Kirby Smart offers update on Georgia DB Javon Bullard
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia head coach Kirby Smart offered an update on the status of sophomore defensive back Javon Bullard during his weekly press conference on Monday. Bullard left the field briefly in Georgia’s 45-19 win over Mississippi State Saturday night in Starkville before returning and ultimately heading to the sideline once again for the remainder of the game. Smart said postgame that it was an issue with his knee that was bothering Bullard initially and did not know the reasoning for his second exit.
“Bullard has a lower leg contusion, below the knee. I think he’s going to be fine. He was a little limited in the workout stuff we did yesterday. I think he’s going to be fine to play. I haven’t seen him practice or seen him myself.”
Javon Bullard had four tackles including two solo stops in the win. On the season the Milledgeville, Ga. native has played in nine games, starting six, and has 29 total stops. Over the last three games he has 19 including a team-high and career-best eight tackles against Florida. The week after in Georgia’s win over Tennessee, Bullard had seven stops highlighted by a pair of quarterback sacks and a pass breakup.
“Played really hard. Tackled well. He’s physical and he’s passionate about playing the game,” Smart said last week. “He didn’t play perfect, now. He grabbed and held a couple times and got called. But he played hard. He understood the game plan and he executed it.”
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“His film showed the toughness. He tackled well. You can tell that people who run through tackles don’t fear contact,” he added on Tuesday. “He was a fearless player, and then he did a lot of work out during COVID. He kept working out more and more, which was indicative of ‘I want to be there’ and ‘It’s important to me.’ His parents have a military background, and he’s a tough kid. We thought he was a good fit for our program and good football player, and he has been that.”
If Bullard is not able to go this week, Tykee Smith is likely Georgia’s next option. He has started three including one in place of Bullard when he did not make the trip to Missouri. Smith has 20 tackles including a season-high six stops this past Saturday against Mississippi State. He had three tackles and a quarterback hurry in the win over Missouri, his first start at Georgia after transferring from West Virginia.
Georgia goes on the road once again this Saturday as it travels to Lexington to take on Kentucky before closing out the regular season against Georgia Tech at home next Saturday. This week’s win over Mississippi State moved the Bulldogs to 10-0 on the season and clinched their spot in the SEC Championship Game on December 3rd against LSU.
