Kirby Smart shares positive injury update ahead of Georgia’s SEC opener

The Georgia Bulldogs were shorthanded in Week 2, but it didn’t matter against FCS opponent Tennessee Tech. Georgia rolled to a 48-3 win without star pass-rusher Mykel Williams, defensive lineman Warren Brinson, and running back Roderick Robinson II. However, the Dawgs would prefer a cleaner bill of health for their SEC opener at Kentucky in Week 3. 

Robinson is out for an extended period with a toe injury, as is defensive lineman Jordan Hall who required surgery to repair a stress fracture in his leg. Head coach Kirby Smart was prepared for those injuries as well as Williams’ and Brinson’s after they were injured in the season-opening win against Clemson, but Smart didn’t expect to be without tight end Oscar Delp who left the game on Saturday. 

Delp suffered an apparent ankle injury in the Week 2 win and left the game after playing just 14 snaps, but Smart shared a positive update with reporters on Monday. 

“Oscar’s good, Oscar’s fine,” Smart said of his junior tight end who has the arduous task of replacing Brock Bowers. Through two games the 6-foot-5 245-pound junior has just one catch for 13 yards. 

So far, sophomore Lawson Luckie has been Georgia’s top tight end, catching all four of his targets for 80 yards and a touchdown. However, Graduate tight end Benjamin Yurosek has been targeted just one time and has no catches, so it’s important for Georgia to have Delp active for the trip to Lexington. 

Brinson is also likely to play against the Wildcats, but Smart’s update on Williams was not so encouraging after the likely future first-round NFL draft pick suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain in Week 1. 

“He’s doing a great job of rehab, did a great job this weekend, we will have to see where he’s at,” Smart told the assembled media. Though he warned that before he can return to play, “he’s got to be able to practice.”

Here is Georgia’s full injury report from Monday, September 9, heading into Week 3. 

Georgia football injury update:

• Oscar Delp, TE: Ankle
• Warren Brinson, DL: Foot
• Xzavier McLeod, DL: Abdominal
• Jordan Hall, DL: Leg
• Nate Frazier, RB: Shoulder
• Mykel Williams, DL: Ankle
• Roderick Robinson, RB: Toe
• Nasir Johnson, DL: Shoulder

The injuries are piling up on the defensive line, but Brinson is likely to play next week. McLeod has yet to make his debut after transferring to Georgia from South Carolina.