Mykel Williams, Warren Brinson injury updates: Kirby Smart provides latest on availability

Ahead of a titanic Top 5 showdown at Alabama this weekend, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart shared a number of key injury updates on some key defenders: Defensive lineman Warren Brinson and edge rusher Mykel Williams.

As of Tuesday, Smart wasn’t making formal declarations of their respective statuses for the weekend, but did share some encouraging updates. And with game day bearing down, both Brinson and Williams are in varying stages of their recoveries.

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“Warren’s continued to practice, taking his rep load,” Smart said. “Mykel’s been able to do a little bit. I still don’t know timeline on Mykel. He’s looked good running and taking some reps, some light reps, some rush reps, some stuff he did today — it was his first day really getting out there and doing some things. But, again, I haven’t talked to Ron, so I want to watch the tape and be able to see that.”

Williams, for his part, is one of the top defenders in the country and considered one of the top draft prospects not only at edge rusher, but in the entire class. He’s been out since leaving Georgia’s Week 1 win with a Grade 2 ankle sprain, and was seen in a walking boot ahead of Week 2.

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Brinson also left the Week 1 win with what Smart called a “calf contusion” later on. He’s been further along than Williams in returning to play, as the injury has been less severe.

But either way, Smart is still waiting to see what happens before Saturday.

“Feel good about Warren, Mykel’s going to be close,” Smart said. 

Saturday will have a slightly different feel for Smart

For eight years, when Smart led Georgia into battle against Alabama, he saw Nick Saban striding along the opposite sideline. However, the 71-year-old head coach retired after the 2023 campaign and was replaced by Kalen DeBoer. On Monday, Smart explained how it’ll feel to face off against the Crimson Tide without Saban.

“I don’t expect it to be strange,” Smart said. “That’s just the normal progression. I think it’s strange going back there sometimes because I lived there or our kids were born there. We lived there for nine years and had such great experiences there.”The video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard

Smart made no shortage of fond memories with Saban. In 2004, Smart spent one season under Saban as LSU’s defensive backs coach. Just three years later, Smart reunited with Saban in Alabama.

Saban hired Smart as an assistant coach on January 9, 2007. Saban promoted him to defensive coordinator just over one year later. Under Saban’s tutelage, Smart boosted Alabama to four national titles. On Dec. 6, 2015, Smart took over as head coach at Georgia.

In the ensuing eight years, Alabama and Georgia met six times. Saban led the Crimson Tide to a 5-1 record against Smart and the Bulldogs. In the two coaches’ final matchup, Alabama defeated Georgia 27-24 in the 2023 SEC Championship to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Although Saban isn’t at the helm of Alabama this season, Smart knows the legendary head coach has still had a massive influence on the current Crimson Tide roster.

“He recruited a lot of them, and they’re good players,” Smart said. “Anytime you go against a really good team that’s a powerhouse in college football, it’s a challenge. And I really look at it like this is a hell of an opportunity.”