Dillon Bell injury update: Georgia 'hopeful' for return as receiver avoids ankle surgery
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia head coach Kirby Smart provided good news for the Bulldogs on the injury front – a first in what seems like a while. Wide receiver Dillon Bell went down in the first half of UGA’s win over Tennessee on Saturday with an ankle injury. Afterwards, Smart wasn’t certain of the severity, but Monday, the update was positive.
“No update on Dillon really. Just ran into him a few minutes ago. Got an ankle sprain. It’s stable. Not going to require any sort of surgery. Hopeful to get him back.”
Bell is third on the team in receiving with 35 receptions for 405 yards and a team-high four touchdowns. He also ranks third in rushing yards with eight carries for 106 yards and a touchdown against Alabama.
The third-year wideout is not the only banged up Bulldog though. Running back Trevor Etienne missed the Tennessee game entirely as a continuation of his battle with an injury to his ribs. Smart, in the same update as Bell, said Georgia is also hopeful for his return.
“We’re hoping to get him back. That’s what I can tell you,” Smart said. “Ribs are a painful injury. I don’t know if that’s the exact term, but he does have a rib injury and we hope to get him back.”
Etienne leads Georgia on the ground this season with 477 yards and seven touchdowns on 95 carries. Freshman Nate Frazier, who has handled the majority of the workload with Etienne limited or out, is not far behind with 91 carries, 401 yards and four touchdowns.
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Along the offensive line, Georgia was without starting left tackle Earnest Greene and rotational guard Micah Morris – who has missed the last two games. Monroe Freeling made his first career start in place of Greene, and the Bulldogs stuck with its five starters (L to R: Freeling, Dylan Fairchild, Jared Wilson, Tate Ratledge, Xavier Truss) the entire way.
“Earnest was going to be a game time decision. he’s still struggling with that arm. He was out there giving everything he had against Ole Miss without complete strength in his left arm,” Smart said. “Micah was close to being able to go and might’ve been an emergency. He’s not completely healthy, but he’s going to be out there working to get back in.”
Last but not least, defensive back Joenel Aguero didn’t play on Saturday. The sophomore STAR had appeared in eight games up to that point, starting four of those. Smart said that he suffered a hand injury the week before versus Ole Miss and had a pin put into his pinky. He was available to play but the Bulldogs, and Aguero, didn’t feel he would be affective enough with a club on. He is available once again, just a week further removed from the procedure.
Georgia hosts UMass this Saturday at Sanford Stadium, the penultimate game of the regular season before the Bulldogs take on Georgia Tech in the finale on Black Friday. Kickoff time this weekend is set for 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
