Kirby Smart provides latest on injured players, impact

Heading into the team’s annual bye week, Georgia will have the chance to get some injured players back at the right time, as the stretch run into the second half of the season commences.

A handful of players were shaken up or limited in the team’s win over Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Perhaps the most notable was running back Kendall Milton, who returned from an MCL sprain but only played a handful of plays before he checked back out of the game due to injury.

“His MCL bothered him again. He took a hit on it earlier in the game before the fourth-down carry and it tightened up at halftime on him,” coach Kirby Smart explained. “He didn’t feel like he could go because what happens is he gets stiffer. And we try to keep him warm with the MCL, but it tightened up on him when he took a shot. I think he took a helmet to the knee.”

That stiffening is an issue not just for Milton, but for another key offensive skill position player who has been out of the lineup more often than not this season.

That’s receiver Ladd McConkey, who did play some against the ‘Dores.

“Seemed fine. I think the deal with Ladd is he gets tight, like at halftime he stiffens up and has to try to stay loose,” Smart said. “And a little bit stamina because he doesn’t get to practice as much as the other guys. But I didn’t think anything happened to set him back.”

McConkey recorded season highs in both catches and yards against the Commodores, hauling in four passes for 58 yards. He’s gradually getting up to speed since returning to the lineup two weeks ago.

Importantly, despite being unable to practice much, he seems to be developing a rapport with starting quarterback Carson Beck in the passing game.

“I thought that was huge confidence for him, for our team,” Smart said. “I think Carson trusts him. I think he felt much better today, but it’s just day to day because he doesn’t get to practice during the week. So we’re trying to find what that rhythm is. Is it a mid-week one practice and then recover? How much does it set him back when he plays? We won’t know that till tomorrow. It’s just hard for an offensive coordinator to figure out how to use a guy if he’s not able to practice.”

The last of the injured players that Smart opened up on who was conspicuously absent against Vanderbilt was defensive back Dan Jackson.

“He got sick last night and he was with us, we thought he was going to be able to play, and he’s dealing with maybe some infection,” Smart said. “I’m not sure, I just know he’s sick.”

Georgia will be off this weekend before returning to action on Oct. 28 against Florida in an annual showdown in Jacksonville, Fla.