Georgia TE Brock Bowers 'right on schedule' per Kirby Smart, hitting high GPS speeds
Kirby Smart still isn’t discussing potential timelines when it comes to the return of star tight end Brock Bowers, but the Georgia head coach said something on Tuesday that should be music to the ears of Bulldog fans. Smart says that Bowers has entered a new phase of the recover process and appears to be nearing a full recovery.
“He’s working hard. He’s doing all he can in terms of trying to get himself in shape,” Smart said. “He’s back running on dry land. We’re hoping he keeps getting better. That’s the M.O. of this injury. Every kid we’ve had have this surgery, he’s right on schedule with what he’s doing.”
Senior wideout Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint said later on in the media availability that Bowers has hit 19 to 20 miles per hour on the GPS. That’s not top-end speed for the star tight end, but it’s close.
Bowers has missed the past two games after undergoing tight-rope surgery to deal with a high-ankle sprain. The timeline for that injury is four to six weeks, meaning he could be back as soon as next week against Tennessee. He is not expected back for Ole Miss.
The junior playmaker went down in the second quarter of the Vanderbilt game after he was tackled near the sideline on an end-around play. Replay showed that a defender rolled up on his ankle from the outside while it was still planted into the ground.
He was limping when he got off the turf and tried to make his way back to the sideline before going down again. That caused the Georgia medical staff to come out and tend to him on the field. He left the field on his own power and entered the injury tent. When Bowers emerged from the tent, he had the help of a Georgia staff member to get into the locker room.
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The 2022 Mackey Award winner, given annually to the nation’s top tight end, had four catches for 22 yards and two carries for 11 yards when he exited the game.
The Napa, Calif. native is Georgia’s leading receiver in 2023, just as he has been the past two seasons. Adding his first-half numbers against the Commodores, Bowers has 41 catches for 567 yards and four touchdowns on the year.
As a freshman in 2021, Bowers was Georgia’s No. 1 offensive weapon and racked up 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 56 catches. He also had a rushing touchdown and 56 yards on the ground that season.
Despite racking up over 1,000 total yards in 2022, he was out gained by Kenny McIntosh but still remained the Bulldogs’ most impactful weapon in the passing game. Bowers caught 63 passes for 942 yards and seven touchdowns while helping Georgia to its second National Championship in as many seasons. Bowers added nine carries for 109 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
