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Kirby Smart updates the rehab timetable for Georgia LB EJ Lightsey

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•10/04/23
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(EJ Lightsey/Instagram)

Georgia linebacker EJ Lightsey hasn’t played since the season opener after suffering some shoulder and back pain stemming from an old high school injury.

Coach Kirby Smart is hopeful to have the redshirt freshman back in practice soon, though he hasn’t been able to return full go just yet.

“He’s been a lot better the last two weeks, still not able to completely practice, but working his way back in,” Smart said Wednesday on an SEC teleconference call. “Should hopefully be able to be back out there and practicing in the next couple weeks.”

EJ Lightsey saw action in four games as a reserve linebacker in 2022, his true freshman season. He finished his season with four tackles.

Prior to his arrival and enrollment at Georgia, Lightsey was a three-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class. He checked in at No. 487 overall nationally, while ranking as the No. 49 linebacker in the class.

Lightsey ranked as the No. 47 overall player in the state of Georgia in 2022, hailing from Fitzgerald (Fla.) Fitzgerald.

Javon Bullard returning to form

Very banged up to open the season, from Lightsey to others like receiver Ladd McConkey, No. 1 Georgia is beginning to get healthier, with the return of a few key players including safety Javon Bullard.

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Bullard missed two games with an ankle injury but returned in this weekend’s contest against Auburn. Smart provided an update on his status coming out of the game.

“Unscathed. Sore,” Smart said. “Long game, had not had that much running, physicality and use in two or three weeks, two weeks, whatever it was, 14 days. You get sore when you don’t do anything for that long then you go do that much. Just typically what your body does, but he’s been good.”

Bullard didn’t miss a beat in his return, instantly making some key contributions in the win over the Tigers.

He managed to tally 10 tackles in the win, while also breaking up two passes in the secondary. That’s a pretty solid outing for a player who had been sidelined for multiple weeks.