feels is already a solid receiver room even stronger.
Smith already knows Williams well.
“He’s actually from my hometown (Lakeland, Fla.),” Smith said. “I’m excited to see how he’s going to develop.”
Thomas, Lovett have already bought in
Wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon said he has absolutely no concerns about transfer RaRa Thomas and Dominic Lovett buying into what Georgia expects from its wide receivers.
Apparently, they already have.
“One of the first conversations that you’ve got to have with them is hey, you need to understand what you’re stepping into here culture-wise. Our culture is going to be something different. I’m not knocking other places, but our culture, we’re about the greater good here,” McClendon said. “So, if you come here looking for something in particular, you need to make sure that’s one of the things you’re looking for. Those guys know that, and they embraced that, and want to be a part of that; they want that.”
Both Thomas and Lovett are enrolling for the spring semester the first of the year.
Smart up for Munger Coach of the Year Honors
Kirby Smart has been named one of six finalists for the 2022 George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award, according to an announcement from the Maxwell Football Club (MFC) on Thursday.
Smart, who was also a 2017 finalist, joins Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, Ohio State’s Ryan Day, TCU’s Sonny Dykes, Tennessee’s Josh Heupel, and Tulane’s Willie Fritz as finalists. Smart has led the Bulldogs to a 13-0 record, the Southeastern Conference title, and the school’s third appearance in the College Football Playoff since 2017.
The winner announcement will be made on Jan. 10, 2023, and the award will be formally presented at the 86th Maxwell Awards Gala on March 9, 2023, at the Mohegan Pennsylvania resort.
