ATLANTA - Kirby Smart gave the same answer he’s given since Georgia’s SEC Championship win over LSU as it pertains to the status of wide receiver Ladd McConkey (knee) and right tackle Warren McClendon for Saturday’s College Football Playoff semifinal game against Ohio State.

“We’re excited to get those guys, hopefully back, and we'll see how they do this week.” Smart said during a Zoom teleconference Monday afternoon.

McConkey, who appeared to tweak his knee late in the game against the Tigers, has been running, as the Bulldogs have preferred to rest him in hopes of having him ready for Saturday.

McClendon too appeared to tweak his knee in the second half against LSU. If McClendon is unable to go, sophomore Amarius Mims is expected to slide over to right tackle.

McConkey led the Bulldog wide receivers with 51 catches for 675 yards and six touchdowns. Even if McConkey is limited, the Bulldogs will play the game with the knowledge that wide receiver AD Mitchell (high ankle sprain) is as healthy as he’s been since before suffering the injury in Week 2 against Samford.

Mitchell played 15 snaps against LSU and threw a two-point conversion to Darnell Washington in the SEC Championship to account for the final 50-30 score.

Smart did not have a lot to say when asked about new wide receivers Rara Thomas and Dominic Lovett who joined the team from the transfer portal on Friday.

‘We knew about those kids coming out of high school, think a lot of them,” Smart said. “They performed at a high level in our conference, and I think they'll challenge and compete with the rest of our roster and be competitive wideouts, which is important in this conference.”

Thomas caught 44 passes for 626 yards and seven touchdowns last year for Mississippi State, while Lovett comes from Missouri where he caught 56 passes for 846 yards and three touchdowns.

Cornerback Kamari Lassiter was asked to give his take on his two new teammates, who will join the program in January.

“Both of those guys are pretty good players. Both are explosive with big catch radiuses,” Lassiter said. “They'll be pretty good additions to our team next year. But right now, I'm focused on what's important now.

Buckeye quarterback C.J. Stroud revealed recently that he almost committed to Georgia before settling on Ohio State.

Smart remembers the in-home visit well.

“I loved his mom, man. What a tremendous woman. She's awesome,” Smart said. “Went all the way across the country and got to sit in his home and visit with him. He has a really good disposition about him. He's not real high, not real low, not real emotional. He keeps a really level head, which to me at quarterback is one of the No. 1 qualities you can find.”

Stroud made an official visit to Georgia before making his decision a final one.

“He came on a visit to our place as well and got to see him at the Heisman. He's just matured,” Smart said. “To see him grow, he's always had tremendous arm strength and touch and velocity on throws, but he's become a complete quarterback there in their system.”

Smart on maintaining the level of success on defense despite a change in coordinators: “It's just culture. That's not going to change. What we do is not going to change. It doesn't matter if one coach leaves or another coach leaves. That doesn't impact our defense. We rep a lot of players at practice. We have a system set up to get our twos and threes ready. So, the next cast of defensive players is getting ready right now just like they were last year. I think, if you've got a good formula for getting guys ready, it prevents large gaps in seasons.”

Smart on practice thus far: “Our guys have been in good spirits, getting after it. Proud of the way they worked. Proud of the way all of them came back locked in and ready to go from a travel break they had and all of them back. They did a great job getting back. They've been awesome.”

Sedrick Van Pran on Amarius Mims: “I think Amarius has grown a lot. He's grown a lot in his confidence in his game. Earlier in the season he was a guy who looked really good in practice, and he had a struggle because you kind of have anxieties and all that. Throughout the season, he's really stepped up in a huge way for this offensive line. Really helped us out. Really helped us play some meaningful minutes and really has helped us push this offensive line along. And I think that's happened through his confidence.”

Buckeyes unique to Lassiter: Cornerback Kamari Lassiter was asked if Ohio State reminds him of any team that he’s played this year. “I’d say they're pretty unique in themselves. They do a lot of things that are different, and they're very good at what they do. They've got a very dynamic quarterback and really good guys outside in the backfield as well. They're pretty unique just with what they do and how well they do it.”