So, will Nick Chubb be ready for the season-opener Sept. 3 in the Georgia Dome against North Carolina?

The junior running back certainly hopes to, but he’s not making any promises.

“I’m taking it day by day, just trying to be there for my teammates,” Chubb said after practice Wednesday. “I’ve got everyone around me and I’m giving 100 percent … when that day comes, I don’t know. I’m just not looking that far ahead. I’m just taking it day by day and see where I land.”

Chubb was a surprise participant in Wednesday’s post-practice interview session with players. Originally, only offensive lineman Greg Pyke and wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie were scheduled to be available. Then Chubb showed up unexpectedly. It is the first time he has spoken to the media since before his injury.

“I feel good,” Chubb said. “It’s been a long ride. October 5 (when the injury at Tennessee occurred) is a long way but it’s been a long journey, a long process. I feel good where I’m at.”

The junior – who comes in with 2,294 career yards and 21 touchdowns – has been a full participant in practices thus far for Georgia in fall camp, although it remains unclear exactly when he will be able to take part in full contact drills.

The journey back has been taxing.

“When I got hurt, my mind was somewhere else. I was just trying to see what the next step for me was,” Chubb said. “At the moment I didn’t know exactly what was wrong with me. I didn’t put myself in any situation to predict anything coming.”

Chubb went from the shock of the injury to preparing himself to return.

“I’ve worked hard and I’ve had people from behind me pushing me,” Chubb said. “I’ve had Ron Courson, the whole strength staff, the fans and my family pushing me so it’s no surprise. We have a great staff here and some incredible people around me pushing me.”

However, the process is not quite complete.

Chubb has yet to be tackled since the injury and won’t get the opportunity to do that until Friday at the earliest when Georgia puts on full pads for the first time in fall camp.

“That’s not up to me. Whenever Coach (Kirby Smart) tells me I’ll be ready to go,” Chubb said. “We went thud at practice today. I got wrapped up a couple of times and it felt good.”

He’s already taken plenty of steps to prepare himself for when that first real contact ultimately comes.

“Yeah, some Taekwondo. I kicked a lot of dummies and things like that, just to get a lot of contact on my leg,” said Chubb, who said he’s also received a lot of encouragement from former teammate Todd Gurley.

“Todd’s always been there for me,” Chubb said. “That’s a bigger brother. He messed his knee up but he’s telling me, just trust your knee. He told me he had a good surgery, he had good rehab ... just trust it.”

Seeing Gurley come back so strong has also served as plenty of added motivation for Chubb.

“A lot of motivation, because we had the same doctor, obviously and he also rehabbed here a little bit,” Chubb said. “So if I can just follow his footsteps, do everything that he did, hopefully I’ll be as good as him.”

So far, so good.

“I didn’t think I’d be able to squat as much as I once was or run like I once was but I’m doing everything I used to do,” said Chubb, who revealed he tore just about everything he possibly could in his left knee with the exception of his ACL.

Count McKenzie as duly impressed with the progress that’s been made.

“I put nothing past him,” said McKenzie, adding that Chubb’s work in the weight room has been nothing short of amazing.

“He came back and looked like he never got hurt,” McKenzie said. “He’s squatting (over 500 pounds according to McKenzie), benching, looking as strong as he ever has.”

But despite such glowing reports, Chubb is being very careful not to get too far ahead of himself, repeatedly staying he’s got no idea when he will ultimately return.

“For me it’s easy to live in the unknown,” Chubb said. “Just mentally, they’re (coaches) not putting any extra pressure on me and that lets me just to take it day by day.”

Chubb was asked if he felt that he was a better player than he was before the injury.

“Maybe tougher mentally, because the process of things,” Chubb said. “Physically I feel good, but I don’t know where I’m at because I haven’t been tackled yet.”

But he’s certainly hopeful.

“Ron Courson told me I won’t be able to realize it day by day but over a week, maybe two weeks I’ll be able to notice the change and he’s exactly right,” Chubb said. “That was spring practice, March-April and I felt good then. Right now I feel 10 times better than I did then. I get better every day.”