The injury bug continues to be a major concern for Georgia football this season. At this point in the season it is probably an issue for almost every team, but for some reason it just seems like a bigger deal for Georgia than in the past.
Whether it be new players being added to the injury report or some big names trending towards getting back on the field, following the injury report recently has been a roller coaster of a ride. Thankfully Kirby Smart addressed four of these injuries during his press conference on Tuesday to help clear the air.
Tate Ratledge and Jordan Hall
"Both have ramped up in terms of reps," Smart shared via 247Sports.com. "Tate took quite a bit yesterday, took quite a bit -- I don't know how many he took today, but I know it's more than yesterday 'cause we had more available. But we're trying to be smart in terms of his volume. And Jordan's done more. He still has moments where it bothers him, but I thought yesterday was Jordan's best day yet. And I think that three-day off really helped him. I'll have to watch today and see how he was. I don't really remember."
Based on Smart's statement above, it sounds like offensive lineman Tate Ratledge will be ready to go for this Saturday's game aginst Florida. Ratledge has been dressed the past few games, ready to play in an emergency, but that emergency never happened, so he was kept on the sideline. However, it appears he is very close to being 100 percent healthy, so it would not be surprising to see him back in the starting lineup against Florida.
Defensive lineman Jordan Hall on the other hand is a slightly different story. Hall hasn't played yet this season, but it sounds like he is closer to getting back on the field as well. But he does seem to be a few steps behind Ratledge. Hearing Smart say he still has issues with his injury from time to time is disheartening, but Monday was his "best day yet" which is very encouraging. Hall may not be ready to go on Saturday, but it's likely we'll see him on the field again soon.
Smael Mondon and Branson Robinson
"I mean, I don't know a timeline on either one of those guys," Smart said. "So when you say closer, I mean, they're closer, because they're closer than they were yesterday. But I don't know how close they are. I don't know what it looks like for them in terms of when they're able to come back."
Smart did not have great news to shared aboht linebacker Smael Mondon or running back Branson Robinson. It sounds like both will for sure be on the sideline for Saturday's game against Florida, and it may be even longer than that until they return. Hopefully it is sooner rather than later, but it appears we are going to have to wait awhile to see either on the field again.