Georgia desperately needs safety KJ Bolden back after the Auburn upset, but Kirby Smart can't guarantee he'll be ready to face Florida in the Cocktail Party.
Bolden was a preseason All-SEC pick and a preseason All-American. More importantly, he's the leader of the Georgia defense with 22 tackles, one interception, and three pass deflections this season.
Bolden being out for the Auburn game was noticeable, as Georgia struggled on pass defense on several key plays. ECU transfer Ja'Marley Riddle started in place of Bolden at safety for the Bulldogs against the Tigers, and while he didn't have a terrible game, the drop-off from Bolden was clear.
In his weekly press conference, Kirby Smart offered little reassurance about Bolden's availability for Georgia's next game against Florida on Saturday, Oct. 31, in Atlanta.
"He was not dealing with anything before the Alabama game," Smart said. "He actually cramped around halftime, on the touchdown score right before the half. Then had an injury that came up towards the end around the sack which he never had to go back in because we ended up keeping the ball during that time.
"In terms of him coming back, he's hopeful. We're hopeful to get him back. I don't know what. I'm going to have to see. He's just got to recover and go through the doctor's protocol."
The words "hopeful", "I don't know", and "doctor's protocol" aren't exactly giving Georgia fans the warm fuzzies about Bolden's potential return.
Georgia could miss KJ Bolden even more against Florida
If Georgia thought it missed KJ Bolden against Auburn, just wait until the Bulldogs face Florida. The Gators are another rival looking to avenge a string of losses to the Bulldogs.
The Tigers gave Georgia's defense plenty of problems, but the Gators present an even more dangerous challenge with an offense capable of putting pressure on a secondary that could once again be without one of its most important players in Bolden.
Florida would come in with the No. 24 total offense in the nation at 4516 yards per game, compared to Auburn's being No. 66 with just 394 yards passing per game. That same Auburn offense piled on 386 yards against a Georgia defense that has only been giving up 274 yards each week, and Bolden's absence was a key factor in several big conversions for the Tigers.
That's what makes Bolden's uncertain status so concerning. Georgia already got a taste of what life without him looks like against Auburn, and facing a more explosive Florida offense without him could make things even more difficult.
For a Bulldogs defense looking to bounce back, getting Bolden back on the field would be a significant boost. Whether that happens in time for Florida remains to be seen.
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