Ladd McConkey injury sidelines Georgia wide receiver in third quarter vs. Vanderbilt

No. 1 Georgia is cruising against Vanderbilt, but the Bulldogs might have suffered another blow to an already banged-up receiving corps. A Ladd McConkey injury early in the third quarter cast a quiet over Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.

McConkey caught an 18-yard pass from quarterback Stetson Bennett IV near the Georgia sideline, but he went down just before reaching the sidelines, without contact.

He was quickly tended to by Georgia trainers before heading into the team’s injury tent.

“As the Dawgs offense is back on the field, you remember that last possession, Ladd McConkey injured on that play,” SEC Network sideline reporter Alyssa Lang said on the broadcast. “Guys, he went into the injury tent, spent about five minutes in there, then he came out, jogged a bit back and forth on the sidelines.

As the SEC Network broadcast crew noted, McConkey did not appear to be limping heavily, but he did not return on the drive for the Bulldogs. Georgia finished off the series with a 28-yard field goal from Jack Podlesny, putting the Bulldogs ahead 31-0 with 9:09 remaining in the third quarter.

At the time of his departure McConkey led the game in receiving, having logged four catches for 49 yards.

He was replaced on a Vanderbilt punt on the drive following his injury by receiver Kearis Jackson. McConkey has typically been Georgia’s punt returner, having averaged 10.7 yards per punt return this season.

“I didn’t notice any kind of limp,” Lang said. “Looked to be OK. Helmet is back on. He’s back up on the sidelines. He looks to me like he wants to go back in there, guys.”

Georgia wide receiver corps a bit depleted

The good news is the Ladd McConkey injury appears to be minor based on what the SEC Network broadcast crew relayed.

The bad news is the Bulldogs know what lingering injuries at receiver can look like.

Georgia has been without star receiver Adonai Mitchell since the Samford game all the way back in Week 2. Mitchell suffered a sprained ankle that has sidelined him ever since.

He’s reportedly been close to a return but has not yet made one, once again absent in the team’s game against Vanderbilt on Saturday. Coach Kirby Smart most recently addressed his status following a 42-10 over Auburn last weekend.

“Really thought he was gonna be able to go,” said Smart after the game. “You know, ironically, he had a thumb sprain in the week as we were using him. And he fell down, had a thumb sprain — and it become more the thumb sprain than the ankle. Now he did have a little bit of a limp and as the game goes on, it got to a point where he’s not in it, and you’re not using him and he gets cold. We try to keep him on the bike, try to run him.

“But we thought that he could have gone had we needed him. We did end up getting out to a lead and I guess he did play a couple snaps. But we didn’t get really to use him like we normally would. We need him back.”