Georgia RB Branson Robinson out for season with knee injury
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia’s running back room took a big hit earlier this week in practice. Kirby Smart announced that sophomore tailback Branson Robinson is out for the year with a ruptured patella tendon. It was a “non-contact” injury for the former four-star prospect.
Robinson has been limited for the entirety of the preseason after having foot surgery in the spring. After generating buzz throughout spring drills, Robinson suffered a foot injury in the final week that needed repairing. He was in a walking boot until late summer but, when camp began in early August, he was back running.
Georgia held its second and final preseason scrimmage on Saturday and Robinson was able to participate, albeit in a non-contact capacity. He was in a black jersey but he caught some passes out of the backfield and ran well. Robinson carried the ball 68 times for 330 yards and three touchdowns in 2022. He had a career day against Auburn in October with 12 carries for 98 yards and his first career score. His next two touchdowns came in the National Championship game against TCU.
It’s another hit for the Bulldogs at a position where depth has been shaky during the preseason. With Robinson limited coming into camp and Andrew Paul, a redshirt freshman, coming off an ACL injury suffered last preseason, it was a concern for Smart from the jump. Then Kendall Milton, a senior, suffered a hamstring injury and has missed some time. Smart indicated on Wednesday that Milton was improving quickly.
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At present the team has Daijun Edwards, the team’s leading returning rusher, healthy along with Paul and true freshman Roderick Robinson. The Bulldogs also have walk-ons Cash Jones, SeVaughn Clark, and Le’Neath Whitehead, a scholarship running back at Tennessee, the past two years. Jones got some reps with the first-team offense in Saturday’s scrimmage. Clark and Whitehead worked with the No. 2 offense.
Paul also spent a lot of time with the No. 1 offense in that scrimmage while Edwards’ reps were severely limited, presumably to help make sure he stays healthy. Most of Roderick Robinson’s work came with the second and third offenses. Smart says that the injury, as is, won’t impact his team’s offensive philosophy.
“It’s not going to affect our run/pass ratio,” Smart said on Wednesday while also noting that further injuries are even more problematic now considering Branson Robinson won’t be returning in 2023.
