Georgia WR Ladd McConkey not in uniform for season opener vs. UT-Martin
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia will play its first game of the 2023 season without it’s top wideout from the 2022 season. Junior flanker Ladd McConkey is not in uniform as the Bulldogs go through pre-game warmup for UT-Martin (6 p.m. ET on SEC Network+).
McConkey has been battling some back stiffness, soreness the past couple of weeks. He was absent the last time the media viewed practice almost a week and a half ago. Still, Kirby Smart told reporters earlier this week that McConkey should be good to go.
“Ladd’s doing great,” Smart said in his Monday press conference. “We had to shut him down for a little bit. He had a little bit of a back injury but he’s fine. He’s dealt with it before. He had it last year. He practiced Saturday and it was good and expected to be out there today. So he should be fine.”
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Brock Bowers was Georgia’s leading pass catcher last season ranking No. 1 in receptions and receiving yards. McConkey, however, was tops among the wideouts with 58 grabs for 762 yards and seven scores. McConkey added seven rushing attempts for 134 yards and two scores. Two of his receiving scores came in the 65-7 National Championship win over TCU. He also caught a two-point conversion in Georgia’s win over Ohio State in the Peach Bowl.
McConkey isn’t the only offensive weapon who’ll be missing in action on Saturday. Georgia lost sophomore running back Branson Robinson for the season a couple of weeks ago. He sustained a non-contact patella tendon tear during practice. He won’t return until 2024.
