The return of Ladd McConkey to the field for last week’s game at Auburn was certainly a boon for the Bulldogs..

Still, head coach Kirby Smart warned during Wednesday’s SEC teleconference that the junior, who has been battling a back injury for over a month now, is not 100 percent.

“Again, he wasn’t totally back, he was in a role. He didn’t play the full load, and I still don’t know what that’s going to look like game to game,” Smart said. “It’s going to be before the game (before they know).”

McConkey, who was targeted five times and had four catches for 38 yards, is expected to play in Saturday’s game against Kentucky (7 p.m., ESPN) after taking 26 reps against Auburn.

“It’s always great to have Ladd out there. He’s one of the most veteran receivers on the team,” Dillon Bell said. “We were all smiling when he was making clutch plays on third down. We were all smiling at the end of the day."

Smart agreed.

“It’s wonderful to have him back, because you get a wealth of experience and confidence,” Smart said. “Carson (Beck) really trusts in him, he’s a great route runner, he understands zone and man, and he’s a weapon. But as far as having him 100 percent back, that’s yet to be determined.”

Kendall Milton (knee) only saw five reps against Auburn, but his playing time could be growing.

Smart said the senior running back is having his best week of practice to date, and barring any setbacks, it sounds as if he could be in for a larger role on Saturday.

“As far as Kendall, he’s been great this week. He looks healthier this week than he did last, so we’ll see,” Smart said. “He’s got some speed that’s fresh out there, so we hope he can impact that running game.”

… Smart also had an update on linebacker E.J. Lightsey (shoulder and back), who has yet to play this year.

“He’s been a lot better than he has the last week,” Smart said. “He’s still not completely able to practice, but he’s working his way back in. Hopefully, he’ll be back out there able to practice in the next couple of weeks.”

Smart has gushed all week about the Wildcats and head coach Mark Stoops.

Wednesday was no exception.

“Every game is going to be tight with them. They do a great job of freezing the game. There are not as many plays with the offensive identity they’ve created. I think they’re one of the last teams in the country in terms of possessions, because they do an unbelievable job of running the ball,” Smart said. “I think they’re one of the most balanced teams in the country in terms of explosive runs and explosive passes. I don’t remember it being that balanced, but they create that and do a good job of that, so most of their games end up being that way, and they’re tighter with us a lot of those times.”

Freshmen aren’t making it on the field for the Bulldogs quite as often as maybe they used to do.

Last week at Auburn, only five true freshmen saw the field for the Bulldogs, a number that may surprise some, considering Smart’s penchant for playing first-year athletes over the years.

“It’s different every year. It’s based on your needs,” Smart said. “We have some very talented freshmen that maybe didn’t play because there’s more talent at their position.”

True freshmen seeing action against the Tigers were kicker Peyton Woodring, linebacker C.J. Allen, linebacker Raylen Wilson, cornerback A.J. Harris, and safety Joenel Aguero.

“We’ve had an uncanny number of freshmen this year with injuries that are probably affected that, whether it’s Rod (Roderick Robinson), Lawson Luckie, and AJ Harris. At one time we had six or seven of our freshmen who were out during camp, so that’s taken its toll.

"You’re not going to be able to play as a freshman if you’re not able to go out and practice and take reps because of injuries. But a lot of those guys have some injuries and will bounce back. But it’s a good class."

… On the excitement for Saturday: “There’s a lot of excitement, especially after last year,” Bell said. “They’re a physical team, but we’re going to get the job done at the end of the day.”

So is Van Pran.

“You can't play the game on Monday or Tuesday and be burnt out by Friday. You have to take it in stride. You have to prepare the right way, give yourself a break in between that, and then get back to work,” Van Pran said. “That's the biggest thing, being able to handle those emotions and understanding that there is a level of excitement. There's a level of relaxation that comes with it in between that builds up throughout the week and goes on until you finally get to that climax of preparation."

… Van Pran on where he thinks the offensive line is with the run blocking: “We’re a block away from having some big one breaking, I think,” he said. “We’ve all had times messing things up. We’ve had numerous players where four of the five guys have been doing things perfectly, and one guy messes it up. That’s kind of the beauty of the position that we play. You need all your guys working at the same time for it to look pretty.

"I think that’s kind of where we are, understanding no matter how big or small your block may be for the development of the play, it’s still very important and you can’t take it lightly.”